Times Square boxing event in May promises to be big, with 3 fights and talk of half a million fans

NEW YORK: Big boxing in New York for long meant Madison Square Garden, in recent years Barclays Center as well.

Fight night in Times Square promises to be a whole different scene.

“I think we’re expecting half a million people, for free,” said Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions has three fighters on the May 2 tripleheader.

The fighters on the card are known: Ryan Garcia against Rolando “Rolly” Romero in the main event; Devin Haney against Jose Ramirez in the co-main; and Teofimo Lopez against Arnold Barboza Jr. in a title fight as the opener.

Not disclosed yet is what the setup will look like, how fans can access it, and just how exactly organizers got permission to close down one of the busiest attractions in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world.

“It took a lot of money,” De La Hoya said with a laugh.

The card itself would be intriguing to boxing fans no matter where it was held. It’s headlined by Garcia returning from the one-year suspension he was given by the New York State Athletic Commission after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs when he fought Haney last April in Brooklyn.

Garcia knocked Haney down three times and won a majority decision that was eventually overturned and ruled a no-contest. Garcia wasn’t eligible to win Haney’s 140-pound title anyway, because he weighed in more than 3 pounds above the limit.

He has acknowledged problems with drinking and smoking and said he has put that behind him as he returns.

“I want to just show everybody that you could come back from anything and I want to show my dedication to the sport and just be a true professional,” Garcia said. “I admit my wrongs and I don’t want anybody to take my actions of