BROOKLYN, Nova Iorque (Abril 12, 2016) – As a kid growing up in Magnitogorsk, Rússia,cruiserweight Alexey Zubov heard stories about the fabled Kronk Gym and the late legendary trainer Emanuel Steward, but never thought he’d have a chance to join the team. But then one day, the former amateur champion was asked to come to Detroit to spar with Kronk’s Johnathon Banks … and the rest is history.
Este Sexta-feira, Abril 15, the undefeated Zubov (10-0, 6 KOs) will face Mandilesti, Moldova’s Constantin Bejenaru (10-0, 4 KOs, WSB: 0-1-1) in the eight-round opener of an internationally televised ShoBox: A Nova Geração live on SHOWTME (10 p.m. E/PT, atrasado na Costa Oeste) no Turning Stone Resort Casino, em Verona, Nova Iorque.
Presented by Salita Promotions in association with AASHA Record Breakers,the mainevent will featureIBF No. 10-peso galo classificado Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs), de Podolsk, Rússia, assumindo Stephon jovem (14-0-2, 6 KOs), de St. Louis, Missouri in a 10-round bout. No co-main event, Eudy Bernardo (21-0, 15 KOs) of the Dominican Republic faces Pedreiro “Rock Hard Poderoso” Menard (30-1-0, 22 KOs), of Rayne, Louisiana, em uma batalha de oito rounds.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, ligando para 877.833.SHOW, ou online em Ticketmaster.com. They are priced at $60 para assentos ringue, $35 e $25.
“I’ve been in Detroit for the last two months and I am so happy; I want to stay here, train here and live here,” said Zubov. “Every Russian fighter knows about Kronk Gym and Emanuel Steward.”
Zubov is currently winding down camp with his trainer and Steward’s nephew Javan “Açúcar” Hill at the resurgent Kronk Gym. “I like Javan’s style,” said Zubov, “and I’ve learned so much about hand speed and footwork and about using intelligence in the ring – how you need to think when you’re in a fight.”
“Alexey is able to learn a lot and absorb boxing knowledge easily,” disse Hill. “He barely speaks English and yet he soaks it in. É incrível. I brought him in to spar with Banks and when we were training, Alexey just sat on the side and watched. Mais tarde, he was sparring with Johnathon and I told him to stop. I said ‘listen here. I’m training Jonathon Banks and you’re doing everything I told him to do. What’s wrong with you?’ Then I laughed and said ‘I like that. Keep watching. I’ll teach you everything you want to know.’ “
Hill says this camp with Zubov was a transition for the fighter. “We are moving into the championship level where you train for a specific fighter. A lot of it is strategy and planning. The only thing I worry about is him being too excited. He’s very high-strung and wants to prove things. I have to control him and keep him from getting over-excited. That’s what we’ve been working on. He gets antsy when he’s excited.”
“Training was prefect. Eu sou 100 por cento pronto,” said Zubov. “I know Bejenaru is a southpaw and he is a short guy with a good record. It’s my first time on SHOWTIME and I am so happy to be showing the world what I can do.”
