The May 2nd event is shaping up to be one of the most historic fights ever orchestrated. For years, big-time boxing in New York has been synonymous with Madison Square Garden and, more recently, Barclays Center. But hosting a fight night in the heart of Times Square is an entirely different ball game.

This bout won’t just be remembered for the big names in the ring—it’s the sheer audacity of staging it in one of the world’s busiest, most iconic locations make it stand out. One can’t help but wonder how the organizers pulled off such a monumental feat. “It took a lot of money,”  Oscar De La Hoya chuckled, hinting at the massive effort behind this event.

The event will be headlined by a welterweight bout between Ryan Garcia and the former WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. This marks His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s first Ring Magazine USA show in Times Square, New York. In the co-feature, Devin Haney will fight Jose Ramirez. Another bout on the card will feature Teofimo Lopez will put his WBO and the Ring junior welterweight titles on the line against Arnold Barboza Jr.

Dubbed Fatal Fury, the May 2 event is a unique collaboration between Ring Magazine, known as ‘The Bible of Boxing’ and SNK Games, a Japanese video game company. Even with the high stakes, the Hall of Famer, Oscar De La Hoya remains confident this showdown will draw a massive crowd, regardless of the venue. With that in mind, he boldly predicted an impressive viewership count in an interview with DAZN.

Oscar De La Hoya’s exclusive golden tickets in the heart of NYC

With the event only two months away, the fighters, along with their promoters, were recently seen in New York for the official press event. When asked about the event, the Hall of famer, Oscar De La Hoya revealed that he was excited about the bout. Moreover, he was confident that the fight would draw massive attention, predicting that more than 500k people would be watching in Times Square. “We’re expecting half a million people watching in the Times Square. It’s going to be incredible,” said the Golden Boy head honcho.

When pressed about the ticket sales and crowd management, De La Hoya explained that only “a couple of hundred” people would be able to watch the fight live in person. The rest of the audience would watch from outside the restricted area or through media coverage. Organizers will rope off a section around Times Square to control access.

Oscar De La Hoya on Fatal Fury in Times Square: “We’re expecting half a million people, watching at Times square. It’ll be roped off for a couple hundred people.”
byu/AlexTorres96 inBoxing

“It’s like a golden ticket. I’m going to search for my golden ticket wherever I can.” Using the metaphor of a “golden ticket,” he highlighted the rarity and exclusivity of attending the event live. Similar to Willy Wonka’s golden ticket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “Willy Wonka style. Turki Alalshikh style,” he said hinting at the exclusivity of the event. Much like the high-profile spectacles His Excellency Turki Alalshikh orchestrates under his Riyadh card.

However, despite the magnitude of these high-profile fights, it seems Oscar De La Hoya is kind of  confident about their preparedness for an emergency. Why? Here’s the explanation.

The Risky Gamble of Times Square Boxing

Rick Reeno, Chief Operating Officer of Ring Magazine, emphasized that the event could have been staged anywhere. Whether it was in New York, LA, or Las Vegas, it still would have sold out. However, the goal was to create something truly special and iconic. They wanted to organize an event that 25 years from now, people would still remember and say, “Oh my God, can you believe they staged that crazy event in the heart of Times Square?”

While the location is iconic, it also brings unique challenges. Especially considering the unpredictable weather in New York in early May. Being concerned about the weather, Rolly Romero said, “I don’t know if you guys have been in New York in May, but it’s a little cold, don’t you think? He then threw a lighthearted joke, saying, “So they might have some heaters walking through.”

Oscar De La Hoya acknowledged concerns about the cold weather but he isn’t too worried about it. Despite the logistical hurdles, De La Hoya said, “No, I think New York has handled big events,” drawing comparisons to the city’s handling of massive occasions like Times Square on New Year’s Eve. He added, “It’s going to be an epic event, man. I’m happy to be part of it.”

With that said, do you agree with Oscar De La Hoya’s estimation? And do you believe Ryan Garcia emerge victorious once again?