Entrepreneur builds the 'Great Brawl of China'

By CNN's Andrew Demaria
in Hong Kong

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The "Melee in China" might lack the ring and hype of the "Rumble in the Jungle" but it already has all the over-the-top showbiz that dominates modern high-profile boxing.

Well, at least when promoter Don King is involved.

Beijing boxing fans gained first hand experience of the King-inspired show when the promoter arrived Wednesday night in the Chinese capital with his entourage including WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz and contender Evander Holyfield.

"Woah!" King yelled in typical King style after arriving at Beijing's international airport. "I'm very delighted to be in the great People's Republic of China."

China, starved of professional boxing since the nation's Communist leaders outlawed it in 1949 and amateur bouts a decade later, will play host to the Ruiz-Holyfield title bout on August 5 at Beijing Capital Gym.

King, Ruiz and Holyfield spent Thursday visiting the venue where 11,500 tickets have just gone on sale and will spend the remaining five days of his publicity trip touring the city's sites and finalizing details of the bout.

For China's boxing fans it is a rare chance for a glimpse of a championship title fight.

But, like boxing Don King-style, the cost of that rare chance is not cheap. Tickets start at U.S.$40 and end at a whopping U.S. $1000 for one of 100 VIP seats.

Li Chengzhi, an official with the Beijing-based Great Wall International Sports Media Company which is co-promoting the fight, is optimistic of the event being a success.

"Out office has been receiving 200 enquiries everyday which shows that people are interested," Li told CNN.

"The reaction is very positive and people are very happy to have a professional bout."

Boxing as a sport began a slow comeback in China in 1979 after senior leader Deng Xiaoping met Muhammad Ali.

The first semi-professional fight since communist rule was the 1993 "Brawl at the Wall" which is best remembered in China for official reaction to the sport's bloody nature rather than the foreign boxers who competed.

The Ruiz-Holyfield title bout though may represent a coming of age for boxing in China.

Though China is yet to win an Olympic boxing medal and Beijing still outlaws Chinese professional fighters, there are signs that boxing's resurgence is at levels that can regularly attracts boxing figures like King and co.

"China Central TV station airs a half-day of professional boxing every Sunday," Li said.

"That shows how people are crazy about it and with this fight, we are bringing live boxing to the people."

The plan had been to stage the "Melee in China" before the International Olympic Committee voted on the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games on July 13.

Beijing is considered favorite to get the nod and the boxing bout was also designed to show the city's ability to stage a successful major event.

King, who will be hosted by members of Beijing's Olympic Bid Committee during his visit, did his bit for the cause.

"We will just be a door-opener to 2008 when we bring the Olympics here to the great city of Beijing and the great People's Republic of China," King told The Associated Press.

King has been forthright in his praise for China, even learning Mandarin for "I love China."

"He loves China," confirmed Li. "He loves China's culture."

With a performance so polished and perfected by King over the years, would you expect anything but?