By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of August 28th to September 4th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
The Eight Great Cruiserweight Contenders and Match-Ups for Season II’s Muhammad Ali Trophy
Season One stars Mairis Briedis and Yunier Dorticos are joined by top challengers in the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the upcoming 200 lb edition of the World Boxing Super Series.
The inaugural season of WBSS’s Cruiserweight tournament was concluded last month in the most epic fashion when Ukrainian Aleksandr Usyk beat Russian Murat Gassiev before a capacity crowd of 24,000 at the Olimpiysky Arena in Moscow.
“We have an amazing line-up with eight worthy challengers that rival last season’s sensational quality,” said Kalle Sauerland.
“Cruiserweight is one of the most exciting divisions, just look at last season’s unbelievable match-ups. So we are looking forward to a new season.”
The eight cruiserweights competing for the Muhammad Ali Trophy, the single-elimination tournament from October 2018 to summer 2019 are matched as follows in the quarter-finals.
No 1 seed Mairis Briedis (24-1,18 KOs), Latvia vs. Noel Mikaelian (23-1, 10 KOs), Germany
No 2 seed Yunier ‘The KO Doctor’ Dorticos (22-1, 21 KOs), Cuba vs. Mateusz ‘Master’ Masternak (41-4, 28 KOs), Poland
No 3 seed Krzysztof ‘Glowka‘ Glowacki (30-1, 19 KOs), Poland vs. Maksim ‘The Kill’ Vlasov (42-2, 25 KOs), Russia
No 4 seed Ruslan Fayfer (23-0, 16 KOs), Russia vs. Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tabiti (16-0, 13 KOs), United States
Mairis Briedis
Mairis Briedis, 33, from Riga, Latvia is back in the WBSS.
The national hero is the first Latvian ever to win a boxing world title, having held the WBC cruiserweight title from April 2017 to January 2018.
He is undoubtedly among the best cruiserweights in the world and one of the favourites to take home the grand prize.
In last season he came close: He won his quarter-final convincingly by unanimous decision against Mike Perez and continued to face top-seed Aleksandr Usyk. In a fight-of-the-year contender, Briedis was defeated via majority decision in a close and thrilling contest and gave what Usyk called; ‘the toughest fight of my career.’
Noel Mikaelian
Formerly known as Noel Gevor, Mikaelian, 27, is a German of Armenian birth who lives in Hamburg, Germany.
Mikaelian is a former WBO Youth champion and current WBO International Cruiserweight champion and only a split decision, in an IBF eliminator against Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, prevented him from participating in last season’s Ali Trophy Cruiserweight tournament.
Mikaelian is training under renowned Cuban coach Pedro Diaz and has been predicted a big future in the cruiserweight division; he is known for his boxing brain, speed, footwork and the ability to finish a fight with a single punch.
Yunier ‘The KO Doctor’ Dorticos
Yunier Dorticos, 32, originally from Havana, Cuba was one of the most exciting participants of the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series, a spectacular power puncher with an iron chin. The Miami based KO artist stunned his quarter-final opponent Dmitri Kudryashov, with a devastating third-round knockout victory, but in the semi-final, the former WBA World Champion was stopped in the twelfth-round round by Russian Murat Gassiev.
Mateusz ‘Master’ Masternak
Mateusz Masternak, 31, from Wroclaw, Poland is a former EBU (European) Cruiserweight champion. His dangerous right hand and accurate hooks are respected by everyone in the division. In 2014 he fought for the interim WBA World Cruiserweight Championship in 2014 but lost via split decision to Youri Kayembre Kalenga.
Krzysztof ‘Glowka‘ Glowacki
Krzysztof Glowacki, 31, held the WBO World Cruiserweight title from 2015 to 2016. The exciting Polish southpaw from Walcz, Poland lost to Aleksandr Usyk in 2016 (at that time the only fighter to go the full distance with Usyk), losing the WBO belt, which he won in 2015 via knockout against Marco Huck. That fight was labeled a 2015 fight-of-the-year contender.
Maksim ‘The Kill’ Vlasov
Maksim Vlasov, 31, from Samana, Russia has won 12 straight fights since moving up in weight following a loss to Gilberto Ramirez in 2015 and he is currently holding the WBC Silver Title.
He has competed at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and is now a red hot addition to the cruiserweight division.
Ruslan Fayfer, Russia
Ruslan Fayfer, 27, from Dzhubga, Russia currently holds IBF’s version of the International title and has paved his way to the top ranks with impressive stoppage power. The talented Russian has looked good so far in moving up the ranks but is facing the toughest challenge of his career after entering the 200 lb edition of the WBSS.
Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tabiti
Andrew Tabiti, 28, trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas and is a promising unbeaten contender known for his outstanding hand speed. His boxing inspirations are the likes of James Toney, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones and Floyd Mayweather, but ´The Beast’ has the chance to make a name for himself competing for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.
King Carlos Promotions Ready for September 14th
“King” Carlos Molina announces his venture into boxing promotion with a fight card Friday, September 14 in Patzcuaro. The show will coincide with the city’s annual Mexican Independence festival, which is a major event, drawing tourists and visitors from all over Mexico and the United States. “Bringing a show here to my community gives locals and festival visitors a chance to enjoy boxing, which is THE sport in Mexico,” Carlos said.
In addition to promoting the show, Carlos will also headline the event in a scheduled ten round bout against Juan Jesus “Burbuja” Rivera. Also scheduled on the card are: Carson Jones vs Fernando Garcia, 8 rounds, middleweights; Johnny Navarrete vs Gonzalo Rodriguez, 8 Rounds, welterweights; females Maria Soledad “sol” Vargas vs Lesley “Dura” Rodriguez, 8 Rounds, miimum weights; Emilio Perea vs Heli Quiroz, 8 Rounds, super lightweights; and Luis Mondragon VS Alexia Jesus Medina, 6 rounds.
For more tickets and more information, contact: (434) 342 49 88.
Muhammad Ali Never Before Published Photos
Picture : Muhammad Ali – A Rare Glimpse Into the Life of The Champ. www.cjbookproject.com The Champ as never before seen. Starting at age 12 when a young Cassius Clay won his first Kentucky Golden Gloves bout, the photographers of the Courier Journal began a very close symbiotic relationship with Muhammad Ali that would span more than six decades. Ali trusted these photographers with something very special; a commitment to document his entire life, both inside the ring and outside the ring. This book contains dozens of never-before-published photographs of The Champ giving even the most knowledgeable Ali fan a whole new perspective on the Greatest of All Time. 9.25 x 12.4 inches, hardcover, with 296 pages.
To be released in November.
Tim Tszyu and Andrew Moloney Headline September 8 ESPN+ Event
Tim Tszyu and Andrew “The Monster” Moloney will take center stage on the next edition of “Breakfast and Boxing” on Saturday, Sept. 8. at the new Bendigo Stadium in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. In the 10-round main event, 154-pound prospect Tszyu (10-0, 8 KOs), will face his toughest test to date against Marcos Jesus Cornejo (19-3, 18 KOs).
In the co-feature Moloney (17-0, 10 KOs), ranked in the top 10 by all four major sanctioning bodies at 115 pounds, will defend the WBA Oceania super flyweight belt in a 10-rounder against former WBA super flyweight world champion Luis “El Nica” Concepción (37-6, 26 KOs).
Tszyu-Cornejo and Moloney-Concepción will stream live in the United States beginning at 7 a.m. ET on ESPN+ — the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.
“Concepción is an extremely tough and very experienced boxer. He always comes to fight and puts a lot of pressure on his opponents,” Moloney said. “I know that I will have to be in great condition for this fight.”
Tszyu, the son of the Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, was featured on ESPN+ in his previous bout, a first-round knockout against Stevie Ongen Ferdinandus on the undercard of the Tevin Farmer-Billy Dib 130-pound world title bout. Cornejo, from Argentina, has 14 knockouts within the first two rounds.
Moloney, named the 2017 Australian prospect of the year, will be making his third appearance of 2018. In his last bout, May 19 against Richard Claveras, he survived a seventh-round knockdown en route to a wide 10-round points win. This will be the fourth defense of the WBA Oceania super flyweight belt for Moloney, who won it in spectacular fashion with a fourth-round TKO against Raymond Tabugon in August 2017.
Concepción, one of Panama’s most decorated boxers, won the WBA super flyweight title with a unanimous decision against Kohei Kono on Aug. 31, 2016. In his next fight, he failed to make weight and lost a decision to the unbeaten Kal Yafai, who still holds the title. He is 2-1 since the Yafai defeat and is coming off a second-round knockout win against Luis Carrillo in Panama City.
Vietnam to Stage International Blockbuster
In what as seen as a major coup for the sport of Boxing in the country, Vietnam will play host to some of Australia’s best young prospects later this year. Development company Vietnam Sports Platform (VSP) today announced that they will promote an International event in Ho Chi Minh City on November 3rd, pitting promising fighters from Vietnam against top amateurs and pros from down under.
Banned for a number of years after the end of the Vietnam War, and only made legal in recent times, interest in boxing is on a rapid trajectory in this part of Asia. Whilst the sport currently enjoys amateur status, the November 3rd event in HCMC is seen as a forerunner to bigger events in 2019, and a decided step toward professional boxing in the country.
Lim Song from VSP enthused “We are a company dedicated to the development of sports in Vietnam. This is a country of very rich traditions, but it also has an overwhelming presence of youth and optimism, with a love of sports and big events. We are quite excited by the potential of the young boxers here, and we are working hard to give them every opportunity to succeed both locally and abroad”.
The event on November 3rd will take place at the Nguyen Du Stadium in HCMC. It is proposed to be an 8 fight card including two female bouts. Matches will be of various weight classes ranging from Minimum weight through to Super Middleweight, and all fights will be fought under professional rules and the 10 point must scoring system. All fights will be contested over four rounds.
“We have been working overtime with the local Boxing federation (VBF) as well as local HCMC officials to make this event a reality. I am presently negotiating with Australia to ensure that we get top class fighters and I am confident that I will have some big news to share on that front in the coming days. VSP is also building a world class boxing facility here with the help of the Vietnam Boxing Federation. We will conduct a press conference in the coming weeks once to make an announcement regarding the opening date, but we expect it will be around November also. There are certainly very exciting times ahead, and we see a big future for the sport of Boxing here in Vietnam”
‘Victory 8’ will go down at the Nguyen Du Stadium HCMC Vietnam on November 3rd 2018.
Alberto Machado Defends WBA Super Featherweight World Title against Yuandale Evans
Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 KOs) and Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 KOs) will clash for the vacant IBF World Middleweight Title and Alberto Machado (20-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA Super Featherweight Title against Yuandale Evans (20-1, 14 KOs on Saturday, October 27 at the Hulu Theater from Madison Square Garden in New York. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Jacobs, fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y., is in hot form having taken the unbeaten records of Luis Arias and Maciej Sulecki in his last two outings at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Island and Barclays Center, Brooklyn respectively, punctuating his win over Sulecki with a knockdown in the final session.
The ‘Miracle Man’ is gunning to regain his world champion status having lost his WBA crown to Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin in a tight unification tussle in March 2017 in New York, and with Golovkin and Mexican hero Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez meeting in a rematch in September, Jacobs is hunting down the winner.
Derevyanchenko has his own designs on those blockbuster nights though. Born in Feodosia, Crimea, Ukraine, and now based in Brooklyn, NY, Derevyanchenko was a touted amateur, compiling an astonishing record of 390-20, as well as a 23-1 ledger in the World Series of Boxing, and representing Ukraine in the 2008 Olympics, before turning pro in July 2014. Known as “The Technician,” Derevyanchenko is fundamentally sound with superb reflexes, deft defense and devastating power, having stopped 10 of his 12 professional opponents thus far.
In a final IBF eliminator for mandatory status, Derevyanchenko proved he could carry his power into the later rounds, halting Tureano Johnson in the 12th and final frame of their August 2017 clash. One year earlier, Derevyanchenko knocked out former world champion Sam Soliman, becoming only the second man to do so, inside two rounds in July 2016, in an IBF elimination bout for the #2 ranking. While awaiting his title shot, Derevyanchenko dusted off the experienced Dashon Johnson in six stanzas in his last bout on March 3. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., Derevyanchenko is thrilled that his shot at coronation will take place in his debut at Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of Boxing.
Jacobs and Derevyanchenko are familiar foes as they both hone their skills with trainer Andre Rozier, who will be in Jacobs’ corner and camp for the bout, but Brooklyn hero Jacobs doesn’t believe that will play a part in their clash – and predicts a triumphant return to World champion status in a tough fight. Gary Stark Sr. will take over head trainer responsibilities for Derevyanchenko as he prepares for his first world championship opportunity.
Jacobs vs. Derevyanchenko will top a stacked bill in New York as the main event of a world title double-header. In the co-main event, unbeaten Puerto Rican star Alberto “El Explosivo” Machadomakes the second defense of his WBA World Super Featherweight title against Cleveland’s Yuandale Evans in a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.
Topping the non-televised bill is a rematch of the 2016 women’s fight of the year as Heather Hardy (21-0, 4 KOs) and Shelly Vincent (23-1, 1 KO) renew their rivalry, with the vacant WBO World Featherweight strap on the line after Hardy edged their fantastic first meeting.
“I’m excited to be back in New York City fighting in my hometown,” said Jacobs. “This opportunity for a world title is one I don’t take lightly and I’m preparing myself to be in an incredible fight with Sergey Derevyanchenko. I’ve always felt that I was the best middleweight in the world with this type of fight I’m that much closer to all the that glory and to proving to the world I am the best ”
“I’m a step away from my dream and I will not miss this chance,” said Derevyanchenko. “From my time in the amateurs to my pro career, this has been a long time coming for me. I’ve beaten everyone they’ve put in front of me to earn this shot. Having trained with Danny, I know him very well and we are friends. However, it will be strictly business in the ring. I will not be denied. The belt will be mine.”
“I feel excited to make the second defense of my title, but this time before all of my Puerto Rican brothers in New York,” said Machado. “I’m anxious to get to Los Angeles to start the strong stages of preparation and solidify myself as a champion for the second time with a convincing win for all of Puerto Rico. Thank you to HBO for believing in me. Thank you to Peter Nelson, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. Yuandale Evans is a great fighter who comes with a lot of hunger after years of rest. But this time I will go into the ring with extra motivation to reward all my people in person and those watching at home with a great victory.”
“I want to let Machado know that I am taking the belt home,” said Evans. “Training has been going great and I’ve been doing my homework. Machado is tall and strong, but he’s never fought a guy like me, who can hit like me. To fight for a world title at Madison Square Garden is a dream come true. I am going make the most out of this opportunity. This is my time to shine.”
“One of the saddest things is that in 2016, Shelly and I put on the fight of the year, and so many people missed it,” said Hardy. “We’ve been dying to do the rematch but under the right circumstances. This is a great time for women’s boxing and a great event to showcase the rematch – and I’m going to bring home that title, don’t worry about that.”
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to shoot hoops at MSG – now I’m going to get to beat Heather’s ass there,” said Vincent. “The first fight was close, I thought I won it, Heather thought she won it, some people thought I won, some thought she won, some thought it was a draw.
“This time, you are going to see the old ‘Shelito’ – I’ve got more than just three weeks to get ready, and I think it’ll be a repeat of the first fight, non-stop punching, and my hands are going to be all over Heather Hardy like she’s my woman and I’m not leaving without that title.”
“When we started working with Danny, the goal was always to become World Champion and now the time has come,” said Jacobs’ promoter Eddie Hearn. “This is brilliant match up but I strongly believe on October 27 at MSG Danny will be crowned champion and add another chapter to this Cinderella story.
“It’s a powerful triple-header with unbeaten WBA Super-Featherweight champion Alberto Machado defending his crown against Cleveland contender Yuandale ‘Money Shot’ Evans and New York’s own Heather Hardy meeting Shelly Vincent in a rematch of their 2016 Fight if the Year, with the WBO World Featherweight crown on the line. October 27 will be an electric night in New York.”
“With over 400 amateur bouts, a trip to the Olympics, and experience in the World Series of Boxing, Sergiy was adamant with me that he wanted to fight for a world title against the biggest name available,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
“I’ve known Danny since he was a kid. He is a great fighter in and out of the ring. Stylistically, this is a can’t-miss action fight. Sergiy studies his opponents, finds their weaknesses, then breaks them down. That is why he has such a great chance to win this fight and become the IBF Middleweight Champion.
“Yuandale Evans has a tremendous opportunity in the co-feature to capture his first world title against champion Alberto Machado. Coming off the biggest win of his career, Evans is highly motivated to seize the moment and perform at his best. Both Machado and Evans can bang and like to brawl, so this should make for a very entertaining opening bout on HBO.
“Finally, Heather ‘The Heat’ Hardy and Shelly ‘Shelito’s Way’ Vincent will get the chance to rematch their 2016 Female Fight of the Year. The first fight was a barnburner, and this promises to be nothing less. The stakes are higher this time, as both women will compete for the WBO Featherweight Championship of the World. A World Championship in boxing has been a lifelong dream for both, and I am thrilled that they will get this opportunity on October 27.”
“Alberto Machado is determined to prove that he is the best super featherweight in the world,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “He beat a strong champion in Jezreel Corrales and defended his crown against a tough contender in Rafael Mensah. In both fight, he used his skills and power to obtain the victory, and I’m positive he will do the same against Evans before legion of Puerto Rican fans in New York. I have no doubts he will be recognized as one of the best champions that Puerto Rico has produced.”
“Alberto Machado is building his own legacy fight after fight,” said Miguel Cotto, President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “He wants to be the best in his division and is hungry for the big challenges. He has the best opportunity to showcase his skills in front of his Puerto Rican brothers at The Garden in New York.”
Unbeaten Featherweight Prospect Chris Colbert Takes on Sulaiman Segawa in Undercard Action Presented by Premier Boxing Champions Saturday, September 8 From Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Brooklyn’s Chris Colbert returns to the ring in his hometown to take on once-beaten Sulaiman Segawa in an eight-round featherweight match as he looks to continue his rise up the ladder in the talent-laden 126-pound division. The loaded card is presented by Premier Boxing Champions on Saturday, September 8 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
Undercard attractions are part of a show that is headlined by elite welterweight stars Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter battling for the WBC title in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). The telecast also features a welterweight title eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and Cesar Barrionuevo and heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Polish slugger Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin.
Streaming coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN as five-division world champion Amanda Serrano attempts to win a world title in her record sixth weight class when she faces Yamila Esther Reynoso for the WBO 140-pound title.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with DSG Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
Colbert (8-0, 3 KOs) is coming off a stoppage victory over previously unbeaten Austin Dulay in April and will fight at Barclays Center for the third time on September 8. The 21-year-old southpaw from Brooklyn is one of the most decorated amateurs to come out of New York in recent years and he has gained esteem by showing off his incredible speed and technique so far in his pro career. In his last fight at Barclays Center, Colbert scored a unanimous decision over then undefeated Titus Williams last November, in addition to making his pro debut at the arena in 2015. He will be opposed by Segawa (11-1, 4 KOs), who fights out of Silver Spring, Maryland by way of Uganda. The 27-year-old most recently stopped previously unbeaten Hector Lopez in May.
In other undercard action two of Mayweather Promotions’ hot unbeaten prospects do battle in separate attractions as Brooklyn’s Richardson Hitchins (5-0, 3 KOs) meets Mexico’s Cesar Valenzuela (7-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight match and Dylan Price (6-0, 5 KOs) takes on Rwanda’s Mulapi Enjani (3-5-2, 1 KOs) in a six-round flyweight bout. Marsellos Wilder (1-0, 1 KO), the brother of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, will battle Ryan Williams (0-1) in a four-round cruiserweight match, Brandon Quarles (19-4-1, 10 KOs) battles Marcus Willis (18-5-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round junior middleweight matchup and Brooklyn super welterweight prospect Chordale Booker (10-0, 5 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against hard-hitting Minneapolis-native Ve Shawn Owens (9-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round match.
Plus, undefeated lightweight prospect from Philadelphia Jeffrey Torres (4-0, 2 KOs) clashes with Mexico’s Emmanuel Valadez (5-5, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout, Ricky Lopez (19-4, 6 KOs) takes on Ramsey Luna (14-5, 6 KOs) in an eight round featherweight fight, and Clayton Laurent, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), a 2016 Olympian from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the stepson of former junior middleweight and middleweight world champion Julian Jackson, takes on Sherman Artis, Jr. (3-2) in a four-round heavyweight attraction.
Broadway Boxing Hits King’s Theatre in Brooklyn on Saturday, September 29th
Celebrating it’s 15 Year Anniversary, the acclaimed Broadway Boxing series hits the historic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY, on Saturday, September 29th, for a showcase of the area’s top young fighters.
In the spirit of collaboration, with the shared goal of keeping local grassroots boxing alive in New York City, DiBella Entertainment, Uprising Promotions and The Real Deal Boxing have teamed up to stage this incredible show.
Among the exciting local prospects and contenders appearing on the Broadway Boxing card are undefeated junior lightweight Jude “King Zar” Franklin (8-0, 7 KOs), female junior lightweight star Melissa “Little Miss Tyson” St. Vil (10-3-4, 1 KO), top heavyweight newcomer Bakhodir Jalolov (1-0, 1 KO) and unbeaten featherweight Khalid Twaiti (3-0, 2 KOs).
Also featured on the card will be undefeated super middleweight knockout artist Edgar Berlanga (8-0, 8 KOs), junior welterweight Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (11-1, 7 KOs), undefeated junior middleweight Mathew “Lefty Gunz” Gonzalez (6-0, 4 KOs) and undefeated junior middleweight Justin “The Brooklyn Torch” Biggs (4-0, 4 KOs).
“It is a pleasure working with Uprising Promotions and The Real Deal Boxing on what will be an exciting event on September 29th.”, says Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
“I’m thrilled to debut the Broadway Boxing series at such as a historic venue as Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. With prospects like Jude Franklin, Khalid Twaiti, Justin Biggs and Edgar Berlanga, and former world title challenger Melissa St. Vil, Kings County will be well represented on this card. Local boxing fans will also get to see Uzbekistan Olympian and rising heavyweight star Bakhodir Jalolov in action.”
“Uprising Promotions is excited to be working with DiBella Entertainment, The Real Deal Boxing, and Kings Theatre to promote this great event.”, says Ronson Frank of Uprising Promotions.
“Local fighters need the opportunity to fight at home and we’re proud to be a partner with such great companies to make a difference and improve the sport. Hopefully we can make this the first of many.”
“Since we started The Real Deal Boxing last year, we’ve tried to be progressive and fix issues within the sport of boxing. From fighter safety to poor judging to transparency, we have already made great strides.”, explains Eric Bentley, COO of The Real Deal Boxing.
“This partnership with DiBella Entertainment and Uprising Promotions for a joint show in Brooklyn is another step in that direction. Three competing promoters actually working together to rejuvenate the grassroots boxing scene in New York City is great for the fighters, the community and the sport. We’re very grateful to Lou DiBella and Ronson Frank for seeing the big picture and believing it is better to work with each other rather than against each other. Hopefully this can lead to a longstanding series at Kings Theatre that benefits all three companies, our collective fighters and New York City, home of the greatest boxing fans in the world.”
Trained by Elmo Serrano out of Gleason’s Gym, Brooklyn-based 23-year-old Jude Franklin looks to build on his reputation as one of the area’s finest prospects on September 29th in the third bout of his 2018 campaign. On February 7th, Franklin knocked out Floriano Pagliara in the second round at the Broadway Boxing event in New York City. In his most recent action, Franklin stopped Angel Jimenez on June 21st, in Queens, NY.
A native of Haiti, the Brooklyn-based Melissa St. Vil will be making her borough debut on September 29. Most recently, she challenged for the WBC Super Featherweight World Title, losing a very close, hard fought majority decision to Eva Wahlstrom in Helsinki, Finland, on April 6th. St. Vil won the WBC Silver super featherweight title in April 2016. Having traveled all over the world for fights, this will be St. Vil’s first bout in the New York City area since May 2014.
Promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., 2016 Olympian Heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov, of Uzbekistan, is currently training with the renowned Pedro Diaz and Ravshan Khodjaev in Miami, FL. At the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Jalolov was the flag bearer for his country at the Opening Ceremonies, one of his native country’s highest honors. He advanced to the second round losing to eventual silver medalist Joe Joyce. While compiling an 84-13 record as an amateur, Jalolov also became a four-time National champion. In his professional debut, Jalolov knocked out Hugo Trujillo in the third round on May 5th.
Fighting for the first time at Kings Theatre, the 22-year-old Khalid Twaiti returns to the ring following a third-round knockout of Joseph Cole on May 5th at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Trained by Don Saxby out of Gleason’s Gym, the all-action Twaiti continues to build his resume as a professional, which has earned rave reviews since his pro debut in February 2017. As an amateur, Twaiti compiled an impressive 74-15 record.
The 21-year-old Edgar Berlanga has quickly turned heads in the professional ranks with his show-stopping knockouts, all of which have come in the first round. He returns to action at Kings Theatre following his stoppage of Aaron Garcia on June 9th, in the first stanza. Prior to that, Berlanga knocked out Jaime Barboza in the opening round on January 26th in Philadelphia.
Just 20 years old, Josue Vargas, of The Bronx, NY, has become a fan favorite among the Puerto Rican community and will be looking to build on his five-bout winning streak. Vargas kicked off his 2018 campaign with a fifth-round knockout of Zack Ramsey on March 10th. Following up on that thrilling performance, Vargas made a quick return with a seventh-round stoppage of Victor Vasquez on April 21st.
Fighting out of Ridgewood, NY, Mathew Gonzalez continues to stay busy since turning professional last year. The 23-year-old will be making his fifth start of 2018 on September 29th with his last three victories all coming at Kings Theatre.
Justin Biggs continues to show promise as a professional after an outstanding amateur career that included winning multiple New York Golden Gloves titles. Fighting twice at Kings Theatre in 2018, Biggs most recently stopped Dominik Karoly in the fourth round on April 21st. Prior to that, on March 18th, he knocked out Joseph Elmore in the third stanza.