The Foxwoods Resort Casino and The MEN Arena are two very different places.
Nestled away in Mashantucket, Connecticut, with deep Native American roots, Foxwoods was where Carl Froch stopped the clock ticking away to a points defeat with a wonderful last-gasp stoppage of Jermain Taylor in 2009.
The MEN Arena - or Manchester Evening News Arena if you prefer - is easier to find. It's famed for its passionate Mancunian fans who come pouring in for a good night. It's near to some enticing restaurants, bars and clubs - and adjoined to a train station if you need to get out of town quickly.
At the weekend boxing fans witnessed to two very different sorts of fights.
Two sides of the coin.
On the one side we had a wonderful, enthralling fight between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz for the WBC Welterweight Championship. Both fighters scored two knockdowns each and the result was pretty much immaterial as the spectacle was what mattered.
For the record, Ortiz, who showed tremendous heart and resolve, took home the title - 114-111, 114-112 and 115-110 on points.
Last week on Sky Sports' resurgent Ringside show - http://bit.ly/hNSrSx - Boxing News editor Tris Dixon reflected on how too much emphasis is placed on a fighter having an unbeaten record and that a loss is not the end of the road. In fact it could be the beginning of something better.
This piece of analysis can be applied to both fighters. Ortiz was written off after losing to Marcos Maidana in 2009 (his second loss as a professional). He's regrouped and despite looking a little shaky since that night in previous fights has rebounded big time with this victory.
Ortiz would probably say losing has made him a better fighter. Now Berto (27-0 before the weekend) faces a challenge to come back stronger - although his heart is not in question, such was his brave showing at the weekend.
Let's flip the coin and look at Amir Khan's contest with Northern Irish fighter Paul McCloskey for the WBA Light-Welteweight Championship.
To be frank: the build-up to this fight left a bad taste, the actual contest was poor and the outcome and aftermath left a sour impression.
Dogged by a dispute with Sky - who pulled the fight from pay-per-view for it to instead be shown on Sky Sports 3 instead because the undercard, and headline fight for that matter, was not up to scratch - Khan's team decided to switch to little-known broadcaster Primetime.
To watch the broadcast (legally) fans would have to shell out £15.
McCloskey was unbeaten and a European champion. A respectable and respectful man, but with all due respect he wasn't the additional ingredient Khan needed to make this worthy of a pay-per-view showing. Ultimately he was brought in as a relatively low-risk candidate for a money-making voluntary defence.
Khan endeared himself to no-one by calling himself a "pay-per-view fighter" beforehand. He certainly didn't fight like one. He used amateur-like flurries to bank the points against the slower and more methodical McCloskey, who elected to send over the odd looping left hook. Despite this, Khan looked open to shots, was quite flat-footed and was made to miss himself. McCloskey was awkward but looked like he was watching the fight go by - unless, as he claimed, he had some masterplan to take Khan out late.
After six rounds a clash of heads opened a wound, the doctor jumped in and the referee waved it off, leading to a technical decision in Khan's favour. Just like that. It was a very poor stoppage in so far as the cut wasn't deep and the blood had been stemmed within seconds. McCloskey wasn't hurt and air of bemusement filled the arena - along with a good measure of anger.
Boxers fighting in world title contests have endured much, much worse cuts and continued. How awkward it was to see Khan's American promoter Oscar De La Hoya - who endured a few cuts in his career - to try and justify a stoppage it was clear, despite the superficial appearance, he found as startling as everyone else.
In the aftermath of the fight McCloskey's team, including promoter Barry Hearn (who shouted "disgrace" several times at the referee), were spitting feathers. Meanwhile, Khan's team tried to justify the farce, which didn't help matters - particularly the suggestions that McCloskey had quit.
It wasn't a good showcase of British boxing. Amir Khan has seemingly had enough of fighting in Britain. Too much hassle and not enough cash.
He's looking at a unification match with Timothy Bradley, which sounds appetising. Bradley is a dangerous foe and the increasingly confident Khan needs to tread carefully. Weight may catch up with him - he seemed to struggle getting down to 10 stone for last weekend's fight and appears to be filling out as he gets older.
Khan might also want to consider the old adage 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. For the McCloskey contest he was backed by Golden Boy Promotions, Hatton Promotions and his new company, Khan Promotions. Too many distractions, too many people wanting a slice of the pie - that can't be healthy for his focus.
The best thing Khan can do is cut free the entourage craving a piece of the meal ticket, listen and listen and listen to the wise words of his brilliant trainer Freddie Roach and utilise his brilliant boxing skills - while neutralising the chance of getting caught with good defence.
That's easier said than done though.
Nestled away in Mashantucket, Connecticut, with deep Native American roots, Foxwoods was where Carl Froch stopped the clock ticking away to a points defeat with a wonderful last-gasp stoppage of Jermain Taylor in 2009.
The MEN Arena - or Manchester Evening News Arena if you prefer - is easier to find. It's famed for its passionate Mancunian fans who come pouring in for a good night. It's near to some enticing restaurants, bars and clubs - and adjoined to a train station if you need to get out of town quickly.
At the weekend boxing fans witnessed to two very different sorts of fights.
Two sides of the coin.
On the one side we had a wonderful, enthralling fight between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz for the WBC Welterweight Championship. Both fighters scored two knockdowns each and the result was pretty much immaterial as the spectacle was what mattered.
For the record, Ortiz, who showed tremendous heart and resolve, took home the title - 114-111, 114-112 and 115-110 on points.
Last week on Sky Sports' resurgent Ringside show - http://bit.ly/hNSrSx - Boxing News editor Tris Dixon reflected on how too much emphasis is placed on a fighter having an unbeaten record and that a loss is not the end of the road. In fact it could be the beginning of something better.
This piece of analysis can be applied to both fighters. Ortiz was written off after losing to Marcos Maidana in 2009 (his second loss as a professional). He's regrouped and despite looking a little shaky since that night in previous fights has rebounded big time with this victory.
Ortiz would probably say losing has made him a better fighter. Now Berto (27-0 before the weekend) faces a challenge to come back stronger - although his heart is not in question, such was his brave showing at the weekend.
Let's flip the coin and look at Amir Khan's contest with Northern Irish fighter Paul McCloskey for the WBA Light-Welteweight Championship.
To be frank: the build-up to this fight left a bad taste, the actual contest was poor and the outcome and aftermath left a sour impression.
Dogged by a dispute with Sky - who pulled the fight from pay-per-view for it to instead be shown on Sky Sports 3 instead because the undercard, and headline fight for that matter, was not up to scratch - Khan's team decided to switch to little-known broadcaster Primetime.
To watch the broadcast (legally) fans would have to shell out £15.
McCloskey was unbeaten and a European champion. A respectable and respectful man, but with all due respect he wasn't the additional ingredient Khan needed to make this worthy of a pay-per-view showing. Ultimately he was brought in as a relatively low-risk candidate for a money-making voluntary defence.
Khan endeared himself to no-one by calling himself a "pay-per-view fighter" beforehand. He certainly didn't fight like one. He used amateur-like flurries to bank the points against the slower and more methodical McCloskey, who elected to send over the odd looping left hook. Despite this, Khan looked open to shots, was quite flat-footed and was made to miss himself. McCloskey was awkward but looked like he was watching the fight go by - unless, as he claimed, he had some masterplan to take Khan out late.
After six rounds a clash of heads opened a wound, the doctor jumped in and the referee waved it off, leading to a technical decision in Khan's favour. Just like that. It was a very poor stoppage in so far as the cut wasn't deep and the blood had been stemmed within seconds. McCloskey wasn't hurt and air of bemusement filled the arena - along with a good measure of anger.
Boxers fighting in world title contests have endured much, much worse cuts and continued. How awkward it was to see Khan's American promoter Oscar De La Hoya - who endured a few cuts in his career - to try and justify a stoppage it was clear, despite the superficial appearance, he found as startling as everyone else.
In the aftermath of the fight McCloskey's team, including promoter Barry Hearn (who shouted "disgrace" several times at the referee), were spitting feathers. Meanwhile, Khan's team tried to justify the farce, which didn't help matters - particularly the suggestions that McCloskey had quit.
It wasn't a good showcase of British boxing. Amir Khan has seemingly had enough of fighting in Britain. Too much hassle and not enough cash.
He's looking at a unification match with Timothy Bradley, which sounds appetising. Bradley is a dangerous foe and the increasingly confident Khan needs to tread carefully. Weight may catch up with him - he seemed to struggle getting down to 10 stone for last weekend's fight and appears to be filling out as he gets older.
Khan might also want to consider the old adage 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. For the McCloskey contest he was backed by Golden Boy Promotions, Hatton Promotions and his new company, Khan Promotions. Too many distractions, too many people wanting a slice of the pie - that can't be healthy for his focus.
The best thing Khan can do is cut free the entourage craving a piece of the meal ticket, listen and listen and listen to the wise words of his brilliant trainer Freddie Roach and utilise his brilliant boxing skills - while neutralising the chance of getting caught with good defence.
That's easier said than done though.
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