By Jake Donovan

Ticket sales continue move at a brisk and satisfying pace for Top Rank’s January 25 boxing card at Madison Square Garden’s The Theatre in New York City. The show is topped by unbeaten 130 lb. titlist Mikey Garcia, who defends versus Juan Carlos Burgos in a bout to air live on HBO.

“Sales are very strong,” Top Rank VP Carl Moretti confirmed. “The public interest comes from a combination of solid main event, undercard attractions such as Seanie Monaghan & (unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Felix) Verdejo, plus the Polish heavyweight (Artur) Szpilka in the co-feature.”

[Writer’s note: The status of Szpilka’s place on the show—scheduled to face Bryant Jennings in the HBO-televised co-feature—remains uncertain as this goes to publish. Szpilka was stopped by U.S. Homeland Security in Chicago on Sunday while en route to New York, instead sent back to his native Poland due to visa issues.]

The show marks the third MSG appearance for Garcia (33-0, 28KO), who lives in and trains out of Oxnard, California. Garcia’s last fight at the venue came one year ago, winning his first major title with a technical decision win in a dominant performance over Orlando Salido last January.

On the same card, Burgos (30-1-2, 20KO) was held to a controversial 12-round draw versus then-130 lb. titlist Rocky Martinez in a bout many believed should have went in favor of the Mexican contender. Martinez has since lost the belt to Garcia, which has the January 25 matchup come full circle.

That very show drew well, aided by the placement of unbeaten middleweight Gennady Golovkin. The aforementioned lineup for the January 25 show creates a variety of fanbases from all markets, which translates well at the box office for a show that comes just eight days before Super Bowl Sunday at nearby MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“I don't know if we'll sell out, but we'll come very close to it,” Moretti believes.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as the Records Keeper for the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a member of Boxing Writers Association of America.

Twitter: @JakeNDaBox