Top Rank Promotions is giving Diego Chaves until the end of Tuesday to obtain his visa to travel to Las Vegas from his native Argentina to fight Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios Aug. 2.
A computer problem at the United States Immigration courts has backlogged around 400,000 visa applications and although Chaves’ is approved, he has not been successful in obtaining it due to the technical problems.
Rios (31-2-1, 23 KOs) will fight Saturday whether or not Chaves (23-1, 19 KOs) is able to travel to Sin City to face him at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino, in a fight that will be part of a split-site HBO tripleheader.
Rios will face undefeated Mexican fighter, Jose Zepeda (19-0, 16 KOs) in the event Chaves is unable to travel to the U.S., a move that will take away some of the luster from the fight card.
Top Rank President, Bob Arum, told RingTV.com that he knows the situation is out of Chaves’ hands, but can’t believe the U.S. Immigration system could cause such a disruption.
“Now, if Chaves can get his visa by tomorrow, then we’re okay. But if not, we’re going to substitute this kid who is on the card and this Mexican kid, Zepeda will take his spot. So there will be a fight but it will be beyond our control as to whether it’s Chaves or not. But it’s not Chaves’ problem. The visas been approved and he’s been trying to get it for 10 days. But the point is that it’s not a Chaves situation but it’s a worldwide state department problem. It’s really disgraceful.”
The Rios-Chaves bout is being looked at as a possible fight of the year candidate as both fighters like to push the action and have been known to produce exciting bouts in the past. If Chaves is out and Zepeda is in although most were into the bout to see the return of Rios after an almost yearlong layoff, the bout and the tripleheader will not be as anticipated as it was before the immigration troubles.
Less than a week before their showdown at the Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Brandon “Bam” Bam Rios and Diego Chaves’ bout is in danger of not taking place.
Stay tuned to Fight Hub TV for the latest news on the Rios-Chaves fight status as it becomes available in addition to fight week coverage live from Las Vegas.
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