Fight cards on the (cards) in Las Vegas

Article posted by Coliseum, May 27^th, 2020

Image: boxing247.com

Boxing is set to return to Las Vegas in US on June 9. Leading boxing promoter Bob Arum is planning to stage a series of fight cards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in US, over the coming months, continuing the resumption of live sports amid the global COVID-19 pandemic which has tighten its stranglehold the most in United States.

Bob Arum is an American lawyer, boxing promoter and businessman. He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas.

The fight card is a program or itinerary of all the boxing matches that are to take place during one boxing event. A fight card usually contains one main event and the undercard. A fight card is usually just referred to as the Card.

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Arum says he plans to stage a card of five fights on June 9 at the MGM Grand. It’s the first of a series of fights over the next two months at the Las Vegas hotel. A second fight card will be held two nights later.

The fights, subject to nod from the Nevada Athletic Commission, would begin on June 9 and 11, with ESPN broadcasting both cards. The opening of the MGM Grand and other Las Vegas hotels is expected in the first week of June.

Once the event gets the green light, the identities of the boxers will be revealed. The plan is to have twice a week shows in June and July.

No spectators will be allowed for the fight cards while the participants will be tested for coronavirus at least twice during fight week, including boxers prior to the night before they fight.

Media reports stated that fighters and cornermen will be lodged on a “bubble” floor at the MGM Grand, and will be allowed to eat at an approved eatery in the hotel or to train at the Top Rank gym.

The boxing bouts will not take place in the MGM Grand Garden which can fit in 16,000 spectators and will likely take place in a convention area or ballroom at the MGM Grand.

“Our protocols will be much more stringent than Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) had in Florida,” asserted Top Rank Chief Executive Arum, referring to the three positive coronavirus tests suffered by the UFC prior to UFC 249 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Initially, mediapersons will not be allowed, as Arum said due to “the logistical difficulty of testing more people”.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is owned and operated by Endeavor Group Holdings along with Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and MSD Capital via Zuffa, LLC.

Dana White’s UFC is also looking to hold bouts in Las Vegas on May 30 and June 6.

“Once we get those fights in and UFC gets its initial fights in, both of us will ask for additional dates. The key was getting enough testing, and we’ve got plenty of testing in Nevada to hold our events,” Arum added.

Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has also talked about returning with a July 4 card, though he has given no details. UFC returned to action earlier this month with cards in Florida, including a pay-per-view event, which took place without fans.

Golden Boy Promotions, Inc. is an American boxing and mixed martial arts promotion firm based in Los Angeles, California. The company was set up in 2002 by eight-time world champion (in six divisions) Oscar De La Hoya.

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