IT might not exactly be a tea party. But promoters of Hong Kong's first multi-million dollar boxing extravaganza on October 23 had hoped that the training camp for World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight champion Herbie Hide could be pitched on the Government House lawn.
The idea was quickly knocked out. No way was staid Upper Albert Road going to entertain all the hype and hoopla that goes into a pre-heavyweight showdown.
'We thought the Governor's residence would be an ideal venue for the British contingent's training camp,' said Des McGahan, managing director of Prism, the local promoter.
But the Governor's aide-de-camp Mike Ellis has politely shot down the idea.
'Unfortunately, the aide-de-camp thought it was not quite a good idea to have all these boxers walking around,' Mr McGahan said yesterday.
Promoters have now shifted their sights to more down-to-earth venues - the American Club at Tai Tam for the American boxers' training camp and the Hong Kong Football Club at Happy Valley for the British.
