LOS ANGELES (Marts 21, 2024) - Torontos ubesejrede World Boxing Association (WBA) Interkontinental let tungvægtsmester Kareem “Supreme” Hackett (12-0, 6 KOS) skal lave sit første titelforsvar i marts 30th mod Rowdy Legend Montgomery (10-5-1, 7 KOS) i en 10-runders kamp på et Golden Boy Promotions-kort med overskriften af WBA Cruiserweight World titelkampen mellem forsvarende mester Arsen Goulimarian og Hacketts staldkammerat, tidligere verdensmester i supermellemvægt Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez.
Al handlingen vil blive streamet live på DAZN fra YouTube Theatre i Los Angeles.
WBA nr. 13 verdensrangerede Hackett erobrede sin krone i september sidste år 20th i Plantebyen, Florida, når han domineret 4-1 favorit og tidligere ubesejrede Clay Waterman (11-0, 8 KOS) på vej til en enstemmig beslutning i 10 runder, hvor han vandt alt 10 runder på to af dommernes scorekort og ni på den anden dommers.
"Jeg ville gerne have kæmpet før, men det er den måde, denne forretning går," sagde Hackett. "Det er sværere at få kampe efter at have vundet min titel, end det var. Der er sket meget godt siden min sidste kamp. Jeg forstår. Jeg har en titel, og jeg er verdensrangeret. Jeg har en klarere vej mod et verdensmesterskab. Jeg sætter pris på enhver mulighed for at komme i ringen.”
"Jeg får mere respekt, siden jeg viste mine færdigheder på ProBox.TV. (Meddelere) Juan Manual Marguez, Paulie Malignaggi og Chris Algieri gav mig en masse rekvisitter, og det har været meget bekræftende.”
Hackett har fået uvurderlig erfaring med at sparre verdensmestre som "Zurdo" Ramirez, Dmitry Bivol, Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin, Sergio Mora, Mathew Macklin og David Benavidez.
Hackett har allerede etableret de første af en Toronto-bokser med hensyn til at kæmpe på et Golden Boy Promotions-kort og blive WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight-titelholder.
"Jeg er banebrydende for Toronto-boksning,”, forklarede den gratis kampagneagent Hackett med stor stolthed. "Jeg vil have den første verdensmester med hjem, sikkert, og en dag de ubestridte og forenede titler, for, Toronto er en storby med en masse naturtalent, men jeg ved ikke, hvorfor boksning ikke trives der."
Hackett trænes af den hurtigt voksende Julian Chua i Brickhouse Boxing Club i North Hollywood (F.EKS) og administreres af 3 Point Management (3 PM).
"(Dmitry) Bivol står i spidsen for letsværvægtsdivisionen, og jeg ved han er en stærk fyr,” bemærkede Hackett. "Vi har ændret nogle ting siden min sidste kamp med slutningen i tankerne. Vi er tredoblet, styrkemæssigt, for når vi støder på ham. Det er hovedændringen. Jeg føler, at jeg er den mest adrætte fighter i vores division, og jeg arbejder på at blive stærkere for at matche mine færdigheder og ringe IQ."
I 2024, Hackett ønsker at tilføje hardware og kæmpe mod en top-10-rangeret modstander, men, i hvert fald for nu, han er glad for at være i sin kamp med Montgomery i sit andet hjem, Los Angeles.
"Jeg elsker, at denne kamp er i LA,” konkluderede Hackett. "Jeg har det godt i Los Angeles. Jeg føler mig hjemme her og kæmper andre steder i Californien. Jeg er også spændt på at kæmpe på et kort med overskriften af en af mine nærmeste venner i boksning (Southpaw)."
LAS VEGAS (Februar 2, 2022)– Undefeated Toronto light heavyweight prospect Kareem Hackett (8-0, 7 KOS) har underskrevet en ledelsesmæssig kontrakt med 3 Point Management (3PM), which also manages 43-0 Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez, the former World Super Middleweight Champion, and today the top-ranked World light heavyweight contender.
“Kareem is a great talent that just needs an opportunity," sagde Ramirez. “He’s been a good sparring partner for me in the past and I’m glad he can be in the same stable as I am, 3 Point Management.”
In Canada, Hackett participated in combat sports like kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and boxing. He had a 40-6 amateur boxing record, including a pair of Ringside International boxing titles, as well as being crowned a Canadian National kickboxing champion.
Now a resident of Los Angeles, where Kareem trains at Brickhouse Boxing Club, in which “Zurdo” is part of its ownership. Hackett is coached by Ramirez’ head trainer, Julian Chua.
“I met ‘Zurdo’ through Julian,” Hackett explained. “We have the same trainer, Julian. Sparring with ‘Zurdo’ is great. Afterwards, we always talk about boxing. He has a lot of experience and he’s taught me so many different things. It also adds to my competitiveness. I try to bring different things I’ve learned from him into our sparring, and that’s been great for me.
“I work with Julian; he is here in Los Angeles. Because of the pandemic, it’s been complicated for me, so I haven’t been going home a (Toronto) is much as I used to or want to. We’re super spoiled at Brickhouse. I grew up in a classic gym, and I was used to its griminess. I can’t believe how nice Brickhouse is.”
“Kareem is a very skillful fighter that has been under the radar too long,” Chua remarked. “He’s one of the best strategists in the ring I’ve ever seen. We started his professional career together and we’ve built a brother bond. He knows he can trust my eyes in the corner like I can trust his skills in the ring.”
Hackett, 31, is a southpaw from Toronto, who has learned from sparring sessions with world boxing champions such as “Zurdo,” Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Sergio Mora, Mathew Macklin, David Benavidez, and Dmitry Bivol. Hackett’s 3PM stablemate, “Zurdo” Ramirez, is the mandatory challenger for Bivol, the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) Let tungvægts verdensmester.
“What I’ve learned most from sparring all these world champions is, unlike a lot of guys who believe they need to knockout their opponent in one round,” bemærkede Hackett, “it’s not a one-round fight and could go as long as 12 runder. I’ve learned long-term strategy. Boxing is more like a marathon-like mindset than a sprint.”
In his most recent action, Hackett stopped 2-0 Giovanni Lizarraga Garate midway through the opening round last April in Mexico. Self-described as using a strategic violence style, Hackett is a smart, elusive, accurate, and opportunistic. Sounds as if he’s describing “Zurdo.” “We do have the same coach,” Hackett added.
Hackett’s goals in 2022 includes knocking out each opponent he faces, as well as capturing U.S. or Canadian regional titles. His first fight of 2022 is tentatively set for February 17 in Texas against an opponent to be determined.
“Kareem is a smart, intelligent fighter with a gifted physic to be a force in this game,” Ramirez concluded.
