Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya announced on ESPN that T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was selected as the host for the highly-anticipated Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin middleweight title fight that’s scheduled for Sept. 16, 2017. The bout is expected to set a record number of Pay Per View buys.
At the time of unveiling a match had already been set, De La Hoya said Madison Square Garden, AT&T Stadium and London as potential sites for the September fight. In May, he met with Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson, who pitched Dodger Stadium as a host venue.
De La Hoya came away from the meeting impressed, but the allure and history of Las Vegas serving as backdrop for title fights ultimately served too rich of an opportunity to pass on.
Though, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered a unique setting with AT&T Stadium. For a boxing event, dependent on configuration, capacity could reach upwards of 90,000.
For comparison, T-Mobile Arena drew a sold-out crowd of 20,501 for the match between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Alvarez. AT&T Stadium housed 51,240 attendees last September for the WBO 154-pound title fight between Alvarez and Liam Smith.
Alvarez returns for a third consecutive fight, while it marks the first time Golovkin will box in Las Vegas.
