Tag Archives: Russian

 MATTHYSSE VS. PROVODNIKOV FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AND PHOTOS

 
VERONA, NEW YORK (April 16) – Members of the media and fans got a preview of what to expect in the ring on Saturday with former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov duringtoday’s final press conference for Matthysse vs. Provodnikov at the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

In what is sure to be an all-action fight to remember and a treat all fight fans are excited for, Argentina’s Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (36-3, 34 KOs) will fight Ruslan Provodnikov “The Siberian Rocky” (24-3, 17 KOs), in what will be the ultimate test for both fighters. Due to unprecedented demand, tickets are now sold-out but fans can catch all the action live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Below is what the fighters, promoters and trainers had to say today at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

 
RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV, Former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion:
“I want thank everyone for being here and supporting this event, and I want to thank all who made this fight happen, Golden Boy Promotions, Banner Promotions and HBO.
“I am glad Lucas and team are so sure of themselves because I am positive that once I am in the ring my actions will speak for themselves. I am here to win and I will do everything to win this fight.
“I am positive that once I am in the ring, I am only there to win.
“I know I am only there to win the fight.  I will win the fight at any cost.

“No one can stop my will, my will, will not be broken.

“I fight for an idea, for myself, for the people and to make history. I am fighting one of the best fighters, and I feel like this will make history. I don’t do it for the fame or the money.

“I met Bernard a long time ago and he told me: ‘make your own history,’ and I feel like I have been doing that.

“This is going to make a great fight, the fans have waited long for, and let the best man win.”

LUCAS MATTHYSSE, Former Interim WBC Super Lightweight World Champion:

“I want to thank Oscar and Mario for making this fight happen. I want to thank Ruslan for accepting the fight. I am very happy.

“We did a great job in training camp, and I am prepared and ready for Ruslan. I am going to give a great performance on Saturday.”

ARTIE PELULO, President of Banner Promotions:

“This is going to be the best fight of the year.
“I have had the good fortune to co-promote Corrales-Castillo I and this could be that.
“It is great that two fighters in the prime of their career to be in the ring.

“I have to thank my partners at Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez. It’s very rare and great that two fighters in their prime have decided to face each other in the ring.

“I want to thank Turning Stone Resort Casino, they are a first class operation.
“Both these fighters have gotten here fighting tough, top fighters. They want to fight the best just like Oscar and Bernard who are here today. Ruslan and Lucas believe that they are the best, they are fighting each other in their prime, something that is very rare in the sport.”
“Both of these men have gotten here by fighting very good guys.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions:
“It’s a pleasure to be working side by side with Banner Promotions and HBO, making this great fight, the fight that the fans want to watch.

“When I was here at Turning Stone Resort Casino last year for the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction, I stood up and preached on how we should put aside our egos to make fights for the fans. This is the perfect example of what boxing can be when you have two great fighters face each other in the ring. Putting on the great fight is what Banner Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions is all about.

“HBO is one of the best partners in the business, they are committed to putting on the best fights on television. When you watch HBO, you know it’s the best.

“Mario is the top promoter in Argentina, a partner who understands our philosophy, and he trusts us.  They have been instrumental to put on the best boxing in the last 10 years.  We have to thank partners like him for our success.

“Lucas is one of the best fighters to come out of Argentina. He has a great fighting spirit. He has the best combination of being a brawler and can also box and move when he wants to. This great combination makes him a boxer-puncher, which makes him fun to watch.

“Lucas’ record speaks for himself, with one of the best percentages of knockouts in the sport.”

VADIM KORNILOV, Manager for Ruslan Provodnilkov:

“I want to thank the whole team for making this fight happen.

“Ruslan is ready for this fight, this is something he has been waiting for to show that be is the best in his weight class.
” Oscar De La Hoya for saying that the winner of Matthysse – Provodnikov should fight the winner of Mayweather -Pacaquio, Oscar that fighter will be Ruslan.”
ANDREI NAPOLSKIKH, Co-manager for Ruslan Provodnikov:

“This is one of the fights Ruslan has been waiting for,.  That has caused a lot of motivation on our side and we are looking forward to a good fight on Saturday, April 18.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner:
“We are here to make the best fights. The kinds of fights the fans want to see.

“I want to address the media: you all get a chance to write about good fights, you follow them and you know who the fighters need to fight to be on the highest level.  To be able to continue to put on the best fights, we need you to put pressure on us to continue to do strive to put on the fights the fans want to see.

“Here, you have two great warriors in Lucas and Ruslan. The fight was talked about and then it was done, and that is what boxing is all about. We want to start a good vibe in the boxing world.

“Write something good about us.”

MARIO ARANO, Manager to Lucas Matthysse:

“We are very happy and thankful to be here. I want to thank HBO, Golden Boy Promotions and Banner Promotions for making this fight happen.  I want to personally thank Artie Pelullo and Ruslan for accepting the fight.

“Team Matthysse has done a great job in getting Lucas in the best shape for this fight.  Lucas has worked really hard and is prepared to bring the best possible fight against Ruslan on Saturday.

“Lucas belongs in the major leagues, and on Saturday he will show the world why.”

MARVIN SOMODIO, Trainer of Ruslan Provodnikov:
“I would like to thank Oscar, Golden Boy Promotions and Banner Promotions for the opportunity.  For me it is an honor to be part of this.I also want to thank Freddie Roach for having us be part of his team.  This is a big responsibility.

“This is my third time at Turning Stone Resort Casino. The first two times we were 1st round knockouts and Saturday night, I am looking for out 3rd first-round knockout.
LUIS “CUTY” BARRERA, Trainer to Lucas Matthysse:

On Saturday, Lucas will prove he belongs with all the greats in the sport.”

RAY HALBRITTER, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO:

“We are honored to be hosting these two great fighters, and we are happy they chose Turning Stone Resort Casino.

“This is Turning Stone’s 50th nationally broadcasted fight in two years.

“The build up for this fight is warranted, and we look forward to an exciting night on Saturday, April 18.”

Photos by Banner Promotions
Due to the unprecedented demand to see this surefire “Fight of the Year,” tickets are completely sold out.

Doors on Saturday, April 18 open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 8:00 p.m. and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico, Live it To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. Doors are currently scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast will being at9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 LUCAS MATTHYSSE AND RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO ARRIVALS AND FINAL THOUGHTS ON THEIR TRAINING CAMPS AHEAD OF THEIR SURE-FIRE “FIGHT OF THE YEAR”CANDIDATE BOUT LIVE ON HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®

Provodnikov Photos By Miguel Salazar
Matthysse & Arrival Photos by Golden Boy Promotions
Click HERE to Download Photos
Verona,New York (April 15) – Training camp is going smoothly for former WBC Light Weight Champion Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and Former WBO Jr. Welterweight Champion “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov as they continue to prepare for their showdown on Saturday, April 18 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino. The junior welterweight fight will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Matthysse has been training out his gym in Argentina and Provodinkov has been training out of the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California under the watchful eye of International Boxing Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

Both fighters arrived at Turning Stone Resort Casino today and took some time to do a photo-op at the hotel and answer a few questions about their training camp.

Below is what they had to say:


 
How do you feel about the fight and when did you begin training?

Lucas Matthysse:  I have been training non-stop, way before the fight was officially announced. I have been doing a lot of sparring to improve my speed and make sure I make as much contact with my opponent as possible.

Ruslan Provodnikov: I am excited and motivated for this fight, I will not disappoint my fans and it will be a real war!  Everything is going great with my training and will be ready for a really war in the ring.

How are you preparing to face each other?   

Matthysse: Ruslan is a great fighter, he comes prepared for a war. My strategy against him will be to make sure to box and keep moving, that is why sparring has been really important in my training.

Provodnikov: I will be ready for whatever Matthysse does. I 100% percent believe that this fight will be the fight of the year. I always give everything I can in training camp and I’m very responsible. I don’t take anybody lightly, but to answer your question: walking into the ring with a fighter that I know will fight back will definitely show that what I can do as a boxer than going up against a fighter who will just run.

What should fans expect to see on April 18?

Matthysse: Fans can expect one of the greatest fights in the division. I know I am ready to win this fight and fans should expect a victory.

Provodnikov: I promise this is going to be the fight you guys are all waiting for.

Tickets for the show have been selling fast and expected to sell out. Limited tickets for the April 18th HBO Boxing After Dark event at Turning Stone Resort are still available and are on sale now at the $35, and $25 price range plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions the 12-round junior welterweight bout and expected to be the sure-fire ‘Fight of The Year’ contender will take place on Saturday, April 18 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark ® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The April 18th fight will mark Turning Stone Resort’s 15th nationally-televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Boxing legends Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have promoted televised fight cards at the resort within the last year.  Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, an eclectic mix of restaurants, luxury spas and numerous nightlife options.

Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico, Live it To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. Doors are currently scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for6:50 p.m. ET and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast will being at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @bannerboxing, @turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy FacebookPage, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram@GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

 

 

Matthysee – Provodnikov fight week Images and videos

Verona, NY (April 15, 2015)–Below are videos from Tuesday’s media lunch and photos and a video from Wednesday’s Arrival by Ruslan Provodnikov as he gets ready to face Lucas Matthysse this Saturday in a sure-fire Fight of the Year candidate from the Turning Stone Resort Casino.  The fight is part of a split site double header that will be televised on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 9:45 PM ET.

Matthysse - Provodnikov media lunch
Matthysse – Provodnikov media lunch
Ray Mancini 041415
Ray Mancini 041415
Ruslan Provodnikov arrives at Turning Stone Resort Casino 041515
Ruslan Provodnikov arrives at Turning Stone Resort Casino 041515

Photos by Raymond Flores

Adams, Thompson, Fedosov and Dennis reach Boxcino 2015 Finals

Fedosov, Dennis, Thompson and Adams

For Immediate Release

Bethlehem, PA (April 13, 2015)

Brandon Adams and John Thompson won semifinal bouts in the Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Tournament while Andrey Fedosov and Donovan Dennis scored impressive stoppage victories in the Heavyweight tournament, as all four punched their tickets to the finals in bouts that took place this past Friday at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
The bouts were televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.
The show was promoted by Banner Promotions, Inc.
The finals of both weight classes will take place on Friday, May 22 at the Omega Products International Outdoor Arena in Corona, California and will be aired live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

Brandon Adams lands the uppercut
Adams took out longtime friend Vito Gasparyan in round seven of their scheduled 8-round bout.
Adams worked very well on the inside as he landed some solid shots to the head and landed to the body nicely.  Gasparyan hung tough against his one-time sparring partner but the amount of solid punches began to show on Gasparyan and the bout was stopped 35 seconds into round seven with a badly swollen left ear.
Adams, 155 1/2 lbs of Los Angeles moves onto the finals with a record of 17-1 with 12 knockouts.  Gasparyan, 154 lbs of Burbank, CA is now 15-4-5.  Adams will not meet John Thompson.
John Thompson won an 8-round split decision over previously undefeated Stanyslav Skorokhod.

Thompson lands the right hand
Thompson boxed well early as he used his jab to set up three and four punch combinations, while Skorokhod landed some good power shots.  Skorokhod was cut around his right eye in round two while Thompson suffered a cut in the same area in round four.
Thompson did well when the fight was in the center of the ring.  Skorokhod landed several flush punches but it wasn’t enough as the judges preferred the boxing of Thompson to the tune of 78-74 and 77-75 while Skorokhod won a card 78-74.
Thompson, 154 3/4 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 16-1.  Skorokhod, 153 3/4 lbs of Los Angeles via Ukraine is now 9-1.
“I had to box him as he was swinging wild.  I outboxed him.  He was just swinging and not throwing any straight shots,” said Thompson.

Dennis lands the knockout blow
Donovan Dennis

scored a highlight reel 2nd round stoppage over 6’7″ Razvan Cojnau.
Dennis landed a thudding straight left that landed flush on the chin of Cojanu and the big man fell flat on the canvas and the bout was stopped 59 seconds into round two.
“I used my speed, quick feet and combinations,” said Dennis.  “I saw an opening in the first round and then in the second I came with an overhand left that landed right on the button and he crumbled to the canvas.”
The punch was so devastating that it was ESPN Sports Center top play of the night.
On fighting Andrey Fedosov in the finals, “It is going to be a tough fight and I will have to work harder.”
Dennis, 224 1/4 lbs of Davenport, IA is now 12-1 with 10 knockouts.  Cojanu, 255 1/2 lbs of Los Angeles via Romania is now 13-2.
Andrey Fedosov shook off a first round knockdown to comeback and register a third round stoppage over Lenroy Thomas.

Fedosov works the body
Just seconds into the bout, Thomas landed a straight left and sent Fedosov to the canvas.  Fedosov came back in round three and landed a ripping combination that led to Thomas to a knee and and he did not beat referee Gary Rosado’s count at 1:01 of round three.
Fedosov, 220 1/4 lbs of Hollywood, CA via Russia is now 27-3 with 22 knockouts.  Thomas, 236 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is now 19-4
“He was a good opponent.  He was fast.  I look forward to fighting in the finals,”said Fedosov
Eric Newell won a four-round unanimous decision over Brandon Spencer in a Heavyweight bout.

Newell of Bethlehem, PA won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice

Jon Bolden outworked Ed “Tex” Fountain and scored a six-round unanimous decision in a Heavyweight bout.
Bolden of New York won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 7-10-1.  Fountain of St. Joseph, MO is now 10-2.
In the opening bout, Curtis Morton upset Greg Jackson via a 6-round unanimous decision in a Welterweight bout.
Morton dropped Jackson in round five and won by scores of 60-53 twice and 58-55.
Morton, 146 lbs of Myrtle Beach, SC is now 3-4-2.  Jackson, 147 lbs of Philadelphia falls to 5-2-1.
Ricky Nuno made a successful pro debut with a 4-round unanimous decision over Pat Kehoe (1-2) in a jr. middleweight bout.
Mike Liberto won his pro debut with a 4th round stoppage over Darnell Hayes (1-2) in a cruiserweight bout.
Photos by Emily Harney / Banner Promotions

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Boxcino 2015 Semi-finals quotes

 

Philadelphia (April 8, 2015)-This Friday night at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, the Boxcino 2015 semifinals will take place in both the heavyweight and jr. middleweight divisions.  All eight fighters have been training hard for this great opportunity that will be broadcasted live on ESPN Friday Night Fights beginning at 9 PM ET.
All Boxcino bouts are scheduled for eight rounds.
Below are quotes from all eight competitors as fight week commences.

 

Jr. Middleweights

——————————————————————————————————-
John Thompson (15-1, 5 KO’s)-“Training has been great. Been working really hard in Virginia under Kay Koroma. I am looking forward to both the semifinals and the finals to see what kind of doors open up for me.”

vs.

Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KO’s) –-” I am very confident and have once again had a very good training camp at Wild Card Boxing Gym.  I have done great work with Marvin Somodio, Ernie Zavala, and my conditioning coach Jordan Feramisco! ”

————————————————————————————————-

 

Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KO’s)–“Everything is good. I am ready. I have had great sparring with Ruslan Provodnikov and Frankie Gomez. Brandon is my friend. I look at him like my brother but Friday is business. We will get in the ring and do my thing. We have a perfect game plan and ready to do my thing. This time there will be no ring rust”

vs.

Brandon Adams (16-1, 11 KO’s)--“I am looking forward to fight Vito to show him how much I have grown since the last time we worked together. I am looking forward to showing the world that I have learned new tricks. ”
 

Heavyweights

————————————————————————————————————–

Donovan Dennis (11-1, 9 KO’s)--“I am ready and am better shape then my last fight. I am ready to go. I don’t know too much about Razvan other than he is a taller guy. I train for what my coaches tell me to do.”

vs

 

Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KO’s) — “Everything is great. Dennis is a good fighter and I am excited to fight him. I changed some of my training and had a lot of southpaw sparring.”
————————————————————————————————————–

Lenroy Thomas (19-3, 9 KO’s)–“Training is going good.  I am ready to go.  He is a strong opponent.  He is coming to fight and so am I.  It will be an interesting night.”

vs

Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KO’s)--“I am looking forward to April 10th. I will be ready to give the fans another great fight and I am looking forward to the finals!”
————————————————————————————————————-

 

On the undercard, Greg Jackson (5-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on Curtis Morton (2-4-2) of Harlem, NY in a six-round welterweight bout.

 

Ed Fountain (10-1, 4 KO’s) of St. Louis, MO will battle Jon Bolden (6-10-1, 5 KO’s) of Brooklyn, NY in a six-round heavyweight bout.

 

Eric Newell (7-3-2, 5 KO’s) of Bethlehem, PA will fight Brandon Spencer (2-8-1, 1 KO) of Atlanta, GA in four-round heavyweight bout.

 

Ricky Nuno of Bethlehem, PA will make his pro debut against Pat Kehoe (1-1) of Reading, PA in a four-round welterweight bout.

 

Mike Liberto of Bethlehem, PA will make his pro debut against Darnell Hayes (0-1) of Myerstown, PA in a light heavyweight bout.
This event starts at 7pm.  Ticket prices are $100, $75, $50.  Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com1-800-745-3000 and at the box office at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

For credentials, contact:  Marc Abrams at marc@banner-promotions.com

Follow Banner Promotions on social media for all the latest Banner and #Boxcino2015 updates:

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EXCITING PROSPECTS ADDED TO THE MATTHYSSE VS. PROVODNIKOV NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD ON APRIL 18

LIVE FROM TURNING STONE CASINO RESORT, VERONA, NEW YORK

LOS ANGELES (April 7) – The sure-fire ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate between former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov, just got more exciting as world class prospects got added to the non-televised undercard of the split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark ® on Saturday, April 18 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

 

In the non-televised co-main event of the night, exciting undefeated Brazilian prospect Patrick Teixeira (24-0, 20 KOs) will compete in a 10-round super welterweight bout against the hard-punching contender Patrick Allotey (30-1, 24 KOs) of Accra, Ghana. Next, Tuapse, Russia’s Fedor “Knockout Man” Papazov (16-1-0, 10 KOs) will fight in an eight-round lightweight match.  Washington, D.C.’s standout undefeated fighter, Lamont Roach Jr. (6-0, 3 KOs) is scheduled to fight in a six-round lightweight fight. Vitor Jones De Olivera (8-0, 5 KO’s) of Salvador, Brazil will face Guillermo Sanchez (15-14-1, 6 KOs) of Buffalo, New York in a six-round lightweight bout.  Also, from New York, Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (17-1, 10 KOs) of the Bronx, is scheduled for a 10-round super welterweight bout against Jonathan Batista (14-5, 7 KOs) of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Opening up the night, Vitaly Kopylenko(24-1-0, 14 KOs) of Kiev, Ukraine, will take on  Lekan “Lucky 13” Byfield (6-7-2, 1 KOs) of Atlanta, Georgia, in an eight-round middleweight fight.

 

Due to the unprecedented demand to see this surefire “Fight of the Year” candidate ringside seats sold out in only 15 minutes – and the entire event is now near sellout with Turning Stone Resort Casino releasing the last group of tickets in the $35 and $25 price range.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster.com.

 

A professional since 2009, the 24-year old Patrick Teixeira, wants to follow in the steps of the Brazilian three time world champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas and write his own story by conquering world titles in his career. Most recently, Teixeira beat Ulises David Lopez for the WBO Latino Super Welterweight title knocking Lopez down on the second round and winning the fight by knockout in the third round. In 2012, the young Brazilian star began to turn heads when he traveled to Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico and defeated Omar Vasquez via eighth round technical knockout. Now, Teixeira is intent on conquering the super welterweight division and becoming a world champion.

 

Welterweight contender Patrick Allotey, of Accra, Ghana is a tough fighter who has kept his undefeated status since his professional debut in 2007 until his most recent bout against Charles Manyuchi in March 2014 for the WBC International Welterweight Title. Along his professional journey and his impressive record of 30-1, 24, the hard puncher has won and defended the WBC International Silver Welterweight Title and will be looking for redemption when he faces the tough Patrick Teixeira on April 18.

 

Tuapse, Russia’s Fedor “Knockout Man” Papazov, is looking to make an impression in his first fight of 2015 on April 18. An exciting fighter since his professional debut in 2009, Papazov had a five-year undefeated streak until he faced eventual Boxcino 2014 lightweight champion Petr Petrov in February of 2014.  Since then the Russian fighter has had two straight wins, a technical knockout win over Miguel Angel Mendoza and a unanimous victory over Felix Lora.

 

Undefeated newcomer, Lamont Roach Jr. is quickly becoming an exciting one-to-watch in the boxing community.  Hailing from Washington D.C., Roach Jr, scored a knockdown and dominating a four-round decision over Puerto Rico’s Alexander Charneco in his Dec 6. bout. In January 20, the east coast native started off the year with an exciting fourth round technical knockout win over Herbert Quartey.  Now, the 19-year-old is looking to continue his winning streak when he fights on April 18.

 

Exciting newcomer, Vitor Jones De Olivera of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil has remained undefeated since his professional debut in 2012.  He is the nephew of former five-time world champion and Brazilian legend, Acelino “Popo” Freitas.  De Olivera will be making his second appearance at Turning Stone Resort Casino when he faces Guillermo Sanchez on April 18.  De Olivera was last seen at the resort in January when he met Michael Doyle, winning the bout via first round knockout.

 

At just 26-years-old, Guillermo Sanchez has already accumulated a total of 30 fights in his short career.  Turning professional in 2007 the fighter quickly made a name for himself in the sport, winning most of his bouts via knockout and keeping his undefeated status until 2009.  2015 has already turned into a busy year for the lightweight contender, facing Michael Doyle in January winning the bout via unanimous decision and winning his second fight of the year via first round knockout against Pablo Batres in February.  The fighter will be looking to continue his winning streak onApril 18 when he goes up against the undefeated Vitor Jones De Olivera.

 

22-year-old Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez is a hungry fighter, eager to not just get the victory, but to do it in spectacular fashion. With a 17-1 record which includes victories over previously unbeaten Daquan Arnett, Terrell Gausham Luis Arias and Daquan Arnett.  Most recently, Gomez faced James Winchester at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and won the bout via unanimous decision.  Now the fighter is looking to continue his winning streak when he faces Jonathan Batista on April 18.

 

Dominican Republic native, Jonathan Batista has had an impressive career since he turned professional in 2010. Winning every bout from 2010 to 2013 the fighter is will be looking to add a victory when he faces Eddie Gomez at Turning Stone Resort Casino.

 

Vitaliy Kopylenko is an exciting fighter out of Kiev, Ukraine who has been making a name for himself in the middleweight division. He was undefeated from 2008 to 2014 and has held the World Boxing Federation Intercontinental Middleweight Titile and the EBU-EE Middleweight Title. On April 18, Kopylenko returns to the resort for the second time since his loss to eventual Boxcino 2014 middleweight champion Willie Monroe Jr. and will be looking to impress fans and critics as he takes on Lekan Byfield.   Kopylenko is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Sherzod Rahimov onAugust 24.

 

Fighting out of Atlanta, Georgia, Lekan “Lucky 13” Byfield is a tough fighter known for going the distance in his bouts.  On April 18 the relative newcomer will be returning to Turning Stone Resort Casino for the second time in his career. Byfield, most recently fought Brandon Adams at the resort in January and will be looking for redemption when he faces Vitaliy Kopylenko.

 

 

 

Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico, Live it To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. Doors are currently scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast will being at9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy FacebookPage, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram@GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

Matthysse – Provodnikov Conference call Transcript

 Operator: Welcome to the Matthysse Provodnikov conference call. I will now turn it over to Marc Abrams.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Hello, everyone, welcome to this great conference call for this tremendous fight that’s going to happen on Saturday, April 18th at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The fight will come on air at 9:45 as part of a split site double header with Terence Crawford taking on Thomas Dulorme. On the call for the first part of the call will be Team Provodnikov, Banner Promotions present Artie Pelullo, the Siberian Rocky himself Ruslan Provodnikov, along with his manager Vadim Kornilov who will train–ultimately will translate, Hall of Fame promoter Freddie Roach, and also Kelly Abdo and Heidi Strong from Turning Stone are also on the call. Let me turn it over to Artie Pelullo–Artie?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Hi, hello, everybody, this is Artie Pelullo from Banner Promotions. Good afternoon–everybody on this call knows that this is one of the great fights of the year for us, for our sport, and I just wanted to–the first thing I want to say is thank Eric Gomez from Golden Boy, and Oscar for helping us put this fight together. It was very easy to do. Eric, Lucas, and–I’m sorry, Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov, excuse me, both wanted this fight. So, it was very easy to put together. Eric and I literally did the deal in maybe 30 or 40 minutes and this is how one of the great fights of 2015 got made, very easily, but two guys who wanted to fight and two promotional companies who work together in the co-promotion. And we’re doing this event equally together and it’s going to be an exciting night for boxing. I believe it’s going to be Corrales Castillo one, which I had a good fortune of promoting with Bob Arum and Gary Shaw. That’s what I think of the fight. Both guys don’t know how to do anything but put on TV friendly and fan friendly fights. Before I get into anything else with the show, I’d just like to turn it over to Kelly from Turning Stone who is the PR Manager who would like to say a few words on behalf of or host, Turning Stone Resort & Casino who went out of their way to make sure that they landed this fight because they’re really into the boxing business. They’re really fight site friendly. And they’re really into going out of their way to put on a spectacular live event at their location. So, Kelly, why don’t you take it from here and say what you’d like to say about Turning Stone.

Ms. Kelly Abdo: All right, thank you, Artie–hello, everyone, it’s Kelly Abdo from Turning Stone Resort Casino. And as Artie mentioned, we’re really excited to be hosting this epic fight and to have everyone here. We’re all really looking forward to it and we have a week’s worth of events lined up that we’re really excited to host.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thanks, Kelly–one thing I need to mention, guys, to everybody on the call and ladies and ladies and gentlemen, the reason why the fight is at Turning Stone is because Ed Allmann and Heidi Strong. They wanted the fight. They were aggressive about the fight. They realized what this kind of fight could mean because it could be a historic event because of two great punchers and two great exciting styles. I know Oscar is going to talk about Lucas, but I just like to say that he is a great fighter and I know his manager slash promoter for 20 years, Mario Arana and he’s an exceptional young man. So, it’s going to be a terrific fight on their side. As far as Ruslan’s concerned, in my opinion there’s none better. We’ve been together since his very beginning, since his first fight. It’s been my privilege to work with him. He’s a true athlete. He’s very focused on his job. He’s extremely focused on being a promotional. The VADA, the Anti-Doping Test is always something that he demands and insists on. He doesn’t believe athletes should be anything but legitimate and 100 percent legal. And his manager is Vadim who I have been working with for several years. We have a lot of fighters together. And he’s just good people, focused on the job–never an issue about who. It’s always when are we fighting? Let’s make the best fights possible. And also now Freddie Roach is on the call with us, as you know. Everybody knows Freddie. And his career changed Ruslan when he went to Freddie. The truth of it is, when he went to Freddie, got in that gym, was around world-class guys, the quality of the people he was working with changed and the development of his career was tenfold. So, after saying all of that I want to thank everybody. I’d like to introduce Freddie right now. And, as you know, Freddie is training also training the great Manny Pacquiao, but I’d like to have Freddie say a few words on behalf of Ruslan and the show–Freddie?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Hey, thank you, Artie. Ruslan is doing really well and he’s in a really good shape for this fight. He knows just how to fight and he’s a good fighter and I look forward to it, and on paper it looks like one of the best this year. So, it’s going to be a tremendous show and I don’t think you want to miss this on.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, thanks, Freddie, and now I’d like to introduce to you all Ruslan Provodnikov, the Siberian Rocky, who, as I’ve said I’ve had the good fortune of meeting him and Vadim seven years ago when I went to Moscow for the first time and signed Ruslan to an exclusive contract. And, boy, did I not know how lucky I was at the time–Ruslan Provodnikov, gentlemen and ladies–Ruslan Provodnikov.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: How are you? Hi.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, that’s good. He can say more than one word.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I just woke up getting ready to go to training. I’m happy to hear everybody.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, Vadim, would you like to say a few words?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Definitely–Artie, thank you for the great introduction and, you know, we’re here. Ruslan–he’s eating as we’re doing this. I’m sorry–he’ll be more talkative in about two, three minutes, but I’m glad that this all worked out. It’s a great fight that everybody is looking forward to. And, you know, Banner Promotions, Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, Artie Pelullo, you guys did a great job and I appreciate, and you working together to put this fight together. It’s very easy to make, and I think this is the way it should be. This is way the business should be, is the best fighting, the best, and the promoters working together–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thank you, Vadim, and I guess now it’s back to you for questions and answer, guys, for Marc? How does it go from here?

Mr. Marc Abrams: Maggie?

Operator: The lines are now open for questions. If you would like to ask a question, you may do so by pressing star and then one on your telephone keypad. That’s star and the number one. Our first question comes from the line of Dan Rafael with ESPN. Your line is live.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Thank you very much–hello?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Go ahead, Dan. We can hear you.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Okay, thank you, Artie–thank you, guys–my first question, Vadim, could you ask, respond, what does he believe the impact will be if any in the fact that Freddie–because of the Pacquiao training camp–is not going to actually be in the corner, even though he’s training him in the gym?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Everything is all right. This is not the first time that Freddie was not in the corner. For me what’s important is that Freddie is with me throughout the camp and we’re working together as a team to come up with the right strategy and, you know, get ready for this fight. It’s not a big deal. You know, Marvin Somodio is Freddie’s right hand guy is going to be there for me and I know that Marvin knows what I need to do in the wrong. And that’s all that’s important, but for me this is not a problem.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Okay, Freddie, are you there?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yes.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Freddie, I know you always like to be with your fighters on fight night. Obviously that’s a big part of training a guy. Can you speak to the reason you won’t be there? Is it the matter of just because of the serious nature of the Pacquiao training camp? I understand you’ve also had some problems with your back. What’s your take on the reasons that you can’t make it to Turning Stone for the fight.

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yeah, because the Pacquiao fight is very important right now and Ruslan is very important also. I work with him every day in the gym. He and Marvin have a good rapport together. Marvin knows what to do. He’s a very good trainer. Even after a fight when we went to Denver by himself without me and they came through. They understand what I want and just because I’m not there doesn’t–Ruslan will still fight his fight and Marvin will make the adjustments along the way. There will be no problem whatsoever. It’s not the first or last time this has happened in my life.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Freddie, when you think about the fight on paper between these guys, I think pretty much every boxing fan looks at this and just says, “Wow, there is no chance. This can’t be, you know, potentially the fight of the year, or a very memorable action packed fight. Can you just give me your take on the match up?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yes, it’s the greatest match up in the world. It’s–you’ve got two guys that love to fight, two guys that are great punches. It’s going to be a very exciting fight. That’s for sure, and it’s the best fight and the best is what we need. This is what’s going on in boxing right now and that’s why everything is really happening in boxing bigger than ever at this point because of fights like this.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Vadim, could you ask Ruslan to also give your response to his take on the match up? There are so many boxing fans who are super excited about this just because of the action style that Ruslan as well as Lucas to the ring.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I expect the same as all the fans. You know, this is a very exciting match up. This is going to be a great fight and I think that for me it’s no less than to all the people watching. You know, for me it’s exciting as well and these types of fights are what’s important because for me the fight and the money as I’ve said many times, they’re not number one. Number one is I want my fights to be part of history, and I think this is one of those fights that is destined to be part of history. And that’s what I want to give my fans. That’s what I want to give my people back home is these fights that people will remember because not all the fights that a World Title fights are remembered. But the fights that–the type of fight that can happen between Matthysse and I are–is a fight that’s definitely going to be remembered forever.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, thank you very much, guys–appreciate your time.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Thank you.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Michael Woods with the Sweet Science. Your line is live.

Mr. Michael Woods: Hey, guys, thanks for making the time–my question is for Ruslan. Ruslan, I presume that you believe going into the fight you are betting than Matthysse. How are you better than Mattyssee?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Well, first of all I never said that I’m better than him or that I’m better than anyone else because it’s not for me to judge. All I can say is that I know that I can beat anybody and it’s all about my will. And I know that if I give everything that I have in the ring, and I give everything that I have in training, I can beat anybody. It’s all about my character and all I’m willing to give. I can’t judge who is better or who is not better, you know? And I know his team are saying a lot of things and they’re saying, “You know, we’re going to knock them out. We’re smarter, we’re better, we’re better boxers.” I don’t want to say any of that. I’m a lot more political than that. You know, talk is cheap. You know, there’s a Russian saying that says, “Don’t say I won until you win,” you know basically. And I’m not going to talk. You know, I’m going to my talking in the ring and I think that I can be better than anybody if I deserve it and I give it all in training.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Good stuff–I like that. Question is for Freddie–Freddie, I’m not asking for your game plan, but I am asking how you believe Ruslan is better than Matthysse on paper going into the fight.

Mr. Freddie Roach: I think, yeah, he is, I think he’s a good puncher, but Matthysse is very strong also. I mean this is–both guys are very dangerous. I told Ruslan if you hurt this guy, don’t just talk in because he has tremendous power. Don’t let him get lucky. So, you know, we have a pretty good game plan down. We know what do I think and how to do it I think. And so, probably we had a great training camp.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, good stuff–thanks, guys, I appreciate it.

Operator: Our next question comes from the line of Distino Lois Jr. from Black Star News New York City. Your line is live.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–thank you for the invitation, I appreciate it. The question to Ruslan is, Ruslan, unfortunately–this is Distino Lois Jr., Black Star News, Manhattan–you suffered a setback with your loss to Chris Algieri. Do you consider this fight with Lucas Matthysse a redemption, a door opener if victorious so that you can take advantage of the vacancies of the 140 pounders because now, of course, we are aware of the fact that Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson, two of your future opponents, have moved up to 143 catch-weight fight for the 11th. So, now the victory over Matthysse would be a door opener for you. Is that how you feel?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I definitely know that there’s a lot of different things going on at 140 right now, but for me right now I’m thinking about April 18th, you know? You know, I’m thinking about this fight and I know that once I win this fight it will open a lot of doors for me. But, you know, once the fight is over we can sit down and I’ll be happy to answer all your questions about what’s next.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: I see–let me just also clarify the question that was asked. So you know, neither one of those two guys are giving up their title. They’re fighting at 143 pounds. So, neither one of them would have to be at risk of losing their title, which I find very interesting that neither one of them would fight for their title so they could give up their title to the winner. So, nobody is giving up their titles in that fight. What they’re doing is they made an agreement not to put their titles on the line, which is a big difference in what your question was originally about, sir.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: Well, absolutely, but I question Danny Garcia and you said he was having trouble making the weight. That’s why he agreed–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Then he should give up the title–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –To, to–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Then he should give up the title, but anyway–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –That’s not–he should give up the title, but that’s not what’s going on–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –What’s going on is they’re not fighting on weight, so neither one of them are at risk to lose their title–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right, I’m aware of that. Thank you very much. Ruslan, without giving out any trade secrets with your Hall of Fame Freddie Roach trainer, how are you all prepared for Matthysse, being that Matthysse has already shown some flaws of being knocked down twice by Molina and once by Danny Garcia? So, what are you doing to make sure that yours is the final punch?

Mr. Marc Abrams: I guess next question?

Operator: All right, our next question comes from the line of Briggs Seekins from Bleacher Report. Your line is live.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Yeah, hi, Ruslan–I’m wondering is there a sense where mentally it’s a little bit easier to relax in training camp when you know you’re playing a guy who is going to give you the kind of fight you want and not be, you know, an evasive sort of fighter like Algieri, but a guy who is going to, you know, like you say, give you a fight that makes history and also give you the kind of fight that you like to fight?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: For me training camp is training camp. I always give everything I can in training camp and I’m very responsible in training camp. I don’t take anybody lightly, but to answer your question, you know, walking into a ring with a fighter that I know will fight me definitely I can do a lot better than a fighter who will just run.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Great, thank you–and Artie I did–I want to thank you for calling out the situation at 140 with the titles. It’s a little discouraging to see them not treated the way that a lot of us grew up seeing titles treated.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Yup, you’re right, and, you know, what’s going on is purely that they don’t want to have anything at risk. It’s a dangerous fight for both guys, but not for like Provodnikov and Matthysse. They’re putting it all on the line because they’re still fighting at 12 rounds. It’s 140 pounds. There is no title because we don’t have one, and I’m telling you both these kids would put their titles out if they had, but they wouldn’t be avoiding fighting for the title because then they don’t want to take a chance at losing it. That’s what’s going on. That’s exactly what’s happening.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Yeah, absolutely–all right, good luck, Ruslan.

Mr. Marc Abrams: I guess we’ll take one more for Ruslan.

Operator: Our last question comes from the line of Chris Gunzz with 15rounds.com. Your line is live.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Ruslan, he is a huge puncher as a few different guys brought up already. Do you think he’s going to be the biggest puncher you’ve faced and do you ever wonder if you’ll be able to handle that power? Have you ever had the experience of getting hit by a guy who carries a massive punch like that, and do you feel–any questions on whether you’ll be able to take it on the night?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: The question is about Matthysse being the biggest puncher that Ruslan has faced, correct?

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Yes, and if he has any questions of whether he’ll be able to take it.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Looking at his record, he seems to be one of the biggest punchers of this decade, you know? He’s probably one of the biggest punchers right now. Does it bother me–not at all. It only makes me more excited because I know that this is going to be a real fight and I know that either, you know, I take him or he takes me. And it’s going to be toe to toe it’s going to be a real fight. For me that’s only a positive.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: And I appreciate that even more that you realize you’re facing someone dangerous, and you want to face him anyway and you don’t mind it. I love the balls you’re showing in that, and final question for Freddie. Is it a plan to jump on him early, Freddie, because he did show that vulnerability in the Molina fight? Is Freddie still there? I heard someone hang up in the phone call, but is Freddie still there?

Mr. Freddie Roach: I’m here. Yeah, I’m still here.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Is it a focus in training camp to try to jump on him early seeing that the vulnerability was shown in the Molina fight early on?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Well, you know, we can. I mean we know how this guy fights. I mean I think he is the bigger punch, and we’re a little bit better than he is, but I mean, you know, he’s got his strong points also. So, it makes for an exciting fight. Ruslan is a very good fighter. Ruslan, I saw him learn how to fight Manny Pacquiao on his own. He used to be Manny’s sparing partner. And that’s when I first really got interested in him because he’s so capable. He learns very quickly and he’s a great shooter.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: One of the best ever–I appreciate it, Freddie. Good luck on April 18th and good luck on May too.

Mr. Freddie Roach: Thank you very much.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, was that it, guys?

Mr. Marc Abrams: It’s–I’m going to turn it over to Golden Boy and Team Matthysse in a minute. I guess final comments from I guess first Artie and then Ruslan.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, I just want to say thank you for everybody for joining the call. There’s really not much to say. As Dan Rafael and all the other reporters and Mr. Woods who got on the phone, everybody knows that this is the most TV friendly and fan friendly fight. The networks were all over–both of them bid on the fight. So, it’s going to be a great night for boxing, a great night for our fans. And I just want to thank everybody, Ruslan, Freddie, and Vadim for helping promote the fight, which–it’s like–it doesn’t take a lot of promoting to promote this event because everybody knows it’s going to be a terrific event. I want to thank everybody for coming on board–thank you. Now I’d like to introduce my co-promoter and my partner in the show, and everybody knows who this is, one of the great fighters of our time who has turned out to be quite the promoter himself, good people. He has a nice staff. Like I said earlier, a lot of people say a lot of different things. It literally has been no misses to work with Oscar and his staff. It was very smooth and it’s been a joy and a pleasure, and like Eric Gomez and I say there will be future events that we’ll be working. Now I’d like to turn it over to Oscar De La Hoya. He’s the founder and president of Golden Boy and one of the great personalities in our sport. It’s my pleasure to work with him, Oscar?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Artie, sorry to interrupt. Ruslan is leaving. So, we’re good to go. He wanted to say a couple of things–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Oh, I’m sorry–I went too fast, excuse me. I’m sorry, Ruslan. Say something. I apologize.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I just want to say that I want to thank Artie Pelullo personally, Banner Promotions. I want to thank my whole team for making this happen. This is going to be a great fight. I want to thank HBO for making this happen. I’ve been loyal to them and they’ve been loyal to me and that’s very important to me and we’ve done great things together and there’s great things to come. So, I appreciate this and I want to say one thing to the fans. I promise this is going to be the fight you guys are all waiting for. And now from me, Artie, good luck with–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Sure–.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: –I want to give the word to Oscar De La Hoya and the rest of his team, and I bet for the next 30 minutes you guys are going to hear a lot of–Matthysse is going to knock Provodnikov out and all of that, but I just want to say that Provodnikov has never been on his knees. So, you know, they’re talking about knockouts a lot, but they should be expecting a knock out on their team. Good luck to you guys and I appreciate the promotions. Ruslan says all the best of health to Matthysse and his team–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thanks, Vadim–.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: –Thanks again–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Well, since I–I apologize, guys, I went a little bit too fast. So, Oscar, you’re up. I don’t have to say it again. Everybody knows what we think of you–Oscar De La Hoya–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you very much–we really appreciate it and Artie already mentioned this fight needs no promotion. We are just thrilled that the best network is going to be televising this event. These are the types of events that obviously belong on HBO Championship Boxing and we are just thrilled and excited to be part of it. I also want to take the opportunity to thank Corona Extra, also Mexico Live it to Believe it, and Corsair Vodka, which are the sponsors of the events. They have been doing a tremendous, tremendous job with all of the Marketing and the grassroots Marketing. So, come April 18th the whole world will know the best 140 pounders will be fighting on that night. It is my pleasure to introduce to you a fighter who hails from Argentina. We all know Argentinean fighters are strong fighters who are smart fighters who come to give the fight fans a spectacular show and when you’re going to see Lucas and Provodnikov in that same ring April 18th, we–you’re guaranteed fireworks. So, it is my pleasure to introduce to you a fighter with a record of 36 and 3 and 32 knockouts. They call him La Máquina, and that is Lucas Matthysse. [Foreign Language Spoken]–Lucas. [Foreign Language Spoken], Lucas.

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: I’ll translate for Lucas. He said, hi, good afternoon, everybody–I’m calling from my training camp in Junin and I’ve very excited for this fight and to be fighting once again in the United States.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Thank you, gracias, and we’ll now open it up for questions from the media–gracias.

Operator: As a reminder, if you would like to ask a question, you may do so by pressing star and then one on your telephone keypad. That’s star and the number one, and our first question comes from the line of Dan Rafael with ESPN. Your line is live.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Thank you very much–my question for Lucas–I asked Ruslan this in his portion of the call–you have a fight here where I think pretty much every boxing fan, media is anxiously waiting what they think would be the fight of the year. I would like to hear from Lucas about his thoughts about the really high expectations for this fight to be, you know, extremely, extremely exciting and entertaining.

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, I’m, you know, I’m just excited. I’m excited to be fighting a caliber of fighter like Ruslan. It’s two, you know, fighters at the top of their game fighting each other. I had many good, you know, replies on it, especially in Argentina. A lot of people are looking forward to the fight and I’m just excited to be fighting again at this level and fighting a guy like Ruslan.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Eric, could you ask Lucas, you know, in April last year he knocked out John Molina. It got voted as the Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers. Does he think that it has the chance of–to be another fight of the year? Is that something he ever thinks about? I know he’s probably happy that they got the Fight of the Year for last year. He could make it two in a row potentially.

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Well, I mean for last year’s fight I’ve got to give credit to John Molina because he came to fight and he allowed me to perform in a way that made it Fight of the Year. If Ruslan comes forward and is aggressive and does the same thing, then, yes, I’m going to seize that opportunity and try to take advantage of that and make it an exciting fight. I think personally it could be a great fight. But, you know, it takes two.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Exactly, thank you for that, Eric–one question for you, Oscar.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: I’m here.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Hey, Oscar, good to talk to you. I know for the last number of months you have preached very regularly about your desire to try to make the best fights you possibly can do as the leader of Golden Boy Promotions. I’d like to know from your point of view, is this sort of basically the kind of fight you had talked about when you said those words that this is the expectations that you have to make this caliber of a fight on a regular basis?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, these are exactly the fights that the fans want to see, whether there’s a title on the line or no title, or where it takes place. You know, these are the fights that the fans deserve and I’ve been an advocate of staging the best fights possible for the fans and come April 18th I don’t know for sure, but I have a good hunch that this fight might be the Fight of the Year.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, thank you for that, Oscar–appreciate it. Thank you very much, guys, look forward to this one.

Operator: All right, our next question comes from the line of Daniel [unintelligible] [00:35:22] Deportiva [sp]. Your line is live.

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Yeah, he asked me about this fight, why wasn’t it staged in Los Angeles or in Las Vegas? Why New York, and, you know, simple–the venues were not available and I–he asked me if, you know, this fight being such an exciting and anticipated fight, I mean how do I feel? This is what Golden Boy is all about and I’m just really happy to be working with Artie Pelullo and Eric was very instrumental in making this fight happen, and we feel very, very optimistic that I mean this fight is going be action packed from the first battle and I–and it might even be better than the Mayweather Pacquiao fight.

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Okay, so the question was, do you know–are you aware that, you know, Freddie Roach will not be working in the corner of Ruslan on the night of the fight. And Lucas said, “No, not really–I didn’t know.”

Mr. Daniel: Gracias.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Michael Woods with the Sweet Science. Your line is live.

Mr. Michael Woods: Hi, guys, thanks for taking the time. My question is for Ruslan. Ruslan, on the first portion of the call someone referenced you saying something along the lines of you believe you are going to knock Provodnikov out. But I didn’t see that. I’m not sure what outlet that was said to. Can you reiterate that? Can you talk about that and clarify it for me what was said there?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: No, he said they weren’t exactly those words, but he said how long. It’s a tough fight and he’s going to–he’s ready to fight. He’s ready for a tough fight, and if the opportunity presents itself so that the fight could end early, obviously I’m going to take advantage of it. But I’m ready to fight a tough fight and it’s going to be a tough fight.

Mr. Michael Woods: Thanks–this question is for Oscar. Oscar, you’ve repeatedly said you want the best fighting the best. That’s going to be the stamp that Golden Boy wishes to put on its fight. I am wondering, is there a certain class of athlete and human being who wants to accept the challenge of the best fighting the best, and are you going to maybe target those types of fighters and only sign those types of fighters to Golden Boy moving forward?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, that’s up to the fighter. I mean I can’t fight for the fighter. You know, they go up to the ring and they perform, but, you know, we at Golden Boy want to make the best match ups possible, you know, obviously keeping in mind that, you know, that the fans always come first and, you know, this fight here with Lucas and Provodnikov, I mean this is–everybody is writing about how this is going to be the Fight of the Year and we feel proud to be working with Artie Pelullo and making this happen.

Mr. Michael Woods: Yeah, and the fan buzz for this on Twitter is amazing I would say. Could you give us a hint maybe, a little bit of a tease about maybe some other types of fist fights that maybe you’re trying to make, or want to make for the rest of this year?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, this is–that’s calls for another conference call. So, we’re going to focus here on Lucas. So, we’ll have a call about that shortly, my man.

Mr. Michael Woods: All right, thanks–appreciate it, guys–be well.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Take care, Michael.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Disino Lois Jr. with Black Star News New York City. Your line is live.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–gracias–[Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Hey, Eric, can you translate that in English too? I speak a little Italian, but no Spanish.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Oh, you want me to say it in English too?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Yeah, I want to hear what’s–I told you, I speak a little Italian, but no Spanish–sorry, guys.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Well, I can do both if you want me to. I don’t know.

Mr. Eric Gomez: So, the question was, Lucas, do you see this as an opportunity of more doors opening at 140 so that you can be the top fighter at 140? Obviously there’s still Danny Garcia and Lamonte, but everybody knows they’re fighting at a catch-weight. Is this kind of like the changing of the guard and it’s going to open up the doors so you can be the top fighter at 140? Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken], Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, obviously, I mean obviously with this fight here, we’re the ones that are fighting at the weight class–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Right–.

Mr. Eric Gomez: –Whatever reason Danny and Lamonte, they’re not–they’re fighting outside of the weight class. Yes, this is the fight that’s going to open up opportunities for the winner. It’s the fight that’s going to open up bigger and better things, and that’s what I’m looking forward to. That’s what motivates me.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Are you preparing for this question–are you preparing for this fight which obviously promises to be a fight in a phone booth? Are you preparing so you’re not hit and not dropped like you have, like you did get dropped with Danny and your last fight with Molina, Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Well, it’s all in the preparation. It’s all in the preparation and I’ve had–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Eric Gomez: –And I’ve had a very, very good preparation and obviously we’ve worked on things so that that won’t happen during the fight, but it’s all in the preparation and I’ve had one of the best preparations for this fight.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you–gracias, Lucas–my last question will be to Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar–I’ll do it in English. Is this your dream come true, Oscar, that all of the fights that you wanted to put together are little by little coming true, and at the same time you are spreading the wealth because you are going up to Verona, New York. A lot of people have told me, where the heck is Verona, New York, but it is a fight town. So, are you doing this to spread the wealth of boxing and to make it more palatable for those who cannot come into the Las Vegas and the California’s and whatever?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, it, I’m happy to be part of a year where boxing will be shown and on the main stage. You know, we feel that boxing in 2015 is going to transcend–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –And boxing is just–it’s just getting started. I mean with the Mayweather Pacquiao fight happening–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –With Canelo fighting and this fight here, I mean this is what the fans want to see and we’re just excited to be part of it. And, you know, to take it down to Verona, you know, the ticket sales are just a great indication of–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –You know, that Verona is a fight town and–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Exactly–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –Yeah, the arenas weren’t available in Los Angeles or Las Vegas. So, you know, we didn’t take a risk of taking it to Verona. I mean we obviously already–Pelullo knew first hand what type of fans there are in Verona, New York. So, you know, obviously he wasn’t wrong. I mean this is almost a sell out event so we’re excited to be part of it.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–God bless all of you and [Foreign Language Spoken]. Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Gracias.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the lines of Chris Gunzz with15rounds.com. Your line is live.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Lucas, I know that–it was my opinion that it was Fight of the Year last year, you versus John Molina. And you know how hard John Molina hits. You faced him. When you were sent film of Ruslan, you know that he carries a punch. How do you assess through film when you compare what you might feel from him, that what you already felt from John Molina? Who do you think has bigger one-punch power?

Mr. Eric Gomez: Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken]. Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, yes, okay–yeah, yeah, you know, obviously it’s hard to compare because, you know, I haven’t fought against Ruslan. But they’re different styles. They’re different styles. Molina was a little sneaky. Ruslan is a very, very different style. Obviously the object of it is not to get hit, you know, in this fight but I’m preparing. I’ll be ready for it.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: And, as a guy who faced that kind of power and had to get up, cross the canvas, and you pulled out a victory in that great fight, do you ever have any questions that if Ruslan does prove to carry bigger power, will you be able to get up? Do you ever question that?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: I’m not going to get dropped with Ruslan. So, you don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going to get dropped. But when Molina dropped me, you know, if the punch was a little bit behind my head. I’m not making excuses, but I’m not going to get dropped. I’m not going to get dropped with Ruslan and that’s not what I’m thinking about.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: He’s pretty tough, and one question for Cuty Barrera, Lucas did show and he has shown that he can jab and he can move a little bit. He does have a little bit more to his game than Ruslan does. Is it a game plan to show movement because Ruslan does admit that he has problems with movers? Is it a plan to try to move a little bit?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Cuty Barrera: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: He’s talking in robot I think. I don’t know what he’s saying. [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Does Lucas want to answer that? Is he trying to involve a little bit more movement to the fight?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Cuty Barrera: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Artie Pelullo: I don’t now what’s going on.

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yeah, he said, you know what? I think I understood him saying they’re working on the jab. He’s working on the jab a little bit, but he doesn’t want to give up too much information.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Maybe he’s coming as a robot. He’s going to be had to beat if he does. And one quick question for Oscar. Oscar, when you finished laughing out loud, what did you end up saying through text or phone call to Gary Russell on Saturday night? I’m just playing. I’m just playing. I don’t want you to answer that. I know you’re a lot more professional. I just want to commend you on the great fights that you’re putting on and the great job you’re doing at Golden Boy. I do appreciate the great job you guys are doing–thank you–thank you, everyone.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Are we done, Marc?

Operator: We have no further questions, thank you, at this time.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, so, I guess, Oscar, I want to thank you. Eric, Lucas Matthysse, Ruslan, and all of the reporters on board. See everybody–Oscar, I’d like you–I’ll let you finish up with the last word. I want to see everybody at the fight and I appreciate everything that is happening with this great event–thank you.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you–thank you very much, and, yeah, there’s really not much to say. We’ll see you April 18th. I mean sure fireworks. We are all excited and we’re just–it’s just a pleasure to be working with Artie Pelullo and his staff and everybody involved. So, watch it live on HBO Championship Boxing. There’s a few tickets left. So, it’s sure going to be a sell out and crowd there in New York. So, we’re excited and so we’ll see you soon–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Oscar, if you’re around tomorrow, Wednesday, I’ll be in LA. Lunch is on me at In-N-Out Burger. Very important on the east coast–we don’t have them here.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: I’m actually in–I’ll be in New York, but I’ll take you up on that at another date–thank you, Artie.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: You got it. Have a good day, guys–thank you very much–anything else, Marc?

Mr. Marc Abrams: No.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: All right, thank you–bye bye–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –Bye–.

 

FACTS:      Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association withArano Boxing and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live It To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

TICKETS:   The April 18 showdown between former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov proved to be a smashing success as all ringside seats have sold-out. Limited seats are still available , $35 and $25 and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy FacebookPage, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram@GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

Unprecedented Demand for Matthysse vs. Provodnikov’s HBO Boxing After Dark® Event Results in Turning Stone Resort Casino Releasing Final Block of Tickets

The April 18 “fight of the year” candidate at New York’s premier boxing venue is near complete sellout with the final tickets being released today

 

Oneida Nation Homelands (March 27, 2015) – When the Saturday, April 18 fight between Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov at Turning Stone Resort Casino was announced, the boxing world erupted – and ticket sales mimicked the enthusiasm.  Due to the unprecedented demand to see this sure-fire “Fight of the Year” candidate, ringside seats sold out in only 15 minutes – and the entire event is now near sellout with Turning Stone releasing the last group of tickets.  Limited $35 and $25 seats are still available for this epic fight.

 

Former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov, two of boxing’s hardest punchers, will take the stage on April 18at Turning Stone Resort in a 12-round junior welterweight showdown which will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark®.  The clash of these two fearsome fighters will generate what is sure to be an all-action battle to remember.

 

The host of this legendary event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino, continues to be nationally recognized as a leading venue for blockbuster boxing matches.  In fact, boxing legend Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone Resort as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone, and many boxing hall-of-famers have promoted fight cards or fought at the resort in recent years, and now Turning Stone has landed a “Fight of the Year” contender over arenas in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami.  The April 18 fight will mark Turning Stone’s 15th televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout nationally-televised fights.

 

A truly stunning 3,400 acre destination resort, Turning Stone Resort also offers four award-winning hotels, an eclectic mix of more than 20 fine- and casual-dining restaurants, world-class amenities, including two luxury spas, five professional-level golf courses, an indoor tennis and golf dome, vast entertainment options, multiple nightlife venues and a 120,000 square foot Vegas-style gaming floor.  Turning Stone Resort recently received several prestigious awards, including three AAA Four Diamond awards, accolades granted to less than four percent of AAA’s approved properties, distinguishing Turning Stone as the only resort in the entire Northeast with three Four Diamond venues at one property.

 

Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented byBanner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico, Live it To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. Doors are currently scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the HBO Boxing After Dark®  telecast will being at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Limited seats are still available by calling the Turning Stone Resort Box Office at 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster. 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing,@BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions,www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW FOR MATTHYSSE – PROVODNIKOV AT 10 AM ET

 

Philadelphia  (Feb. 25) – Tickets will go on sale tomorrow for the  sure-fire ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate between former world Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov.
The fight will take place on Saturday, April 18 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions will promote the the bout which will bew be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for the April 18th HBO Boxing After Dark event at Turning Stone Resort go on sale on Thursday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m. ET.  Ticket prices are $75 for ringside seats, $50, $35, and $25 plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

 

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 8:00 p.m. and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The April 18th fight will mark Turning Stone Resort’s 15th nationally-televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Boxing legends Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have promoted televised fight cards at the resort within the last year.  Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, an eclectic mix of restaurants, luxury spas and numerous nightlife options.

 

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy FacebookPage, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram@GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

SURE-FIRE ‘FIGHT OF THE YEAR’ CANDIDATE COMES EARLY IN 2015

 LUCAS MATTHYSSE VS. RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV SET FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 18 AT TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO

LIVE ON HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®

 

Philadelphia  (Feb. 24) – A sure-fire ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate will come early as former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov,  two of boxing’s hardest punchers, take the stage in a 12-round jr. welterweight showdown on Saturday, April 18 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions announced today the clash of these two fearsome fighters will generate what is surely to be an all-action fight to remember and a treat all fight fans are excited for. The bout with be televised live on HBO Boxing After Darkbeginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

“I’m glad that this fight is finally done,” said Ruslan Provodnikov. “This is the fight I have been waiting for a long time. I think that this fight will be nominated for either ‘Fight of the Year’ or ‘Knockout of the Year’.”

 

“I only want the biggest fights against the best fighters and this fight between Provodnikov and I, will surely be ‘Fight of the Year’,” said Lucas Matthysse.  “Provodnikov is a warrior that never stops throwing punches and his style suits me very well.  I’m confident that I will win, and since Danny Garcia doesn’t want to fight me again, this fight will prove that I am one of the best fighters in the world.”

 

“One-punch knockout power. Lightning-fast action. A likely world title shot to the winner – this bout has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “This is a fight that fans have been clamoring for since these warriors were last in action, and Golden Boy Promotions is proud to deliver it to the fans worldwide.”

 

“I’m very excited about the fight between Ruslan Provodnikov and Lucas Matthysse,” said Arthur Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions. “This has the making of Corrales – Castillo I all over again. This is the most fan-friendly and television-friendly fight in a long time.  Both Ruslan and Lucas are real warriors, and it’s a fight that both fighters wanted so it was very easy to make.  Working with Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez has been a pleasure.

 

“A dream match comes together when two men fight who are seemingly each other’s worst nightmare, and that’s a litmus test this fight passes,” said Peter Nelson, HBO Sports vice president of programming. “On April 18, HBO Boxing After Dark will present Argentine Lucas Matthysse against Russian Ruslan Provodnikov in a fight promising to be so highly combustible that just the lights turning on should set the ring ablaze.”

 

“The Provodnikov Matthysse matchup is destined to be one of the must-see fights of the year and we’re looking forward to hosting another exciting night of boxing at Turning Stone,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO. “In less than two years, we’ve hosted 15 nationally televised fights, distinguishing our resort as premier destination for world-class boxing.”

“Ruslan is going to put up the great fight we want for Matthysse and will show that he is the best fighter in the division,” said Mario Arano, manager of Matthysse. “Provodnikov is an uncompromising fighter, that comes to fight and his style will suit Lucas. We would like to thank Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for making this fight possible. Fans will be excited to watch this fight and will not be disappointed.”

 

“I want to say thank you to Banner Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions on making this fight possible,” said Vadim Kornilov, manager of Provodnikov. “I wish there were more promoters in the sport that are prepared to have their fighters take a risk and make the best fights for the sport. Usually the fights that everybody wants to see don’t happen due to reasons beyond the understanding of the fans, and it should not be that way.”

 

Considered by most to be boxing’s pound-for-pound hardest puncher, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina’s Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (36-3, 34 KOs) has the numbers and high-profile victims to prove it. Having cut through the super lightweight division with his iron fists for years and an owner of 13 knockouts in his last 13 wins, the 32-year-old has taken out several of the sport’s big names. Humberto “Zorrita” Soto, Lamont Peterson, DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Danny “Swift” Garcia and John Molina Jr., have all suffered loses to Matthysse, while earning him the interim WBC World title at 140 pounds in the process. Now looking to reign over a new division at 147 pounds, “La Maquina” has picked the toughest available foe to test him in Russian powerhouse Provodnikov.

 

Dubbed the “Siberian Rocky” for his aggressive attack and unyielding will to win, Beryozovo, Russia native Ruslan Provodnikov (24-3, 17 KOs) has earned himself fight fans around the globe for his humble nature outside the ring and ferocious intensity inside the ropes. An eight-year professional, Provodnikov followed up a stellar amateur career with an even more impressive campaign in the professional game.  He has had notable wins over several top foes including a ‘Fight of the Year’ bout with Timothy Bradley in 2013 and a 10th round stoppage over Mike Alvarado in 2013 that yielded him the WBO Super Lightweight World title. In his last bout in November, Provodnikov won a fifth round stoppage over former World Champion Jose Luis Castillo, now on April 18 he continues his quest for a welterweight title against Matthysse.

 

Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round jr. welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Box Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico, Live it To Believe It!.

 

Host of the event, the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for blockbuster boxing matches. The April 18th fight will mark Turning Stone Resort’s 15th nationally-televised boxing event in less than two years, cementing the resort as a mecca for knockout televised fights. Boxing legends Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have promoted televised fight cards at the resort within the last year.  Located in Upstate New York, the four-season destination resort offers world-class entertainment and gaming, award-winning accommodations, an eclectic mix of restaurants, luxury spas and numerous nightlife options.

 

Tickets for the April 18th HBO Boxing After Dark event at Turning Stone Resort go on sale on Thursday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m. ET.  Ticket prices are $75 for ringside seats, $50, $35 and $25 plus applicable fees and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

 

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 8:00 p.m. and the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 orkelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

 

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.comwww.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy FacebookPage, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing orwww.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort  and visit us on Instagram@GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.