ALL-STAR TURNOUT FOR PLANET HOLLYWOOD’S DEBUT BOXING BATTLE
It was the ultimate weekend of superstars at play in Vegas—and at Planet Hollywood’s debut fight promotion there were more headliners than at any prior Sin City sporting event!
It began with hip hop star Ray J, escorting his lady love Whitney Houston, and her teenage daughter Kristina when he sang the American National Anthem at the “Battle of the Planet” between American champion Bernard Hopkins and undefeated Welshman Joe Calzaghe. Ray J’s older sister Brandy was there to applaud him on.
Then Sir Tom Jones sang the Welsh National Anthem as gorgeous actress Catherine Zeta-Jones waved her Welsh flag ringside.
She’d wowed Planet Hollywood guests when she turned up in a sexy sheer-sided swimsuit for sunbathing at the resorts sixth-floor pool earlier in the day with her proud parents and brothers. She told me that hubby, Michael Douglas would have also attended but was away filming a new movie.
Planet Hollywood’s head honcho, Robert Earl assembled an extraordinary group of his celebrity friends for his first fight promotion. They included Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis with new galpal Emma, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Phantom’s Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Entourage star Jeremy Piven, actor Michael J. Fox, comedy stars Chris Tucker and James Belushi, Cat Deeley, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, Joey Fatone, actors Rob Schneider and Luke Perry, EXTRA’s host Mark McGrath, American Idol’s Simon Cowell, James Bond villain Richard Keil, Willis McGahee, Lance Briggs, tennis champion Pete Sampras, Roy Jones Jr., HBO’s strongman Chuck Zito, Marco Antonio Barrera, boxers Winky Wright and Zab Judah, reality star Britney Gastineau and famous Hollywood lawyer Robert Shapiro who laughed with me about not seeing each other in two years and then seeing each other two-consecutive weekends at Ivana Trump’s wedding and this fight.
“I wanted something that hadn’t happened in many years” Planet Hollywood owner Robert Earl told me. “I wanted all of Hollywood to be ringside like the tradition it used to be. That was our vision and we got the largest turnout ever. Where do you see Rocky, the Terminator, Die Hard in the same place at once.”
Later he might not have wanted them there—because they partnered up for craps in the Planet Hollywood Resort and were winning thousands of dollars—even fight winner Joe Calzaghe sidled up to the tables with his girlfriend to accept congratulations from Sly and Bruce who kept on playing!
I cheekily asked Simon Cowell why I never see him in anything other than a grey sweater and jeans. He told me he owns 100 of the Prada sweaters and even when it calls for a tuxedo he still wears “the outfit.” He told me: “Much simpler this way. I never have to waste time worrying what to wear. Its always the same.” Simon told me he used to be a teenage boxer but gave it up because he didn’t want his face harmed—“and I stopped going to the fights too” he said. “So this is my first fight in ages—they’ve sort of all become the same disparate until this.” Simon also said he was disappointed that this season’s American Idol contestants lacked fire and passion. “Some of them are very good but I want them to have more fire in their performance” said the Brit who’s fearless with his criticisms.
He chatted with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber who will guest on tomorrow nights (TUES) American Idol. He told me he’d mentored the final six singers at his Phantom—The Las Vegas Spectacular in The Venetian: “I was very impressed with them although I don’t think they really care for our kind of music.” The British Lord told me that he would still like to bring his Joseph and the Technicolor Coat to Vegas: “ I think it would really work here as a 75-minute show and I hope to make that happen sometime.” Meantime he’s at work on his Phantom sequel, which will premiere late next year in London’s West End: the Phantom of Manhattan set in the Coney island amusement park.
The fight itself attracted nearly 18,000—and Joe Calzaghe out-punched Bernard Hopkins with 707 punches of which 232 landed. The judges awarded the 12 round split decision to the Welsh visitor. Hopkins, the 43-year-old couldn’t believe he’d lost to the 36-year-old rival who was given three technicals for hitting below the belt. One of those stopped the fight almost five minutes. Ironically Calzaghe went down twice in the first round but recovered to win.
After the fight he celebrated with dinner at the Strip House in Planet Hollywood where fellow diners included Bruce Willis, Sylvester
Stallone, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jim Belushi, Tom Jones, Chuck Zito, and Simon Cowell. Then it was onto the casino’s new Privé nightlub.
For the second consecutive night Michael J. Fox and Catherine Zeta Jones joined in the party fun. Michael spent time talking with Enzo Calzaghe, the victor’s father and trainer! Tom Jones ordered up Veuve Cliquot champagne for he and Catherine to toast their fellow Welshman’s victory.
Ring announcer Michael Buffer showed along with Terminator actor Robert Patrick and his wife, Barbara plus Dancing with the Stars alumnae Joey Fatone who decided to show off his dance moves inside the glass elevator with a go-go dancer!.
On a rare Vegas visit Whitney Houston turned up at 3 a.m. holding hands with boyfriend, Ray J for a 30-minute champagne nightcap—before calling it a night.
Robert Earl had the last word to sum it all up: “ A total triumph,” he exclaimed proudly. “Planet Hollywood has really arrived now on the Strip and we’re now able to battle the big boys—and win.”