Totowa, NJ: The radiology report is in and it appears that heavyweight contender Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov suffered a more severe knee injury than originally believed in his bout with Charles Martin on Saturday night.

Dr. Steven Stoller, a, New Jersey Orthopedic Surgeon and who specializes in sports medicine, watched the Glazkov fight live last Saturday night. The doctor said that in the third round, while avoiding a punch, Glazkov’s right knee “pivot shifted,” which in layman’s terms is a partial dislocation of the knee (and is indicative of an ACL injury), when he went down the first time, which the referee ruled a slip. Glazkov continued fighting until presumably injuring his knee further when the bout was called off with 30 seconds remaining in the third round.

Dr. Stoller, with extensive experience treating professional and amateur boxers but who has not treated Glazkov, said, “Upon reviewing Glazkov’s MRI report, the injury was much more complex and serious than a straight forward ACL tear. Additional injuries consisted of a vertical tear of the medial meniscus, a grade II sprain of the medial collateral ligament as well as the lateral collateral ligament, with extensive injury to the posterior lateral complex of his knee, a large knee hemarthrosis, and he sustained bone contusions of the lateral tibial plateau and medial femoral condyle. I can’t imagine how Glazkov was able to walk out of the ring, let alone continue fighting.”

Glazkov met with Dr. Benjamin Yukhanan in Florida yesterday. Glazkov said, “The doctor says my knee is much worse than we thought. It’s not just the ACL, it’s also the meniscus and my whole knee was dislocated. They can’t do surgery right away. I’m in a cast from the bottom to the top of my leg and I’ll be in the cast for a month. After they remove the cast, I will do physical therapy for around another month. After that, they can do the surgery. Basically, we are talking 10 months in a best case scenario, but could be a year to recover.”

Glazkov continued, “This injury was very unfortunate. I will take time to heal, but then I will be back better than ever!”

According to Glazkov’s manager, Egis Klimas, “Slava lost a fight without being hit. I do not think we will ask for rematch; when the time comes for Slava to step back into ring I do not believe Martin will still be a champion.”

“We will never know what would have happened had Czar not suffered this unfortunate accident during the fight,” said promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events. “The score was even on the judges’ cards when the fight was stopped due to Czar’s injury. The fact that he got up and continued fighting in such a debilitated state is a testament to his courage and his desire. His knee will be repaired by one of the very best surgeons in the country and we expect that, God willing, Glazkov will return to the ring even stronger than before when he is ready.”

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Follow all the action LIVE  from Ringside as Deontay Wilder defends the WBC Heavyweight title against Artur Szpilka.  The action begins at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT / 4 AM in Warsaw and  5 AM in Kiev with a battle for the IBF Heavyweight title between undefeated fighters Charles Martin and Vyachelsav Glazkov

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Round 1 Wilder gets in a jab..Jab..

Round 2 Szpilka gets in a left..Jab from Wilder..Counter right from Szpilka..Left..left..

Round 3 Szpilka gets in a left on ropes..left..left..Counter left from Wilder..Counter right..

Round 4 Jab from Wilder..Jab…right..Hard right..1-2;

Round 5 Szpilka gets in 2 jabs..Right from WIlder///Left from Szpilka..Hard right from Wilder..

Round 6 Right hook from Szpilka…Right from Wilder..right hook from Szpilka…

Round 7 Big right from Wilder..Right..3 punch combo on ropes..Big right..Combo from Szpilka..left..

Round 8 Jab from Wilder..Left from Szpilka…Right from Wilder

Round 9 Counter left from Wilder to top of head..Right..COUNTER RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SZPILKA AND HE IS KNOCKED OUT

Round 1 Martin lands a straight left…

Round 3 Martin lands a LEFT AND DOWN GOES GLAZKOV…THE FIGHT IS OVER

BROOKLYN–Deontay Wilder retained the WBC Heavyweight title with emphatic one punch 9th round stoppage over Artur Szpilka before an announced crowd of 12,608 at Barclays Center.

It was a close fight throughout with Szpilka trying to score with little jabs and right hooks. Everytime he would connect, it would draw a large roar from the thousands of Polish fans in attendance. Wilder started to get going in the middle rounds as he kept landing hard right hands that Szpilka took well. That was until round nine, when Wilder unleashed a perfect right to the jaw that sent Szpilka down and out. Szpilka would be down with his eyes closed for several minutes until he regained his wits.

The bout was stopped at 2:24 of round nine.

Wilder, 228.7 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is now 36-0 with 35 knockouts. Szpilka, 233.2 lbs of Houstin, TX is now 20-2.

Post fight quotes:

RONNIE SHIELDS:

“He’s doing good, He’s awake and knows exactly where he is. He didn’t want to go to the hospital but he’s going as a precaution. It’s better safe than sorry.”

DEONTAY WILDER:

I told him he was a great contender. He came to gave his all. He gave his all for Brooklyn.

“I always say two prayers,” Wilder said. “I say a team prayer and I say an individual prayer. I don’t want to hurt a man so he can’t go home to his family. We risk our lives every time we step in the ring. He’s definitely in my prayers and I hope he’s doing well.

“He was definitely a crafty guy. I haven’t competed against a southpaw in three years. He was a tough competitor, but you’re fighting for a world title. It’s not supposed to be easy. I’m surprised it took that long, but we had 12 rounds and they can’t all can’t be pretty.

“We all know Fury is just a phony. This is just an act. I’m not scared of any body. We’ll come to your back yard. This is just an act – you’re not a real fighter. I don’t play. This isn’t wrestling. This isn’t the WWE. When you do step in that ring with me I promise you I will baptize you.

“I would love to fight him next, unfortunately. I have other mandatories due. Make the date Tyson, I promise you.”

FURY:

“Any time, any place anywhere. I’ll fight you in your back yard after I beat (Wladimir) Klitschko again.

Charles Martin won the IBF Heavyweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Vyacheslav Glazkov.

Glazkov seemed to fall and hurt his knee and could not continue and the bout was stopped at 1:50 of round three.

Martin, 249 1/2 lbs of Carson. CA is 23-0-1 with 21 knockouts.  Glazkov, 218 lbs of Ukraine is 21-1-1.

Kownacki battered Kelly all over the ring for much of the fight with thudding shots that brought constant roars from the pro=Polish crowd in attendance at Barclays Center

Mike Lee remained undefeated by scoring a 3rd round stoppage over Joey Gardner in a scheduled 8-round Cruiserweight bout.

Lee dropped Gardner twice in round two and again in round three and the bout was stopped at 43 seconds in round three.

Lee, 177.6 lbs of Chicgo, Il is 16-0 with 10 knockouts.  Gardner, 178 lbs of Woonsocket, RI is 11-9-1.

Julian Sosa scored a 2nd round stoppage over Bryan Timmons in a scheduled 4-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Sosa dropped Timmons with a left to the body in round two and finished him off seconds later with a hard flurry of shots to the head that sent Timmons down for a second time and the bout was stopped at 1:48 of round two.

Sosa, 141.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-0-1 with 2 knockouts.

Former Olympian Carlos Gongora scored a 3rd round stoppage over Derrick Adkins in a scheduled 4-round Light Heavyweight bout.

Gongora scored knockdowns in round’s two and three and the fight was stopped at 1:29.

Gongora, 170.6 lb of Brooklyn, NY is 4-0 with 3 knockouts. Adkins, 171.2 lbs of Edmond, OK is 1-1-1.

In a battle undefeated Welterweights, Botirsher Obidov won a 4-round unanimous decision over Ramil Gadzhiev.

Scores were 39-37 on all cards for Obidov, 160.8 lbs of Kissimmee, FL and is now 4-0-1. Gadzhiev, 161.2 lbs of Boca Raton, FL is 1-1.

Ivan Golub scored an impressive first round stoppage over Juan Rodriguez Jr. in a scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout.

In round one, Golub dumped Rodriguez with a right to the body. Deconds later, it was a perfect straight left to the chin that finished off Rodriguez at 2:41 of round one.

Golub, 147 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 10-0 with 8 knockouts. Rodriguez, 146.8 lbs of Union City, NJ is 12-4.

Maciej Sulecki stopped veteran Derrick Findley in round seven of their scheduled 10-round Middleweight bout.

It was an action filled battle with Sulecki getting the better of the action. In round seven, Sulecki rocked Findley with a straight hand and seconds later the fight was stopped at 1:29 of round seven.

Sulcecki, 161 lbs of Warsaw, POL is 22-0 with 7 knockouts. Findley, 161.8 lbs of Chicagi, IL is 22-18-1.

Photos by Joe Tarlecky

Lou DiBella
Thank you very much and welcome to the, final conference call for the SHOWTIME Championship Boxing show, January 16 of this new year at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The show will begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME. It’s a world championship, heavyweight championship doubleheader.

These are the first two heavyweight title fights in over 100 years in Brooklyn on the same night, 115 years since the last heavyweight title fight in Brooklyn. And there’ll be two on the same night on January 16 on SHOWTIME.

The first bout will be for the vacant IBF Heavyweight World Championship between Charles Martin and the highest ranked contender in the IBF, former Olympic Bronze Medalist, Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov. The main event will be Deontay Wilder, the Heavyweight Champion of the World of the WBC who is defending his title against the very colorful and exciting Artur Szpilka.

We’re going to start with Stephen Espinoza, the man who runs SHOWTIME Boxing and who has put together this great card for us.

Stephen Espinoza
Thank you, Lou. As some of you know, 2016 represents the 30th anniversary of SHOWTIME Championship Boxing. The very first fight at SHOWTIME was telecast on March 10, 1986 and featured Marvelous Marvin Hagler versus John Mugabi. We’ve had a variety of high-profile fighters and fights since.

To kick off our 30th anniversary year, I can’t think of a better way to do it than at Barclays Center in Brooklyn with a doubleheader of heavyweight title fights. There is going to be some explosive action. We have some really entertaining, interesting personalities. In fact, I can’t wait to see what the rest of this all holds.

L. DiBella
I’m going to start with the man who is the leading available contender in the IBF, and he is going to fighting Charles Martin for the IBF Heavyweight Championship. Czar Glazkov, 21-0-1, 13 KOs from the Ukraine originally, now fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He’s a 2007 Silver Medalist at the World Amateur Boxing Championship and a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist at Super Heavyweight.

Manager extraordinaire, Egis Klimas is on the call, and he will do the translating for Czar Glazkov. Czar is promoted by Main Events and Kathy Duva of Main Events will be co-promoting this fight with us.

Egis Klimas
Hello, everybody. This is Egis, manager of Vyacheslav Glazkov. We’re very happy to have a title shot, the world title of the IBF. We wanted to thank our promoter Main Events for doing such a good job for bringing Glazkov to this opportunity. I am very fortunate to represent Mr. Glazkov. I’ve been doing it for four years, and this is a big shot for him to become the world champion.

I would like to introduce to you, Vyascheslav Glazkov, the contender for the IBF Title.

Vyaschelav Glazkov
Yes. Hello, everybody. This is Vyacheslav Glazkov. This is a great opportunity for me and a really good chance for me to win the World Championship.

L. DiBella
Charles Martin, 22-0-1 with 20 KOs, born in St. Louis, Missouri, now from Carson, California. Charles is a huge physical specimen at 6’5″. The 29-year-old knockout artist was an accomplished amateur. He won the 2012 National PAL Championship. Charles is something of an unknown commodity to a lot of people. He is the number three-ranked IBF contender and is looking forward to his opportunity and what he thinks is going to be a knockout win against Vyacheslav Glazkov.

Charles, would you like to say a few words, please?

Charles Martin
Yes. I’m so thankful to be in this position and blessed to get a world title shot, and that’s what all boxers dream of. It’s finally becoming a reality to me. I’m not going to let anything stand in front of me of receiving this IBF title. So I will be prepared on January 16th.

I’m up in high altitude right now. I’m in the snow. I’m running in the snow. I’m getting it, grinding with it, and it’s going to all show in the rings.

L. DiBella
Thank you, Charles. Charles is promoted by Warriors Boxing in Florida, so they will also be a co-promoter of this title fight.

I would open it up now to questions for Vyacheslav Glazkov and Charles Martin.

Q
Can you take me through the decision-making process of dropping out of your fight with Dominic Breazeale in December?

C. Martin
I’m glad you asked that because I wanted to do both of the fights. My team is the one that talked me out of it. I was up here making plans to do both. They’re like, yes, yes, you know, that’s right, that’s right. With the conversation with my coaches, I’m like, I can do this fight. I can get this another way. Then I’m lined up right here.

My manager and everybody else, they’re like, “Hey, this is a world title opportunity. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. You fight for a world title. So we’re pulling out. You’re going to back to camp and get this belt.” I guess after a while it sunk in and it started to make sense. And I said, “Hey, you know, whatever. Let’s just do it.” Because anything could happen.

You could get cut or something, any kind of crazy stuff that could have pulled me out of this fight. But I guarantee I was going to knock Dominic out. That’s automatic, you know what I mean? We know each other. I would have knocked him out, for sure.

Q
You’re talking about Breazeale, who you know?

C. Martin
Yes, Dominic Breazeale. I would have knocked him out.

Q
When you did make that decision to withdraw from the fight, did you stay straight through in camp. Did you at least take a couple of days off? Did you do anything over the holidays? Or did you just basically stay in camp and just work all the way through it?

C. Martin
Yes, I took a week off. I took that week off and then we got back to camp. I started back training when I was in L.A.. I live in North Hollywood, so we have a gym right there. These guys they sponsor me and I got a gym right there. Me and my coaches got in there and we were hitting pads and we’re doing workouts, doing pushups and callisthenic-type of movements.

Then we got right back up here into the high altitude, man. We are in Big Bear right now. We’ve been here for a few weeks now. We’ve been up here grinding, man. We’re getting it in. I’m in perfect shape. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. I’m ready to fight.

Q
When you look at the record of Glazkov, does it make you think to yourself, I better really get rid of this guy because I cannot leave it in the hands of the judges?

C. Martin
I don’t even take the time to think about those kind of things because he’s never been in the ring with a fighter like me. I’m no Cunningham. I’m no Tor Hamer. I’m none of these guys that he fought.

I’m totally a different fighter than he’s ever seen. So come fight night, I’m ready to prove it to the whole wide world. I’m ready to be that superstar. We train like superstars. If you’re going to train mediocre, you’ll be mediocre, and that’s what I see out of a lot of fighters, heavyweights, especially. But we train to be a superstar and that’s what you guys are going to see.

Q
Has everything changed in the mindsets for a fighter like yourself after Klitschko’s loss?

C. Martin
It was going to open up eventually. Klitschko had a very good run. His whole career was outstanding. He’s an awesome fighter. But it’s our time now. There are new fighters on the map. We had big plans to knock him out as well. We wanted to knock him out and become superstars overnight. Everybody got the dream.

It’s here now, man. I get to fight for the IBF World Title. I can’t believe it. Every day I wake up. I think I’m freaking blessed. I’m fighting for a world title. This is crazy. Sometimes it doesn’t even sound right, but it’s real. So I’m going to seize the moment, definitely.

V. Glazkov
Well, I think right now the heavyweights are going to be very interesting because of all the titles getting a split around. There is going to be more champions, and that’s what the fan always like because for many years it was all one person. I’m looking forward to see what is going to be happening in the heavyweight division.

Q
This is for both fighters. I just want to know if one of you, unless there is a draw, wins this title next weekend, are you anxious to unify with either the WBC champion or with Tyson Fury?

V. Glazkov
Yes, of course. This is the dream of every fighter to get all the titles because I truly believe the real champion is whoever is holding all four titles.

C. Martin
Yes, I want it all. As soon as I get this belt, I want to unify. I want everything. I want all the hardware. Look out for “Prince” Charles Martin. I’m here to make a statement and you guys are going to see, finally. I’ve been under wraps a long time but now the world can see me display my skill. Yes, I can’t wait to unify. I want everything.

Q
Charles, do you think that Glazkov is a pretty decent step up in competition on paper from who else you fought? I’d like your assessment of him as a boxer and what you think he brings to the table.

C. Martin
Yes. He’s definitely a step up on paper. His resume reads well. He’s a good fighter. He’s technical, keeping his hands up and stuff like that, has a pretty nice hook. But I got to give you the ups and the downs. He’s a little guy. I’m massive, strong, powerful, elusive. He’s definitely going to be in there for the hardest fight of his life that he’ll ever have.

Q
Czar, you heard what Charles said. He called you a little guy. I’d like your reaction to and what you think of Martin technically. Have you seen tape on him? What do you think of him as a fighter?

V. Glazkov
I respect all of my opponents. Anybody who steps into the ring is doing a very good job. As far as him as a boxer, what can I say? He’s a big dude. He’s a southpaw. I soak up all of his videos. He’s not the standard guy. He’s not a normal guy, but that’s why I’m picking up my sparring partners. That’s why I’m working and preparing for the fighting.

Q
Czar, What’s your prediction for this fight?

V. Glazkov
I’m not going to be saying that I’m going to knock him out. I’m not going to be aiming to knock him out. I’m just going to be fighting and showing everybody my good skills with boxing. If it’s a knockout coming, it’s going to come.

L. DiBella
This is a significant fight. There is a belt at stake. There is an Olympic Medalist fighting a massive American heavyweight, as Charles accurately described himself, and also extremely charismatic and English-speaking American heavyweight that this fight can bring in major new player to the forefront in the heavyweight division. So it’s a very significant fight.

I thank you guys for joining us, and we’ll see you next week.

Now we’re going to move on to the main event of the evening, Deontay Wilder’s third defense of his WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World against Artur Szpilka, who is promoted by Warriors Boxing. If you’ve been following this promotion or listened to our first call, you’ll know that Artur’s English has gotten much better and he’s never at a loss for words nor is he at a loss for confidence.

I know that Deontay is looking forward to fighting a guy that’s looking to bring the fight and is this confident in his own skills and his ability.

Artur, would you like to say a few words to start?

A. Szpilka
Welcome to everybody. The new heavyweight champion is here. You’ll see. I wait for questions.

L. DiBella
Well, the man who believes he is going to be the new heavyweight champion just said a couple of words. Now we’re going to go to the Heavyweight Champion, undefeated Deontay Wilder.

Deontay Wilder
Good evening everyone. Happy New Year. We’re headed into a new year. It’s going to be a hell of a year this year for not only myself but a lot of other fighters as well. There are a lot of things going on in the heavyweight division. The division is definitely alive, and I’m looking to claim it all.

I wish all the heavyweights in the division good luck on their up and coming journeys. And I definitely wish my opponent good luck on becoming the first Polish champion. That is something that has been a hard task to complete for many Polish guys.

He’s not the first to come. It’s going to be difficult for him as well, but I wish him luck. He should be proud that he made it this far, and got this opportunity. So I’m looking forward to January 16, to conquering the world.

Q
How’s training going, Deontay? How’s camp been? How’s your training? Same question for Artur.

D. Wilder
Camp has been wonderful. We’ve had a lot of wonderful guys that come in camp. I’ve always been in shape. That’s always been my motto, that I’m never out of shape. To not have fought a southpaw in three years, and to have a great camp like I’ve had, it’s been crazy.

It reminded me of why I enjoy and love fighting southpaws. I definitely had fun in this camp. I’m looking forward to the fight. I really am. This is my statement year, the start of the year. I’m looking forward to make a statement on Szpilka’s face.

A. Szpilka
Everything is great. Everything is fine. To be honest, I cannot wait to start this whole commotion. Especially I am waiting for the moment that I will be able, for the first time, to look in Deontay’s eyes, and be in the middle of this whole fight week preparation, and fight week craziness.

Q
For each fighter, what is difficult about preparing for the other guy? For Deontay, how different is it facing a southpaw, especially one that kind of fights out of a crouch? And for Szpilka, how difficult is it to prepare for someone who is so tall, and with such reach?

D. Wilder
It’s different levels of what you look at as difficult. Southpaws are my fun people to fight. You know, southpaws are people that pressure me. They are the ones I enjoy the most in sparring and actual fights and stuff like that.

There’s nothing, difficult about the southpaw, other than you’re switching sides with fighters. What you’re used to seeing is just backwards. That’s about it. Everything else is all about your feel, your determination, your IQ in the ring, and what you’re able to do with your ability.

I could put everything I got in the bank on my abilities and skill and will, and what I’m capable of doing in the ring. There’s no other heavyweight in the division like me, especially when it comes into the athletic department. I’m the most athletic heavyweight in the division.

There comes a point in time where it’s enough talking and it’s time to fight, which is what we’re doing now. We’re in the last few couple of words here, and a couple of more days. Then it’ll be time to fight. That way, every fighter has something to say about what they’re going to do.

There comes a time when you have to put forth the action, and actually see whether you’re really just talking to promote yourself, just to sell yourself, or to build your confidence, or build confidence around you, the people that you have inside, or are you the real deal. And I’m pretty sure that I can put every penny on it that I’m the real deal, and what I talk about, I put full action in.

What I’m saying I’m going to, I’ll do it. Everybody that knows me personally knows that if Deontay says he’s going to do something, it’s going to be done. So it’s exciting times, and I can’t wait. I really can’t. I’m in love with boxing. I’m in love with the sport. I love fighting. I love every bit of it and this is just a part of it.

This is the part I hate, just the waiting. And I’ll be so anxious to beat somebody up, just look at their face. This is the part that I hate — the waiting part. I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready to fight. Training is enough. I could have taken off that last little week of training, I didn’t need it.

I’m ready. I didn’t need the last week of training. I didn’t need the last week of strength training. I don’t need that. These guys could have went home. If I wasn’t paying my sparring partners, I would have sent them home.

But I don’t believe in giving out free money, so they had to stay and they had to spar — not to the point that they didn’t give me no work, because they gave me great work. It’s just to the point where I am super-ready. I’m just done, ready.

I’m looking forward to it, and I hope everybody is and everyone who is going to be attending this fight, who all’s going to be attending it or watching it on TV. They’re in for a treat. They’re in for a huge treat, just to start the year off.

I’m excited about the new year, that we get to start it off, make a statement. I want this fight to be already the fight of the year, and this is just the beginning of the year. So that’s what excitement I’m trying to bring to this fight. I’m trying to bring a severe knockout.

I want to get back to my knockout days. My hands were still out of all this time, last year my hand was about 85% when I defended my title. Now it’s, looking back, strong as ever. It’s back to 100%, and I’m looking to go back to where I used to be — four rounds or under.

A. Szpilka
For now I’m just ready to step into the ring. I also like to fight taller fighters. All the time when I’m spending time in Houston with my trainer, this is what we train for. I understand the training is not the actual fight. But I always liked the taller fighters.

Whatever Deontay is saying just makes no sense. I don’t believe in his words, and I will be able to prove it in the ring on the 16th. But for now, it’s just talk by Deontay.

Q
Everybody was just really looking forward to 2016’s Klitschko against Wilder. How disappointed were you when Klitschko just didn’t show up?

D. Wilder
I was very disappointed that Klitschko didn’t show up and do the things that we expected of him and what he was capable of doing. It could be many reasons why that Klitschko didn’t show up, because that wasn’t him as a fighter. Klitschko as a person, his body was there, but as a fighter, something was missing. That isn’tt what we’re used to seeing out of Wladimir Klitschko.

I think Father Time has knocked on his door, and he don’t want to let him in yet. But, I think it’s knocking at his door, and that fight proved it.

There’s talk of a rematch, and I’m going to see the second time around. So some people are still in daze of belief, because they can’t believe what they’ve seen.

Just like my career, many times, people make excuses for me. They say different things; even criticize me because they can’t understand why I’m able to do what I do, and how I do it when I do it. So, it’s the same thing as Klitschko. So we’re going to see the second time around, was this real?

Q
Does it mean extra to you to be fighting in such a new arena in the borough of Brooklyn?

D. Wilder
I’m very happy and honored to be able to be able to fight in Brooklyn. Barclays Center as well with so much rich heavyweight history throughout the state of New York. I’m so looking forward to finally putting my name down in history.

I definitely want to come in in the new year, and not only put history down, but in a great fashion; make a great statement to all the others that are in the division. This is a fine time for me. 2016 is going to be a starting time as well, so just making the whole division back and exciting again.

It’s definitely an exciting time and I’m just happy to be a part of it, and bringing that excitement truly back to the heavyweight division. I may be a country boy, but I don’t think the city’s ready for this boy right here.

Q
My first question is to Szpilka. Where are you guys at right now with the drug testing?

A. Szpilka
I’m still waiting. I’m still waiting. I don’t know why.

D. Wilder
Well I don’t know what he’s talking about. I just went to LabCorp yesterday and got blood drawn for the fight. So this is a championship fight. You’re not going to have a championship fight without being drug-tested. Period. So whether the test is happening before the fight, or whether the test happens after the fight, there will be a drug test.

Q
Is this camp different compared to all the other camps that you guys went through?

D. Wilder
This camp has been one of the most fun camps for the simple fact that I haven’t been involved with a southpaw in like three years. To get my brain back in functioning how to defeat a southpaw, it has been fun. I can’t say challenging, because I had too much fun doing it.

I can’t wait to show you everything that I have to offer. Just as I developing my skill, I develop everything I’ve learned over the years, and apply them in the ring.

Like I said before, I keep saying that I want it to be embedded in you guys’ brains that 2016 belongs to Deontay Wilder, where he will unify the division. There hasn’t been one since 1999. That was Lennox Lewis. Now I must make history. I can’t let any man get in my way from that.

If any man feels that I’m just talk, like Szpilka says, he thinks I’m just talk. There’s never been anything I said that I haven’t done. But we’ve seen him, many times, talk. We’ve recently seen him say the same shit he’s talking about now. And what happened? He ended up becoming the loser.

Everything I’ve said I’ve backed up. That’s why I’m still the champ. That’s why I am a winner. And the thing about it, my 10,000 hours is coming up – of training is coming up (unintelligible). So now I’m coming up four complete fighters now. I understand my abilities and skills inside that ring, and those 10,000 hours is definitely approaching.

I’m looking forward to the world embracing me, and to continue being the heavyweight champ of the world, soon to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

A. Szpilka
Just like I said before, and just like Deontay said before, I also could have skipped the last week of training. Everything is done. Everything is prepared. Right now it’s just waiting. So we’re going to find out who is who on January 16.

Q
I wonder what you think about the fact that you’re fighting in Deontay’s home country, but chances are you’re going to be the one that everybody’s cheering for?

A. Szpilka
There is no doubt that my crowd, the Polish crowd, will be predominant on January 16 in Barclays Center. They will be like additional gloves in the ring for me. They’re going to carry me to be a winner, to be a champion, something special. I’m going to fight also for them.

Q
What would it mean to you to become the first Polish heavyweight to win a world title?

A
This is the most important part of this fight for me, not even to become a world champion. It’s not about that. It’s about to be part of the history; becoming the first Polish heavyweight champion; to be the one when, even after I’m going to be dead, people are going to say, oh, this was the Szpilka guy, the guy who was the first Polish heavyweight champion. This is what I want to do, and this is what I’m going to prove to everybody on January 16.

L. DiBella
Well thank you, Artur, and thank you, Deontay. That’ll be our last question. Once again, the Showtime telecast will begin at 10:00 ET/7:00 PT. But there are tickets still available at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and we urge people to come out.

This is a rare opportunity to see the heavyweight champion of the world defend his title, and to see another heavyweight championship contested — two heavyweight title fights in one night, Barclays Center, January 16, on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing.

Tickets again are at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster; Barclays Center.com; by going to Barclays Center box office. We hope to see you in Brooklyn. Deontay and Artur, we’ll see you next week in Brooklyn, and we look forward to a great event on January 16. Thank you all for joining us.

BROOKLYN (Dec. 22, 2015) – Four heavyweights will meet in two world title fights for one history-making night in Brooklyn.

Undefeated heavyweight challengers Charles Martin and Vyacheslav Glazkov will battle for the vacant IBF World Championship on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Barclays Center, live on SHOWTIME®. Glazkov vs. Martin joins the previously announced main event featuring undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., making the third defense of his title against confident Artur Szpilka (20-1, 15 KOs), of Wieliczka, Poland.

“There has not been a heavyweight title fight in Brooklyn in 115 years. On Jan. 16, there will be two,” said Promoter Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Warriors Boxing and Sferis Knockout Promotions, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Purchase before January 1 and receive a 10 percent discount. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

?”?I’m feeling really blessed to get this opportunity,” said Martin. “I want to become a world champion so I can go down in history as a top heavyweight. Glazkov ?is a great fighter. He’s undefeated, ?so I know ?it’?s going to be a t?ough fight, ?but I’m coming in to be victorious. ?I’m getting ready and ?training hard so I can go out there and get that win.” ?

“I am looking forward to getting back in the ring and finally getting my opportunity to fight for a world title,” said Glazkov. “I want to thank everyone who helped me get to this place in my career.”

“It’s an honor to promote a dynamic young champion like Deontay Wilder against a tough threatening opponent like Szpilka,” said DiBella. “What would have been the first heavyweight title fight in Brooklyn in 115 years is now one of the first two. Martin versus Glazkov should be an extremely competitive fight and fans will be treated to the rarity of being able to see two world heavyweight championship fights on the same card.”

“I am excited to be involved in this historic event involving two heavyweight world titles fights, contested on the same evening,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “Having worked with Artur Szpilka since he began his career, I know he is more than ready for this challenge. Artur and Charles Martin both have all the tools necessary to win heavyweight world title in Brooklyn on January 16.”

“January 16 will be our best card yet,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “We’re excited to host two heavyweight world title fights in one night and continue to make Brooklyn the center of boxing.”

Martin (22-0-1, 20 KOs), of Carson, Calif., by way of St. Louis, is 22-0-1 with 20 KOs and is rated fourth by the IBF. The Ukrainian Glazkov, the No. 1-ranked IBF contender, is 21-0-1 with 13 knockouts.

The unbeaten Martin has stopped his last 12 opponents. The 6-foot-5, 29-year-old southpaw is coming off a third round TKO of Vicente Sandez in September. Martin, a top-level amateur, has maintained a busy schedule since turning professional – he fought four times in 2015 and five times in 2014. Martin is trained by U.S. Olympian Henry Tillman in Big Bear, Calif.

The aggressive-minded, 6-foot-3 Glazkov has won seven consecutive fights, including both his outings in 2015. Glazkov, who has never been knocked down, owns victories over former champions Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek. The win over Cunningham this past March earned him the No. 1 spot in the IBF. Before turning pro in July 2009, Glazkov was an amateur standout in the Ukraine – he won the bronze medal at super heavyweight at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and was a silver medalist at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships. The 31-year-old will make his U.S. debut fighting for the IBF belt that was recently vacated by Tyson Fury.

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Springfield, New Jersey: Today the IBF held a purse bid for the upcoming battle between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 KOs) and Charles Martin (22-0-1, 20 KOs) for the vacant IBF Heavyweight World Title at their offices in Springfield, NJ, which Warriors Boxing won. The much-anticipated fight will take place on January 16, 2016 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The winning bid was $1,238,000 and the IBF has ordered that the split will be 65-35 in favor of Glazkov.

Glazkov won the #1 position in the IBF when he defeated Steve Cunningham back in March so the 31-year old from Lugansk, Ukraine is excited to finally get his shot at the IBF belt in his first world title fight. He said, “I am looking forward to getting back in the ring and finally getting my opportunity to fight for a world title. I want to thank everyone who helped me get to this place in my career.”

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva added, “We are thrilled that Czar is getting his world title fight right away and in our own backyard! The turn around is quick, but both fighters will have the same amount of time to prepare so it’s fair. On top of fighting for his first world title,Glazkov is going to get more money for this fight than we were offered for any other fight and we won’t be tied to any future options. This is a great deal for everyone involved.”

Duva co-promotes Glazkov with Kirill Pchelnikov of Pushka Promotions. Pushka and Main Events put in a bid today but Pchelnikov remarked, “It does not matter we didn’t win the purse bid and it doesn’t matter where the fight will be. Maybe next time we will be able to take Glazkov to fight in Russia when he is champion!”

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In 1990 Evander Holyfield was the mandatory contender for the Heavyweight Title then held by Mike Tyson. Though Tyson’s title defense was overdue, Tyson was permitted to engage in an optional title defense with James Buster Douglas. As we all know, Douglas won by knockout.

Thereafter all hell broke loose. Don King, at the time Douglas’ promoter, and one of the ratings organizations wanted a rematch, avoiding Holyfield. The other organizations were prepared to follow their rules and directed that the Holyfield mandatory take place.

Litigation ensued. Holyfield prevailed and fought James Buster Douglas. Holyfield’s career turned out to be legendary.

Now, 25 years later there is the identical scenario. Vyacheslav Glazkov won a title elimination bout to become the mandatory contender for the title then held by Wladimir Klitschko. There is a well-established rotation system among the ratings organizations when there is a unified champion. When Klitschko fought Tyson Fury it was after Klitschko’s mandatory with Glazkov would have otherwise been due (it was due in August). Following the rotation system, Glazkov stood aside and without any protest watched the Klitschko/Fury bout be scheduled, then postponed, and then rescheduled – all during the period when it would otherwise be his turn to fight the mandatory for the heavyweight title. He stood aside because of the rotation system, which made it the turn of the WBA/WBO to enforce their mandatories. However, everyone knew going into the Klitschko/Fury fight that it was Glazkov’s turn next.

A word on the rotation system. Again, we go back to Evander Holyfield. After Evander Holyfield defeated James Buster Douglas, he was the Unified Heavyweight Champion of the World. A squabble erupted with the different ratings organizations demanding that he engage in different bouts. We were forced to go to Court and the Court enforced an equitable remedy, to wit, the rotation system under which the ratings organizations would rotate the mandatories for unified champions. This enhanced the likelihood of fighters maintaining unified championships rather than allowing them to be stripped due to simultaneous mandatory obligations, something which had occurred too often in earlier years. This rotation system is crucial to enhancing the ability of unified champions to keep their titles.

Of course, a title holder can always voluntarily give up a title. That is the Champion’s choice. However, there is nothing at all unfair about the rotational system or the mandatory system.

No one utilized the rotational system more effectively than Wladimir Klitschko. There is no criticism of this – it was his right.

But everyone involved knew that Glazkov had waited in line for his mandatory to be due. Everybody knew that the rules of the ratings organizations disfavored rematches and generally prohibited them when a mandatory was due.

Again, it was a voluntary choice for Klitschko and Fury to contract for a rematch. Main Events contacted the Fury camp, it was told that Fury could not negotiate because of the rematch clause. Subject to the rules, they had every right to do so even if it meant giving up a title. However, that voluntary choice was one that was made by the camps of Messrs. Klitschko and Fury. There should be absolutely no surprise or anguish that the rules, which are well-established, protect not only the Champion who is protected from being torn from a title by conflicting mandatories, but also the mandatory challenger who is forced to wait due to the rotation because the mandatory challenger is assured that his turn will, in fact, come.

*Note* Patrick English, Esq. litigated the cases referenced above.

IBF number-one contender, Vyacheslav Glazkov and his team led by promoters Main Events have called for a purse for a mandatory title shot with new champion Tyson Fury, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Fury was ordered by the IBF on Monday to next face Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov. The camps were given 30 days to make a deal, or a purse bid would be ordered. However, on Tuesday, Main Events promoter Kathy Duva, who represents Glazkov, informed the IBF they were unwilling to participate in negotiations with Fury promoter Mick Hennessy and requested an immediate purse bid, which is allowable under IBF rules, although the fight is unlikely to happen.

The IBF sent a letter to all its registered promoters announcing a purse bid to take place at noon ET Dec. 11 at IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey. The promoter who puts forth the biggest bid will win promotional rights to the bout. The minimum bid is $200,000, but the bout would almost certainly go for millions more.

Duva said though she asked for an immediate purse bid on Fury-Glazkov, she and Hennessy are talking about the fight.

“We got on the phone [Tuesday], and we had a pleasant conversation, and we’ll have another one [Wednesday],” Duva told ESPN.com.

Duva asked for the purse bid immediately to secure her fighter’s position. Had she not, Fury could have asked the IBF for an exception to fight an optional defense before the mandatory bout.

“But once we asked for the immediate purse bid, it is no longer possible [under IBF rules] for the Fury people to ask for a special exception, so that was a tactical move,” Duva said. “I am protecting my fighter’s position.”

She said she is still negotiating the fight with Wilder. Whatever happens, Glazkov will get a shot, be it against the recognized champion Fury, titleholder Wilder or a vacant title bout against Martin.

“We’re still gathering information on everything, but we’ll come to a decision quickly on what we want to do,” Duva said. “I need to speak to my fighter and his manager [Egis Klimas] before anything is decided.”

Philadelphia (March 17, 2015)–In the aftermath of his IBF elimination bout this past Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal, former two-time cruiserweight world champion and current heavyweight contender Steve “USS” Cunningham wants to state his case to what the boxing world saw, and that is the wrong man had his hand raised.

The viewing public saw that Cunningham controlled the bout and out landed Vyacheslav Glazkov in eight of the twelve rounds with jabs being virtually even and Cunningham landing more power shots to the tune of 123-84.

In total, Cunningham out threw Glazkov by 208 punches and out landed him 180-144 over the twelve round battle.

“The numbers, the perception, the video, none of it lies,” said Cunningham.

“Look at the stats. Look at his face. The man spit out his mouthpiece three times because he really had no answer for what I was doing to him. I was hurting him to the body. His corner even pleaded with him that he needed a knockout in the final round to beat me. Somehow two judges gave him eight rounds and another gave him seven. Why bother fighting if this stuff is going to happen. I outworked him, out landed him and beat him every which way possible. He was considered the puncher coming into the fight but as the fight progressed it was me walking him down trying to make him fight.”

“When will the fans get tired of all these bad decisions? What can the fighters do about that? It has to be the fans that pay the money. Look at my rematch with Tomasz Adamek and now this fight. Right now, I should be a mandatory challenger to fight for the Heavyweight championship of the world but because of these terrible judges, I have to ponder my next move.”

Sergey Kovalev retained the IBF/WBA/WBO Light Heavyweight titles with an exciting 8th round stoppage over former champion Jean Pascal at Bell Centre in Montreal.

After Pascal landed two hard right hands in round three, Kovalev landed a big left hook that rocked Pascal. At the end of the round, Kovalev landed a huge right that slumped Pascal in between the ropes for a knockdown. It was the first time Pascal has been down as a pro.

In round eight, Kovalev rocked Pascal with a right hand but the two became tangled up and Kovalev tripped to the canvas. While referee Luis Pabon was tending to Kovalev, Pascal wobbled into the corner. When the fight resumed, Kovalev drilled Pascal with two hard right hands and the fight was stopped at 1:03.

Kovalev, 174 1/2 lbs of Russia is now 27-0-1 with 24 knockouts. Pascal, 175 lbs of Montreal is now 29-3-1.

Vyacheslav Glazkov won a controversial unanimous decision over Steve Cunningham in an IBF Heavyweight elimination bout.

Cunningham threw and and landed more punches but somehow the judges saw Glazkov as the winner by scores of 116-112 twice and 115-113.

Glazkov, 219 1/2 lbs of Ukraine is now 20-0-1. Cunningham, 209 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 28-7.

Isaac Chilemba won a 10-round unanimous decision over Vasily Lepikhin in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Chilemba, 175 lbs of South Africa won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 24-1-1. Lepikhin, 175 lbs of Russia is now 17-1.

Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov
Thank you everybody for coming. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you to my promoter Kathy Duva and Main Events. Thank you to my manager, Egis Klimas, and HBO. I am ready to fight and I will show a good fight on Saturday night.

Steve “USS” Cunningham
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Steve “USS” Cunningham
I would like to thank everyone: my sponsors, my team at Concrete Jungle and the beautiful ladies at Main Events. This is my first time in Canada and I have fought all over the world but this is my first time fighting here. I want to thank the Heavenly Father, the God Almighty. I have a mission to complete on Saturday night, like when I was in the Navy. Come Saturday it is time to go to work. The preparation is done; it is fight time.

Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba
First of all I want to thank God. I want to thank everyone who is here today. I want to thank HBO, Main Events, Interbox, my opponent, Vasily Lepikhin, and his team, my manager, Jodi Solomon, and my trainer, Buddy McGirt; I appreciate all of the support. I want to thank HBO. I am so happy to be back on HBO. I am looking forward to it. We worked hard and had a good camp. Lepikhin is a good fighter. A challenge like this is what I live for. You won’t be disappointed with this show on Saturday night.

Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin
Thanks everybody for coming here. It is a pleasure to be boxing here for the first time. Thanks to HBO, my promoters, Kathy Duva and German Titov, and my manager, Egis Klimas, for this opportunity. This is big show and I am happy to open this big event on HBO. It was great preparation and training in California. I have good feeling and am very happy. Thank you to Isaac Chilemba for taking this fight. Thank you to my father, Andrey Lepikhin, who is also my trainer for helping me get here. My brother is coming today; he is my cut man. We are ready to fight.

Kathy Duva and Jean Bedard
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events
Thank you. This is the sixth time that Sergey Kovalev has fought on HBO. It seems like yesterday he had his first fight on HBO. This is going to be the first fight (on HBO) for these three gentlemen and second for Isaac Chilemba. It is a packed card from top to bottom. These men are going to entertain you on Saturday night. They have worked hard to get to this point in their careers where they are finally fighting on HBO. This puts a lot of pressure on them to perform well on Saturday night. Also I want to wish congratulations to our matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone, for putting together this amazing card. I think every one of these fights is 50-50 match-up. I know everyone will enjoy these fights. The trainers for these fights are some of the top trainers in the world. The former world champion, Buddy McGirt, is training Isaac Chilemba. Andrey Lepikhin is here training his son, Vasily Lepikhin, and Dmitry Mikhaylenko. Abel Sanchez, the great trainer who works with middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, will be here training Nadjib Mohammedi. Lee Campbell is working with the great Don Turner because his own trainer couldn’t make it here. Victor Petrochenko is training Czar Glazkov. And another legendary trainer, the great Naazim Richardson, is working with Steve Cunningham. We will have great match-ups in the ring and great match-ups in the corners. I want to thank HBO for giving these gentlemen this opportunity. In addition to Egis Klimas, I want to thank the two other great managers who helped to make these fights happen. First the manager of Steve Cunningham, his spectacular wife, Livvy Cunningham, and Jodi Solomon, who manages Isaac Chilemba.

Chilemba and Lepikhin
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Jean Bedard, President of Interbox
We will please ask that the boxers not wear their hats during the face-to-face (laughing). Thank you very much to all of the boxers that will be participating in this great event on Saturday. We will have a great event and a great crowd at the Centre Bell.

Egis Klimas
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Egis Klimas, Manager of Czar Glazkov, Vasily Lepikhin and Dmitry Mikhaylenko
Thank you. This is a really good town. I am really glad to be here. This is going to be a great night of boxing on Saturday. I can’t remember when three televised HBO fights had three Russian and Eastern European fighters. When I started in this business a long time ago with my friend, Don Turner, I could not get my Russian fighters on television. I was begging everyone to put my fighters on their cards. Sergey Kovalev was boxing in basements. Me and Don Turner would sit in the car and drive around the country to put them in fights. No network would recognize their talents. All of our hard work has finally paid off. Saturday night we have three Russian and Ukrainian fighters fighting on HBO. If anyone told me this would happen one day, I would never have believed it. All of these bouts are very competitive. Lepikhin versus Chilemba is a 50-50 fight and Glazkov versus Cunningham is 50-50 as well. This is an eliminator fight which means that the winner will face Klitschko. One of these guys has the opportunity to become a world champion. I want to thank Kathy Duva for doing such a great job with these guys. I want to thank Interbox for organizing this event; it has been a lot of work getting us all here. I want to thank HBO for this opportunity. Most of all I want to thank my boxers, my fighters, without them I wouldn’t be here. Thank you for doing such a good job. Thank you to media, photographers and everybody else for being here today.

German Titov
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

German Titov, Co-Promoter of Vasily Lepikhin and Dmitry Mikhaylenko
I would like to thank Kathy Duva. We are working with Main Events to promote Dmitry Mikhaylenko and Vasily Lepikhin for the last six months. In those short six months, this will be the third bout for each fighter. Both were already featured on NBCSN and in six months she was able to get Lepikhin on HBO. This is a great results for HBO. I want to thank HBO for this opportunity and our partners at Interbox.

Dierry Jean
It been 30 days of abstinence for me; I have an alcohol problem. I had a great camp and am in top form. I worked really hard in camp. I saw a couple of his [Reyes’s] fights. He is a brawler but I am able to adapt to anything. I don’t think this fight is going last the distance.

Antoine and Ulysse
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Carlos Manuel Reyes
I am a brawler. It is going to be an epic fight. I will do the very best I can to have a great fight.

Yves Ulysse Junior
I was there for the [Jean] Pascal-[Lucien] Bute fight and now I am here for [Sergey] Kovalev-[Jean] Pascal. Wow, this is great. I am so proud and happy to be working with Interbox. I love boxing.

Miguel Antoine
This is a good opportunity for me. I was out of the ring for a few years but now I am back. It is so beautiful here and I am going to put on a good show on Saturday.

Mikhaylenko and De La Paz
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Dmitry “The Mechanic” Mikhaylenko
Thank you. This is going to be a good fight. Thank you to everybody. I want to thank my promoters for giving me this opportunity and my trainer, Andrey Lepikhin. This is a great country and I happy to be here. I am happy to be on this card with my countryman Sergey Kovalev. I will show a good fight on Saturday.

Felipe De La Paz
(declined)

David Theroux
I want to thank Interbox. It will be great on Saturday.

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal
Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal

Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO
Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO

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Two of the world’s top light heavyweights face off in a highly anticipated title showdown when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. JEAN PASCAL, VYACHESLAV GLAZKOV VS. STEVE CUNNINGHAM AND ISAAC CHILEMBA VS. VASILY LEPIKHIN is seen SATURDAY, MARCH 14 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Montréal Bell Centre in Montréal, Canada, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: March 15 (9:30 a.m.) and 16 (midnight)

HBO2 playdate: March 17 (11:00 p.m.)

In the main event, undefeated Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) of Kopeysk, Russia, now living in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., takes on Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) originally from Port-au-Prince Haiti, now living in Laval, Quebec, Canada in a 12-round light heavyweight title contest. The fast-rising, hard-hitting Kovalev has taken the division by storm with an 85% knockout ratio, and solidified his standing with a 12-round unanimous decision in a title unification bout against future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins last November. One of the sport’s top attractions thanks to his fan-friendly style, Kovalev enjoyed a banner year in 2014, earning fighter of the year honors from a host of boxing news organizations. The fight marks his sixth HBO appearance.

Also known for his rugged style and never-back-down approach, Pascal was last seen on HBO in Jan. 2014 when he defeated Lucian Bute. He’ll draw support from a partisan hometown crowd in this showdown.

In the co-feature, Vyacheslav Glazkov (19-0-1, 12 KOs) from Lugansk, Ukraine, now living in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., takes on Steve Cunningham (28-6, 13 KOs) of Philadelphia in a scheduled 12-round heavyweight title elimination fight. The winner will be a contender for a heavyweight title bout with Wladimir Klitschko.

Glazkov was a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist for Ukraine. Cunningham, a former two-time cruiserweight titleholder, has drawn inspiration from his nine-year-old daughter Kennedy, who has triumphed over a heart defect and survived a heart transplant. Both fighters are making their HBO debuts.

In the opening bout, Isaac Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs), originally from Blantyre, Malawi, now living in Johannesburg, South Africa, takes on undefeated Vasily Lepikhin (17-0, 9 KOs) from Gelendzhik, Russia, in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight contest. Rising steadily in the ranks of the light heavyweight division, Chilemba has a 4-0-1 record against undefeated opponents. In his third North American appearance, Lepikhin will look to make a major move in the rankings.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

###

Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Before fans watching live on HBO World Championship Boxing® and at the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada are treated to the light heavyweight showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Jean Pascal, they will get to enjoy the heavyweight battle between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov and Steve “USS” Cunningham for the mandatory position in the IBF. Glazkov is an Olympic Bronze Medalist who is undefeated in his professional career. Cunningham is a former two-time cruiserweight world champion looking to get a title shot in the heavyweight division. Both are technical boxers with great defensive skills who are willing to mix it up. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Vyacheslav “The Czar” Glazkov
Steve “USS” Cunningham
Age
30
38
Record
19-0-1 (12 KOs)
28-6 (13 KOs)
Strength
Glazkov is a very active fighter who is consistently in the ring. He has solid defensive skills and a good chin. He physically breaks down his opponents, and he is not afraid to engage with anyone.
Cunningham is a veteran who has much more professional experience than his younger opponent; he is also a former two-time cruiserweight world champion. He is coming off of major wins over hard hitters and undefeated fighters: Amir Mansour and Natu Visinia.
Weakness
“The Czar” has a tendency to be a slow starter, which almost got him into trouble in a close decision win against Derric Rossy.
Steve lacks significant power for a heavyweight; since 2010 he has only recorded two knockout wins, and has only recorded 13 knockouts in his 28 career victories.
Experience
Glazkov had an impressive amateur career, earning a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. His recent and tough wins over veteran Derric Rossy and then-#2 ranked heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek have helped prepare him well for this big stage.
Cunningham will have the advantage here as he is a former cruiserweight champ and three of his past five fights have been against former or currently ranked heavyweight contenders. (Tomasz Adamek, Tyson Fury and Amir Mansour)
Power
Although he does not possess that one-punch power, Glazkov will have an advantage here. He has the ability to physically break his opponent down throughout the fight.
Although he did record a stoppage win in his previous bout, Steve is not known for his knockout power. He is more of a boxer and will need to be cautious when exchanging punches with the younger and more powerful Glazkov.
Speed
Although Glazkov is a natural heavyweight, he is still somewhat small for the division. He moves around the ring very well.

Steve is small for a heavyweight, which enables him to move around the ring well. He may need to keep a safe distance from the hard-hitting Ukrainian. He also possesses great hand speed and a quick jab that he must utilize to win this fight.
Endurance
Glazkov will be at a slight disadvantage here; he has only been 12 rounds on one occasion. However, he tends to be a slow starter so the additional rounds may help.
Cunningham may have the advantage here as he has gone a full 12 rounds on nine separate occasions during his career.
Accuracy
Glazkov is a very accurate puncher, much like his opponent, he picks his shots well and is a solid technical fighter.
Cunningham is a good technical boxer who picks his shots wisely and does not waste many punches.
Defense
Glazkov is a very effective defensive fighter who does a good job of shielding himself when dealing with his opponent’s onslaught.
Steve moves around the ring well and often, making it difficult for any big heavyweight to cut the ring off and land their significant shots.
Chin
In the past year, Glazkov has shown that he has a solid chin. He took a lot of big shots against Derric Rossy, and was able to weather the storm and box his way to a decision win.
Steve has only been knocked out once in his career by the #4 WBO heavyweight contender Tyson Fury. He was also knocked down twice against Amir Mansour, but he was able to rise to the occasion and defeat the previously ranked heavyweight in what some believe was the fight of the year for 2014.
Style
Glazkov is a defensive-minded fighter who will not hesitate to engage with his opponents if necessary.
Steve is a technical boxer who has no problem trading shots.
Crowd Support
Glazkov has been in big fights throughout the past three years. It is safe to say that he has built a fan base and they may be in attendance for this bout.
Steve may have a slight advantage here; he has never fought in Canada but has been in many big fights during his career and has a fan friendly style.
Intangibles
Glazkov has no problem facing opposition with more experience than him. He could have taken an easier road to a title shot, but instead has been willing to face a long list of veterans and current or former ranked contenders. Cunningham will be his 13th consecutive opponent who is older and more experienced.
Steve will face his third undefeated heavyweight opponent in a row when he squares off against the IBF #2 heavyweight contender Vyacheslav Glazkov.
The Match-up:
Will Steve’s professional experience be too much for Glazkov?
Will Glazkov capitalize on his youth and amateur experience?
They are both fighting for so much outside of the ring. Who will show that come fight night?
This is your typical veteran boxer against the up-and-coming-boxer. Who will come out on top and be the #1 contender in the IBF?

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Vyacheslav

Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov, 19-0-1, 12 KOs, #2 in IBF heavyweight rankings and Steve “USS” Cunningham, 28-6-0, 13 KOs, USBA Heavyweight Champion, will be the co-feature on the Saturday, March 14 Kovalev vs. Pascal light heavyweight championship from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The twelve-round heavyweight fight is for the mandatory position in the IBF and the USBA Heavyweight Title. The fight will be the co-feature on the Kovalev vs. Pascal light heavyweight championship from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The HBO World Championship Boxing live triple header telecast will begin at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Earlier today Glazkov and Cunningham took part in an international conference call to discuss their upcoming fight.

Here are some of the quotes from that call.

Czar Glazkov, #2 in IBF Heavyweight Rankings
“It was a very busy year for me last year as a fighter and in my personal life. The most important fight from last year was the one against Tomasz Adamek. It was the first time in my career facing a fighter like Adamek. He has won so many title and he was a good fighter. It was a very big experience for me to learn something in that bout. After that I went through the training process that was very disruptive on my personal life with the war in Ukraine but I don’t want to talk in detail about that. It was a good year for me. There was gaps between my bouts but I was busy and was always training.”

On the unrest in Ukraine, which was at one of its worst points before and during Glazkov’s fight against Derric Rossy in August 2014: “It was pretty hard in the beginning. It was upsetting my concentration and interrupting my training. I lost my grandmother; she was killed in the street during one of the bombings. Of course it was always distracting to talk with my family back there. Right now I am concentrated 100% and I am here, I am training, I am ready.”

On his size: “If you are smart in the ring, you can overcome a size disadvantage.”

On reconnecting with his old trainer: “Everything is going very well. We are closer together. We understand each other. He sees a lot of my mistakes and we are working on them.”

On fighting Klitschko or Jennings: “I can’t run in front of the wagon. I am a fighter. I am a boxer. My career is in the hands of my manager and my promoter. I know I have to face Cunningham on March 14 and this is my priority right now.”

Steve Cunningham, USBA Heavyweight Champion
“I have been with Naazim [Richardson] for some years now and he is such a mad scientist when it comes to figuring guys out, so I just let him do his job. He is one of the best trainers in the world, in history, for a reason. He looks at the fighter and he tells me what we are going to do. He tells me what [my opponent] does and this is what you do, so it is still like I am in the military taking orders. Whatever commander Naazim tells me to do, if he tells me to take that hill, I am going to take that hill. That’s the faith and the trust I have in my team.”

On Glazkov’s performance against Adamek: “I thought he did a damn good job. He did very well. I was the color commentator on that fight where I stated it was like the old lion getting beat by the young lion. It was a very entertaining fight. He showed heart. He dug deep. Adamek did come on heavy in those last two rounds to show he was the champion, but before that Glazkov bagged so many rounds that Adamek just couldn’t get the nod. I thought he did a great job. Adamek was definitely getting older so you have to factor that in. Adamek has been in war after war and his defense is getting punched. He never really blocked punches or slipped punches. He ate punches, but he gave back just as much as he received. After he fought Vitali [Klitschko] he was basically beat up and it was only a matter of time. When Glazkov got to him, he was already damaged goods. I don’t want to diminish the victory that Glazkov had against Adamek because Adamek is still a formidable heavyweight. He could beat most of those heavyweights out there, so Glazkov beat a top ten heavyweight in Adamek.”

On his loss to Adamek: “I believe I won that fight every time I look at that fight. We know there is politics in this business. Adamek had a huge fan base and Steve Cunningham really didn’t. There is just a lot of other aspects. At the end of that fight I walked away very comfortable and it seemed like a victory to me. There are things I will take away from that fight. There is things I did with Adamek I won’t do with Glazkov. Naazim comes up with the game plan. If Naazim says spin backwards and flip three times and that is what is going to knock Glazkov out; that is what Steve Cunningham is going to do. I let Naazim look at the guy and analyze and break him down. He comes to the gym and tells me what we need to work on. Every fighter needs a game plan. They want a game plan and they should have a game plan. I believe I have a game plan mastermind in Naazim.”

“I think my size is going to help me get a world title. I don’t consider myself a heavyweight at all, period. I am just a fighter. I’ve gotten in there with huge monsters but performed greatly. Even with the loss to Fury, I’ve done things that people didn’t even dream I’d do. I am a fighter. You put a challenger in front of me and I am going to do what a fighter does which is try my best to kick that guy’s butt. I’m a smart fighter and I think my science is what is going to help me get to a world title. I have a great team and they emphasize different things about my strengths and my weaknesses. Throughout camp we have worked to strengthen those weaknesses. I have gotten better and better with each fight. I think my size is a plus. Being big does stop fighters from being able to do certain things but they do have that power. This is the heavyweight division and one shot can change the night or change your life. Glazkov is a small heavyweight too so this is going to be like two cruiserweights fighting.”

On Klitscko vs. Jennings: “Vladmir is a historic fighter. He does things many haven’t done. You can’t deny his pedigree. I have seen how he works. Jennings is young, hungry which could be a plus for him. So he can be ignorant to the scariness of fighting at that level. Wladimir doesn’t have the greatest chin so Jennings has a chance in there. If Jennings wins it would great to face him in Philly. After that fight we can take each other’s kids out to Dorney Park and spend all that money together. I think it would be a good fight for Philly. It would be a revitalization for Philly boxing. But I am a fighter and, if you put a challenge in front of me, that is a force that I can’t even explain. If I get to face Wladimir, if you beat the man, then you are considered the man. Going up against Wladimir would be like a dream come true. I am an old school fighter’s fighter. I want to fight the champion. I want to fight the biggest guy; the best guy. I want to be put into a challenge where people think Cunningham can’t make it out and then get in there and have people looking at me sideways when the fight is over. I want people saying, ‘This dude is crazy.’ I love challenges. I love to fight, period. It doesn’t matter who I am facing I love to fight. I love a challenge.”

On his daughter, Kennedy: “My daughter is nine years old. We have been dealing with this situation for nine years. It has just been the last year and a half that the boxing world has really heard about this. I have fought all over the world while I have been dealing with this. This is my life. I have been a two-time world champion with this in my life. I use it as energy. I use it as fuel and I press on. There’s a job that I must do. I have three children, not just Kennedy, so I have to provide for my entire family. I can’t just shut down. I have two sons and a nephew that I have to take care of. I got a job to do and a family to take care of. During this whole ordeal I have seen her face things that would make grown men shake in their bones, but she takes them on with a smug smirk on her face and says, ‘let’s go!’ I do remember that look on her face going down to the transplant and I have visited that look in my memory when times have gotten hard in training camp. If she can go in there and get a transplant with that much heart, then me going into these fights is nothing.”

On his age: “I have been in some good fights but I wouldn’t call them wars. Hunger drives me. I feel like I am getting better. I am still learning and that drives me to perfect what I am learning.”

Egis Klimas, Manager for Glazkov
“I was talking to him (Glazkov) about being too nice of a guy in the ring. He is a very nice guy outside and when he gets in the ring he keeps up the niceness. We are trying to put him where he has to be mean in the ring. No matter how good you are when you get in the ring you have to be mean. You have to be aggressive. You have to have a sportsman’s anger. That is what we have been working on with Czar in the last few months.”

“We are trying to work on his strategy. He never had a good teacher. He always had trainers. He was at one time with Don Turner, which I think is one of the best trainers but he’s always in Ukraine. He comes here and Don can’t change him in the two weeks before the fight; it’s impossible. So then we went to John David Jackson, but John David Jackson was away with Sergey preparing for Pascal so John David Jackson cannot pay attention. So this time we brought his old trainer. They know each other from Russia. Now his trainer is working with him in Oxnard getting good sparring and a longer preparation time.”

“Glazkov moved to the United States with his family, his wife for almost six months. He is not coming back and forth anymore. So right now his preparation is 100%. For Rossy and Malik Scott he was not ready mentally. Now he understands what this is all about.”

When asked how they are going to make Glazkov meaner in the ring: “I feed him raw meat!”

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events
“Both of these guys are warriors. They are both fighters. It is kind of sad in this day in age that this is considered remarkable. They are remarkable; both of them. They are going to offer the fans a great fight. I think they are part of one of the best triple-headers anyone is going to see on television anywhere.’

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® on March 14, 2015 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Bell Centre ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion (514-376-0980). This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

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Boucherville, Wednesday, February 18, 2015 – Main Events and Interbox announced today that the NABF Light Heavyweight Title fight between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba vs. Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin will be the opening bout of the HBO World Championship Boxing tripleheader featuring the Unified Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal in the main event and heavyweights Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov vs. Steve “USS” Cunningham in the co-feature on Saturday, March 14 live from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The HBO® telecast begins at 9 :45 p.m. ET/PT.

Main Events, German Titov Promotions and Interbox are also pleased to announce they have have agreed on a partnership and will join forces together in the promotion of Vasily Lepikhin moving forward.

A top ten light heavyweight, Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs), 27, is originally from Malawi but currently resides in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. He has won all of his fights and has been quietly rising through the rankings in the light heavyweight division since suffering a decision loss to Tony Bellew in London two years ago. Currently, he is ranked #2 by the WBC, #6 by the WBO, and #7 by the IBF, as well as #6 by Ring Magazine and #8 by ESPN. Chilemba is known as a skilled boxer with a history of marring the records of undefeated opponents; he’s taken on five undefeated boxers in his pro career, suffering only one draw (Thomas Oostguizen)and no losses. Unbeaten prospect and amateur standout Artur Beterbiev passed on the opportunity to fight Chilemba on March 14th, clearing the way for Lepikhin to move in and seize the opportunity. Isaac will once again train with former WBC Welterweight World Champion James “Buddy” McGirt.

According to Isaac, “I am ready for this fight and happy to step into the ring with anyone that’s put in front of me. I never underestimate my opponents and I always come prepared. I am looking forward to March 14. I have trained hard and I will get the job done.” His manager, Jodi Solomon, added, “Isaac is a hardworking, disciplined athlete. He is serious about boxing and even more serious about winning. This fight is a great opportunity for him to showcase his dedication to the sport. I believe it’s very well matched, both fighters being accomplished in their own right. It should make for a very exciting fight.”

In the other corner, Interbox, Main Events and German Titov Promotions have joined forces in the promotion of undefeated Russian blue chip prospect Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin (17-0, 9 KOs). Lepikhin, 29, is ranked #7 by the WBO and #12 in the WBA. “The Professor” is from Gelendzhik, Russia and is trained by his father Andrey Lepikhin. Vasily made his US debut in August of last year with a fifth round stoppage against New Zealand native Robert Berridge to secure the WBO Oriental and PABA Light Heavyweight Titles. The undefeated Lepikhin returned stateside in November and defeated Jackson Junior from Brazil in November. This will be his first fight in Canada.

“I am very excited about fighting on HBO and this new opportunity with Interbox,” explained Lepikhin. “I am looking forward to showcasing my skills on this large international scale.”

Lepikhin is managed by Egis Klimas, the same manager who has steered Sergey Kovalev’s career from the very beginning. Klimas added, “This is a great opportunity for Vasily. He is ready for a great fight on March 14 in Canada.”

“It is very important for us to offer our fans a quality product on March 14th and the addition to the card of a boxer with such enormous potential such as Vasily Lepikhin in a match against a world-rated contender is as exciting as it is strategic. We are also very happy to be able to further build on our relationship with Main Events moving forward past March 14th,” said Interbox President Jean Bedard.

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, added, “We had a great opportunity with this opening bout for Isaac to be on HBO and move up in the rankings and the eyes of the boxing public. In a fortuitous turn of events, Vasily will get the same opportunity and Main Events and German Titov Promotions will grow what has become a great working relationship in Canada with Interbox.”

Tickets
Tickets are on sale now at the Bell Centre ticket office, at www.evenko.ca , by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion (514-376-0980). This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

About Main Events
Main Events was founded in 1978 by the late Dan Duva and is now run by his widow Kathy Duva. As one of the top promotional companies in the world Main Events has promoted boxing legends Evander Holyfield, Arturo Gatti, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and many more. Currently Main Events promotes WBO, IBF and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev who just defeated legendary light heavyweight Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins in one of the highest-rated fights of 2014 in November in Atlantic City, NJ. Main Events is committed to promoting quality fights that boxing fans want to see.

About InterBox
InterBox, founded in Québec in 1997, and acquired by Groupe Sportscene in 2004, is recognized throughout Québec and the world as a respected boxing organization. InterBox’s goal is to promote professional boxing locally and internationally via talented boxers supported by top-drawer trainers using cutting edge techniques. InterBox regularly promotes and presents elite events in cooperation with such significant corporate sponsors as Vidéotron, the Cage aux Sports restaurant chain, Coors Light and Mise-O-jeu.

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Philadelphia, PA:
As the 38-year old USBA Heavyweight Champion and two-time former cruiserweight world champion Steve “USS” Cunningham (28-6, 13 KOs) prepares to defend his title against Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov (19-0-1, 12 KOs) and fight for the mandatory position in the IBF, he does it a little differently than he has in the past, but with a newfound level of strength and courage he gained from an unlikely source, his nine-year old daughter Kennedy.

“USS” Cunningham
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events

For the first time in almost five years, Cunningham will be away from his family while he trains in Philadelphia with his trainer, the legendary Brother Naazim Richardson. He is staying alone in a dorm-like room at his gym, but is not bothered by it as a Veteran of the United States Navy: “I was in the Navy for four years so I lived in crowded rooms with 80 guys before; so this is alright with me,” explained Cunningham.

As much as Steve misses his family, they are apart for a great reason: his daughter, Kennedy, is in Pittsburgh with his wife and sons recovering from a heart transplant. Kennedy was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and doctors told Steve and his wife, Livvy, that she would most likely die at a very young age. Kennedy defied the odds by surviving multiple surgeries and a lifetime of doctors and hospitals, until last year, when doctors told the Cunninghams all hope was lost and they needed to take their daughter home and make her comfortable. A few days later, on April 4, 2014, a devastated Steve put on a career-defining performance (with Kennedy front and center), overcoming two knockdowns to hand Amir “Hardcore” Mansour his first pro loss and take the USBA Heavyweight Title.

Steve Cunningham
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

After his victory over Mansour, Steve and Livvy decided to get a second opinion. Their search brought them to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where Dr. Victor Morell told them Kennedy was a candidate for a transplant. They listed her for a new heart and the Cunninghams relocated to Pittsburgh to anxiously wait for the call that would save their daughter’s life. The boxing community responded with an outpouring of support, raising over $30,000 to help defray the costs associated with the surgery and move that would not be covered by insurance. During this emotionally fraught time, Steve continued to train and defeated Natu Visinia by knock out on October 8, 2014 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with Kennedy at ringside.

Cunningham Celebrates His Victory Over Mansour
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Finally, in December, Kennedy got her new heart. It was the same week that Steve learned he would get another shot to earn a world heavyweight title fight against Glazkov. Steve said that Kennedy was rock solid while they waited in the hospital for the surgery that might save her life or end it. He said, “The way she handled the whole thing head-on, I just need to remember the confident look on her face as she was in the hospital waiting for her surgery to give me all the steam I need. Kennedy is my motivation. She was going into her transplant surgery with a “Let’s go!” attitude. That is my attitude right now.”

After several weeks in the hospital and a few hiccups along the way, Kennedy was finally allowed to leave the hospital, but she must remain in Pittsburgh to be near her doctors while she recovers. So, Steve happily trains alone.

Kennedy and Steve Holding Hands
Photo Courtesy of: David Spagnolo

Despite appearing in eight IBF Cruiserweight World Championship fights, Steve has never fought on HBO before. When asked about making his HBO debut on March 14, Steve said, “I am super excited to be fighting on HBO, FINALLY! And I want my performance to ensure that this is not my last time fighting on HBO.”

This fight against Glazkov will be the second time Cunningham has faced a Main Events’ stablemate. In 2012, he lost a split decision against Tomasz Adamek. Glazkov has also faced Adamek (on March 15, 2014) and defeated him via unanimous decision. Cunningham was on hand to witness Glazkov’s defeat over Adamek and appeared as a guest commentator on the telecast. He said, “He beat Adamek and did a damn good job with it and I think I am going to see a better version of Glazkov than the one that fought Adamek.” However, Steve added, “Glazkov is a damn good fighter and good fighters bring out the best in other fighters. That is what I believe is going to happen. The game plan is the same as usual: win by all means.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® on March 14, 2015 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Bell Centre ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion (514-376-0980). This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

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