MGM Grand Garden Arena, boxing's spiritual home, hits milestone
After 30 years, hallowed venue reaches 100th championship card; most memorable and historic moments; best and worst; my top 10 fights
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LAS VEGAS — If only the walls could talk at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
If they could they’d tell the story of the biggest, richest and most famous fights in recent boxing history — the last 30 years to be specific.
No venue in the world comes close to having hosted the combination of quality and quantity of big-time fights over that period of time.
History unfolded regularly at the Grand Garden Arena from the moment it hosted its first boxing event just weeks after the casino opened. One huge event after another would follow with most of the greats of recent decades starring there: Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez, to name a few.
It started with a bang on Jan. 29, 1994, a portend of things to come because it was on that night that Chavez, 89-0-1 at the time, suffered the first knockdown of his legendary career in the 11th round and lost a huge upset decision and the WBC junior welterweight title to Frankie Randall. It was quite the way to kick things off.
That was just the first of the many indelible moments produced inside the fabled arena.
“There are so many great moments I get goose bumps from just thinking about it,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said.
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