Nicaraguan boxing event takes place w/ face masks & temperature checks

Photo by Carlos Herrera/picture alliance via Getty Images

Nicaragua is one of the few nations that has allowed professional sports to continue with live audiences during the pandemic.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has brought the entire sports world to a screeching halt. Yet while almost all professional sports have suspended their seasons and canceled upcoming events, a Nicaraguan boxing promotion still went ahead with its show this past weekend.

Dubbed ‘Bufalo Boxing,’ the event took place at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex in Managua, Nicaragua, and drew in a sizeable crowd to nearly 1000 spectators. A variety of safety measures were put in place to mitigate any potential spread of the virus, including protective face masks and hand sanitizers. Spectators were also told to sit two seats apart in the stands and had their temperatures checked before entering the building, which was a requirement from the Nicaragua Sports Commission.

Nicaraguan legend and current WBA super-flyweight champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, who attended the boxing event, revealed that he had his temperature checked, and was asked to wipe the bottom of his shoes and sanitize his hands before entering the building. He also kept a face mask on throughout the course of the evening, including during interviews with the media.

Photo by Inti Ocon/Getty Images

Nicaragua is one of the few nations that has not implemented any government-mandated self-isolation or social distancing policies. Live sports events continue to be conducted with live audiences in attendance. Yet despite their defiant approach to the pandemic, the country only has 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including three deaths.

There are more than 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world, including 209,000 deaths for a mortality rate of 6.91%.