PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
NEW YORK, NY (Aprile 4, 2017) – Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, 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 KO) and former title holder Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KO). Ward vs. Kovalev II “No Excuses” will take place Sabato, Giugno 17 presso il Centro Eventi Mandalay Bay di 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. E/6:00 p.m. PT.
Team Ward and Team Kovalev will partake in a three-city press tour the week of Aprile 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. Questa volta…leave the excuses at home,"Ha detto 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,"Ha detto 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 Giugno 17 in another historic night. Non c'è niente scuse, 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, Amministratore delegato, Main Events. “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, Vicepresidente, 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.”
Conosciuto per il suo carattere forte e integrità fuori dal ring e l'istinto del suo guerriero dentro, 33-year-old Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. Ha collezionato tutti i titoli nei libri, culminating in a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Giochi Olimpici di Atene, Grecia. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold in the past decade, Ward è entrato del calibro di Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard e Oscar De La Hoya. Egli è diventato professionista nel dicembre 18, 2004, segnando una seconda vittoria per KO tecnico rotonda su Chris Molina allo Staples Center in una lotta che è stata trasmessa in diretta su HBO. He has gone on to rack up an undefeated record since then, la costruzione di una legione sempre crescente di fan nel processo. Dopo essere diventato il medio campione Ring Magazine e WBA Super Mondiale, in aumento al posto numero due sulla lista libbra-per-pound e vincendo il 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine e Boxing Writers Association of America), è stato annunciato che Ward ha firmato un accordo esclusivo di promozione con Roc Nation Sport nel mese di gennaio 2015, l'apertura di un nuovo capitolo della sua carriera leggendaria boxe. Ward returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 alla Oracle Arena di fronte ai suoi fans città natale a Oakland, California e ha segnato un ko nono round su Paul Smith. Nel marzo 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 su Novembre 19 at T-Mobile Arena in 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, Main Events. Nel suo ultimo incontro, 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 vittorie in carriera 26 have come by way of knockout. Inoltre, 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, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, and is sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The championship event takes place Sabato, Giugno 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. E/6:00 p.m. PT.
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