Μεταδοθεί ζωντανά σε HBO®
ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ, Νέα Υόρκη (Φεβρουάριος 9, 2016) - Roc Nation Sports βρίσκεται στην ευχάριστη θέση να ανακοινώσει ότι δύο φορές Παγκόσμιος Πρωταθλητής και κορυφαίο λίβρα-για-λιβρών μαχητής Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) θα επιστρέψει στο δαχτυλίδι στις Σάββατο, Μάρτιος 26, to begin his assault on the light heavyweight division when he takes on undefeated and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, Καλιφόρνια. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® ξεκινώντας από 9:45 μ.μ. ΚΑΙ/PT.
Τα εισιτήρια κοστίζουν $300, $150, $100, $50 και $25, δεν περιλαμβάνονται τα ισχύοντα τέλη παροχής υπηρεσιών και τους φόρους, go on sale Tuesday, Φεβρουάριος. 9 στο 5:00 PM PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.
“I don’t really have much to say other than this. Τον Μάρτιο του 26, it will be very simple. I’ll be in a new weight class against a tough opponent but I’m coming with the same approach,” said Ward. “I’ll be in great shape and ready for battle. Sullivan Barrera has had a lot to say lately and I love it. He’s going to have an opportunity to back up every word that he has spoken. These are the type of challenges I like and on March 26, it’s go time.”
“We as a team had a tough choice to make – crash the party by taking out Ward first or wait for the mandatory and take out Kovalev,” said Barrera. “We decided that the time is now. Ward will fall first and then we will go after the belts.”
“Having cleaned out the super middleweight division, Andre’s next challenge is to become the best light heavyweight in the world, and that challenge begins with the IBF’s number one rated contender in Sullivan Barrera,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing Roc Nation Sports. “With both fighters having their sights set on an eventually showdown with Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev, there’s a lot on the line in this fight, but only one man will move on. Μάρτιος 26 is a night of boxing that no fan should miss.”
“I’m excited to be on Team Ward as we enter the light heavyweight division. No weapons formed against us shall prosper,” said James Prince, Ward’s manager.
Επί Μάρτιος 26, before a hometown crowd, pound for pound star Andre Ward returns to HBO in his light heavyweight debut against undefeated Sullivan Barrera” said Peter Nelson, Εκτελεστικός Αντιπρόεδρος, HBO Sports. “With a perfect record dating back to the age of 12 ετών, Andre has risen to every challenge as both an amateur and a professional, including world titles and an Olympic gold medal. Τώρα, he takes on Barrera, one of the toughest challengers as Ward moves up the scale. Boxing fans won’t want to miss it.”
Γνωστή για ισχυρό χαρακτήρα και την ακεραιότητα του έξω από το δαχτυλίδι και το ένστικτο του πολεμιστή είναι μέσα σε αυτό, Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 27 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. Το προϊόν Bay Area επέστρεψε στο δαχτυλίδι τον Ιούνιο 20, 2015 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, Καλιφόρνια και σκόραρε ένα ένατο γύρο νοκ-άουτ πάνω από Paul Smith, continuing his unbeaten streak which dates back to when he was a 13-year-old amateur. Ward παραιτήθηκε πρόσφατα από μπροστά από την κάμερα για ένα εντελώς διαφορετικό ρόλο, a part in the New Line/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Warner Bros. feature “Creed.” Fellow Bay Area natives, διευθυντής Ryan Coogler και της ταινίας αστέρι Michael B. Ιορδανία, φθάσει σε Ward, έτσι ώστε να μπορεί να προσφέρει την εμπειρογνωμοσύνη του για την ταινία. Εκτός από την εργασία μπροστά από την κάμερα με Ward, Ιορδανία χρόνος που δαπανάται στο γυμναστήριο σπίτι του Ward στο πλαίσιο της προετοιμασίας για το ρόλο του ως ο γιος του Απόλλωνα Σύμβολο της Πίστεως του. Now it’s time for Ward to get back to his day job when he faces the undefeated Barrera on Μάρτιος 26.
Born in Guantanamo Bay, Κούβα, Barrera had an impressive amateur run with a record of 285-27. Ως ερασιτέχνης, he was able to earn World Amateur Championships in Germany, Κούβα, Venezuela and Central America. During his amateur career he also defeated former Light Heavyweight World Champions Chad Dawson and Beibut Shumenov. Following his defection from Cuba, where he was a member of the country’s national team, Barrera made his professional debut in 2009 with a first round technical knockout win over Anthony Adorno in his adopted hometown of Miami, Φλόριντα. He would go on to knockout the first five opponents he faced in his professional career in either the first or second round. Barrera made his television debut in January of 2015 with his appearance on ESPN’sΠαρασκευή Πάλες νύχτας, when he scored a fourth round knockout win over former Super Middleweight World Champion Jeff Lacy. Barrera quietly rose through the ratings of the light heavyweight division until he was afforded the opportunity to fight former Light Heavyweight World Title Challenger Karo Murat to become the IBF’s number one rated light heavyweight contender. Barrera seized the opportunity, knocking out Murat in the fifth round on December 12, 2015 in his HBO Latino Boxing debut at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, Καλιφόρνια. Sullivan is trained by legendary trainer, Abel Sanchez, who is best known for his work with middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. When he is not at The Summit in Big Bear Lake, California training with Sanchez, Barrera resides in Miami, Φλόριντα.
Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, λαμβάνει χώρα Σάββατο, Μάρτιος 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 μ.μ. ΚΑΙ/PT. Follow the conversation using #WardBarrera.
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