Yuri Foreman is blowing up. First a boxing title, then Jewlicious, now Yankee Stadium:
The Yankees said Friday they’ve agreed to accommodate a family that scheduled a bar mitzvah for June 5, the date that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum wants to stage Yuri Foreman’s junior middleweight title defense against Miguel Cotto at the opulent ballpark. It wasn’t clear what accommodations were made, although the bar mitzvah for Scott Ballan is still scheduled.
Ballan is the son of Jon Ballan, the lead bond lawyer for the financing of the $1.5 billion stadium. As part of the bar mitzvah, the Yankees had promised the family use of the Legends Suite Club and videoboard in center field, which would have prevented its use during the fight card.
“We want to thank Jon Ballan and his family for their graciousness, understanding and good will in helping to accommodate the Yankees,” the team said in a statement to The Associated Press. “We will now meet with Bob Arum and his organization to continue discussions to bring this fight to Yankee Stadium.”
The promoters plan to meet with Yankees officials next week.
While the contracts for the fight have yet to be signed, Foreman said he was thrilled about the possibility of fighting in one of the most hallowed venues in sports.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity. It’s something I’ve never ever dreamed,” he said Friday. “It’s where Joe Louis fought Max Schmeling, you know? For me to be fighting in Yankee Stadium is historical, being part of the history.”
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