Tag: Cornavirus

Top Rank targeting June 9 restart; Shakur Stevenson could be headliner

Top Rank is discussing the possibility of staging a card on June 9 in Las Vegas, and Shakur Stevenson could be the headliner.

Shakur Stevenson reportedly might be the first major fighter to be showcased after the coronavirus lock down.

Top Rank, his promoter, is discussing the possibility of staging a card – without a live audience – on June 9 in Las Vegas, according to multiple reports. And Stevenson, a featherweight titleholder, is a candidate to be the start of the show.

The card would be televised on an ESPN channel. It would be held at an MGM property, according to ESPN.

“It’s the tentative date for Top Rank, subject to working with the commission [in Nevada],” Arum told ESPN. “We’re optimistic on it, and working with ESPN. They want that date, so that is the tentative date.”

Stevenson, who won the vacant title by outpointing Joet Gonzalez in October, was scheduled to defend it against Miguel Marriaga on March 14 in New York City but the fight was postponed because of the pandemic.

Teofimo Lopez and family have been riding out coronvirus in Arkansas

Lightweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez and his family left New York City and relocated to Arkansas to ride out the worst of the coronavirus.

Teofimo Lopez evidently wasn’t taking any chances.

The lightweight titleholder, believing his hometown of New York City would be hit hard by the coronavirus, moved with his family to Arkansas – where his wife has relatives – to ride out the worst of the pandemic, according to TMZ.

Lopez felt he had no choice to but to relocate because he has asthma, which makes him susceptible to the worst symptoms of the disease.

As of Saturday, 131,263 had tested positive for the coronavirus and 8,893 had died from it.

“You ever seen those movies like ‘2012’? Obviously the major cities are always gonna get hit first,” he said. “… “Me and my wife, we took our 3 dogs with us. We pretty much just left. Man, honestly, we were lucky. We left two or three days before it got hit hard.

“And, ya know we had to, due to my health condition. I have asthma. Not a lot of people know about it. I’ve been diagnosed with is since I was 6 years old. I know coronavirus, COVID-19, it hits the lungs. I just can’t risk it.”

Lopez was scheduled to fight fellow titlteholder Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 30 but the fight was postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic. Still, he says he’s staying in shape.

“I’m still working ou,” he said. “I been two weeks already just doing the treadmill, just running, and pretty much pumping weights. Hitting the bag. … I’m getting big!”

Lopez suggested Lomachenko, who is in Ukraine, follow his lead. He said, “Stay in shape, you fat f—!”