LAS VEGAS (AP) – Boxing is on a hot streak.
Last week, 90,000 fans packed Wembley Stadium in London for a heavyweight thriller. On Saturday, Mexican rivals Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. square off in front of what’s expected to be the largest indoor crowd for a bout in Las Vegas.
The sport appears to be on the upswing two years after the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster fight ended with boos and jeers and has been blamed on ensuing disappointing pay-per-view numbers.
“That mega fight really hurt boxing, especially the big pay-per-view fights. It really hurt it,” said Alvarez, who is a heavy favorite Saturday. “But I think if you have a Mexican fighter in the ring – especially two Mexican fighters – you’re guaranteed fireworks.”
The long-anticipated Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in May 2015 produced a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys worth about $400 million. Then the fight was a dud.