‘Lady of the Ring’ to do Araneta card

Third Force promoter Noli Eala said yesterday it’s almost a done deal for Amy Hayes, the first female to announce a world title fight, to do the hosting job for the blockbuster “Payback” card headlined by Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista at the Araneta Coliseum on Dec. 2.

“I’ve spoken with Amy’s father and manager, Morris, twice on the phone,” said Eala. “We’re close to an agreement. She’ll be an attraction for sure. She knows how to get the crowd going.”

Hayes, 34, was the ring announcer for the IBF superfeatherweight title bout between Steve Forbes and David Santos in Temecula, California, in 2002. She has worked TV fights for ESPN, Showtime and the Fox Sports Network. Hayes has also done ring duty in wrestling and was once featured in a skit with basketball star Dennis Rodman.

Eala said he considered tapping Michael Buffer, Jimmy Lennon Jr., Lupe Contreras and Patricia Rosario to announce the Big Dome fights but Hayes got the nod. A compelling argument was Hayes’ solid credentials, including a 36-25-36 figure.

“Our show will be exciting even before the fights begin,” said Eala. “Amy will play a big role in creating the atmosphere of excitement in the coliseum. I’ve listened to her tape announcing a fight and she’ll definitely catch your attention.”

Hayes, who filed for divorce from her husband of three years Jeff Brassow last May, is tentatively scheduled to arrive on Nov. 29. She will be introduced to fans during the weigh-in the day before the fights.

Hayes was 17 when she worked as a round girl in Detroit smokers. She earned a degree at the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts in Southfield, Michigan, and became a disc jockey before making her debut as a boxing announcer on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights in 2000.

Promoter Dan Goosen later signed Hayes to a contract as the exclusive ring announcer for Goosen-Tutor fights. Goosen’s idea was to bring a “fresh, sleek and sexy” look to pro boxing. She was dubbed “the Lady of the Ring.”

Hayes created a stir when she posed in revealing pictorials for both Playboy and Maxim Magazines. The exposure led to more work assignments, including doing commentary for the Dayton Bombers hockey team and writing a weekly column in the internet. She once announced a TV boxing card on ESPN from the Playboy mansion.

Hayes, who lives in Lexington, Kentucky, said she learned to be hard-working from her parents who were employed for years by General Motors. Her father also dabbled in sportscasting while her mother sewed car seats. Her father, now 61, worked 30 years as a union boss in Troy, Michigan.