Brooklyn, NY (September 27, 2019) DiBella Entertainment’s acclaimed Broadway Boxing series returns to Brooklyn, NY, on Thursday, October 24, at the Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on the campus of St. Francis College. The 110th edition of the long-running Broadway Boxing series will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.
Headlining the event is the Broadway Boxing return of undefeated junior welterweight prospect “Marvelous” Mykquan Williams (15-0, 7 KOs), of East Hartford, CT, who will defend his WBC USNBC title against Tre’Sean Wiggins (11-4-2, 6 KOs), of Johnstown, PA, in a scheduled 10-rounder.
Tickets for the event, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $160, $110, $80 and $50 and available here or by calling 212-947-2577. The Generoso Pope Athletic Complex is located at 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Doors on the night of the event will open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bell at 7:30 p.m.
“I’m very excited to bring Mykquan Williams back to New York on Thursday, October 24, and to host this card at St. Francis College, in Brooklyn, NY, for ‘Broadway Boxing at the Pope’ streamed live on UFC Fight Pass,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Mykey scored a sensational knockout in his New York debut last year and his next opponent, dangerous veteran Tre’Sean Wiggins, will be his toughest test yet. A portion of each ticket sold will go toward the college’s Robert J. McGuire Scholarship, aimed at providing deserving students with the tools necessary to build successful careers in business.
“St. Francis College is also the home of the Arthur Curry Scholarship, named in memory of my dear friend and former HBO colleague. I’ve always noted that boxers are generally not privileged young men and women and I support St. Francis College in their mission to encourage and educate first generation college students.”
“I can’t wait to fight in New York again,” stated Williams. “Boxing fans there are a special breed and not easy to impress, but the atmosphere is second to none. I know Wiggins is a very solid fighter, my toughest fight so far, but I’m looking forward to putting on a great show.”
A portion of the proceeds from “Broadway Boxing at the Pope” shall go toward the Robert J. McGuire Scholarship, which provides tuition assistance to worthy SFU students.
Said Robert J. McGuire, Benefactor and Namesake of the scholarship, “I am privileged to be a part of this wonderful effort to provide scholarship assistance to deserving students at St. Francis College. There is no more powerful combination than a great educational institution, a wonderful group of donors led by Fred and Judy Wilpon and an outstanding group of young scholars for whom the future is bright.”
Guided by legendary manager Jackie Kallen, Williams returns to the ring following a 10-round unanimous decision victory against Rickey Edwards on May 17, at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. In his last New York appearance on February 7, 2018, Williams stunned the packed house at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill with a first-round knockout of Preston Wilson.
Fighting in Philadelphia to kick off 2019, the 29-year-old southpaw Wiggins won an eight-round unanimous decision versus hometown favorite Samuel Teah on February 23, to capture the Pennsylvania State super lightweight title. Following that up on April 26, also in Philadelphia, Wiggins battled to a hotly contested eight-round draw with popular local prospect Branden Pizarro.
Co-featured on “Broadway Boxing at the Pope”, Joseph “Mack” Williams Jr. (13-0, 8 KOs), of Far Rockaway, NY, will be making his debut in the super middleweight division. He steps back into the ring on October 24 following a six-round unanimous decision versus Jose Mario Flores on April 10, in New York City. Williams was a decorated amateur, winning the 2012 National Golden Gloves, competing at the 2012 Olympic box-offs, and serving as an alternate at the London Olympics for the United States. Williams was also a three-time New York Golden Gloves champion in addition to competing in the 2011 Amateur World Championships.
Heavyweight George Arias (14-0, 7 KOs), of The Bronx, NY, will engage in a scheduled eight-rounder in his third fight of 2019. The undefeated 27-year-old has gone the eight-round distance twice this year in dominant performances against Robert Simms on March 2 and Keith Barr on May 17. Born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Arias moved to New York City in 1996, at the age of four. After graduating from high school, he learned to box at Morris Park Boxing Gym near his home. Arias won the New York Golden Gloves tournament in 2014 then turned professional that October. He is trained and managed by Leon Washington Jr.
Fighting in an eight-round bout, Jose Roman (9-0, 4 KOs), a welterweight prospect from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, will return to the Big Apple for the first time since his New York debut on June 21, 2018. On that date, Roman earned a unanimous points victory against Marcus Beckford. He has since added three more wins to his ledger, all at home in Puerto Rico. In his last bout, on July 13, Roman defeated 9-1 Damian Sosa via six-round unanimous decision. Roman turned pro in September 2016 and was a three-time member of the Puerto Rican National Boxing team as an amateur.
Haitian-American Melissa St. Vil (11-4-4, 1 KO), from Brooklyn NY, will compete in a six-rounder at lightweight, determined to rebound from a hard-fought loss in a world title challenge to then-WBC lightweight titlist Delfine Persoon in March. St. Vil debuted in 2007 and quickly showed promise, defeating Jennifer Han, who currently holds the IBF featherweight title, in her third pro bout. She has been a road warrior for her entire career, always willing to travel to her opponent’s backyard, while fighting abroad in New Zealand, China, Haiti and Finland. It was in Auckland, New Zealand, where St. Vil captured the WBC Silver Female Super Featherweight Title in April 2016, defeating Baby Nansen, then traveling to Chengdu, China, to defend that belt against Katy Wilson Castillo in July. In April 2018, St. Vil battled then-unbeaten WBC Female Super Featherweight champion Eva Wahlstrom, losing a close, majority decision in her adversary’s home turf of Finland. Five months later, she made her hometown debut in Brooklyn, handing unbeaten prospect Mayra Hernandez her first loss.
Former amateur standout Jude “King Zar” Franklin (9-0-1, 8 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, looks to return to the win column following the only blemish of his three years as a professional; a six-round majority draw against Aleem Jumakhonov on March 8, in Queens, NY. The 24-year-old Franklin, winner of his three previous bouts by knockout, will compete in a six-round featherweight bout. Franklin was born in the US, but spent much of his youth in Trinidad and Tobago before moving back to the States permanently at age 13, settling in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Shortly thereafter, Franklin’s mother took him to Gleason’s Gym where he was introduced to trainer Elmo Serrano. They’ve been working together ever since and Franklin accumulated an impressive 60-11 record as an amateur. Before turning pro in February 2016, Franklin won gold medals at the NY Metros Tournament, twice at the Bergen County Tournament, Battle of the Tri-State Tournament and at the Trinidad and Tobago National Championships, as well as a silver medal at the 2014 Junior Olympics.
Popular junior featherweight Khalid Twaiti (5-0, 3 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, will see action in his first scheduled six-round bout. The 23-year-old Twaiti began 2019 with a third-round knockout of Jeno Tonte on April 10, in New York City. Trained by Don Saxby out of Gleason’s Gym, Twaiti turned pro in February 2017 after compiling a 74-15 amateur record.
Additional information for “Broadway Boxing at the Pope”, including a full slate of televised bouts, will be announced shortly.
