Hard Rock back in fight game at Joint

When the Hard Rock hotel moved The Joint to a different location on the property, it wasn't just about an improved concert experience. The hotel-casino also was getting back in the boxing business.

The new Joint, which opened April 18 with a concert by The Killers, hosts its first boxing event tonight with a Top Rank card as part of its Azteca American television series.

Also, The Joint will play host on May 9 to the Chad Dawson-Antonio Tarver light heavyweight rematch.

"It's the perfect venue for these types of cards we're doing on Azteca, and I think the fans are going to be impressed with the quality of the fighters we'll have," Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said.

Headlining tonight's card is a 10-round lightweight fight between Urbano Antillon of Maywood, Calif., and Tyrone Harris of Lansing, Mich. Antillon (25-0, 18 knockouts) hasn't fought since Dec. 12 when he stopped Juan Ramon Cruz in the fourth round in Los Angeles. He is the WBC's No. 1 contender at 135 pounds.

Harris (23-4, 15 KOs) is coming off an Oct. 17, 2008, win over Damian Fuller by ninth-round technical knockout.

The Joint, which faces Paradise Road, seats 2,900 for boxing, with the farthest seat only 125 feet from the ring. Arum said he plans to hold a card at The Joint every few months, preferably on Saturdays.

He will need to be flexible because Saturdays are a big concert night. But Arum said working with Paul Davis, the Hard Rock's vice president of entertainment, and his staff should not be a problem.

"We've had a good relationship with the Hard Rock over the years," Arum said.

Also fighting tonight is Las Vegas' Diego Magdaleno (8-0, three KOs), who will face Juan Santiago (7-1-1, five KOs) in a six-round super featherweight match.

Tickets are $20, $35, $50 and $75 with the first bell at 5:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.