Miami, FL: Yesterday Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KOs) met with members of the media in Miami to discuss his upcoming mandatory challenge fight against WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs) at The Theater at Madison Square Garden Saturday, March 3. The bout will be the co-main event on the Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev vs. Igor Mikhalkin HBO World Championship Boxing telecast which airs at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
Sullivan Barrera:
On fighting in a title bout:
“This would be a very important victory obviously because I want to look to the future after this. It would be a dream come true to win the title. And we would see what happens after that. There are a lot of big names out there.”
His plan fighting Bivol:
“Bivol is a good fighter and it is known that he has speed but we have a plan to adjust to the speed and take it away. We are going to impose ourselves and use our abilities.”
His thoughts on Bivol:
“Bivol is the champ and he has to be respected as such but I have fought big names before and that’s going to give me an edge. I have been there before, fighting in big fights.”
Regarding adversity and coming back from knockdowns:
“Things happen in a fight but you can see every time that it has happened the switch has gone on and activated me and I become a lot more dangerous. Obviously, that’s not the plan that it happens in any fight and we hope it doesn’t happen in this fight either. I know the crowd likes the drama and the excitement of it and it’s worked in our favor every time.”
What’s next?
“After March 3rd, when I get the belt, I’m ready, I’m ready right now for everyone, open for everyone. I’m a fighter and open to fight everybody. I’m a throwback fighter. I’m not thinking about sitting down. Of course, things need to be done right financial-wise but I am willing to fight anybody.”
His strategy for Bivol:
“Obviously, we can’t reveal our strategy and our plan, but I can tell you we are going to go out there 100% and leave it all out there in the ring to get the victory.”
About March 3: The Saturday, March 3 main event between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-main event features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol versus Sullivan Barrera in a 12-round title fight. Tickets range from $50 to $300 and are available online at TicketMaster.com and at the Madison Square Garden box office. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions, is sponsored by Medoff Vodka and Leon.ru and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
(Norwalk, California) – WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs) met with news media at the Legendz Gym, owned and run by Roger Ruiz yesterday to discuss his upcoming mandatory title defense against #1 ranked challenger Sullivan Barrera (21-1-0, 14 KOs).
Dmitry Bivol – WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion:
On his debut at Madison Square Garden: “Of course I’m glad I will be fighting in America and Madison Square Garden is a famous place. I’m glad; it’s great. I’m more excited (than nervous), I think. Every fight, I feel excited.”
On starting in boxing as a child: “To be honest with you, I don’t remember much of my life outside boxing. Everything I remember has been something to do with boxing. I’m thankful to my parents that they kept me in the sport and they’ve allowed me to be in the sport.”
On his greatest strengths: “It’s difficult to say, but I move good. My feet, my speed – well, everything! Every fighter must think about himself only the best. Because of that, you can be better, you can be a winner. If you think about yourself, ‘I’m not good,’ negative, you will hurt yourself. Confidence, but not over confidence.”
On fighting Sullivan Barrera: “I want to fight with the best guys. Barrera accepted our challenge. I’m glad he did.”
On getting top opponents to fight him: “Any good fighter probably has difficulties with getting guys in the ring, fighting the right guys. But my job is to train and I believe, I really believe, that my team is going to be able to come together and make things happen. I know they can.”
On seeing a large Russian fan base in New York: “Of course it’s a pleasure to fight on a card where there’s going to be two world champions from Russia, fighting on the same night, one fight after another. I think the fans should be very glad, the Russian fans and all the fans who like both of us, will come and see both of us fight. I hope everybody comes out. It will be an interesting night.”
Any pressure fighting on the same card as two-time world champion Sergey Kovalev: “Every fight for me is a lot of responsibility. I have to be responsible for my fans, for my family, and to my team. That’s my main responsibility. Mostly, I’m happy to be fighting at such a legendary place as Madison Square Garden and fighting with one of the best fighters out of Russia, Sergey Kovalev. He’s considered one of the best right now. That adds a lot and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
On the Sergey Kovalev vs. Igor Mikhalkin fight: “Obviously, Kovalev is the favorite in the fight. But I do think people are underestimating Mikhalkin. He’s not an easy fighter. He’s not an easy opponent.”
About March 3: The Saturday, March 3 main event between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-main event features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol versus Sullivan Barrera in a 12-round title fight. Tickets range from $50 to $300 and are available online at TicketMaster.com and at the Madison Square Garden box office. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions, is sponsored by Medoff Vodka and Leon.ru and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
Sergey Kovalev vs. Igor Mikhalkin and Dmitry Bivol vs. Sullivan Barrera International Media Conference Call Transcript
KOVALEV VS. SHABRANSKYY OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN Theater Lobby, Madison Square Garden
Kathy Duva: Welcome everyone to the Sergey Kovalev vs. Igor Mikhalkin and Dmitry Bivol vs. Sullivan Barrera international media conference call. This is Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. I just want to, on a personal note, tell everybody it’s great to have you back after these few months. This is a long cold winter. Happy to be able to get back into action.
Thank you to all the media who have dialed in on this call today to discuss two sensational championship fights in the light heavyweight division. Both bouts will air on HBO World Championship Boxing®, live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden, on Saturday, March 3rd at 10:05pm, ET/PT.
The main event between Sergey Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title. The co-main event, which features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion, Dmitry Bivol vs. Sullivan Barrera is a 12-round title fight.
Tickets range from $50 to $300. They are moving very well and are available online at ticketmaster.com, in person at Madison Square Garden box office, and directly through Main Events by dialing our office at 973-200-7050, or sending an email to boxing@mainevents.com. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.
We’ll also be featuring, for those who can be there in person, a fantastic undercard. Jolene Mizzone has always outdone herself and we will be featuring 11 bouts of all young prospects, some local, some from Eastern Europe and all over the world, who are going to be in great, competitive fights. It’s a good night to be there in person.
Sullivan Barrera: I feel alright. My training camp, we are going well too. I have been waiting my whole life for the title fight, so that’s the day finally here. Very important fight for me, so I’m very happy for that.
Question: Sullivan, can you tell us what went into your decision to take the Bivol fight over fighting Kovalev in the main event that night?
Barrera: I was offered the Sergey Kovalev fight initially for a substantial amount more money than the second time but at that time there was no title fight on the line. I felt that after the Wardfight, I was worthy of finally fighting for a title. The second time around when they offered me the Kovalev fight, it was for considerably less money, and they wanted to extend my contract. That is the reason why I decided to fight Bivol.
Question: Sullivan, can you tell us what you think of Bivol so far and if you think what people have been saying about him is justified based on what he’s done in the ring thus far.
Barrera: I respect all fighters. Bivol is a young, talented fighter. I respect anyone that gets in the ring. At the end of the day, when he steps into the ring, he’s going to have to prove everything that all the writers are saying about him.
Question: Why would this fight be different than Bivol’s previous fights? Because Sullivan obviously is the most experienced or most accomplished fighter that Bivol will have fought.
Barrera: All of my opponents have been younger than me. The importance here is that it’s a title fight and I am going in there knowing that it’s a title fight. I am preparing like this is the most important fight. I understand that Bivol is a younger guy and I’m used to that.
Question: What does Sullivan expect from fighting Bivol?
Barrera: I think in the past he hasn’t fought anyone with the experience that I have had and it should be a very competitive fight.
Question: Cuban boxers have had some recent defeats. The fighters that are left are [Luis] Ortiz, Erislandy Lara and Sullivan Barrera. Do you think you can be the show face for the Cuban boxing system?
Barrera: Of course, yes. I believe so.
Question: Kathy, why was Sullivan offered less money to fight Bivol than Kovalev?
Duva: Well, actually, while we were discussing the Kovalev fight, a lot of numbers got thrown around, but as far as the offer is concerned, it was the same, the actual offer. That’s my recollection of the negotiation.
Question: Sullivan also made a reference about extending the contract but I’m a little confused by that. Wouldn’t him becoming champion extend the contract?
Duva: Not at that time, no. Sullivan has been with Main Events a long time, that contract was running out and we were working on another one, where that was not featured in the contract. We did absolutely ask for options, it’s a voluntary defense and that’s typically the way things work.
Question: Sullivan, what weaknesses do you see in Dmitry Bivol that you feel you’ll be able to expose on March 3rd?
Barrera: The biggest difference is the experience. I feel that I’ve fought a lot more experienced fighters and I believe, strongly, that that will be the biggest difference come March 3rd.
Question: If Main Events was able to take you from a virtually unknown commodity of the United States, to a world champion who’s fighting on HBO, why wouldn’t you want to extend your contract with them?
Barrera: I never said that I was never going to re-sign with them or to continue to do business with them. Just that the offer that was made to me initially for the Kovalev fight was something that wasn’t up to par with what I wanted, and I am very thankful for everything Main Events has done for me and continues to do for me. What the future holds is after this fight.
Question: In this fight, is Sullivan betting on himself to improve the offers that he receives from Main Events?
Barrera: Yes, once I am a champion, the WBA champion, of course, I’ll be a champion, the offers do get much better.
Duva: Thank you Sullivan. Dmitry Bivol is the WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion. He is a fantastic fighter. We are partners with World of Boxing on this promotion and delighted to be working with him.
Question: Dmitry, earlier Sullivan said that the reason that he took the fight against you as opposed to Kovalev was about money. Why do you think that he took the fight?
Dmitry Bivol: I do not have any reason not to believe that Sullivan took the fight was because of the money, but at this point, it doesn’t matter why he decided to do it because now the only thing that’s left is the fight itself.
Question: Do you think that Sullivan views him as an easier opponent than Kovalev?
Bivol: At first, those were the thoughts that I might have had that maybe he thought I was a weaker opponent, but now that Sullivan has stated that it’s because of the money, I understand that maybe Sullivan is correct, he just did it because of the money. I don’t necessarily have a reason to not believe Sullivan.
Question: Dmitry, what is your opinion of Sullivan Barrera who obviously has a lot of international experience and has fought some top light heavyweights?
Bivol: Of course, I know that Sullivan has lots of experience and lots of fights behind him, but I know that I also have a lot of experience, might not as much as Barrera, but still lots of experience, good quality fights. I believe that I’ve got good qualities that I can trust. I can trust in myself to win this fight.
Question: How much do you feel that you have to prove yourself in this fight because Sullivan obviously is the best opponent that you have faced?
Bivol: I am definitely aware that Barrera is probably one of the best fighters that I’ve ever faced, probably the best fighter. But to me, every fight is important, and every fight, everything’s on the line, so I need to go out and do my best and make sure that I show my best qualities and do my best fighting.
Question: Dmitry, do you believe that perhaps because of the fact that you’ve only had 12 fights and you were a champion at an early age, you’re considered a rookie, so to speak, and that Barrera accepted you because of the fact that you were the lesser opponent in terms of a championship fight as opposed to Sergey Kovalev, or Superman Stevenson who’s fighting Badou Jack?
Bivol: I said before, at first, I might have thought that maybe Barrera decided to fight me because I’m a weaker opponent between the two. But, as Barrera stated, he accepted the fight over Kovalev specifically because of the money. So now, I know that that is why that fight was arranged. At the end, though, I am very happy that Barrera decided to fight me and I have no reason not to trust Barrera that he picked me specifically because of the money. So that is why I’m happy that we get to fight.
Question: Knowing that this is your title fight, you’re defending your title fight against, as expected, the veteran, which is Barrera, who’s fought Andre Ward and fought Joe Smith and guys with more fights than you. Without giving out any trade secrets, what are you doing extra to make sure that your hand is raised in victory March 3rd in terms of training?
Bivol: I believe that a person must do what he knows how to do. I know my good qualities and I make sure that every time I’m in practice, I’m perfecting the art of boxing. I’m perfecting my skills. I know that I’m not perfect but I want to make sure that I keep on working towards perfection. Nothing specific new is happening in camp; camp is always tough and camp is always good. It’s pretty much the same, the only thing that’s different maybe is tougher sparring partners, but other than that, I know my skills and I know that I want to continue doing what I do best, which is boxing.
Question: Dmitry, this is your New York City debut. How do you feel about fighting at the Theater at Madison Square Garden?
Bivol: I’m very excited about my debut in New York and, of course, to be fighting at Madison Square Garden. My trainer’s dream is to have his main fighter fight in the main event, in Madison Square Garden. This is a small step towards that dream for him.
Question: What are Barrera’s strengths and weaknesses that you’ve seen in his fight?
Bivol: Every fighter has his own weaknesses. I don’t necessarily want to discuss what Barrera’s weaknesses are. I think the best way to see it is just to see the fight and see where he was stronger and where he was weaker.
Question: We saw Andre Ward handle Sullivan Barrera rather easily. Will Dmitry look to deploy some of the same tactics?
Bivol: Ward showed a lot of good speed in a fight. He showed a lot of good movement, a lot of body movement in the fight, and possibly this is some of the things I would like to use in the fight as well.
Question: We’ve seen Sullivan go down in the first round of each of his last two fights. Will you look to jump on him? Do you see yourself getting off to a fast start knowing that in the last two fights whether he came out cold or for whatever the reason he’s been down early?
Bivol: I’m not lining up to necessarily knock him down or send him down in the first round. I’m going to assess the situation to see how the fight is going. And, of course, if there’ll be opportunities where I’m able to capitalize on them, for sure I will do it, but I will have to decide on my feet. I am training for all 12 rounds. I’m not sure if it’s going to go that long, but I’m training my stamina to make sure that I’ve got enough energy for all 12 rounds.
Question: It’s The Garden in New York, do you want this to be an all-out war, a dog fight, or would you prefer it to be a high IQ boxing match basically?
Bivol: When I come out to fight, I always try to fight with a high IQ. I want to make sure that I’m responsible for the movement that I make and I understand what’s going on. I’m always thinking on my feet. But, of course, after the fight, I want to make sure that the fight was also entertaining for the fans and the fans would like to see me fight again and are excited about me fighting.
Kathy: I would like to thank you Dmitry Bivol for joining us. Next on the line we have Igor Mikhalkin joining us from Germany with his promoter Erol Ceylan.
Question: Igor, I wanted to ask you, just looking at Kovalev fights in the past, will you focus on what everybody sees as his biggest weakness and go to the body? Is that something you’re going to stress going into this fight?
Igor Mikhalkin: I am going to judge it by the situation. I’m going to see how it goes, and try to hit in the head as well as go in the body. I’m going to assess the situation as the fight proceeds.
Question: Coming into The Garden, fighting on the big stage on HBO on the main event, if you could write the perfect script, how would he want this fight to play out?
Mikhalkin: [chuckles] Obviously, it’s a dream of every boxer to fight in the main event, Madison Square Garden. It’s obviously a dream fight for me. It’s very important for me. I’m very excited about it. And I’m not only fighting the main fight on the main card, I’m also fighting the main fighter in the light heavyweight division, so I’m going to write the perfect script on March 3rd and, hopefully, I’m victorious.
Question: Would you want it to end in a knockout or do you just want to win?
Mikhalkin: I’m going for points. I’m going for doing a good job boxing. I never was a puncher, so I never necessarily aim for a knockout. I conditioned to fight all 12 rounds, and I enjoy fighting all 12 rounds, so I’m going to go and fight technically and see how it goes.
Question: Igor, you’re making your debut in the Mecca of Boxing Madison Square Garden have you begun to develop perhaps a little bit of butterfly stage fright not only because this is your debut, but you’re fighting, like it was mentioned before, the number one. And what extra are you doing to make sure that your hand, not Sergey’s, is raised in victory on March third?
Mikhalkin: I’m conditioning and training really hard. I’m making sure I’m very well prepared for the fight. This is most likely the most important fight in my career. This is the greatest opponent I’ve ever fought. Before every fight, of course, there’s a little bit of butterflies. Because it’s Madison Square Garden as opposed to another arena, it’s not any more frightening than other places. I’m happy to be there. I’m happy to make my debut in Madison Square Garden, and I’m making sure that I’m training really hard to keep this fight in my favor.
Question: In terms of advantages or disadvantages, is the fact that he is a southpaw and fought very well, he has a very good record of 21 victories, nine knockouts, does a southpaw stance create advantage, you think?
Mikhalkin: Yes. The answer to your question is yes. I think being at southpaw is going to be to my advantage. The short answer is yes, I think so.
Question: Earlier, Igor, you said that you train for the distance and there is evidence of that in your record. Your last several fights, have gone to distance, but you haven’t been in there with somebody like Kovalev. Have you been sparring with bigger punchers than normal in an effort to try to simulate that power?
Mikhalkin: I have been inviting sparring partners that are bigger punchers that are trying to imitate, let’s say, the style of Kovalev. I’m prepared for when it’s time to fight on March 3rd.
Question: Are there any nuances? Is there anything else that you’re doing differently than normal?
Mikhalkin: Nothing specific. At the beginning of the training camp I thought maybe something needs to be changed, but then I realized that training is already good and so I am continuing to train very hard. Continuing to condition myself and make sure that everything goes well on March 3rd. So, not anything specific was changed, just hard training and training all the time.
Duva: I will like to thank Erol Ceylan and Igor Mikhalkin for joining us. Now we have two-time World Champion Sergey Kovalev on the line and Egis Klimas, his manager.
Question: Sergey, welcome back to New York City. This will be your second fight. You’re fighting a southpaw, what do you know about Igor?
Sergey Kovalev: Hi everybody. My pleasure to be back in New York fighting against Igor Mikhalkin. I know this guy from amateurs when I was maybe 17 or 18. And right now, we’re fighting in Madison Square Garden, so it’s interesting for me.
Question: What are his strengths and weaknesses that you know of Igor? If you’ve seen him in amateurs, you’ve seen him fight, maybe you just quarreled with him at amateurs?
Kovalev: I know that he is a nice guy and very good boxer. He’s IBO champion and that he wants to get the champion world titles. I will defend my WBO title March 3. I don’t know any more about him.
Question: Sergey, I was just wondering if you could tell us what Mikhalkin can do to make things difficult for you in the fight that you have to guard against. Being a southpaw, being a boxer, being a guy who moves, how do you guard against that to make sure you get the knockout?
Kovalev: I’m not going to do some something extra to get a victory over Igor Mikhalkin because I’m back already as champion of the world in my last fight. I should be ready for everything because I am very motivated right now. I think Mikhalkin is very excited about the fight with me. It’s going to be a very interesting fight because we are trained mentally, Russians, and never step back, just the fighting till the end. We’re ready to fight for the world title.
Question: Sergey, will you be disappointed if you’re not able to knock him out?
Kovalev: It’s not my goal to knock somebody out every round, every minute. I don’t think about it. I just get into the ring. We’ll get into the ring and I’m going to do my best job for boxing fans. What will happen, we will see. Everybody will see March 3rd. Watch HBO or come to Theater Madison Square Garden.
Question: Going into this fight, I know you talked a little bit about not worrying about the knockout, but you wouldn’t be “Krusher” Kovalev if you don’t knock the people out. That’s what people want. How important is it for you to be in this stage satisfying fans with this fight?
Kovalev: I will be very happy after the fight when I will get the victory over Igor by knockout. I’m really happy when my boxing fans are happy of results of the fight.
Question: Kathy, I want to ask you because I believe that you guys announced your date first, March 3rd, your fight with the main event with HBO. The other guys came in and they announced their date. Did they try to work with you at all or did anybody exchange any words saying, “Hey, look. We already got this date set in New York,” or is it just one of those things they announced it and everybody goes?
Duva: Nobody spoke to me. As you know, we announced this date on the night of Sergey’s last fight back in November. There are many dates that are held throughout the year for boxing events. They do not happen for various reasons. I can only worry about things I can control. Unfortunately, one of those things. We’re very happy with the response thus far from the fans with the ticket sales. At this point, we’ve already exceeded what we did last time. In fact, that was the case early on, actually, a couple weeks into the sales for the fight. We’re expecting a big robust crowd. I would advise anyone, especially, really not just the Sergey fans but the boxing fans, this is a great show, top to bottom. It’s not just about coming to see one fight, it’s about coming for the whole night. We will not disappoint you.
Question: Sergey, in your last several fights, you’ve been in there with pretty much nothing but the best of the best. Is it difficult for you to get motivated for a fight like Igor the same way as a Hopkins or an Andre Ward?
Kovalev: For me, every fight is like a call. It’s a call. Right now, this call I got Igor Mikhalkin, nobody except him. I’m ready to fight anybody. Who’s else right now is ready? Only Igor Mikhalkin. We have the best guys right now. Somebody can come and they have another belt and they defend the title against another challenger. And I’m fighting anybody who is ready to get into the ring against me. And Igor Mikhalkin got the call.
Question: Okay. You haven’t fought any southpaws since 2014 when you fought [Cedric] Agnew and [Blake] Caparello, two southpaws back-to-back. Who were some of the guys you’ve been sparring with to prepare for your first lefty in about four years?
Kovalev: It’s a little bit difficult to find somebody who looks like Igor Mikhalkin. But I’m ready because I have sparred already like three weeks with a southpaw. And day-by-day, spar-by-spar, I feel much better and more comfortable against southpaw. And this thing that will be interesting fight. I’m really excited that I’m fighting early on this year already and I’m really happy that I’m back on the high level to box high stakes.
About March 3: The Saturday, March 3 main event between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-main event features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol versus Sullivan Barrera in a 12-round title fight. Tickets range from $50 to $300 and are available at TicketMaster.com and the Madison Square Garden box office. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
Sullivan Barrera “After Ward, Bivol is my toughest challenge”
MIAMI, Florida – Top light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera is working hard in the second half of his training camp for his March 3rd HBO televised clash against WBA light heavyweight champoin Dmitry Bivol.
The 35-year-old former Cuban amateur standout has been on quite a run. After losing a unanimous decision to the now retired former pound-for-pound king Andre Ward, Barrera has put together a four fight win streak against the likes of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Paul “Pay Per View” Parker, Joe Smith Jr. and the hard hitting Felix Valera.
While that is an impressive list, Barrera knows that none of those opponents are as formidable as the challenge that lies ahead of him on March 3rd at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
“Bivol is a great fighter. He will be the second best fighter I have faced and second only to Andre Ward,” said Barrera. “He has a great amateur pedigree and has been knocking out the majority of his opponents. I know I need to bring my ‘A’ game to beat him.”
Bivol has stopped his previous four opponents and only 2 of his 12 victims have made it to the final bell. Barrera has a lot of respect for his opponent and believes his power is legitimate.
“He has knocked guys out with one punch. I know I have to be careful in there. He is a very confident fighter. He knows he has power and knows how to get in position to use it. That is why I am taking him very seriously,” Barrera explained.
Barrera knows that a victory over Bivol will open a lot of doors as fights against champions like Sergey Kovalev, the Adonis Stevenson-Badou Jack winner and Artur Beterbiev could be available to him but the Cuban refuses to look ahead.
“March 3rd is all that matters. God willing I get the win and then we can talk about future plans but right now I am focused on Bivol. I know I have to concentrate on him and give him all of my attention,” said Barrera.
Kovalev-Mikhalkin & Bivol-Barrera Tickets on Sale Tuesday Presale Begins Monday!
KOVALEV VS. SHABRANSKYY OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN Theater Lobby, Madison Square Garden
New York, NY: Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 16 at noon for the upcoming showdown between two-time Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KOs) versus Igor Mikhalkin (21-1, 9 KOs) and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs) versus Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KOs), which takes place on Saturday, March 3 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Tickets for this exciting event are priced from $50 to $300 and will be available through ticketmaster.com and the Madison Square Garden box office. From Monday, January 15 at noon until Tuesday, January 16 at 11:00 am, subscribers to the Main Events email list can purchase tickets in advance using an exclusive presale code at www.ticketmaster.com and www.msg.com.
The event will be promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
About March 3: The Saturday, March 3 main event between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-main event features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol versus Sullivan Barrera in a 12-round title fight. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Tickets range from $50 to $300 and will be available through TicketMaster.com, the Madison Square Garden Box office and the Main Events office by calling 973-200-7050 or emailing boxing@mainevents.com.
New York, NY: Sergey Kovalev continues his rise back to the top of the light heavyweight division when he returns to the Mecca of Boxing on Saturday, March 3rd to defend the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title versus southpaw Igor Mikhalkin, originally of Irkutsk, Russia, now fighting out of Hamburg, Germany. A skilled boxer, Mikhalkin puts his ten-bout winning streak on the line as he steps up to challenge one of the most fearsome punchers in professional boxing at New York City’s Theater at Madison Square Garden.
In the co-main event, newly minted WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol of Russia makes his second defense of the title against Cuba’s streaking Sullivan Barrera, the mandatory challenger. Viewed as a “toss-up” bout by boxing insiders, Bivol-Barrera matches a young, explosive champion against an experienced veteran hungry for his first world title fight. Presented by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions, the doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Ticket information will be announced shortly.
Last month, the Big Apple welcomed Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KOs), the two-time light heavyweight world champion, with open arms as he made his New York debut with a stoppage of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy in the second round to reclaim his WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Eager to return to the ring and to his new home, “Krusher” thrilled his large following of Russian fans last month and he expects an even bigger contingent to greet him in March. As he sits comfortably atop the light heavyweight rankings and in the top five pound-for-pound, Sergey’s goal is to put on a great show for the fans in attendance and watching on HBO.
Kovalev said, “I really enjoyed fighting at Madison Square Garden in November. It feels like my home. I’m very excited to go back to MSG and to fight on HBO. Everyone should to have a great time watching my fight!”
Kovalev’s manager, Egis Klimas, added, “It’s still very difficult to find light heavyweights who want to fight Sergey. I’m surprised! Many thanks to Igor Mikhalkin, who is confident enough to take on The Krusher and get a big opportunity. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Shabranskyy is Ukrainian and Igor is Russian. They’re tough! Not afraid!”
Mikhalkin (21-1, 9 KOs), 32, a southpaw originally from Irkutsk, Russia, now resides in Hamburg, Germany. He made his professional debut in 2007 with a second-round stoppage against Stefan Stanko and went on to win his first 11 bouts with seven of those wins coming by way of knockout. The lone blemish on Mikhalin’s record is a unanimous decision loss to former WBO Light Heavyweight Title contender Aleksy Kuziemski in 2010. In the eight years since, Igor amassed several belts: the IBO Light Heavyweight World Title, EBU Light Heavyweight Title and the WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title. Mikhalkin will be making his US debut against Kovalev on March 3.
When asked about his upcoming title shot against Kovalev, Mikhalkin replied, “It is a great honor for me to fight in the United States. This will undoubtedly be the biggest and hardest fight in my career. Kovalev is for me the strongest man in this weight class. But I feel ready. The fight against Kovalev comes at the perfect time. I feel stronger than ever and I want to show the American boxing audience a great fight.”
Mikhalkin’s promoter, Erol Ceylan, of EC Box Promotions added, “We are happy to organize this fight together with Main Events. Kovalev is a big name in the light heavyweight division. Igor has absolutely earned this fight and he has the class to defeat Kovalev. Igor has already won many great foreign victories in his career and I’m sure that he will be successful again.”
In the co-main event, the young champion, Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs), makes his New York debut and fights in the United States and on HBO for the second time. Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KOs), who has become a fixture on HBO, returns to The Garden for his first world title fight. Both men were very focused on making this fight and facing each other. Some boxing commentators believe this matchup could be the fight of the night.
“This is not the first time that I am training for the most important fight of my career, and this motivates me and makes me happy! Sullivan Barrera is what we wanted and I am glad that we will meet in the ring soon,” explained WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion, Dmitry Bivol.
Andrei Ryabinskiy, of World of Boxing, Bivol’s promoter, explained, “We have planned a very active schedule for Dmitry Bivol and World of Boxing in 2018 and are happy to start the year with an event at Madison Square Garden on March 3rd with Dmitry Bivol vs Sullivan Barrera. I would like to thank Kathy Duva and HBO and hope that our partnership will prosper.”
Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov added, “We are glad that our first appearance in 2018 will be against one of the best in the division in the legendary Madison Square Garden. Sullivan Barrera is a serious test for Bivol and we have a lot of respect for him taking this fight. We want to prove to the world that it was not by accident that this young kid became a world champion in only his 12th ring appearance, he is already fighting on HBO for his third time, and he is fighting one of the best fighters in the division with only one career loss that came at the hands of Andre Ward. Bivol has already been mentioned as a possible pound for pound prospect by many and we will continue fighting the best out there to prove this!”
Barrera said, “I came from Cuba with one dream and that was to win a world title. I know it won’t be easy and I know I chose the toughest road than anyone to get here. But I know all of the tough opponents I have agreed to fight and hard work will pay off. On March 3rd, I will become the most deserving light heavyweight champion in boxing.”
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva remarked, “We’re ready to showcase the light heavyweight division again at Madison Square Garden! We have Kovalev and Barrera both returning to The Theater after big wins in November and we’re adding another light heavyweight champion to the card! Dmitry is a young champion with a bright future ahead of him if he can get past Sullivan, which is no easy task. And Sergey is taking on Igor Mikhalkin, who is a young, but experienced, southpaw and that’s given him some trouble in the past. We’ll round out the show with another lineup of prospects and local guys in great fights to make sure the fans see a really entertaining and satisfying night of boxing.”
About Kovalev-Mikhalkin: The Saturday, March 3 main event between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Igor Mikhalkin is a 12-round match-up for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The co-main event features WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol versus Sullivan Barrera in a 12-round title fight. The event is promoted by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Ticket information will be available shortly.
Recap: World of Boxing Hosts Media Roundtable with WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol at MSG
New York, NY: On Saturday at Madison Square Garden, World of Boxing hosted a media roundtable withWBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs). Bivol, the 26-year old from St. Petersburg, Russia by way of Kyrgystan, Moldova and Korea, charmed the media who came out to see him, many of whom met the young champ for the first time.
The wide-ranging conversation touched on Dmitry’s childhood in Kyrgystan, his Korean heritage, how we got into boxing, and the current state of the light heavyweight division.
On the light heavyweight division and his place in it, Bivol said, “number one is vacant. I’m not sure who exactly is the best. Maybe we’ll have a chance to figure it out.” He later continued, “I’m very happy for Andre Ward because I’m very happy for all the athletes that finish their careers on a successful note. But, of course, I’m upset that my division lost a really important opponent for me. Judging by the last couple fights of Andre Ward, he could definitely have stayed for a couple more and showed more fun battles for his fans.”
Bivol was asked how he would approach fighting on HBO and when he might fight two-time light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev. He replied, “It’s a hard question. It depends on my opponents just as much as it depends on me. If I keep showing very good fighting against all the different opponents, then hopefully the American people would be just as happy to see me as they are to see Kovalev.”
When asked if it’s true that he prefers knocking out his opponents, Bivol said, “I don’t necessarily like knockouts, but the crowd likes knockouts. They buy tickets, they come to see boxing because they like knockouts. They like to see blood, they like to see war. So, I like to fight so people are satisfied with buying my tickets and seeing my fights.”
Unlike many fighters, Dmitry did not get into boxing as a way of getting out of street fighting. He explained, “I was a huge fan of Jackie Chan growing up, so I kind of got into boxing because I wanted to do the same kind of stuff as Jackie Chan.”
The New York reporters were eager to know if Bivol had dreamed of one day fighting at “The Mecca of Boxing.” Dmitry said that, as an amateur, “it was my coach’s dream that his student would be fighting in the biggest boxing arena in the world, specifically Madison Square Garden, and I’m hoping that this will happen.”
It was also announced that World of Boxing will partner with Main Events on Bivol’s next fight, which will take place in the United States. World of Boxing is working with HBO Executive Vice President Peter Nelson to pick a date for the world champion’s second title defense. Andrey Ryabinsky of World of Boxing said, “In the first quarter of next year, we plan to organize a fight for Dmitry Bivol in the USA. We hope that we will be able to negotiate a deal with one of the top opponents in the division. Dmitry is ready to fight the best and has been asking for a top-rated opponent.” Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, added, “We are very excited with the way Dmitry’s career has progressed and are looking forward to his next appearance in the US, possibly in the legendary Madison Square Garden arena!” When asked about working with a US promoter, Bivol stated, “World of Boxing is partnering with Main Events. I’m happy with that.” Main Events CEO Kathy Duva adds, “Dmitry has the potential to be a big star here in America and on HBO. I look forward to showing World of Boxing, Dmitry, and Vadim what we can do!”
As it was Dmitry’s first time at Madison Square Garden, after the media roundtable he received a VIP tour of the facility, then sat ringside for the Kovalev-Shabranskyy event, promoted by Main Events and Krusher Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions and Shuan Boxing Promotions.
Bivol with his manager, Vadim Kornilov
In the main event, two-time light heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev defeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy to reclaim the WBO Light Heavyweight Title. In the co-feature, Sullivan Barrera topped Felix Valera in a contest to determine Bivol’s mandatory challenger.
After the event, Bivol tweeted that he would like to meet Sullivan Barrera in the ring:
“I have not changed my mind about Barrera – he’s a technical fighter with a hard punch. I would very much like to go out against him in the ring. For me it will be a serious experience, a serious challenge, a good chance to see a spectacular fight for boxing fans #BarreraValera”
Bivol stops Broadhurst in 1
Dmitry Bivol retained the EBA Light Heavyweight championship with a 1st round stoppage over Trent Broadhurst in Monte Carlo.
Bivol was awarded a knockdown in the first minute, which turned out to be a push. In the final seconds, Bivol landed a perfect right that dropped Broadhurst on his back and the fight was stopped as Broadhurst was bleeding around his left eye. The time of the stoppage was 3:00.
Bivol of Kyrgyzstan is now 12-0 with 10 knockouts. Broadhurst of Australia is 20-2.
FOLLOW BIVOL – BROADHURST LIVE!!
Follow all the action as Dmitry Bivol defends the WBA Light Heavyweight championship against Trent Broadhurst. The action begins from Monte Carlo at 5:45 ET/ 2:45 PT/10:45 in Monte Carlo/12:45 AM in Russia/ 8:45 AM in Australia
Round 1: Straight right from Broadhurst…RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES BROADHURST..Quick left hook..Lead Right..HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES BROADHURST…FIGHT IS OVER
BIVOL TARGETS LIGHT-HEAVY DOMINATION ON SKY SPORTS DEBUT
Dmitry Bivol fights for the first time as a full World Champion tomorrow – and the WBA Light-Heavyweight king wants to demolish Trent Broadhurst live on Sky Sports from Monte-Carlo before targeting the rest of the belts.
Bivol held the interim title but after Badou Jack vacated the strap after a purse bid for a fight with Bivol was cancelled, the new champion starts his reign against Australian Broadhurst.
The Russian KO machine has destroyed nine of his 11 victims to date so far and the unbeaten 26 year old is determined land the IBF and WBO titles vacated by the retired Andre Ward.
“We went after the WBA title,” said Bivol. “Of course the ideal option is when you win it in a fight, when you take it away from someone. I was not lucky enough to get this opportunity. Badou Jack refused to fight me and just left the title.
“I’m glad that the WBA declared me as the champion. Now I need to prove that I deserve it and defend the belt.
“I’m the type of person that I need to set maximum goals in any business. In professional boxing, the maximum task is securing the status of being the absolute champion of the world.
“You cannot achieve good results if you do not set higher goals. Yes, this goal is not always achieved, but we must always strive for it, so I strive to become the absolute champion.”
Bivol’s last outing saw him star on the undercard of Ward’s final farewell to the sport when he beat Bivol’s fellow countryman Sergey Kovalev in a rematch in Las Vegas in June.
Bivol saw off Cedric Agnew in four rounds in his fourth outing in the States and tomorrow is his first European excursion outside Russia, and while he wants to build as big a following as possible, the Russian powerhouse has the same goal in any ring – to simply knock his opponent out.
“In reality, when you are inside the ring, mentally there is no difference whether you are at home or in the US or somewhere else,” said Bivol. “You have your opponent in front of you and that’s all I think about. I enjoy fighting in the US because the fans are very supportive and they will support the fighter they like, no matter what country or nationality he is.
“It’s all about being fan-friendly; anybody can create a big fan base for themselves in the US! We have our preparation system, our technique which we adhere to. It works well for me so we don’t change it much and just make adjustments to the different opponents we are facing.
“I think the knockout is always a good result, but I am ready to go the distance, to go all the rounds, I am prepared for that. To be honest, if I see the opportunity to end the fight I will go for it. But we will have to see during the fight. I am ready to go all the rounds, but I am also ready to end the fight.”
Broadhurst sees things differently though and believes his first fight outside Australia could catapult him to stardom. The 29 year old recovered from an early loss in his eighth pro fight in 2011 to move into World title contention, picking up regional belts with the WBA and the IBF to arrive in front of Bivol – and the Queenslander is drawing on the recent success of Jeff Horn over Manny Pacquiao to drive him to victory.
“This is a big, big opportunity for me,” said Broadhurst. “I know I am up against a great fighter, just look at what Jeff did against Manny, on the day anything is possible.
“Bivol has become one of the most feared fighters in the world, I know this but it means nothing to me. He is human just like myself – I am working overtime – and will leave no stone unturned in my quest to become World champion.
“I think the first half of the fight could be a chess match and I am very comfortable against anyone like that. I don’t think he’s got one punch KO power, but he controls distance well and has rangy long punches.
“It’s brilliant to be in Monte Carlo, it’s a beautiful place and a great opportunity to show my skills in front of HBO and Sky Sports on top of an undercard with great fighters.
“My concentration on this fight is absolute, I need to lay everything on the line against this guy because opportunities like this don’t come every day and it might never come again. There’s good Light-Heavyweight’s in England so I could see myself fighting them one day too.”
Bivol and Broadhurst clash on a stacked bill in Monte-Carlo where Jamie McDonnell and Liborio Solis rematch for McDonnell’s WBA World Bantamweight title, Scott Quigg and Oleg Yefimovych meet in an eliminator for the WBA World Featherweight title and Dereck Chisora challenges Agit Kabayel for the German’s European Heavyweight title.
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Dmitry Bivol International Media Conference Call Transcript
Vadim Kornilov – Manager of Dmitry Bivol: It’s a pleasure to get in touch with everybody one last time before the fight. I just flew in and met with the team and it’s a pleasure to talk to everybody and we’re looking forward to a great event. This will be the first world title defense for Dmitry. It is a pleasure working with Main Events, HBO, Matchroom Boxing and everybody. Thank you very much.
Gennadii Mashyanov – Trainer of Dmitry Bivol:As always there has been a full-on training camp for us. Dmitry is ready for this fight just like any other fight before. The opponent is a serious opponent, an experienced opponent. It does not matter whether he’s lower or higher in the ratings. This fight is as important as any other fight and we’re ready for the for the fight this Saturday.
Dmitry Bivol – WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion: Hello. I’m happy that I will fight in three days. I hope I will be winner. I had a great camp. I have a great two camps. First camp we had on mountain in Kyrgyzstan. The second in Los Angeles. I’m ready to fight and I can’t wait for that moment.
Question: The light-heavyweight division seemingly is kind of wide open. Andre Ward retired. Sergey Kovalev, his fight is coming up but he has lost two fights in a row. Adonis Stevenson is a champion but he’s 40 years old now. Do you see yourself as the next star and the next man to beat in this weight class? And if so, why?
DB: Yes. Definitely, we think that. Now being a WBA World Champion I think this definitely stands for me being part of the game in the light heavyweight division. There’s a lot going on as you said but my goal right now is to perform well on TV and give everybody the show that they wanna see. I see a lot of opportunities that I can undertake in the division in the near future.
Question:You’re fighting Broadhurst who is a totally unknown name to at least the American fans. You’re not that well known but you were on the pay per view card with Ward and Kovalev, you were on ShoBox, so maybe some people are familiar with you but a lot of people are going to be seeing you for the very first time against an opponent that they don’t know either, what do you want them to see from you?When they turn off the TV, what are they thinking about the Dmitry Bivol?
DB: My goal for people that are gonna see for the first time is that they see and enjoy the beauty of boxing. I will show them boxing at its highest level and make people believe.Once they see the fight, I want people to believe the fact that this guy, can be a future star.
Question: Dmitry, you had the interim title for a little bit and you now have the WBA full title but you weren’t able to win it against a reigning champion, in other words, Andre retired. Badou Jack, you were his mandatory challenger but he decided to vacate the title. Are you at all disappointed that you were not able to get your belt the way most fighters like to do which is by beating another champion or the champion to get it?
DB: I was ready to fight against Badou Jack and against Nathan Cleverly and now I am still ready to fight against Badou Jack and Cleverly. And what about Ward? I respect him because he’s a great master. I would like to fight with him. I’m ready to fight him.
Question:Vadim, can you give your perspective on where you believe that your fighter fits in this weight class?
VK: He’s a champion now. You did mention an important factor right now about being moved up to champion andbeing basically upgraded from the interim championship but just to clarify Dmitry could’ve fought whoever we had to fight. The only reason we actually wanted to fight for the vacant title was we’re ready to fight Barrera. This date, as far as I understand, was not close enough for Barrera to prepare for, and it was just not something that we could do. We were not aware that Badou Jack was not going to take the fight. We kind of thought he might not, but then that wasn’t a fact. I think Dmitry is definitely a world champion. He’s one of the top guys in the division. This fight is gonna take him a step closer to proving that. And we’re hoping that we can unify next year against any of the guys that you mentioned or any other guys that are in the division.
Question:I was just hoping you could talk about the possibility, if you win on Saturday and Barrera wins his fight later this month, about the possibility of fighting him next?Do you think that will happen? And how eager are you for that to happen?
DB: Now I think about only in November 4. Ask me about that after fight. But I know WBA said the winner of fight on November 4 will be make a mandatory defense. Yes, I’m ready. I will ready if I will be winner. That is what I hope.
VK:Of course, we are interested in the Barrera fight and you know as I just mentioned just a second earlier if Barrera is gonna be the mandatory for Bivol after this fight and after Barrera’s fight. If that’s gonna happen, then that’s definitely something we’re definitely interested in doing that next.
Question: How about the other champions I guess will be determinedafter Kovalev fights Shabranskyy and then of course Stevenson has the other title. Do you think, Vadim, that it will be difficult to get people to fight Dmitry just because he’s a dangerous guy and at this moment it is kind of like a lower reward-high risk type of fight?
VK: After Dmitry performed on ShoBox against [Sammy] Clarkson and on HBO pay per view against [Cedric] Agnew, people saw what he did to those opponents, it’s already difficult to get Dmitry an opponent. It’s already difficult to get people to fight him, it’s been that way. We don’t wanna run ahead of ourselves. We’ve got a big event on November 4th, a big fight and a serious opponent. Dmitry has to take care of business first, but I think that if Dmitry keeps on fighting the way he’s been fighting and performing in that manner, I think that people are gonna get more and more excited and I think that the fights that need to happen will happen.It will not be easy, but I think we’ll be able to make it happen with the team that we have right now.
Question: Dmitry what do you think of Broadhurst? Most of us are not all that familiar with him.What do you think of his skills and what kind of fight does he expect it to be on Saturday?
DB: I saw his fights.He moves good.He can move back. He can pressure. He can good to body punch. I think he will be moved back and I hope it will be good fight. Thank you.
Question: Dmitry, wereyou surprised that Badou Jack vacated the WBA title instead of facing you?
VK:Of course, I was surprised. I thought there was gonna be a way to make the fight happen because a fighter goes for a world title, all of his career and once you get the title that’s the big achievement.Why would you wanna give that up? I couldn’t understand why. Why get the title to give it up before the first defense?
Question: Dmitry do you ever foresee fighting Badou Jack in the near future?
DB: I can’t see it but I hope I will fight with him.
Question:Dmitry, with Andre Ward retiring, who doyou consider the best light heavyweight in the world?
DB: I don’t see that somebody’s taken that position. I think that position is vacant right now and- and there’s gonna be one to be determined.
Bivol vs. Broadhurst is a 12-round bout for the WBA Light Heavyweight Title at Casino de Monte Carlo in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), coupled with a primetime evening replay at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT).
HBO BOXING® HOSTS A LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE SHOWDOWN FROM MONTE CARLO WHEN HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®: DMITRY BIVOL VS. TRENT BROADHURST IS PRESENTED SATURDAY, NOV. 4
Dmitry Bivol is regarded as one of the best up-and-coming talents in the light heavyweight division. Now, he makes his first 175-pound title defense, as well as his HBO debut, when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: DMITRY BIVOL VS. TRENT BROADHURST is seen SATURDAY, NOV. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Monaco’s Salle Medecin Monte Carlo, followed by a primetime replay that same evening at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team will call all the action from ringside, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.
The fight will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.
Russia’s Dmitry Bivol (11-0, 9 KOs) meets Australia’s Trent Broadhurst (20-1, 12 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round title bout. Boasting a knockout-to-win ratio above 80%, the dangerous Bivol, 26, is on a quest for worldwide recognition and looks to fast-track his way in the talent-rich light heavyweight division. Broadhurst, 29, has compiled a 13-fight winning streak since absorbing his first loss in 2011 and hopes to spring a major upset.
The Monte Carlo telecast continues HBO’s initiative of presenting intriguing fights from across the Atlantic in a late-Saturday afternoon time slot. In the past three years, HBO Boxing has also visited London, Yekaterinburg, Russia, Hamburg and Dusseldorf.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.
® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.
Fighter Spotlight: Dmitry Bivol The Hot Young Prospect Opens Up About Childhood and Family
Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo: WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (11-0, 9 KOs) is slated to defend his title against Trent Broadhurst (20-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and live on HBO Boxing After Dark® at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). Bivol was elevated from Interim Champion to Regular Champion by the WBA after former WBA Super World Champion Andre Ward retired and former WBA Regular Champion Badou Jack vacated. This will be Bivol’s first voluntary defense of the belt and his fourth fight this year. He became the interim champion when he dethroned Felix Valera, and handed the Dominican boxer his only defeat, in May 2016.
Despite his stellar record and meteoric rise, with only two professional fights on US soil, most American fans know very little about the 26-year-old light heavyweight from St. Petersburg, Russia. He was born in Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan but moved to St. Petersburg when he was 11 years old. He started boxing at the age of six after watching Mike Tyson fight, but Tyson is not his favorite fighter. He said, “My favorite boxer is Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s great. Of course, Muhammed Ali is biggest star. He is very famous. I love to watch fights with Sugar Ray Leonard before my fights. I learn from his fights. I also like to watch Gennady Golovkin, Vasyl Lomachenko, Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquaio, but my favorite is Sugar Ray Leonard.”
Bivol trains in Southern California with his trainer, Gennadii Mashyanov, while his family remains back home in Russia. It is difficult for Dmitry to be so far away from his wife and two small children. He explained, “I have two baby sons. My older son is 3 years old and my younger son is eight months old. My family is home in Russia and it is hard to know how fast your babies are growing and you can’t be there to see it. Every day I call to them and sometimes my older son calls to me when I am asleep because of the time difference.”
When asked what he wanted his fans to know about him, Dmitry said, “I want the fans to know that, since I was a child, boxing is my life. I want the fans to know I am always trying to do my best. I am doing my best in the ring. I don’t like to speak bad about my opponents; I just want my fans to like my boxing style and appreciate my work. I am trying to do everything for the fans.”
Bivol vs. Broadhurst is a 12-round bout for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title at Casino de Monte Carlo in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), coupled with a primetime evening replay at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT).
Dmitry Bivol: Light Heavyweight is the Division to Watch WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion to Make First Title Defense on HBO Boxing After Dark®
Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo: WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (11-0, 9 KOs) is slated to defend his title against Trent Broadhurst (20-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and live on HBO Boxing After Dark® at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds and will be Bivol’s first title defense as WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion.
With an 81% knockout-to-win ratio (9 KOs in 11 wins) and newly crowned the WBA’s light heavyweight world champion, the 26-year-old Bivol rocketed to the top of the light heavyweight division in 2017. However, as Bivol explains, he did not go in looking for the knockout, “I never think about the knockout before the fight. I don’t think, ‘Oh I have to go knock this guy out.’ But when I get in the ring, of course, I want to do my best and I want to make my fans happy with a good fight. First, I think about how can I give him more punches and then I think about how I can avoid more punches.”
The winner of this championship bout will have a mandatory defense due next. The top-ranked contender is Sullivan Barrera, who is scheduled to fight Felix Valera on Saturday, November 25 as the co-feature on the Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy World Championship Boxing telecast.
Bivol believes Barrera will win and the two will meet up in early 2018. He is eager to face Barrera and has watched his career closely: “I must do mandatory defense for WBA for next fight,” said Bivol. “Barrera is ranked second and I want the fight with the best guys in the WBA rankings, so I want to fight him next. I watched Barrera’s fights with Shabranskyy, Andre Ward and Joe Smith Jr. He is good boxer. He has good speed. Good Skills. Good moves. I want to fight with the best fighters.”
With all of this action in his division, the young champion sees light heavyweight as the division to watch. Bivol explained, “Pay attention to my division because now I think a lot of young stars are coming up. Watch the boxing in light heavyweight division and, of course, watch my fight.”
According to Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, “We are glad that Dmitry’s first defense of his world title will happen in Monaco and we are looking forward to a great event. We appreciate HBO giving us the opportunity to air this fight in the United States.”
Bivol vs. Broadhurst is a 12-round bout for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title at Casino de Monte Carlo in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), coupled with a primetime evening replay at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT).
Sullivan Barrera furious over being bypassed by Broadhurst to face Bivol!
When Andre Ward recently retired it opened up the WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles and when Badou Jack vacated his WBA “regular” title the division became even more wide open.
Red hot contender Sullivan Barrera was very confident that he would get a shot at one of the vacant belts. So naturally his jaw dropped when he heard that Dmitry Bivol would face Trent Broadhurst for the vacant WBA title on November 4th.
“I should be fighting Bivol. He is ranked number 1 and I am number 2. What is the point of the rankings if they won’t follow their rules?” Said an incredulous Barrera.
Shortly after winning the title against Nathan Cleverly in August, the WBA ordered a purse bid for Jack to face Bivol. When Jack vacated the title the sanctioning body mysteriously bypassed Barrra and several other more deserving fighters.
What makes this decision even more head scratching is that the unknown Broadhurst is only ranked #11 by the WBA and that Bivol is co-promoted by Barrera’s promoter Main Events which should have made it easier to get a deal done to match Bivol and Barrera.
“I think I’ve paid my dues. My promoter should be getting me that fight. While other fighters are avoiding Bivol, I welcome the challenge. I was ready to fight Badou Jack and I would beat Bivol too!”
Barrera has already beaten Vychaslev Shabransky, Paul Parker and Joe Smith and wants to cap off 2017 with a big fight.
“Since I was child all I’ve dreamed about in this sport is becoming world champion and this type of politics in the sport just hurts the fighters who are putting in the work. It’s just blah blah blah,” said a frustrated Barrera.
BIVOL, MCDONNELL, QUIGG AND CHISORA STAR IN MONTE-CARLO BOXING BONANZA
Light-Heavyweight star Dmitry Bivol and the rematch between Jamie McDonnell and Liborio Solis for McDonnell’s WBA World Bantamweight title top the Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza – a night of World Championship Boxing in the prestigious Salle Médecin of the Casino de Monte-Carlo on Saturday November 4, live on Sky Sports.
The Bivol vs. Broadhurst Light-Heavyweight title showdown will be televised in the U.S. on HBO Boxing After Dark.
Bivol defends his WBA title against Australian Trent Broadhurst with the exciting 26 year old looking to add another KO to his impressive record. The Russian’s fearsome reputation continues to grow and picked up the crown in just his seventh pro fight, and has wowed crowds in his homeland and the US, and will be out to impress in his first fight in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Broadhurst has been on a fine run of his own though, and the 29 year old Queenslander is aiming to add to the feel-good factor in boxing Down Under and take his golden opportunity with both hands.
McDonnell and Solis shared a great fight in Monte-Carlo last November with the Doncaster ace holding onto his crown by a slender margin on points against a spirited challenge from the Venezuelan, one that earned Solis an immediate return – but McDonnell expects to be a clear winner second time round with the carrot of some big domestic bouts dangling in front of him.
More huge names appear on the bill as Scott Quigg faces Oleg Yefimovich in an eliminator for the WBA World Featherweight title. Quigg is back in the hunt for World honours and in his second fight with new trainer Freddie Roach, he believes a strong win over the highly rated Ukrainian will put him in pole position for a World title tilt in 2018.
The bill is completed by controversial Heavyweight star Dereck Chisora aiming to become a two-time European champion when he challenges Agit Kabayel for the European belt. Chisora landed the title in September 2013 after stopping Edmund Gerber and surrendered it to Tyson Fury, also challenging Kubrat Pulev for the strap in May 2016, and ‘Del Boy’ is looking to take the crown from Kabayel who defends for the first time after winning the strap in February.
“We are delighted to be back in Monaco for an incredible evening of World Championship Boxing live on Sky Sports in the UK and HBO across America,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “I’m excited to watch Dmitry Bivol, one of the most exciting young fighters in World boxing and of course to see the World title rematch of Jamie McDonnell vs. Liborio Solis after their last close encounter.
“Former World champ Scott Quigg has one of the toughest tests in his career so far against the highly ranked Yefimovich and Heavyweight Dereck Chisora is in an all-out war with current European Champion Agit Kabayel. This is a special event in a special place and we can’t wait to take the Sky Sports and HBO cameras to Monaco on November.”
“Welcoming the Monte-Carlo Boxing Bonanza in our private gaming room dating from 1910 is an exclusive and unique experience for our clients and players,” says Pascal Camia Director of Gaming, Monte-Carlo SBM. “As it can only be lived in the Casino de Monte-Carlo, I am sure they will remember it forever!”
Dmitry Bivol vs. Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew Scouting Report: Puncher Prospect Against Seasoned Veteran Boxer
Las Vegas, NV: The HBO Pay Per View® undercard of the Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” on June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas will include the ten-round light heavyweight battle between the hard-punching young Russian prospect Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) and seasoned veteran technical boxer Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs). Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:
Category
Dmitry Bivol
Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
Age
26
30
Record
10-0 (8 KOs)
29-2 (15 KOs)
Strength
Bivol has knockout power in both hands; he has a stiff jab and shows great patience and poise while breaking down his opponents.
Agnew is a technician in the ring; he’s a great body-puncher, has an effective jab, and brings plenty of experience to the table.
Weakness
With only ten pro bouts under his belt, Dmitry lacks championship-level experience coming into this fight.
Agnew lacks significant power in either hand; he has also been somewhat inactive with only one fight since mid-2015.
Experience
Although he has an extensive amateur background, Bivol will be entering the squared-circle at the professional level for just the 11th time in his professional career.
The Chicago native has triple the pro bouts under his belt than his opponent. He has also competed for a world title, a fight in which he came up short against Sergey Kovalev.
Power
Bivol’s power is one of his main strengths, he delivers a nasty body attack and has a disastrous right-hand that has ended the night for many.
Although he doesn’t possess much power, he does can physically break down his opponents. He is more affective at inflicting gradual punishment throughout the fight.
Speed
Bivol has a quick jab and moves around the ring well, his body attack is his best asset and is also where the speed comes into play.
Agnew has above-average speed; he picks his shots wisely and maintains a steady and consistent pace throughout the fight.
Endurance
Bivol proved in just his seventh pro bout that he can handle a full 12 rounds. He comfortably won a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Felix Valera.
Agnew is a ten-year veteran of the sport and has proven multiple times that he has no problem at all going the distance.
Accuracy
He is an accurate puncher that begins with his pin-point jab that allows him to follow-up accordingly.
His accuracy is one of his strongest tools in his arsenal; he does not waste shots and has an effective jab that allows him to pick his shots carefully.
Defense
Bivol’s defense has been stagnant thus far, simply due to how dominant his offense has been in his first ten bouts.
Agnew’s defense may just be his most prominent strength. He has proven to be tough to lay hands on throughout the years.
Chin
He has steamrolled through his opponents thus far and has not been in any real danger, so his chin is still in question.
Agnew has a durable chin and has only been stopped once in his career against knockout artist Sergey Kovalev. To his credit, he was able to get off the canvas twice in the fight before finally being stopped on the third knockdown.
Style
This young prospect is an aggressive offensive fighter who wastes little time once the first bell rings. He sits behind an extremely sharp jab and follows up with rigorous bodywork along the way.
This crafty veteran is an affective technical boxer; he likes to utilize his jab and set up his shots. In contrast to his opponent, he has no problem taking his time in dissecting his opponent and grinding out a dominant decision win.
Intangibles
Bivol has been on an obvious mission since the start of his career, which is to steamroll his opposition on his way to a world title shot. He has done exactly that thus far and has taken no time off or tune-ups in the process. He has successfully tested himself against big-punchers in Robert Berridge and Samuel Clarkson and now will test his skills against an in-ring technician in Agnew. Agnew has only been stopped once in his career by The Krusher, if Bivol can add his name to that mix then it can be a major game-changer for him moving forward.
Agnew is a crafty veteran of ten years who has had difficulty finding opposition throughout his career. He is a difficult fight for anybody in the light heavyweight division due to his highly technical style. He has called out all-comers but to no prevail. Rather than sit on the sidelines and wait for his next big shot, he will instead try to derail the hype behind this young prospect. Agnew understands a win over the highly regarded Bivol will put him back on the map and will leave those in the division no choice but to step up and face the former title challenger.
Crowd Support
He has only fought in the US on three separate occasions, but he has an entertaining fight style that is sure to have fans asking for more.
Agnew has fought his entire pro career in the United States, so it is expected that he will have some strong supports coming into this fight.
The Match-up
1. Bivol is a young up-and-coming light heavyweight that a lot of people are high on, will he be able to handle the pressure under the big lights?
2. Will Agnew be able to handle the power of Bivol?
3. Is the southpaw stance of Agnew going to give Bivol any problems?
4. Will Agnew be able to handle Bivol’s come forward/pressure style?
According Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “This is your typical young up-and-coming fighter trying to prove that he belongs in the mix against a veteran fighter who wants to prove he still belongs in the mix. I believe this is Bivol’s toughest test to date. Agnew is a southpaw, he has already fought under the bright lights and is hungry to get back into another championship-level fight in a very hot division.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.
Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 Pay-Per-View Undercard & Trainer Roundtables QUOTES
LAS VEGAS, NV (June 15, 2017) – On Wednesday, June 14, the televised undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” sat down to participate in roundtables with the media during Fight Week Powered by Monster. Head trainers Virgil Hunter (Team Ward) and John David Jackson (Team Kovalev) followed the group of boxing talent with respective roundtables of their own. Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” will take place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Below is what the participants had to say:
Virgil Hunter, Trainer of Andre Ward
“[Andre’s] ring IQ speaks for itself but the worst mistake you can make is to underestimate the opponent’s IQ. We take it all the way to the top, whoever we’re fighting. The mindset is you’re the best in the world. You’re the best that ever did it. You don’t want to stop the bar on eight when you can go all the way to 10. The bar is set at 10 in giving Sergey the credit that he rightfully deserves. Look, I’ve said it before, but I’m a Sergey Kovalev fan. Just not this fight. But I’m a fan of his. I knew a long time ago that if we ever moved up to light heavyweight that we would meet. I understood that a long time ago.
“You can never tell what’s going on in a fighter’s mind. I tend to let Andre set the tone. If we have to change it up, then I’ll come in and we might change up a few things. But he’s been doing it so long and I trust him. I know exactly what I’m looking at when he’s fighting. He can set the tone. If the frustration becomes an asset for us, we’ll stay there and keep him frustrated.
“Me knowing Andre’s mindset and how he approaches things, I told him that we’ll train for a knockout. It doesn’t mean it’s going to come, but we’ll train for it. It’ll be quite evident in the fight. He’s going to get hit because you got to get hit to win and get knockouts. He’s been hit by Sergey and he described the punches just as I see the punches on TV, very sharp… not concussive but sharp. [A knockout] is a possibility. I’ve only trained Andre to purposefully knock out somebody twice – the first one was Chad [Dawson], the second one was this one. I never trained him to knock anybody out, but those two I did. Only twice have we changed strategy to stop somebody.
“What we want to do is make sure Sergey doesn’t get the flush punch. He might graze you, he might rush punch, he might punch you like ‘get off me’ as opposed to being planted and zeroed in and ‘boom’ give him that shot. Sergey never landed another punch after the knockdown. So, if Andre was hurt, how could he make Sergey miss? All you got to do is watch it after the knockdown.
“I’ll have to take Sergey at his word, but when I look at the fight, I just don’t see where he got tired. He continued to throw and he continued to press. I don’t see personally where he got tired and I think I can identify fatigue in a fighter pretty well. But I have to take him at his word.
“No, Andre never made any excuses about his fight. Look, it was a tough fight, a great fight. If you came to the fight and participated in the fight, you don’t have any excuses. I’m not making any excuses; I’m just saying we’re going to have a different fighter. That doesn’t guarantee victory or anything, just a different fighter.”
John David Jackson, Trainer of Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
On the first fight against Ward:
“My opinion is the same now as it was that night: Sergey won the fight. If you look at the first half of the first fight Sergey dominated. If you look at the second half of the fight Ward got back in the game but Ward didn’t come back and dominate like the way everyone says he did. Especially with the knockdown, Sergey won the fight hands down but he unfortunately didn’t get the decision. For this fight, if he can fight the second half of this fight the way he fought the first half of the last fight, then of course we will win the fight. He has proved it publicly that he can outbox Ward at his own game. The question now is, can Ward come back and try to outbox Sergey at Sergey’s game? That is highly doubtful. Ward isn’t a big puncher and can he take Sergey’s body shot? We’ll see in the second fight what happens but if Sergey fights the second half of this fight the way he fought the first half of the last fight then he wins. I had the first half 5-1 or maybe 6-0 for Sergey but the second half I had it 3-3 or at best 4-2 for Ward. So, when you count in the knockdown, Sergey won the fight.”
On whether it’s the game plan to knock out Ward:
“No. Sergey needs to stick with his jabs and his combinations, put every round in the bank just like we did the first fight but in the second half he needs to sustain that attack. Don’t falter and he will win. If he goes for the knockout, he may not catch Ward. Ward is a very defensively sound-minded fighter. Sergey needs to be smart.”
On Sergey’s tiredness, late in the first fight:
“There is a different conditioning coach now so hopefully that helps him physically as well as mentally. They seem to work well together. If he did his job than Sergey will be fine. For the first fight Sergey was running 14 miles a day and I asked him why. I told him he was going to wear his legs out. He is still running but not nearly as much. He is saving himself for this time around. I told him that although he was fatigued he hid it pretty well. I couldn’t tell that he was fatigued. He got a different coach for the conditioning part and that should work for him. If it works for him physically, it will help him mentally. And that is a tremendous blow to help him win this fight. Now that he has brought a new guy in let’s see if that is what he needed to be more successful in his pursuit of Andre Ward.”
On prediction for the fight:
“I give Andre a lot of credit for being a very defensive-minded fighter. The fight might go the distance but that’s ok. We aren’t worried about that. If it goes the distance and Sergey does what he is supposed to do, he dominates; he should win hands down. Just think about this: if Sergey hadn’t slowed down and kept up the same pace he had, what would Ward have done differently? He would have gotten his ass whooped the same way because Sergey beat him in the first half of the fight the way he wanted to. Sergey slowed down and that allowed Ward to get back in the game. If he didn’t slow down, then what would Ward do? He would have still lost the second half of the fight the way he lost the first half. Sergey allowed him to get back in the game. He didn’t just do it; Sergey allowed him to get back in the game because he got tired.”
On the knockdown in the first fight:
“I wasn’t surprised he got up because Sergey didn’t hit him flush. It was kind of a grazing shot. It wasn’t full with his knuckles. If Sergey had hit him with a solid shot, Ward probably wouldn’t have gotten up. He got hit with a shot that wasn’t solid.”
On changes for this fight:
“We worked on the inside game. Both fighters held a lot and Sergey was to blame for that also. Now Ward thinks that he is going to hurt Sergey to the body and probably break him down. Well, guess what? If you watch Ward’s fights he grabs a lot. He is not a true inside fighter. He grabs a lot and he holds and hits with the free hand. As good as Sergey punches, do you think that he is going to stand there and take those kinds of punches to the body? No. Sergey’s mentality is different. He is a survivor-type fighter. He is defensively sound. Once he gets hit he is going to take off. He is not going to stand there and take those kinds of punches.”
Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs), WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion
“I can’t wait for Saturday night. The Mexican boxing community is going to be out there and every Mexican is ready for war, so we’re ready to put on a spectacular fight on Saturday. I believe my preparation has always been excellent and the Cuban school of boxing has always been something I’ve focused on. I believe, on Saturday, June 17, it will be shown. I train for one boxer at a time and when it comes, it comes. You just train hard all the time. No boxer intimidates me in any way. [Flores] is a good boxer and I’m impressed by his style, but I’m not intimidated by anyone. It’s a God-given gift to move [the way I do] in the ring and have the reflexes I have. It just kicks in. I go to work when I step into the ring.
“I’m 122 pounds, I’ve always been at 122 but I’ll still beat anyone at 126. Weight isn’t really much of a big issue for me. I just want the big names and the big fights. For really good quality boxing, it’s not really about size. It’s more about heart, conditioning, speed, experience, excellence – everything I’ve gone through. We live everyday based on the results and the good work we put in. All the people are intimidated to get in the ring with me.
“When you have two superstars like that – and two friends of mine – it’s hard to determine [who will win]. But they’re going to put on an excellent show on Saturday, June 17. Andre Ward will truly have to prove whether he’s the real champ and this is the real test.’
Moises Flores (25-0, 17 KOs), Interim WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion
“I feel great; I’m level-headed. I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity and do what I need to do. [Rigondeaux] being favored is not really a big deal. I’ve been the underdog during my last five fights, so this is nothing new to me. I understand the game. I’m humble; I’m OK with it, I’m ready. I’m ready to fight.
“[My reach and height] is definitely an advantage. We’re definitely going to use that advantage – we just need to use it the right way. His age will play a part in [the fight], so we need to take advantage of it and my youth. But I’m sure he’s done his job in the ring and in the gym. But so have I. I think it will be one of the toughest fights of my career because of his boxing style. He operates from a distance, his legs are strong and he’s intelligent. He doesn’t have the same speed he once had, but he’s still fast. We just need to attack him and trap him. I think my boxing style can slow him down.
“These are the opportunities you train for. He’s a boxer in every sense of the word. But what can he – or any rival – do to me that life hasn’t already done to me. [Rigondeaux] is the posterchild of a real boxer and, for all that, I give him credit. People talk because they love to see action, blood, a horror movie. They want to see combat. Rigondeaux has talked a lot and we’re going to confront him in the ring. There will be action, there will be blood. I work for that.”
On changing opponents from Sullivan Barrera to Cedric Agnew, a Southpaw:
“Any fight with any level opponent can create problems for a fighter. This is boxing and anything can happen. I think that if I follow the plan that we have set everything is going to be good. I am definitely glad with the way things have gone now. It is my 11th fight and I am glad to be fighting on such a big event on HBO Pay-Per-View. It is a great honor. It is a great achievement for me. We have set certain goals with my manager, my trainer, my promoter and the rest of my team and so far, everything is going by the plan. I am very glad that everything is going the way it is.”
On the Russian light heavyweights:
“I have certain pressures in my career and in boxing most of those pressures come from what I have to accomplish for myself. The goals I have set are for myself. It really isn’t a competition or a comparison to other fighters from Russia or any other fighters in the division. As long as I am achieving what I have set out to do and as long as I am going beyond what I am supposed to be doing fight after fight, that is the achievement for me. That’s a win for me.”
On his opponent:
“I never really try to set the main goal of knocking somebody out. Obviously, I want to showcase a good, exciting fight. I will be looking for openings and if there are openings I will use as many of them as I can. Hopefully, I can try to finish the fight earlier but I am ready to go the full ten rounds if I have to.”
Cedric Agnew (29-2, 17 KOs) – Former WBO Light Heavyweight World Championship Challenger
On his opponent:
“I think he is a pretty tough competitor but that goes without saying because everyone is a tough competitor. My thing is to overcome what I am dealing with that night and to impose my will on him and come out with the victory. It is going to be an all-out war. I am just trying to take it to him the whole fight. The things they say about him [Bivol] are the same things they said about Kovalev. I didn’t run from Kovalev. I can take a hit. I just need to stand in there and try to overcome that storm for the first few rounds and stay focused, stay grounded and stay ready.”
On his title fight with Kovalev in 2014:
“I just underestimated him. It was a learning experience. I grew from it. I am still trying to grow. Afterwards, we went back to the gym and we worked on different things and worked on perfecting different parts of my craft. We’re not quite where we need to be but things are moving in the right direction. People don’t know certain things that a fighter deals with on fight night and in training camp. He could be feeling physically ready but not mentally ready. We need to give fighters a chance to prove themselves and comeback after a loss. People look at fighters like they are not human but we are human too.”
On his confidence for this fight:
“If I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t be taking this fight. My thing is to fight the best-of-the-best in my weight class, to prove to myself and prove to the naysayers out there. I have been the underdog in quite a few fights and it doesn’t bother me at all. My thing is, those who really know me know I am not an underdog. It is going to be an action fight. It is going to be a grit and grind war out there. I am here to showcase my talent, my skills and it is going to be an amazing fight. You’re gonna see me fight a hell of a fight. You’re gonna see a lot of Cedric Agnew come Saturday night.”
Luis Arias, USBA Middleweight Champion (17-0, 8 KOs)
“I should have been at this stage (in my career) already but timing is everything. For whatever reason, my timing is now. I’m a little late; I’m 27 and should be fighting for a world title by now. But give it another year and I’ll be fighting for a world title. I’m just going to make a statement. I’m going to get him [Magomedov] out of there and I’m just going to start calling out some names.
“The middleweight [division] is definitely one of the top divisions in the game right now; I think it’s middleweight, welterweight and heavyweight that are the popular divisions in the game. I’m coming out at the perfect time. There’s a mega-fight coming in September in my weight class. The goal is to get the winner.
“[Magomedov] has a good record. He has the best record that I’ve fought so far. I honestly don’t feel like he’ll be my toughest opponent. But like I said, we’ll have to wait and see. He’s coming off a loss; he got dominated by an opponent. He’s fighting an undefeated champion, who is very confident and strong. Had the best camp I ever had. We’ll just have to wait and see. If he’s willing to take it, I’m willing to dish it out for 10 rounds but it will be over before then. We’ll find out Saturday night.”
Arif Magomedov (18-1, 11 KOs) – Former NABO Middleweight Champion
On his only career loss:
“It was a long time ago; it was more than one year ago. I know I did a big mistake, I know what it was and right now I am preparing completely different. We are going to see everything is going to work for me for sure. I know why I lost the fight before and I know where I made my mistake. That guy was not very good and I was fighting in even more better fighters. I know how I’m going to work to (give him a loss).”
On his opponent:
“He’s a very good boxer; he never had a loss and I watched a lot of his fights. I saw the video on the internet about him and he’s very fast and a very tough guy. I think he is one of the best opponents I ever had. Anybody who saw my fights on the internet probably tell that I’m going all the time straight, I give a lot of power punches and I’m doing a lot of combinations all the time.”
On extra motivation coming to the United States as the underdog:
“I got the goal to have performance here in the United States and I am reaching it step-by-step. I’m going to the big shows and I know that one day I’m going to be a champion. People in the United States love boxing more than in my country. People are very loud here and you can feel the fans are very (interested) in the boxing; they know who is good in boxing.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.
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Fighter Spotlight: Dmitry Bivol The Next Generation of the Light Heavyweight Division
LAS VEGAS: When WBA Light Heavyweight Interim Champion Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs) in a ten-round battle on Saturday, June 17 on the televised undercard of Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” it may be the first time many fans watching on television or live at the Mandalay Bay Events Center catch a glimpse of the up-and-coming light heavyweight prospect from Kyrgyzstan. Boxing fans are certain to remember Bivol after they witness his exciting style and aggressive power. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay Per View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Bivol is originally from Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan and now resides in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In his short two and a half-year pro career, he has quickly made a name for himself in the light heavyweight division. In his first ten fights, he amassed eight knockouts for an 80% knockout-to-win ratio. In only his seventh professional bout, he secured the WBA Light Heavyweight Interim Title when he knocked down Felix Valera twice on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Since then, he is 3-0 with two knockouts over Robert Berridge and Samuel Clarkson, despite only being 26 years old.
Despite his impressive and lightning-fast rise through the light heavyweight rankings, Bivol stays grounded in his approach to his next fight against Agnew. He said, “I look at my fights a bit differently; I don’t assume that one is more important than the other. A boxing career is like a staircase and when you successful with each win, you move up the staircase and this fight, of course, is another step up the staircase for me.”
He isn’t letting the added pressure of an international pay per view telecast affect his concentration and drive. “In reality, when you are inside the ring, mentally there is no difference whether you are at home or in the US or somewhere else,” said Bivol. “You have your opponent in front of you and that’s all I think about. I enjoy fighting in the US because the fans are very supportive and they will support the fighter they like, no matter what country or nationality he is. It’s all about being fan-friendly; anybody can create a big fan base for themselves in the US! We have our preparation system, our technique which we adhere to. It works well for me so we don’t change it much and just make adjustments to the different opponents we are facing.”
When asked about Agnew he added, “Agnew is an experienced boxer. He fought for the world title before against Sergey Kovalev. I have not faced opponents of his experience yet. I think he will stick to the same tactics that he usually does. He has been victorious in many fights using his counterpunching technique. I expect him to do the same with me. We will see what happens in the ring on fight night.”
Bivol’s trainer, Gennadii Mashyanov, said “Preparation to the fight goes in regular mode, I don’t like to give any predictions, so I can only tell that we are getting ready for the battle that fans and boxing experts will like.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Water, Zappos and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.
Televised Light Heavyweight Battle Between Dmitry Bivol and Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew Added to Ward-Kovalev Undercard
LAS VEGAS: Before fans at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and those watching live on pay-per-view are treated to the much-anticipated rematch between Andre “S.O.G.” Ward and Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles on June 17, they will be excited by another stellar light heavyweight match-up between Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) and Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs). This 10-round bout is presented by Main Events and World of Boxing in association with DiBella Entertainment. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
“Cedric Agnew is the opponent with the biggest name in my career so far,” said Bivol. “He is an experienced fighter and is well-skilled defensively. The Kovalev and Ward rematch is the most important fight in the light heavyweight division right now and I am honored to be part of such an event. I am very motivated and excited about this fight and I am anxious to showcase my skills in the mecca of boxing of Las Vegas, USA live on one of the top boxing networks of HBO Pay-Per-View.”
Bivol’s promoter Andrei Ryabinsky of World of Boxing added, “Only two months after his last victory in the USA on June 17, Dmitry Bivol will come back into the ring against Cedric Agnew. This fight will be aired live on HBO Pay-Per-View as part of the telecast of the Ward vs. Kovalev rematch. It makes me happy that two boxers from Russia will headline such an important boxing event and I will be rooting for them!”
Finally, Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, said, “Initially Kathy Duva reached out to us about fighting Barrera on the Ward-Kovalev II card and we had to make a decision quickly. Even though Barrera chose to take another fight, Kathy came forward with another opponent to stick to her offer and keep Bivol on the card. It has been a pleasing experience in putting this fight together with Kathy and the rest of the Main Events team. In his last fight against Samuel Clarkson in April, Dmitry Bivol has proven that he is one of the major forces in his division and started building a US fan base for his aggressive and exciting style. On June 17, he will face Cedric Agnew on HBO Pay-Per-View in a fight where not only will he have to perform up to his reputation, but also be at his best on the biggest stage of his professional career. Bivol is in the third week of camp in Los Angeles with his trainer Genndaii Mashyanov and will be ready to shine come June 17.”
Bivol will face a great challenge with Agnew who replied, “This is my destiny and I won’t let anything or anyone stop me from conquering it. I will show everyone on fight night how serious I am. Team L.O.W.”
Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, “Working with World of Boxing, Andrei, Vadim and Dmitry has been a delight. We were originally talking to them about facing Sullivan Barrera on the Ward-Kovalev 2 undercard, which would have been a huge step up for Dmitry Bivol, and he and his team did not hesitate in taking that fight. When Sullivan was offered a bigger opportunity against Joe Smith Jr. on HBO on July 15, it just made sense to stick with Bivol, who is a rising talent in the light heavyweight division, and find him an opponent. That part was not easy! All credit to Cedric Agnew who was willing to take on this undefeated prospect.”
“We’re aware that Bivol is considered the next big thing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Cedric Agnew is a true professional and a quality boxer. He was not an easy out for Kovalev. I don’t expect that he will be an easy out for Bivol. Agnew will show up to win.”
Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) is quickly making a name for himself as the next big knockout artist in the light heavyweight division. The 26-year-old from Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan, now residing in Saint Petersburg, Russia, made his professional debut in 2014 with a sixth-round knockout over Jorge Rodriguez Olivera. He has won his first 10 professional bouts with eight of those wins coming by way of the knockout for an 80% knockout-to-win ratio. In 2016, he handed Felix Valera his only career loss with a lopsided unanimous decision victory to secure the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight World Title. In February of this year, he had his first defense of his WBA Title with a fourth round TKO over Robert Berridge. Less than two months after his win over Berridge, he travelled to the US and stopped Samuel Clarkson in the fourth round in his second title defense of the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight World Title.
Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs), is a seasoned veteran southpaw despite still being in the prime of his career at age 30. He made his professional debut in 2007 with a second-round knockout and went on to win his next 25 fights in a row, stopping 12 of those opponents. Next, he challenged then WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev who stopped him in the seventh-round back in 2014. Since, he loss to Kovalev he is 3-1, 2 KOs. His only other loss is a controversial split-decision against Samuel Clarkson, the young southpaw prospect from Texas. Two judges scored the bout 76-75 in favor of Clarkson and one judge scored the bout 76-75 in favor of Agnew. He holds notable wins over Yusaf Mack, Otis Griffin and Daniel Judah. In his most recent bout he stopped Martin Verdin in the second-round in February of this year.
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Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Water, Zappos and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.
