Las Vegas Boxing

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Hands down Las Vegas, the country's primary boxing venue is the best place to see a fight. From its glitzy hotels to the bright lights and neon signs of the Las Vegas Strip to the buzz inside the casinos and the excitement in the air in the arenas...it's electrifying.

Since the 1980s Las Vegas has been known as the "Boxing Capital of the World". Some of the best fights in boxing history have taken place there...Hagler vs Hearns, Leonard vs Hearns, Bowe vs Holyfield I, Tyson vs Berbick, Trinidad vs Vargas, Corrales vs Castillo I, Barrera vs Morales III.

Being at a big fight in it of itself is an awesome experience. You really can't compare it to watching a fight on TV. Being at a big fight in Las Vegas is an incredible experience. You really can't compare it to seeing a fight anywhere else. Cliche as it may sound there is nothing like seeing a fight live in Vegas.

2008 Las Vegas Boxing Schedule

Fight	Location	Date	Boxing Tickets
Byrd vs George	Thomas & Mack, Las Vegas, NV	May 16, 2008 Friday	TBA
Angulo & Kirkland & Gamboa	Star of the Desert Arena, Primm, NV	May 17, 2008 Saturday 5:00 PM	Night of the Rising Stars Tickets
Pacquiao vs Diaz	Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV	June 28, 2008 Saturday 3:30 PM	Pacquiao vs Diaz Tickets
Torres vs Holt	Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, NV	July 5, 2008 Thursday	TBA
Cotto vs Margarito	MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV	July 26, 2008 Saturday	TBA
Crown Boxing	Orleans, Las Vegas, NV	August 15, 2008 Friday	TBA
Mayweather vs De La Hoya	Las Vegas, NV	September 20, 2008 Saturday	TBA
Crown Boxing	Orleans, Las Vegas, NV	September 26, 2008 Friday	TBA
Crown Boxing	Orleans, Las Vegas, NV	November 21, 2008 Friday	TBA

Las Vegas Boxing Venues

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Las Vegas & Nevada Boxing History

In 1897 Nevada passed a law to legalize boxing to permit the James J. Corbett vs Bob Fitzsimmons bout to take place on March 17, 1897 in Carson City, Nevada. Prior to 1897 boxing matches had to be called exhibitions, athletic contests or carnivals to get around the law banning boxing in the state. The site of the Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight was located at Musser and Harbin Streets, Nevada Historical Marker 243.

James J Corbett vs Bob Fitzsimmons

On July 4, 1910 another major boxing event took place in the state of Nevada. Jack Johnson, the first black title holder and undefeated former champion Jim Jeffries, the Great White Hope fought in a controversial racially charged bout dubbed "The Fight of the Century" in Reno, Nevada. White race riots broke out across the country after the fight and following the distribution of the fight film causing congress to prohibit interstate transporting and showing of boxing films for 25 years. The site of the Johnson-Jeffries fight was located at the southwest corner of East 4th and Toano Streets, Nevada Historical Marker 220.

Jack Johnson vs James Jeffries

Another boxing first for the state of Nevada was the Athletic Commission's approval of the first female championship title fight in boxing history scheduled for 12 rounds at 3 minutes a piece. The fight took place at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 5, 2007; Layla McCarter vs Donna Biggers. It's interesting to note that the Nevada boxing statute of 1897 ruled that a boxer had to be a male. In 1913 it was amended to include that a boxing match couldn't be more than 10 rounds.

Historically Las Vegas, the country's primary boxing venue has attracted the largest crowds and produced Nevada's richest boxing gates. The Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney fight on June 11, 1982 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas drew in 29,214 people breaking all attendance records for a sporting event in North American history. The highest grossing boxing gate to date in Nevada was the Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather Jr fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on May 5, 2007. The fight sold out in three hours producing ticket sales grossing $18,419,200.00.

For bibliophiles who are also boxing fans and history buffs, Fight Town: Las Vegas - the Boxing Capital of the World by Tim Dahlberg provides a historical look at boxing in Las Vegas from an insider's vantage point. Through pictures and stories, Dahlberg, a long time boxing reporter and Las Vegas native traces the fight scene in Vegas from the 1950s to 2004. The book also contains pieces on Johnny Tocco's gym, a Las Vegas sporting shrine of sorts which is one of the oldest and storied gyms in boxing.