
After weeks of speculation from Saudi Arabian boxing adviser Turki Alalshikh, professional boxing in the literal center of New York’s Time Square will become a reality in a star-studded tripleheader on Friday, March 2.
Alalshikh, who recently purchased “The Ring” magazine, will launch his first Ring Magazine event on U.S. soil and second overall when 140-pound stars Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez Jr. headline the event in separate bouts.
Although the top two bouts of this event have been previously announced, “The Ring” reported Friday on social media a third bout, featuring Lopez, that will replace original plans for a Martin Bakole-Efe Ajagba heavyweight tilt after Bakole filled in on late notice last weekend in a second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker in Riyadh.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) will return to the ring for the first time in 13 months when he faces slugger Rolando Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) in the main event. WBC 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), who was upset by Garcia last April (only to have the result changed to a no contest when Garcia failed a postfight drug test), will face former unified champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) in the co-feature, with the winners of both bouts expected to meet this fall.
The new opener will see Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) defend his WBO title against interim beltholder Arnold Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11 KOs), who is fresh off of his split-decision win over Jack Catterall two weeks ago.
Oscar De La Hoya, the Golden Boy promoter who represents Garcia, Ramirez and Barboza, said publicly in recent weeks that the boxing event could end up being free to as many spectators that can be fit into Times Square, which was the site of a stop on the 2013 press tour between Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez, but has never hosted an outdoor boxing event.
The first Ring Magazine live event takes place on April 26 in Tottenham, England, when bitter British rivals Chris Eubank Jr. (34-3, 25 KOs) and Conor Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) face off at a catchweight.
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