WARD TO FACE PAUL SMITH ON JUNE 20, 2015

AT甲骨文球館奧克蘭, CALIFORNIA LIVE ON BET

NEW YORK — April 23, 2015 — BET Networks is pleased to announce that it is stepping into the ring with Roc Nation Sports as their exclusive broadcast partner to air live throne 拳擊 events on the network. The partnership between BET Networks and Roc Nation Sports is the first of its kind for the network and includes airing up to nine live, two-hour telecasts of Roc Nation Sports throne 拳擊 events over the next 18 個月. The first main event fight to air on BET Networks will feature WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO的) facing former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO的) of England in a 12 round bout on 星期六, 六月 20, 2015 在甲骨文球館奧克蘭, 加利福尼亞州. 除了環內的大動作, the telecast will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the night. Fans can catch the action live on BET in the United States and globally on TIDAL.com, 它結合了最好的高保真音質新推出的音樂流媒體服務, 高清音樂視頻和熟練的編輯策劃.

門票分 $250, $125, $90, $60 和 $30, 不包括適用的服務費和稅款, 開始銷售 星期五, 四月 24 在 10:00 AM PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, 在網上Ticketmaster.com和充電通過電話 (800) 745-3000.

“BET is constantly searching for ways to expand its portfolio of content with the sole goal of satisfying our audiences,” said Stephen G. 山, President of Programming, BET Networks. “Roc Nation is doing very exciting things in the entertainment space and we are excited to partner with them on this groundbreaking deal positioning BET Networks as a go-to destination for premier live boxing events. 一起, we’ll provide unique entertainment.”

“We’re thrilled to not only be introducing our newest broadcast partnership with BET Networks, but also to use this new platform to telecast Andre Ward’s highly anticipated return to the ring,“大衛Itskowitch說, COO – Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “在 六月 20, we will once again provide fans a night of exciting 拳擊寶座 打架, live musical entertainment and an unprecedented fan experience.”

“I’m very excited to be coming back on 六月 20 at Oracle Arena in my hometown of Oakland which has been a long time coming,“沃德說. “I’m equally excited to be fighting on BET in front of a potential viewership of over 90 萬家庭. 作為戰鬥機, this diversifies my portfolio and puts me in front of a whole different audience. I have an extremely tough fighter in front of me in Paul Smith who’s looking to pull the upset, but I can’t let that happen. I have to be on my best game to turn Smith away and beat him the way I want to beat him. 一如既往, I’m ready to put on a tremendous performance in front of my hometown fans and those watching on BET. This is a fight you don’t want to miss.”

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and test myself against a class act like Andre Ward. I proved that I belong at the top level with my performances against Arthur Abraham and this is a challenge that I am relishing,“史密斯說. “Andre is a top pound-for-pound fighter and someone I respect a lot, but he has only boxed once in almost three years and I will give it everything I have got. I am fresh and confident going into this fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me and one that I took with both hands when it was offered. I have spent a lot of time boxing in the United States and I look forward to returning for this fight.”

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his killer instinct inside it, Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, 與金牌在輕重量級的高潮 2004 在雅典奧運會. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, 沃德加入了拳王阿里的喜歡, 糖光芒倫納德和霍亞. 他轉為職業選手十二月 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 26 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. 成為環雜誌和WBA超中量級世界冠軍後，, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 年度最佳戰鬥機 (ESPN, 體育畫報, 環雜誌和美國拳擊作家協會), 它宣布Ward在1月簽署的獨家推廣協議中華民國國家體育 2015, 在他傳奇的拳擊生涯的新篇章. Now the Bay Area product is ready to return to the ring on 六月 20 在甲骨文球館，他在奧克蘭的家鄉球迷面前, 加利福尼亞州.

Paul “Real Gone Kid” Smith enters his fight against pound-for-pound star Ward coming off of two heroic performances against WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Arthur Abraham. Smith challenged the Armenian-German for his title in Kiel, Germany in September 2014 and put on the performance of his career in his world title first shot. The 32-year-old native of Liverpool was the clear winner of large parts of the fight and celebrated at the bell in front of a hushed partisan crowd that thought that Abraham had been dethroned. Smith was not expecting the wide scorecards that were read out in favor of the hometown fighter and, judging by the far-reaching outrage at the lopsided numbers, neither were the majority of the boxing world and beyond, with Smith receiving support from some of Britain’s biggest sports stars on social media. A rematch was the only possible scenario and, like a true champion, Abraham duly obliged. Smith returned to Germany in February of this year to face Abraham again, this time in Berlin, but Abraham was a different fighter the night of their second fight, successfully defending his belt against a brave challenge from Smith. Once again the judges’ were forced to give a verdict and this time a decision win by Abraham was met with no outcry of controversy. 上 六月 20, “Real Gone Kid” will return to the ring and once again venture into hostile territory to take on one of boxing’s best, looking to silence the crowd.

沃德VS. 工匠, 一 12 回合回合由中華民國國家體育呈現, 發生 星期六, 六月 20 在甲骨文球館奧克蘭, 加利福尼亞州, 將電視直播的BET和全球流上TIDAL.com在 10:00 PM ET/7:00 下午PT和呈現相關聯地Matchroom的體育.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (納斯達克: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, 音樂, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, 加拿大, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, 音樂, culture, 和新聞; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS:

ROC國家體育, 一個細分大鵬民族, 在春季推出 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, 幫助運動員以同樣的方式中華民國國家一直在幫助藝術家在音樂行業工作多年. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. 中華民國國家體育概念化和執行市場營銷和廣告代言, 社區外展, 慈善搭售, 媒體關係和品牌戰略. 中華民國國家體育推出了拳擊事業部, 一家提供全面服務的推廣公司，代表了世界冠軍米格爾·庫托和沃德, 八月 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, 斯凱勒迪金斯, 凱文 - 杜蘭特, 格諾·史密斯, 維克多·克魯茲, CC薩巴西亞, 楊國棟, 費爾南德斯科比, Ndamukong徐, Rusney卡斯蒂略, Yoenis塞斯佩德斯, Jaelen強, 托德·格利, 威爾森 - 錢德勒, Erick Aybar and Frances Tiafoe. 欲了解更多信息，請訪問 www.rocnation.com. 按照國家大鵬在Twitter和Instagram的@rocnation並在Facebook上 www.facebook.com/RocNation.

ABOUT ORACLE ARENA & O.co COLISEUM:

Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, managed by AEG Facilities, are the premiere sports and entertainment complexes in Northern California. Home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and MLB’s Oakland Athletics as well as host to concerts, family shows and special events. Additional information on Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, including a complete schedule of events can be found online at www.coliseum.com. Follow Oracle Arena on Twitter, Instagram的, Vine and Snapchat @OracleArena and on Facebook www.faecbook.com/OracleArenaO.coColiseum.