By Sanjeev Shetty BBC Sport Online, Las Vegas

The fight will be re-run in full on Sunday Grandstand
(BBC2, Sun 15 Sept, 1715 BST)

On the day that America and most of the world paid their respects to those who perished exactly a year ago, boxing kept its dignity in Las Vegas.

With fierce rivals Oscar de la Hoya and Fernando Vargas due to square off at the Mandalay Bay Hotel on Saturday in an eagerly awaited light middleweight title fight, both men were kept away from the press and public.

The decision to keep the two men apart on such a sombre day was one of common sense - the title for the promotion of this bout is 'Bad Blood' - and the animosity between the two Californians is very real.

De la Hoya (above) and Vargas are sworn enemies

So the last thing America needs at tea time on 11 September is two men proclaiming their desire to go to 'war' and settle their differences in a 'savage battle'.

The Wednesday before a prize fight is generally used to push the hype beyond previous levels, so the decision to schedule no press conferences is a significant one.

Ironically, a year ago, the fight between Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad, scheduled to take place at New York's Madison Square Garden for the weekend after 11 September, was postponed.

It is difficult to reach the conclusion that Las Vegas has gone quiet for this emotive day - it is hard to turn all those slot machines off and dim the bright lights.

But that is what the gambling capital of the world is all about - and perhaps for some Americans, the need to find a place to get away from everything is what they desire.

A city driven by casinos, entertainment and sport will always provide the distractions required by those who need a different type of solace.

And perhaps the city has still recover from an event that took place just the last weekend - a night of music from that notoriously depressing crooner Morrissey.