By Jake Donovan

The dreaded “Drake curse” has yet to fully hit the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Toronto Raptors, but it’s not a chance that promoter Lou DiBella is willing to take for his one-man sports franchise from that corner of the world.

Toronto’s own Steve Rolls (19-0, 11KOs) into the biggest fight of his boxing career, putting his unbeaten record on the line versus former unified middleweight titlist Gennadiy Golovkin (38-1-1, 34KOs). The two collide this weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, one night after Game 4 of the NBA finals between the Raptors and defending champions Golden State Warriors.

Golovkin enters Saturday’s fight in his first fight since ending his title reign versus Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in their rematch last September. Still, he comes in as a huge favorite over Rolls, an admitted Drake fan but whom is under strict orders to avoid the star at all costs.

“After he pulls off the upset, Steve can go to a Drake concert,” quipped DiBella during a recent media conference call to discuss Saturday’s event. “Between now and Saturday, he better stay the f*** away from him.”

The famed Garden venue played host just last weekend to one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight title fight history. Andy Ruiz rose from a 3rd round knockdown to score four of his own en route to a 7th round knockout of previously unbeaten, unified titlist Anthony Joshua last Saturday, becoming the first-ever boxer of Mexican descent to capture a piece of the heavyweight throne.

Much was made about the fight serving as the latest example of the mythical curse existent between athletes and Drake, a fixture at many sporting events including his current Raptors “superfan” status. The famed multi-award winning music artist spent enough time with Joshua for the two to pose for a picture during training camp, which the Brit posted on social media with the accompanying caption “’Bout to break the curse.”

Of course, he didn’t—in fact, perhaps offering the strongest proof of its existence.

Drake has always been mockingly blamed for the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs being ousted from the playoffs by eventual Stanley Cups finalists Boston Bruins. The artist showed for Game 4 in Boston, one game after the Maple Leafs scored a pivotal road win to go up 2 games to 1 in the series and wearing a Toronto jersey with the number six.

The Maple Leafs lost the game 6-4 and would go on to fall to the Bruins in seven games.

Earlier this year, Drake took to social media to wish well college football’s storied Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of his national championship versus the Clemson Tigers. The artist sported an Alabama sweatshirt in support of the 17-time national champs, who suffered a stunningly lopsided 44-16 defeat in falling to Clemson for the second time in three seasons.

In the combat sports world, Drake showed his support for UFC superstar Conor McGregor during the Toronto leg of his four-city tour with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather ahead of their Aug. 2017 superfight. The music icon also came out to support McGregor for his famed showdown with unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Mayweather and Nurmagomedov both scored stoppage wins over the famed Irishman, although it stands to reason that both would have been heavily favored, regardless.

Still, no chances are being taken heading into this weekend—or with anyone else amongst the DiBella Entertainment stable.

“None of my fighters can go near Drake,” noted DiBella, perhaps half-joking. “I’m writing it into all of my bout agreements.”

Saturday’s bout will be presented live on DAZN, marking Golovkin’s debut on the sports streaming platform.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox