London's Olympic Park to host professional boxing

LONDON (AP) -- London's Olympic Park will stage professional boxing in September at the Copper Box Arena, a venue that hosted handball and fencing in the modern pentathlon during last year's games.

A multi-fight agreement was struck Monday for Sept. 21 at the 7,000-seat venue nicknamed the "box that rocks" during the Olympics, including a British middleweight title bout between champion Billy Joe Saunders and John Ryder.

Organizers hope the deal will re-establish east London as "the spiritual home of boxing in the U.K." and demonstrate to tax-payers that venues constructed for the Olympics can have lasting benefits.

Promoter Frank Warren says "the Copper Box is what all the investment in the Olympics was about - legacy and giving London a fantastic arena."

The north park of the Olympic Park re-opens to the general public next month for the first time since the games.

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