Category Archives: boxing
Undefeated Rising Prospect Chris Colbert Battles Alberto Mercado & Unbeaten Welterweight Prospect Jésus Ramos Takes on Rondale Hubbert In FOX PBC Fight Night Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
LAS VEGAS (June 4, 2019) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Chris Colbert takes on Puerto Rico’s Alberto Mercado in an eight or 10-round lightweight bout and unbeaten welterweight prospect Jésus Ramos battles Rondale Hubbert in a four-round attraction as part of a special FOX PBC Fight Night Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Prelims will lead up to FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The show is headlined by former champion Jermell Charlo battling Mexico’s Jorge Cota in a super welterweight attraction and features former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Julio Ceja clashing in a 12-round WBC featherweight title eliminator in the co-feature. Also in action is sensational unbeaten prospect Joey Spencer, as he faces Akeem Black in a six-round junior middleweight bout.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.
Representing his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (11-0, 4 KOs) has begun to make a name for himself showing off tremendous skills across his first 11 pro victories. The 22-year-old most recently blasted out Mario Briones by second-round knockout in April on FS1. He will take on a durable 31-year-old in Mercado (16-2-1, 3 KOs), who has never been stopped throughout a pro career dating back to 2009. The Humacao, Puerto Rico-native most recently won a unanimous decision over Sergio Lopez in March.
“I’m preparing for a big day on June 23,” said Colbert. “This is chapter 12 in my career. I know Mercado will come to fight just like he’s supposed to. I’m just focused on putting on another dominant performance, like I do every time. Mercado has a good record on paper, but I’ll do what I do best at Mandalay Bay and make it look easy. People say you have to fight in Vegas to become a top-notch fighter, so I’m excited to fight there. We’ll be fighting in primetime on FOX, so I’ll get a chance to show everyone why I changed my nickname to ‘Prime Time’.”
“I’m ready for this fight on June 23,” said Mercado. “I know who I’m facing and what I’m up against, but I’m working hard every day on a strategy that will give me what I need in to be successful. I have all the tools to make this a great fight and get the win. I’m going to be aggressive and bring the fight to him. His only advantage is speed, but I’m better at everything else.”
Having scored knockouts in each pro fight since turning pro last May, Ramos (9-0, 9 KOs) made his U.S. debut in April with a knockout over Seifullah Wise. The 19-year-old from Casa Grande, Arizona will be opposed by the 30-year-old Hubbert (13-8-2, 8 KOs), who fights out of Fargo, North Dakota.
Spencer (7-0, 6 KOs) will appear on the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast with his bout against Black (5-2, 2 KOs) serving as part of the show following prelims. At just 19-years-old and having only turned pro just over a year ago, Spencer has shown the tremendous skill and promise he possesses across his first seven pro fights. In April on FS1, the Linden, Michigan-native displayed his boxing acumen in going six rounds for the first time to earn a dominant unanimous decision over Osias Vasquez. He will take on the Chicago-born Black, who enters this fight on a two-bout winning streak.
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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo, @MandalayBay and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions. � |
WBC Super Welterweight Champion Tony Harrison Injures Ankle & is Forced to Withdraw from Rematch Against Former Champion Jermell Charlo
Hard-Hitting & Dangerous Jorge Cota to Step In and Replace Harrison Sunday, June 23 in FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX & FOX Deportes Main Event at Mandalay Bay Events Center
in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (June 3, 2019) – Super welterweight world champion Tony Harrison injured his ankle in training last week and has withdrawn from his title defense against former world champion Jermell Charlo that was scheduled to headline FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Harrison has an inner and outer ankle sprain with torn ligaments in his right ankle and he will be out for 10 weeks before he can resume training. Harrison and Charlo plan to have their rematch later this year.
Stepping in to replace Harrison for a 12-round fight is the always dangerous Jorge Cota (28-3, 25 KOs), who most recently lost a disputed split-decision in April on FS1 against Jeison Rosario. The 31-year old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico had scored three straight knockout victories before the defeat in April.
“Watching my Mexican brother Andy Ruiz fight last weekend, I am very motivated,” said Cota. “I saw how he got an unexpected chance to become a champion and surprise the world. He has inspired me to win this fight in the same way. I will shock the world on June 23 just like Andy did on Saturday, for Mexico, the country that I love. This is the most important fight of my career.”
“As we have seen from Andy Ruiz’s incredible upset of Anthony Joshua in the heavyweight championship fight on Saturday night, replacement fighters are not to be taken as a joke,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Jorge Cota is a dangerous fighter. He has heavy hands and he’s looking for an opportunity to make a statement. Jermell Charlo realizes just how serious this is and he wants to get his title back. I know he’s going to be prepared to make his own statement.”
The 29-year-old Charlo will now have to wait for his opportunity to avenge the only loss of his career and regain his title against Harrison. Fighting out of Houston, Texas, Charlo won the vacant WBC title with a devastating knockout victory over John Jackson in 2016. He made three successful defenses of the title with highlight-reel knockouts over Charles Hatley and Erickson Lubin, plus a majority decision win over former champion Austin Trout.
“It feels like a heartbreak,” said Charlo. “I was ready to destroy Tony Harrison and now I’m going to get in there and destroy Cota. I always pray for my opponent to have safe care and make it to the fight healthy. It’s unfortunate that Tony Harrison isn’t my next victim. I want the best Harrison so I want him healed up and ready to go, because that will only bring out the best in me.
“I feel my title was taken from me and being held hostage and I want it back. I will go through anything to get it back. The moment he’s cleared to fight I want the match and I will get my title back. I’m going in June 23 for a dominant victory with a ferocious attitude and a mindset to destroy, because I know I can’t leave it to the judges anymore.”
Harrison’s injury is the latest twist in the super welterweight division that started last December when Harrison and Charlo’s first encounter took place live on FOX. Harrison won the decision to upset Charlo and take away the title. The close nature of the bout helped warrant an immediate rematch that promises to be just as highly charged and dramatic. Julian “J-Rock” Williams scored a hard-fought unanimous decision over Jarrett Hurd as the IBF and WBA titles changed hands as well in May.
This setback for Harrison, who is from Detroit and was trained early in his career by the late Emanuel Steward, is another challenge for the 28-year-old champion. Harrison was on track for a title shot before suffering the first loss of his career in 2015 to Willie Nelson. After three-straight wins, he earned a shot at the vacant 154-pound title against Jarrett Hurd. Although Harrison had strong moments in the fight, he eventually lost to Hurd and was forced to again climb to the top. After another three victories, including a win over former champion Ishe Smith, Harrison took advantage of his second world title opportunity against Charlo.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.
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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo, @MandalayBay and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.