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boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Claudio Marrero Training Camp Quotes

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Exciting Featherweight Contender Takes On Unbeaten Derrick Murray in Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN Main Event Sunday, August 21 From Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn
 
BROOKLYN (August 17, 2016) – Exciting contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero is ready to make a statement in the featherweight division beginning with his Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN showdown against undefeated Derrick Murray thisSunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
Televised coverage on NBCSN begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features exciting contenders Heather “The Heat” Hardy and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent battling in a matchup of unbeaten rivals. PBC on NBC will begin at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and sees undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. facing once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu in a welterweight world title eliminator.
 
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
 
Marrero enters this bout the winner of six-straight fights, including a sensational knockout of former world champion Rico Ramos last July. Now, the self-described “boxer-puncher with exceptional defense” is looking to get himself a world title opportunity and show off his skills against the unbeaten Murray on Sunday.
Here is what Marrero had to say about his start in the Dominican Republic, his opponent, the featherweight division and more:
What was it like growing up in the Dominican Republic?

Claudio Marrero: It was really tough…my dad was a jack of all trades and I was the oldest of three boys.  My dad was my biggest influence on keeping me out of trouble. He trained me early on as an amateur and that’s where I developed my fundamentals. Because of him I’m here today and I’m very grateful.
 
How did you first get introduced to boxing? What boxers did you look up to growing up?

CM: As a child, my dad and I would watch fights. He thought boxing would keep me off the streets, where 9 out of 10 kids in my country end up dead, or in jail.  Around 8-years old I started boxing.  Favorite fighter is Pernell “Sweet Pee” Whitaker.
 
When did you come to America? What led you to making that decision?

CM: The journey to come to America started in January of 2010, when my manager/trainer now, Herman Caicedo, came to the D.R. to scout Juan Carlos Payano and myself.  We met and he promised to work hard on our behalf and look out for us. Unlike many others who had said similar things, Herman was a man of his word. I was able to solidify myself with hard work, so here we are.

Q. Talk about your team and how they’ve helped you transition to life in America and progress your boxing career:

CM: There has been one man who has helped with everything I know in Boxing as a pro, and life here in the states, and that’s Herman Caicedo, our manager/trainer. He took us on as his kids and treated us like his own children, not just fighters.  All of us who train with him owe our progression and discipline to him.  In addition, Henry Rivalta and Gary Jonas, our other managers, have been very instrumental in the progress as well.  We are a strong team with goals of becoming world champions together.

Q. What do you know about your opponent? What kind of problems does he pose?
CM: I know he’s undefeated.  I know he’s coming to win and that he’s from St. Louis.  There isn’t anything I see in him that has me concerned except the fact that he’s unbeaten.  Anyone who is unbeaten is going to go that extra mile to come out victorious.  But that really is not a problem in my eyes.  I’m a hungry fighter as well.  The problem for him is that he stands in my way of getting back in the ring with all the top guys.

Q. How important is a win on August 21 to your career? Which fighters would you like to face next and how do you think you matchup with the top featherweights?

CM: I want everyone all at 126 pounds.  These guys have been evading, ducking and dodging me.  None of these guys want to face me.  I want them all.  I’ll fight them all on the same night if I have to.  I’m tired of them hiding. It’s very frustrating when my managers tell me they don’t want to fight me.  So I must make a statement each time I step in the ring and it starts with Derrick Murray.

Q. What is your prediction for your fight on August 21?

CM: My opponent will feel pain!
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

Top Fighters Support Undefeated Contender Heather Hardy as She Prepares to Take On Fellow Unbeaten Shelly Vincent In Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN This Sunday, August 21 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)  

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(Photo Credit: (Top Image) James Devaney;
(Bottom Image) Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)
 
All-Action Fan Favorite Boasts Historic Punch Stats Heading into Matchup At
 Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn
 
BROOKLYN (August 16, 2016) – Undefeated featherweight contender Heather “The Heat” Hardy is ready to take center stage and she has garnered the praise of the sport’s top fighters as she prepares to take on longtime rival Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent in Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN action Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
PBC on NBCSN coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features exciting contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero taking on unbeaten Derrick Murray. PBC on NBC is headlined by undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. facing once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu in a welterweight world title eliminator that begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
Always in entertaining battles, Hardy’s punches per round stats far exceed the average for her weight class and prove why everyone believes her matchup with Vincent will be all-action. In six CompuBox-tracked fights, Hardy has averaged 83.4 punches per two-minute round, which projects to a staggering 111.2 if fought over three minutes. This number would far exceed the two men’s leaders Roman Gonzalez and Leo Santa Cruz. Her two-minute output of 83.4 punches per round would rank her fourth among the men over three minutes, ahead of hard-hitters Gennady Golovkin (68.6), Andrzej Fonfara (75.1), Orlando Salido (71) and Abner Mares (69.4) amongst others in the top ten.
“I think that if there is a female boxer out there that should and deserves to be seen, it’s Heather Hardy,” said former world champion Shawn Porter. “She has put tons of work in. I have seen her fight and train and she is a top competitor and a true athlete in this sport. Some people think it’s taking a chance to put women’s boxing on television, but I think Heather Hardy is the best person to take that chance on. I don’t know anyone that is more worthy of this shot.”
“Heather Hardy is always in fan friendly and entertaining fights,” said former world champion Paulie Malignaggi. “Off the top of my head, I cannot think of a dull Heather Hardy fight. Plus, she brings a big following and that always makes for a fun, noisy crowd and atmosphere.”
A fan-favorite in Brooklyn, Hardy has been helping to fill local venues for years including Barclays Center, where she has fought seven times as a pro. Now, her long awaited matchup with the unbeaten New Englander Vincent has given her the opportunity to show her talents on a bigger stage.
“I couldn’t be happier for my fellow Brooklynite Heather Hardy,” said middleweight world champion Daniel Jacobs. “This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase her talents on TV, and one that she has rightfully earned. This is huge, not only for her, bur for women’s boxing in general.”
“I think it’s a great for Heather to get this opportunity,” said Spence Jr. “It’s not common that we see women’s boxing on television but there are a lot of women who deserve it. This is great for them and it’s great for the sport.”
“Heather has been working incredibly hard and grinding for years,” said former world champion Chris Algieri. “It’s great to see her get the exposure she deserves after the time and commitment she has put in to get to this point. She’s one of the most consistent performers in the local area and it’s time for the rest of the world to see her hard work and skills.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
 
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Unbeaten Rising Star Errol Spence Jr. Reflects On His 2012 Olympic Experience & Talks 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Ahead of World Title Eliminator Against Italian Contender Leonard Bundu

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Spence Jr. Vs. Bundu Headlines Premier Boxing Champions on NBC
Sunday, August 21 From Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk
in Brooklyn – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
 
Click HERE for Spence Jr. Training Camp Photos
from Ryan Greene/Premier Boxing Champions
 
BROOKLYN (August 15, 2016) -Unbeaten rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr.is leaning on his experience as part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team as he nears a world title eliminator on network television and eventually a world title shot.
“People ask if I’m nervous about headlining big fights, but I’ve already fought on the biggest stage you can fight on at the Olympics,” said Spence Jr. “I was fighting in front of the whole world and it got me ready for where I’m at today.”
The 26-year-old will take on once-beaten Italian contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu in a welterweight world title eliminator that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
Televised coverage begins on NBC at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT following the Olympic Men’s Basketball Gold Medal Game. For Spence Jr., it was the experience of being around world class athletes such as the members of the USA Men’s Basketball team that he remembers most vividly about his time in London.
“I’ll never forget meeting all of the athletes that I had grown up watching,” said Spence Jr. “I got to meet Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, the Williams sisters and Usain Bolt. Just being able to talk to them and be around them was amazing. I was an Olympian just like them.
“It was a big moment for me when people like that would recognize me and tell me they were going to come watch me fight. That’s something I’ll always remember.”
While Spence Jr. had the best run of any of the men on the 2012 U.S. team, he came up short of his goal of bringing home a medal for his country. Despite that, Spence Jr. wouldn’t change anything about his 2012 experience.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” said Spence Jr. “If I go back and change something, it might change something in my future. So far my future is looking great right now. I’m one of the top fighters in the game and everything that happened in the Olympics led to that.”
Four years removed from his time in the Olympic Village, Spence Jr. is ready to make his mark as a pro, but will still have an eye on the new crop of talent that is currently competing in Rio.
“I would tell the Olympians to stay focused no matter what happens,” said Spence Jr. “Work with what you have there, listen to your coaches and stay 100 percent dedicated. You got this far, so why slack now?
“I wish them the best of luck and I think we definitely have some gold medal hopefuls like Shakur Stevenson and Claressa Shields. They’re going to come home with gold and it’s going to be big for U.S boxing.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Heather Hardy & Shelly Vincent Media Roundtable Quotes & Photos

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Longtime Rivals Meet Sunday, August 21 In PBC on NBCSN Action from
Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn
 
Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
BROOKLYN (August 4, 2016) – Undefeated contenders Heather “The Heat” Hardyand Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent hosted a media roundtable in Manhattan Thursday to officially announce their long awaited showdown taking place Sunday, August 21 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
PBC on NBCSN coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by exciting contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero taking on unbeaten Derrick Murray. PBC on NBC coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and features undefeated rising star and 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in a welterweight title eliminator against once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Hardy and Vincent will meet in a 10-round featherweight showdown years in the making. Vincent began calling Hardy out at her second professional fight, looking to get in the ring with the popular Brooklyn ticket seller. Despite the rival, both have campaigned for a women’s match on this platform for years and will look to make their mark on August 21.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
HEATHER HARDY
“I wouldn’t be here without all the help of my team and fans. I don’t stand here alone. I stand here with all of the women who have fought before me that no one knows about.
“This is the kind of platform that this fight deserves. I’ve always imagined this fight being on television and I’m thankful that this fight has come together on NBCSN. It’s important to have a stage like this and I hope it’s the first of more fights like this on television.
“I really can’t wait to punch Shelly right in the face. I like that everybody is sleeping on ‘The Heat’. Don’t sleep on me.
“Shelly started her career a little bit before me. She started showing up at my fights with all these antics from almost my pro debut and talking about wanting to fight me. It was inappropriate at the time, but then she signed with Lou and we’ve both developed in our careers. Hats off to her, it worked. I’m ready to brawl.
“I’ve seen her fight before. I went to one of her fights to talk to press and build up this matchup. I don’t get too hung up on what I’ve seen. I go into the ring ready to make adjustments based off what I see. I’m not treating this fight any differently than other fights.
“Every fight I’m back in the gym working on getting better. I don’t work hard, I don’t work on getting in better shape, I work to improve at my craft. You’re going to see a new and better Heather than ever before.”
SHELLY VINCENT
“I’m thankful for this opportunity for women as a whole. This is a fight we’ve been waiting for, for a while. I can’t wait to get in there and hit Heather. She thinks there’s no pop in my punches but she’ll be surprised on fight night.
“Heather and I really just don’t like each other. I’ve tried to make this fight for years and she wouldn’t take the fight. I’ve seen her lose some of these fights. I don’t believe she’s undefeated. I feel like she’s avoiding me.
“I’ve been trying to make this fight happen but I’m glad it didn’t happen back then; this is the perfect time for it. We both deserve this opportunity. Heather and I work hard, taking nothing from her, but I can’t wait to get my hands on her.
“I know Heather is going to use her legs. She doesn’t seem strong so I think she’s going to try to get away from me. I just have to cut the ring off.
“I always knew I’d have to come to her home territory. I’m going to stick to what I have to do. I know she’s not better than me. It’s going to be me coming forward with constant pressure. I hope she comes at me because that would make it an even more exciting fight.”
LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment
“We’re making a lot of history on August 21. This will be the first women’s bout broadcast from Coney Island. I want to thank PBC and NBC for giving these women this much deserved platform to showcase their talents.
“The co-featured bout on NBCSN will be this long awaited contest between these two women. It’s been talked about for years. They’ve been talking to each other for years and it’s finally happening.
“This is history and I think it’s going ot be a good night for boxing, and especially for women’s boxing. This is a great opportunity for these two contenders and two women who have earned the right to be on television. They both have crowd pleasing styles. This is going to be a Gatti-Ward fight. These two want to beat each other up.
“Heather and Shelly are two of the most popular female fighters in the country. They like to rumble. They make every fight a war. They’re willing to be hit and that’s what makes their fight so much fun.”
PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Exciting Contender Claudio Marrero Takes On Unbeaten Derrick Murray; Undefeated Rivals Heather Hardy & Shelly Vincent Battle In Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN Sunday, August 21

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From Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
 
Plus! Undefeated Prospects Abraham Nova, Julian Sosa &
Joseph Williams in Undercard Attractions
 
BROOKLYN (August 4, 2016) – Exciting contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero(20-1, 14 KOs) takes on unbeaten Derrick Murray (13-0-1, 5 KOs) while undefeated contenders Heather “The Heat” Hardy (17-0, 4 KOs) and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent (18-0, 1 KO) face off in a long awaited battle on a Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN doubleheader, Sunday, August 21.
Tape delayed PBC on NBCSN coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn. PBC on NBC coverage begins at5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and features undefeated rising star and 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in a welterweight title eliminator against once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu.
Marrero and Murray will meet in a super featherweight bout while Vincent and Hardy are set to compete in 10-rounds of featherweight action that sees the return of women’s boxing to a primetime national audience.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
A former title challenger who lost a narrow decision to Jesus Cuellar in 2013, Marrero has won six-straight bouts since then. Most recently, the 27-year-old dominated Jonathan Arrellano on his way to a decision in February. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Marrero was an accomplished amateur who will be fighting in New York for the second time in his pro career.
Unbeaten and fighting out of St. Louis, Murray has already picked up victories in 2016 over Jose Silveria and Darryl Hayes. A pro since 2011, Murray will step up in competition when he takes on Marrero. The 28-year-old was victorious twice in 2015 in addition to four victories he earned in 2014.
A popular Brooklyn fighter who competed in Barclays Center’s first-ever professional female boxing match, Hardy has become a staple of the Brooklyn boxing scene. A little over two years after her pro debut, Hardy won an international title belt in the super bantamweight division in October 2014. In 2015, she defeated Noemi Bosques and Renata Domsodi twice. In 2016 she has stopped Anna Donatella Hultin in the fourth round and most recently defeated Kirstie Simmons in June.
Born in Connecticut but now fighting out of and representing Providence, Rhode Island, Vincent will look to earn the biggest win of her career August 21 when she fights in New York for the second time. Vincent has been busy in 2016, picking up victories over Renata Domsodi, Elizabeth Anderson and most recently Christina Ruiz in July. An all-action fighter, Vincent has fought 10 rounds twice in her pro career that dates back to 2011.
Additional undercard action will see unbeaten prospect and New England Golden Glove champion Abraham Nova (1-0, 1 KO) take on California’s Leonardo Chavez (6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round lightweight attraction, unbeaten Brooklyn-native Julian Sosa (5-0-1, 2 KOs) taking on Rene Marquez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a welterweight showdown and New York Golden Glove champion Joseph Williams (9-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight fight.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated Rising Star & 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. Battles Once-Beaten Contender Leonard Bundu in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn Televised Fights Begin at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on NBC

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BROOKLYN (July 19, 2016) – Undefeated rising star Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (20-0, 17 KOs) is set to take on once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu (33-1-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight world title eliminator that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC Sunday, August 21 from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
The action on NBC begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT following coverage of the Olympic Men’s Basketball Gold Medal Game. The 2012 U.S. Olympian Spence Jr. will look to move one step closer to becoming the second member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team to win a world title after Rau’shee Warren won a bantamweight championship in June.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35. Presale tickets are available now with public on-sale beginning tomorrow at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
“This is another great opportunity for me to gain exposure on NBC,” said Spence Jr. “A lot of people will be watching because of the Olympics that may not have known my name before. As an Olympian, headlining a major event four years after my Olympic run is exciting. Bundu is an older fighter, but he’s tough and has a lot of experience. He fought well against Keith Thurman. Thurman outboxed him but couldn’t knock him out. I think I can make a big statement in the division if I can stop him, as I did with Chris Algieri.”
“I am going to use my experience to my advantage on August 21,” said Bundu. “When I fought Thurman I ended up being overcautious, but that will not be the case this time. I know it’s now or never for me and I won’t let this chance slip away. Spence will come forward but that will work to my advantage because I love fighting on the inside. I’m going to show Spence a few things that he hasn’t seen before.”
The brand new Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk builds on the rich history of the sweet science in the Brooklyn neighborhood. Several heavyweight title fights took place on Coney Island at the turn of the 20th century, including James J. Jeffries’ heavyweight world title knock out of Bob Fitzsimmons in the 11th round on June 9, 1899. Jeffries would then defend the title two more times on Coney Island with a points victory over Tom Sharkey and a knockout in the 23rd round against James J. Corbett. Lightweight great Joe Gans and former middleweight champion “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey also boxed in Coney Island.
“It is exciting to have rising star Errol Spence headlining the inaugural boxing event held on August 21 at the new Ford Amphitheater at the historic Coney Island Boardwalk,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Spence is one of the most gifted young fighters in all of boxing and is on track to be a world champion. He will face off against Leonard Bundu, in a final elimination bout, to become the mandatory for the IBF welterweight title, currently held by Kell Brook.”
An Olympian who boasted a highly decorated amateur career, the 26-year-old Spence Jr.is coming off a dominating performance in which he stopped former world champion Chris Algieri in the fifth-round in a PBC on NBC main event.  Spence Jr. is widely regarded as a future star in the sport and was dominant in his previous NBC appearances when he stopped Phil Lo Greco in the third round in June. His impressive 2015 also included TKO victories over Chris van Heerden, Samuel Vargas and Alejandro Barrera, culminating with him being named ESPN’s Prospect of the Year. Now, he looks to secure himself a world title shot.
Originally from Sierra Leone but fighting out of Toscana, Italy, Bundu represented Italy at the 2000 Olympic games where he defeated eventual world champion Daniel Geale. A former European welterweight champion, he owns victories over Frankie Gavin, Lee Purdy and Ismael El Massoudi in addition to going the distance in defeat against Keith Thurman. Bundu comes into this bout with victories over Pablo Munguia and Jussi Koivula in his last two bouts.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
 For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @LouDiBella, @NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.