José 'Sniper' Pedraza could not hide the disappointment he felt when he received the news that the fight against Mikkel LesPierre had to be canceled hours before he was scheduled to enter the ring.
As BoxingScene.com first reported, the manager of LesPierre tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. As a result, the entire fight was called off.
“I was excited about the opportunity to fight again, but these are things that happen in this pandemic situation and it is clear that Top Rank's protocols work. It could have been worse because if there was a positive and they did not send out any warning, we would have fought and then we could all have been infected, in addition to taking it to our respective houses," Pedraza said to Carlos Gonzalez.
Pedraza explained that before traveling from Puerto Rico to Las Vegas, he and those who accompanied him had been tested. The day after arriving at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, he went through the process again. They had to wait 10 hours to know the results.
“If 10 hours passed and they didn't call the room, it was a sign that everything was fine. If they call, there is a positive and they immediately activate the protocols for people to leave the hotel,” Pedraza shared.
The participants and their companions had samples taken on the day of the weigh-ins. That second test was where LesPierre's manager was discovered to have coronavirus.
Even though Pedraza has the option of staying in Las Vegas, he decided otherwise.
“We had not thought about this situation, we had planned to stay for a week, so we have to return to Puerto Rico and I prefer to be there because I feel safer and take better care of myself. In Las Vegas it is more open and things are more standardized,” Pedraza said.
BoxingScene.com reported earlier that Top Rank is planning to reschedule Pedraza vs. LesPierre to a potential date of July 14, also in Las Vegas.
