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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS SERIES SEPT. 11 IN TORONTO

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

 

2012 U.S. OLYMPIAN ERROL SPENCE TAKES ON CHRIS VAN HEERDEN IN SPIKE TV CO-FEATURE

 

STEVENSON vs. KARPENCY HEADLINES IN

WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLEFIGHT

 

PRESENTED BY GYM, GLB, LENNOX LEWIS AND MLSE

TORONTO (August 7, 2015) — Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), in association with Global Legacy Boxing (GLB) and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), officially announced today that 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol “The Truth” Spence will take on South African welterweight Chris “The Heat” Van Heerden in the 10-round televised co-feature, airing September 11 live on Spike TV in the United States, as well as Indigo and Bell TV in Canada, from Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto.

The Sept. 11 event, part of the prestigious Premier Boxing Champions series, WILL BE headlined by the world light heavyweight title fight between defending champion Adonis “Superman” Stevensonand challenger Tommy “Kryptonite” Karpency.

Stevenson (26-1-0, 21 KOs), fighting out of Montreal, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC),The Ring magazine and lineal light heavyweight (175 pounds) world championship belts for the sixth time, against world-rated challenger Tommy “Kryptonite” Karpency (25-4-1, 14 KOs), the American southpaw from Adah, Pennsylvania, who is coming off a major upset this past October 4, 2014, when he defeated former light heavyweight lineal champion Chad Dawson by way of a split decision.

The 25-year-old Spence (17-0, 14 KOs), fighting out of Desota, Texas, was a highly decorated U.S. amateur boxer. The dangerous southpaw is a rising star who is being billed as the future of the welterweight division after Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. retires. In his last fight, Spence stopped veteran Phil LoGreco in the third round.

Van Heerden (23-1-1, 12 KOs), 28, is also a southpaw. During his outstanding career, he has registered victories against the likes of Sebastian Lujan, Cosme Rivera, Matthew Hatton, Ray Narh, Cecil McCalla and Ramon Avila.

“We are very happy to have Spence versus Van Heerden as the televised co-feature on our September 11th event in Toronto,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. “They are two of the most talented welterweights in the world. This match-up has all of the makings of an exciting, explosive, fan-friendly fight. We’re thrilled that boxing fans in the U.S. and Canada will be able to watch this fight, as well as ‘Superman’ Stevenson against Karpency, on national television.”

Also part of this promotion is former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, Lennox Lewis,conqueror of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Vitali Klitschko among the more notables during his distinguished boxing career.

A total of eight bouts will be scheduled during the event, showcasing young talents from Ontario and Quebec.

Tickets went on sale and are available to purchase at www.ticketmaster.com at GYM (514) 383-0666, GLB (416) 678-6957 or Ricoh Coliseum (416) 263-3900. Ticket prices start at 40 $. Tables are also available by contacting GLB.

 PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS SERIES LANDS IN TORONTO

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

STEVENSON vs. KARPENCY

WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

PRESENTED BY GYM, GLB, LENNOX LEWIS AND MLSE

TORONTO (August 5, 2015) —    Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), in association with Global Legacy Boxing (GLB) and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), is proud to officially announce the next world title defense of feared puncher, Adonis “Superman” Stevenson, September 11, at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. The event is part of the prestigious Premier Boxing Champions series, airing live on Spike TV in the United States, on Indigo and Bell TV in Canada.

Stevenson (26-1-0, 21 KOs),ofMontreal, one of the most powerful pound-for- pound punchers in the world, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC), The Ring magazine and lineal light heavyweight (175 pounds) world championship belts for the sixth time, against WBC #9 contender Tommy “Kryptonite” Karpency (25-4-1, 14 KOs), the skilled American southpaw fighting out of Adah, Pennsylvania. It was Stevenson’s wish to defend his titles in Toronto:

“I’m excited to announce my next fight on September 11 in Toronto against Tommy Karpency. I’m ready to put the hurt on. I work hard and stay focused”, said the champion.

 

The 29-year-old Karpency pulled off a major upset October 4, 2014 at the Foxwoods Resort of Mashantucket, Connecticut, defeating former light heavyweight lineal champion Chad Dawson by way of a split decision. Karpency, who has won his last four fights, is also the current Pennsylvania and NABA-USA light heavyweight champion. He is particularly excited to get this world championship opportunity.

I beat the same guy Stevenson beat to become world champion. I beat him [Dawson] just over a year after Stevenson beat him. After that win, I said that the sky was the limit and that I wanted the best in the world. The win [over Dawson] proved that I belong amongst the elite at light heavyweight. Now it is my job to win this fight“, explained Karpency.

“GYM is trilled to bring this world championship fight and the ‘Premier Boxing Champions’ series to Toronto for the first time,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. “We have been contemplating this project for a long time. This has been possible because we found great partners with Les Woods and Lennox Lewis, from GLB, and Wayne Zronick, from MLSE. We have the conviction to bring a major boxing event that this prodigious sport city deserves. Even more, we also believe we have found the required partners to guarantee the success of the project and to do it again on a regular bases.”

It is an immense privilege to be working alongside MLSE and GYM,” GLB president Les Woods added. “Global Legacy’s mandate of reviving world-class professional boxing in the wonderful city of Toronto has become a reality. “To continue the legacy my grandfather created and reignite a passion for ‘the sweet science’ across the city is a vision and accomplishment I hope will continue to leave a lasting imprint now as well as on all futuregenerations of boxing fans.”

Also part of this promotion is former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, Lennox Lewis. While not fighting anymore, he stills as the passion for his sport. Lewis defeated Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Vitali Klitschko among the more notables during his illustrious boxing career.

“It’s wonderful to be a part of GLB, working in conjunction with GYM and MLSE, to revive boxing in Toronto and across Canada to the highest level,” Lewis remarked. “As the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, I am proud to be building a nationwide platform where boxers, such as world light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, can showcase their talents at home and receive the support they deserve.”

In the co-feature, current Canadian heavyweight champion Dillon “Big Country” Carman (8-2, 7 KOs), of Mississauga, Ontario, will face former Lewis and Tyson opponent, Jamaican-born Donovan “Razor” Ruddock (40-5-1, 30 KOs). A total of eight bouts will be scheduled during the event, showcasing young talents from Ontario and Quebec.

Boxing in Toronto and Ontario

Toronto was a boxing hot spot as early as 1880.

Jake Kilrain, George Dixon, Joe Gans, Kid McCoy, Harry Greb, Sam Langford,Benny Leonard, Mickey Walker, Kid Chocolate, Max Baer, Primo Carnera,Joey Giambra, Archie Moore, Floyd Patterson, Bob Foster, Muhammad Ali, and Larry Holmes all waged epic battles in Toronto during their boxing careers.

Other standouts who also fought in Toronto include Jimmy Wilde, Jimmy Welsh,Young Stribling, Rocky Kansas, “Panama” Al Brown, Sandy Saddler, Battling Levinsky, Sammy Angott, Tommy Loughran, Maxie Rosenbloom, Jose Napoles, Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Ellis, Nino Benvenuti, and Aaron Pryor.

Canadian legend George Chuvalo fought for the heavyweight world title March 29, 1966 at the Maple Leaf Gardens against defending champion and boxing iconMuhammad Ali, in probably the most famous bout ever held in the city. The always tough Chuvalo lasted 15 rounds with the man known as “The Greatest”.

Toronto native Nick Furlano also boxed and lasted 15 rounds against ferocious World Boxing Association (WBA) world super lightweight champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame member, Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor, June 22, 1984, at the Varsity Stadium of the University of Toronto.

Since then, Sarnia’s son Steve Molitor was the International Boxing Federation world super bantamweight (122 pounds) champion, from 2006 to 2011. He fought in seven world title fights in Ontario, all at the Rama Casino.

More recently, November 15, 2014 at the Hershey Center in Mississauga, Brampton’s own Denton Daley challenged WBA interim world cruiserweight champion Youri Kalenga, a nativeof the Democratic Republic of the Congo, losing in the 12th and final round.

Tickets go on sale starting Friday, August 7 at 10:00 a.m., on www.ticketmaster.ca, at GYM (514) 383-0666, GLB (416) 678-6957 or Ricoh Coliseum (416) 263-3900. Ticket prices start at 40 $. Tables are also available by contacting GLB.

PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR MMA: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FINALIZED WITH THE ADDITION OF FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 3, 2015) – August 28th’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” is now complete with the addition of four new bouts which will take place during the preliminary card at the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

In a critical lightweight matchup, Brent Primus (5-0) will put his undefeated record on the line against the dangerous Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-1, 1 NC). Also on the card, middleweights AJ “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) versus Emiliano “He-Man” Sordi (13-4), as well as light heavyweights Ray Sloan (8-0), who goes to battle with Luc Bondole (4-1), and the young featherweight A.J. McKee (1-0) returns to face James Barnes (4-0). Finally, a third women’s bout has also been added, with the inclusion of Ilima Macfalane (1-0) against Maria Rios (2-2) in flyweight action.

The newly announced contests will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET during the preliminary portion of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Limited tickets for the event, which start at just $50, remain on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action that pits Saad Awad (18-6) against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

San Diego’s Anderson will look to parlay his impressive technical knockout of Danny Navarro at Bellator 132 when he steps into the Bellator MMA cage for the second time in 2015. A product of Team Xplode MMA, the man fans describe as “The Barbaric” will be seeking his 12th finish in 14 tries.

 

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Primus has been on a tear, ripping through all three opponents with first-round finishes. Now, the 30-year-old Portland, Ore., native will face the stiffest test of his young career when he goes up against Anderson. Will he manage to keep his undefeated, first-round finish streak alive?

 

Known by most mixed martial arts fans as one of top up-and-coming 185-pound fighters on the Bellator MMA roster, Matthews emphatically solidified his contender role in the division with his show-stopping knockout of Kyle Bolt at Bellator 131 this past November. Known as “The Mercenary,” the Blackline MMA product and Strikeforce veteran will look to continue his rise to the top of the middleweight heap when he returns to action on Aug. 28.

 

Standing opposite of Matthews will be Sordi, who burst on the Bellator MMA scene with a 58-second submission of former UFC fighter Bubba McDaniel. The 24-year-old Argentinian has not tasted defeat since 2012 and has earned all 13 of his professional victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Undefeated in eight fights, Sloan has entered Bellator MMA impressively, winning his first two tilts. The Oceanside, Calif., native trains out of Excel Jiu-Jitsu and has utilized the discipline to defeat seven out of eight opponents via submission.

 

Bondole is a highly regarded prospect, fighting out of Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, Calif., whos last outing resulted in a draw against Chris Hererra. Now, he will look to secure a win over Sloan on his own terms, and not let the judges have a say.

 

The son of respected MMA fighter Antonio McKee, “The Mercenary” will look to continue to pave his own way through the sport.  A.J. shined in his first outing, securing a first round rear-naked choke over Marcos Bonilla. He now faces a fellow Angelino in Barnes, who has been tearing up the Gladiator Challenge circuit, going 4-0 with two KO’s and two submissions, all taking place in the first round.

 

Best known for her viral performance in her professional MMA debut, Macfarlane will now make her first appearance for Bellator MMA when she faces Maria Rios.

“Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” – Friday, August 28, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Melvin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) vs. Brandon Girtz (11-4)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Patricky Pitbull (13-6) vs. Saad Awad (18-6)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Justin Wren (10-2) vs. Josh Burns (8-8)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Raphael Butler (9-1-1) vs. Lorenzo Hood (9-2)

Bellator Women’s Flyweight Prelim: Ilima Macfarlane (1-0) vs. Maria Rios (2-2)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim: A.J. McKee (1-0) vs. James Barnes (4-0)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Adrienna Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim: Ray Sloan (8-0) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Johnny Cisneros (8-4) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (9-7)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Curtis Millender (7-2) vs. Steven Ciaccio (4-3)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Marloes Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (6-4)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim: Brent Primus (5-0) vs. Derek Anderson (12-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim: AJ Matthews (7-3) vs. Emiliano Sordi (13-4)

 

FOUR PRELIMINARY BOUTS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The preliminary portion of the “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” card is beginning to take shape with the addition of four fresh bouts which will stream live on Spike.com from the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

At the forefront of the newly signed fights is a pair of women’s featherweight scraps with Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe(6-4) and Adrienna “AJ” Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2), as well as welterweight action with Curtis Millender (7-2) facing Steven “Stryker” Ciacco(4-3) and Johnny “The Tattooed Terror” Cisneros (8-4) battling Gabriel “Biel” Miglioli (9-7).

The contests will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET during the preliminary card of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, airing live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Bellator.com, Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes on Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

Coenen will be returning to the Bellator MMA cage on the heels of third round rear-naked choke finish of Annalisa Bucci at Bellator 130. “Rumina” has been competing professionally since the year 2000 in promotions the likes of Strikeforce, Smackgirl, and Invicta Fighting Championships, winning a title under Bellator President Scott Coker in the process. The Dutch competitor wants nothing more than to eventually add a Bellator belt to her mantel in the near future.

 

Standing in the way will be former World Boxing Federation titlist Arlene Blencowe, who is also riding high after an impressive stoppage of “AJ” Jenkins at Bellator 137. Popularly known as “Angerfist,” the 32-year-old Australian has not suffered defeat since 2013 and has avoided the judges’ scorecards in four of her six professional victories. This tilt has 145-pound title implications written all over it.

 

In the second women’s featherweight matchup on the card, the aforementioned “A.J.” Jenkins will attempt to get back in the win column when she faces a surging Lissette Neri, who has started off her 2015 with an undefeated record.

 

After prominent roles on the main card of both Bellator 134 and Bellator 137, Millender will look to get back to his winning ways when he faces Jackson on August 28. “Curtious” hails from San Bernardino, Calif., and has an unquestionable amount of talent and size at his disposal and will play the role of spoiler when his “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” opponent makes his debut.

 

With the nickname “Stryker,” it goes without saying that Steven Ciaccio has an affinity for helping his opponents find the canvas. The Irvine, Calif., native has slept his foe in three out of four wins and will be taking a significant step up in competition when he makes his Bellator MMA debut on Aug. 28.

 

The fourth preliminary bout will take place in the welterweight division, when Johnny Cisneros meets Gabriel Miglioli. “The Tattooed Terror” will be competing for the third time under the Bellator MMA umbrella and will likely have plenty of hometown support from his fellow citizens in Laguna Nigel, Calif. Hailing from Brazil, Miglioli has competed against the likes of Al Iaquinta and Rafael dos Anjos. “Biel” will be fighting for the second time in 2015.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS PHILADELPHIA MEDIA WORKOUT   DANNY GARCIA & STEVE CUNNINGHAM QUOTES & PHOTOS


 

Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella

  

 (From left to right) Angel Garcia, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham and Naazim Richardson pose together at the DSG Boxing Club in Philadelphia on Wednesday, July 22. Photo Credit: Ed Diller


PHILADELPHIA (July 22, 2015) – Two of Philadelphia’s top fighters held a media workout Tuesday as Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs)and Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) prepared for their respective Premier Boxing Champions headlining events in August.

 

Garcia, who was joined by his father and trainer Angel, will be looking for his record fifth main event victory at Barclays Center on Saturday, August 1 when he takes on former world champion, Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight battle on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET/6 :00 p.m. PT.

 

Cunningham, a two-time world champion trained by Naazim Richardson, is set for a 12-round heavyweight showdown with former light heavyweight world champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike taking place Friday, August 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT from Prudential Center in Newark.

 

Tickets for the August 1 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available atwww.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

 

Tickets for the August 14 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are $150, $100, $70 and $45, not including applicable service charges and facility fee and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased at Prudential Center’s box office.

 

Here is what the fighters and their trainers had to say Wednesday:

 

DANNY GARCIA

 

“There’s no reason to go back in my career. The sky is the limit. It’s 147 for me now. I definitely feel a lot stronger.

 

“I’m able to work on things now later in camp. Before I would just be coming in to lose weight. Now I’ve had great nutrition throughout camp. My legs are there and I’m faster. It’s all going to fall into place on August 1.

 

“I’m not really concerned about Paulie, at this point in my career if I’m 110% percent ready, I feel like I can adapt to anything and find a way to win.

 

“I couldn’t cut the ring off the way I wanted to at 140. Now I have more agility and I can really corner people, use the jab and control the fight.

 

“My weight is great. I’ve been really disciplined with what I eat. I’m staying sharp and building muscle. I believe I could have been a welterweight two years ago.

 

“He’s from Brooklyn, I’m from Philly. The fight makes perfect sense. All the Italian fans, the Puerto Rican fans will be coming in to see a great fight. He’s a former 147-pound champion, it’s going to be a great fight.

 

“There’s no pressure on me. I just want to go in there and be Danny Garcia, a smart Danny Garcia.

 

“I feel like my style matches up great with anybody at 147. I’m ready for Paulie Malignaggi. I know he’s coming into his hometown. It’s a big fight for him so I just have to be completely ready.

 

“I moved up to 147 to fight the best fighters. Whatever the best fights are, that’s what I want.

 

STEVE CUNNINGHAM

 

“When we were offered this fight, we took it right away. Not that I think It’s going to be easy, because no fight is easy until you go in there and make it look easy.

 

“I’m going to do what I do. I put in the work in the gym and then I do work in the ring. The fans are going to enjoy what they see and we’re going to come out victorious.

 

“All I know is my situation. My back is against the wall. I want to be the heavyweight world champion and I want to be great in the sport. Fighting guys like this and beating them is what makes me great. Even as a two-time champion, my back has always been against the wall.

 

“There’s so much talent in Philadelphia, there has been for generations. You come to the city and see the stars. Philly is a rough city, it’s a tough hardcore city and you need to be cut from a special cloth to come out of the city and be successful.

 

“People came together for a cause to try and help my family. The boxing community got us to Pittsburgh in time for my daughter Kennedy to get her heart transplant. Indebted doesn’t event match how we feel, I owe the boxing community everything and I wish I could pay them back double. What I can do is continue to stay in shape and prepare right and give everyone the fights that they want to see.

[On his 9-year-old daughter Kennedy’s heart transplant which took place seven months ago in Pittsburgh]

 

“We’re going to take everything we’ve done in past camps and fine-tune it for this fight. Naazim has the plan and we’re going to execute it. It’s not just going to be outworking him, I’m a veteran too. I’ve been in the lion’s den and won.

 

“I don’t underestimate anybody. I just prepare and we’re prepared for the best Antonio Tarver we’ve ever seen.”

 

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny Garcia’s Father & Trainer

 

“Danny’s going to be ready on August 1 to show the world that he’s ready. The power is there. He’s coming like a lion in the night. He’s going to eat everybody up at 147.

 

“At the end of the day, you gotta fight. He’s not going to win running around. We’re coming to smash you.”

 

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Cunningham’s Trainer

 

“With Steve you have to gauge the camp differently. He comes into camp in such good shape; he lives it because he’s in this shape year round.

 

“He’s in such good shape, he throws your timing off. There are things that you want to do, but you don’t have to because he’s there. He’s already looking very good in camp.”

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.com,www.PruCenter.com, www.dbe1.comand www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @AntonioTarver, @USSCunningham,  @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCente,@PruCenter, @SpikeTV and @SpikeSport and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi,www.facebook.com/barclayscenter,www.facebook.com/ESPN ,www.Facebook.com/PruCenterand www.Facebook.com/Spike.

Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN and #BrooklynBoxing.

LORENZO HOOD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST RAPHAEL BUTLER DURING MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO

Easy Tweet: Heavyweights with KOs for days! @RealThaSilencer takes on @hood_zo at #Bellator141

August 28, at @PechangaCasino and only on @spike

 B141_IG_butler_v_hood

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The highly anticipated promotional debut of Lorenzo “The Samoan Silverback” Hood (9-2) will come on the main card of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” against Raphael “The Silencer” Butler (9-1-1) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

 

The contest will serve as the opening main card bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, with preliminary bouts streaming on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).

 

One of the most sought-after heavyweight prospects in MMA, the 6-foot-3 Hood has been competing professionally since 2009 and has never allowed a fight to go past the first round. Of his nine career victories, each and every one has come by knockout. Hood has fought throughout the U.S. while competing on the regional circuit, earning himself the distinction of being one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport.

 

“The Silencer” started his combat sports career as a professional boxer, where he racked up 28 knockouts in his 35 total victories, and still trains with high caliber strikers including Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder. Butler now makes his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, his first since finishing Josh Diekmann at “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” this past February. Much like Hood, the Minnesota native has never allowed a match-up to reach the judges’ scorecards, accruing six knockouts and three submissions along the way.

With all the hype surrounding the debut of Hood, Butler will look to play the role of spoiler when he enters the Bellator MMA cage for second time in 2015.

LIGHTWEIGHT TILT PITTING SAAD AWAD AGAINST PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE TO SERVE AS CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 16, 2015) – Additional lightweight action will anchor the top of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz” on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., with the addition of Saad Awad (18-6) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).

 

The contest serves as the co-headlining bout of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, go on sale this Friday at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will make his highly anticipated Bellator MMA debut against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

The lone man to defeat Bellator Lightweight Champion Will Brooks, Awad has amassed a 6-3 record since first lacing up the gloves for the promotion in 2009. With 14 of his 18 professional victories coming by way of finish, “Assassin” has generated a large Southern California fan base with his exciting fighting style.

Fighting out of Millenia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, CA., Awad continues to work his way back towards a trilogy bout against “Ill Will” Brooks. The 32-year-old impressively defeated Rob Sinclair at Bellator 136 before suffering a leg injury that has since kept him out of action.

Awad now faces the elder brother of Bellator Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Patricky, who has competed for Bellator MMA since 2011, amassing six victories along the way. It’s rare that “Pitbull’s” scraps reach the judges’ scorecards, with 10 of his 13 wins coming by way of finish.

Much like his Bellator 141 opponent, Freire has also been inactive as of late due to injury. As his social media exploits indicate, “Pitbull” has also set his sights on the lightweight belt and his matchup with Awad is the first step towards achieving his goal.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS SERIES HEATS UP SUMMER

 

 

 

Multi-Network Lineup of Elite Fighter Matchups Provides #FreeBoxing4All

 

 

Las Vegas, July 10, 2015Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series has released the summer schedule, showcasing the world’s best boxing matchups, as elite fighters collide on the sport’s newest stage. In the coming months, the PBC Series will air on ESPN (July 11th, Aug 1st and 29th), NBC (Sep 12th and Sep 26th), CBS (July 18th and Sep 6th), NBCSN  (July 25th and August 15th), Spike (Aug 14th and Sep 11th) and Bounce TV (August 2nd).

 

The PBC series, launched on March 7, 2015, has:

  • Brought quality fights to more than 22 million viewers on free TV, including the PBC debut matchup between Robert Guerrero and Keith Thurman (which boxing pundits have called one of the best fights of 2015)
  • Teamed up with NBC, CBS, ESPN, SPIKE, Bounce TV, and more to come…. Taking boxing back to the fans!
  • Rallied fan support for PBC’s mission through the promotion of #FreeBoxing4All in social media channels – reaching more than four million fans and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of boxing enthusiasts to share messages about the importance of accessible, quality fights

Please visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and follow Premier Boxing Champions onFacebook and Twitter.  Follow #FreeBoxing4All to monitor fan conversation.

 

For additional information, please contact Mike Donahue:  Michael@haymonboxing.com

#FreeBoxing4All

ERISLANDY LARA WINS UNANIMOUS DECISION AGAINST DELVIN RODRIGUEZ

 

ARTUR BETERBIEV SCORES SEVENTH ROUND

KNOCKOUT OVER ALEXANDER JOHNSON

 

Click HERE For Photos From Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

 

CHICAGO (June 13, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike returned to Chicago’s UIC Pavilion on Friday night with another installment of spectacular fights. The opening televised bout saw Artur Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs) manage a seventh round knockout against Alexander Johnson (16-3, 7 KOs). The second televised bout featured Erislandy Lara (21-2-2, 12 KOs) as he secured a unanimous decision victory over Delvin Rodriguez (28-8-4, 16 KOs).

 

Below are comments made by the televised fighters following their performances tonight:

 

ERISLANDY LARA

 

“Thanks to my whole team and to Delvin for being a great competitor. Thank you Al Haymon.

 

“This was a great performance tonight. I was able to land my left. Delvin was really just trying to survive in there, so I knew what I was doing was working.

 

“I was trying to bait him to come in, but it wasn’t working. So I had to get aggressive in there.

 

“It’s never a comfortable feeling leaving it up to the judges. I’d like to win every round and get the knockout if possible, but at least I got the win tonight.

 

“I’m going to sit down with my team and Al (Haymon). The future is clear. We want the best. We want Floyd Mayweather. We want Miguel Cotto. We want Gennady Golovkin at 160 lbs.”

 

DELVIN RODRIGUEZ

 

“It was very uncomfortable in there for me tonight. He was sharp and giving me lots of weird angles to work with.

 

“He was always looking to land his left. He caught me once to the body though and that took three or four rounds to shake off.

 

“I think PBC is great for the sport. They’re taking boxing to a whole new level. Some of the things they do are really going to catch on with the fans. Keeping the focus on the fighters is a big part of that.

 

“It’s hard to say what’s next right now. There are still some great fights for me. Just because I lost to a skilled, technical fighter like Lara doesn’t mean there aren’t great fights left for me.”

 

ARTUR BETERBIEV

 

“This is a big plus for me and great experience for my pro career. I’m very happy to have gone past four rounds tonight.

 

“Nothing was really working that well for me tonight though. I like to box smart and find the right openings. Maybe the righty to lefty switch in the last week made a difference.

 

“I’m very happy and proud to have been part of another PBC card and to have had a fight here in the United States. The last time I was in Chicago was back in 2007 in the same venue. So it felt great to be back.

 

“I’m a boxer, but I don’t like to call people out and insult them. I can’t predict the future, but I’ll work hard to make my winning streak even better than this one. I want the biggest belt that I can get. That’s my goal.”

 

ALEXANDER JOHNSON

 

“Short notice doesn’t matter because it’s part of the game to always be prepared. I have no excuses. He was the better man tonight.

 

“He got in one rabbit punch behind the ear that affected me more than some of the other shots, but overall he was just the better fighter tonight.

 

“I think PBC is great for the sport of boxing. I can’t take anything away from them and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to fight on their card tonight.

 

“I’m heading back to the gym and I’ll discuss what comes next with my family.”

 

# # #

The card was promoted by promoted by Warriors Boxing in association with Group Yvon Michel (GYM) and Star Boxing. For more information visitwww.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LaraBoxing, @DRodriguez1980, @WarriorsBoxProm and @SpikeTV and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromoandwww.Facebook.com/Spike.

 

CUBAN BOXING SENSATION ERISLANDY LARA THROWS OUT FIRST PITCH AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX GAME BEFORE  HIS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE SHOWDOWN AGAINST  DELVIN RODRIGUEZ FRIDAY, JUNE 12 AT UIC PAVILION

  

Click HERE For Video Of Lara’s Pitch & Conversation With

White Sox Star Jose Abreu

 

Click HERE For Photos From Ron Vesely/Chicago White Sox and Team Lara

CHICAGO (June 11, 2015) – Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (20-2-2, 12 KOs) threw out the ceremonial first pitch at yesterday’s Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros game at U.S. Cellular Field.  Lara stepped on the mound and threw a perfect strike.

Erislandy Lara steps in the ring this Friday June 12, 2015 against Delvin Rodriguez (28-7-4, 16 KOs) as Premier Boxing Champions on Spike returns.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing in association with Group Yvon Michel (GYM) and Star Boxing, are priced at $151, $101, $51, and $31, not including applicable service charges, and are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or UIC Pavilion Box Office at (312) 413-5740. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Thursday or Friday9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LaraBoxing, @DRodriguez1980, @WarriorsBoxProm, @yvonmichelgym, @starboxing and @SpikeTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromoand www.Facebook.com/Spike.