Casinos and Boxing – a Symbiotic Relationship

Home of the USL Championship (soccer) team, Las Vegas Lights FC, Cashman Field might not mean much to anybody outside Las Vegas. However, this former baseball field actually has a place in boxing history. Way back in the 1950s, the venue hosted one of Las Vegas’ most important bouts. Poorly attended and thought-out, the fight between Archie Moore vs. Nino Valdes ultimately began Vegas’ love of boxing.

Today, the idea of casinos hosting boxing matches isn’t a new one. Seventy years ago, though, the concept of the casino had barely been realized in Las Vegas – and, in fact, the area was more interested in nuclear tourism, due to its proximity to the Nevada Test Site. So, when the local gambling industry offered to fund Moore vs. Valdez to the tune of $100,000, a brand new precedent was set.

Of course, casinos have been known to stage all kinds of events. In mid-July 2022, The Hippodrome Casino in London held a birthday party for its first decade in the West End. At the time, the establishment’s most popular show was Magic Mike, which is currently exclusive to the UK, but The Hippodrome Casino has been known to include sporting events in its calendar too, like the NFL during the 2018/19 season.

With a dual online/offline identity, The Hippodrome Casino is able to offer a wide range of entertainments but its most popular aspects are what you might expect – roulette and a slot game called Lucky Lady’s Charm. The internet-based part of the company also has several new online slots, like Ark of Ra and 4 Corners of Rome. Boxing matches remain a bit of a coup for casinos, though.

George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle

One of the more infamous matches to ever take place inside a casino was Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. This fight, hosted by the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip, is known less for any particular drama and more for the truly ludicrous amount of money that exchanged hands that night. Mayweather pocketed $250m, after what many might consider quite a poor night for the sport.

The MGM Grand has quite a long list of controversial fights in its guestbook. The second encounter between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield was also hosted on The Strip, an event that left Holyfield half an ear short and Tyson without a license to box. Boxer turned grilling mogul George Foreman would fight Michael Moorer at the MGM Grand too, eventually winning out against the younger man.

The now-legendary fight between Foreman and Ron Lyle also gets a mention in the sporting annals of Las Vegas. Wearing each other down by the third round, Foreman vs. Lyle is remembered for the dazzling display of pugilism in the fourth and fifth. Foreman would ultimately win by knockout, after pinning Lyle to the ropes. Ring Magazine would later vote the match Fight of the Year for 1976.

What made the previous bout so special was that it began something of a comeback for Foreman, following his loss to Ali in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) two years earlier, in 1974.

Overall, the partnership between casinos and boxing has been mutually beneficial over the decades – and one that’s set to continue into the future.