Sergiy Dearevyanchenko stopped former world champion Sam Soliman in round two of their IBF middleweight elimination bout at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

Derevyanchenko dropped Soliman in round one from a counter right. Soliman was sent to the canvas again in round two when he leaped into a left hand. Seconds later, it was a devastating left hook that caught Soliman in the head and sent Soliman to the canvas. Soliman tried to get up but stumbled down to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 2:41.

Derevyanchenko, 159 lbs of Brooklyn is 9-0 with 7 knockouts. Soliman, 159 lbs of Melbourne, AUS is now 44-14.

Ievgen Khytrov remained perfect by battering Paul Mendez until the bout was stopped in round nine of their scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

Khytrov landed vicious body and head shots throughout the contest until the bout was halted at 1:20 of round nine.

Khytowv, 159 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 14-0 with 12 knockouts. Mendez, 160 lbs of Dealno, CA is 19-3-2.

Mykey Williams win a 4-round unanimous decision over Issac Johnson in a welterweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Williams, 142 lbs of East Hartford, CT and is now 3-0. Johnson, 143 lbs of Colorado Springs, CO is now 2-4.

Alantez Fox stopped Paul Valenzuela Jr. after round six of their scheduled 8 round middleweight bout.

Fix, 162 lbs of Forestvill, MD is now 20-0-1 with 9 knockouts. Valenzuela, 164 lbs of Mexico is now 17-4.

Christopher David Fogg made a successful pro debut by stopping Jeff Anderson in round one of their scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Fogg dominated by landing some flush shots with Anderson’s hands down and the bout was stopped 84 seconds into the first frame.

Fogg is 1-0 with 1 knockout. Anderson is 0-2.

Ivan Golub stopped Ernesto Ortiz in round two of their six round welterweight bout.

In round two Golub dropped Ortiz with a straight left. The fight was stopped upon Ortiz getting to his feet at 2:49.

Golub, 149 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-0 with 10 knockouts. Ortiz, 148 lbs of Mexico is 10-4.

SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO

“I looked into his eyes after I knocked him down the first time and I knew he would continue coming forward. I wasn’t going to drop my guard. I didn’t even feel that punch on my glove because it was so clean to the chin. But I felt the last knockdown.

“I warmed up more than once and that broke my rhythm. In the ring I had to get my rhythm.

“Soliman came out nervous and not very coordinated, but that’s the way he usually fights. That’s his style.

“I’m going to keep moving forward. I can’t sit and wait. We will assess the situation and move from here.”

SAM SOLIMAN

“I’m doing well. I didn’t get to warm up, just a couple of minutes, but that’s no excuse. He did his job. That’s never happened before to me.

“He’s a good boxer who did what he had to do. I can’t take anything away from him.

“After every fight, fighters have to decide what to do next. I have a lot outside of boxing that makes me happy, and it takes the sting out of tonight.”

IEVGEN KHYTROV

“I love to fight and battle and go toe-to-toe. I executed the game plan. My defense was much better and I’ve worked hard on my defense. This was my best fight because that guy stood and fought, he didn’t run.

“I wasn’t surprised that Mendez took so many punches because I didn’t throw every punch hard, I mixed it up, but did throw some hard punches.

“I want a couple more fights then I want to fight for the world title. That’s what I’ve worked so hard to do. I’m not going to dodge anybody. I want to fight Gennady Golovkin and take his belts.”

MASHANTUCKET, CT (June 27, 2016) – Rising middleweight contender Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (8-0, 6 KOs) will take on former world champion Sam “King” Soliman (44-13, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN & ESPN Deportes on Thursday, July 21 from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features a middleweight showdown between hard-hitting Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs) and California’s Paul Mendez (19-2-2, 9 KOs) in 10-rounds of action.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to headline against an experienced former champion,” said Derevyanchenko. “Soliman has accomplished a lot, but right now he is standing in the way of me being a world champion. You will see the best version of me on July 21 and I will show why I am a dangerous fighter in this division.”

“This is a crossroads fight so I am leaving nothing to chance and will do every bit of training needed to win this fight,” said Soliman. “We are both fighting for world title position and I know Sergiy will fight hard for this win. This all makes it a great contest.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $75 and $45 not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

“On July 21, PBC on ESPN will feature two Ukrainian amateur prodigies and former Olympians who are now tearing through the middleweight division,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Sergiy Derevyanchenko, just eight fights into his pro career, will meet the experienced former champion Sam Soliman in a world title eliminator. The explosive Ievgen Khytrov, known as the ‘Ukranian Lion’, will open the telecast facing contender Paul Mendez in the toughest test of his career.”

“Foxwoods Resort Casino continues to offer the most compelling nationally-televised boxing events, featuring the very best fighters in the world,” said Felix Rappaport, President & CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino. “For nearly 25 years, Foxwoods has been considered the ‘Fight Capital of the Northeast,’ and our Summer Boxing Series will only build upon that fact. In true Foxwoods fashion, boxing fans can expect non-stop action and excitement from the moment the bell rings.”

A highly decorated amateur who represented his native Ukraine in the 2008 Olympics, Derevyanchenko now lives and trains in Brooklyn. The unbeaten 30-year-old defeated a slew of experienced contenders in 2015 with wins over Elvin Ayala, Alan Campa, Vladine Biosse and a thrilling third-round stoppage of Jessie Nicklow. He began 2016 by stopping Mike Guy in March and will look to keep that momentum going on July 21.

An experienced fighter who was once a kickboxing champion, Soliman won his middleweight world title in 2014 when he defeated Felix Sturm in Germany. Representing Melbourne, Australia, Soliman owns a victory over former world champion Sakio Bika in addition to triumphs over veterans Enrique Ornelas, Les Sherrington, Giovanni Lorenzo and Sean Sulivan.

Another Olympian who represented his native Ukraine, Khytrov also won an Amatuer World Championship before turning pro in 2013. Since then, the 27-year-old has dominated on his way to stopping contenders Josh Luteran and Nick Brinson in addition to previously unbeaten fighters Maurice Louishomme and Aaron Coley. Now training out of Brooklyn, his last outing saw him dominate Kenneth McNeil in his first 10-round bout.

Fighting out of Delano, Calif., Mendez is undefeated in his last 15 bouts including four victories in 2015. A pro since 2009, the 27-year-old will be making his east coast debut on July 21 after stopping Andrik Saralegui in August and defeating veteran David Alonso Lopez.

For information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions. Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Middleweights Sergiy Derevyanchenkov& Sam Soliman will meet in an elimination bout on July 21 at Foxwoods and on ESPN.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to headline against an experienced former champion,” Derevyanchenko, 30, said. “Soliman has accomplished a lot, but right now he is standing in the way of me being a world champion. You will see the best version of me on July 21 and I will show why I am a dangerous fighter in this division.”

“This is a crossroads fight so I am leaving nothing to chance and will do every bit of training needed to win this fight,” Soliman said. “We are both fighting for world title position and I know Sergiy will fight hard for this win. This all makes it a great contest.”

In the co-feature, middleweight prospect Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs), a 27-year-old from Ukraine living in Brooklyn, will face Paul Mendez (19-2-2, 9 KOs), 27, of Delano, California, in a scheduled 10-round bout.

NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 2016) – Undefeated super welterweight contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams and once-beaten Italian Marcello Matano will square off in a 12-round IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking at 154-pounds in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

In the co-feature, fast-rising middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will take on former world champion Sam Soliman in a 10-round middleweight bout. In the opening bout of the telecast, hard-hitting prospect Tony Harrison will face veteran former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero in a 10-round super welterweight contest.

“This upcoming fight will be the biggest fight of my career,” Williams said. “I’m chomping at the bit to get back out there. I am taking my opponent very seriously and I refuse to let Marcello Matano stop me from being a world champion.”

“This is a dream come true,” said Matano. “I’ve been working for my whole life for a real opportunity to make to the top level and I will not let Julian Williams take it away. What will happen when Williams has to go to the championship rounds? Will he be ready? I know for sure that I will. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I will do all I can to grab it.”

“Facing a former world champion like Sam Soliman is a great opportunity for me,” Douglas said. “The plan has always been to keep moving forward, and to do it successfully. This is that next step, and I’m ready for it. I’ve grown and learned so much fighting on ShoBox and it’s a beautiful thing to continue to progress and move to the next level.”

“This is an important fight for me,” said Soliman. “I had three opportunities on the table and I chose Douglas believing it to be a better fight for ranking, and it’s a challenge I’m excited to take on. From what I have seen, Douglas is a very talented fighter, which will make for a good fight. I am in great shape and looking forward to fight night.”

“I’m excited and eager to showcase my abilities to the world again,” said Harrison. “I’d advise fans to arrive early because I don’t plan to be in the ring long. I’m knocking this guy out. I know Guerrero is coming in with a chip on his shoulder and I can’t overlook him. I brought my uncle into camp and I think that’s going to give me the edge that I’ve needed to get over the hump. I’m putting the whole division on notice!”

“It’s warrior time,” said Guerrero. “We are going to have a war. This is going to be non-stop action. This fight will lead to big things for me. I’m used to fighting guys that are bigger than I am. I’m at my more natural weight and I’m looking to do great things in this division.”

“I’m thrilled to promote this great show on March 5,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “This is a great card from top to bottom with some future champions looking to show the world that they are ready for the next level. I am honored to have Julian Williams headline this card. He put on an explosive performance in his last bout at the Sands and I am sure he will be looking to do the same on March 5.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

One of the most promising and highly regarded young stars in boxing, Williams (21-0-1, 1 ND, 13 KOs) will headline for the first time on SHOWTIME. He’s stepping up after honing his skills and steadily ascending the ranks after five fights on SHO EXTREME. The 25-year-old shut out longtime contender Joey Hernandez last April, followed that with a sixth-round stoppage of Arman Ovsepyan in June and closed the year by stopping Orlando Lora in the first round in September. The Philadelphian has also picked up victories over Joachim Alcine, Eliezer Gonzalez and Freddy Hernandez in his young career and looks to earn his first title shot with a win on March 5.

Matano (16-1, 5 KOs) is a former Italian super welterweight titlist. He’s registered four consecutive wins since the only loss of his career, including victories in three scheduled 12-round fights. The 29-year-old is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over fellow-Italian Nick Klappert in October 2015. Like Williams, he fought three bouts in 2015, although he logged 31 total rounds compared to just 17 for Williams.

Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) has been impressive in five consecutive victories since he boxed to a draw when he was just 21 years old with former world title challenger Michel Soro in July 2014. The former top amateur has won his last three fights by knockout, including a sixth-round KO of previously undefeated Thomas LaManna and a fourth-round TKO of veteran Les Sherrington last November in his fifth appearance on ShoBox: The New Generation. On the prospect developmental series, the 23-year-old Douglas has graduated from unproven prospect to undefeated contender and is now ranked No. 4 in the WBO and No. 6 in the WBA. Douglas is promoted by GH3 promotions.

Soliman (44-13, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia, is vastly more experienced than Douglas, having competed in four world championship fights. The 42-year-old held the IBF Middleweight World title before suffering a debilitating knee injury and losing via decision to Jermain Taylor in his first title defense in October 2014. Soliman, who is 9-2-1 since 2008, won the IBF crown with a decisive 12-round decision over Felix Sturm in 2014. The Australian, who fights at a relentless pace and can be awkward at times, will look to bounce back from a close, 10-round split decision loss to Dominic Wade last June on ShoBox.

At just 25-years-old, Harrison (22-1, 18 KOs) has showed tremendous promise as he recorded a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 to 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10-rounds in October. The Detroit-native will look to make it back-to-back victories as he continues his ascent towards championship contender status. He has picked up knockout victories over Antwone Smith, Tyrone Brunson, Bronco McKart and Pablo Munguia in the last two years.

A former world title challenger, Guerrero (28-3, 20 KOs) returned to his winning ways in 2015 with victories over Abraham Han and Daniel Souza Santos. The 29-year-old lives and trains out of Los Angeles but grew up in Maryland after being born in the Dominican Republic. The veteran owns victories over Ishe Smith, Derrick Findley and Gabriel Rosado in a pro career that dates back to 2007.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.sandseventcenter.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @JRockBoxing, @Action_Douglas, @IAmBoxing, @FernandoDomini, @TheSBEC and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

Dominic Wade scored a debated split decision over former world champion Sam Soliman in a Middleweight bout at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Washington.

The difference in the fight was a controversial knockdown scored by Wade when it looked like it was a more of a push.

Wade, 162 1/2 lbs of Washington, DC won by scores of 97-92, 95-94 while Soliman took a card 96-93.

Wade is now 18-0. Soliman, 161 1/2 lbs of Melbourne, Australia is now 44-13-1.

Wade landed just 74-317 punches while Soliman landed 98-450.

Erickson Lubin scored 1st round stoppage over Ayi Bruce in a scheduled 8-round Jr. Middleweight bout

Lubin dropped Bruce in round one from an accumulation of punches. Seconds later, it was another flurry that sent Bruce down and did not beat referee Ray Corona’s count at 2:49 of round one.

Lubin, 152 1/2 lbs of Orlando, FL is now 11-0 with 8 knockouts. Bruce, 151 1/2 lbs of Silver Spring, MD is 15-10.

Oscar Rivas remained undefeated by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Jason Pettaway in a scheduled 8-round Heavyweight bout.

Rivas dropped Pettaway with a right hand to the body that was not ruled a knockdown as Rivas hit Pettaway when he was down. Referee Robert Byrd docked two points from Rivas. Rivas then dropped Pettaway following a barrage of punches and a right hand. Rivas dropped Pettaway again with a left hand and Byrd called off the bout at 2:25.

Rivas, 24 1/2 lbs of Montreal, CAN is 17-0 with 12 knockouts. Pettaway, 222 lbs of Huntington, WV is 17-3.

SHELTON, Wash. (June 25, 2015) – The ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader tomorrow, Friday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME (10:35 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will feature promising undefeated middleweight prospect Dominic “Lights Out” Wade (17-0, 12 KOs), of Washington, D.C., against Sam “King” Soliman (44-12, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia in the 10-round main event.

But the scheduled co-feature between unbeaten lightweight and former Marine and 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Captain Jamel Herring (11-0, 7 KOs), of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mexico’s Oscar Cortes (25-2, 13 KOs) was cancelled Thursday when Cortez came in overweight. Armed Forces Network will air the ShoBox telecast despite the Herring-Cortes fight getting scrapped.

“I’m very disappointed that I didn’t get to fight,’’ Herring said. “I was really looking forward to it. I’ll be back in the ring in no time and I will continue my march of becoming a world champion one day.”

The new co-feature will pit unbeaten promising Erickson “The Hammer’’ Lubin (10-0, 7 KO’s) of Orlando, Fla., against Ayi Bruce (23-9, 15 KO’s) of Albany, N.Y., in a super welterweight scrap. The telecast opener will match heavyweights Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (16-0, 11 KOs), a Montreal-based Colombian, and Jason Pettaway (17-2, 10 KOs), of Camp Lejeune, N.C. Both fights are slated for eight rounds.

Wade, who’ll take on the toughest opponent of his career when he steps up in class to face the vastly more experienced former world champion Soliman, also came in heavy. He weighed 162.5 pounds on his first attempt. When he returned to the scale, he weighed 161 pounds. Soliman, tipped the scale at 161.4 pounds, on his first attempt.

Southpaw Lubin, 19, a sensational amateur, will be making his ShoBox debut and 11th start since turning pro in November 2011. He weighed 152.4 pounds. Bruce, who has fought top prospects throughout his career but is coming off a lengthy layoff, weighed 151.4 for the super welterweight bout. In the heavyweight match added to the telecast Thursday morning, the physically strong and powerful Rivas, a former international amateur standout, weighed 244 pounds. Pettaway, who is looking to regain his winning ways after losing his last start, tipped the scale at 222.

What the fighters said Thursday:

DOMINIC WADE

“For me this is a big step up in class. Soliman is a very experienced fighter; I definitely don’t look at him as just some 41-year old who still fights. He’s a spoiler. He’s the kind of fighter that is difficult to look good against because he’s so awkward. I expect him to jump and throw punches and then hold, but I’ve trained to control him from the outside with my jab.

“I feel like it’s time for a real test. It’s time to see where I’m at. I could have fought easier, but I’ve been working hard at the gym and this is the time for me to start moving toward a world title shot.

“Going 10 rounds with Nick Brinson [in his ShoBox debut in June 2014] was a good learning experience. I thought I was going to stop him for sure, probably early, but he was tougher than I thought. He surprised me. Nothing Soliman will do will surprise me and I am 100 percent ready for Friday.’’

SAM SOLIMAN

“The right knee that I hurt against Jermain Taylor is 100 percent. I’ll be wearing a brace but it is nothing I’ll be thinking about. I had four months of rehab, but I’ve been injury-free in the seven months since.

“As a former kickboxer, I have been in a million wars, so this wasn’t even the worst injury I’ve ever suffered. You can’t compare it to what I went through as a kickboxer so I feel great. There are no mental fears or anything.

“I don’t want to be a stepping stone for anybody. I feel his promoters and advisors made a mistake in picking me. I still have plenty of fight left. They could have picked a lot of other fighters if they were looking to make a name for Wade.

“For me to still be fighting has nothing to do with age or special genes. It’s all about how you live your life.

“Wade is a good boxer, a smart kid who will try and keep you at bay. But I’ve fought 30-40 guys with that style. He’s talented and I don’t want to take anything away from him, but you need to have some tough fights. I know they see me as their ticket to a world ranking, a 41-year-old former champion. But they picked the wrong guy.’’

ERICKSON LUBIN

“I’m just here to fight. This is my first time on SHOWTIME and I’m really looking forward to it.

“I feel like my career is going just great. I fought a lot last year and hope to fight four-five times this year. I want to be labeled as a contender real soon, so I just keep fighting. I can fight at super welterweight or welterweight with no problems weigh-wise.

“I’m in a good division. I’ve been watching all the young guys. I feel I could fight any of them now, but I know I have to be patient. Still, if I had my way, I’d fight every month if I could.

“I’m still learning, of course, but I know I am getting there. I feel one of my greatest strengths is my ability to make adjustments. If one thing isn’t working I can adjust it to something totally different.’’

AYI BRUCE

“I can box or slug and have faced some tough guys. I’ve been off but that’s because a couple of fights fell out on me. I feel really strong and very prepared.

“Lubin is only 19. I’m going to show him my experience in the ring. I’ve fought lefties before so that will not be a problem.

“I’m coming to fight. I’m coming to win. I need to win. On Friday, I’m going to be the teacher and he is going to be the pupil. I’ll be taking him to school.’’

OSCAR RIVAS

“This is a great opportunity for me fighting on ShoBox. I want America to see me, I want to show the people what I’ve got. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time.

“I’m strong, but I think I’m a better boxer than people expect. I feel I have a lot of ability. All that international amateur experience made me well-rounded. I’m not just a pressure guy. I’ve got good movement and I throw a lot of combinations with speed.

“I’m happy with the way my career is going. They’re taking their time with me but I feel I’m ready to step up against tougher opposition. At 6-foot-1, I’m short for a heavyweight but I’m a tough fighter for guys taller than me.

“There has never been a heavyweight champion from Colombia. To become the first is a great motivation for me.

“I look forward to fighting the biggest names in the division. I’ve been waiting for the time and the time is now to move up. I feel I’m going to be a part of the heavyweight dance for a long time.

“But I’m not underestimating Pettaway. I look at him as a complete boxer who can take a punch and has good speed and power.’’

JASON PETTAWAY

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime, what I have been working for my whole life. I feel like this is a big step up for me, but it is also a big step up for him. I don’t think he has ever fought anybody as good as me.

“I know that a lot of people haven’t heard of me, but a win on Friday, and a couple more right after that, will put me right in the thick of the heavyweight mix.

“I’m definitely in great shape. I’m improving and getting more comfortable with each fight. I think nerves and fighting under the big lights has cost me before, but I’m over that now.

“I am really looking forward to fighting a guy like Rivas.’’

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox blow by blow with boxing expert Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as ringside analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Tickets for “Little Creek Brawl VII” from Skookum Creek Event Center start at $20 and are available online at www.little-creek.com or by calling 1.800.667.7711. Doors will open at 5 p.m. PT, with the first fight tentatively set to begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage will begin at approximately 7:35 p.m. local time (PT).

For more information about Little Creek Casino Resort and its full line-up of upcoming acts that includes Paul Rodgers, Trace Adkins, Dwight Yoakam, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, YES and Toto, please call 800-667-7711 or visit online at www.little-creek.com

NEW YORK (May 27, 2015) – Young undefeated middleweight prospect Dominic “Lights Out” Wade will take on the toughest opponent of his career when he faces former world champion Sam “King” Soliman in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME from Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.

Wade (17-0, 12 KOs), of Washington, D.C., and Soliman (44-12, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia, will clash in the 10-round middleweight main event of the TGB Promotions tripleheader. In other televised bouts, former Marine and 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Captain Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (11-0, 7 KOs), of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and 19-year-old former amateur standout and unbeaten super welterweight Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (10-0, 7 KOs), of Orlando Fla., will be featured against opponents to be determined in separate bouts.

If triumphant, Wade will begin to transition from promising prospect to legitimate contender in his quest to become the next ShoBox graduate to win a world championship. To date, 61 ShoBox alums have captured world titles.

While Wade is unbeaten, Soliman is vastly more experienced, having competed in four world championship fights. He held the IBF Middleweight World Championship before suffering a debilitating knee injury and losing via unanimous decision to Jermain Taylor in his first title defense last October. Soliman, who was leading on the judges’ scorecards at the time of the injury, will make his first start since losing the 160-pound title.

“This is a great opportunity for me to face a former world champion,” Wade said. “While he’s more experienced I truly believe my time has arrived and I plan to show the boxing world that I’m ready for the next level.”

“I know what it takes to be a world champion, the sacrifices needed to endure, the battles that need to be won. My road to regaining the world title begins on June 26 against Dominic Wade,” said Soliman.

“We’re very excited to work once again with the terrific SHOWTIME and Little Creek Casino Resort teams on this exciting fight card,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Wade vs. Soliman is an excellent cross-roads bout. Additionally, Lubin and Herring are two of the best prospects in boxing.”

Wade, 25, will be making his 2015 debut and third appearance on the network. In his first ShoBox fight – and first 10-rounder — he stepped up in class and won a close but clear decision over Nick Brinson in June 2014. The aggressive-minded 5-foot-11½-inch Wade, a top amateur before going pro in March 2009, is 6-0 with four knockouts since returning to the ring in February 2013 after a two-year layoff due to promotional problems.

A well-conditioned, power puncher who is steadily ascending in the world rankings, Wade’s four stoppages have come inside two rounds (one in the first, three in the second). Wade, who had over 160 amateur fights, is coming off a second-round TKO over Eddie Hunter last Dec. 20, in Shelton.

The 5-foot-8½-inch Soliman keeps a relentless, almost non-stop pace and delivers punches from odd angles. Tough and durable, Soliman can be very awkward and he is always well-conditioned. This combination makes Soliman a very difficult fighter to face. He went 0-2 in WBA 168-pound world title fights before dropping a notch in weight to capture the IBF Middleweight World Championship with a decisive 12-round decision over Felix Sturm in a rematch on May 31, 2014.

The 41-year-old Soliman, who lost the title in his first injury-marred defense against Taylor, is 9-1-1 with one No Contest since May 2008. A former kickboxing world champion, Soliman has been knocked out just once – in 2007 by then WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony Mundine. The veteran has had a successful yet unusual 18-year career that began with a four-round fight but then followed with three straight 12-rounders (all went the distance) in three different weight divisions over a period of five months.

The 5-foot-10-inch Herring was the 2012 United States National Champion at 141 pounds and captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic Games boxing team. The 29-year-old turned pro in December 2012 and has remained active since with five fights in 2013 and four in 2014. Herring, who will be making his ShoBox debut, is making his second start of this year, coming off a lopsided eight-round decision over Hector Marengo in March.

Herring served nine years in the Marine Corps including two tours of duty in Iraq. The Long Island native enlisted about a year after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Herring considered giving up the sport multiple times, particularly after the death of his infant daughter, Ariyanah, due to sudden infant death syndrome in 2009 – three years to the day before the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London. But he was persuaded by coaches and teammates to stick with it.

At 19 years of age, Lubin is one of the youngest boxers to appear on ShoBox (Francisco “Panchito” Bojado, at 18, was the youngest.). Lubin is a heralded blue-chip prospect who will be making his ShoBox debut and 11th start since turning pro in November 2013. A southpaw with good punching power, skills and movement, Lubin will be making his third start this year and his fourth scheduled eight-round bout.

Lubin had a remarkable amateur career. He was the 2013 National Golden Gloves champion at 152 pounds, the 2012 National PAL Champion at 141, the 2012 Junior Olympic National Champion at 138 pounds and the 2011 National Junior Olympic Champion at 132 pounds.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox blow by blow with expert analyst Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as ringside analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Tickets for “Little Creek Brawl VII” from Skookum Creek Event Center start at $20 and are available online at www.little-creek.com or by calling 1.800.667.7711. Doors will open at 5 p.m. PT, with the first fight tentatively set to begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage will begin at approximately 7:35 p.m. local time (PT).

Previously hosting boxing events broadcast on SHOWTIME, the 22,500-square-foot Skookum Creek Event Center provides unrivaled sightlines and acoustics for a televised fight. Boxing fans staying the weekend at the resort’s well-appointed rooms and suites may also complete their experience with a round of golf at world-renowned Salish Cliffs Golf Club, a treatment at Seven Inlets Spa or Vegas-style gaming on the casino floor.

For more information about Little Creek Casino Resort and its full line-up of upcoming acts that includes Paul Rodgers, Trace Adkins, Dwight Yoakam, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, YES and Toto, please call 800-667-7711 or visit online at www.little-creek.com

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About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 61 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

Victoria, Australia (October 30, 2014) Former IBF Middleweight champion, SAM SOLIMAN, is on the comeback trail after winning the respect of millions of boxing fans around the world by raising the bar on courage and determination by fighting with a knee injury that would have caused 99% of fighters to quit.

Soliman injured his medial ligament in the 6th round when defending his IBF Middleweight title in Biloxi, Mississippi on October 8, against Jermain Taylor, former four-time world titleholder, and now IBF Middleweight champion. Soliman was ahead on all three judges’ score cards at the time.

“My rehabilitation program is being overseen by one of Australia’s leading Sports Physicians, Dr. Peter Fuller, and I was told today that if all goes the way it has since the fight, and I stay to plan, I can fight at the level I need early next year,” Soliman said.

Soliman’s manager, David Stanley said: “Sam lost the title, but he won over the hearts of the US boxing public and boxing media around the world with a truly courageous Arturo Gatti like effort. A re-match with Jermain Taylor would generate a lot of interest.”

Team Soliman are now talking with Taylor’s management about the re-match.

Soliman’s manager David Stanley said: “We enjoyed an excellent relationship with Team Taylor, and there is mutual respect both for what Taylor did to win the fight, and for what Soliman did to finish it.”

“A Team Taylor insider we talked to after the fight said they would consider a re-match, and our US agent and lawyer, Kurt Emhoff, is now working on a formal request for a rematch as Taylor’s next defense.”

Soliman said: “We gave Team Taylor a shot. It’s now in their hands. I respectfully ask Team Taylor to return the honor we extended to them, and let’s do it early next year.”

“A re-match, giving us a chance to go to war a second time would be pretty entertaining because both of us are true warriors,” Soliman said.

“I have a lot of respect for Jermain Taylor. He was very respectful to me leading up to and after the fight. Jermain is as humble as they come. Some of the comments made in the media were unfair; Jermain is a really good guy.

“I was only able to get through those last six rounds because of the great preparation I had through the efforts of my team Christian Ennor, Nigel McCarthy, David Tuinauvai, David Stanley, Kurt Emhoff, Rich Ryan; and the promise I made to the children at the Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, New York that I would never quit if they promised to never quit.

“Taylor is the former undisputed champion of the world and I know he would have felt better if he had won the fight by out boxing or by knocking me out to became a world champion. In a rematch he will have the chance to just that,” Soliman said.

“Having lost the belt in the way I did, its undisputable, Jermain and I have some unfinished business.

“I believe Taylor has the pride of a true champion and will grant us the rematch. I would do the same if I was in his situation.”

Both IBF Middleweight Champion Sam Soliman and challenger Jermain Taylor were respectful to each other and thankful to their teams during a press conference/weigh-in held at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi, in advance of tomorrow (Wednesday, October 8) night’s championship fight.

Soliman and Taylor are headlining a mammoth 14-fight card that also features Andre Dirrell and a host of up-and-coming prospects and proven contenders.

ESPN Wednesday Night Fights will broadcast the two main events and a four-rounder between Ahmed Elbiale and Dakota Dawson live.

Sam Soliman 160 vs. Jermain Taylor 159.8
IBF World Middleweight Championship
André Dirrell 169 vs. Nick Brinson 168.8
Ahmed Elbiale 174.6 vs. Dakota Dawson 171.6
Carlos Velásquez 131.6 vs. Jean Javier Sotelo 131.4
Steve Lovett 176 vs. Ricardo Campillo 177
Phillip Jackson Benson 172.2 vs. Michael Gbenga 173.6
Joey Hernández 162 vs. Jose Miguel Rodríguez 157.6
Mario Barrios 125.4 vs. Abraham Rubio 127
Walter Castillo 142 vs. Shad Howard NA
Justin DeLoach 156.2 vs. Joshua Snyder 155
Gervonta Davis 126.8 vs. German Meraz 125
BJ Flores 203.8 vs. Kevin Engel 190.8
Regis Prograis 142.2 vs. Mario Hermosillo 142.2
Erick Bone 142.6 vs. Peter Oluoch 144

Promoters: DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions

Venue: Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi

TV: ESPN Wednesday Night Fights (9 pm EST/8 pm CT)

Tickets: priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 5:00 pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30 pm.

NEW YORK CITY (October 4, 2014) IBF Middleweight World Champion “KING” SAM SOLIMAN made the rounds before breaking training camp in New York City visiting the Engine 33 — Ladder 9 Firehouse and “The Mecca of Boxing”, Madison Square Garden.

In the afternoon Soliman headed to Engine 33 – Ladder 9 on Great Jones Street in Manhattan where he received well wishes from numerous firemen.

“I have so much deep respect for the sacrifice these men and women make everyday, I remember vividly watching the courage shown during 9/11 from my home in Australia.”

The Champ’s next stop was Madison Square Garden where company executives gave him a grand tour.

“It’s a beautiful arena, full of legendary tales of world title fights over the years. I’d love to defend my title there in the future.”

Soliman, 44-11-0 (18KO’s) will break camp in New York City on Friday and head to Biloxi, Mississippi for the challenge from Taylor, 32-4-0 (20KO’s).

At the age of 40, Soliman won his first world title by defeating Felix Sturm on May 31, 2014, in the champions’ homeland of Germany.

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, are available at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, U.S.A. – Undefeated featherweight professional boxer Gervonta “Tank” Davis (Baltimore, MD/pro record: 8-0, 8 KOs) returns to the ring on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi. Davis will face German “Panteonero” Meraz (47-31-1, 25 KOs) in a six round bout. Davis’ fight will be televised on ESPN 2, and is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing & Promotions, LLC. In the main event, Arkansas’ Jermain Taylor will challenge Australia’s Sam Soliman for the IBF Middleweight Title.

On Friday night, September 26, 2014, Davis held a pre-fight public workout titled, “Bullying Stops Here,” at Mondawmin Mall center court in Baltimore, Maryland. The exhibition included mitt work, heavy bag drills, jump rope, and various other training exercises. Following the workout, Davis spoke to the crowd about bullying, signed autographs and took pictures with his supporters. Davis said, “The public workout at Mondawmin Mall was great. Thank you to everyone who showed up to support me. Bullying is a very important topic in our country right now, and I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of how people can be hurt by it. At the workout, a few boxers from my gym shared some stories we’ve had with bullying. Hopefully, we helped someone in the crowd who was watching. Bullying definitely stops here!”
Davis spoke about his upcoming televised fight. He said, “I’ve always dreamed about making my television debut, and now it will happen on October 8. Thank you Al Haymon, Team Davis, and ESPN2, for helping make my dream come true. I’ve been putting in solid work in the gym and I will be ready for my fight. This will be my first time fighting in Mississippi, so I’m looking forward to putting on a show for the crowd. I can’t wait to represent for my city of Baltimore. Thank you to my fans that keep supporting me. I’ll keep fighting for you.”
The nineteen-year old boxer explained what makes him special in the sport of boxing. He said, “I am still learning the sport of boxing, but I study this sport, and I’ve been boxing since I was a young kid. I’m fast in that ring, and I’ve fought against boxers with lots of different styles when I was in the amateurs. I’ve sparred many great pros as well. I consider myself an intelligent fighter, always listening to my corner and my coach Calvin Ford. The great boxers stay focused on what they are supposed to do, and they can adjust to any fight situation. I understand that fans need to be entertained, and I’m definitely that guy that can bring excitement to the sport of boxing. All I can say is tune in to ESPN2 on Wednesday, October 8, and watch me!”
Gervonta’s longtime boxing trainer, Calvin Ford (Upton Boxing Center/Baltimore, MD) said, “It was great to see such public support for our team at our mall workout. Thank you Mondawmin Mall, Kenny and Mia Ellis, Alijiah Williams, Daniel Coleman, Darrell Chase, Shoe City, Rich Brand Apparel, Nike Boxing, and RK Jewelers for helping make our event really special. The public workout allowed our city to get a glimpse of what ‘Tank’ can do, and how he can entertain a crowd. Gervonta was talking to the kids about doing well in school, spoke about bullying, and he really brought a positive showmanship to the event.”
Ford talked about Davis’ preparation for his upcoming bout. “We have had a great camp for this fight. Thank you to Club One Fitness and Upton Boxing Center for helping provide the quality sparring for our camp. We are facing a crafty veteran opponent in Meraz, but we’ll be prepared for whatever he brings to the table. ‘Tank’ has worked hard his whole life to get this TV opportunity, and it’s no secret that he has the talent to eventually get to the top of his division. We are looking forward to getting back in the ring to show what we’ve been working on for this fight. I can’t wait for the world to see his talent on ESPN2.”
Tickets for Gervonta Davis’ ESPN2 fight in Mississippi are priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office by phone (888) 566 7469 or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm CT and the first bout is scheduled for 5:30pm CT.

Follow Gervonta Davis on Instagram: @GervontaDavis or http://instagram.com/gervontadavis
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Follow Gervonta Davis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmGervontaDavis

NEW YORK CITY (October 1, 2014) IBF Middleweight World Champion “KING” SAM SOLIMAN is wrapping up his training in New York City this week in preparation for his title defense against former undisputed middleweight champion JERMAIN “Bad Intentions” TAYLOR set for Wednesday, October 8th from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and telecast LIVE on ESPN2, (9 p.m. ET).

“I’ve trained in New York City numerous times, I love it here, there’s an electricity and energy that can’t be matched” said the Australian native. “The fans and boxing community have always been very welcoming to me.”

“I’ve got one more sparring session today and then we’re leaving for Biloxi on Friday for the fight.”

In camp over the last ten days in New York City with Soliman have been two undefeated prospects.

“I like utilizing undefeated prospects for sparring, they’ve always brought out the best in me.”

“Along with two here I had three undefeated fighters working with me in Australia which brought the total records of the five fighters to 63-0-0 (42KO’s)” said Soliman. “I like sparring with prospects that have the will and desire that only an undefeated fighter can have.”

In regards to his title defense against Taylor, 32-4-0 (20KO’s), Soliman stated, “I’m preparing for the best Jermain Taylor. I would never underestimate anyone and I believe he is still a world class fighter.”

Soliman, 44-11-0 (18KO’s) will break camp in New York City on Friday and head to Biloxi, Mississippi for the challenge from Taylor. “No problem at all for me at 160, I can’t remember being above 170 in the last 15 years.”

At the age of 40, Soliman won his first world title by defeating Felix Sturm on May 31, 2014, in the champions’ homeland of Germany.

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, are available at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

ESPN2 will televise live the 12-round IBF World Middleweight Championship fight between titleholder Sam “King” Soliman (44-11, 18 KOs) and former Middleweight titlist Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor (32-4-1, 20 KOs) in an ESPN Boxing Special presented by Corona Extra on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 9 p.m. ET. The winner of the championship bout will face the winner of tonight’s Hassan N’Dam vs. Curtis Stevens IBF Middleweight eliminator fight in an ESPN Boxing Special at 9 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN.

“With the excitement over the rise of Gennady Golovkin, the anticipation over Miguel Cotto’s next move, and Peter Quillin’s power play in vacating the WBO belt, the Middleweight division is white hot right now from an interest- level standpoint,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN senior director, programming and acquisitions. “Equally as interesting has been the return of Jermain Taylor to the division so we are excited to provide fans with two consecutive ESPN Boxing Specials to finish painting the Middleweight picture.”

The October 8, show, from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss., will also be televised live on ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra. Both shows will be also available via WatchESPN. The card promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Commentators:
Todd Grisham and analyst Teddy Atlas will be ringside describing the action for ESPN2, while Pablo Viruega and analyst Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights for ESPN Deportes. Claudia Trejos and Leopoldo González will anchor the ESPN Deportes studio. Bi-lingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will present live reports and interviews for both ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

Main Event:
Australia’s Soliman won the IBF Middleweight title in his last fight by defeating then-titleholder Felix Sturm. Soliman, a former kickboxing world champion, was also a participant in the 2007 season of The Contender reality television show.

“Jermain Taylor — he’s been there, done that. He’s been a world champion himself,” Soliman said. “I’m excited about the fact that I’m fighting a guy who has won all the belts – I’m keen on doing that! He’s done what I’m looking forward to doing myself. It’s a rich scalp for me.”

Taylor of Arkansas — a former undisputed WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and The Ring Middleweight world champion — is coming off a seventh-round TKO win over J.C. Candelo. Taylor has fought top-level opposition throughout his career including, Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch, Kelly Pavlik, Cory Spinks, and Bernard Hopkins.

“Things have come full circle for me — I have another shot to become a world champion, and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass by without being victorious,” Taylor said. “I’ve made a bunch of mistakes in boxing, losing to fighters I shouldn’t have lost to because of a lack of training, but I’m ready to clear all that up. With hard work and dedication, I’ll be 110 percent ready. I think Sam Soliman is a great fighter. He’s had a great career and he comes to fight, but I have to go in there and beat the hell out of him.”

Co-Feature:
The 10-round co-feature will pit Super Middleweights “The Matrix” Andre Dirrell (22-1, 15 KOs) from Flint, Mich., fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., against New York’s Nick “The Machine Gun” Brinson (16-2-2, 6 KOs). Dirrell, a former Super Middleweight world title challenger, scored a fifth-round TKO win over Vladine Biosse in his last fight, while Brinson is looking to rebound from a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Dominic Wade.

About ESPN Boxing
ESPN is home to ESPN Friday Night Fights and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates (Spanish version), a weekly boxing series which runs between January and August and showcases some of the best bouts in the boxing industry. Friday Night Fights began on October 2, 1998 and Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) began on January 10, 2004. ESPN began televising boxing on April 10, 1980 when weekly boxing returned to television for the first time since 1964, with the debut of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN.

New York City (September 29, 2014) IBF Middleweight World Champion “King” SAM SOLIMAN headed to MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the New York Jets home game against the Detroit Lions, the first pro football game the Australian native has attended.

“It was a terrific experience, a beautiful day with friends watching a tremendous game, I’ll definitely be attending more” said Soliman who kicked off a packed New York City media week on Sunday.

On Tuesday afternoon, September 30 at 12Noon ET, Soliman will swing open the doors to his New York City based training camp for an Open to the Public Media Workout just eight days prior to defending his world title.

The Open to the Public Media Workout will take place at Pop’s Boxing Gym (3134 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY 10468) where Soliman will be joined by his trainer, CHRISTIAN ENNOR.

On Wednesday, October 8th, Soliman will defend his world title against former undisputed middleweight champion JERMAIN “Bad Intentions” TAYLOR from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and telecast LIVE on ESPN2, (9 p.m. ET).

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, are available at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

NEW YORK CITY (September 24, 2014) Earlier this week, IBF Middleweight Champion, “King” SAM SOLIMAN arrived in New York City to finalize preparations for his world title defense against former undisputed middleweight champion JERMAIN “Bad Intentions” TAYLOR on Wednesday, October 8th from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and telecast LIVE on ESPN2, (9 p.m. ET).

“I’m happy to be back in the Big Apple, the boxing capital and defending my IBF title in the United States which has always been my dream and now is a reality,” said Soliman, 44-11-0 (18KO’s).

In addition to training in New York City, Soliman will meet with the New York City media on numerous occasions prior to departing to Biloxi for the world title defense against Taylor,
32-4-1 (20KO’s).

SOLIMAN VS. TAYLOR is presented by Dibella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

New York, NY (9/3/14) – On Wednesday, October 8, DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing, in association with Soliman Stanley Promotions, will stage an exciting night of boxing with IBF middleweight champion “King” Sam Soliman (44-11, 18KO’s) defending his crown against former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor (32-4-1, 20KO’s) in the main event. The card will take place at the beautiful Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi.

A national hero in his native Australia, Soliman, the longtime top-rated contender, captured the IBF middleweight crown with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over reigning champion Felix Sturm, in Sturm’s backyard this past May. Soliman had previously taken Sturm’s belt the year before via close unanimous decision, only to see the verdict changed to a ‘No Contest’ when Soliman tested positive for a banned substance. The Australian vehemently denied the failed test results and promised to beat Sturm even easier if they fought again. He did exactly that when the two met in their eagerly anticipated rematch. Soliman is currently riding a nine-bout winning streak, dating back to 2009, with his last defeat coming at the hands of then-WBA world super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine in May 2008.

“I’m going to be stepping into the ring against a former world middleweight champion and super middleweight contender, who is chasing a comeback dream,” said Soliman. “Jermain Taylor has nothing to lose, and that makes him a very dangerous opponent. I know how dangerous that mindset is. It’s the same ‘all or nothing’ approach that I’ve taken into my last 10 fights to win the title. I’m bringing the same intensity to my preparation for this fight. It has taken me 20 hard years to get to where I am. Being a world champion is a special feeling, and one I plan on keeping. This is my first title defense, and I’m leaving no stone unturned to make sure it’s not my last.”

In 2005, Jermain Taylor was on top of the boxing world, having defeated longtime undisputed middleweight champion and future Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins, not once but twice in the same year. Fast forward nine years later and the 36-year-old Taylor will be getting another crack at reclaiming a piece of the coveted middleweight world championship when he takes on the IBF titlist Soliman.

Following a two-year hiatus from the ring in the wake of back-to-back losses in 2009 while campaigning at super middleweight, Taylor returned to the division where he once reigned supreme and rejoined forces with trainer Pat Burns. Since his return, Taylor, now rated #8 by the WBC and #15 by the IBF, has looked better and better with each outing, going 4-0 thus far in his comeback, with three wins by knockout. The only opponent to go the distance with Taylor during his comeback was then-undefeated and now fellow top-rated middleweight contender Caleb Truax (24-1-2, 14KO’s). Taylor is relishing the opportunity to once again prove that he is one of the best 160lb. fighters in the world.

“Things have come full circle for me. I have another shot to become a world champion and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass by without being victorious,” said Taylor. “I’ve made a bunch of mistakes in boxing, losing to fighters I shouldn’t have lost to because of a lack of training, but I’m ready to clear all that up. With hard work and dedication, I will be 110 percent ready. I think Sam Soliman is a great fighter. He’s had a great career and he comes to fight, but I have to go in there and beat the hell out of him.”

“October 8 will bring a highly competitive middleweight championship matchup when former undisputed champion Jermain Taylor attempts to take the IBF title from a crafty reborn Sam Soliman,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“I am thrilled to be co-promoting this event with my dear friend Lou DiBella,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing & Promotions, LLC. “The implications for the winner of this bout are very important to the current boxing landscape and to the legacies of Sam Soliman and Jermain Taylor.”

“When I was approached regarding this bout, Kurt and Team Soliman looked at it very carefully as we knew of Lou DiBella and Leon Margules by reputation,” said David Stanley, of Soliman Stanley Promotions. “We knew that they are boxing people who look after the interests of their fighters first. This aligned with our values, and Kurt Emhoff and I have enjoyed the process of working with Warriors Boxing and DiBella Entertainment to deliver an international level event with an excellent IBF world middleweight title bout for the headliner.”

“We are honored to bring championship boxing back to Biloxi with this much-anticipated middleweight title fight at Beau Rivage,” said George P. Corchis, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of MGM Resorts Southern Operations. “We look forward to these two world-class athletes putting on a great show at MGM Resort’s world-class facility on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 5, 9:00am CT, and are priced at $89.95, $69.95, $49.95 and $29.95, plus tax and service charges, and can be purchased at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office, or through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:45pm, with the first bout scheduled for 5:30pm.

ESPN2 will televise live the 12-round IBF eliminator fight between Middleweight contenders Hassan N’Dam (30-1 18 KOs) of France and Brooklyn, New York’s Curtis Stevens (27-4 20 KOs) as part of an ESPN Boxing Special on Wednesday, October 1, at 9 p.m. ET. The winner of the bout will earn the right to fight for the IBF Middleweight title, currently held by Australia’s Sam Soliman. The show from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., will also be carried live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. The card is promoted by King Sports.

“Over the past several months, King Sports has proven itself a legitimate player in the boxing world, and we are thrilled to televise this fight,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN sr. director, programming and acquisitions. “We’re pleased to be part of Michael King’s first televised event, and without question we’re expecting an outstanding line-up of fights including Stevens vs. N’Dam.”

Commentator assignments and further details regarding the fight card will be announced in the near future.

About ESPN Boxing
ESPN is home to ESPN Friday Night Fights and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates (Spanish version), a weekly boxing series which runs between January and August and showcases some of the best bouts in the boxing industry. Friday Night Fights began on October 2, 1998 and Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) began on January 10, 2004. ESPN began televising boxing on April 10, 1980 when weekly boxing returned to television for the first time since 1964, with the debut of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the October 8 IBF Middleweight title fight between Sam Soliman and Jermain Taylor will on ESPN 2 at 9 PM ET.

No venue has been named to host the bout.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Middleweight champion Sam Soliman will defend his title against Jermain Taylor in October in the United States.

According to Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules and Lou DiBella, who are co-promoting the card, the contracts are signed for the fight to take place on Oct. 4. However, there is a good chance the fight will be moved to Oct. 8 and air on ESPN2 as a Wednesday night boxing special, one week after the network will carry the Oct. 1 title elimination bout between Curtis Stevens and Hassan N’Dam for the right to become the mandatory challenger for the Soliman-Taylor winner.

“Jermain is very excited about it,” trainer Pat Burns told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “We’ve won four fights since we got back together and Jermain has come back. I’d like to have had more fights, more activity, but that’s the business. Jermain has been maintaining himself and his weight is good. It should pay off for him. He’s already in pretty good shape.”

“We always wanted to get another opportunity. They don’t come around too often,” Burns said. “We have a second chance and it’s a blessing. He’s fortunate to have this opportunity. I know there are some who say Jermain shouldn’t get this opportunity and some that say Sam Soliman shouldn’t be fighting Jermain, but I don’t worry about the critics.

“I put them aside and let’s go ahead and see how it comes out. I think we’ll win the fight. I know Jermain will work hard. We will be prepared and let the cards fall where they may.”

“This should be a competitive fight,” said said promoter Lou DiBella, who has promoted almost all of Taylor’s fights. “Jermain came back for this kind of opportunity and he is getting it against probably the most vulnerable of the middleweight champions. It’s a winnable fight and a great opportunity. Jermain is very live to win that belt.”

Kurt Emhoff, an attorney and Soliman’s and co-manager, said Soliman has signed for the fight, deciding to fight Taylor rather than accept a unification fight against Gennady Golovkin that was also on the table.

“We got a very generous offer for this fight,” Emhoff said.

“They had the Geale fight coming up and we had to wait a little bit and then this offer came in and it blew the (offer for the) Golovkin fight out of the water,” Emhoff said. “It took Sam (17) years to win a title. He has fought everybody, but he’s going to be 41 and he was looking for the best possible financial package that was offered and that’s what we took.

“Jermain is ranked by the IBF, he’s a big name, he’s won four fights in a row and he beat Truax. So we know we have to be ready and we expect the best Jermain Taylor. He was seconds away from beating Froch. We’re taking him seriously. He’s a tough out for anybody.”

Johannesburg, June 10 – Rodney Berman has contacted IBF middleweight champion Sam Soliman’s camp about potentially matching him with highly-rated Martin Murray in Monte Carlo in October.

He says he has made a “substantial offer” to the Australian, who beat Felix Sturm for the title last month.

Murray fights Max Bursak for the WBC Silver belt in Monaco next weekend, but plans are already afoot to land a bigger prize later this year.

“The middleweight division is very fluid right now and Martin is a big part of that,” said the Golden Gloves promoter in South Africa. “He’s proven himself in major fights and he has huge pulling power.”

WBC champion Miguel Cotto is the hot man of the division after his dominant performance against Sergio Martinez last weekend, but Berman believes he will opt for more established names who would be big draws in New York or Las Vegas.

As for WBA Super champion Gennady Golovkin, Golden Gloves has promoted him a number of times in Monte Carlo, but he has a fight lined up against Daniel Geale next month. Julio Cesar Chavez jnr, Berman speculates, is a likely foe down the line for a potential superfight.

Berman is pursuing Soliman, reasoning that, at age 40, the Australian can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. Besides, the other champions aren’t queuing up to fight him.

The South African promoter will also be keeping a close eye on the August 9 fight in New York between Jarrod Fletcher and Daniel Jacobs for the WBA’s regular middleweight belt. Berman promoted Fletcher’s most recent fight (against Bursak).

“I would be prepared to offer the winner a deal for an October 21 bout against Murray,” said a bullish Berman.

Murray is well placed for an assault on the world title after two desperately close attempts, losing a controversial decision to Martinez in Argentina and drawing with Sturm in Germany.

He is rated number four by the World Boxing Council and effectively number one by the International Boxing Federation, which has the first two positions vacant.

It goes without saying that Murray must first beat Bursak to set the wheels in motion for the planned October extravaganza.

ESPN3 will present exclusive live coverage in the U.S. of the 12-round IBF Middleweight title fight between defending titleholder Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18 KOs) and Sam Soliman (43-11, 18 KOs) on Saturday, May 31. Saturday’s coverage of the undercard bouts will begin at 2 p.m. ET with the main event getting underway at approximately 5 p.m.

The fight, from the KönigPalast Arena in Krefeld, Germany, will be the second meeting between the two boxers. Australia’s Soliman won a unanimous decision over Germany’s Sturm in their first bout (a world title eliminator), a result which was changed to a no contest due to Soliman testing positive for a banned stimulant. Sturm went on to win his next two fights, including a second-round knockout of England’s Darren Barker to win the title in December.

About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The network is currently available to more than 92 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.con, IBF Middleweight champion Felix Sturm will defend his belt against Sam Soliman in a rematch in May 31 in Krefed, Germany.

Soliman, of Australia, got knocked down in the second round but went on to win the world title elimination bout on Sturm’s turf in Dusseldorf, Germany. Soliman won by unanimous decision on scores of 116-111, 114-113 and 114-113, but after the fight he tested positive for a banned substance. The result of the bout was changed to a no decision, and Soliman was suspended for nine months by the German Boxing Federation

“This fight really hurt,” Sturm said of the first meeting with Soliman. “It was heartbreaking. I don’t care that he doped. That’s not an excuse for me. I want to erase all doubts; I want to show the world that I’m by far the superior fighter. I didn’t train like I should have before the first fight. That won’t happen again. I promise I will keep my world title.”

“Getting a world title bout is like climbing Mt. Everest,” he said. “It’s taken me 23 years. You get to base camp and line up at the foot of the summit for your turn to conquer the peak. I’ve paid my dues and I’m ready. I couldn’t have said that five years ago, but now I can. I’m fighting smarter, and I’m jumping out of my skin to hear the referee say, ‘Seconds out.’

“My mission is to bring the IBF middleweight world title back to Australia. This is the title I have been chasing, taking my chances, and earning my No. 1 contender position. A little over 12 months ago I went over to Germany and beat Felix, winning that fight in a unanimous decision. I am under no illusions about the task ahead. I know Felix is going to be more prepared and ready for me this time, but I and my team also learned a lot from our last bout.”

SAN DIEGO, CA –February 5th 2013 – WealthTV has secured the rights to air the bout between the WBA #2 contender Felix Sturm (37-3, 16KO) and the IBF #1 contender Sam Soliman (42-11, 17KO). The contest received 5 out of 5 star rating from BoxRec.com.

WealthTV will air the fight on February 14th at 10 PM ET during WealthTV’s usual Thursday “Fight Night” time slot. It will be the first airing of the February 1st fight in the United States.

The bout was the first non-title fight for Sturm since 2007 as he looked to bounce back from a tough loss against Soliman’s fellow Australian, Daniel Geale. Soliman put his title on the line twelve times before finally losing it to Geale.

Soliman needed to win this fight in order to put himself in line for an all-Australian IBFtitle fight against Daniel Geale. Geale successfully defended his title against another Aussie, Anthony Mundine, a day before.

“Boxing fans will enjoy this world-class matchup that is exciting from start to finish,” stated WealthTV Director of Live Events Tommy Morris, “A fight of this quality should be seen all around the world and we are happy to be the television outlet for the American boxing fan.”

All of WealthTV’s fights can be seen on WealthTV nationally on Verizon FiOS TV channel 169 and 669 in HD, AT&T U-Verse TV channels 470 and 1470 in HD,along with over 100 cable systems across the country as well as on line viewing on numerous connected devices and via www.wealthtv.com.

About WealthTV

WealthTV is the premier lifestyle and entertainment network —the destination for exclusive and original programming, simultaneously transmitted in high definition and standard definition. WealthTV delivers to informative shows to its viewers, providing invaluable insights on what every American dreams of – from travel secrets to fast cars, from outrageous homes to live events, and much more. The network fills a television vacuum by delivering intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking entertainment and always-unbiased news from an insider’s perspective. For more information, please visit www.wealthtv.com