THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!: Tonya Harding to wrestle transvestite

[Louis Cypher]

Knight Ridder Newspapers
Feb. 28, 2005 06:25 PM


Tonya Harding is fighting a Florida woman who weighs under 135 pounds. Well, sort of.

The disgraced Olympic figure skater-turned-beefy slugger will face skinny transvestite television personality Daisy D, best known locally for his "Queen on the Scene" antics on the South Florida gossip TV show "Deco Drive."

The gender-bender brawl takes place March 10 at Beach Bums in Fort Lauderdale.

"Daisy D never told me she was a he when we were talking on the phone," groaned promoter Damon Feldman. "Well, it's close enough. Tonya doesn't mind too much."

Feldman said the three-round "celebrity boxing" main event will become a pro wrestling match because the Florida Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees the Florida Boxing Commission, nixed the idea of Harding sparring a totally inexperienced opponent - despite the fact that they would be wearing 16-ounce gloves and protective head gear.

"Harding is a known professional boxer and according to our rules she can only fight as a professional fighter," said Department spokeswoman Meg Shannon. "She cannot participate in a prearranged fight because that would be illegal. Prearranged fights are considered fixed fights under our rules."

But Florida does not oversee pro wrestling, Shannon said - so almost anything goes.

"As long as Harding doesn't wear boxing gear while she is engaged in pro wrestling, the promoter is not breaking the law."

Harding has a 3-3 record as a professional boxer. And like Daisy D, she has no known pro wrestling experience.

In addition to Harding, Feldman will feature four other pro wrestling matches, including "a local wrestler who weighs 650 pounds."

There will also be a raunchy Paris Hilton look-a-like contest, with the winner getting at least $250 in cash, Feldman said.

"We're out to give South Florida fight fans a classy night out," Feldman said.

[dinque]

i remember about 15 years ago she managed in a lucha show in,i believe,washington state.she managed art barr,who was one of the most hated american wrestlers in mexico before passing away about two weeks after the"when worlds collide"pay per view which was about to put him on the map big time.there is alot more to his story and would make a major movie someday but that is getting way off topic.

[jimmy the greek]

how sweet.

[Bostongambler]

Any line on the match

[Java]

So, shouldn't the headline be:
Two Transvestites to Wrestle

[TTinCO]

Tonya "trailer trash" Harding......

[JoeyrollNy]

She might be the next million $ baby. NOT

[TheGuesser]

When I saw the subject, I assumed she was wrestling Chyna or Nicole Bass, but I guess it's some other tranvestite.

[Louis Cypher]

With Transvestite Fight on Ice, Harding Flexes, Fans Fuss

5:56 pm EST March 11, 2005


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Local 10 News caught up with the promoter behind a Tonya Harding, transvestite boxing match that pulled in customers Thursday night but never delivered the main event.

Customers who paid between $10 and $20 to attend the fight wanted their money back when Harding and Daisy D failed to duke it out. But it looks like those customers won't see a dime.

Local 10's Jeff Weinsier tracked down the show's promoter, Damon Feldman, today, who quickly blamed Harding for the fiasco.

"It's 100 percent her fault," said Feldman. "We had a little problem with the Florida State Athletic Commission … but she wanted this match to be set up, you know, the fight to be set up or she wasn't going to do it. So I had to come every which way to figure an angle out. So I asked her, 'Will you at least do a wrestling match?' And she wouldn't even do that. So she let everybody down."

State police showed up Thursday night at Beach Bums on Fort Lauderdale and threatened to arrest anyone who participated in a bout. Apparently Feldman did not get approval from state boxing officials to hold the fight. Harding told Local 10 News she didn't want to fight because she would be stripped of her boxing title and she might be arrested.

Fans focused on Feldman today, saying he let them down and they want their money back. Weinsier asked Feldman if he'll provide refunds. The following exchange took place:

Weinsier: "You're not planning to give anyone their money back?"

Feldman: "Well, I mean, they still got the show of it. They were there to see Harding, but everybody stayed until the last minute. We tried to negotiate with Harding the whole time. It's not that I don't want to give it back, it's just there was no money made. The money, it was, it was 200 tickets but people had to get paid with the event. I mean there is …"

Weinsier interjects: "So no. People, you're not giving anybody their money back."

Feldman: "Well there's nothing I can do with that. No."

Weinsier said he spoke to some people who were at the event who said Feldman promised them refunds, but Feldman said that was not the case. He said he lost $15,000 on the event.

[hockeystl]

Originally posted by: Louis Cypher
"We're out to give South Florida fight fans a classy night out," Feldman said.

Classic

[Phreak]

That's Entertainment!