Pavlik (35-1, 31 KOs), Youngstown’s favorite son, will be making his third title defense, since winning it in 2007, against the World Boxing Council’s No. 3-rated contender, MIGUEL ESPINO (20-2-1, 9 KOs), of North Hollywood, Calif., an alumnus of NBC’s “The Contender.” Espino is riding a four-year, 11-bout winning streak, with his last four victories coming by way of knockout.
The Pavlik vs. Espino world title tilt will take place next week, Saturday, December 19, at Youngstown State University. It headlines a two-country world championship doubleheader, produced and distributed live on pay-per-view by Top Rank.
RemainingTickets, priced at $208, $158, $108 and $58, including $8 processing fee, can be purchased online at www.Tickets.com. They can also be purchased at the Youngstown State University Athletic Ticket Office. For ticket information call (330) 941-1978.
The four-bout pay-per-view broadcast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT,
will open from the Arena Itson in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico with WBC super featherweight champion HUMBERTO SOTO (49-7-2, 32 KOs), of Los Mochis, Mexico taking on two-time world champion JESUS CHAVEZ (44-6, 30 KOs), of Austin, Tex., in a 10-round lightweight bout, followed by a rumble between WBA interim bantamweight champion NEOMAR CERMEÑO (18-0, 10 KOs), of Anzoategui, Venezuela, defending his title against ALEJANDRO VALDEZ (22-3-2, 16 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. The pay-per-view action will shift to Youngstown where undefeated Top-10 super welterweight contender VANES MARTIROSYAN (25-0, 16 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., and trained by three-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach, will challenge NABF super welterweight champion WILLIE LEE (17-5, 10 KOs), of New Orleans, in a 12-round bout, followed by the main event, Pavlik vs. Espino.