Sunday, June 25, 2017
Prodigy's last performance Las Vegas 2017
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights! and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment & Sports and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Monday, June 12, 2017
Adrien Broner & Mikey Garcia Set To Meet In 140-Pound Main Event Matchup | Sat. July 29 * Live on SHOWTIME
Adrien Broner & Mikey Garcia Set To Meet In 140-Pound Main Event Matchup | Sat. July 29 * Live on SHOWTIME
FOUR-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION ADRIEN BRONER TAKES ON UNDEFEATED THREE-DIVISION CHAMPION MIKEY GARCIA AT 140 POUNDS
Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia
Presented by Premier Boxing Champions
Saturday, July 29 * LIVE on SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME Sports® announced a blockbuster matchup between two of boxing’s biggest stars as three-division world champion Mikey Garcia moves up in weight to 140 pounds to face four-division champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, Saturday, July 29, live on SHOWTIME. Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia is presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
In yet another significant main event matchup on SHOWTIME, these world-class fighters will meet at a critical time in their respective careers. A three-division world champion at the age of 23, and one of the youngest four-division world champions in boxing history, the flamboyant Broner remains one of the most accomplished and popular athletes – and perhaps the most polarizing – in the sport today. Among the top 140-pounders in the world, Broner is undefeated at or below 140 pounds with his only two losses coming against welterweight world champions Marcos Maidana and Shawn Porter. An experienced fighter at just 27 years old, Broner (33-2, 24 KOs) still believes he is the future of the sport and promises to prove it against Garcia on July 29.
Mikey Garcia, 29 years old and undefeated (36-0, 30 KOs), is a recently crowned lightweight champion on a self-appointed journey to become a household name in the sport of boxing. Garcia will move up in weight for the second time in just three fights to challenge Broner. Garcia represents a boxing family developing legendary status in the modern era of the sport. He is renowned for his sportsmanship and his commanding presence in the ring, honed by his brother and acclaimed trainer Robert Garcia. Mikey has held world titles at 126, 130 and 135 pounds, but has never fought north of 138.
Saturday, July 29 will be the 19th live boxing event on SHOWTIME this year. The main event bout will be a WBC 12-round special attraction.
“SHOWTIME Sports continues to deliver the most anticipated matchups, the most important events and the most thrilling fights in boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We consistently feature top-rated champions and challengers. The best are fighting the best and the results have been spectacular. Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia is a fight that fight fans have dreamed of—an undefeated, young star facing one of the best 140-pound fighters in the sport, both men in the prime of their respective careers. July 29 promises to be a memorable night in a year already full of memorable boxing events.”
Broner, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has achieved more in his young career than most fighters can hope for in a lifetime. After earning world titles at 130, 135 and 147 pounds, Broner won a belt in a fourth weight division – 140 pounds – in October 2015 when he defeated Khabib Allakhverdiev via 12th round stoppage to become the second youngest four-division champion in boxing history at 26 (behind Oscar De La Hoya, 24). As an amateur, Broner compiled a record of 300 wins, 19 losses under the guidance of his trainer Mike Stafford, who has remained in Broner’s corner throughout his entire career. Broner will turn 28 years old on July 28, the day before his bout with Garcia.
Once considered one of the top young pound-for-pound boxers in the world, Mikey Garcia, of Moreno Valley by way of Oxnard, Calif., returned to the ring after a two-and-half-year layoff in July 2016 without missing a beat. He scored a dominant fifth-round stoppage over former world champion Elio Rojas in his first fight back. Then, Garcia became a three-division champion by beating previously undefeated lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin with a vicious third-round knockout last January. Garcia has stopped 19 of his last 21 opponents including Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido and Bernabe Concepcion.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights! and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment & Sports and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships
Below is what the fighters and dais guests had to say at the final press tour stop:
Andre “S.O.G.” Ward – Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I want to thank LA, tremendous fight city, tremendous fight town. I’ve been here a lot as a young boy coming up, taking the trips from Northern California, paying my dues early. I appreciate you guys coming out.
“I told the people in New York, you’ve got perception and you’ve got reality. You’ve got a lot of misinformation coming from that side. You’ve got a lot of lies coming from that side. A lot of old school tactics. It’s 2017 man. All that old school stuff that his side is trying to do, it’s not going to work. At the end of the day, we’ve got a date. You’re selling fear, we’re not buying it. At the end of the day, you’ve got to see me June 17. I don’t care what you say, I don’t care where you’re from, I don’t care how you came up, it doesn’t matter bro. You’re going to have to see me June 17, it’s that simple.
“I didn’t have to take this fight. This fight is for you, the fans. This fight is for the boxing community, because this is the fight everybody clamored about. At the end of the day, where I come from, it’s about showing up. It’s not about all that talking. It sells tickets, it sells Pay-Per-Views and we get a couple of headlines. But if you watch my career, we don’t say anything we just go get it done. June 17 is going to be no different. Reality check.”
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev – Former Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I’m glad to be back in LA, I feel more comfortable here at home than at Oakland. They said I should prove something more, for who? For them? No. I already proved it for myself and for everybody in the boxing world that I came from nothing, nowhere at all as a professional and amateur boxing. I had never been in a world championship or Olympic games, but I came here to the United States and got to where I am right now. Believe in yourself that everything will be good. And I believe in myself and I will get my belts back on June 17. Believe me and be sure I will finish your boxing career.”
Michael Yormark - Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy
“Ward-Kovalev 2 was officially announced just over a week ago, and since then we have been overwhelmed with hype, media coverage, trash talk, and verbal sparring. In fact, Team Kovalev as the B-side promoter has made a habit of playing nice on the dais and then talking trash to the media when they are a safe distance from Andre – a lot of good it’s done so far. But, just as I mentioned in New York, and again yesterday in Oakland, all of this chatter means nothing now and will mean even less come June 17 when the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world go toe-to-toe, and only one man is left standing as champion – with the loser being left with no one to blame but himself – No Excuses!
“It’s quite simple – these guys do not like each other and are literally foaming out the mouth to get back in the ring together. Last November, Andre Ward staged an epic comeback against Sergey Kovalev, and proved he is in a class of his own in the boxing world. Immediately after the match the excuses starting rolling in from Team Kovalev. There was a lot of talk, a lot of debate, a lot of speculation, a lot of finger-pointing and hand-wringing. So, like the true champion that he is on June 17, Andre will be back in the ring with Sergey to once again prove his superiority and continue to cement his legacy as boxing’s best.”
Kathy Duva – CEO of Main Events
“Michael’s speech, as always so eloquent and he did a great job of thanking everyone, so I’m not going to waste your time repeating everything he said. People at HBO, people at MGM, our sponsors, I appreciate everything you do for us. There’s one group he didn’t thank and I’m going to take the time to do that today. I’ve done this I hate to admit for 40 years. I was three when I started, I was the youngest publicist in the history of boxing. My job as publicist is to deal with you, the press. I know that you don’t make a fortune. I know that most of you do this the same reason I do, for love. We are afflicted by this disease. You come out here, most of you on your own dime, on your own time. Nobody here is going to be a millionaire yet you come and have the same passion as we do. You cover this sport so closely because you share that passion. I want you to know how much Sergey Kovalev and Main Events appreciate that. We’re never going to forget you.
“Both Sergey and Andre have a history now. As Michael pointed out, they both have something to prove, they each have a story. Right now, Sergey’s story is that he wants his belts back. Andre’s story is that he wants respect, because he may have those belts but as Egis just illustrated, the respect is still with this man. And that is because, as Egis said, he went to Wales to win his world title, he went to Philadelphia to win his other world titles when he fought Bernard Hopkins. He went to Canada to fight Jean Pascal. He is champion of the world whether or not he’s got the belts at this moment or relinquished them temporarily, he’s still a champion to an awful lot of people.”
James Prince – Manager of Andre Ward
“Now, to get down to business over here. Kovalev’s manager, let me begin with him. The man got up here and said he doesn’t talk a lot, but as we can see he had quite a bit to say. He said a lot, but he didn’t tell the truth, but I like to shine the spotlight on some of those lies he told. As far as Andre Ward, he’s a gold medalist. When you become a gold medalist, that means you fought not only people in Russia, but people around the world. He represented the United States of America in 2004 and won the gold medal. That means you traveled the world and defeated everybody before you. Who can dispute that? We have a good medalist here, which means we have the truth.
“I keep telling these guys over here, beginning with Sergio, I keep telling them that you can’t sell no fear to us, we’re men of God. We’re not buying any fear about what you want to do. We’ve cracked your code and we’re going to pick up where we left off come June 17.
“With that being said, the United States versus Russia. Y’all have a president, Putin I think is his name. And we know Trump, he’s a boxing fan. Maybe we need to call on Trump to call Putin. I think Trump’s a betting man. We may need to crank up something there between the presidents and see what we can get going. Once again, no weapon formed against us shall prosper. Y’all keep on hoping. They call you ‘manager of the year’. I’m going to be ‘manager of that night’, and that’s all that matters.”
Egis Klimas – Manager of Sergey Kovalev
“As Michael was saying about Andre Ward, he had one thing right, undefeated. But undefeated doesn’t mean the best. Muhammad Ali wasn’t undefeated. Many of the great fighters weren’t undefeated because they fought real fighters. Nowadays, it’s a lot of protection going on.
“Yesterday, we went to Andre’s hometown of Oakland. He might be the best in Oakland, I believe that. We’ve been there. We’ve been in England, we’ve been in Canada, we went all around the world which means a world champion. Andre never fought out of – maybe two times, one time he fought Sergey in Nevada and one time he fought in Jersey. Most of his fights were at home in Oakland. We hope this fight is going to be much better. After the press conference, we stopped to grab something to eat. Three or four people from his hometown recognized Sergey and came up to him and said ‘we hope this time you won’t leave it to the judges. You got robbed, you’ve got to kick his ass’. That was in his hometown. We’ll see you guys on June 17.”
Tony Walker – Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View
“Thank all of you for coming out today to talk some big-time boxing. On behalf of our Executive Vice President Peter Nelson and the rest of the HBO Sports staff, it’s really a pleasure to be here talking boxing with folks in LA who are some of the greatest boxing fans in the world. I’ve got to thank Michael, Kathy, Andre, Sergey and all their staffs for putting together this show. It may have been inevitable, but it’s not easy putting together a big-time boxing match nowadays as so many just don’t get made.
“This is a showcase event, it’s going to be special. We think it’ll be one of the biggest sporting events of the year, it’s a hot show. The first fight left people wanting more. The fight itself was great, it was tactical and dramatic. There’s drama built in the narrative from the first fight coming into today. Drama is always good TV, and we expect a special telecast on June 17.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Monster Products and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
MIGUEL COTTO AND YOSHIHIRO "EL MAESTRITO" KAMEGAI TO CLASH, AUGUST 26 AT STUBHUB CENTER FOR VACANT WBO WORLD JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World JuniorMiddleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD”. The event will take place Saturday, August 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing.
Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions, in association with Teiken Promotions, have chosen StubHub Center to host the WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship fight between Miguel Cotto and Yoshihiro Kamegai on Saturday, Aug. 26 (HBO World Championship Boxing). Timing and ticketing information will be announced at a later date.
Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs), the only four-division world champion in the rich boxing history of Puerto Rico, returns to the ring to take on the always-exciting Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) in a 12-round match for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship. Cotto will attempt to secure a sixth world championship in four weight classes as he makes his 23rd appearance on HBO, for his first fight in Southern California.
Kamegai is known as one of the highest-action fighters in the sport having engaged in a fight of the year candidate against Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass in 2016 and taking champions and contenders including Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, Alfonso Gomez and Johan “El Terrible” Perez into deep water.
Cotto vs. Kamegai, a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “BORN BOLD”.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights! and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment & Sports and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.
SADAM ALI AND JOHAN PEREZ TO SQUARE OFF FOR VACANT NABA WELTERWEIGHT TITLE IN MAIN EVENT OF GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN ON JULY 29
WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDERS SADAM ALI AND JOHAN PEREZ TO SQUARE OFF FOR VACANT NABA WELTERWEIGHT TITLE IN MAIN EVENT OF GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN ON JULY 29
FROM CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA ON ESPN DEPORTES AND ESPN2 AT MIDNIGHT ET/ 9PM PT
A rapid rise up the welterweight division will be at stake as two top contenders -- former Olympian Sadam "World Kid" Ali (24-1, 14 KOs) and former Interim WBA World Super Lightweight Champion Johan "El Terrible" Perez (22-3-4, 15 KOs) - will slug it out over 10 rounds for the vacant NABA Welterweight title in the main event of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN on July 29 from Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.
Ali, a 28-year-old representative of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team who holds impressive wins over Francisco "Chia" Santana and Luis Carlos "El Potro" Abregu, is coming off back-to-back victories after falling short in his first attempt at a world title last year.
"A win in this fight puts me right back in position to compete for a world championship," Ali, who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, said. "I can't wait to get back in the ring and demonstrate the speed and power that has led me to be a top contender in the welterweight division."
Perez, a 33-year-old from Caracas, Venezuela who has held the interim WBA World Super Lightweight Championship and regional titles in the welterweight division, has defeated a number of top fighters including contender Yoshihiro "El Maestrito" Kamegai andformer world champions Steve "2POUND" Forbes and dealt Paul "The Pittsburgh Kid" Spadafora the first and only defeat of his career.
"The time has come for me to re-establish my name in the welterweight division, and that's exactly what I'm planning to do on July 29," Perez said. "Whether it's by knockout or decision, when the fights comes to an end, I know I will have my hand raised in victory."
"When we launched Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN, I promised that we would showcase competitive fights every time out," Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman Oscar De La Hoya said. "We have delivered on each and every card, and the July 29 main event between two hungry contenders in Ali and Perez will give fans exactly what they have come to expect from this series."
A contender and numerous prospects are also scheduled to appear on the card.
Super welterweight contender Patrick Teixeira (26-1, 22 KOs) from Santa Catarina, Brazil, returns from his first defeat as a professional against a soon-to-be-determined opponent in a eight-round affair.
Looking to make TV, undefeated super bantamweight Pablo "The Shark" Rubio, Jr. (9-0, 3 KOs) from Los Angeles, California will be featured in a six-round fight against a soon-to-be-named opponent. Additionally, local Phoenix favorite Eben Vargas (5-0, 3 KOs) will take on an opponent to be named later in a six-round welterweight fight.
Super welterweight Daquan Arnett (15-1, 9 KOs) from Winter Park Florida is scheduled for an eight-round fight against Tijuana, Mex.'s Jorge "Pantera" Silva (21-13-2, 17 KOs). Opening up the card, Miguel Angel "Miguelito" Gonzalez (20-2, 17 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mex. will be participating in a six-round super featherweight affair against a soon-to-be-named opponent.
Tickets for the show will go on sale Saturday, June 10 and range from $45.00-$125.00 (includes convenience fee). Tickets are available for purchase at the Casino Del Sol gift shop and online at casinodelsol.com.
Ali vs. Perez, a 10-round fight for the vacant NABA welterweight title set for July 29, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Showdown Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, Born BOLD and Hennessy "Never Stop, Never Settle." ESPN Deportes and ESPN2 will air the fights at midnight ET/ 9 p.m. PST. ESPN3 live stream of the undercard fights will begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. PST
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Ward vs. Kovalev 2 takes place Saturday, June 17 on HBO
Ward vs. Kovalev 2 takes place Saturday, June 17
at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributedLive by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights! and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, All photos other than those specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Impress Photo-Studios♔ and KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment & Sports and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Blog-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT'S BROADWAY BOXING RETURNS TO FOXWOODS SHELLY VINCENT FEATURED IN SPECIAL ATTRACTION FEATHERWEIGHT CONTEST HARTFORD LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER MATT REMILLARD CONTINUES COMEBACK IN HOMECOMING
DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT'S BROADWAY BOXING RETURNS TO FOXWOODS
SHELLY VINCENT FEATURED IN SPECIAL ATTRACTION FEATHERWEIGHT CONTEST
HARTFORD LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER MATT REMILLARD
CONTINUES COMEBACK IN HOMECOMING BOUT
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SATURDAY, JUNE 3
FOX THEATER AT FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, MASHANTUCKET, CT
On Saturday, June 3, DiBella Entertainment will return to the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, for the latest exciting installment of its popular Broadway Boxing series, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House. The card will feature a bevy of New England talent, including fan favorite Shelly "Shelito's Way" Vincent in an eight-round special attraction featherweight bout, as well as lightweight Matt Remillard on the comeback and welterweight prospect Mykquan Williams on the rise.
"I am happy to bring another great card back to Foxwoods, which continues to be a terrific venue for Broadway Boxing," said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. "Fans will not want to miss the always-entertaining Shelly Vincent, who is a great ambassador for women's boxing. The stacked undercard will include local New England favorites Matt Remillard, Mykquan Williams, Jonathan Figueroa, and Khiry Todd, as well as Russian future world champion Radzhab Butaev and a battle between unbeaten heavyweight prospects Ruslan Shamalov and George Arias."
One of the most popular fighters out of the New England area, Shelly "Shelito's Way" Vincent (19-1, 1 KO), born in New London, CT, but now residing in Providence, RI, will compete at Foxwoods for the seventh time, in an eight-round featherweight bout. Last August, Vincent entered enemy territory to challenge rival Heather Hardy in her adversary's hometown of Brooklyn, NY. Their highly publicized grudge match was nationally televised by NBC Sports Net and was hailed by Ring Magazine as the "Female Fight of the Year" for 2016. Vincent was also honored by the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame as their "Fighter of the Year" for 2016, becoming the first female recipient of the award. She rebounded from her only defeat with a unanimous decision victory on December 2, back home in Rhode Island. Before turning pro in October 2011, Vincent was a Connecticut State, Connecticut Golden Gloves, and National Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. Managed by Mike Criscio and trained by Peter Manfredo Sr., Vincent signed with DiBella Entertainment in 2016.
Matt "Sharp Shooter" Remillard (24-1, 13 KOs), of Hartford, CT, will continue his comeback, following a six-year ring absence, in an eight-round lightweight bout. It will be his first fight in his home state since November 2010. A pro since 2005, Remillard is a former WBC Youth, WBC-USNBC, NABF and NABO featherweight champion. His only loss came in March 2011 to the unbeaten Mikey Garcia, now the WBC world lightweight champion. He is trained by Paul Cichon, a local legend and community leader, out of Manchester Ring of Champions Society boxing gym. As an amateur, Remillard accumulated a record of 115-25, and was a two-time Everlast Under-19 National amateur champion.
Highly touted East Hartford welterweight prospect Mykquan Williams (6-0, 4 KOs) has kept a busy pace since turning pro last April. Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Jackie Kallen, the 19-year-old Williams will return to Foxwoods, where he has built a strong following, for the sixth time, in his first scheduled six-rounder. Williams is also trained by Cichon, whom he's known since he was a child and looks upon as a surrogate father. His biological father was murdered when Mykquan was just a week old. Williams was a decorated amateur with a 45-13 record, highlighted by three gold-medal performances at the Ringside World Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Tournament and Silver Gloves Championships.
Unbeaten New York-based heavyweights will collide in their toughest tests to date, when Russian Ruslan Shamalov (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Dominican George Arias (6-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round contest.
Born in Cherkessk, Russia, and now living in Brooklyn, the 6'5" Shamalov was a two-time amateur MMA champion before switching to boxing and engaging in 30 amateur bouts while participating on the Russian National team. Shamalov turned pro in October 2016 and is trained by Eduard Kravtsov out of Wild Card Gym, in Los Angeles, CA. In his last bout on April 5, Shamalov returned home to Russia and registered a first-round knockout versus Oleksandr Nesterenko in 43 seconds.
Arias was born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, then moved to New York City in 1996, at four years old. However, it wasn't until graduating high school that Arias learned to box at Morris Park Boxing Gym near his home in The Bronx. He won the New York Golden Gloves tournament in 2014 then turned pro that October. Arias recently returned from a 13-month ring hiatus with a four-round unanimous decision versus Jamal Woods in Lawrenceville, GA, on April 29.
Cuban cruiserweight Luis Garcia (14-0, 11 KOs), based out of Peekskill, NY, will see action in a six-round bout. After being denied a berth on the Cuban Olympic team, despite winning in the Cuban Olympic qualifiers preparing for the Games in Beijing, Garcia defected from his native land and settled in Cork, Ireland, where he turned pro in September 2008. Having built his record to a perfect 11-0 over the next 26 months, Garcia then relocated to the United States to resume his career. On December 5, 2015, Garcia made his New York debut at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, earning a 63-second knockout versus Willie Williams. Anther first-round knockout followed in his last bout on June 25, 2016, at Buffalo Run Casino, in Miami, OK.
Russian amateur prodigy Radzhab Butaev (5-0, 4 KOs), co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. and managed by Vadim Kornilov, will make his second appearance at Foxwoods in an eight-round contest. On November 19, Butaev earned an eight-round shutout victory versus experienced Hungarian Gabor Gorbics to win the NABF junior middleweight title. In his last bout, on April 5, Butaev returned to Russia to stop Baxrom Payazov inside one round. The 22-year-old Butaev, born in Salsk, Russia, and now living in Los Angeles, was a highly accomplished amateur, having compiled an incredible 304-12 record, with 164 knockouts. He participated in the World Series of Boxing as well, finishing at 9-1.
A native of the boxing rich city of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Jose Roman (3-0, 3 KOs) will make his US debut in a four-round welterweight contest. Roman began boxing at 13 years of age amassing a stellar 124-17 amateur record along the way. He joined the Puerto Rican National team in 2012, winning three consecutive National championships from 2013-2015.
Junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (2-1, 1 KO), of Hartford, CT, will fight in a four-round contest. Managed by Vinny Scolpino, Figueroa turned pro on a Broadway Boxing card held at Foxwoods on September 1 last year. Training out of Hartford PAL gym, Figueroa was a 2012 Golden Gloves champion as an amateur.
Welterweight Khiry Todd (3-0, 3 KOs), from Lynn, MA, will make his Connecticut debut in a four-round contest. The 25-year-old Todd had 40 amateur bouts and won the New England Golden Gloves tournament before turning pro last December with a 42-second demolition of Patrick Leal.
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Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Moises Flores & Luis Arias vs. Arif Magomedov Added to Ward-Kovalev 2: "The Rematch" PPV Undercard
Reigning WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs) will face WBA interim titleholder Moises “Chucky” Flores (25-0, 17 KOs) in a long-awaited mandatory 12-round WBA title defense that will tarnish one fighter’s perfect record. Rigondeaux vs. Flores has officially been added to the Pay-Per-View undercard of Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 17. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
“I would like to thank Roc Nation Sports, Caribe Promotions and HBO for the opportunity to fight on the biggest Pay-Per-View card of the year. It will be a night of great boxing that fans will not want to miss out on. It's going to be a chance to show HBO what they want to see. Some say I'm not exciting but it's not my fault that once my opponents feel my power, they start running and stop throwing punches. Regardless of that, I'm going to give them what they want. I will be standing in the middle of the ring toe-to-toe and putting on a show for the fans. This is where I’ll show the world what my fans got to see in my last fight in the UK against [James] Dickens,” said Rigondeaux. “I want to thank Moises Flores for having the courage to step in the ring with me and accepting the mandatory challenge unlike many great fighters in my division. Moises is an exciting Mexican fighter who will bring a fight. I will be ready to exhibit why I am one of the best pound-for-pound boxers and the world's best at 122 pounds. I’m ready to give fans the best fight out there, and the best is to come the evening of June 17.”
“I'm very excited to have my world title fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux rescheduled for Saturday, June 17 on HBO Pay-Per-View,” said Flores. “I'd like to thank my team at Probox Management and TGB Promotions along with HBO for providing this opportunity. I never stopped my preparations from the original date and look forward to making the Mexican fans proud when I defeat the great Rigondeaux.”
“Roc Nation Sports is thrilled to add Guillermo Rigondeaux’s championship defense against Moises Flores to the Pay-Per-View undercard of Ward-Kovalev 2: ‘The Rematch’,” said Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael R. Yormark. “We know these two champions are ready and eager to put on a big performance on boxing’s biggest stage and undoubtedly, ahead of the most anticipated fight of the year.”
“TGB Promotions is proud of this world title opportunity for Moises ‘Chucky’ Flores as he takes on one of the premier fighters in the sport, Guillermo Rigondeaux,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Chucky is well prepared and looking forward to making the Mexican fans proud of their new World Champion on June 17.”
Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs), was one of the most celebrated amateur boxers in Cuba before defecting and making his professional debut on May 22, 2009 in Miami, Florida. High expectations had no ill effect on Rigondeaux as he tore through his next five opponents. On November 13, 2010, in just his seventh pro fight, Rigondeaux faced Ricardo Cordoba for the vacant interim WBA World Super Bantamweight title and left the ring with the belt after scoring a split decision victory. Rigondeaux turned his attention to supremacy in the 122-pound division and accomplished what many considered the unthinkable by knocking out WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Rico Ramos on January 20, 2012, becoming a world champion in fewer than 10 professional bouts. On April 13, 2013 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Rigondeaux scored his biggest victory to date by defeating WBO and Ring Magazine World Champion and 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire. Rigondeaux came away with the victory by unanimous decision after out landing and out punching Donaire throughout the fight to unify titles. In November of 2015, Roc Nation Sports announced that it had signed Rigondeaux to an exclusive promotional agreement and featured him on the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez mega-fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where he defeated veteran Drian Francisco via a 10-round unanimous decision. Prior to beating Francisco, Rigondeaux was stripped of his title belts due to inactivity, but remained the WBA champion in recess. In May of 2016, Roc Nation Sports announced that Rigondeaux was reinstated of his WBA belt ahead of a 12-round WBA World Super Bantamweight championship showdown against number 13 rated WBA super bantamweight contender Jazza Dickens on July 16 at the Cardiff Ice Arena in Wales. In his first ever appearance in the United Kingdom, Rigondeaux gave fans a thrilling knockout against Dickens. The southpaw landed a big left hook, shattering Dickens’s jaw, halting the fight in the second round with a referee’s decision. Rigondeaux will be raring to go on June 17 in his title defense against interim champion Moises Flores.
Moises “Chucky” Flores (25-0, 17 KOs) learned the fight game growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, and spent the early years of his professional career building up his résumé in his home country. Now established as a title contender at 122 pounds, Flores looks to climb to the top of the division with his considerable talent. Flores is exceptionally tall for his weight class, measuring in at 5 feet 9 inches. As such, he tends to have a reach advantage over most of his opponents, although Flores isn’t one to merely fire punches from a distance and box from the outside. He likes to mix it up, and his record reflects that, with most of his opponents going down by knockout. Flores made his pro debut in August 2008 with a second round knockout of Oswaldo Salgado in Guadalajara, Mexico. He fought exclusively in Mexico over the first six years of his career and made quick work of most of his opponents. Flores made his U.S. debut in September 2014, winning a six round unanimous decision over Pablo Batres in Mesquite, Texas. He then gained a seventh round technical knockout of Mexican veteran Mario Macias in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in November 2014. That victory set up a 122-pound title shot against interim WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Oscar Escandon in Carson, California, in April 2015. In an electrifying, all-action brawl, Flores earned a split decision to win the title. In his last two fights, Flores was able to defend the interim WBA World Super Bantamweight title against Luis Emanuel Cusolito, while also adding the IBO World Super Bantamweight title against Paulus Ambunda. Flores looks forward to claiming the full rights to the WBA World Super Bantamweight title on June 17 when he faces current champion Guillermo Rigondeaux in a 12-round championship showdown.
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USBA Middleweight Champion Luis “Cuba” Arias (17-0, 8 KOs) and prime contender Arif “The Predator” Magomedov (18-1, 11 KOs) will lead off the HBO Pay-Per-View lineup for Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” on Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Arias will be defending his title and undefeated record against one of the division’s top prospects. Magomedov has previously held the WBO’s Inter-Continental, Youth and NABO middleweight titles with only a single career loss coming against Andrew Hernandez for the vacant WBC USNBC middleweight title. Both fighters are eager to make an impression during their Las Vegas debut.
"Finally my opportunity has come. The road to the big stage has been long but it's here and I’m ready. It's time to prove to the world that I am a threat to anyone in this division. I have been saying it for some time, my record shows it, but now I’ll get the chance to prove it,” said Arias. “I'm coming to make a statement on June 17! My opponent has been beat before and will be beat again. Thanks to Roc Nation Sports and my handlers for making this happen. A new star will be born."
“My goal is to be a world champion. I have been waiting for a fight like this. Arias is a tough opponent but I will be ready for him,” said Magomedov. “I am so excited to work with my new trainer, Marco Contreras and to fight on HBO Pay-Per-View. Be ready for ‘The Predator’ on June 17.”
“If the heat between the Ward-Kovalev rivalry hasn’t been felt yet, then the cross promotional matchup of Roc Nation Sports’ Luis Arias and Main Events’ Arif Magomedov will certainly add fuel to the fire,” said Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael R. Yormark. “We are excited to have USBA Middleweight Champion Luis Arias make his Las Vegas debut and open the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast with a title defense on June 17 against Arif Magomedov.”
“Arif has been ready for this fight since the first Kovalev-Ward card in November. We are so pleased to finally give him this match-up,” said Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. “This is a huge opportunity for both Arif and Luis to test themselves on such a big stage. A win or a good showing by either fighter could catapult them in the rankings and put them on the map in this stacked middleweight division.”
USBA Middleweight Champion Luis “Cuba” Arias (17-0, 8 KOs), 26, takes great pride in his Cuban heritage. The Milwaukee-native chose his nickname in homage to his father’s homeland and its people, honoring them each time he steps into the ring. A former USA junior amateur standout, Arias made his professional debut on November 10, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, where he defeated Josh Thorpe via a four-round unanimous decision. Since joining Roc Nation Sports in February of 2015, Arias has advanced his undefeated record, paving way for his first title shot on August 20, 2016. In a homecoming at the Milwaukee Center, Arias captured the vacant USBA Middleweight title with a stoppage of Detroit’s Darryl Cunningham at the 1:11 mark of the fourth round. Arias successfully defended his title on March 31, 2017 at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Virginia’s Scott Sigmon. All three judges scored the fight 99-91 for Arias who put on a potent body punching display to settle a long-standing grudge with Sigmon.
Arif “The Predator” Magomedov (18-1, 11 KOs), 24, is a middleweight from Kizlyar, Russia. He made his professional debut in January of 2013 when he earned a decision win over Ruslan Sirazhev in Russia. Magomedov would go on to finish 2013 with a bang, posting a record of 8-0 with 6 KOs and none of those six opponents made it past the third round. He made his US debut in April of 2015 when he unanimously outpointed tough journeyman Derrick Findley. In May of 2015, he earned one of the biggest wins of his career when he scored a first-round knockout over the always tough and durable Darnell Boone. In July of 2015, Magomedov cruised to a unanimous decision win over previously undefeated and rising prospect Derrick Webster. In his most recent bout, Magomedov scored a second-round TKO over Chris Herrmann in Moscow, Russia. Arif is co-promoted by Main Events and Shamo Boxing and managed by Egis Klimas.
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Monster Products and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: "The Rematch"
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Monster Products and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Andre “S.O.G.” Ward – Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I want to thank LA, tremendous fight city, tremendous fight town. I’ve been here a lot as a young boy coming up, taking the trips from Northern California, paying my dues early. I appreciate you guys coming out.
“I told the people in New York, you’ve got perception and you’ve got reality. You’ve got a lot of misinformation coming from that side. You’ve got a lot of lies coming from that side. A lot of old school tactics. It’s 2017 man. All that old school stuff that his side is trying to do, it’s not going to work. At the end of the day, we’ve got a date. You’re selling fear, we’re not buying it. At the end of the day, you’ve got to see me June 17. I don’t care what you say, I don’t care where you’re from, I don’t care how you came up, it doesn’t matter bro. You’re going to have to see me June 17, it’s that simple.
“I didn’t have to take this fight. This fight is for you, the fans. This fight is for the boxing community, because this is the fight everybody clamored about. At the end of the day, where I come from, it’s about showing up. It’s not about all that talking. It sells tickets, it sells Pay-Per-Views and we get a couple of headlines. But if you watch my career, we don’t say anything we just go get it done. June 17 is going to be no different. Reality check.”
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev – Former Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I’m glad to be back in LA, I feel more comfortable here at home than at Oakland. They said I should prove something more, for who? For them? No. I already proved it for myself and for everybody in the boxing world that I came from nothing, nowhere at all as a professional and amateur boxing. I had never been in a world championship or Olympic games, but I came here to the United States and got to where I am right now. Believe in yourself that everything will be good. And I believe in myself and I will get my belts back on June 17. Believe me and be sure I will finish your boxing career.”
Michael Yormark - Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy
“Ward-Kovalev 2 was officially announced just over a week ago, and since then we have been overwhelmed with hype, media coverage, trash talk, and verbal sparring. In fact, Team Kovalev as the B-side promoter has made a habit of playing nice on the dais and then talking trash to the media when they are a safe distance from Andre – a lot of good it’s done so far. But, just as I mentioned in New York, and again yesterday in Oakland, all of this chatter means nothing now and will mean even less come June 17 when the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world go toe-to-toe, and only one man is left standing as champion – with the loser being left with no one to blame but himself – No Excuses!
“It’s quite simple – these guys do not like each other and are literally foaming out the mouth to get back in the ring together. Last November, Andre Ward staged an epic comeback against Sergey Kovalev, and proved he is in a class of his own in the boxing world. Immediately after the match the excuses starting rolling in from Team Kovalev. There was a lot of talk, a lot of debate, a lot of speculation, a lot of finger-pointing and hand-wringing. So, like the true champion that he is on June 17, Andre will be back in the ring with Sergey to once again prove his superiority and continue to cement his legacy as boxing’s best.”
Kathy Duva – CEO of Main Events
“Michael’s speech, as always so eloquent and he did a great job of thanking everyone, so I’m not going to waste your time repeating everything he said. People at HBO, people at MGM, our sponsors, I appreciate everything you do for us. There’s one group he didn’t thank and I’m going to take the time to do that today. I’ve done this I hate to admit for 40 years. I was three when I started, I was the youngest publicist in the history of boxing. My job as publicist is to deal with you, the press. I know that you don’t make a fortune. I know that most of you do this the same reason I do, for love. We are afflicted by this disease. You come out here, most of you on your own dime, on your own time. Nobody here is going to be a millionaire yet you come and have the same passion as we do. You cover this sport so closely because you share that passion. I want you to know how much Sergey Kovalev and Main Events appreciate that. We’re never going to forget you.
“Both Sergey and Andre have a history now. As Michael pointed out, they both have something to prove, they each have a story. Right now, Sergey’s story is that he wants his belts back. Andre’s story is that he wants respect, because he may have those belts but as Egis just illustrated, the respect is still with this man. And that is because, as Egis said, he went to Wales to win his world title, he went to Philadelphia to win his other world titles when he fought Bernard Hopkins. He went to Canada to fight Jean Pascal. He is champion of the world whether or not he’s got the belts at this moment or relinquished them temporarily, he’s still a champion to an awful lot of people.”
James Prince – Manager of Andre Ward
“Now, to get down to business over here. Kovalev’s manager, let me begin with him. The man got up here and said he doesn’t talk a lot, but as we can see he had quite a bit to say. He said a lot, but he didn’t tell the truth, but I like to shine the spotlight on some of those lies he told. As far as Andre Ward, he’s a gold medalist. When you become a gold medalist, that means you fought not only people in Russia, but people around the world. He represented the United States of America in 2004 and won the gold medal. That means you traveled the world and defeated everybody before you. Who can dispute that? We have a good medalist here, which means we have the truth.
“I keep telling these guys over here, beginning with Sergio, I keep telling them that you can’t sell no fear to us, we’re men of God. We’re not buying any fear about what you want to do. We’ve cracked your code and we’re going to pick up where we left off come June 17.
“With that being said, the United States versus Russia. Y’all have a president, Putin I think is his name. And we know Trump, he’s a boxing fan. Maybe we need to call on Trump to call Putin. I think Trump’s a betting man. We may need to crank up something there between the presidents and see what we can get going. Once again, no weapon formed against us shall prosper. Y’all keep on hoping. They call you ‘manager of the year’. I’m going to be ‘manager of that night’, and that’s all that matters.”
Egis Klimas – Manager of Sergey Kovalev
“As Michael was saying about Andre Ward, he had one thing right, undefeated. But undefeated doesn’t mean the best. Muhammad Ali wasn’t undefeated. Many of the great fighters weren’t undefeated because they fought real fighters. Nowadays, it’s a lot of protection going on.
“Yesterday, we went to Andre’s hometown of Oakland. He might be the best in Oakland, I believe that. We’ve been there. We’ve been in England, we’ve been in Canada, we went all around the world which means a world champion. Andre never fought out of – maybe two times, one time he fought Sergey in Nevada and one time he fought in Jersey. Most of his fights were at home in Oakland. We hope this fight is going to be much better. After the press conference, we stopped to grab something to eat. Three or four people from his hometown recognized Sergey and came up to him and said ‘we hope this time you won’t leave it to the judges. You got robbed, you’ve got to kick his ass’. That was in his hometown. We’ll see you guys on June 17.”
Tony Walker – Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View
“Thank all of you for coming out today to talk some big-time boxing. On behalf of our Executive Vice President Peter Nelson and the rest of the HBO Sports staff, it’s really a pleasure to be here talking boxing with folks in LA who are some of the greatest boxing fans in the world. I’ve got to thank Michael, Kathy, Andre, Sergey and all their staffs for putting together this show. It may have been inevitable, but it’s not easy putting together a big-time boxing match nowadays as so many just don’t get made.
“This is a showcase event, it’s going to be special. We think it’ll be one of the biggest sporting events of the year, it’s a hot show. The first fight left people wanting more. The fight itself was great, it was tactical and dramatic. There’s drama built in the narrative from the first fight coming into today. Drama is always good TV, and we expect a special telecast on June 17.”
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