The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr wasn’t as sharp as he was in the past, but he beat Canelo Avarez for a majority 12-round decision to capture the WBC light middleweight and WBA super world light middleweight titles at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

While the world’s highly acclaimed fight between two undefeated fighters was carried live on PPV television, the Atlantis resort showed off its new Cantor Race and Sports Book by hosting their guests and scores of Bahamians, including members of the local media, to view it.

Opened to the public a week ago next door to the Atlantis Casino, the venue features five giant sized television screens connected together, but can display a series of sporting events at the same time as the norm in any of the other sports bars.

The media guys, including this reporter, Julian Gibson, Chris Saunders and Charles Fisher from ZNS, Marcellus Hall from Sports Radio 103, Sheldon Longley from the Nassau Guardian, Gerrino Saunders from Jones Communications and Eddie Carter from Island FM, were hosted by Ed Fields, senior vice president of public affairs and Eric Hall, public relations manager at Atlantis.

To sweeten the pot, the media guys were treated to dinner at Virgil’s Real BBQ Restaurant and a night’s stay at the Coral Towers.

Hall said it was just their way of saying thanks to the media guys for the role they played in assisting their company in the past. “We just want to show our appreciation to you guys for years and years of coverage and with the Battle for Atlantis coming up, we want to strengthen our relationship with you guys,” he said.

“You always give us great coverage, you come out and support the games and you publicise the whole weekend. So it’s something we want to share with you to show our appreciation for what you do for us.”

With the massive high definition screens, Hall said the sports guys and their guests can now find another venue on their property to watch some of the best sporting events that are televised around the world.

“We have college football games, the boxing, MLB baseball and other sporting events,” he said. “We’re having a blast.”

The new venue continues to show how Atlantis is always on the cutting edge of technology and their hospitality.

“When this company arrived here in 1994, we have constantly brought new and exciting products and events into this country,” he said. “It’s what we do. It’s in our DNA to do it and this is a prime example. you have the space and you make good business decisions and you bring something new and exciting and that is of value to your guests. So this is good business sense.”

Hall said Atlantis will provide more opportunities for the local media to come and be a part of the facilities that they have to offer to their guests.

“People love sports and even with our low occupancy in September, it feels like we are in a packed house and everywhere buzzing with activities,” he said. “Right now, in a sport that is in a decline, without Floyd Mayweather boxing, it’s almost done because he does what he does and he’s the best. So we are happy to host you guys at this time.”

Although he’s not known as a sportscaster or journalist, Carter, who is well voiced on the subject during his morning show on Island FM, said he enjoyed having a chance to hang out with the “real” sportsmen in journalism.

“My favourite part of the whole night was at dinner where we argued about sports,” he said. “There’s nothing better in the world because people have to realise that you guys are sports reporters and they read your columns and hear the sports reports on radio and television but, at the end of the day, you are all sports fans.

“When we had the conversation, we all heard about the passion that everybody had for sports and so I think that is what I will take away the most from the night. I totally enjoyed arguing sports. We didn’t all agree, but we had a good conversation. I totally enjoyed it.”

Carter, however, said he felt the outcome of the fight will be a topic that can be up for further discussions in another setting with the sports guys.

“I think clearly that Floyd Mayweather won the fight,” he said. “But I guess we will all have our own account of what happened. So we will have to get together real soon and discuss it. Maybe we can do it here again.”

Whether the opportunity presents itself or not, Gerrino Saunders said Atlantis must be commended for providing this initial interaction.

“I thought it was a good gesture first of all by Atlantis,” he said. “They have given us some recognition for the work that we continue to do with them. No strings attached. They treated us well. The food was good, we had unlimited food and the good thing for me was the fact that we could have brought our family along. It was a good gesture and I hope they can make it an annual event.”

Unlike Carter, Saunders said he was looking for the upset and felt that Avarez ruined his night. “He was bigger and stronger, so I thought he would have taken the fight to Mayweather a little more,” he said. “But Mayweather was crafty. He had the perfect defence with his shoulder protection. Homeboy couldn’t get to him. It seemed like one judge was biased, but you have to give it to Mayweather. He is the man to beat right now.”

With $41.5 million on the line, Saunders said he was impressed that Mayweather really didn’t break a sweat for 12 rounds. He was a little disappointing, noting that Alvarez probably was content with his earnings of $5 million.

For the sports guys, while there was no money given out, the night was priceless spending the time together.