Finally, after weeks of drought, we have a boxing schedule to look forward to. Courtesy of Bob Arum’s Top Rank, fans will be able to watch, on TV, six fight cards next month, each one to take place – with no fans in attendance – weekly, on a Tuesday and a Thursday.
Arum spoke with ESPN.com, explaining the plans:
“This is a sensible way to push ahead,” Arum said. “Hopefully the fights will be good – I know they will be – but you’ve got to make sure all the procedures are safe and so forth. Hopefully what we’re doing will serve as a template for other promoters to put on shows.”
Five of the cards will take place in Las Vegas, while the other will be held inside a TV studio in Mexico City.
Here is the upcoming schedule:
June 9: Shakur Stevenson Vs. Felix Caraballo. With Mikaela Mayer Vs. Helen Joseph also featured.
June 11: Jessie Magdaleno Vs. Yenifel Vicente. With Adam Lopez Vs. Luis Coria also featured.
June 16: Joshua Greer Jr Vs. Mike Plania. With Giovanni Santillan Vs. Antonio DeMarco also featured.
June 18: Jose Pedraza Vs. Mikkel LesPierre. With Gabe Flores Jr Vs. Josec Ruiz also featured.
June 20: Emanuel Navarette Vs. Uriel Lopez (from Mexico City).
June 23: Andrew Moloney Vs. Joshua Franco. With Christopher Diaz Vs. Jason Sanchez also featuring.
Some good match-ups, with hopefully some good action to come. Let’s all hope each and every fight goes okay with no problems; either before, during or after the first bell. The sport of boxing might be about to make one of it’s most important comebacks in recorded history. And it will start in nine days time.
Welcome back, live fight nights!
In the UK, promoter Eddie Hearn is still working hard on his plans to stage big fights at Matchroom HQ in Essex, the fights to quite literally take place in the middle of his own garden. As fans, we should all support Arum, Hearn and any other promoters who are thinking outside the box at this time.