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DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT’S BROADWAY BOXING RETURNS TO FOXWOODS

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
SHELLY VINCENT FEATURED IN SPECIAL ATTRACTION FEATHERWEIGHT CONTEST
 
HARTFORD LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER MATT REMILLARD
CONTINUES COMEBACK IN HOMECOMING BOUT
SATURDAY, JUNE 3
 
FOX THEATER AT FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, MASHANTUCKET, CT
New York, NY (5/22/17) – On Saturday, June 3, DiBella Entertainment will return to the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, for the latest exciting installment of its popular Broadway Boxing series, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House. The card will feature a bevy of New England talent, including fan favorite Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent in an eight-round special attraction featherweight bout, as well as lightweight Matt Remillard on the comeback and welterweight prospect Mykquan Williams on the rise.
“I am happy to bring another great card back to Foxwoods, which continues to be a terrific venue for Broadway Boxing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Fans will not want to miss the always-entertaining Shelly Vincent, who is a great ambassador for women’s boxing. The stacked undercard will include local New England favorites Matt Remillard, Mykquan Williams, Jonathan Figueroa, and Khiry Todd, as well as Russian future world champion Radzhab Butaev and a battle between unbeaten heavyweight prospects Ruslan Shamalov and George Arias.”
One of the most popular fighters out of the New England area, Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent (19-1, 1 KO), born in New London, CT, but now residing in Providence, RI, will compete at Foxwoods for the seventh time, in an eight-round featherweight bout. Last August, Vincent entered enemy territory to challenge rival Heather Hardy in her adversary’s hometown of Brooklyn, NY. Their highly publicized grudge match was nationally televised by NBC Sports Net and was hailed by Ring Magazine as the “Female Fight of the Year” for 2016. Vincent was also honored by the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame as their “Fighter of the Year” for 2016, becoming the first female recipient of the award. She rebounded from her only defeat with a unanimous decision victory on December 2, back home in Rhode Island. Before turning pro in October 2011, Vincent was a Connecticut State, Connecticut Golden Gloves, and National Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. Managed by Mike Criscio and trained by Peter Manfredo Sr., Vincent signed with DiBella Entertainment in 2016.
Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard (24-1, 13 KOs), of Hartford, CT, will continue his comeback, following a six-year ring absence, in an eight-round lightweight bout. It will be his first fight in his home state since November 2010. A pro since 2005, Remillard is a former WBC Youth, WBC-USNBC, NABF and NABO featherweight champion. His only loss came in March 2011 to the unbeaten Mikey Garcia, now the WBC world lightweight champion. He is trained by Paul Cichon, a local legend and community leader, out of Manchester Ring of Champions Society boxing gym. As an amateur, Remillard accumulated a record of 115-25, and was a two-time Everlast Under-19 National amateur champion.
Highly touted East Hartford welterweight prospect Mykquan Williams (6-0, 4 KOs) has kept a busy pace since turning pro last April. Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Jackie Kallen, the 19-year-old Williams will return to Foxwoods, where he has built a strong following, for the sixth time, in his first scheduled six-rounder. Williams is also trained by Cichon, whom he’s known since he was a child and looks upon as a surrogate father. His biological father was murdered when Mykquan was just a week old. Williams was a decorated amateur with a 45-13 record, highlighted by three gold-medal performances at the Ringside World Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Tournament and Silver Gloves Championships.
Unbeaten New York-based heavyweights will collide in their toughest tests to date, when Russian Ruslan Shamalov (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Dominican George Arias (6-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round contest.
Born in Cherkessk, Russia, and now living in Brooklyn, the 6’5″ Shamalov was a two-time amateur MMA champion before switching to boxing and engaging in 30 amateur bouts while participating on the Russian National team. Shamalov turned pro in October 2016 and is trained by Eduard Kravtsov out of Wild Card Gym, in Los Angeles, CA. In his last bout on April 5, Shamalov returned home to Russia and registered a first-round knockout versus Oleksandr Nesterenko in 43 seconds.
Arias was born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, then moved to New York City in 1996, at four years old. However, it wasn’t until graduating high school that Arias learned to box at Morris Park Boxing Gym near his home in The Bronx. He won the New York Golden Gloves tournament in 2014 then turned pro that October. Arias recently returned from a 13-month ring hiatus with a four-round unanimous decision versus Jamal Woods in Lawrenceville, GA, on April 29.
Cuban cruiserweight Luis Garcia (14-0, 11 KOs), based out of Peekskill, NY, will see action in a six-round bout. After being denied a berth on the Cuban Olympic team, despite winning in the Cuban Olympic qualifiers preparing for the Games in Beijing, Garcia defected from his native land and settled in Cork, Ireland, where he turned pro in September 2008. Having built his record to a perfect 11-0 over the next 26 months, Garcia then relocated to the United States to resume his career. On December 5, 2015, Garcia made his New York debut at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, earning a 63-second knockout versus Willie Williams. Anther first-round knockout followed in his last bout on June 25, 2016, at Buffalo Run Casino, in Miami, OK.
Russian amateur prodigy Radzhab Butaev (5-0, 4 KOs), co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. and managed by Vadim Kornilov, will make his second appearance at Foxwoods in an eight-round contest. On November 19, Butaev earned an eight-round shutout victory versus experienced Hungarian Gabor Gorbics to win the NABF junior middleweight title. In his last bout, on April 5, Butaev returned to Russia to stop Baxrom Payazov inside one round. The 22-year-old Butaev, born in Salsk, Russia, and now living in Los Angeles, was a highly accomplished amateur, having compiled an incredible 304-12 record, with 164 knockouts. He participated in the World Series of Boxing as well, finishing at 9-1.
A native of the boxing rich city of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Jose Roman (3-0, 3 KOs) will make his US debut in a four-round welterweight contest. Roman began boxing at 13 years of age amassing a stellar 124-17 amateur record along the way. He joined the Puerto Rican National team in 2012, winning three consecutive National championships from 2013-2015.
Junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (2-1, 1 KO), of Hartford, CT, will fight in a four-round contest. Managed by Vinny Scolpino, Figueroa turned pro on a Broadway Boxing card held at Foxwoods on September 1 last year. Training out of Hartford PAL gym, Figueroa was a 2012 Golden Gloves champion as an amateur.
Welterweight Khiry Todd (3-0, 3 KOs), from Lynn, MA, will make his Connecticut debut in a four-round contest. The 25-year-old Todd had 40 amateur bouts and won the New England Golden Gloves tournament before turning pro last December with a 42-second demolition of Patrick Leal.
Tickets for the June 3 Broadway Boxing event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House, are priced at $125, $75 and $45. Tickets can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Doors open at 7:00pm, with the first fight scheduled for 7:30pm.
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Unbeaten Sergiy Derevyanchenko Dominates Former Champion Sam Soliman on His Way to Second-Round Stoppage In PBC on ESPN & ESPN Deportes Main Event Thursday Night From Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT

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Ievgen Khytrov Picks Apart & Stops Paul Mendez in the Ninth-Round to Remain Undefeated
 
Click HERE For Photos From Will Paul/Premier Boxing Champions &
Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
Click HERE For Highlights From Premier Boxing Champions
 
MASHANTUCKET, CT (July 21, 2016) – Unbeaten rising middleweight Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (9-0, 7 KOs) knocked down Sam “King” Soliman(44-14, 18 KOs) three times before stopping the former world champion in the second round of the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes Thursday night from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
A 2008 Ukranian Olympian, Derevyanchenko was in control from the start, standing his ground and delivering smart shots as Soliman attempted to flummox him with movement and awkward angles.
Soliman got caught with a missile right hand from Derevyanchenko that landed right on the chin and sent the off-balance Australian to the canvas. Soliman didn’t appear hurt however, as he continued to come forward to try to disrupt and frustrate the undefeated fighter.
Derevyanchenko continued to land effective shots and caught Soliman off-balance again in round two, this time with a left hook that put Soliman on the ground. Soliman again got to his feet but Derevyanchenko quickly stunned Soliman and put him into survival mode.
Soliman tried to tie up and avoid Derevyanchenko, but eventually the undefeated fighter training, who trains in Brooklyn, landed several right hands before a sweeping left hook sent Soliman to the ground hard and for the final time of the night. Referee Johnny Callas waved the fight off at 2:41 of the second round.
The opening bout of the evening saw hard-hitting Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs) lay a non-stop attack on Paul Mendez (19-3-2, 9 KOs) before eventually earning a stoppage in the ninth-round of their middleweight matchup.
Khytrov and Mendez went toe-to-toe from the first-round, exchanging flurries and showing a willingness to stand in front of their opponent. It was Khytrov who showed the more varied attack while getting out to a fast start and landing 50 percent of his power punches over the first three rounds.
Mendez stood tough and continued throwing punches, but was unable to land anything that bothered Khytrov. The Ukranian-born fighter who trains in Brooklyn attacked the body early while dazing Mendez with uppercuts and power hooks. Rounds seven and eight saw Khytrov increase his attack as he seemingly landed power punches at will.
The fight continued in that one-sided manner throughout the opening minute of round nine. Sensing an opportunity, Khytrov cornered Mendez and hit him with a series of unanswered hooks that forced referee Joe Lupino to stop the fight, at the recommendation of the ringside physician, 1:20 into the round. Khytrov ended the fight with a 482-125 advantage in punches landed while landing 50 percent of his total shots.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO
“I looked into his eyes after I knocked him down the first time and I knew he would continue coming forward. I wasn’t going to drop my guard. I didn’t even feel that punch on my glove because it was so clean to the chin. But I felt the final punch.
“I warmed up more than once and that broke my rhythm. In the ring I had to get my rhythm.
“Soliman came out nervous and not very coordinated, but that’s the way he usually fights. That’s his style.
“I’m going to keep moving forward. I can’t sit and wait. We will assess the situation and move from here.”
SAM SOLIMAN
“I’m doing well. I didn’t get to warm up, just a couple of minutes, but that’s no excuse. He did his job. That’s never happened before to me.
“He’s a good boxer who did what he had to do. I can’t take anything away from him.
“After every fight, fighters have to decide what to do next. I have a lot outside of boxing that makes me happy, and it takes the sting out of tonight.”
IEVGEN KHYTROV
“I love to fight and battle and go toe-to-toe. I executed the game plan. My defense was much better and I’ve worked hard on my defense. This was my best fight because that guy stood and fought, he didn’t run.
“I wasn’t surprised that Mendez took so many punches because I didn’t throw every punch hard, I mixed it up, but did throw some hard punches.
“I want a couple more fights then I want to fight for the world title. That’s what I’ve worked so hard to do. I’m not going to dodge anybody. I want to fight Gennady Golovkin and take his belts.”
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PBC on ESPN and ESPN Deportes was promoted by DiBella Entertainment.
For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions.  Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Undefeated Prospects in Action as Alantez Fox Takes on Paul Valenzuela Jr. & Ivan Golub Battles Ernesto Ortiz in Undercard Action Thursday, July 21 From Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT

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Plus! Local Star Shelly Vincent & Mykquan Williams in Separate Bouts as Part of Exciting Night of Fights
 
PBC on ESPN & ESPN Deportes Begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
 
MASHANTUCKET, CT (July 20, 2016) -Unbeaten middleweight Alantez Fox (19-0-1, 8 KOs) will meet Mexico’s Paul Valenzuela Jr. (17-3, 11 KOs) while undefeated welterweight Ivan Golub (11-0, 9 KOs) takes on Ernesto Ortiz (10-3, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bout that highlights undercard action on Thursday, July 21 from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
The July 21 event is headlined by rising middleweight contender Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko taking on former world champion Sam “King” Soliman in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features a middleweight showdown between hard-hitting Ievgen Khytrov and California’s Paul Mendez.
 
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $75 and $45 not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Additional action inside the arena features local favorite Shelly Vincent (17-0, 1 KO) out of Providence in an eight-round featherweight fight against San Antonio’s Christina Ruiz (7-8-3, 4 KOs) and Connecticut’s Mykquan Williams (2-0, 2 KOs) facing Colorado’s Isaac Johnson (2-3) in a four-round welterweight attraction.
Rounding out the night of fights is the pro debut of Christopher Davis Fogg in a four round middleweight bout.
A slick-boxer who fights out of Forestville, Maryland, Fox began 2016 by stopping veteran Milton Nunez in the fourth round of their January bout. The 24-year-old was victorious five times in 2015 and is unbeaten since turning pro in 2010. He will be opposed by Valenzuela who fights out of Santa Rosalia, Mexico and most recently knocked out Armando Corral in the second round.
Originally from Ukraine but now fighting out of Brooklyn, Golub has fought exclusively in the U.S. since turning pro and comes off of a hard fought stoppage victory over previously unbeaten Marlon Aguas in March. The 27-year-old southpaw has stopped his last five opponents inside of the distance. He takes on the 22-year-old Mexican Ortiz, who made his U.S. debut in September 2015.
For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions.  Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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DiBella Entertainment signs Conn. Teenage Prospect Mykey Williams

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(photo by Emily Harney)
NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 28, 2016) – DiBella Entertainment has announced the signing of E. Hartford, Connecticut 18-year-old welterweight prospect Mykquan “Mykey” Williams (1-0, 1 KO) to an exclusive promotional contract.
Williams, who is currently finishing his junior year at A.I. Prince Technical School in Hartford, was a decorated amateur boxer with a 45-13 amateur record, highlighted by three gold-medal performances at the Ringside World Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Tournament and Silver Gloves Championships.
“I am thrilled to sign such a hungry, young prospect like Mykey Williams,” said Lou DiBella. “Williams is an accomplished amateur and Jackie Kallen certainly has an eye for spotting great talent. He already has a growing fan base in the New England area and I am confident that he will quickly develop into a rising prospect.”
“Signing with DiBella was the best move for me,” Williams commented. “I’m excited to be fighting under the DiBella banner now. He’s a great promoter who will help me get to the world-class level in this sport. I’m just happy that the ball is finally rolling!”
Williams has already overcome tremendous obstacles during his young life, including the shooting murder of his father when Mykey was only one week old, and then his house burned down 10 years later.
Paul Cichon, a 2014 Conn. Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, has trained Williams since he was seven. “If anybody had a reason to go the wrong way, it was Mykey,” Cichon added. “But he’s a great kid who is a hard worker and is always happy with a positive attitude.  He’s a boxer who can punch and when he sets up his opponent, watch out, because he’s in big trouble. Mykey is a great finisher who moves well and has good defense. He’s a left-hander who goes to the body to breakdown his opponent. Mykey’s slick and hard to hit, but he’s also unique because he’s a naturally gifted athlete who could have excelled at any sport he chose.”
Although Williams made his successful professional debut on April 16th at Foxwoods Resorts Casino in a card promoted by DiBella Entertainment, he will make his DiBella Entertainment debut this Thursday night (June 30) at Foxwoods in a four-round bout.
“I haven’t been this excited about a fighter since I signed James Toney in 1989,” famed boxing manager Jackie Kallen exclaimed. “Mykey Williams is the real deal. His future is unlimited and we are thrilled to partner up with DiBella Entertainment to make it all happen.”
For more information, visit www.DBE1.com, follow on Twitter @LouDiBella and @MarvelousMyke or become a fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
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GARY RUSSELL JR. KNOCKS OUT PATRICK HYLAND TO RETAIN WBC FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME®

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Jose Pedraza Remains Unbeaten With Unanimous Decision Over Stephen Smith In IBF Junior Lightweight Championship

 

Catch The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Replay
This Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHO EXTREME®

 

Click HERE For Photos From Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME

 

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (Apr. 17, 2016) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. retained his title with a remarkable TKO of Irishman Patrick Hyland Saturdayon SHOWTIME from Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.  In the co-feature, Jose Pedraza defended his IBF Junior Lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Stephen Smith.

 

Tonight’s event was a family affair with Russell Jr. working his brother Antonio’s corner during tonight’s undercard and boxing’s Smith brothers, including current WBO Super Welterweight World Champion Liam Smith, cheering from the crowd.

 

A relentless Russell brought the main event to a quick halt by registering three knockdowns in the second round, the last of which forced referee Danny Schiavone to end the contest at 1:33.  From the first bell, the Washington, D.C. native came out swinging with his trademark hand speed and dangerous power.  Russell, a southpaw, successfully broke down—and knocked out—Hyland with multiple vicious right hooks.

 

“We stuck to the game plan. We stayed sharp,” said Russell Jr., who improves his record to 27 wins, one loss, 15 knockouts.

 

“I’m ready to fight anyone in the division – Santa Cruz, Lee Selby.  We are ready. But what I really want is [Vasyl] Lomachenko.  I don’t care if he moves up to 147 pounds.  I will go anywhere to get that fight,” Russell said.

 

“There aren’t many fighters who you instantly know are special,” said SHOWTIME Sports expert analyst Steve Farhood. “The combination of Gary Russell’s hand speed and accuracy instantly shows us that he’s special. That was plainly evident tonight and at times his hand speed was frightening.”

 

Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) remained disciplined and came out victorious during his second IBF 130-pound world title defense. A combination of timing, hand speed and good defense allowed the Puerto Rican native to dominate the 12-round championship fight.

 

“This definitely was a tough fight but the training really came to advantage in this fight,” Pedraza told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray. “I knew he was a tough fighter so I was always aware.”

 

“I had better focus tonight. I had a better training camp,” said Pedraza, referring to his controversial split decision win over Edner Cherry two fights ago.  “I knew that Stephen Smith was a great fighter and even after the knockdown, we were very cautious not to rush in.”

 

“Pedraza won tonight with different weapons. Mostly right hands to the head,” said Farhood. “I had the fight even after eight rounds and once Pedraza dropped Smith in the ninth, he gained momentum that he never lost and he pulled away. It was an impressive performance but also an important one because it erased a lot of the negative criticism Pedraza received in his controversial win over Edner Cherry.”

 

Pedraza was the more accurate fighter, landing 50 percent of his power punches over the 12-round bout. The Sniper was able to pick his spots and pocket rounds once he figured out the distance.  Smith had his moments, but wasn’t active enough.

 

Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME telecast, with Mauro Ranallo calling the action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi commentating and Jim Gray reporting. In the Spanish simulcast, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow and former world champion Raul Marquez served as color commentator. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

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GARY RUSSELL JR. vs. PATRICK HYLAND, JOSE PEDRAZA vs. STEPHEN SMITH  FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 16, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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“I need to maintain control of the fight, close the distance, and maintain the jab. Complete dominance.” – 
Gary Russell Jr.
 
“To fight for the WBC title is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.”
 – Patrick Hyland
 
“I have been waiting a long time for this day to come and we are going to demonstrate to Smith that I am a weapon.” – Jose Pedraza
 
“I believe I have what it takes to fight anyone and nothing will keep me from becoming a world champion.” – 
Stephen Smith
 

Click HERE To Download Photos; Credit: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
 
NEW YORK (April 13, 2016) – WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., and Irish contender Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs), of Dublin, faced off at the final press conference Wednesday at Highline Ballroom in New York, as they approach this Saturday’s Featherweight World Title fight live on SHOWTIME® from the Fox Theater in Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins live at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME with IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship clash between unbeaten Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) and mandatory challenger Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), of Liverpool, England.
 
Here’s what the fighters had to say at Wednesday’s final press conference.
 
GARY RUSSELL JR.
 
(On Patrick Hyland…)
“First and foremost, I gotta tip my hat off to him. I heard him say he was being trained by his father. Me and my younger brothers are also trained by my dad. My father is my favorite superhero, so it is very hard to deal with a situation like this and to bounce back and to grind and put all the hard work and effort into it after all the heartache and loss, I gotta tip my hat off to him for that.
I know that anytime you have a fighter that trains for six to eight weeks and prepares for no one else but you, is a dangerous fight. He’s tall, he’s long, but we can take him. We’re going to handle it.”
(On returning from injury…)
“I feel good. I’m ready; I put the work in at the gym. Like I said earlier, I got cussed out several times and sometimes I left the gym feeling like the worst fighter ever. But, right now, we’re ready and we’re prepared to invest in my ability.”
(On what it means to have his brother Antonio on the card he’s headlining…)
“It means a lot. I’m looking forward to it. I’m actually more looking forward to watching my brother compete than my own fight. I will definitely be working his corner in that fight. It means a lot for us to be able to pass this information down from generation to generation and watch it grow and watch us build as a family and as a unit. It’s amazing.’
“He definitely has the potential to be the best. Him as well as Antuanne, who is now on the 2016 Olympic team. It’s all information passed down from generation to generation. I feel as though they definitely have the ability to be better than me. I would want them to be anyway.”
(On what he needs to win the fight…)
“I need to maintain control of the fight, close the distance and maintain the jab. Complete dominance; I want to touch the body early. He likes to move a lot, so we’re going to cut all that down.”
(On potential future opponents…)
“God willing, everything goes right come April 16, we would love to unify with Lee Selby. If I had my choice, I would go with Lee Selby first to unify. Immediately after that, I want Leo Santa Cruz and after that I need Lomachenko.
“I don’t care where [Lomachenko] moves. He can lose his next 10 fights, but before my career’s done he has to see me.”
PATRICK HYLAND
 
(On what gives him the sense of satisfaction in boxing…)
“To fight for the WBC title is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid and all of the hard work that I have put in to get to this position to fight for it. I am happy and I am just living for it now for Saturday night.”
(On being the first Irish boxer since Barry McGuigan to hold a featherweight world title…)
“It’s a whirlwind and it’s great. I’m just a local lad from Johnstown in Dublin and to be fighting on the big stage and to be fighting for a major world title, and again to be named the second featherweight ever to win a world title would be just amazing; a real dream come true for myself.”
(On Gary Russell…)
“I know he’s got fast hands. He’s a great southpaw and a great boxer so I have to be at the best of my ability on Saturday night for that. I worked on a game plan in the gym to counter his hand speed and it all has to come together on fight night. I can do all this and say all that, but I just have to perform on Saturday night and put it in by doing everything I’ve worked on to become champion.”
JOSE PEDRAZA
 
(On training camp…)
“I am feeling really good, we’re in the last stretch of conditioning. It was a very long and intense training camp but we saw improvements in my abilities. I have been waiting a long time for this day to come and we are going to demonstrate to Smith that I am a weapon.
(On Stephen Smith…)
“Smith is a very good boxer, he has a lot of abilities and intelligence. He’s a boxer with very good defense, but we already utilize a variety of strategies to be able to neutralize all of his abilities.”
(On what he plans to demonstrate on Saturday…)
“With my abilities, come Saturday, I will demonstrate that I am above Smith and that I am at the level of what I am, a champion. Overall, I just want to put on a show and I hope that the fan base will enjoy this great card.”
(On what he learned from fighting Edner Cherry…)
“I learned what I have always said and what I have always done to this very day, which is never watching. I never watch too many videos of my opponent because on the day of the fight he could be a completely different fighter and I think that is what occurred then. Aside from that, he utilized a great strategy.”
(On his thoughts on other Puerto Rican boxers…)
“Actually I am a world champion just like Rocky Martinez; there are many Puerto Rican prospects. Like [Felix] Verdejo but I don’t consider him as a world title contender just yet. He hasn’t fought with a boxer of championship caliber but he is currently among the top fighters in Puerto Rico.”
(On other fights he may be interested in at 130 pounds…)
“I have always said that the less Puerto Ricans I fight, the better. If it is the last option, I will fight with Puerto Ricans too but aside from that Rocky [Martinez] the world champ, there’s Francisco Vargas, [Javier] Fortuna, to name a few that are at the top of my list.”
STEPHEN SMITH
 
(On his first time fighting in the U.S….)
“I’m excited. If you want to make a name in boxing, then you’re going to do it in the states and that’s what I plan on doing by becoming a world champion Saturday.”
(On what he knows about Pedraza…)
“Well, not quite a lot. I know his name from the amateur days. He’s well established, he’s an Olympian and he’s a talented man. To fight somebody consists of winning or not, it goes beyond tactics, beyond style and beyond skillset really. I believe I have what it takes to fight anyone and nothing will keep me from becoming a world champion.”
(On what he needs to do to get the victory…)
“It can be a different type of fight; we know he likes to switch it up and box from different stances. He’s obviously talented so it’s going to take a different set from each way but we know what to expect. I’ve gone over everything with my trainer Joe Gallagher and we’re ready to go.”
(On his brothers Liam and Callum being champions and what it could mean to potentially join them…)
“It’s special. Two weeks ago Liam and Callum won a European world title and it just gives me the confidence, the spirit to hike. I’m in a really good place mentally and I couldn’t be feeling better going into it. After my boot camp going successfully, it just makes you feel better going ahead to become a world champion.”
(On UK champions on the rise in the past year…)
“There’s a lot of history there and for myself and my family, so we do what we’ve always wanted to do and we’re looking to just keep moving forward.”
TRAINER JOE GALLAGHER
 
(On training camp…)
“It was good. Obviously it boiled up to Callum’s win. There’s a good momentum. Callum and then Stephen has his world title opportunity. It’s been a slow burning rise with Stephen but he’s got, as I call it ‘his World Cup final’ — something that is going to take heart and strength. His strength is going very well. Pedraza is a very good fighter, good orthodox, good southpaw, he can mix it up and we’re prepared for whatever style he wants to bring on Saturday.”
(On the process of preparing for a fighter like Pedraza…)
“It’s a nightmare. It’s hard enough when you’re fighting a quality orthodox or a quality southpaw, of which he is, but not only that. He can also box on the back foot and on the front foot so we’re varying sparring partners, we’re mixing up the sparring in between the rounds, switching stances, and whichever way Pedraza wants to fight at the end of the night, I’m sure we’ll have an answer for.”
(On how he feels the fight will play out…)
“I think that’s all up to Pedraza, looking back at a few of his fights, he boxes slow and gets off to a good start but then he seems to lose his way a little in rounds. When you watch him against [Andrey] Klimov, he started out very well, put him under manners very quickly and had him nearly beat by the fourth round but [Andrey] managed to stay in very well and boxed really well. He got to the middle rounds, lost his way a little bit, switched southpaw, so either way it’s going to be fascinating. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t get caught to early when he’s quick and he’s sharp and he’s trying to put manners in Stephen Smith and then take him into the deep waters like Edner Cherry.”
(His prediction…)
“Stephen Smith. Possibly by knockout. No, definitely by knockout.”
# # #
For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
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Former World Champion Chad Dawson, Featherweight Contender Ryan Kielczweski & Undefeated Prospects Antonio Russell & Carlos Gongora Highlight Undercard Action on Saturday, April 16 From Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

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Doubleheader of World Title Fights Featured on
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
(11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT)
 
MASHANTUCKET, CT (April 11, 2016) – A stacked undercard of action featuring former world champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (33-4, 18 KOs), featherweight contender Ryan Kielczweski (24-1, 7 KOs) and undefeated prospects Antonio Russell (5-0, 4 KOs) and Carlos Gongora (4-0, 3 KOs) comes to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT., on Saturday, April 16.
The event is headlined by a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader of world title fights: WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. battles Ireland’s Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland and IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza takes on top contender Stephen “Swifty” Smith from the UK, with televised coverage beginning live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
Dawson will face the veteran Cornelius White (23-4, 17 KOs) in a 10-round light heavyweight bout, Kielczweski enters the ring for eight rounds of featherweight action,  Gongora competes in a super middleweight attraction while Russell takes on Leonardo Reyes (3-9, 1 KO) in a bantamweight fight.
Also entering the ring is popular super bantamweight contender Shelley Vincent (16-0, 1 KO) out of Providence, RI., who will have plenty of support behind her when she takes on New Mexico’s Elizabeth Anderson (4-7, 1 KO) in a six-round bout.
Rounding out the action are a pair of prospects making their pro debuts as Providence’s Anthony Marsella Jr. fights in a four-round junior welterweight match and Connecticut’s Mykquan Williams in a four-round welterweight contest. Williams is a highly touted local prospect who fought to a 45-13 amateur record including three gold medal performances at the Ringside World Tournament.
A former world champion at light heavyweight, Dawson returns to the ring looking for the 34th victory of his successful career. The 33-year-old owns victories over former world champions Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver and Tomasz Ademek and most recently defeated Shujaa El Amin in December 2015. The veteran owns a 17-1 record in fights in his home state of Connecticut. He takes on the veteran White out of Houston who picked up victories in his last two starts over Marcus Oliveira and William Johnson.
A runner-up in the 2008 National Golden Glove tournament, the 25-year-old Kielczweski has become a staple fighting in his native New England. Born and raised in Quincy, Mass., he bounced back from his first defeat to deliver a first-round knockout over Anthony Napunyi in May 2015 and followed that up with a victory over veteran contender Rafael Vazquez in October of last year. During this camp, Kielczweski served as a chief sparring partner of the 126-pound champion Russell Jr.
Twice a National Golden Gloves runner up, Russell won the national championship in 2013 and he now looks to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and current 126-pound world champion Gary. A 23-year-old fighting out of Washington, D.C., Antonio has won four of his five fights inside of the distance. He faces the 22-year-old Mexican Reyes.
Fighting out of Brooklyn but originally from Esmereldas, Ecuador, Gongora was an Olympian in 2008 and 2012. Since turning pro in 2015, the 26-year-old has picked up four victories, including a fourth-round stoppage of Derrick Adkins in his most recent triumph in January.
For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.