Tag Archives: Quebec

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

Berridge replaces injured Dawson vs. Alvarez

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“SHOOTOUT“IN QUEBEC
STEVENSON vs. WILLIAMS
WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
July 29 airing live on Spike TV from Videotron Centre
MONTRÉAL (July 23, 2016) – Undefeated No. 1 light heavyweight contender Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (19-0, 10 KOs) has found a solid boxer to face him on the July 29 card, featuring the WBC and lineal world light heavyweight title fight between defending champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (27-1, 22 KOs) and challenger Thomas Williams Jr. (20-1, 14 KOs), at the Videotron Centre. WBC Silver light heavyweight champion Alvarez will face New Zealand southpaw slugger Robert “The Butcher” Berridge (27-4-1, 21 KOs).
 
The Alvarez-Berridge co-feature, scheduled for 10 rounds at a 180-pound catch-weight, will air on Spike TV in the United States. Named “The Butcher” because of his aggressive style and power, the 31-year-old Australian sputhpaw has won the several regional titles during his pro career including New Zealand (2013 and 2015), WBC Asia (2013), PABA (2013-2014) and WBO Oriental (2013-2014).
 
“I prepared to face a southpaw in Chad Dawson and Berridge is also left-handed, so adapting will be easier,” Alvarez said. “I tip my hat to him for accepted this challenge with only a 10-day notice
 
“For sure, I am really disappointed in Dawson’s withdrawal, but these things happen that you cannot control. I’m still happy to get in the ring of the Vidéotron Centre in Quebec City.”
 
“Berridge is an aggressive, powerful and fierce fighter,” Groupe Yvon Michel president (GYM) Yvon Michel added.  “We are pleased to have found an opponent of this quality to face Alvarez in front of the Spike TV cameras.”
 
A new rival for Bouchard
Popular Sébastien Bouchard (13-1, 4 KOs), of Baie-Saint-Paul, Canada,  has a new opponent,Alejandro Herrera (14-3-2, 5 KOs), in a six-round bout.
 
Stevenson-Williams referee and judges announced
Names of the officials for the Stevenson vs. Williams main event fight have also been disclosed. The referee will be Michael Griffin (Quebec), the three ringside judges Richard DeCarufel(Quebec), Massimo Barrovecchio (Italy) and Juergen Langos (Germany), plus supervisor
Bob Logist (Belgium).
 
Two public training sessions were planned this weekend on Grande Allée Boulevard in Quebec City. The first, featuring Stevenson, took place today (Saturday) and tomorrow several undercard boxers will workout starting at 1 p.m. ET.
 
Tickets for the “SHOOTOUT” event, jointly promoted by GYM and Gestev and  presented by Vidéotron, in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu, start at $50.00 and are on sale and available to purchase at www.ticketmaster.ca, the Videotron Centre Box Office, calling GYM at (514) 383-0666 andthe Champion Boxing club (514) 376-0980, or by dialing 1-855-790-1245
ABOUT GROUPE YVON MICHEL (GYM):  Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel and his associates. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers through coaching support and especially by competitive management. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events. it is associated with the popular series, “Premier Boxing Champions (PBC),” and has developed major Videotron partnerships with Loto Quebec, TVA Sports, Centre Videotron, Casino de Montreal, Lac Leamy, Tonik GroupImage and Lapointe Dental Centre, in addition to collaborating closely with InterBox and Rixa.
ABOUT GESTEV
Festive, passionate, daring and creative, Gestev promises epic moments that you will remember for a long time. Gestev agrees to act as a catalyst of positive emotions and deliver experiences to meet your expectations. GESTEV manages the Videotron Centre which is a property of the city of Quebec.
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 “SHOOTOUT IN QUEBEC” Adonis Stevenson vs. Thomas Williams Jr. WBC Light Heavyweight Championship Live at Centre Videotron

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MONTREAL, Canada (June 14, 2016) – Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and Gestev are proud to officially announce, “SHOOTOUT”, the next fight for power-punching Adonis “Superman” Stevenson, July 29 at Centre Videotron, a presentation of Videotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.  This event is presented as part of the prestigious “Premier Boxing Champions” (PBC) series, to be broadcast live in the United States, and on Canal Indigo in Canada.
 
Stevenson (27-1, 22 KOs), who established himself as one of the most powerful pound-for-pound fighters in the world, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) and lineal light heavyweight (175 pound division) title for the seventh time, against the dangerous, WBC No. 9 rated Thomas “Top Dog” Williams (20-1, 14 KOs).
 
“I am very happy to get back in the ring for my next fight, which will be held July 29 in the superb Centre Videotron of Quebec, against Thomas Williams Jr.,” Stevenson said.  I will demonstrate that, like fine wine, I am even better with age.  Even though I haven’t boxed for 10 months, I’ve never left the gym and I’m willing to defend my crown.”
 
Williams, of Fort Washington, Maryland, at 28, is 10 years younger than Stevenson and also left-handed.  He had a successful amateur career and is reputed to be a major danger in the ring as evidenced by his 10 victories won by knockout in less than two rounds, including his last two outings against renowned Edwin Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs) and Umberto Savigne (12-2, 9 KOs).
 
In both of those two fights, Williams was an underdog, but his determination and lethal punch made the difference.  “There were many who had lost trust in me two years ago after my loss to Gabriel Campillo (24-6-1, 11 KOs),” Williams explained. “I don’t make excuses but there were circumstances that led to this result. I’m coming off the best performance of my career and I’m ready to make a change July 29 in terms of the holding title belt.  Stevenson has never faced a puncher like me in the past.”
 
“We are proud to start our association with Gestev and Centre Videotron with this gala event,” GYM president Yvon Michel added. “Adonis Stevenson became the WBC light heavyweight champion in June 2012 and since then 15 of 16 other WBC titles have changed hands.  Only Shinsuke Yamanaka, of Japan, is still champion.  Other fights on the July 29th card will include a group of ambitious, talented boxers, promising a show with intense fighters making statements.”
 
In the co-feature, current WBC Silver light heavyweight champion and WBC No. 1 contender, Eleider Alvarez (19-0, 10 KOs), will attempt to maintain his position as the WBC mandatory challenger against Maximiliano Gomez (22-5, 9 KOs), of Argentine.
 
Also scheduled to be in action are Nova Scotia native and adopted Montreal fighter Custio Clayton (8-0, 7 KOs), who will attempt to continue his rise in the welterweight division, Quebec heavyweight Eric Martel Bahoeli (11-6, 7 KOs) will realize his dream to fight in Videotron Centre, charismatic Montreal welterweight Junior Ulysse (10-0, 7 KOs) and welterweight Marie Eve Dicaire (4-0) are also slated to be in action.  Other fights and fighters will soon be announced for the July 29th card.
 
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
“SHOOTOUT” tickets, starting at $50.00, will go on sale Saturday, June 18 at 10 a.m. ET at Videotron Centre, GYM (514) 383-0666, or at Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. A pre-sale will be available June 16-17 for subscribers to the Videotron Centre newsletter as well as Quebec Remparts season ticket holders.
boxing, ESPN Boxing, PBC on ESPN, Premier Boxing Champions

ARTUR BETERBIEV RETURNS TO THE RING AND REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH TKO VICTORY OVER EZEQUIEL MADERNA IN MAIN EVENT OF PBC ON ESPN AND ESPN DEPORTES FROM BELL CENTER IN MONTREAL

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Bryant Perrella Scores TKO Over David Grayton In Battle Of Unbeaten Welterweights
 
Click HERE For Photos*
Photo Credit: Dave Nadkarni/Premier Boxing Champions
 
Click HERE For Fight Highlights
MONTREAL (June 4) – As the world mourns the loss of Muhammad Ali, Saturday night’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN and ESPN Deportes telecast began with a “Ceremonial 10-Count” in memory of “The Greatest” and continued to pay tribute to him throughout the telecast that was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between hard-hitting Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev against Argentina’s Ezequiel Maderna.
The 31-year-old Beterbiev (10-0, 10 KOs), who fights out of Montreal, returned to the ring after an almost year-long layoff following shoulder surgery. Now seven months removed from the procedure, Beterbiev looked sharp from the opening bell as he threw straight right hands and body shots effectively to start the fight.
Maderna, who was also coming off of a long layoff, was hoping to make a statement in his first fight on North American soil as he moved up in weight for this bout. Beterbiev utilized his power and precision to control the entire fight, but kicked it into high gear in the third round, sending the 29-year-old Maderna to the canvas with two right hands. He stood up, but soon after was sent to the canvas again. This time, spitting out his mouth piece to delay the bout causing Referee Marlon B. Wright to deduct a point.
At the start of round four, Maderna was dropped with a punishing right hand. He rose to his feet only find himself canvas agan, looking at his corner, they threw in the towel and the fight was stopped at 54 seconds of round four.
”I am really satisfied by my performance,” said Beterbiev. “I want to thank my team for their patience during my inactivity.”
”My guy did really well after an absence of a year,” said Beterbiev’s trainer Marc Ramsay. “He is very special. In a short or medium period of time, we want to fight in a world championship.”
The PBC on ESPN telecast, which is the first of seven between June 4 and August 12, opened with two welterweight southpaws facing off in hopes of maintaining their undefeated records. However, it didn’t take long for Florida’s Bryant Perrella (14-0, 13 KOs) to prove he was the better man as he scored a second round TKO over Washington, D.C.’s David Grayton (14-1, 10 KOs).
Grayton was more active at the beginning of the fight, working his right hand on the inside. Perrella used his longer reach and height difference to his advantage as he did his best to dictate the pace. Perrella knocked Grayton down in the beginning of the second round and became forceful with the right hand as Grayton left himself open to punishment. Finally, Perrella threw a left that caused Grayton to stumble and referee David Griffin waved off the fight at 2:19.
“He came in real tough – a tough competitor,” said Perrella. “I was the best man tonight. I caught him with some really hard shots, dazed him. I took my time, I listened to what my team said and got him out of there.
“This is tremendous,” Perella continued. “This is what we’ve been wanting for a while to fight another undefeated prospect and get the recognition we feel we deserve. The welterweight division is filled with lions, tigers and bears, but I’m Tarzan baby. I’m the king of this jungle. I’m ready for whatever.”
Also featured on the telecast was a six-round super welterweight contest between prospect Jamontay Clark (10-0, 6 KOs) of Cincinnati and Mexican warrior Edgar Ortega (16-6, 10 KOs). The game Ortega shocked the six-foot-two Clark in the first round, sending him to the canvas with a hard right hand. Clark regained his composure in between the first and second, controlling the fight from then on. Despite taking the fight with nine days’ notice, Ortega stayed with Clark all six rounds, even rolling his ankle in the fourth. After the final bell rung, Clark remained undefeated, registering a unanimous decision victory with the judges scoring the bout 58-55 and 58-54 (twice).
For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com andwww.groupeyvonmichel.ca,  follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @ABeterbiev @@yvonmichelgym, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions
and www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo.  Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, ESPN Boxing, PBC on ESPN, Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated Knockout Artist Artur Beterbiev Returns to Take On Light Heavyweight Contender Ezequiel Maderna In Main Event Of Premier Boxing Champions Live On ESPN & ESPN Deportes Saturday, June 4 From Bell Center in Montreal (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT)

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For Immediate Release
 
Unbeaten Rising Welterweight Contenders Meet As
Bryant Perrella Battles David Grayton in Co-Main Event
 
Tickets on Sale Now!
MONTREAL (May 18, 2016) – Unbeaten light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs) will battle veteran Argentine Olympian Ezequiel Maderna (23-2, 15 KOs) in a 12-round showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions(PBC) live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes Saturday, June 4 from Bell Center in Montreal.
Televised coverage begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and features an exciting co-main event that sees a pair of undefeated rising contenders enter the ring as Florida’s Bryant Perrella (13-0, 12 KOs) squares-off against Washington, D.C.’s David Grayton (14-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout. PBC on ESPN returns for the first of seven fight nights between June 4 and August 12 that will feature exciting and competitive battles.
“I have never been out of the ring for a whole year as an amateur or professional so I can’t wait to fight,” said Beterbiev. “We’ve watched some tapes of Maderna and he seems like a complete fighter. We will be ready on June 4.”
“I’m working very hard in preparation of this fight,” said Maderna. “My goal is to fight a perfect fight that will be very important to my professional future.”
“I’m excited for an opportunity to take on a young undefeated lion who’s looking to become a world champion like myself,” said Perrella. “We’re grinding away every day at training camp. We have some new things we’re working on because we know he’s going to come at me hard. I’m ready to either box or brawl. Either way, I’m coming out on top.”
“I’m ready to get in the ring and put on a great performance,” said Grayton. “Training is going well and I’ve had lots of good sparring and conditioning. We know we have a rangy southpaw who’s going to be tough. It’s about whoever wants it the most and I bet I’ll be hungrier. When I get the win, the sky is the limit.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), are on sale at the Bell Centre box office, on www.evenko.ca, at GYM (514) 383-0666) or at Champion boxing club (514) 376-0980.
“We will launch the Grand Prix activities, which is the biggest sports week in Montreal, with this card,” said Yvon Michel, President of GYM. “Artur is the next boxing superstar in Quebec. He injured his shoulder, but the surgery fixed everything. We plan for him to fight three times in 2016. We want Sergey Kovalev by the end of the year or beginning of 2017.”
Beterbiev returns to his adopted homeland after last fighting in June 2015 and recovering from a shoulder surgery. A two-time Russian Olympian, Beterbiev has fought out of Montreal for his professional career that began in 2013. The 31-year-old has sent all of his opponents out within the distance including dominating performances over former world champions Tavoris Cloud and Gabriel Campillo.
Maderna turned pro in 2008 after representing his native Argentina in the 2008 Olympics and was unbeaten in his first 19 fights before losing a narrow decision to Edwin Rodriguez. Both of the 29-year-old’s defeats have come to unbeaten fighters and he enters this fight on a three bout winning streak including a first round knockout of Rolando Mansilla his last time out.
An undefeated 27-year-old out of Fort Myers, Florida, Perrella comes in off a second round stoppage of Ramon Ayala in January. He picked up five knockouts in a row in 2015 and looks to make it 11 in a row overall when he faces his toughest test yet on June 4.
A Washington D.C. product, Grayton was a National Golden Gloves Champion who beat Errol Spence Jr. on his way to picking up that title. The 28-year-old entered the professional ranks in 2012 and is unbeaten since. He began 2016 with a stoppage of Daniel Souza Santos in January and now looks to make his mark in a competitive welterweight battle.
For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com andwww.groupeyvonmichel.ca,  follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @ABeterbiev @@yvonmichelgym, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions andwww.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo.  Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, ESPN Boxing, PBC on ESPN, Premier Boxing Champions

BETERBIEV IS BACK! Arthur Beterbiev vs. Ezequiel Maderna June 4 at Montreal’s Bell Center PBC on ESPN in U.S., PPV in Canada

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MONTREAL (May 11, 2016) —  World light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev returns to the ring Saturday night, June 7, to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) International and North American Boxing Association (NABA) title belts against Argentinian champion Ezequiel “El Olympico” Maderna in the 12-round main event at historic Belle Centre in Montreal, Canada.
 
Presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), the “Grand Prix” boxing event is part of the prestigious Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series, which will air live in Canada on pay-per-views starting at 8:00 p.m. ET via Canal Indigo, Bell TV and Shaw TV.  The main event and co-feature, commencing at 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT, will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States.
 
“We will launch the Grand Prix activities, which is the biggest sport week in Montreal, with this card”, said the President of GYM, Yvon Michel. “Artur is the next boxing superstar in Quebec. He injured his shoulder, but the surgery fixed everything and we plan to give him three fights in 2016. We aim at Sergey Kovalev by the end of the year or the beginning of 2017.”
The 31-year-old Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs), the adopted son of Montreal, is on a seek-and-destroy mission for his first fight in one year. The two-time Russian Olympian (pictured to the left) hasn’t fought since last June, when he stopped Alexander Johnson in the 7thround, due to a shoulder injury that required surgery.
 
Beterbiev is world ranked among the top six in all four major sanctioning organizations:  IBF #2, WBO & WBA #4, and WBC #6.  The power-punching Betervbiev will be defending his WBO International and NABA titles against Maderna.
 
During his 3-year professional career, Beterbiev has defeated two former world champions, Gabriel Campillo and Tavoris Cloud.
 
 
Maderna (23-2, 15 KOs) is a veteran fighter from Argentina, the same country that has produced numerous championship boxers, from Luis Firpo to Sergio Martinez, as well as well standout contemporaries such as IBF cruiserweight champion Victor Ramirez, along with contenders Lucas Matthysse, Jesus Cuellar, Omar Narvaez and Juan Carlos Reveco.  In his most recent action last May, Maderna stopped Rolando Wenceslao Mansilla in the opening round for the Argentina super middleweight championship.
 
Also airing on ESPN in the co-feature, undefeated American prospects Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella (13-0, 12 KOs), fighting out of Fort Myers, Florida, and David “Day Day” Grayton (14-0, 10 KOs), of Washington D.C., square off in a 10-round middleweight bout.
 
Unbeaten super welterweight Jamontay “Quiet Assassin” Clark (9-0-0, 6 KOs), from Cincinnati, Ohio, meets an opponent to be determined in a 6-round “TV swing” match.
Montreal’s undefeated heavyweight Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs), also a 2008 Colombian Olympian, returns in an 8-round bout versus TBA.
 
Also fighting on the undercard is popular French-Canadian welterweight Sebastian Bouchard (12-1, 4 KOs) who meets an opponent to be determined in an 8-rounder; Montreal super bantamweight Vislan Dalkaev (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mexican invader Javier “El Chivero” Franco (25-17-4), Montreal super middleweight Dario Bredicean (8-0, 2 KOs) against TBA and Toronto’s Parnell Fischer (0-1, 0 KOs) vs. Mexican opponent Larami “Sir” Carmona (1-2, 0 KOs) in a 4-round fight.
 
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
Tickets are on sale at the Bell Centre box office, on www.evenko.ca, at GYM (514) 383-0666) or at Champion boxing club (514) 376-0980.
 
INFORMATION:
Twitter:  @YvonMichelGYM, @ABeterbiev, @OscarKaboom
Instagram:  @YvonMichelGYM, @ArturBeterbiev
boxing, PBC on ESPN, Premier Boxing Champions

Perrella to face Grayton June 4 on ESPN

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Fort Myers, FL (May 11, 2016) – Welterweight sensation Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella will face his toughest foe to date when he challenges fellow unbeaten southpaw David “Day-Day” Grayton Saturday, June 4 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

 

The Perrella-Grayton bout serves as the co-main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card televised on ESPN.

 

Living and fighting out of Fort Myers, FL, the heavy-handed Perrella has a stellar 13-0 professional ledger with 12 wins by knockout. Against Grayton, the 6’0 Perrella fights on TV for a third consecutive time, previously halting both Chaquib Fadli and Ramon Ayala. Prior to that, Perrella impressively stopped dangerous Patrick Boozer, ending a remarkable year and a half run where he took out three previously unbeaten fighters. As an amateur, Perrella competed in the 2012 US Olympic Trials where he defeated current rising star Regis Prograis before coming up short against Sammy Vasquez and eventual winner Errol Spence.

 

Hailing from talent-laden Washington, DC, Grayton is an excellent 14-0 and has ten kayos. In October 2015, Grayton bested often-avoided Martin Wright over eight rounds. Fighting under the tutelage of George Peterson, who developed Paul Williams into one of boxing’s best fighters, Grayton had an excellent amateur pedigree of his own. In 2010, he defeated the aforementioned Spence to capture National Golden Gloves title and he also won bronze at the 2012 tournament.

 

“I know he’s undefeated and is coming to fight but this is a big step up for him,” Perrella said of Grayton. “I expect him to try and drag me into a dog fight. Regardless of what he brings, I’m looking forward to come out on top with a great performance. I’ve fought the better opposition and have been asking for harder fights. I believe I’m an overall better fighter and on June 4 everybody will see that.”

 

Michael Nowling, Perrella’s head trainer, is very familiar Grayton and is equally as confident his fighter will emerge victorious.

 

“David Grayton is a strong and athletic southpaw that is coming to win. Regardless, he’s never fought anybody like Bryant Perrella. For some time now, I’ve wanted Bryant to step up and fight another prospect because I believe he’s better than a lot of guys out there. Against Grayton, our plan is to break him down and win in style. Doing so in a fight like this can set us apart from other prospects.”

 

The card is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and is headlined by a bout featuring light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev against 2008 Argentinean Olympian Ezequiel Maderna.

 

Tickets will be available on Groupeyvonmichel.ca/eng/tickets.html shortly.

boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

ADONIS STEVENSON SERVES FOOD AT SOUP KITCHEN IN QUEBEC CITY

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Light Heavyweight Champ Defends Against Sakio Bika

In First Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) Event On CBS

This Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT

(PHOTOS BY: Amanda Kwok / PBC on CBS)

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (March 31, 2015) – This Saturday afternoon, April 4, hard-hitting light heavyweight world champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) plans to dish out plenty of punishment when he defends against former super middleweight world champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network (3 p.m. ET/Noon PT) from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City. 

 

Today, however, in what has become a tradition before his fights at Pepsi Coliseum, Stevenson served food at La Maison de Lauberivière, a local shelter and soup kitchen for homeless men and women. Besides serving food, Stevenson and his team also gave away tickets, autographed posters and posed for photos with people in the shelter and some of his local fans.

 

In Saturday’s second main on CBS, promising undefeated light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) gets tested when he faces former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

 

# # #

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: BERMANE STIVERNE vs. DEONTAY WILDER DRAWS RECORD VIEWERSHIP

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Main Event Becomes The Highest Rated Bout On Any Premium Network In The Past Year;

The Three-Fight Telecast Draws The Highest Rating on SHOWTIME®In More Than Two Years;

All Three Fights On The Live Telecast Rank In The Top-20 Most Watched Bouts On Record For The Network

 

NEW YORK (Jan. 21, 2015)—SHOWTIME Sports garnered a record audience for Saturday’s2015 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING premiere telecast headlined by newly minted WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder in his breakout win over Bermane Stiverne.  The main event ranks as the highest-rated fight on any premium network in the past 12 months while the entire three-fight telecast becomes the highest rated on SHOWTIME in more than two years.  The Jan. 17 telecast attracted the second largest audience since 2004* behind the Miguel Cotto vs. Austin Trout event from Dec. 2012.  (*since Nielsen began to separately measure premium television multiplex channels)

 

Wilder’s impressive win captured an average audience of 1.24 million viewers, ranked as the fourth highest-rated fight on record for the network, with a peak audience of 1.34 million viewers.

 

The average individual audiences for each of the three fights on the telecast now rank in the top-20 of the most watched bouts on SHOWTIME since 2009.  WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz’s eighth-round TKO of Jesus Ruiz ranks 12th highest while the telecast opener, super lightweight Amir Imam’s fifth-round TKO of Fidel Maldonado Jr. ranks 20th.

 

The event was co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

#  #  #

 

SHOWTIME releases Stiverne vs. Wilder Round 7 in its entirety! http://s.sho.com/1J52G55

 

Plus, catch the entire SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast again on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and on mobile devices via SHOWTIME ANYTIME®

Photo Credit: SHOWTIME/Esther Lin

 

Suggested Tweet

Entire Rd7 from #StiverneWilder http://s.sho.com/1J52G55; Catch the replay ON DEMAND & SHO ANYTIME. @BStiverne vs @BronzeBomber

 

# # #

 

“RETURN TO GLORY”:  STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship took place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!.  In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruzdefended against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam faced Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will aired live on SHOWTIME (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast was also available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts were televised live onSHOWTIME EXTREME® (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com andwww.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog athttp://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

 

boxing, Showtime Boxing

FORMER WBC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BERMANE STIVERNE, HALL OF FAME PROMOTER DON KING, TRAINER DON HOUSE MEET THE MEDIA TO DISCUSS BOXER’S CONDITION, FUTURE FOLLOWING HIS LOSS TO DONTAY WILDER ON SATURDAY NIGHT

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  Press Conference Quotes; Monday, Jan. 19, at MGM Grand

 

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 19, 2015) – Two nights after being hospitalized following his loss to unbeaten challenger Deontay Wilder on SHOWTIME® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, former WBC Heavyweight Champion  Bermane Stiverne, his Hall of Fame promoter, Don King, and his trainer, Don House, hosted a press conference late today at the MGM Grand.

 

Here’s what they had to say:

 

PROMOTER DON KING

 

“We called this press conference because the Bermane we saw on Saturday night was not the Bermane we all know. Deontay Wilder did a very good job; this is not a press conference for excuses, it is for fact. The doctors at the hospital of the UMC said that he had a severe case of dehydration. His muscles were not working and they thought he had blood in his urine, so they took some tests and held him in the hospital until this morning.

“We want to applaud Deontay Wilder for doing his job, but the man before him was handicapped and unable to do his job, but that should not take anything away from his victory. Deontay performed and did a great job. It is unfortunate, but Bermane will have to do it another day. Knowing the champion we have in Deontay has so eloquently stated that he will take on anybody, I am certain without any equivocation he would grant a rematch with the real Bermane than the man who was handicapped in the ring, not taking away the victory he had and the way he shined.

“We praise Deontay and hope he can be champion long enough to where we can have a rematch of the ‘Return to Glory.’

“Just like our great military, when they get knocked down, they get back up again. Even with his severe dehydration Bermane still stood there for 12 rounds.

“We want to thank Richard Sturm, President of MGM Grand entertainment and Stephen Espinoza with SHOWTIME Boxing for playing a major part in getting this program together. We applaud both our staff and the MGM staff for doing a commendable job for making this happen. The spirit for ‘Return to Glory’ was high. We had a great card with Amir Imam in the fight of the night, getting knocked down and getting back up. All of the fights were exceptional. It was a good night of boxing for the fans and that is what we are really about.

“Don House so eloquently stated the health of Bermane is so important so when I found out he was in the hospital, I went to stay the day there with him because usually we just send them to the hospital to get checked out, but they decided to hold him. When they decided to hold him, I had to get over there and see my fighter. The staff was terrific and very gracious to me and very definitive about what could be wrong and investigating all aspects. They said he is healthy and should take off a month or so to get some rest and then get to work to prepare for his return to glory and recapture the heavyweight crown that is currently held by a great champion named Deontay Wilder.”

BERMANE STIVERNE

 

“I want to apologize for not making the post-fight press conference. Unfortunately I was not able to perform in the fight like I wanted to due to severe dehydration and muscle damage. I did not know it was that serious until they told me. I could have died from it. I am happy to just be myself, walk and talk again.  Thank God for this, that’s really what matters to me to be healthy right now.

“I did not know the severity of it Saturday night. I was able to give the people a good show, 12 rounds of boxing. If I had to do it again I would do it again. This is not the end for me. I will give it a couple weeks and then get back to work. I have a vision for this, but right now it’s just on pause. It’s just a matter of time before I will get back on my feet and walk again. When it comes to my health, I have been released from the hospital. They would not let me leave until I was sufficiently hydrated. I am grateful. Thank you to my promoter and trainer, everyone who has welcomed me.

“To my fans, I apologize for not being able to perform like Bermane usually does. I know that people who really know me, know how I fight. My last fight with Chris Arreola, I gave you a good show. It is unfortunate that I couldn’t do what I wanted to do with my fight with Deontay Wilder. I want to congratulate him, he fought a good fight. Hopefully somewhere in the future we will meet again.

“Thanks everyone for coming out to the press conference, I am back on my feet 100 percent right now. I just need a couple of weeks or a month of rest to be back where I left off.”

DON HOUSE, Stiverne’s Trainer

“Thank you guys for coming out. The most important thing is that Bermane is OK. That is my main concern. I noticed somewhere in the fight, probably around the third or fourth round, something wasn’t right. Even though he told me he was OK, we all know Bermane. I don’t mind losing a fight, but I knew something wasn’t right, so I was very concerned. Around the ninth or 10th round I was thinking to stop the fight because you don’t have to continue, but he wanted to keep fighting.

“You didn’t see Bermane, you saw maybe 10-15 percent of Bermane. I really believe and really felt this should have been a decent fight for Bermane, but would last four rounds or less because his power and speed. We never underestimated him. We trained as if he was fighting King Kong. I train every fighter like that, underestimate no one. But Saturdaynight, we had about 15 percent of Bermane.

“We are going to look back, see what we did wrong, how we can do things better, what we should have done. We will take a look at how the dehydration may have happened. We will take a look at the fight and some of the things we did in training and find out what we did wrong.”

# # #

 

“RETURN TO GLORY”:  STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship took place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and was co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!.  In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruzdefended against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam faced Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will aired live on SHOWTIME (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast was also available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts were televised live onSHOWTIME EXTREME® (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.

boxing, Showtime Boxing

DEONTAY WILDER BRINGS THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BACK TO AMERICA WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER WBC CHAMPION BERMANE STIVERNE

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LAS VEGAS (Jan. 17, 2015) – And the new WBC Heavyweight World Champion…

 

America finally has its heavyweight world champion as Alabama’s Deontay Wilder dethroned defending champion Bermane Stiverne via unanimous decision (118-109, 119-108, 120-107) Saturday on SHOWTIME® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs), who had never fought past the fourth round and had knocked out all 32 of his professional opponents, boxed brilliantly behind a stellar jab to become the first U.S.-born heavyweight champion in nearly a decade.  The towering 6-foot-7 Tuscaloosa native capitalized on his reach advantage, jabbing consistently to set up a powerful straight right.

 

Fighting on Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali’s 73rd birthday, Wilder became the first undefeated American heavyweight champion since Riddick Bowe in 1992 and the first American champion since Shannon Briggs won the crown in 2006.

 

“I’m just excited and happy to bring this belt back to America,” Wilder said.  “It’s going to mean a lot. I think I answered a lot of questions tonight.  We knew we could go 12 rounds.  We knew we could take a punch.  We knew we could do it.”

 

Heading into the first heavyweight championship fight at MGM Grand since the infamous Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield ear bite in 1997, there were questions from boxing insiders if Wilder, who had never been truly tested, could handle the power of a true heavyweight and last in the later rounds.  But Wilder answered those questions with a disciplined game plan, landing more than double the total punches and throwing 420 jabs to Stiverne’s 139.

 

“When I saw he could take a great punch we knew we were in for the long run.  Twelve rounds is nothing.  I want to bring excitement back to the heavyweight division.  Whoever is ready, I’m ready.”

 

Stiverne (24-2-1, 21 KOs) was able to stagger Wilder with a few shots, but he did not throw enough jabs or cut off the ring effectively.  Wilder was allowed to circle the ring and pop his jab at will.  Stiverne landed just 39 jabs compared to Wilder’s 120.

 

“It wasn’t my night,” Stiverne said.  “I felt 100 percent before the fight but once I got in the ring I couldn’t cut the ring, I couldn’t move my head like I usually do.  What can I say?  Congrats to him.

 

“I knew I was trying to throw combos of four or five punches and I could only throw two of them.  I just felt like I was flat in the ring.  What I know I could do I didn’t do.  I just have to go back and learn from my mistakes and find out what happened tonight.”

 

WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defended his crown for the fourth time with an eighth-round TKO of Jesus Ruiz and afterword called out fellow champions Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux in the co-feature of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

 

The early rounds were close and competitive and Ruiz, a heavy underdog, seemed to be a tougher test than he looked on paper.  But it was clear that Santa Cruz was landing the cleaner shaper punches.  The former bantamweight world champion landed some meaningful shots and had Ruiz in trouble in the seventh and, for the first time, it appeared that he could finish Ruiz.

 

Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) came out blazing in the eighth, landed a big right cross to kick off the round and continued to tee-off on the challenger.  In trouble against the ropes and not fighting back, referee Kenny Bayless jumped in and stopped the bout with Ruiz (32-6-5, 21 KOs) still on his feet at :29 of the eighth round.  The champion landed 43 percent of his total punches and nearly 50 percent of his power punches, while landing an impressive 73 power shots to the body.

 

“Like I expected, it was a war,” Santa Cruz said.  “He came prepared.  We hurt him and we didn’t let the chance go away.  We kept going after him and we stopped him.  I hurt him with the right hand.  I knew he was hurt so I went after him.  I knew Kenny Bayless would stop it because he wasn’t throwing punches.

 

“I want the best and I want to please the fans.  I want (Abner) Mares, I want (Guillermo) Rigondeaux. Hopefully our next fight is against one of the best.”

 

Ruiz, who only landed 22 percent of his total punches, disagreed with the stoppage.

 

“I want a rematch,” Ruiz said.  “I don’t feel they should have stopped the fight, but I have to accept it.  But I’m fine.  Look at me – I’m not cut. He didn’t even drop me.”

 

In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, undefeated super lightweight Amir Imam floored Fidel Maldonado Jr. four times and scored a fifth-round TKO in a brawl that featured five total knockdowns.

 

Maldonado was the busier fighter, but Imam floored the Albuquerque resident for the fourth time in his career with a short right just a moment before the bell rang to end the second.  Then, in an early candidate for Round of the Year that featured three knockdowns, Maldonado responded by knocking down Imam for the first time in his career 30 seconds into the third with a solid straight left.  Imam bounced back and sent Maldonado to the canvas with a huge right with 20 seconds left in the third and then again with a straight right as part of a vicious attack with less than 10 seconds left in the round.

 

The action continued and Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) floored Maldonado for the fourth time in the fight with a short right followed by a left hook just seconds before the bell to close the fifth.  Maldonado (19-3, 16 KOs) got up but was wobbling and referee Robert Byrd halted the contest at 2:59.  Imam’s power was the difference, landing 50 percent of his power shots.

 

“It was a tough knockdown, but champions get up and finish the fight hard and that’s what I did,” Imam said.  “I just had to stay composed and do what I had to do.  “I started timing him.  When I hit him with that good shot he was out.  I could see it.  That was the rope-a-dope.  I was swinging for the fences and that was it, baby.

 

“I’m ready for the title shot right now.  I just want to fight for the title.”

 

Four of the five knockdowns occurred with less than 30 seconds left in each round.  After the fight, Maldonado admitted that he simply failed to protect himself when the rounds were winding down.

 

“I just got caught with a couple of punches,” Maldonado said.  “He kept his composure and he came out with the W.  I just got caught.  I got lazy in there and he capitalized.  He was the better man tonight.  I got kind of bored at the end of the rounds and I paid for it.”

 

In the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME, undefeated light heavyweight prospectVyacheslav Shabranskyy (12-0, 10 KOs) kept his perfect record intact with a thoroughly convincing TKO victory of Garrett Wilson (13-9-1, 7 KOs).

 

Shabranskyy kept his distance and was very effective; landing 48 percent of his power shot and threw more than 60 punches in each round.  The Ukrainian prospect scored a knockdown with a right in the closing seconds of the second and another with a clean right in the final 10 seconds of the eighth, sending Wilson face first to the canvas.  Wilson beat the count but was saved by the bell as Shabranskyy unloaded more than a dozen consecutive punches.

 

The durable Wilson took a tremendous beating in the ninth and seemingly didn’t land a punch, forcing referee Jay Nady to stop the bout after the ninth upon suggestion of the ringside physician.

 

In the opening bout of the SHO EXTREME telecast, heavyweight Eric Molina (23-2, 17 KOs) defeated Raphael Zumbano (32-9-1, 25 KOs) via eighth round TKO in a one-sided affair.

 

Molina, who landed 76 percent of his power shots and more than 50 percent of his total punches, was connecting at will when referee Russell Mora halted the contest at 1:28 of the eighth.

 

In a non-televised swing bout, Cesar Quinonez (1-0, 1 KO), a Las Vegas native and the first fighter to go professional from Fernando Vargas’ gym Feroz Fight Factory, made his professional debut and scored a knockout win over Chula Vista’s Joan Valenzuela (1-2) in the second round at 2:13.

# # #

“RETURN TO GLORY”:  STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship took place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and was co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!.  In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defended against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam faced Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will aired live on SHOWTIME (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast was also available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts were televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

For more information visit www.donking.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BStiverne, @BronzeBomber, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing, or visit SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com/.