Big-time boxing lands in one of the world’s most identifiable locations when Ring Magazine hosts its latest Fatal Fury card in New York’s Times Square on Friday.
At the top of the bill, crossover star turned controversial bad-boy Ryan Garcia takes on former WBA super lightweight champion Rolly Romero for the sanctioning body’s vacant ‘regular’ welterweight title.
Garcia is in action for the first time since his majority decision win over bitter rival Devin Haney, which was later changed to a no contest after ‘King Ry’ tested positive for the banned substance ostarine. The 25-year-old recently completed a one-year ban.
Haney returns in the chief support against former unified super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez — a contest that, like Garcia vs. Romero, will take place one division north at 147 pounds.
WATCH: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero on DAZN
Just in case the bill felt short on outspoken stars from the lighter middleweights, Teofimo Lopez defends his WBO 140-pound title against the undefeated Arnold Barboza Jr, who comes into the bout after an impressive away-from-home win over Jack Catterall.
Those are the bare facts around this unprecedented spectacle, the brainchild of Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh. However, there’s still a fair bit we don’t know as fight night looms.
Times Square 2025 boxing card, schedule
- Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero for the vacant WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title
- Devin Haney vs. Jose Carlos Ramirez; Welterweights
- Teofimo Lopez (c) vs. Arnold Barboza for the WBO and The Ring super lightweight titles
- Reito Tsutsumi vs. Levale Whittington Jr, Featherweights
- Joel Allen vs. James Gennari, Light Heavyweights
Why is there boxing in Times Square?
Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority made their first big splash in boxing with the fight between then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and MMA star Francis Ngannou. That October 2023 crossover contest launched Riyadh Season, and several blockbuster bouts —including the two thrilling title showdowns between Fury and his conqueror Oleksandr Usyk — have taken place under that banner.
Last weekend’s generational grudge match between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn effectively launched phase two of Alalshikh’s moves in boxing. The bout at a sold-out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium topped the maiden Ring Magazine card, which was title-sponsored by the Fatal Fury video game. Alalshikh purchased the century-old Ring last year.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Garcia vs. Romero is similarly a Ring Magazine, presented by Fatal Fury, event. However, while Eubank Jr. vs. Benn took place in the eye-catching yet traditional setting of a football stadium, Alalshikh is keen to stage bouts in statement locations. Having floated the idea of a bout on Alcatraz, he landed on Times Square.
Are there tickets for boxing in Times Square?
Not that you can buy. There will be a small, VIP crowd at ringside. The invite-only throng is estimated to be in the region of 300.
DAZN reports that screens are expected to be erected outside the fight venue, allowing fans in Times Square or simply people passing through to watch free of charge.
It means Alalshikh is giving up a potentially significant pot of cash by not having a live gate. When Garcia and Haney met at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center last year, takings for tickets landed at around $4.3 million. Ring Magazine reported Gervonta Davis’ draw with Lamont Roach at the same venue in March of this year brought in $6.4m.
However, this is a money-no-object play, with the organisers focused on a television spectacular. In the U.S., if you can’t get yourself in front of one of the Times Square screens, that will set you back $59.99 on DAZN PPV, with fight fans having the option of purchasing a bundle for $89.99 that also includes Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight showdown with William Scull in Riyadh the following evening.
Where is the boxing ring in Times Square?
“Right where the ball drops, the crossroads of the world,” Ed Pereira, founder of global marketing services firm iVisit Media told Defector. Pereira’s company are working on the Times Square event.
The logistics of putting up a boxing ring right in the middle of one of the world’s busiest pedestrianised intersections are obviously not straightforward.
Like many aspects of this show, exactly where the boxing would take place remained under wraps, but, as Alalshikh, DAZN and Ring Magazine’s social feeds have shown over recent days, the boxing ring really is right in the middle of Times Square.
Exclusive Ring Reveal in the middle of Times Square 🗽🙌🏽
🎟️ Buy fight bundle on DAZN NOW – link in bio#GarciaRomero | #CaneloScull via #RiyadhSeason | May 2 & 3 | Powered by @FATALFURY_PR City of the Wolves | @SNKPofficial | @RingMagazine’ pic.twitter.com/k4u7bQTd4Z
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 30, 2025
What time is the boxing in Times Square?
The event is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. ET, with the first fight on the card pitting NYPD against FDNY, with police officer Joel Allen facing firefighter James Gennari.
Japanese amateur standout Reito Tsutsumi will then make his pro debut against Levale Whittington Jr. before the three main fights get underway.
However, we don’t have estimated ringwalk times at this juncture. Multiple reports suggest this has been a back-and-forth issue between the City of New York and event organisers, with the latter keen to push the start time of the main event as late as possible. City officials would understandably prefer to have Times Square cleared in the most timely manner possible.
Strangest boxing venues
Whatever time the fights get underway, it feels likely that Alalshikh will get the eye-catching spectacle he desires.
In some respects, with no paying crowd in attendance and the voices of fighters’ teams likely to be audible, the bouts will recall Matchroom’s summer 2020 and 2021 shows during the coronavirus pandemic.
The UK-based promoter put on events, including Alexander Povetkin’s spectacular knockout of Dillian Whyte, in the gardens of Matchroom’s Brentwood HQ — a location that was also promoter Eddie Hearn’s childhood home.
However, if we’re talking about homes of the rich and famous and also, er, iconic American venues, then we probably have to mention a young David Haye and his outing at the Playboy Mansion in July 2003.
The big-punching Brit dealt with the inappropriately named Vance Winn inside a minute and took in plaudits and a photo opportunity in the ring with Hugh Hefner afterwards. Even taking into consideration Garcia and Lopez’s reputations, nothing this weekend in Times Square is likely to be quite that weird.
