Moments later, Lopez Sr. became involved in one other confrontation, this time with Terence Crawford.
Crawford took issue with Lopez Sr. dancing directly in front of him while displaying his son’s belts. Crawford progressed, visibly agitated, and got nose to nose with him. The exchange cooled briefly, then Lopez Sr. resumed his antics once Crawford returned to his seat.
When the gang became a part of the story
The situation escalated further inside the world. Bill Haney, father of Devin Haney, and members of his team became involved in a physical confrontation with Delante “Tiger” Johnson and his team. The altercation unfolded while Devin Haney was giving an interview with Ring Magazine only just a few steps away.
Security intervened, yet the difficulty followed into the hallway, where one other clash broke out between the identical groups. What began as verbal noise became a full disruption, pulling attention away from the fighters scheduled to compete.
Eventually, order returned. Lopez and Stevenson made weight without issue and moved on. The fight itself stays intact, yet the week has underlined how strained relations are between the camps and their circles. The sting has been present all week.
MSG draws a tough line
After the incidents, a representative for the MSG family of corporations issued a press release addressing the disorder and potential consequences.
“Violence won’t be condoned at MSG across any style of event including, hockey, basketball, boxing, concert events, or special events,” the statement read. “If any individual is found to take part in violent activity, whether you’re a part of the event, or a patron, you can be banned for all times and unable to attend or take part in any event across all our venues.”
The message was clear. Backstage chaos may draw cameras, yet Madison Square Garden won’t tolerate it. The fighters made weight. The fight goes on. Every little thing else is already under warning.
