Hard Rock Casino Rockford to host first live professional boxing event

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Since opening last year, Hard Rock Casino Rockford has hosted events ranging from concerts to banquets. But now, it’s preparing for the arrival of professional boxing this weekend.

“This is our first live sporting event that we’re gonna host here at Hard Rock Live,” President Geno Iafrate said at a press conference on Monday.

Heavyweight fighters Deonte Pettigrew and Richard Lartey will take to the ring in the first World Boxing Association event in Rockford history, going head to head for the WBA Continental Championship.

“I put a lot of work in,” Pettigrew said. “Like my promoter said, this guy (Lartey) is not to be taken lightly. He’s a very, very, very dangerous opponent. He’s a massive man, like myself. So we took this very seriously.”

The event will feature the professional debut of Rockford native Jonathan Cruz.

The match begins Saturday, April 19th at 5 p.m. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or at the Hard Rock Live box office.