Madison Square Garden, branded the “Mecca of Boxing” ages ago, will once again be in the spotlight the afternoon of April 20 when it hosts yet another important world class fight at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Undefeated Irish behemoth Tyson Fury, 20-0, 14 KOs, faces the stiffest test of his boxing career when he takes on former two-time champion Steve Cunningham, 25-5, 12 KOs, of Philadelphia, in a 12 round IBF Title Elimination Bout that is expected to be a classic conflict of styles guaranteed to produce fistic fireworks. The first live fight in the theater will begin at 1:15PM ET. The main event and co-feature fights will be broadcast on NBC beginning at 4PM ET.
The list of critical clashes in the Garden’s storied history boggles the mind. Every great fighter in the sport’s past has fought there, Dempsey, Louis, Marciano, Ali, Frazier, Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis, Klitschko and countless others. Chapter upon chapter of boxing history has been made at the legendary site. Next month’s main event is just the latest entry on the venue’s stellar resume, further proving that MSG was, is, and always will be, the center of the boxing world.
The venue tops the bucket list of every boxing fan, many of whom travel far and wide to watch a fight in the hallowed New York boxing arena. In addition to fans, the fighters themselves also dream of going to the “Mecca” and headlining their own show.
“It’s something that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid,” Fury said. “Coming to New York, fighting at Madison Square Garden. It’s finally come true!”
Fury will make his American debut against Cunningham on April 20 with the whole world watching. The fight will be nationally televised by NBC on network TV, and beamed back to Europe where the 6′ 9″ Fury is a popular attraction, especially in England and Ireland.
“Once I became a pro, I learned the significance of fighting at the Garden,” Cunningham said. “It puts the importance of the fight into perspective. Headlining at Madison Square Garden reminds me how important it is to work hard in camp and go out and win. This chance is something that doesn’t happen to everybody.”
With so much on the line, both Fury, the puncher, and Cunningham, the boxer, will be fighting hard to win the bout and write their own page of Madison Square Garden history. Only one of them can come away with their hand raised, but the fight will become part of the Garden’s story, and remembered forever by boxing fans.
