By Jake Donovan

Goossen Promotions was granted approval for requests to promote a boxing event on March 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The request was unanimously approved by the Nevada State Athletic Commission during its monthly agenda hearing Monday afternoon.

Specific fights to be held on the show have yet to be revealed, although the news could tie into adviser Al Haymon’s soon-to-come boxing series on NBC and its affiliate networks (specifically—but not limited to—NBC Sports Network). A news conference is being held on Wednesday at the NBC building in New York City to discuss full details of the series, with only select media members invited to attend.

Speculation of the MGM Grand playing host to the series’ inaugural show comes from the intended March 7 target date. Goossen Promotions is among a handful of promoters whose services are regularly used by Haymon, an adviser who does not own a promoter’s license despite his overwhelmingly strong influence in the sport.

Strong rumors have swirled that former three-division champion Adrien Broner will headline the kick-off event, which will air live on NBC’s flagship network in prime time.

The last card in Las Vegas involving Goossen Promotions came last May, on the eve of Floyd Mayweather’s narrow points win over Marcos Maidana in their memorable first fight. Kicking off fight weekend was a show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which aired live on Fox Sports 1 and involved several fighters advised by Haymon.

The night marked the last time that Dan Goossen would have the opportunity to promote a show in Las Vegas. The colorful promoter passed away the following September after a battle with liver cancer. A tribute show in his loving memory was put together last December in Temecula, Calif., airing live on ESPN2 despite being out of season from its normal Friday Night Fights series which traditionally runs from January to mid-August.

Despite Dan Goossen having represented the heart and soul of the family-owned business, the remaining members of the California-based promotional company have made a firm commitment to remain an integral part of the sport.

Goossen Promotions had also requested to co-promote a March 28 event with Warriors Boxing at the MGM Grand Ballroom, a smaller venue on the MGM Grand Resort property. The commission wasn’t as quick to grant request, though more specifically concerned about a request from Big Knockout Boxing (BKG) Global to hold an event on the same evening a little further down the Vegas strip at the Mandalay Bay.

The points raised by the commission directly spoke to issues experienced on December 13, when Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Inc. hosted competing shows in separate parts of Las Vegas. Golden Boy presented a heavily Haymon-influenced show at the MGM Grand that aired live on Showtime, while Top Rank hosted a card at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, airing live on HBO.

Members of the commission pointed out the judging issues experienced on Top Rank’s card, including having to assign out-of-state judges for a main event. Tim Bradley and Diego Chaves fought to a widely disputed 12-round draw. Standing out from the pack was the scorecard turned in by normally revered New York-based judge Julie Lederman, who had Chaves winning 116-112 on a night where most believed Bradley deserved the nod with room to spare.

The commission agreed that the best course of action is ensure that such issues are avoided moving forward with whatever boxing comes of March 28.

The March 7 card will mark Goossen Promotions’ first full card of 2015.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox