Tupac’s murder, Mike Tyson’s ear bite and a 50 ton bronze lion – The incredible history of the MGM Grand where Wilder and Fury fight again
Hotel staff estimate roughly 70,000 people pass through the famous halls of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on a daily basis, more than the population of some cities in the US.
But when fight night comes around, this number sky rockets to closer to 100,000 people – who consume about 50,000 bottles of beer as they flock into the 16,800 capacity Garden Arena.
The historic venue will be packed to the rafters this Saturday night to watch Tyson Fury try and claim revenge for his controversial draw against Deontay Wilder in December 2018.
talkSPORT, in association with Betfred - the official sponsor of Wilder vs Fury II - will bring you live and exclusive commentary for free from the historic venue as the two giant heavyweights pit their wits against one another in what can genuinely be described as a once-in-a-lifetime fight.
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Few places in the world of fight sports elicit the sort of crowds or sense of occasion as the MGM Grand Garden with those four, 30 story towers intertwined and meshed together to form an awe-inspiring colossus in the centre of Sin City.
"Being here makes me feel like I should be fighting," former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis told talkSPORT. "It brings back memories."
Opened on December 18 in 1993, the MGM Grand Garden Arena has hosted Barbara Streisand, Britney Spears, Elton John and Cher. But nothing quite captures the imagination of the public quite like a fight.
In 2014, one lucky punter managed to claim an incredible $2.4million jackpot from his $3 slot machine game. But the narrative of the current heavyweight landscape in boxing is equally exhilarating after years of idleness.
So where better to host a fight of this magnitude than a venue so outlandish and outrageous guests were once welcomed in the front door after going through a lion’s mouth?
Incidentally, this happens to be bad luck in Asian culture so the entrance was redesigned and a 50-ton, 45-foot tall bronze lion by the name of Leo now guards the entrance – the largest sculpture of its kind in the United States.
So far in their careers, both men have enjoyed emphatic victories at the venue. Fury made his Las Vegas in June when he stopped Tom Schwarz to secure his first knockout win since stopping Joey Abell at the Copper Box Arena in 2015.
Similarly, Deontay Wilder proved once again he needs just seconds to win a fight as he left Luis Ortiz on the canvas in their rematch in November by planting that trademark right hand on the Cuban’s jaw.
Of course, the MGM Grand has hosted far more lucrative and prestigious events than this (with all due to respect to Schwarz and Ortiz). Mike Tyson made the venue his home in the mid-90’s.
After serving less than three years of a six year prison sentence, his return in 1995 saw him face Pete McNeeley in what remains one of the most iconic sporting moments of the decade. Like a caged lion watching his prey, Tyson refused to break eye contact with McNeeley before duly smashing the journeyman to smithereens in just 89 seconds.
After regaining the WBC title against Frank Bruno at the same venue, Tyson fought Bruce Seldon in 1996 for the WBA title with his close friend Tupac Shakur in the front row.
What unfolded next remains ingrained in American culture.
The rap sensation and Suge Knight – head of Death Row Records – punched Crips gang member Orlando ‘Baby Lane’ Anderson after the fight by the ornamental tree in the MGM Grand lobby.
At 11:15pm that very evening, Tupac was shot to death in a drive-by on East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane intersection – just a five-minute drive from the arena.
Tyson’s next two fights at the MGM Grand proved to be historic for what occurred inside the ring as he fought former undisputed cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield twice.
In the first bout, the former undisputed heavyweight champion was sensationally knocked out by Holyfield in the eighth round – prompting an immediate rematch.
After two gruelling rounds, Tyson bit Holyfield on the right ear and then again on the opposite ear after claiming to have been headbutted by the champion – spitting out the two inches of cartilage onto the canvas in disgust.
As ‘Iron Mike’ began to deteriorate as a box-office sensation, a certain Floyd Mayweather slowly but surely began to establish himself as a certified pay-per view star in the squared circle.
After losing at the MGM Grand as a 17-year-old amateur against Martin Castillo in 2004, Mayweather continued to break both live gate and PPV records against the biggest and best names in the sport.
When he finally faced Manny Pacquiao in 2015, the fight smashed the world-wide PPV record at an astonishing 4.6million buys and this figure still stands unmatched by any sporting event to the very day.
While it would be remiss to suggest this contest will surpass the $400m accrued from the supposed ‘Fight of the Century’, fans certainly know they will be watching history unfold before their very eyes when the first bell rings.
After getting dropped in the twelfth and final round of the first fight, Fury scrambled back to the canvas to put the pressure on the ‘Bronze Bomber’ and leave him visibly shaken and rocked.
Having promised an early stoppage this time around and with a new trainer, the Brit is stirring up the furore and vowing to come out all guns blazing as he prepares to gamble against the biggest puncher in heavyweight history.
And where to better to do that than next door to one of the most iconic and revered casinos in the world?
Wilder vs Fury II
Official sponsor Betfred not only have a wide range of special markets and offers for the rematch, they are also covering the cost of the fight for a selected number of customers. for more information.
Betfred boss Fred Done said: “It’s one of the most anticipated fights in years and in terms of betting we can’t split them. It looks so close between the two fighters. The last fight was a cracker - let’s hope the rematch is even better.”
Betfred’s Mark Pearson: "Although it’s a 50/50 fight all the money is for Tyson Fury at the moment. Some of it is patriotic dough but most punters think Tyson Fury will dance for 12 rounds and take Deontay Wilder all the way and win on points. Whatever happens, it looks like we are in for a superb night."
*Betfred is the official sponsor of Wilder vs Fury II. Place a pre-fight single bet of £10+ (odds 1/2 or greater) on the fight with Betfred and receive a £5 Free Bet for every official knockdown that is recorded. Offer applies to Betfred.com and the Betfred App only. Applies to bets placed from 9am 21/02/20. In-play bets placed after the first bell will not count. General rules and T&Cs apply. See website for more details. Gamble responsibly. For more info visit: