Madison Square Garden has seen its share of chaos over the decades, but this time, it isn’t treating the disorder as part of the spectacle. On the night it hosted the Teofimo Lopez–Shakur Stevenson headliner at Ring VI, the iconic venue issued a clear warning after a fight broke out during the final weigh-ins.

Veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael shared the official statement from Madison Square Garden on X. “Violence will not be condoned at MSG across any type of event, including hockey, basketball, boxing, concerts, or special events,” it read.

The warning comes in the wake of a fight that reportedly broke out between welterweight contender Delante “Tiger” Johnson and champion Devin Haney’s team during the final weigh-ins. Clips of the fight showing Bill Haney intervening as his younger son and Tiger Johnson traded shots spread quickly. It is the show that MSG  would rather host than such unwarranted episodes of violence, hence the detailed guidelines:

It added that if any person is caught taking part in violent behavior, whether performing or participating in the event or attending as a guest or customer, that person will be banned for life and barred from all future events at any of the organization’s venues or locations.

In short, violence of any kind will result in a lifetime ban across its operations. The tweet drew reactions, with one user asking if MSG’s warning would mean a reprimand for Team Devin Haney. Rafael’s response surprised many. “The Haneys weren’t brawling,” he said.

However, footage from the weigh-ins tells a different story.

MSG cracks down amid repeated fight incidents and security concerns

One clip showed surprise on Devin Haney‘s face as he began speaking with promoter Eddie Hearn. The welterweight champion, who joined Sergio Mora, Chris Mannix, and Todd Grisham as one of the analysts, immediately sensed danger and moved toward the rows, where a fight erupted after members of his team and Tiger Johnson exchanged words.

They were soon separated, but the turn of events still shocked fans, as violence flared again in this hard-hitting sport.

The incident may have lasted only a few minutes, but MSG’s caution makes sense, coming just after clashes at UFC 322. Ahead of the headlining fight between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena, a fight broke out between Dillon Danis, a former member of Conor McGregor’s team, and a group of Dagestani fighters, including Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Magomed Zaynukov.

It took a full detail of police and security officials to separate the two sides. Later, taking one of the first measures, Dana White banned Danis from attending any UFC event for life. The high-profile nature of the incident drew the attention of the then-New York mayor, who posted, “These assaults at Madison Square Garden are completely unacceptable. The NYPD is already conducting a full investigation, and everyone responsible will be held accountable.”

Against this backdrop, MSG seems equally focused on its upcoming schedule, including the basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, which many consider star LeBron James’s last at the arena.