Tag Archives: Andre Ward

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND POWER-PUNCHING COLOMBIAN ALEXANDER BRAND SET FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 SHOWDOWN AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®

  NEW YORK, NY (June 28, 2016) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring onSaturday, August 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Ward and Brand were slated to face each other last November on the pay-per-view undercard of Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez, but a leg injury forced Ward to withdraw from participation in the event.

 

Tickets priced at $300, $120, $90, $60 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Tuesday, June 28 at 5:00 p.m. PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

 

Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, the motion picture HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms) and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 years.

 

“We can get it on, right now,” said Ward.  “August 6th, I will be ready, so come out to Oracle Arena or tune in live on HBO.  Don’t miss it.”

 

“It will be a great honor to face Andre Ward on August 6 and better yet in his own backyard,” said Brand.  “Fighting somebody with such an illustrious career, facing a guy that perhaps hasn’t lost a round in his entire life, is even more thrilling.  We were set to face each other last November, but he was forced to pull out of the fight with an injury. Now the time has come to fight him and I can’t wait to derail his future plans.  I’ll work hard to spoil them.”

 

“Andre Ward’s quest to become the best light heavyweight on the planet and boxing’s number one pound-for-pound fighter continues on August 6,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing Roc Nation Sports.  “Alexander Brand has been waiting for this fight since last year and we have no doubt he is going to enter the ring hungry for a huge victory.  There’s a lot on the line in this fight for Andre who knows he can’t look past Brand towards a much discussed clash with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev.”

 

“Undefeated for the last two decades, technically brilliant and the last American man to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, Andre Ward is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports.  “On August 6th, Andre continues his move up in weight to campaign in the 175-pound division against challenger Alexander Brand in front a hometown crowd at the Oracle.”

 

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, 32 year-old Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career.  He racked up every title in the books, culminating in a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.  As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold in the past

decade, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya.  He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO.  He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process.  After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career.  The Bay Area product returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 12-year-old amateur.  In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016, Ward made his highly publicized 175-pound debut against Cuba’s undefeated and IBF number one rated light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera in front of frenzied crowd at Oracle Arena that including luminaries such as Michael B. Jordan, Stephen Curry, Marshawn Lynch and Draymond Green.  Ward expertly managed the fight and began to unravel his opponent in the third round when he caught Barrera with a counter left hook, dropping him to the canvas.  The rest was a routine victory for Ward, who scored a dominating dispatch of Barrera by way of unanimous decision after 12 rounds.  Ward looks forward to a formidable challenge in Brand who is now the only obstacle in the way of his anticipated showdown against Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev in the fall.

 

Bogota, Colombia native Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) turned professional at the relatively late age of 32 following a long and accomplished amateur career that saw him tally over 400 wins.  He burst on to the professional scene in 2009, scoring knockout wins in his first 12 fights and winning 15 of his first 17 bouts inside the distance.  His first and only professional setback came via an eight-round split decision loss to current WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack in a 2012 fight that many ringside observers thought Brand had won.  Since that fight, Brand has passed every ring test with flying colors, notching eight consecutive victories.  In his last bout, Brand faced the sternest test of his career since the Jack fight when he fought a favored, undefeated and highly touted light heavyweight Medzhid Bektemirov on December 5, 2015 at Osceola Heritage Center in Kissimmee, Florida.  Brand weathered an early Bektemirov blitz, including recovering from a first round knockdown, and notched a 10-round split decision victory by the scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 94-95.  The 39 year-old Brand, who has held several regional title including the WBC Latino Super Middleweight and the WBC Silver Interim Super Middleweight Championships, will be looking to pull off another upset on August 6 and thrust himself into light heavyweight title contention.

 

Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.

 

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

 

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Ward vs. Barrera + Diaz Jr. vs. Velez Final Press Conference Quotes and Photos

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD VS. UNDEFEATED SULLIVAN BARRERA

NABF FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. JAYSON VELEZ

FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AND PHOTOS

 

SHOWDOWNS SET FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 26

AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®

 

Click HERE for Photos

Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sports/Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos

 

OAKLAND, CA (March 23, 2015) – On Wednesday, March 23, Roc Nation Sports hosted the final press conference for Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward(28-0, 15 KOs) and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) at Lake Merritt Amphitheater in Oakland, California in advance of their March 26 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ward and Barrera will meet in 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) and top-rated featherweight contender Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) were also in attendance on the press conference dais overlooking Lake Merritt ahead of their 10-round NABF Featherweight title fight which will open up the HBO telecast.

 

Ward vs. Barrera is shaping up to be a highly contested battle between two fighters who both have their sights set on a match-up against Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev.

 

Below is what the fighters, promoters, trainers, managers and other dais guests had to say at the press conference:

 

 

ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter:

 

“I want to thank everyone for coming out as usual. The Bay Area is a beautiful place. We don’t often get enough credit for the talent that comes out of here, but for the fan base, it’s tremendous. I’m just thankful for being from a place like this and thankful to have the love and support at every event that we bring here. I’m thankful that myself and guys like Marshawn Lynch, Damian Lillard and the Warriors put this place on the map and people are taking notice on the national stage. That is really important to me.

 

“As far as the fight itself, it’s very simple to me…anybody who knows me, they know how I work and they know how I tick. I don’t get caught up in what’s next. I don’t get caught up in what people are saying. I’m aware of what is being said. I know what my opponent has been saying and I take him at his word. I’ve done everything that I’m supposed to do, like I always do and like I’ve done the last 10 years of my career. I’ve taken on the best… if it’s not another champion then it’s a top contender… and this is no different. You guys just know that I’m focused and locked in like I always am. I’m prepared and I’m ready for war come March 26.”

 

 

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender:

 

“I wanted to say thank you for coming here. I want to say thank you HBO, thank you everyone. Thank you Andre Ward for accepting my fight. I promise everyone who comes to the arena that I have had great preparation and this is a great dream. On that night, I’ll have a great show for everyone.”

 

 

DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO Boxing – Roc Nation Sports:

 

“Two of the top light heavyweights on the planet will collide on March 26. They have a combined record of 45-0 with 27 KOs and needless to say, neither has tasted defeat as a professional. While each man has a formidable opponent in front of him, they both have their eyes on Sergey Kovalev and his three world title belts, but first they have business to attend to on Saturday night.

 

“Whenever I come out to Oakland for an event and I’m with Andre at a function where he’s speaking to the media, it strikes me that obviously, he is a special talent athletically, but he’s also a special person and I hope everyone here in Oakland understands and appreciates that. He’s a principled family man who always tries to do the right thing and that is something that is rare in life these days, but it is especially rare in sports. I hope you guys appreciate him. Boxing careers don’t last forever. He’s not going to be fighting forever, so everyone should appreciate what you have here in Andre Ward.

 

“Andre captured a gold medal at the Athens Olympics and is the last U.S. boxer to have done so. His list of vanquished foes reads like a who’s who of the super middleweight division. He also dominated and knocked out former light heavyweight world champion, Chad Dawson in their 2012 showdown. In his last fight, he dominated two-time world title challenger Paul Smith on June 20 at Oracle Arena. He embarks on the next chapter of his career on March 26, returning to Oracle Arena once again, as he makes his move up to the light heavyweight division ready to do what he did in the super middleweight division…cleaning it out and dominating everyone that stands in his way.”

 

 

NICOLE DUVA, Vice President of Marketing and General Counsel – Main Events:

 

“I would really like to thank Andre Ward. He didn’t have to take on an undefeated fighter in his first fight at light heavyweight, but he did it and I think that is commendable.

 

“In his last fight, Sullivan became the mandatory contender for Sergey Kovalev’s IBF belt. He could have sat back and waited for his title fight, but instead he saw this fight against Andre Ward as an opportunity to really reach for greatness and he did that. As you all know, Main Events and Roc Nation Sports have big plans for Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev later this year and Sullivan Barrera can really upset that apple cart.

 

“Both of these men, Sullivan and Andre, have everything riding on the outcome of Saturday’s fight. In the climate that we have in boxing right now, it’s refreshing to see real warriors who aren’t afraid to take risks. They both deserve our respect and admiration for that. This is what our sport should be about.

 

“Sullivan Barrera is undefeated with a record of 17-0 with 12 wins coming by way of knockout. He just turned 34, a month ago, which you might think is a little old for this point in his career. What you might not know is that he had a successful amateur career in Cuba and then lost several years of his prime while he was defecting to the United States. He’s come a really long way to be here today for this moment and this opportunity. He is hungry, he is confident and he is ready.”

 

 

VIRGIL HUNTER, Andre Ward’s trainer:

 

“This is a fantastic card with fantastic athletes who are trying to make their way in the world of boxing. If this fight was taking place in any other city, it would be a huge event. What we want to do is make sure that Oakland understands, and that the surrounding Bay Area understands, the magnitude of this event so we can continue to bring world class boxing to Oakland. Oakland is a breeding ground for top fighters and we already have them. The more that you support us, the more that these fights will become visible and you will see the big time at the top.

 

“They say other networks make fighters, but HBO makes stars, so we are glad to be part of this. We ask you to come out and support this fight. Come on out Saturday night and enjoy yourselves for a good night of top boxing.”

 

 

BEN LIRA, Sullivan Barrera’s Trainer:

 

“I want to thank all of the people who put together this super event on Saturday. We are here to put on a great show and Sullivan has done everything to prepare himself for this event. He knows the challenges in front of him, but he believes in himself and he believes that this is his time to show the public and the viewing audience that this is where he is. He is there to make a statement.

 

“More than anything, we respect Mr. Ward for his achievements, his credibility and he is a super guy in the sport. It’s great to be part of this. We prepared well and we have done everything that we have to do come Saturday to give the viewing audience a super great show because this is what boxing is about. It is about performance and both fighters get to perform at this level at a great event. We are honored to be a part of this event. We have done everything that is possible to ensure that we will come out and put on a fabulous show.”

 

 

JAMES PRINCE, Andre Ward’s manager:

 

“This is a historical moment for us. We are entering the 175 pound light heavyweight division. This is a moment that the town doesn’t want to miss. This is the moment at the beginning of a movement. Barrera just happens to be the first victim and we’re going to deal with him accordingly. We’ve been hearing a lot of talk and conversation taking place where he is concerned, and we know that he believes everything that he is saying. Once again, we are excited about this opportunity and you don’t want to miss this historic moment on Saturday night.”

 

 

JOSEPH DIAZ JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

 

“Come March 26, I know I have a really tough fight ahead of me. I know Jayson Velez is an experienced veteran in the ring. He’s a warrior. He has a six-inch reach advantage over me so it’s going to be a really great fight. I know he’s coming off of a loss, so I know he really wants to bounce back and show everybody that he’s still a world title contender.

 

“I had a really great training camp. I’ve been training for eight weeks. This is my first time fighting on HBO, so I really want to showcase who I truly am. I’m 110% ready. I’m ready to give fight fans a war if Jayson Velez wants to have a war. I’m ready to showcase to everybody all the abilities I have inside the ring. I’m very excited to be fighting on the Andre Ward and Sullivan Barrera card. They’re two elite athletes and I’m very honored to be the co-main event for this fight. Come March 26, I promise I’m going to give you a great show.”

 

 

JAYSON VELEZ, Top-rated featherweight contender:

 

“I want to thank God first, obviously he makes everything possible. I want to thank my promoters, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and my whole team. I don’t have too much to say besides that this is a great fight. Joseph comes to fight. I come to fight. We both want to win. We both take challenges. People keep asking me why I took this dangerous fight and the answer is easy…if I want to be the best, I have to fight the best. Joseph is one of the best.

 

“I lost my last fight, so I need to win. I want to win. I can’t tell you who’s going to win this fight because we both are great fighters and warriors. He’s Mexican, I’m Puerto Rican, and when you have a Puerto Rican and a Mexican in the same ring, you will see a war. You will see speed, power, everything in this fight. He’s a great fighter and I’m so excited. Thank you to everyone and stay tuned this Saturday and thank you to HBO of course.”

 

 

ROBERT DIAZ, Head Matchmaker – Golden Boy Promotions:

 

“Obviously the main event speaks for itself. You’ve got Andre Ward versus a young undefeated guy like Sullivan Barrera, but the co-main event is going to pit two young, hungry fighters against one another in Jayson Velez and Joseph Diaz. They’re both young. They’re both willing to take on the best fights, the toughest fights and proof of that is how easy it was to make this fight.

 

“I’m very excited about this fight. You don’t want to miss the 10 rounds for the NABF title.

 

“Jayson Velez is a young, hungry lion who wants to get back up on the stage and knows how significant a victory over Joseph Diaz is. He understood the opportunity to fight on HBO and on this tremendous card. I want to remind you of the character of Jayson Velez. In a day and age where a fighter that loses wants to take maybe a comeback or tune up, or two or three, before they take a high-risk fight and Jayson Velez is doing it right after. That shows he wants to get back on top and he knows what he has to do to get there…it has to be by stopping a top-level fighter like Joseph Diaz.”

 

 

RALPH HEREDIA, Joseph Diaz’s manager:

 

“It’s an honor to be here, a great opportunity and privilege to be given this opportunity to showcase a talented, 2012 Olympian. To Joseph, this is what we talked about, thank you for being patient, you are ready for the opportunity. We know what a special young man and talented man you are, but now the whole world will get to see on the big stage what a talent, what a real gentleman and what a fighter should be…like Joseph Diaz.

 

“What can I say about Jayson Velez? He’s a gentleman who knows what’s at stake and has experience. Believe me, you don’t want to miss this. Saturday, you must tune in. It’s going to be an action-packed fight.”

 

 

JOSE “CHE CHE” SANCHEZ, Jayson Velez’s trainer:

 

“I see Diaz as a great fighter, but I have Jayson in very good condition and he’s ready for the fight. I know it’s going to be a good fight because they are ready, and the same thing is true for my fighter Jayson Velez. He worked very hard for this fight and I know he’s ready for the fight.”

 

 

TONY WALKER, Director, HBO Sports:

 

“On behalf of our Executive Vice President Peter Nelson, we are very happy to be here in the Bay Area, with a great crowd and great boxing fans, as we look to bring you this doubleheader on Saturday night.

 

“It’s not easy pulling together a big boxing match and these teams have pulled together a great card from top to bottom, so even though all the fights won’t be on HBO, if you want to watch some great boxing, go to Oracle Arena and if you have to be at home, check it out on HBO.

 

“Throughout our 43 years of programming on HBO, boxing has always been an integral part of what we do. We’ve always prided ourselves on having the best fighters and the best matches, and we feel very good that this tradition will hold again as Andre Ward makes his 2016 debut in the ring. In the boxing ring, it’s never recommended that you overlook a hungry, undefeated fighter like we have in Sullivan Barrera, so I would like to welcome Sullivan to the network and thank him for taking on this challenge.

 

“Opening the TV telecast will be Joseph Diaz against Jayson Velez, two up-and-coming young guys, two young guns, who think they’re ready for the big stage. All in all, it’s going to be a great telecast, 9:45 PM ET we promise you an informative and entertaining night with our broadcast team.”

 

 

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.  The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel and Visit Oakland. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

 

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

 

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

 

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

 

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD VS. UNDEFEATED SULLIVAN BARRERA

 

 

NABF FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. JAYSON VELEZ

MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

 

SHOWDOWNS SET FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 26

AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®

 

Click HERE for Photos

Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sports/Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos

 

OAKLAND, CA (March 23, 2015) – On Tuesday, March 22, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) participated in a media workout at King’s Gym in Oakland, California in advance of their March 26 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ward and Barrera will meet in 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) and top-rated featherweight contender Jayson “Star” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) were also in attendance during the workout ahead of their 10-round NABF Featherweight title fight which will open up the HBO telecast.

 

After shadowboxing in the ring and a few rounds on the punching bags, all four fighters participated in interviews with media members in attendance. Super Bowl Champion and Oakland native Marshawn Lynch, an avid Andre Ward supporter, made a special appearance during the workout in support of Ward.

 

Below is what the fighters had to say during the final media workout:

 

ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter:

 

“I feel good and I am ready to go. I’m peaking at the right time. I’m just excited to get it on Saturdaynight.

 

“I used to drive by Oracle Arena on 880 as a kid on my way to King’s Gym and wonder if I could make it there one day and [trainer] Virgil [Hunter] used to say with confidence, ‘You’re going to headline there.’ As I got older, I used to go to some of the cards put on in the arena. I was still an amateur and I would just dream. Next thing you know, in 2009, I was in a sink or swim fight against Edison Miranda. If I won, there was probably a good chance that I would get a title shot and the rest is history. Here we are again, it’s my 7th time at Oracle and it’s still a blessing.

 

“It was the right time to move to light heavyweight. It was a combination of not having the right guys to fight or guys that didn’t want to fight me. I want to be great. These are the types of moves you have to make. I’m a student of the sport and when I study the sport, this is what greats have always done. They move up. The great ones find a way to get it done and I want to be in that conversation.

 

“Barrera is a big body. He’s confident. Seems to be a good puncher. We did not pick him because he’s a soft touch. We picked him because he was going to get me ready and show me what this weight class is all about. If you look at my career, there’s a place for tune-ups which I haven’t had a lot of. You want to fight the best and if you aren’t fighting the best, you want to fight the number one contender. That’s what we’re doing.

 

“I think I am evolving into an efficient fighter. I’m moving when I have to move. I think that’s the beauty of any athlete who doesn’t abuse his body and really takes his craft seriously. I’ve seen some articles claiming I missed my prime. It’s crazy to me. I feel that I am as good as I have ever been. I’ve been in a boxing gym without much of a break for the past 20 years. My brain thanked me for the last two years. My body thanked me. It might give me another two years in my career.

 

“I have to just be me. Who I am is enough. I don’t have to show up for Kovalev in the crowd on Saturdaynight. We just have to implement the game plan. I think that’s going to send the message it’s supposed to send and if it doesn’t, then he’ll [Kovalev] get the message when we fight.

 

“If I don’t win this fight, there’s nothing down the road. If I don’t win this fight, I don’t deserve to fight for the title. That’s the reality of my situation.

 

“Barrera has never fought a guy like me before, so they can talk a good game. They can dominate the headlines leading up to the fight. They can say all the slick stuff they want to say. We just want to dominate the headlines Sunday morning after the fight is over. That’s what I’m focused on.”

 

 

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender:

 

“I’m stronger than Ward. I have the Cuban background and I learned a lot of skills there. More than anything, the determination to overcome anything in front of me will help me defeat Ward on March 26.

 

“Once I am in the ring, it’s my house.

 

“Whatever Ward has, I will adjust to it and overcome it.

 

“I have two hands. He has two hands. I have a job to do on March 26.

 

“I know Ward and Kovalev are very highly respected and they create a lot of money and a lot of interest, but they don’t know what Sullivan Barrera is capable of doing. I will prove that on Saturday.

 

“I’m not really a guy that has to look for a knockout. My boxing skills speak for themselves. I am fighting Andre Ward and fighting here in Oakland, so I don’t think a decision will be rendered in my favor.

 

“To all the fans, especially the Cuban fans that have supported me please know that come Saturday, I am going to do everything I have to do to come out victorious.”

 

 

JOSEPH DIAZ JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

 

“I can’t expect what Jayson did to Ronny Rios during this fight. I’ve got to go in there, test him out and adjust when I am in the ring.

 

“If the opportunity presents itself where he’s hurt and I see that my punches are overwhelming him, then of course I’m going to get in there, be aggressive and make sure I take him out as early as possible.

 

“I know getting on the inside, cutting off the ring and taking it to the body right away will break him down. That’s going to make him not move as much and later on in rounds I can land vicious blows to the head. I’m going to take it to the body right away.

 

“Mentally I am 100% ready. This is a big stage in my career, so I’m mentally focused. I’m well prepared. I feel like this is the moment I have been waiting for my whole entire life. I feel like I’m ready for this and I can’t wait for March 26. I trained very hard for this fight and I’m well prepared for it.

 

“I really want to make a statement this fight. I want to show the world that Joseph Diaz could be the next big thing in boxing, so I trained very hard to put on a great fight for the fight fans, be very aggressive and make it a war in there. I hope that Jayson Velez is 110% ready because I want him to be at his best.

 

“If I win this fight and make a statement, I think I can move to contender status and hopefully get a world title shot by the end of this year. I want to fight tough opponents this year because I want to show the world who I am.

 

“I feel like a beast when I step into the ring and I can see it in sparring. Whenever I’m landing effective blows, I can tell that I am hurting my opponent.”

 

 

JAYSON VELEZ, Top-rated featherweight contender:

 

“At my level, every guy is a top contender. I have to train harder and improve my defense. I’ve been working on that.

 

“If you see my last three or four fights, you will see that I have been dominating in the first couple of rounds and then I run out of gas, I have been working on my stamina so that won’t happen on March 26.

 

“I have seen Diaz’s fights. We’ve sparred a couple of times. He’s got speed. He’s got a hunger. It’s his HBO debut, so he’s definitely motivated, but so am I. It’s going to be a great fight.

 

“I want to be champion of the word. I know he wants it too. On Saturday, we will know who wants it more. We both want to win and we are both training for a win. A fight between power and speed is a great match-up. Not to mention he’s Mexican and I’m Puerto Rican. You can expect a great fight and it’s not one you want to miss.”

 

 

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.  The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel and Visit Oakland. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

 

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

 

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

 

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

 

Non-Televised Undercard Fights For Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera March 26 + In-Arena Entertainment

 

ROC NATION SPORTS ANNOUNCES NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD FIGHTS

FOR ANDRE WARD VS. SULLIVAN BARRERA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON SATURDAY, MARCH 26

AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

 

WARD VS. BARRERA AND JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. JAYSON VELEZ TELEVISED

LIVE ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® BEGINNING AT 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

 

SWAY CALLOWAY & DJ FRANZEN TO PROVIDE

IN-ARENA ENTERTAINMENT BETWEEN BOUTS

 

NEW YORK, NY (March 14, 2016) – A slate of six non-televised undercard bouts will serve as support when Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) faces undefeated and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California on March 26.  Opening the HBO® telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight NABF Featherweight title fight.

 

In addition to the exciting televised lineup, some of boxing’s hottest rising stars will be featured on the non-televised undercard including Roc Nation Sports standouts Maurice Hooker, Daniel Franco, Rudy Puga Jr. and Junior Younan along with 2008 Olympic Super Heavyweight Silver Medalist Zhang Zhilei and local favorite Aaron Coley who will all see action on March 26.

 

Roc Nation Sports will bring names from the entertainment world to the event as well, including notable event emcee, SiriusXM/Shade 45 morning show host of Sway in the Morning, Executive Producer and talent for VH1 & MTV and Oakland-native Sway Calloway, who will serve as the event’s host, and hit master DJ Franzen, resident DJ at Las Vegas’ Hot 97.5 and Drais Nightclub.  Sway and Franzen will entertain together throughout the night to keep fans entertained between bouts at Oracle Arena.

 

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

 

On March 26, NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (19-0-2, 14 KOs) risks his unbeaten record against Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas (17-5, 11 KOs) of Barranquilla, Colombia in a ten-round junior welterweight bout.  Hooker, rated number seven by the WBO, is coming off of a career-best win on October 17, 2015 against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma (17-2, 11 KOs) at Madison Square Garden.  Hooker successfully defended his NABO title with the 10-round decision win over Maduma on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux in a fight that was featured on the event’s “freeview” in the United States and streamed online around the world.  Buelvas, a former WBA Fedebol champion, has won two of his last three bouts by knockout and fought Humberto Soto for the WBC Silver International Super Lightweight title in 2014, going the 12-round distance before losing a decision to the former World Champion.

 

Born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, a rough suburb of Dallas, Hooker 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 fights, compiling a record of 97 wins and only 7 losses, with 67 victories coming by way of knockout.  Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman (7-1, 5 KO’s) at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 and 38-38, making the fight a split draw.  Undeterred, 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 (8-0, 4 KO’s) 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.  Hooker followed the draw with a six-round unanimous decision win over Adrian Rodriguez Garza (8-2, 6 KO’s) on April 26 at Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi.  Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo (10-0-1, 7 KO’s) on June 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Championship.  “Mighty Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory.

 

Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, California and fighting out of the boxing hotbed of Oxnard, undefeated Daniel “Twitch” Franco (12-0-3, 7 KO’s) meets Mexican veteran German “Panteonero” Meraz(52-37-1, 30 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout on March 26.  Featured for the second time on a Ward undercard, the sharp-boxing Franco will look to improve on his undefeated record against an opponent with literally six times his pro boxing experience.  Meraz is only 29 years old but has already logged an amazing 90 professional bouts and has won four of his last six fights by knockout.  He has fought current World Champion Juan Carlos Payano, Three-Time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee Warren and highly-touted prospect Gervonta Davis, going the distance with all three.

 

Franco began boxing at the age of eight, amassing an amateur record of 67-15, winning the Oxnard PAL Championship in 2006 and the California State Silver Gloves Championship in 2007 along the way.  During Franco’s professional debut on December 18, 2010, he defeated Emanuel Machorro at Club 401 in Ontario, California via a third round technical knockout.  Despite being enrolled as a full-time student at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Franco impressed early in his career, compiling an undefeated record with two draws in venues throughout California by the end of 2013.  One of those draws came against Alejandro Ochoa at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California on September 20, 2013, but in a rematch three months later, Franco outmatched Ochoa scoring a six-round unanimous decision victory at Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.  On June 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.  A hand injury suffered in that bout kept Franco out of action until December 21when he scored a decision victory over Hector Garcia in Tijuana, Mexico.

 

A promising unbeaten prospect from Salinas, California, Rudy “The Revelation” Puja. Jr. (7-0, 6 KOs)looks to extend his undefeated streak against Carlos “Kalimba” Lozano (7-5, 4 KOs) of Ensenada, Mexico in a six-round middleweight bout.  Puga turned in a career-best performance in his last match-up on February 12 in knocking out Alejandro Osuna (4-2, 2 KO’s) in two rounds at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California.  Now, just a little over a month later, “The Revelation” will step into the ring against a tough opponent in Lozanao, a southpaw who has never been stopped and already has a ten-round decision victory under his belt.

 

Having compiled an exceptional amateur record of 99-8, Puga 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.  In June 2012, he sent Thomas Turner to the mat four times in 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.  Promotional issues kept Puga Jr. out of the ring for the next year and injuries led to a slow 2015, but Puga Jr. scored a a fourth round technical knockout win over of Katrell Straus on April 24 and a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rojas on November 21, both fights taking place at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California.

 

Brooklyn’s 20-year-old, undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (7-0, 6 KO’s) returns to the ring on March 26 after a nine-month layoff to take on Cristian Solorzano (4-7, 3 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico in a four-round super middleweight fight.  Younan has battled multiple nagging injuries since scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Mike Sawyer on the Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale undercard on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.  Now 100 percent healthy, Younan looks to make Solozano his third straight knockout victim.  Solorzano, a naturally bigger fighter, has campaigned in the light heavyweight division and is coming off of a knockout win.

 

Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later 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.  In 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 18th birthday, 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.  Younan would go on to knockout his next three opponents before going the distance for the first time against Azamat Umarzoda on July 2, 2014 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.  He followed that fight with a first round knockout of Marlon Farr on August 13 the BB King Blues Club and Grill in New York on August 13.

 

Chinese heavyweight Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (7-0, 4 KOs) joins the undercard on March 26 in a four-round bout against an opponent yet to be determined.  The Silver Medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics continues to infuse excitement into the heavyweight division and is coming off of a first round technicalknockout win over David Koswara on February 20 at the Lanzhou Sports Arena in Lanzhou, China.

 

Born on May 2, 1983 in Henan, Zhang began his amateur career in 2003, participating in the World Championships.  A breakthrough came in 2007 at the World Championships where Zhang defeated the trio of Nurpais Torobekov, Rustam Rygebayev and Daniel Beahan en route to the semifinals where he lost to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov.  By capturing a bronze medal and finishing the competition in third place, he qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.  The Chinese powerhouse nearly reached the zenith of amateur success in the summer of 2008, entering the super heavyweight finals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing against Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle.  It was not to be as Zhang suffered his first defeat of that Olympiad, losing to Cammarelle, but proudly adding to the host country’s medal total with a Silver.  In 2009, Zhang captured a gold medal at the China National Games, an event of equal prestige to the Olympics in China.  2013 saw yet another gold medal winning performance in the China National Games, setting the stage for “Big Bang” to embark on a professional career while basing himself in the United States.  On August 8, 2014, Zhang made his professional debut by scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Lee Tate in Fallon, Nevada in a fight that was televised live on ESPN2.  On March 14, 2015, Zhang beat Eric George via a four-round unanimous decision at the Armory in Jersey City, New Jersey.  He followed that with another four-round unanimous decision win, this time over Glenn Thomas on the highly anticipated Cotto-Geale undercard at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 6.  Next came a sixth round technical knockout win over Dennis Benson at The Playground in Atlantic City on August 15.  To end the year, Zhang was featured on the undercard of the November 21 Cotto vs. Canelo mega-fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where scored a four-round unanimous decision victory over Juan Goode.

 

Local Hayward, California favorite Aaron Coley (12-1-1, 6 KO’s) faces a very stern test in a six-round junior middleweight bout against Urmat Ryskeldiev (11-3-2, 7 KOs) of West Hollywood, California, a Kyrgyzstan native who is undefeated in his last seven fights.

 

On March 26, Coley will look follow his most recent victory, a unanimous decision over Jeremy Ramos onJanuary 23 at the Marriott on Broadway in Oakland, with another win in front of his hometown fans.  Prior to his January win he scored two unanimous decision triumphs, including his June 20, 2015 performance against Yusmani Abreu (who Ryskeldiev defeated by technical knockout in September) on the undercard of Ward’s last fight.  Considered a promising prospect in boxing circles, Coley’s lone loss came via decision to one of boxing’s hottest prospects in Ievgen Khytrov in a bout that was televised live on Showtime’s ShoBox on April 10, 2015 from The Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York.

 

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and is sponsored byCorona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace and The Waterfront Hotel. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

 

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation,www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

 

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND UNDEFEATED SULLIVAN BARRERA SET FOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON SATURDAY, MARCH 26 AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®

 

NEW YORK, NY (February 9, 2016) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday, March 26, to begin his assault on the light heavyweight division when he takes on undefeated and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 5:00 PM PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

 

“I don’t really have much to say other than this. On March 26, it will be very simple. I’ll be in a new weight class against a tough opponent but I’m coming with the same approach,” said Ward. “I’ll be in great shape and ready for battle. Sullivan Barrera has had a lot to say lately and I love it. He’s going to have an opportunity to back up every word that he has spoken. These are the type of challenges I like and on March 26, it’s go time.”

 

“We as a team had a tough choice to make – crash the party by taking out Ward first or wait for the mandatory and take out Kovalev,” said Barrera. “We decided that the time is now. Ward will fall first and then we will go after the belts.”

 

“Having cleaned out the super middleweight division, Andre’s next challenge is to become the best light heavyweight in the world, and that challenge begins with the IBF’s number one rated contender in Sullivan Barrera,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing Roc Nation Sports. “With both fighters having their sights set on an eventually showdown with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev, there’s a lot on the line in this fight, but only one man will move on. March 26 is a night of boxing that no fan should miss.”

 

“I’m excited to be on Team Ward as we enter the light heavyweight division. No weapons formed against us shall prosper,” said James Prince, Ward’s manager.

 

On March 26, before a hometown crowd, pound for pound star Andre Ward returns to HBO in his light heavyweight debut against undefeated Sullivan Barrera” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “With a perfect record dating back to the age of 12 years old, Andre has risen to every challenge as both an amateur and a professional, including world titles and an Olympic gold medal. Now, he takes on Barrera, one of the toughest challengers as Ward moves up the scale. Boxing fans won’t want to miss it.”

 

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. The Bay Area product returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 13-year-old amateur. Ward recently stepped in front of the camera for a completely different role, a part in the New Line/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Warner Bros. feature “Creed.” Fellow Bay Area natives, director Ryan Coogler and the film’s star Michael B. Jordan, reached out to Ward so that he could provide his expertise for the film. In addition to working in front of the camera with Ward, Jordan spent time at Ward’s home gym in preparation for his role as Apollo Creed’s son. Now it’s time for Ward to get back to his day job when he faces the undefeated Barrera on March 26.

 

Born in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Barrera had an impressive amateur run with a record of 285-27. As an amateur, he was able to earn World Amateur Championships in Germany, Cuba, Venezuela and Central America. During his amateur career he also defeated former Light Heavyweight World Champions Chad Dawson and Beibut Shumenov. Following his defection from Cuba, where he was a member of the country’s national team, Barrera made his professional debut in 2009 with a first round technical knockout win over Anthony Adorno in his adopted hometown of Miami, Florida. He would go on to knockout the first five opponents he faced in his professional career in either the first or second round. Barrera made his television debut in January of 2015 with his appearance on ESPN’sFriday Night Fights, when he scored a fourth round knockout win over former Super Middleweight World Champion Jeff Lacy. Barrera quietly rose through the ratings of the light heavyweight division until he was afforded the opportunity to fight former Light Heavyweight World Title Challenger Karo Murat to become the IBF’s number one rated light heavyweight contender. Barrera seized the opportunity, knocking out Murat in the fifth round on December 12, 2015 in his HBO Latino Boxing debut at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. Sullivan is trained by legendary trainer, Abel Sanchez, who is best known for his work with middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. When he is not at The Summit in Big Bear Lake, California training with Sanchez, Barrera resides in Miami, Florida.

 

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.  Follow the conversation using #WardBarrera.

 

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

 

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

ANDRE WARD FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 MIGUEL COTTO VS. CANELO ALVAREZ CO-FEATURE

 

NEW YORK (November 4, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports regretfully announces that due to an injury sustained while training, Andre Ward will be unable to participate in his previously scheduled Saturday, Nov. 21 bout at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas. A replacement fight for the HBO Pay-Per-View produced and distributed event is currently being worked on.

 

Ward has been suffering from significant inflammation and constant pain in his right knee that is severely restricting his mobility. He has been advised by his physician to immediately rest and begin rehab on the knee to reduce the inflammation.

“I’m extremely disappointed that I’m missing this opportunity on November 21, but at the same time, I’m encouraged,” said Ward. “Anytime I have had a minor or major setback in my career, by the Grace of God, I’ve come back stronger and this will be no different. I’m looking forward to a big 2016. Thank you to all my fans for your support and patience.”

 

“Andre’s injury is a huge disappointment not only to him, but all of us involved with this promotion,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “We have no doubt that Andre will come back stronger than ever once his knee heals and that he will be a force in the light heavyweight division. We are working diligently to make an intriguing fight that will deliver a level of excitement commensurate with this great event.”

 

“While we feel terrible for Andre that he has encountered this setback, we have no doubt that Andre will return stronger than ever in 2016,” said James Prince and Josh Dubin, Ward’s management team.

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD RETURNS TO THE RING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 WHEN HE MAKES HIS DEBUT AT 175 POUNDS

 

 WARD WILL PARTICIPATE IN CO-FEATURE OF MIGUEL COTTO VS. CANELO ALVAREZ AT THE MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER IN LAS VEGAS LIVE ON HBO PAY-PER-VIEW

 

WARD AGREES TO EXCLUSIVE MULTI-FIGHT AGREEMENT WITH HBO BOXING

 

NEW YORK, NY (October 29, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday, Nov. 21 in the co- feature to the Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez middleweight world championship showdown that will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View. Ward has signed an exclusive multi-fight agreement with HBO that will commence with Ward’s Nov. 21 fight at The Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Having cleaned out the super middleweight division, Ward, 31, will be making his debut in the 175-pound light heavyweight division against an opponent to be announced.

 

“HBO is the premier network in boxing and has been a great home to me both as a fighter and a commentator,” Ward said. “I made my professional debut on HBO nearly 11 years ago and I’m excited to move on to this next stage of my career at the light heavyweight division on HBO. My team and I have been hard at work preparing for Nov. 21 and the fans can expect another strong performance in Las Vegas.”

 

“All of us at Roc Nation Sports are thrilled to partner with HBO as we embark on the next chapter in the storied career of Andre Ward,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing Roc Nation Sports. “Starting this multi-fight agreement and Andre’s quest to conquer the light heavyweight division with a fight on the highly anticipated Nov. 21 pay-per-view event is a fitting way to kick things off. We are hopeful that Nov. 21 is the first step toward a 2016 showdown with Sergey Kovalev.”

 

“From Olympic gold medalist, to two-time world champion, to winning all 28 of his professional bouts and dominating the super middleweight division, Andre Ward has demonstrated that he is among the finest performers in the sport,” said Ken Hershman, President, HBO Sports. “We are delighted to have Andre as part of our family, fighting exclusively on the HBO platforms.”

 

“Andre is a man of high integrity and honor so we are thrilled to be able to help deliver a multi-fight deal for him on the premier network in boxing,” said James Prince and Josh Dubin, Ward’s management team. “In moving to light heavyweight, we have no doubt that Andre will pick up where he left off in the super middleweight division – as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.  We are extremely thankful to HBO and Roc Nation Sports for the opportunity.”

 

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his warrior’s instinct inside it, Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. The Bay Area product returned to the ring on June 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California and scored a ninth-round knockout over Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 13 year old amateur. Ward recently stepped in front of the camera for a completely different role, a part in the upcoming New Line/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Warner Bros. feature “Creed,” hitting theaters on November 25, a few days following fight week. Fellow Bay Area natives, director Ryan Coogler and the film’s star Michael B. Jordan, reached out to Ward so that he could provide his expertise for the film. In addition to working in front of the camera with Ward, Jordan spent time at Ward’s home gym in preparation for his role as Apollo Creed’s son.

Sonny Fredrickson remains perfect by stopping Juan Santiago in 2 rounds on Andre Ward – Paul Smith card in Oakland

Photo by Tom Hogan / Roc Nation Sports

TOLEDO, OH (JUNE 25, 2015)–This past Saturday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., top lightweight prospect SONNY FREDRICKSON (9-0, 6 KO’s) had to dig down deep and get up from the canvas on his way to stopping tough 29-fight veteran Juan Santiago in the second round of their scheduled six-round bout which took place on the Andre Ward vs. Paul Smith undercard.

Fredrickson dominated the first round and it was looking like an easy night as he scored a knockdown at the end of the frame. As Fredrickson went in for the finish, he was a little careless and got caught with a perfect counterpunch that sent him the canvas for the first time as a pro or amateur.

Fredrickson showed the resolve of a champion in the making, came back in round two and landed some booming shots that hurt Santiago and the fight was rightfully waved off.

“It was a great learning experience,” said Fredrickson of the first
round knockdown. “Santiago was tough, I got a little reckless and paid the price. Even a wounded opponent is stilldangerous, so I will definitely take this lesson to heart to make me abetter fighter.”

“I’m happy with the victory and to give fans an exciting show. I’m going to get right back in the gym and look forward to fighting again very soon.

Fredrickson is managed by boxing attorney Rick Torres of Victory Sports Entertainment.

Victory Sports & Entertainment is a newly formed athlete management company with offices in New York and Las Vegas.  Founded by noted sports attorney Rick Torres and boxing trainer Michael Leanardi, Victory has steadily built an impressive stable of young prospects that it hopes to groom for future stardom. Victory Sports’ website is www.victorysportsent.com

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND WBA SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD VS. FORMER WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER PAUL SMITH ON JUNE 20, 2015 AT ORACLE ARENA IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA LIVE ON BET NETWORKS & TIDAL.COM

 

PRESENTED BY ROC NATION SPORTS

 

Roc Nation Sports hosted the official weigh-in for the June 20 throne boxing showdown between Olympic Gold Medalist and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO’s) and former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO’s) on Friday, June 19 on The Ridge at Plank at Jack London Square in Oakland, California.

 

PHOTOS:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uqubsi0sweppxz7/AADwcBlsa09CaOcGDs17zMsTa?dl=0

PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ey6l95t7cgtqnwm/AABqjB2JOuTBJizACwPlmrW4a?dl=0

PHOTO CREDIT: Khristopher “Squint” Sandifer

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uwkc53z3gn1cg5r/AABneiFrYcKJFUrHk08XuVDba?dl=0

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephanie Trapp

 

VIDEO:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yo7wjpoemuu78e6/AAB-0vw42sncUNuR6Mr55dVBa?dl=0

VIDEO CREDIT: Roc Nation Sports

 

SATURDAY, June 6, 2015: Fight Night

 

WHEN:                 3:00 PM PT – Doors Open

3:45 PM PT – First Fight

7:00 PM PT – BET Networks Telecast Begins

7:40 PM PT (approx.) – Nipsey Hussle Performance

 

WHERE:               Oracle Arena

7000 Coliseum Way

Oakland, California 94621

Photos: Andre Ward vs. Paul Smith Final Press Conference For June 20 Fight On BET Networks & TIDAL.com

(From Left to Right) Andre Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter, Andre Ward’s manager James Prince, COO of Boxing for Roc Nation Sports David Itskowitch, WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward, former world title challenger Paul Smith, Smith’s trainer Joe Gallagher and Oakland City Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney pose on June 17, 2015 in Oakland, California at the final press conference for Ward and Smith’s June 20, 2015 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland which will be televised live on BET Networks and streamed globally on TIDAL.com. (Photo By: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports)

 

WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (left) and former world title challenger Paul Smith (right) pose on June 17, 2015 in Oakland, California at the final press conference for thier June 20, 2015 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland which will be televised live on BET Networks and streamed globally on TIDAL.com. (Photo By: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports)