Canelo Álvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders to host 70,000 fans for biggest US sporting event since COVID-19 pandemic began

The sporting world has slowly attempted to return to some semblance of normalcy with fans starting to return to venues. This coming Saturday, May 8, it will happen in a big way at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 70,000 fans are expected to be in attendance for a super middleweight title fight between Canelo Álvarez and Billy Joe Saunders, per Calvin Watkins.

Texas has re-opened completely in these later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing sporting events to max out their capacity. Promoter Eddie Hearn told the media this week that the event has sold 65,000 tickets and the addition of luxury suite attendance will push it to 70,000. This will set a boxing attendance record for AT&T Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys’ football stadium has hosted three championship boxing fights since it opened in 2009. In 2010, Manny Pacquaio beat Joshua Clottey in March and Antonio Margarito in November. In September 2016, Álvarez beat Liam Smith in front of 51,420 fans, setting a then record for the facility.

The stadium roof will be closed for the fight, officially making it an indoor event. That is notable because the attendance figure will set the attendance record for an indoor boxing card. The previous record was Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks 2, which sold 63,352 tickets at the Superdome in New Orleans, per DAZN.

This is Álvarez’s second fight at AT&T Stadium and fifth overall in the state of Texas. This will be Saunders’ second fight in the United States.