May 3, 2007 7:15 pm US/Central
World Boxing Championships Headed To Chicago
by Jay Levine
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Chicago Olympic planners have a major opportunity to show the world how the city would handle the summer games in 2016.
As CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports, the International Olympic Committee has turned to Chicago to host the World Boxing Championships this October.
The UIC Pavilion on the Near West Side was a key part of the 2016 Olympic plan. Staging this year's Olympic boxing qualifier was not – but it's more than welcome.
"Holding an international event like this, from our perspective, understanding over 100 countries will be represented, it's another great opportunity to showcase some of the ideas we have for 2016," said Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Chicago got the championship almost by default. After Russia lost the event it had already been awarded and South Korea turned it down.
"To bring an international sporting event of the stature of the World Boxing Championships to Chicago is a fantastic opportunity," said Bill Scheer of World Sport Chicago.
All across the city Thursday, from the South Side to Evanston, as word got out, boxers got excited.
Boxing has always been a popular part of the summer games, and as Beijing prepares for the 2008 Olympics, Chicago becomes the first official qualifying event for athletes. But here's the key.
It will also give international Olympic officials a first hand look at Chicago they normally would not be allowed to get.
"It's a major international competition so the IOC members will show up and we'd like to introduce them to Chicago and show them how much we love sports here," Scheer said.
Olympic candidate cities normally aren't allowed to host IOC members because of the potential for abuse. But in this case, the IOC was desperate and needed someone who could host the championships on such short notice. Obviously it's a golden opportunity, but also a huge challenge, to accomplish in five months what others are given two years to do.
Success could give Chicago a huge leg up, failure a potentially fatal blow.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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