PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
NEW YORK, New York (Avril 4, 2017) – Roc Nation Sports, Événements principaux, Andre Ward Promotions and Krusher Promotions are pleased to announce the highly anticipated rematch between the unified Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, Andre "SOG" Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) and former title holder Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs). Ward vs. Kovalev II “No Excuses” will take place Samedi, Juin 17 à l'Events Center Mandalay Bay à 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.
Team Ward and Team Kovalev will partake in a three-city press tour the week of Avril 10 to officially announce the fight, including New York City, the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Further details will be available in the coming days.
“I’m going to keep it short and sweet. You got what you asked for – now you have to see me on June 17. Ce temps…leave the excuses at home,», A déclaré Ward.
“I’m glad to know that rematch will happen. I really hope that Andre Ward will get into the ring for this rematch. Fans of boxing will see the real Krusher–the one they have missed for couple of my last fights. For me this rematch is very important as no other bout in my entire boxing career. Thanks a lot to all of boxing fans,” said Kovalev.
“Roc Nation Sports is proud to be the lead promoter behind a boxing rematch for the ages,»A déclaré Michael Yormark, Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy. “Last November, Andre showed the world he was boxing’s best. No doubt he will build upon his legacy come Juin 17 in another historic night. Il n'y a pas d'excuses, the rematch is on.”
“After the last fight, we are preparing for another unbelievable experience. Can’t wait for the bell to ring! This is sure to be another nail-biting roller coaster ride,” said Kathy Duva, PDG, Événements principaux. “This is the only fight that Sergey wants right now and he refused to settle for anything less than the chance to get his belts back. I’m told that Roc Nation and Andre Ward have lots of great ideas for the promotion and we can’t wait to see them in action!"
“After a razor thin decision last November in their first meeting, the boxing community has been eagerly waiting for a Ward-Kovalev rematch,” said Tony Walker, Vice-Président, HBO Pay-Per-View. “These are two world class prizefighters who embrace being on the sport’s biggest stage. Like Andre and Sergey, we can’t wait for June 17th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.”
“This spectacular rematch of pound-for-pound champions will be a ‘can’t-miss’ fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center,” said Richard Sturm, President of Entertainment and Sports for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to working with both Roc Nation Sports and Main Events once again on this championship event which should be one of the most thrilling fights of 2017.”
Connu pour son fort caractère et l'intégrité à l'extérieur du ring et son instinct de guerrier intérieur, 33-year-old Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. Il a accumulé tous les titres dans les livres, culminating in a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Jeux olympiques d'Athènes, Grèce. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold in the past decade, Ward a rejoint les goûts de Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard et Oscar De La Hoya. Il est devenu professionnel sur Décembre 18, 2004, marquant un deuxième tour de la victoire KO technique au cours Chris Molina au Staples Center dans un combat qui a été retransmis en direct sur HBO. He has gone on to rack up an undefeated record since then, la construction d'une légion croissante de fans dans le processus. Après être devenu le Champion du Monde Ring Magazine et WBA Super-, remonter à la deuxième place sur la liste de livre-pour-livre et de gagner le 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine et l'Association de boxe Writers of America), il a été annoncé que Ward a signé un accord exclusif de promotion avec Roc Nation Sport en Janvier 2015, l'ouverture d'un nouveau chapitre dans sa carrière de boxeur étages. Ward returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 à l'Oracle Arena en face de ses fans ville natale à Oakland, Californie et a marqué un KO au neuvième round sur Paul Smith. Sur Mars 26, 2016, Ward made his highly publicized 175-pound debut against Cuba’s undefeated and IBF number one rated light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera and came out victorious. Ward continued his conquest of the light heavyweight division on August 6, 2016, with a unanimous decision over Alexander Brand. Immediately following the win, Ward announced that he will be taking on unified Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev in the ultimate showdown for division supremacy and recognition as the best pound-for-pound fighter. In the most anticipated fight of 2016 sur Novembre 19 au T-Mobile Arena de Las Vegas, Ward would prove to the world his dominance as one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters by becoming the unified World Light Heavyweight Champion with a unanimous decision win over Kovalev, the reigning WBA, IBF and WBO titleholder.
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, the Russian Wrecking Ball, 34, is currently ranked #2 Pound-for-Pound by Ring Magazine and has been dominating boxing’s light heavyweight division with his aggressive, fan-friendly style since his breakout performance against then-unbeaten Nathan Cleverly in 2013 when he won the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. One year after winning his WBO title Sergey went on to defeat future Hall-of-Famer Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins in a 12-round unanimous decision victory to add the WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles to his mantle. His rise to boxing stardom has been meteoric, as he has gone from an unknown fighter from Chelyabinsk, Russia to headlining HBO Pay-Per-View in just four years after signing with his first promoter, Événements principaux. Dans son dernier combat, Kovalev went the distance against former two-time world champion Andre “SOG” Ward. The bout ended in a highly-contested unanimous decision against Sergey even though Kovalev managed to knock down Ward and many thought the cards should have gone in his favor. Out of Kovalev’s 30 victoires carrière 26 sont venus par KO. En outre, he has entered into championship rounds only three times in his professional career. Kovalev has always sought to test himself against the best boxing has to offer; he wants to prove in the ring that he deserves that mantle.
Ward vs. Kovalev II “No Excuses," a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Événements principaux, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Samedi, Juin 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.
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