SUR Samedi, Août 6 Chez Oracle Arena d'Oakland, CALIFORNIA
WARD VS. BRAND TO BE TELEVISED LIVE
ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®
Commençant à 10:35 p.m. ET/PT
NEW YORK, New York (Juillet 26, 2016) – Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) sera de retour sur le ring le Samedi, Août 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) à Oracle Arena d'Oakland, Californie. L'événement, which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT, will now include six bouts of non-televised action for ticketed fans to enjoy before the main showdown.
The promising undercard lineup will feature East Bay familiar, Bilal Mahasin and a collection of Roc Nation Sports’ brightest prospects including, Daniel "Twitch" Franco, Rudy “The Revelation” Puga Jr. et Darmani «Rock Solid» Rock. Roc Nation Sports’ sparkplug Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker also looks to ignite Oracle Arena as the card’s co-feature in a 10-round NABO Junior Welterweight Title clash against Tyrone Barnett.
Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (20-0-2, 15 KOs) was born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, where he found a boxing home at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym by way of an outreach program for at-risk youths. His natural talent was soon noticed resulting in him competing as an amateur, during which time he participated in over 100 combats, compilant un dossier de 97 victoires et seulement 7 pertes, avec 67 victories coming by way of knockout. Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 et 38-38, making the fight a split draw. Pas découragé, in his next fight on June 24, 2014, Hooker scored his first professional win, knocking out Wilbert Mitchell in the first round at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. Eleven wins (eight by knockout) later, he took on undefeated Abel Ramos on January 17, 2014 in a bout that was featured on ShoBox from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. After eight close, hard-fought rounds, the judges saw the fight a draw. Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo on June 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Championship. “Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory. Sur Octobre 17, 2015, Hooker successfully defended his title at Madison Square Garden in New York City against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma. The 10-round decision win came on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux and was featured on the event’s “freeview” as well as streamed online around the world. “Mighty Mo” made his debut under the Roc Nation Sports banner on the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera, this past March at Oracle Arena in Oakland, COMME, where he annihilated opponent Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas of Columbia in the first round of a 10-round junior welterweight bout by way of technical knockout. Hooker looks to advance his undefeated record when he takes on Tyrone Barnett (23-4-1, 15 KOs) sur Août 6 à Oracle Arena. Barnett was in action this past February, with a technical knockout victory over Daniel Attah at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The D.C. native is eager to stop Maurice Hooker’s momentum and take home the NABO title.
Originaire de Riverside, Californie et un combattant de la pépinière de boxe de Oxnard, invaincu junior léger Daniel "Twitch" Franco (13-0-3, 8 KOs) a commencé la boxe à l'âge de huit ans, amassant un dossier amateur de 67-15, remportant le Championnat Oxnard PAL 2006 Gants et de la California State Championnat d'argent en 2007 le long du chemin. Pendant débuts professionnels de Franco sur Décembre 18, 2010, il a vaincu Emanuel Machorro au Club 401 en Ontario, Californie via un KO au troisième ronde technique. Franco impressionné au début de sa carrière, compilant un record invaincu avec deux nuls dans des lieux à travers la Californie à la fin de 2013. Un de ceux tirages sont venus contre Alejandro Ochoa à Cannon tranquille à Montebello, Californie Septembre 20, 2013, but in a rematch three months later, Franco surpassé Ochoa marquant un six rondes décision unanime victoire au Westin Bonaventure Hôtel à Los Angeles. Sur Juin 20, 2015, during Ward’s return to the ring at Oracle Arena, Franco saw action in an eight round junior lightweight bout against Jonathan Alcantara and won by unanimous decision. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016 à Oracle Arena d'Oakland, California on the Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard, the unbeaten Twitch met Mexico’s German “Panteonero” Meraz in an eight-round featherweight bout. Franco scored a technical knockout over the veteran fighter in the final round of the fight.Août 6 will be Franco’s third appearance at Oracle when he takes on Renton, Washington’s Marcelo Gallardo (7-3-2, 3 KOs). The 26-year-old Gallardo has been known to play the spoiler role, scoring unanimous decision victories over unbeaten prospects Christopher Diaz and Vic Pasillas in 2015.
Having compiled an exceptional amateur record of 99-8, Rudy “The Revelation” Puga. Jr. (8-0, 7 KOs), the promising prospect from Salinas, California made his professional debut on September 2, 2011, scoring a fourth round technical knockout victory over Raul Talamontes at the Sports Complex in his hometown. Back in the ring less than two months later, Puga Jr. raised his record to 2-0 with a first round technical knockout of Jose Jesus Hurtado at the Sherwood Inn in Salinas. En juin 2012, he sent Thomas Turner to the mat four times scoring a second round technical knockout win at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a little more than a year away from the ring, he rededicated himself to the “sweet science” with a vengeance and on February 17, 2014, Puga Jr. made his comeback stopping Charon Spain in the third round with an overpowering body shot at the Salinas Storm House in his native Salinas. Puga Jr. rounded out 2015 with a four-round technical knockout of Katrell Straus and a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rojas. Sur Février 12, Puga Jr. extended his undefeated streak to 7 fights by knocking out Alejandro Osuna in two rounds at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, Californie. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016 à Oracle Arena d'Oakland, California on HBO’s Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard, Puga Jr. extended his undefeated streak against Carlos “Kalimba” Lozano by way of a technical knockout in the sixth round. The Southern California native returns to the Bay Area on Août 6 to face an opponent to be announced.
Brooklyn’s undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (9-0, 7 KOs) is considered one of New York City’s best boxing prospects. Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only deux ans plus tard was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way including nine Junior Olympic championships, nine Junior Metro championships, eight New York State Silver Gloves championships and five Regional Silver Gloves championships. En 2011, he was crowned National Junior Golden Gloves champion and was U.S.A. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer in his weight class. Less than a month after his 18e anniversaire, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, New York, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. During his recent match up on the Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard that took place March 26, 2016, Younan scored a four round unanimous decision over Christian Solarzano, pitching a shutout on all three scorecards. Facing his stiffest test to date on May 13, 2016 on the undercard of throne boxing’s Dusty Hernandez-Harrison vs. Mike Dallas, Jr. on BET and Tidal.com, Younan overwhelmed Rodrigo Almeida of Woburn, Massachusetts with a technical knockout in the first round at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. Returning to Oakland on the Ward vs. Brand undercard, Younan is set to take on Jaime “Zarco” Solorio (5-2-2, 4 KOs) sur Août 6. Fighting out of Baja, Californie, the Mexico native is riding an undefeated streak in his last six fights.
À l'âge de 20, Darmani Rock (3-0, 3 KOs) is already drawing comparisons to former heavyweight greats of the past. Né et élevé à Philadelphie, Rock a été amené sur un ring de boxe local par son père à l'âge de douze ans après avoir perdu un combat de rue contre des intimidateurs du quartier. Debout à 6'4", il se déplace avec une légèreté et une rapidité inégalées pour un combattant de sa taille. Rock a reçu des distinctions à l'échelle nationale après une année record en 2014 quand il a remporté l'USA Boxing Junior and Youth Open, Titres des super-lourds continentaux et mondiaux de la jeunesse. Pendant le 2014 Open junior et jeunesse à Reno, Nevada, Rock a exclu le 2013 Champion national des jeunes, Jean Luna, 3-0. Cette performance impressionnante a été suivie d'un autre titre des super-lourds aux Championnats continentaux de la jeunesse en mars. 2014 à Quito, Équateur où il a battu l'Argentin Kervin Espinola 3-0. Rock a ensuite remporté la médaille d'or aux prestigieux championnats du monde juniors en Bulgarie en avril 2014 par un 2-1 décision sur l'Allemand Peter Kadiru. Rock a également remporté le 2014 Championnat du monde junior amateur et couronné 2014 en étant nommé boxeur amateur de l'année de Philadelphie lors des Briscoe Awards annuels. Sa victoire la plus marquante, cependant, est venu en mai 2015 when he beat Cam Awesome in Las Vegas for the National Golden Gloves title. Rock a également capturé le 2015 U.S.. Championnat national amateur des super-lourds. Il a terminé sa carrière amateur en tant que numéro un des poids super lourds aux États-Unis. (et le numéro cinq classé super poids lourd dans le monde) aller 19-5 dans les tournois nationaux. Rock made his highly anticipated professional debut, after signing an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports, against Rockville, Maryland’s Carlos Black on May 13, 2016, as the co-feature of Roc Nation’s throne boxing card at the Armory in Washington, D.C. Following a devastating left hook, Rock brought his opponent to the floor with a right-left combination at the 1:54 marque de la première ronde. Without wasting any time, Rock followed his impressive debut by demolishing his next two opponents, Bobby Favors and Hassan Lee, both by way of knockout in the first round of the respective bouts. Making his Oracle Arena debut on Août 6, Rock looks to keep his fierce win streak alive when he takes on Mike Kyle (1-2-1, 1 KO). The Boise, Idaho native seeks to reaffirm the impression he has set on Oakland where he scored his first career win and knockout over James Kirby this past January.
Bilal “Rebellious” Mahasin (8-3-1, 1 KO) is no stranger to Oakland fight fans. A resident of the Bay Area’s eastern shore, Mahasin made his professional debut in 2002 with great promise, winning his first three fights. Sur Novembre 10, 2013, he fought one of the area’s top junior welterweight fighters, Moris Rodriguez, at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento, Californie. East Bay supporters made the trek to the state’s capital for Mahasin’s triumphant return which came by way of a six-round unanimous decision. Mahasin has accrued a ring record with a majority of the results coming as wins, and has transitioned up a weight class to super welterweight. He last fought on June 11, 2016 au 16e Street Rail Station in Oakland, going the distance with a six-round unanimous decision over Vincente Guzman. Mahasin is ready to take on journeyman Luis Alfredo Lugo (14-25-1, 5 KOs) sur Août 6 at Oracle Arena in front an ever-steadied fanfare.
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Solutions de gestion de Voyage d'entreprise (CTMS), Brand Jordan, Verizon, Palais de cireur, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 ans.
Billets au prix de $250, $120, $90, $40 et $30, non compris les charges et taxes de service applicables, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, en ligne sur Ticketmaster.com (http://bit.ly/WardBrandPR) et recharger par téléphone au (800) 745-3000.
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