Another card is officially off.
The show featuring Sergey Kovalev vs. Sullivan Barrera, scheduled for April 25 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, has been canceled because of the coronavirus threat.
Promoter Golden Boy Promotions made the announcement in a news release.
“Whether it’s in Riverside County or Los Angeles County, it is clear that we must take every precaution to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “We lament the hardship this has caused for our fighters, partners, employees and state officials, and we look forward to providing better news in the coming weeks.
Said Paul Ryan, General Manager of Fantasy Springs: “The health of our guests and Golden Boy’s athletes is our top priority. This week we’ve seen professional sports leagues err on the side of caution, from the NBA and college basketball to the PGA and Major League Baseball, and we’re doing the same. It’s the right thing to do, and we look forward to having another stellar Golden Boy card here in the future.”
The news release said Golden Boy plans to return to the casino. “A new date for Golden Boy Boxing at Fantasy Springs will be announced as soon as is reasonably possible,” it read.
Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout loss against Canelo Alvarez that cost him his light heavyweight title in November.
Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs) lost a 10-round decision to Jesse Hart in June.