The Price to Fight

One fight has ended and now another is beginning.

New conditions are imposed on the World Middleweight Championship fight between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andy Lee, at El Paso’s Sun Bowl scheduled for June 16.

Alcohol will not be allowed at the event, as mandated by University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, M.D.

“It says something, hopefully they didn’t mean to say it, but it says something,” boxing promoter, Bob Arum, said. “And that’s why this ban has to be lifted”

Security will also have to be elevated to a level boxing promoter Lester Bedford says he has never seen. Part of the new agreement to be able to host the fight, promoters must pay for $50,000 worth of security at the event. That is three times the amount Bedford would have arranged for the fight. Promoters must also provide for a rapid response team from Austin to be there.

“It will be the most secure fight in the history of boxing,” Bedford joked. “It’s an overkill on security.”

The City of El Paso points to statistics showing El Paso ranked as the safest city in the U.S. In an agreement with HBO, which will be broadcasting the fight, announcers will be obligated to share that statistic, according to city officials.

With the heavy, visible security presence at the fight, Bedford and others believe that “safest city” claim will be tough to dispute.