WARD-KOVALEV 2: “THE REMATCH” SET FOR שבת, יוני 17, 2017

AT MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER, לאַס וועגאַס

PRESENTED לעבן דורך הבאָ באַצאָלן-פּער-מיינונג^®

נייַ יארק, ניו יאָרק (אַפּריל 19, 2017) - Reigning WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 קאָס) will face WBA interim titleholder Moises “Chucky” Flores (25-0, 17 קאָס) in a long-awaited mandatory 12-round WBA title defense that will tarnish one fighter’s perfect record. ריגאָנדעאַוקס ווס. Flores has officially been added to the Pay-Per-View undercard of Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on שבת, יוני 17. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View^® אָנהייב בייַ 9:00 פּ.ם. און/6:00 פּ.ם. פּט.

“I would like to thank Roc Nation Sports, Caribe Promotions and HBO for the opportunity to fight on the biggest Pay-Per-View card of the year. It will be a night of great boxing that fans will not want to miss out on. It’s going to be a chance to show HBO what they want to see. Some say I’m not exciting but it’s not my fault that once my opponents feel my power, they start running and stop throwing punches. Regardless of that, I’m going to give them what they want. I will be standing in the middle of the ring toe-to-toe and putting on a show for the fans. This is where I’ll show the world what my fans got to see in my last fight in the UK against [יעקב] Dickens,” said Rigondeaux. “I want to thank Moises Flores for having the courage to step in the ring with me and accepting the mandatory challenge unlike many great fighters in my division. Moises is an exciting Mexican fighter who will bring a fight. I will be ready to exhibit why I am one of the best pound-for-pound boxers and the world’s best at 122 פונט. I’m ready to give fans the best fight out there, and the best is to come the evening of יוני 17."

“I’m very excited to have my world title fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux rescheduled for שבת, יוני 17 on HBO Pay-Per-View,” said Flores. “I’d like to thank my team at Probox Management and TGB Promotions along with HBO for providing this opportunity. I never stopped my preparations from the original date and look forward to making the Mexican fans proud when I defeat the great Rigondeaux.”

“Roc Nation Sports is thrilled to add Guillermo Rigondeaux’s championship defense against Moises Flores to the Pay-Per-View undercard of Ward-Kovalev 2: ‘The Rematch’,” said Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Michael R. יאָרמאַרק. “We know these two champions are ready and eager to put on a big performance on boxing’s biggest stage and undoubtedly, ahead of the most anticipated fight of the year.”

“TGB Promotions is proud of this world title opportunity for Moises ‘Chucky’ Flores as he takes on one of the premier fighters in the sport, גויללערמאָ ריגאָנדעאַוקס,” said Tom Brown, פּרעזידענט פון טגב פּראָמאָטיאָנס. “Chucky is well prepared and looking forward to making the Mexican fans proud of their new World Champion on יוני 17."

Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 קאָס), was one of the most celebrated amateur boxers in Cuba before defecting and making his professional debut on May 22, 2009 אין מיאַמי, פלאָרידאַ. High expectations had no ill effect on Rigondeaux as he tore through his next five opponents. אויף נאוועמבער 13, 2010, in just his seventh pro fight, Rigondeaux faced Ricardo Cordoba for the vacant interim WBA World Super Bantamweight title and left the ring with the belt after scoring a split decision victory. Rigondeaux turned his attention to supremacy in the 122-pound division and accomplished what many considered the unthinkable by knocking out WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Rico Ramos on January 20, 2012, becoming a world champion in fewer than 10 פאַכמאַן באָוץ. אויף אפריל 13, 2013 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Rigondeaux scored his biggest victory to date by defeatingWBO and Ring Magazine World Champion and 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire. Rigondeaux came away with the victory by unanimous decision after out landing and out punching Donaire throughout the fight to unify titles. In November of 2015, Roc Nation Sports announced that it had signed Rigondeaux to an exclusive promotional agreement and featured him on the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez mega-fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where he defeated veteran Drian Francisco via a 10-round unanimous decision. Prior to beating Francisco, Rigondeaux was stripped of his title belts due to inactivity, but remained the WBA champion in recess. אין מייַ פון 2016, Roc Nation Sports announced that Rigondeaux was reinstated of his WBA belt ahead of a 12-round WBA World Super Bantamweight championship showdown against number 13 rated WBA super bantamweight contender Jazza Dickens on יולי 16 at the Cardiff Ice Arena in Wales. In his first ever appearance in the United Kingdom, Rigondeaux gave fans a thrilling knockout against Dickens. The southpaw landed a big left hook, shattering Dickens’s jaw, halting the fight in the second round with a referee’s decision. Rigondeaux will be raring to go on יוני 17 in his title defense against interim champion Moises Flores.

Moises “Chucky” Flores (25-0, 17 קאָס) learned the fight game growing up in Guadalajara, מעקסיקא, and spent the early years of his professional career building up his résumé in his home country. Now established as a title contender at 122 פונט, Flores looks to climb to the top of the division with his considerable talent. Flores is exceptionally tall for his weight class, measuring in at 5 feet 9 inches. ווי אַזאַ, he tends to have a reach advantage over most of his opponents, although Flores isn’t one to merely fire punches from a distance and box from the outside. He likes to mix it up, and his record reflects that, with most of his opponents going down by knockout. Flores made his pro debut in August 2008 with a second round knockout of Oswaldo Salgado in Guadalajara, מעקסיקא. He fought exclusively in Mexico over the first six years of his career and made quick work of most of his opponents. Flores made his U.S. debut in September 2014, winning a six round unanimous decision over Pablo Batres in Mesquite, טעקסאַס. He then gained a seventh round technical knockout of Mexican veteran Mario Macias in Tulsa, Oklahoma, אין נאוועמבער 2014. That victory set up a 122-pound title shot against interim WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Oscar Escandon in Carson, קאַליפאָרניאַ, אין אפריל 2015. In an electrifying, all-action brawl, Flores earned a split decision to win the title. In his last two fights, Flores was able to defend the interim WBA World Super Bantamweight title against Luis Emanuel Cusolito, while also adding the IBO World Super Bantamweight title against Paulus Ambunda. Flores looks forward to claiming the full rights to the WBA World Super Bantamweight title on יוני 17 when he faces current champion Guillermo Rigondeaux in a 12-round championship showdown.

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Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch," a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, און Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place שבת, יוני 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 פּ.ם. און/6:00 פּ.ם. פּט. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.

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