Haney vs Diaz Jr at the storied MGM Grand Garden Arena

On December 4th, the MGM Grand Garden Arena will host the WBC lightweight title bout between Devin Haney and JoJo Diaz Jr. The fight will be a major event, drawing big crowds to the venue and even bigger crowds on pay-per-view. One of the main sporting venues in Las Vegas, the MGM Grand Garden Arena has hosted its share of exciting events and shows.

The venue

Since opening in 1993, the MGM Grand Garden Arena has been one of the most popular venues in Las Vegas. The venue can seat 17,000 and has a prime location on the Vegas strip. It has hosted a wide range of sporting events in its history, from boxing matches and professional wrestling events to bull riding competitions. Besides sports, the venue also hosts concerts and awards ceremonies. The Latin Grammy Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards have both been held in the arena multiple times. Some of the biggest names in music have performed there.

Famous fights

The venue is best known for holding superfights. Boxing has always been one of the most popular sports to bet on, and superfights have always drawn the biggest money. Sportsbook deposit match bonuses make it more appealing to bet on boxing matches. Fights like the infamous second matchup between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson where Tyson bit off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear can be huge moneymakers for all parties involved and for bettors.

Another famous superfight held at the venue was the May 2015 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao. Going into the fight, Mayweather was considered the greatest fighter in the world with Pacquiao a close second. The fight had been under negotiation since 2009, so there was plenty of time for the hype and anticipation to build. There were a lot of famous guests in attendance, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Tom Brady, and Robert De Niro. Mayweather won by unanimous decision, but it was a closely matched bout. Some consider this fight to have been a letdown, but this is partly due to the huge amount of media hype surrounding it.

One of the most recent superfights at the Grand Garden Arena was the rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in February of 2020. The first fight between the two heavyweights ended in a split draw and left the fighters and fans disappointed. The rematch was a short but intense battle, as Fury knocked Wilder down in the third round and again in the fifth. The fight was stopped in the seventh round to protect Wilder. Unlike at their first meeting, Fury’s victory was quick and decisive.

Devin Haney vs JoJo Diaz Jr

The fight between Devin Haney and JoJo Diaz Jr will be Haney’s fourth time defending his title as WBC lightweight champion. Haney’s record - a staggering 26-0 with 15 KOs - means that fans are in for a thrilling fight. Diaz and Haney are both young fighters with impressive records. Both men are hungry for the title and have proven themselves in the ring. The fight came about after the two fighters exchanged verbal blows on Twitter.

Diaz’s path to the fight hasn’t been straightforward. He started this year off by losing his featherweight belt after being unable to make weight ahead of his fight with Shavkat Rakhimiov. Having always fought as a bantamweight, featherweight or super featherweight before this year, it will be interesting to see whether or not Diaz adjusts his style with the new weight class. Southpaw’s have a tendency to throw orthodox boxers off balance, so Diaz does have a chance against Haney.

At only 22 years old, Haney is a force to be reckoned with. He is considered one of the best lightweight boxers active today and his record shows why. His style has been compared to that of Floyd Mayweather. He may not be the most exciting fighter in the ring, but his style is clean and clinical and that is part of what makes him such a dangerous fighter. Despite injuring his shoulder so badly he required surgery and being unable to fight during the first half of 2020, he came back stronger than ever. The break definitely didn’t soften him up at all.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena has seen its share of big bouts and the upcoming fight between Haney and Diaz will be one to remember. Whoever walks away with the WBC lightweight title, odds are this will be one to watch.