SAN ANTONIO (Prosinec 14, 2017) – Neporažený tři divize mistr světa Mikey Garcia will attempt to win a world title in a fourth weight class when he challenges unbeaten IBF 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets na Sobota, Únor 10 žít SHOWTIME. The matchup of top-5 ranked junior welterweights will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and is presented by Champions Premier Boxerské.

Dvě divize mistr světa Rances Barthelemy bude čelit Kiryl Relikh in a rematch of their May showdown on SHOWTIME, tentokrát na volné WBA 140 liber světový titul. Doubleheader titulních záchvaty v divizi dokořán 140 liber připravuje půdu pro potenciální sjednocení zápas.

Vstupenky na akce, která je podporována Ringstar sportu a TGB Promotions, jsou ceny na $250, $75, $50 a $20. Tickets will go on sale next week and will be available at Ticketmaster.com.

29-letý Garcia (37-0, 30 KO), důrazně vrátil do seznamů libra-pro-bušit do 2017 tím, že zaznamená upoutávky knockout Dejan Zlaticanin vyhrát mistrovství světa WBC lehké v lednu a pak dominují čtyři divize mistra Adrien Broner na cestě k jednomyslným rozhodnutím v červenci. Garcia je členem renomované boxerské rodiny, a je známý jeho sportovního a jeho velící přítomnost v kruhu, brousil jeho bratrem a uznávaný trenér Robert Garcia.

Garcia, z Moreno Valley formou Oxnard, Calif., se vrátil do ringu po dvou a půl leté pauze v červenci 2016 bez zaváhání zastavením bývalý mistr Elio Rojas. Garcia, který držel světových titulů na 126, 130 a 135 liber, zastavil se 19 z jeho poslední 22 oponenti, včetně Romana “Skalnatý” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez a Orlando Salido.

“It is a dream to have the opportunity to become a four-division worldchampion,” Garcia said. “San Antonio has some of the greatest boxing fans in the country, including some key supporters of my Robert Garcia Boxing Academy family. Since my last fight, I have stayed in the gym. I can’t wait to give the fans in Texas and those watching at home on SHOWTIME another great performance.”

Neporažený Lipinets (13-0, 10 KO) zachytil super lehké světový titul v právě jeho 13^th pro boj tím, že porazí Akihiro Kondo přes jednomyslné rozhodnutí o Listopad 4 na SHOWTIME. On je původem z Kazachstánu, ale se stěhoval do Ruska, když mu bylo šest let. V současné době žije v Beverly Hills, Kalifornie, Lipinets a je vyškolen Buddy McGirt.

28-letý postoupil do 140 liber žebříčku se vítězství nad potom neporažený Haskell Rhodes, Levan Ghvamichava a Walter Castillo před plenit Leonardo Zappavigna v názvu eliminátor světové loni v prosinci. Lipinets will look to stamp his place as an elite fighter when he takes on the accomplished and dangerous Garcia on Únor 10.

“Getting the title is one thing, but keeping the title is a more difficult task,” said Lipinets. “I’m not about to give it away to anybody. No disrespect to Mikey Garcia or anybody else out there, but I’m keeping my title. Beating Mikey Garcia will put me in the elite of boxing where I believe I belong. I’m happy my team was able to put this great fight together. I can promise you this won’t be a snoozer. It’s going to be an action-packed fight for sure.”

“We’re going to call it’ ‘Undefeated.’ That pretty much sums it up. Two undefeated fighters, champion versus champion,” said Richard Schaefer, Předseda & CEO of Sports Ringstar. “It’s a big challenge for Mikey Garcia to win a championship belt in his fourth weight class. Lipinets never backs down and he’s out to show that’s he one of the biggest punchers in the division. A win for Lipinets is a game-changer for his family and his career. A win for Mikey is another feather in his cap and will help him be recognized as pound-for-pound best in the world. I’m happy to be back in San Antonio at the Alamodome. I’ve promoted some big fights there. San Antonio fight fans are in for a real treat seeing two of the best fighting each other. I’m sure the fans will embrace this fight.”

“We have another intriguing matchup of two young, hungry undefeated fighters who lay it on the line every time they step into the ring,” řekl Tom Brown, Prezident TGB Promotions. “As talented as Mikey is, you can’t count Lipinets out. He’s one of the hardest hitters in the 140-pound division. He’s a tough competitor and there’s a reason why he’s a world champion. He knows this is a career-defining fight and he’s going to do everything he can to spoil the party for Garcia in San Antonio on Feb. 10.”

“In three consecutive fights on SHOWTIME since his return to the sport, Mikey Garcia has solidified his position on boxing’s pound-for-pound lists,” řekl Stephen Espinoza, Vice President a výkonný ředitel, Showtime Sports. “Mikey has proven he’s willing to take on the most avoided opponents in any division as he seeks out the biggest possible matchups in the sport. He’ll face yet another dangerous opponent in Sergey Lipinets, an undefeated champion in his own right, as he seeks to become a four-division world champion. On the heels of Errol Spence vs. Lamont Peterson on Leden 20, a matchup of consensus top-10 welterweights, we’re proud to deliver this main event of top-5 ranked fighters to build on the momentum.”

Barthelemy (26-0, 13 KO), who was born in Arroyo Naranjo, Cuba and now lives in Las Vegas, has won world titles at 130 a 135 liber. He defeated Relikh by unanimous decision in his debut at 140 pound in his last fight on Květen 20. If he defeats Relikh again, he will become the first Cuban boxer to win world championships in three different weight classes. He defeated Argenis Mendez by unanimous decision to win the 130-pound world title in 2014 and a year later scored a unanimous decision over Denis Shafikov for the 135-pound world title. Barthelemy, 31, has two brothers, Yan and Leduan, who are professional boxers who he trains alongside with under the tutelage of Ismael Salas.

Relikh (21-2, 19 KO) believes that he won the first match with Barthelemy and that the scorecards did not reflect the competitive nature of the fight. The 28-year-old nearly had Barthelemy out after landing a barrage of punches that penned Barthelemy on the ropes, but he was only awarded a knockdown. In the eighth round, Barthelemy came back to drop Relikh with a body shot. Shortly after the Květen 20 title eliminator, the WBA ordered a rematch, this time to be contested for the vacant 140-pound title. This will be Relikh’s second world title shot after the fighter from Minsk, Belarus lost a unanimous decision to Ricky Burns in Glasgow, Scotland on Oct. 7, 2016.