New York - Some strange places sit in the middle of a tourist hotspot, called Times Square, give pedestrians questions about boxing rings and camera rolls and the surrounding structure.
"What's going on, how do I get to the other end of Fifth Avenue?" a pedestrian asked a police officer who supervised the area.
The other was with a friend from California. When told that the area was restricted, the locals were frustrated and said, "She came all the way here to block Times Square. I don't even know what happened."
One security officer replied: "This is an exclusive big game."
Many onlookers don't know that they are witnessing history.
Last Friday, it was marked "Deadly Anger: Wolf Market", the first incident to turn Times Square into an outdoor boxing venue.
The card is headlines for Ryan Garcia, who is the first struggle since a year-long suspension to test performances to enhance drug positives and is comparable to Rollando “Rolly” Romero. Devin Haney hosted Arnold Barboza Jr, faced by Jose Ramirez and Teofimo Lopez.
Unlike the average boxing match, Punches and Jabs helped expand the light atmosphere in Times Square. That's what makes historic boxing night so special.
The ring was set up on Seventh Avenue in front of ABC’s “Good Morning America” studio and Carlo’s roastery, Bubaba Magazine Shrimp Company, Taco Bell and the Hard Rock Cafe across the road. It lay in a setup that includes four pillars with roofs and four small videos.
Hanney’s father and coach Bill Haney said the game’s position was second to none.
"I've been fighting 50,000 people all the time, and I have to say it's the most iconic, historic battle I've ever witnessed in my life," Bill Haney told ESPN. "Just in the middle of Times Square. If you told me last year that we would be here, we're going to be fighting, or I just saw a fight (let's make) part of it alone, I wouldn't believe it. I feel like I'm dreaming."
As tickets for the show were not released, crosswalks were blocked, fans and tourists were blocked inside Gates, with video screens in multiple locations in the area. With the fight throughout the night, delayed roars among the scattered crowds scattered around the three different designated viewing areas can be heard.
Oscar de la Hoya, the sponsor of the Golden Boys, has three fighters on the card (Garcia, Ramirez and Barbosa), and he said the place is different from any other sporting event.
"In my 45 years of boxing, there was no comparison," De La Hoya told ESPN on Thursday. "I think it takes up everything in boxing or any sport. Literally. I don't think we didn't have live basketball in Times Square. ... I think it's very unique, it's incredible, it's amazing."
One thing about boxing fans is that they will find a way to view big cards. The different screens around Times Square offer opportunities for those who cannot access the ring to watch on large video screens. The fence around the ring is located on a red tarpaulin about 12 feet tall, blocking the exterior view to include the exclusiveness of the event. However, fans have also found a way to watch from the surrounding platforms and buildings.
With the ball falling down in New Year’s Eve, a group of construction workers are arguably one of the best vantage points to watch the action. Workers wore their work vests and hard hats and gathered at the top of the construction site. They watched the early battles, leaning over the guardrail and pulling the chairs onto the platform to watch the main event of sitting. When Garcia took over Romero, the workers became comfortable and eventually removed the hard hat and vest.
Apart from imitators of Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Harry Potter, Hulk Hogan, Michael Jackson and Four Elmos, you look like there is star power in every direction. The audience sits in three parts. The North and South sections are composed of actor Michael J. Fox, streaming showshowspeed and Amp, legendary drummer Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett, rapper/actor Ice-ice-T and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks Knicks Center in New York.
Boxing royals sit east of the ring. Lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson was one of the first boxers to witness the night of history, before being joined by junior middleweight champion Terence Crawford, who built a lot of hype for the September 12 battle with Canelo Alvarez. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson ran in a designer navy blue satin suit (Navy Blue Satin suit) and took photos with fans.
First responders held an annual charity event called "Battle of the Badges" which included an amateur boxing match between New York police and firefighters. It benefits the Tunnel 2 Tower Foundation, which provides important assistance to first responders and veterans. An hour before Friday's professional card began, Ladder 24's firefighter James Gennari and police officer Joel Allen arrived at the ring in the appropriate gown color (the blue of the NYPD, for fdny) to exit the vehicle associated with their profession.
Barboza sat in the hotel banquet hall, wrapping her hands around her hands, and putting tape on gloves before the match with Lopez. To begin the journey of rings wrapped in white and blue robes and white hats, Barboza and his team rode the escalator away from the hotel.
Since there is no locker room connected to the venue, the question is how the fighter will get to the ring. Answer? style. The Warrior's dressing room is located from the hotel block of the ring and is taken to the rings on the classic car - some in a unique yellow taxi in New York. The fighter arrived at the ring from the hotel about eight minutes.
Fighters in WBO Junior Welterweight matches crossing the streets of New York City with old-fashioned taxis riding rings, fans recorded and recorded them on mobile devices. Lopez was born in Brooklyn and fought in his backyard. Supporters chanted “Teo” as he arrived at the ring wearing a NYPD vest.
Haney entered the 50 Cent "many men" in a black leather jacket and black leather trunk. As he bounced on the ring, he quickly browsed through the different billboards outside the ring, and a handful of fans were mainly celebrities and boxers on the venue. Although Haney is used to fighting in front of thousands of fans, exclusivity seems to fuel the 26-year-old.
"This is something you can't prepare for it. It's so iconic, I don't think it will happen for a long time again," Bill Haney said.
Romero chose the theme of the main event's "Back to the Future". His team was equipped with Turquoise jumpsuits with a font on the back of the "Pink" and "Back to the Future" theme.
To complement this topic, Romero's boxing shoes replicate Marty McFly, the character of Michael J. Fox, who was present at the conference. They are like wearing "Back to the Future" self-Newman sneakers in the sequel.
Romero arrived at the ring in a vintage cream Lowrider containing hydraulics and counterfeit wheels, wearing a pink yellow shirt jacket.
Garcia's return is expected to be very big. His robe wore a blue look of "King Ryan" on the back, with crosses and angel wings. Garcia's trunk has a cross on each leg, with a "king" in front and a "Ryan" on the back. He finished the look with white shoes with the same white shoes as the robe and the trunk.
The entrance to the hotel was crowded when Garcia headed to the escort. His riding on the ring was a Batmobile, which sets the standard for combat. He climbed over the ropes to Lupe Fiasco's "Matthew Santos".
Garcia was knocked down by Romero's left hook in the second round. There were few fans present and the reaction to the knockout was quiet. The only sounds are the car, bike bell, car angle and sirens.
Tyson and Stevenson were knocked down by Romero.
Eventually, Romero spoiled Garcia's return and had a potential rematch against Hanney with scorecards of 115-112, 115-112 and 118-109. Romero still guarantees the rematch.
"I think Devin and Ryan deserve their rematch to make it a big game," Romero said.