New York City’s Times Square is preparing for an extraordinary boxing spectacle, a “once-in-a-lifetime event” showcasing three of the sport’s pound-for-pound best athletes.
Turki Al-Sheikh, a prominent figure in Saudi boxing, is bringing world-class boxing events to iconic locations outside the Middle East, starting with a landmark show in America and the UK.
The latest announcement has ignited excitement among fans, revealing a massive triple main event card set to take place outdoors in Times Square, right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, on May 2nd.
Fans have expressed their enthusiasm online, with comments like “Boxing is back!” and “This is shaping up to be the most incredible fight card of the year.”
Ryan Garcia, 26, is expected to headline the event in a welterweight bout against his rival Rolly Romero, 29.
Devin Haney, 26, will also make his return to the ring at 147lbs, facing former world champion Jose Ramirez, 32.
Adding to the stacked card, WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez, 27, will defend his title against Arnold Barboza, 33.
Garcia and Haney will be stepping back into the ring for the first time since their controversial match last April.
In their previous encounter, Garcia initially won on points, scoring three knockdowns. However, the result was later overshadowed when Garcia tested positive for ostarine, a muscle-enhancing substance. He claimed innocence, attributing the positive test to a contaminated supplement, and served a one-year ban, with the fight result being overturned.
Haney, who remains undefeated, is potentially set for a rematch with Garcia, provided they both emerge victorious in their upcoming fights.
Romero’s last fight was a ten-round points victory over Manuel Jaimes in September, following his loss of the WBA 140lb title to Isaac Cruz the previous year.
Ramirez is moving up in weight to challenge Haney after a loss to Barboza in November. Haney’s career includes holding titles in both the lightweight and super-lightweight divisions.
Lopez’s most recent victory was against Steve Claggett in June, preceded by a contentious decision win four months earlier.
He is now slated to defend his WBO title against Barboza, the interim champion, who is coming off a win against Britain’s Jack Catterall in February.
