Lightweight champ Marquez to take on Katsidis at MGM
The Nov. 27 fight between WBA and WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Michael Katsidis has finally found a home at the MGM Grand Garden.
Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer and MGM Resorts’ Richard Sturm reached an agreement after weeks of negotiating regarding the cost of converting the Grand Garden from a concert venue to a boxing arena.
Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters is performing the night before, and HBO needs to set up its cameras by early Saturday to televise the fight.
Marquez (51-5-1, 37 knockouts) is coming off an impressive 12-round unanimous decision over Juan Diaz on July 31 at Mandalay Bay.
Katsidis (27-2, 22 KOs), the interim WBO lightweight champion, stopped Kevin Mitchell in the third round of his most recent fight May 15.
"Michael Katsidis is a very aggressive fighter, and that’s the style I like to fight against the most," Marquez said in a statement released Wednesday. "Styles make fights, and my style and his together will give fans a great show in November, but I’m not about to give my titles away."
"What more can you say about Juan Manuel Marquez?" Katsidis said. "He’s one of the best in the world pound-for-pound, and a future Hall of Famer. I’m ready for the challenge, though, and I don’t think he’ll be able to hold me off for 12 rounds. I’m coming for those belts."
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Grand Garden box office and all Ticketmaster outlets as well as online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.mgmgrand.com.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.