NEW YORK (August 4, 2021)–Ivan Golub captured the USBA Welterweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Eric Walker in a bout that took place on Tuesday night at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

With the win, Golub who is managed by Split-T Management, will now get a high-ranking by the IBF.

Walker came out fast, and tried to set a pace in the opening two frames. Once Golub was able to make the slight adjustments, he was able to dictate the fight on his own terms. He began to take control in the third round, and was able to put Walker on the canvas twice.

In round five, Golub landed a crisp right hook that put Walker on the deck.

In round nine, it was a left to the head that put Walker on the canvas, and that all but locked the fight up for Golub.

Golub of Brooklyn via Golovka, Ukraine won by scores of 98-90, 97-91 and 96-92 to raise his record to 20-1. Walker falls to 20-4.

Golub is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

NEW YORK (August 2, 2021)–Welterweight contender Ivan Golub returns to the ring tomorrow night as he takes on Eric Walker in a 10-round bout for the USBA Welterweight title at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The bout will be part of the Trillaverz card.

Golub, who is managed by Split-T Management, has a record of 19-1 with 15 knockouts.

The 32 year-old native of Brooklyn, NY via Golovka, Ukraine is a seven year-veteran, who has wins over Kirk Huff (3-0), Tyson Harrison (2-0), Kendal Mena (20-2), Juan Rodriguez (12-3), Marlon Aguas (9-0), James Stevenson (23-2), Janer Gonzalez (19-2-1) and his last bout when he Ivan took out Luis Eduardo Florez in six-round on February 20th in Orlando.

Walker of Plaquemine, Louisiana has a record of 20-3 with nine knockouts.

Walker, 38, is a eight-year veteran who has compiled wins over Larry Dardar (1-0-2), Kenton Sippio Cook (6-0), K’Lon Spencer (4-1), Chris Pearson (13-0) and Michael Moore (17-2).

He has defeated former world title challengers John Jackson (21-3) & John Thompson (19-3)

In his last bout, Walker dropped a decision to Israil Madimov on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At Monday’s weigh-in, Golub weighed 146.2 lbs. Walker was 147 lbs.

Golub is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

Indio, CA (March 3, 2021) Top Junior Middleweight Prospect Israil ‘The Dream’ Madrimov, (6-0, 5 KOs), of Khiva, Uzbekistan is recovering from surgery on his left shoulder to repair a tendon tear. The injury occurred early in his victory over Eric Walker on August 15, 2020 in Tulsa, OK.

Said Madrimov, “The rehabilitation from the surgery a couple of months ago is coming along very well. I look forward to starting my training again very soon and hope to be back in the ring in April or May.”

Acclaimed as one of boxing’s most exciting young fighters and projected as a future world champion, the 26-year-old former amateur standout proved his mettle in the Walker clash. Despite suffering the injury early in the bout, Madrimov seemingly scored a spectacular knockout in the ninth round, however referee Gary Ritter ruled that Walker was falsely pushed to the canvas. Forced to go the distance for the first time, Madrimov was declared the winner by scores of 116-111 and 116-110 twice.

Israil Madrimov/Eric Walker Highlights/DAZN

“Walker was badly hurt and the fight was over in the ninth round, the referee just mistakenly thought it was a push,” said the Joel Diaz trained Madrimov. “After the knockdown, Walker just went into survival mode to finish the fight.”

“But I’ll be back soon and continue to put on great fights for the fans as I continue towards my dream of becoming a world champion.”

Said Vadim Kornilov of Brigade Sports Management, “Israil didn’t want to make any excuses after the fight but it was clear when we talked afterwards that the injury affected his performance. Walker was a very tough opponent who had been avoided by many of the other world ranked junior middleweights.  Sometimes boxing politics will make for certain circumstances that will push us into making mistakes.  We learned from this one, and in the future, we will make sure that we do not take fights on 5-6 week’s notice against guys that have been training and anxiously waiting for their opportunity.”

“Now, three months after the surgery Israil is feeling much better and our goal stays the same for him, the biggest fights and the biggest opportunities. He has made a huge impact and garnered a wealth of international fans with his exciting fights since turning professional and we can’t wait for him to be in the ring again soon.” An announcement on Madrimov’s return to action will be forthcoming shortly.

Israil Madrimov is looking to steal the show again to convince promoter Eddie Hearn to put on a huge show in Uzbekistan as he faces Eric Walker in a final eliminator for the WBA World Super-Welterweight title in the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday night (August 15) live on DAZN.
 
Madrimov (5-0 5 KOs) has made an electric start to life in the paid ranks, leaving his decorated amateur career behind and winning a title in his first pro outing in November 2018 to signal his intentions.
 
No opponent has taken the Uzbek star into the seventh round after five fights, and while Walker (20-2 9 KOs) has arrived in Tulsa confident of stopping Madrimov’s march and adding to his own incredible story, ‘The Dream’ can take a giant step towards his goal of becoming a World ruler with victory.
 
Boxing is the number one sport in Madrimov’s homeland and they recently celebrated their first World champion when Murodjon ‘MJ’ Akhmadaliev became the unified Super-Bantamweight ruler in January with victory over Daniel Roman in just his eighth pro outing.
 
Madrimov still has ambitions to beat his ‘brother’s’ record and aim to unify at 154lbs before eight fights, targeting a future clash with the winner of the September unification battle between IBF and WBA Super champion Jeison Rosario and WBC king Jermell Charlo, but winning a World title is the key, and if that can happen in Uzbekistan, the 25 year old believes it would be a historic night for his country.
 
“There have been talks over doing an event in Uzbekistan with Eddie Hearn, and it’s easier to do now with MJ as a World champion, it would be a huge event,” said Madrimov. “Our people are crazy boxing fans and would fill up any venue in the country, we have support from the government, so I am sure that it would be a sold-out stadium success and people would remember it for years.
 
“MJ made history and we’re happy for him as our friend, brother and teammate, it’s unbelievable what he achieved, unified champion in eight fights – but I still have time to beat him!
 
“Right now, the focus is Eric on Saturday, not looking past that. As soon as business is taken care of, we move on and we want to fight the champion, whoever that is. Rosario and Charlo are fighting each other, whoever has the belts I’m ready to fight them.
 
“Every fight for me is very important. I started off with a title fight on debut and my last fight was an eliminator, so they are all important and they keep getting bigger. This is a final eliminator and that’s big for me because win this and the next fight should be for a World title, the champion cannot avoid me then. I don’t call people out, I just want to be in a position to fight for titles. I want to build my own legacy and history by becoming World champion and I want to break records.”
 
Madrimov’s clash with Walker is part of a massive night of action as Cecilia Brækhus (36-0 9 KOs) goes for history in the 26^th defense of her undisputed Welterweight crown against unified Super-Lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs) in the unique setting of the downtown Tulsa streets as Matchroom return Stateside.
 
Madrimov’s fellow countryman Shakhram Giyasov (9-0 7 KOs) will now face Wiston Campos (31-7-6 19 KOs) after second replacement opponent Rey Perez was ruled out following original opponent Francisco Rojo being forced out of the bout after testing positive for COVID-19 during his training camp in his home city, and a trio of young talents complete the card in Nikita Ababiy (8-0 6 KOs), Raymond Ford (5-0 2 KOs) and the debut of amateur star Marc Castro.

Israil Madrimov will face Eric Walker on the streets of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 15, live on DAZN.
 
Madrimov (5-0 5 KOs) has been knocking on the door for World title honors in the Super-Welterweight division and can send a fresh warning to the champions at 154lbs in just his sixth pro outing following a blistering introduction to the paid ranks.
 
The 25 year old looks set to replicate his habitual title winning exploits in the amateur code in the pro game, and ‘The Dream’ is confident of making it six KO wins from six when he goes toe-to-toe with Walker in Tulsa.
 
“I’m very excited to fight on August 15 against such a formidable opponent in Eric Walker,” said Madrimov. “Many thanks to all of my fans worldwide for their support, I can’t wait to put on another great show for you.”
 
“We were initially planning to bring Israil back around September, but this opportunity came up and we all decided that this is a great step for his career,” said Vadim Kornilov, Madrimov’s manager. “We’re looking forward to a bigger test here with Walker then with previous opponents.”
 
“This will be another great performance by Israil,” said Andrei Ryabinskiy, World of Boxing Promotions. “His popularity is growing, and we are very happy working with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN, keeping him busy and moving another step forward on August 15.”
 
For Walker (20-2 9 KOs) the opportunity to derail Madrimov’s rise and catapult himself into the upper echelons of the 154lbs division gives the 37 year old the chance to write yet another chapter of a remarkable life in and out of the ring. 
 
The Louisianan has forged a career in boxing from unlikely beginnings, learning to box in prison as a teenager and then making a bright start to his pro career and won 15 of his first 16 fights before entering ‘The Contender’ in the fall of 2018, where he fell to Brandon Adams in the semi-finals.
 
Walker enters the bout on the back of two wins in the final third of 2019 and the ‘Baby Faced Assasin’ heads to Oklahoma full of confidence that he is the man to end Madrimov’s run.
 
“Madrimov had a great amateur career but, as a pro, he makes a lot of mistakes and I’ll be the guy to give him his first loss,” said Walker. “Despite the restrictions from the pandemic, I’ve been training and staying in shape. I’ve been in the gym since May and I just got back from sparring with Shawn Porter. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this, my mind is focused, and I’m ready to take care of business on August 15.” 
 
“Eric Walker is a legitimate 154-pound contender and will be the best fighter that Israil Madrimov has ever faced. Since turning his life around, Eric has reestablished his career and was a star on the last season of ‘The Contender’. I expect a terrific, competitive fight on August 15 and look forward to watching it on DAZN,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. 
 
Madrimov vs. Walker has been added to the August 15 bill after WBC World Flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez was forced to withdraw from his defense against McWilliams Arroyo through a non-COVID 19 related illness, with Matchroom aiming to place the bout on a card later in the year. 
 
The main event on August 15 will now be the mouth-watering undisputed Welterweight title clash between unbeaten defending champion Cecilia Brækhus and unified Super-Lightweight ruler Jessica McCaskill.
 
“Madrimov vs. Walker is a great addition to our August 15 show,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Israil is one of the standout talents in world boxing and he’s on the cusp of World title glory after just five fights in the paid ranks – a remarkable achievement. 
 
“But Eric has already shown he has all the ingredients to beat the odds time and time again, and I know that he will lay it all on the line and provide Israil with the sternest of tests.
 
“Brækhus-McCaskill is a fight fit to top any bill and while it’s sad to lose the ferocious Mexican champion Julio Cesar Martinez from the show, Cecilia and Jessica more than deserve their spot as the main event – especially at a period of time when women’s boxing is on fire and in the spotlight, with the winner in Tulsa looking to take on the winner of the crunch rematch between Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon, taking place a week after we return in America with a huge night of action in a stunning setting on the streets of Tulsa.”
 
Brækhus-McCaskill and Madrimov-Walker are the show toppers of a massive night of action in the unique setting of the downtown Tulsa streets as Matchroom return Stateside.
 
Madrimov’s fellow countryman Shakhram Giyasov (9-0 7 KOs) puts his WBA International Super-Lightweight title against Francisco Rojo (22-3 15 KOs), and a trio of young talents complete the card in Nikita Ababiy (8-0 6 KOs), Raymond Ford (5-0 2 KOs) and the debut of amateur star Marc Castro.

New York, NY (August 2, 2019) – On Thursday night, DiBella Entertainment hosted a special edition of its Broadway Boxing Summer Series, titled “Night of the Contenders”, from the Monroeville Convention Center, in Monroeville, PA. The event was promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Pinnacle Fighting Championships, and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance. The action was streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

Returning to the ring for the first time since competing for “The Contender”, Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov, 167.6 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, moved up to the super middleweight division to face Gabriel Pham, 167.6 lbs., of Atlantic City, NJ, in the main event. Khytrov turned in a tremendous performance, pressuring his way inside the tall 6’3″ frame of southpaw Pham for the entire fight. Continually backing Pham against the ropes, Khytrov pounded the body with stinging jabs and followed up with hooks to the head. Pham attempted to counter off of the ropes, but an undeterred Khytrov maintained control and focused on cutting off the ring. Needing to offset Khytrov’s aggression to find any success, Pham increased his work rate near the midway point, attempting uppercuts as the Ukrainian pressed forward, but was never able to shift the momentum. By round six, Pham was growing fatigued and Khytrov’s left hook to the body resulted in three knockdowns. The referee waved the contest over following the third trip to the canvas at the 2:38 mark. With the win, Khytrov, now 19-2 (16 KOs), seized the WBC USNBC super middleweight title. Pham’s record is now 11-2 (5 KOs). The heavy-handed Khytrov, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., defeated both Morgan Fitch and Malcolm McAllister by knockout on “The Contender” series last year.

Also fighting in his post-Contender ring return, Eric “The Baby Faced Assassin” Walker, 154.2 lbs., of Plaquemine, LA, took on Jose Antonio “Bachata” Abreu, 155 lbs., of La Romana, Dominican Republic, in the co-featured bout. Walker and Abreu began the contest trading their jab-straight right combinations. Whenever he found an opening, Walker launched powerful overhand rights as well. In the third frame, Walker set up his looping right hands over the top with stiff jabs downstairs. Now in full control, Walker let Abreu walk to him with an attack while he countered off of the ropes with accuracy. In the fourth, Abreu injured his right hand during an exchange and, after issuing an eight-count, the referee stopped the bout due to the Dominican being unable to continue. The time of the stoppage was 1:28. The TKO victory upped Walker’s record to 19-2 (9 KOs), with Abreu dropping to 14-6 (8 KOs). While on “The Contender”, Walker defeated John Jackson and John Thompson before losing a hard-fought majority decision over five rounds to tournament champion Brandon Adams on May 22, 2018, in Los Angeles.

Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub, 148.6 lbs., of Brooklyn, NY, used pressure and a varied arsenal of punches to dominate a game Joaquim Carneiro, 150.4 lbs., of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., the southpaw Golub stalked Carneiro and consistently landed in combination, with jabs, straight lefts and right hooks to the midsection throughout the contest. To his credit, Carneiro fought back as best he could, attempting to work the body and trade shots with Golub, but never landed anything significant. In the fourth, Carneiro tried to counter Golub’s offense with haymaker overhand lefts. In round five, Golub shifted his focus downstairs and a sneaky right jab sent Carneiro to his knees for a knockdown. Once he arose, a few more lefts and rights to the ribs convinced the referee to halt the bout at the 1:52 mark. The victory improved Golub’s ledger to 17-1 (13 KOs), while Carneiro left the ring at 25-11 (23 KOs). In April, Golub captured the WBC USNBC welterweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision against Manuel Reyes. As an amateur, Golub accumulated a 270-32 record, while becoming a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.

In his DiBella Entertainment debut, 20-year-old Puerto Rican junior welterweight prospect Victor Padilla, 139.4 lbs., ended a near two-year ring absence in devastating fashion, stopping Benjamin Borteye, 140.4 lbs., of Silver Spring, MD, inside the opening frame. The southpaw Padilla quickly stunned Borteye with his first jab-straight left then patiently cut off the ring until he had his foe trapped near a corner. Padilla then threw a right jab that decked Borteye. A follow-up barrage to the head and body forced a stoppage at the 1:12 mark to up Padilla’s record to 5-0 (5 KOs), while Borteye dropped to 4-8 (4 KOs). Now living in Berlin, NJ, Padilla was born in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and had a stellar amateur career, compiling a 90-7 record while becoming a three-time National champion. He is trained by Raul “Chino” Rivas and fights out of the same camp as IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Tevin Farmer.

Heavyweight prospect Mike Balogun, 233.6 lbs., of Upper Marlboro, MD, overcame a first-round knockdown in the toughest test of his career against Ed Fountain, 240.6 lbs., of St. Louis, MO, to earn a unanimous decision victory. After recovering from his trip to the canvas via a Fountain right hand, the southpaw Balogun found the proper distance to dictate the action with his jab and ring generalship. Over the second half, Balogun began to throw jabs to the body and come back upstairs with straight lefts to keep Fountain from closing the gap, in what was his first scheduled eight-rounder. Scorecards read 78-73, and 77-74 twice, all for Balogun. Now 14-0 (10 KOs), Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. Fountain’s record dipped to 12-6 (5KOs).

Local fan favorite Bill Hutchinson, 134.4 lbs., of Pittsburgh, PA, improved to 17-4-2 (6 KOs) with a third-round stoppage of Charlie Serrano, 127.6 lbs., of Tampa, FL, who fell to 16-5-2 (5 KOs).

Heavyweight Bob Weisen, 195.8 lbs., of Pittsburgh, PA, made his pro debut a successful one, winning a four-round split decision against Dennis Vance (1-1, 1 KO), 235 lbs., of Detroit, MI. Scorecards read 40-36 each way, and 39-37 Weisen.

New York, NY (August 1, 2019) DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing returns tonight with a special edition of the Summer Series, titled “Night of the Contenders”, from the Monroeville Convention Center, in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing: NIGHT OF THE CONTENDERS is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Pinnacle Fighting Championships, and is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

Fighting for the first time since competing for “The Contender”, Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (18-2, 15 KOs), of Brooklyn, New York, will headline the event against Gabriel Pham (11-1, 5 KOs), of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in an eight-round contest with the vacant WBC USNBC super middleweight title at stake. The heavy-handed Khytrov, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., defeated both Morgan Fitch and Malcolm McAllister by knockout on “The Contender” series last year. Pham is riding a five-bout winning streak, including a unanimous decision victory against previously undefeated Jaba Khositashvill on June 20, in Atlantic City. Each fighter weighed in at 167.6 pounds.

In the co-featured bout, junior middleweight Eric “The Baby Faced Assassin” Walker (18-2, 8 KOs), of Plaquemine, Louisiana, will take on Jose Antonio “Bachata” Abreu (14-5, 8 KOs), of La Romana, Dominican Republic, in an eight-round bout. On “The Contender”, Walker defeated John Jackson and John Thompson before losing a hard-fought majority decision over five rounds to tournament champion Brandon Adams on May 22, 2018, in Los Angeles. In his last fight, Walker won an eight-round unanimous decision versus Michael Moore on November 9, 2018, at the Forum in Los Angeles, CA. Walker weighed in at 154.2 pounds and Abreu, 155 pounds.

The upset-minded Jose Antonio Abreu returns following an outstanding victory against hometown favorite Wesley Tucker in Toledo, Ohio, on July 6. The battle-tested veteran has faced numerous contenders and top prospects over his seven years as a professional, including Kerman Lejarraga, Euri Gonzalez and Madiyar Ashkeyev.

Welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub (16-1, 12 KOs), of Brooklyn, New York, will meet Joaquim Carneiro (25-10, 23 KOs), of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in an eight-round bout. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., the 30-year-old Ukrainian southpaw is currently riding a three-bout winning streak. He last fought on April 10, earning a dominant 10-round unanimous decision against Manuel Alejandro Reyes at Sony Hall in New York City. As an amateur, Golub accumulated a 270-32 record, while becoming a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts. Golub tipped the scales at 148.6 pounds, while Carneiro came in at 150.4 pounds.

Puerto Rican junior welterweight prospect Victor Padilla (4-0, 4 KOs), will make his DiBella Entertainment debut tonight against Benjamin Borteye, of Silver Spring, Maryland, in a scheduled four-round bout. Now living in Berlin, NJ, Padilla was born in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and had a stellar amateur career, compiling a 90-7 record while becoming a three-time National champion. He is now trained by Raul “Chino” Rivas and fights out of the same camp as IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Tevin Farmer. Padilla weighed in at 139.4 pounds and Borteye, 140.4 pounds.

Undefeated heavyweight prospect Mike Balogun (13-0, 10 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, faces St. Louis, MO, veteran Ed Fountain (12-5, 5 KOs) in what promises to be an exciting clash, scheduled for eight rounds. The athletic Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. The southpaw Balogun will be fighting for the third time this year, with knockout victories against Marquis Valentine and Danny Calhoun coming in February and April. Fountain is seeking to rebound from a hard-fought loss to undefeated contender Hemi Ahio on March 2, in Columbus, Ohio. Balogun weighed in at 233.6 pounds, and Fountain, 240.6 pounds.

Local fan favorite Bill Hutchinson (17-2-4, 8 KOs), 134.4 pounds, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, faces Charlie Serrano (16-4-2, 5 KOs), 127.6 pounds, of Tampa, Florida, in a scheduled eight-round lightweight attraction. The 30-year-old Hutchinson is currently on a seven-bout winning streak, which includes a stoppage victory against Justin Savi last August.

Heavyweight Bob Weisen, 195.8 pounds, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will make his pro debut against Dennis Vance (1-0, 1 KO), 235 pounds, of Detroit, Michigan.

Tickets for tonight’s Broadway Boxing: NIGHT OF THE CONTENDERS, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Pinnacle Fighting Championships, and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $100, $50 and $25, and can be purchased online HERE. The Monroeville Convention Center is located at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd., Monroeville, PA 15146, just 12 miles east of Pittsburgh. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, with the first fight scheduled for 7:30 pm. For more information on the venue, please visit their website HERE.

New York, NY (July 24, 2019) On Thursday, August 1, DiBella Entertainment will return with the second edition of its Broadway Boxing Summer Series, titled “NIGHT OF THE CONTENDERS”, from the Monroeville Convention Center, in Monroeville, PA. Two participants from the last season of “The Contender” tournament, Ievgen Khytrov and Eric Walker, will be co-featured in separate bouts. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing: NIGHT OF THE CONTENDERS is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Pinnacle Fighting Championships, and is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

“I’m thrilled to bring the second leg of the Broadway Boxing Summer Series to the Monroeville Convention Center, just outside of Pittsburgh, an old school fight town,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, we are calling the August 1 event the ‘Night of the Contenders’ with former Contender series stars Ievgen Khytrov and Eric Walker appearing in co-featured bouts. Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan Golub and hard-hitting undefeated heavyweight prospect Mike Balogun will see action as well.”

Fighting for the first time since competing for “The Contender”, Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (18-2, 15 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, will headline the event against Gabriel Pham (11-1, 5 KOs), of Atlantic City, NJ. The heavy-handed Khytrov, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., defeated both Morgan Fitch and Malcolm McAllister by knockout on “The Contender” series last year.

Pham is riding a five-bout winning streak, including a unanimous decision victory against previously undefeated Jaba Khositashvill on June 20, in Atlantic City.

In the co-featured bout, junior middleweight Eric “The Baby Faced Assassin” Walker (18-2, 8 KOs), of Plaquemine, LA, will take on Jose Antonio “Bachata” Abreu (14-5, 8 KOs), of La Romana, Dominican Republic, in an eight-round bout. On “The Contender”, Walker defeated John Jackson and John Thompson before losing a hard-fought majority decision over five rounds to tournament champion Brandon Adams on May 22, 2018, in Los Angeles. In his last fight, Walker won an eight-round unanimous decision versus Michael Moore on November 9, 2018, at the Forum in Los Angeles, CA.

The upset-minded Jose Antonio Abreu returns following an outstanding victory against hometown favorite Wesley Tucker in Toledo, OH, on July 6. The battle-tested veteran has faced numerous contenders and top prospects over his seven years as a professional, including Kerman Lejarraga, Euri Gonzalez and Madiyar Ashkeyev.

Welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub (16-1, 12 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, will see action on the undercard in an eight-round bout. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., the 30-year-old Ukrainian southpaw is currently riding a three-bout winning streak. He last fought on April 10, earning a dominant 10-round unanimous decision against Manuel Alejandro Reyes at Sony Hall in New York City. As an amateur, Golub accumulated a 270-32 record, while becoming a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.

Undefeated heavyweight prospect Mike Balogun (13-0, 10 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, MD, faces St. Louis veteran Ed Fountain (12-5, 5 KOs) in what promises to be an exciting clash, scheduled for eight rounds. The athletic Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. The southpaw Balogun will be fighting for the third time this year, with knockout victories against Marquis Valentine and Danny Calhoun coming in February and April. Fountain is seeking to rebound from a hard-fought loss to undefeated contender Hemi Ahio on March 2, in Columbus, OH.

Local fan favorite Bill Hutchinson (17-2-4, 8 KOs), of Pittsburgh, PA, will face Charlie Serrano (16-4-2, 5 KOs), of Tampa, FL, in a scheduled eight-round lightweight attraction. The 30-year-old Hutchinson is currently on a seven-bout winning streak, which included a stoppage victory against Justin Savi last August.

In a four-round middleweight bout, Rick Borowski (2-0), of Pittsburgh, PA, will face John Gregory (2-2, 1 KO), of Youngstown, OH.

Rounding out the card, heavyweight Bob Weisen, of Pittsburgh, PA, will make his pro debut against Dennis Vance (1-0, 1 KO), of Detroit, MI.

Tickets for Broadway Boxing: NIGHT OF THE CONTENDERS, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Pinnacle Fighting Championships, and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $100, $50 and $25, and can be purchased online HERE. The Monroeville Convention Center is located at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd., Monroeville, PA 15146, just 12 miles east of Pittsburgh. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, with the first fight scheduled for 7:30 pm. For more information on the venue, please visit their website HERE.

New York, NY (November 12, 2018) This past Friday night, November 9, two of DiBella Entertainment’s top contenders, Eric “Baby Faced Assassin” Walker and Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov scored victories with dominant performances on “The Contender: Season Five” Finale undercard at the Forum in Inglewood, CA.

In the televised co-feature on EPIX, Walker, of Plaquemine, LA, improved to 18-2 with eight knockouts, defeating Michael Moore (16-2, 7 KOs) over eight shutout rounds by scores of 80-73 and 80-72 twice. Walker previously defeated John Jackson and John Thompson during “The Contender” tournament before losing a majority decision to eventual champion Brandon Adams in the semi-finals.

Also on the undercard, fighting out of Brooklyn, NY, Khytrov (18-2, 15 KOs) stopped Malcolm McAllister (9-3, 8 KOs) in the fourth round. Khytrov dropped McAllister with a sensational combination before earning the referee’s stoppage at the 1:44 mark from a barrage of power punches. Khytrov had also defeated Morgan Fitch as part of “The Contender” series this se

NEW YORK (November 9, 2018) –Michael Moore and Ievgen Khytrov of Split-T Management will be on display in separate bouts when that take part of the undercard of the The Contender Finale in Inglewood, California.

Moore (17-2, 7 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio takes on Eric Walker (17-2, 8 KOs) in the televised co-feature, while Khytrov (17-2, 14 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York via Ukraine squares off with Malcom McAllister (9-2, 8 KOs) in a six-round bout.

The Moore-Walker bout can be seen Live on EPIX® beginning at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT.

PHILADELPHIA / LOS ANGELES – November 6, 2018 – Brandon Adams won a majority decision over Eric Walker to advance to the final of The Contender on EPIX®.

Adams dropped Walker in round four with a hard right-left combination and came through the hard fought contest by scores of 49-45, 48-46 and 47-47.

Adams, 20-2 with 13 knockouts, will now advance to the finals, where he will take on Shane Mosley, Jr. (13-2, 8 KOs) at The Forum in Inglewood, California this Friday night live on EPIX at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT.

“We are very proud of Brandon. We are excited to watch Brandon fight for The Contender title on Friday. He is a terrific fighter, and with a win, we can expect to see Brandon in big fights,” said Matthew Rowland, Vice-President of Banner Promotions.

The original Contender series ran for four seasons (2005-2009) and launched multiple fighters into contention for world titles, including title winners Sergio Mora, Cornelius Bundrage, Sakio Bika, and Sam Soliman.

Eric Van Wagenen serves as executive producer and showrunner of the revived franchise alongside Mark Burnett. The format is owned by MGM Television and Paramount Television.

EPIX is available nationwide through cable, satellite, telco and streaming TV providers including Charter Spectrum, Cox, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Sling, PlayStation Vue and, as of June 13, Comcast.

About MGM Television
MGM Television is a leading producer and global distributor of premium content for television and digital platforms, with distribution rights to original productions and a robust catalog of television episodes and feature film titles including such premiere entertainment franchises as James Bond, Rocky, Stargate and The Hobbit trilogy. Current scripted and unscripted projects include Fargo (FX); Vikings (HISTORY); The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu); Get Shorty (EPIX); The Voice (NBC); Survivor (CBS); Shark Tank (ABC); Teen Wolf (MTV); Steve Harvey’s FUNDERDOME (ABC); Beat Shazam (FOX); Signed (VH1); Lucha Underground (The El Rey Network); and through its distribution entity, Orion TV Productions, the syndicated daytime courtroom series Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court and Couples Court with The Cutlers. In addition, MGM owns Evolution Media, the innovative unscripted television producers of The Real Housewives of Orange County, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules, Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky, and Sweet Home Oklahoma (Bravo); Botched (E!); Bug Juice (Disney Channel) and Growing Up Supermodel (Lifetime).MGM’s television programming regularly airs in more than 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About EPIX
EPIX, an MGM company, is a premium pay television network, delivering the latest movie releases and biggest classic film franchises, plus original programming including series, documentaries, and comedy specials – all available on TV, on demand, online and across devices. Launched in October 2009, EPIX became profitable in its first year of existence and is now available nationwide to 70 million homes through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms. A pioneer in the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere,” EPIX was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android phones and tablets, and Roku® players. EPIX is also available across hundreds of consumer devices including Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, Amazon Fire TV, TiVo, Chromecast, and Android TV, delivering more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming. For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

About Paramount Television
Paramount Television is a leading studio, developing and financing a wide range of cutting-edge and entertaining television content across all media platforms for distribution worldwide. The studio’s robust slate includes Tom Clancy’s “Jack Ryan” (Amazon), “13 Reasons Why” (Netflix), “Maniac” (Netflix), “Shooter” (USA), “Berlin Station” (EPIX), “The Alienist” (TNT), “The Haunting of Hill House” (Netflix), “Catch-22” (Hulu), “First Wives Club” (Paramount Network), “Looking for Alaska” (Hulu), “Briarpatch” (USA), “Boomerang” (BET), “Shantaram” (Apple), “Dream Team” (BET), “The Contender” (EPIX) and “Snow Crash” (Amazon), among others. Paramount Television is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a subsidiary of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television, film and digital entertainment brands.