Boxing fans treated to free curtain-raiser for main Riyadh Season event in California on Saturday

Boxers taking part in Saturday’s Riyadh Season Card bouts in Los Angeles were put through their paces on Wednesday evening. (Supplied/Riyadh Season)
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  • The crowd at Santa Monica Pier in LA on Wednesday night enjoys public training session followed by three warm-up fights
  • In the headline bout, Marc Castro defeats George Acosta, Shakhram Giyasov beats Miguel Parra, and Nathan Lugo triumphs against Ray Corona

LONDON: Ahead of the Riyadh Season boxing event in Los Angeles on Saturday, fight fans were treated to a free curtain-raiser on Wednesday night.

First the fighters who will duke it out at the weekend took part in a public workout session at Santa Monica Pier. Then the assembled crowd was treated to three bouts, featuring other boxers, to whet their appetites for the main event.

The headline bout featured Marc Castro against his American compatriot George Acosta. Castro won it in the seventh round on a technical decision, after an accidental clash of heads caused swelling above Acosta’s eye that prevented him from continuing.

In the other fights, Shakhram Giyasov from Uzbekistan defeated Miguel Parra from Mexico, and Nathan Lugo from the US beat fellow countryman Ray Corona.

Looking ahead to the eight-fight card on Saturday, which is the first Riyadh Season event to take place outside of Saudi Arabia, Terence Crawford will face off against Israil Madrimov for the WBA super welterweight title in the headline bout. Other fighters who will be in action include David Morrell, Isaac Cruz, Jared Anderson, Andy Ruiz and Jarrell Miller