Daxx Khan
Alvarez SHOCKS Kovalev, Bivol retains title with win over Chilemba
In a stunning turnaround, Eleider Alvarez (24-0, 12 KOs) of Montreal, Canada scored a seventh round knockout victory over Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (32-3-1, 28 KOs) of Russia before a sellout crowd of 5,642 fans at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Etess Arena. Alvarez now becomes the WBO and IBA World Light Heavyweight Champion.
Alvarez found success with his jab early in the fight, snapping Kovalev’s head back at times. In the fourth round, Kovalev found his range and started strafing Alvarez with pounding head shots from right and left, with body work mixed in. Most other opponents would have withered under the assault, but Alvarez made it out of the round on his feet.
The pair continued to trade punches for several rounds. Two minutes into the seventh round, Alvarez, not previously known as a knockout puncher, delivered perhaps the single hardest punch of his life, a perfectly placed right to the head which threw Kovalev back onto the canvas. Kovalev beat the count, but as the final seconds ticked down, Alvarez knocked Kovalev down twice more, and referee David Fields ended the fight at 2:45 of the seventh round.
“I can’t describe how I feel,” said an elated Alvarez, thanking God and his entire team including trainer Marc Ramsey and promoter Yvon Michel, along with his family and the people of both Quebec and Colombia.
“I wanted to show him I’m strong, I have a good chin, and I’m ready for big things,” said Alvarez. On the knockout blow, Alvarez said “We practiced that punch during training camp, and that’s how it went … I always practiced that punch in training.”
Alvarez, a native of Colombia, had waited on a title shot as the WBC mandatory challenger for three years. When offered, he jumped at the chance to face Kovalev, earning him tremendous respect. Now he sits at the top of the division. Asked if he’d like to face the winner of the co-main event, Dmitry Bivol, Alvarez said “I’m ready for the best in the world. I’m ready for the best in the division. I’ve been waiting for five years. I’m ready for anybody.”
Speaking on Instagram from the back of an ambulance en route to a local hospital, an upbeat Kovalev reassured fans he was all right. “I am on my way to the hospital to check my head, check my body … I feel OK. Thank you everyone, thank you very much to all the fans around the world for your support. I love you, and I’m fine.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
Dmitry Bivol (13-0, 11 KOs) of St. Petersburg, Russia showed he belongs with the elite of this competitive division. He retained his WBO World Light Heavyweight Championship belt over one of the toughest contenders in the division, Isaac Chilemba (25-6-2, 10 KOs) of Malawi. Scores were 120-108 on two cards, and 116-112 on the third.
Bivol came out aggressively, backing up Chilemba with snapping jabs, setting up an array of power shots. Chilemba, known for his fortitude as one of the toughest tests for any light heavyweight to pass, found himself battered by Bivol and trying to find a way past his defensive movement.
Chilemba has earned his reputation as a worthy challenger, and remained determined. In the later rounds, he adjusted to Bivol’s offense, finding ways to score punches on the young Russian and slow down his offense. But in the end, Bivol’s speed, power, and accuracy were too much for Chilemba.
“Chilemba is a good fighter, and he had champion spirit tonight,” said Bivol. “He is a strong fighter. I want to fight more good fighters. I don’t know who my next opponent will be.
“We will see what will happen … I just want to fight the best fighters.”
Chilemba said, “I believe I won every round from the fifth. I pushed Bivol backwards and made him miss. I deserve a rematch.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
Meiirim “The Sultan” Nursultanov (8-0, 7 KOs) made it a quick night, needing only two rounds to defeat Jonathan Batista (17-15, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Batista’s corner called an end to the fight after the second round, following a tremendous headshot by Nursultanov at the end of the round. While it did not cause a knockdown, Batista had already taken enough punishment through both rounds for his team to protect their fighter.
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
Karl Dargan (18-1, 9 KOs) of Philadelphia launched his comeback after three years away from the sport with a unanimous decision in six rounds over Jonathan Perez of Colombia (37-23, 29 KOs). All three judges saw the fight as a shutout for Dargan with scores of 60-54.
Dargan took nearly three years off after his first loss in 2015, pursuing his interests in music and reality TV. Now back training under the respect Brother Naazim Richardson, Dargan thrilled his many fans in the Etess Arena.
Dargan said he was satisfied with the results after the layoff. “I mainly wanted to get the rounds in. There are a lot of things I saw that I could have done. But I didn’t want to make no mistakes.” Dargan said the win gives him new motivation going forward. “It was like a pro debut again. I’m going to stay ready, and stay in the gym. As long as I am healthy, I am going to keep moving.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
In a borough battle, Brooklyn native Frank “Notorious” Galarza (20-2-2, 12 KOs) blasted an overwhelmed Alex Duarte of New York City (13-6-1, 10 KOs) in a junior middleweight contest. The local hero dropped Duarte with a left hook to the body, then sealed the deal with another body shot at 1:57 of round two.
As referee Eddie Claudio counted Duarte out for the KO victory, Galarza repeatedly drew a finger across his throat, signaling the win to his many fans.
After the bout, Galarza reflected on the win. “I feel good, I feel like a rock star at the Hard Rock! There is always room for improvement.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
Bakhram Murtazaliev (13-0, 11 KOs) of Grozny, Russia extended his knockout streak to eight, stopping Fernando Carcamo of Mexico (23-9, 18 KOs) in just 41 seconds of round one for a successful defense of his IBA Junior Middleweight World Title. Murtazaliev came forward with bad intentions at the opening bell, intent on getting the stoppage. Carcamo had little to offer in response.
“It happened so fast, I still don’t understand,” Murtazaliev admitted. “I just left, and I am in the dressing room already. Of course, I’m very happy. A win is a win. We are moving forward fast.” Murtazaliev said he wants to fight a world champion next for a title. To his fans, Murtazaliev said, “Thank you very much for supporting me. Please continue to support me, I promise I will show you the best fights.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
Madiyar Ashkeyev (10-0, 6 KOs) of Kazakhstan wasted no time in his junior middleweight contest, stopping Eduardo Flores of Ecuador (24-30-4, 14 KOs) after referee Maulana Murdaugh waved off the contest at 50 seconds of the fourth round.
Ashkeyev, 29, repeatedly scored with a vicious body assault, then began landing punches to the head, causing Flores to repeatedly spit out his mouthpiece. Referee Murdaugh took a point from Flores for his actions and he will serve a 30-day suspension.
“I listened to my trainer Marcos Contreras, I followed his direction and you see the results,” said Ashkeyev. “I’m very happy with the results I showed today. I will keep moving forward.” Ashkeyev said he heard the fans cheering their approval. “I heard everybody. I’m very proud of all my fans.”
Denis Douglin (20-6, 12 KOs) of Marlboro, New Jersey made his home state fans happen with a unanimous decision victory over Vaughn “Da Animal” Alexander (12-1, 8 KOs) of St. Louis, Missouri, dealing Alexander his first professional loss. Scores were 100-90, and 99-91 X 2.
The tough super middleweights traded power shots throughout a rough and tumble fight. Douglin was the busier fighter and it was the difference
“I give myself a C-plus,” said Douglin of the win. “I had a little bit of ring rust. I felt like I should have done more to him in the earlier rounds. It took a little bit to get comfortable. Fighters shouldn’t be fighting once a year. It took me time to shake off the nerves, but once I felt good, I felt good. I’ll be back in the gym on Monday. I’m from Jersey, so people are looking for me to keep coming.”
After the fight, Alexander said it just wasn’t his night. “The dude was tough like I knew he would be.” Alexander said he would now give some thought to his future. “I have to go and think about what I want to do – I don’t know.”
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events Welterweight Enriko “Gogo” Gogokhia of Georgia (8-0, 3 KOs) made a successful return to the ring after a 10-month layoff due to injury with a solid unanimous decision over tough veteran Ronald Montes of Colombia (18-10, 16 KOs) to remain undefeated. Scores were 60-56 on all three scorecards.
“I felt very good,” said Gogokhia after the bout. “I’m happy with only 50 percent of everything. I won, but I didn’t knock him out. I didn’t fight for nine months due to injury. This was a good warmup for the next fight. I’ll fight everybody they give to me.”
Gogokhia had a message for his loyal fans. “Thank you very much to everybody who came to support me. I’m going to show you very nice fights in the future.”
Opening the evening, two-time NY Daily News Golden Gloves Champion Ismael Villarreal (3-0) from the Bronx, New York remained undefeated with a unanimous decision over against the previously undefeated Kieran Hooks (3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All three judges gave Villarreal the same scores on the cards, 39-37.
Villarreal called it a good fight. “I feel great. I am happy that I got to Puerto Rico and prepare myself for this. I think that really helped a lot for this fight,” said Villarreal. “I want to say thank you for everybody supporting me, and especially Joe (trainer Jose Santiago) for telling me to go to Puerto Rico to train.”
Villarreal, 20, son of former super lightweight fighter Otilio Villarreal, is building his own fan base and legacy, while simultaneously carrying a full course load at Brooklyn Community College, majoring in secondary education. Villarreal will be back to school in a few weeks. And then? “Whatever fight is next, I’m going to fight. Hopefully it’s soon.”
“It was a great night of boxing, Boxing is back in Atlantic City,” declared Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events.
Berto and Quillin victorious in Uniondale, on PBC.
Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, Long Island an edition of Premier Boxing Champions broadcast on FX1 headlined by former world title holders Devon Alexander and Andre Berto. As a co-feature former WBO middleweight title holder Peter Quillin faced former top ten ranked J’Leon Love in a super middleweight affair.
The main event was a “Stay or Go” type fight for both Alexander and Berto who at best looked mediocre in recent wins. In their prior six outings Berto is 3-3 while Alexander 2-3-1, the last significant win for Berto was 2015 when he stopped Josesito Lopez for the interim WBA 147 pound belt, the last for Alexander was 2012 when he claimed the 147 pound IBF title against Randall Bailey. In his next bout after winning the interim WBA belt Berto was shut out over twelve rounds against Floyd Mayweather Jr and Alexander failed to make one successful defense of his IBF title before losing to Shawn Porter.
It was a close contest, both men fought inside for a majority of the rounds. There would be a knockdown in round three scored by Alexander but Berto would rise then go looking to make it a slug-out. As the fight wore on Berto with constant come forward pressure ended up swaying the judges in his favor winning by a split decision with official scores reading 115-112 twice for Berto and 114-113 once for Alexander.
With a loss for Alexander who now stands at 27-5-1 (14) and close win for Berto who now stands at 32-5 (24), in my opinion both men should start re-evaluating their futures in the sport.
In a co-feature former WBO middleweight belt holder Peter Quillin and J’Leon Love at super middleweight. It was a workman like performance for Quillin who stalked Love and pinned him against the ropes several times to land combinations. The movement of Love and lack of punches made it difficult for Quillin to score a stoppage but it did allow him a wide unanimous decision win by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice. With the win Peter Quillin improved to 34-1-1 (23) while J’Leon Love now stands at 24-2-1 (13).
One of if not the most exciting fight of the night took place between former welterweight title holder Luis Collazo and Bryant Perrella. It started with Perrella coming out strong looking to overpower the former title holder, things would change drastically after several rounds when Perella found out Collazo was not there for a pay check.
It would be a non-stop beating from Collazo from the fifth through tenth rounds, Perrella went into survival mode and the fight should have been stopped by either the corner or referee Tony Chiarantano after the 7th. They all chose to see if Perrella could manage a turn around but he continued being battered until the final bell. With the win Luis Collazo improved to 38-7 (20) while Bryant Perrella now stands at 15-2 (13).
IN UNDERCARD BOUTS-
Super Middleweight- Alicia Napoleon 10-1 (5) defended her WBA female super middleweight title against Hannah Rankin 5-2 (1) via UD 10.
Light Heavyweight- Marcus Browne 22-0 (16) def. Lenin Castillo 18-2-1 (13) via UD 10.
Lightweight- Richard Commey 27-2 (24) def. Yardley Armenta Cruz 24-11 (14) via TKO 2.
Super Lightweight- Gary Antuanne Russell 7-0 (7) def. Jose Arturo Esquivel 10-8 (2) via KO 1.
Super Bantamweight- Brandon Figueroa 16-0 (11) def. Luis Roy Suarez Cruz 13-1 (8) via TKO 1.
Super Welterweight-Joey Spencer 4-0 (4) def. Bruce Lutchmedial 2-5 (2) via KO 2.
Weights for Kovalev-Alvarez and Bivol-Chilemba
|
Sergey Kovalev vs. Eleider Alvarez
Dmitry Bivol vs. Isaac Chilemba
Official Weigh-In
Please Note: Start time for the first bout in the exciting “Super Men” fight card at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Etess Arena on Saturday, August 4, has now been changed.
The new start time for the first bout is 5:30 p.m. ET.
This does not affect the rest of the schedule. The HBO World Championship Boxing broadcast start time remains the same, 10:00 p.m. ET and PT.
|
 Nursultanov vs. Batista
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Murtazaliev vs. CarcamoPhoto Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Ashkeyev vs. Flores
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Alexander vs. Douglin
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Dargan vs. Perez
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Gogokhia vs. Montes
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
 Villarreal vs. Hooks
Photo Credit: David Spagnolo/Main Events
|
Tevin Farmer defeats Billy Dib Claims IBF title in Australia
New York, NY (August 3, 2018) Tevin “The American Idol” Farmer (26-4-1, 5 KOs), of Philadelphia, PA, won the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title today via 12-round unanimous decision against Australian Billy Dib (43-5, 24 KOs), at Technology Park, in Eveleigh, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.
Dominating from the opening bell, the southpaw Farmer landed at will throughout the fight. Using lateral movement and superior ring intelligence, Farmer hurt Dib with a piston-like jab and battering left hands over the course of the bout, dropping the valiant Australian in the ninth stanza en route to his first world title. After 12 rounds, scorecards read 118-109, 119-108 and 120-107. An emotional Dib announced his retirement in the ring following the decision.
“Billy Dib is a hell of a fighter, he had a great career, and he’s a two-time world champion,” said an elated Farmer. “He tried to bully me and that might have worked if I wasn’t from Philly. I’m the new champion of the world. It was a long time to get here, but there’s a long way to go.
“Nobody wanted to give me a shot, everybody was ducking me so I had to kick the door in. Now I’ve got the belt and everybody will want to start screaming my name. I’m ready to fight anyone and unify the titles.”
“I’ve never had a champion like Tevin Farmer,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “At 7-4-1, with all the odds against him, he decided he’d be a world champion. He went from 7-4-1 to 26-4-1, now with an IBF strap around his waist. Despite being shot through the hand protecting family and getting robbed in his last fight, he never stopped smiling and always believed in himself. Tevin is Philly to the core.
“I’m so proud of Tevin and I’m so proud of my friend Billy Dib, who fought the only fight that he could to give himself a shot. Dib would not quit as he hasn’t quit throughout the dark moments of his life. He went the distance with his heart, as he has and will in life. I wish him well in retirement.”
The 28-year-old Farmer had challenged for the same vacant title in his last bout on December 9, 2017, losing a very close, controversial decision to Kenichi Ogawa, of Japan. Ogawa later tested positive for a performance enhancing drug and was stripped of the title with the decision being changed to a No-Contest.
Kovalev-Alvarez Scouting Report
(Atlantic City, New Jersey) – WBO and IBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev of Russia makes a dual title defense against undefeated light heavyweight contender Eleider “Storm” Alvarez of Colombia at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday, August 4. The fight card will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
|
Category |
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev |
Eleider “Storm” Alvarez |
| Age |
35 |
34 |
| Record |
32-2-1 (28 KOs) |
23-0-0 (11 KOs) |
| Strengths | The Krusher has the heaviest hands in the light heavyweight division. He has the ability to end a fight with any punch he throws. He also has plenty of championship experience. This will be his 14th consecutive championship bout. | Storm has very quick hands and possesses a sharp and accurate jab. He is an exceptional counter-puncher who shows great patience in the ring while waiting on his opponents to make a mistake. |
| Weaknesses | Kovalev tends to leave openings in his guard, which could be costly considering how effective of a counter-puncher his opponent is. | Alvarez is an accurate puncher, but he does not possess the power his opponent does. |
| Experience | Kovalev’s experience has become one of this veteran’s biggest strengths. He has far more professional bouts under his belt than his opponent. He has been involved in nothing but title fights since 2013. | Although he holds wins over former champions Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute, this will be the biggest bout of Alvarez’s career thus far. It will also be his first world title bout.
|
| Power | Power is Kovalev’s number one weapon. There are bad intentions behind every punch he throws and one can end the fight in an instant. | The challenger will be at a disadvantage. He is not known to be a power-puncher and has only recorded one stoppage win in his previous six bouts. |
| Speed | The champion has average speed, but he will not be able to match the quick hands of his opponent. | Here, Alvarez will have an advantage with his quick hands and brisk combinations. |
| Endurance | Kovalev has gone a full 12-rounds just three times in his lengthy career. | Similar to his opponent, Alvarez has been a full 12-rounds on just three occasions, including his wins over Isaac Chilemba and Jean Pascal. |
| Accuracy | Kovalev has a pinpoint accurate jab and throws rigorous power shots behind it. He is also a very effective body puncher, which has delivered early stoppages in the past. | Accuracy is one of Alvarez’s biggest strengths. He patiently waits for his opponents to provide openings before unleashing a storm of shots on them. |
| Defense | Throughout his career, Kovalev’s aggressive offensive style has been his best defense. His power has forced prior opponents to re-think their game plans in hopes of making it to the final bell. | Alvarez is a solid defensive fighter. He moves his head well and shows great composure while waiting for his opponents to make a mistake. |
| Chin | Kovalev has proven throughout his career that his chin is more than durable. | Although he hasn’t faced a fighter with the power of Kovalev, so far Alvarez’s chin has proven to be strong. |
| Style | Kovalev has proven numerous times he has exceptional boxing skills. However, The Krusher prefers not to leave it in the hands of the judges. He wastes very little time in walking his opponents down and ending the night as early as possible. | Alvarez is a counter-puncher with quick hands and a solid jab. He waits patiently for his opponents to make a mistake and capitalizes once they do. He has also shown he is not afraid to trade blows if that’s where the fight goes.
|
| Crowd Support | The champion is expected to have significant crowd support. He has been the face of the light heavyweight division for many years. He has a fan-friendly style and knockout power to go with it. His win over Bernard Hopkins took place in Atlantic City. | Although his one and only fight on American soil was back in 2015, Alvarez has a strong fan base in Canada. Plenty of fans are expected to cross the border to support the challenger with a trip to Atlantic City. |
| Intangibles |
Kovalev has taken on challenges from the best that the light heavyweight division has to offer since he became champion in 2013. The situation he finds himself in now is no different; he is taking on a challenger who has been patiently awaiting his title shot since 2015. His opponent on August 4 is hungry and has never tasted defeat, and he doesn’t plan on tasting it anytime soon. |
Alvarez has been the mandatory challenger for Adonis Stevenson’s WBC Light Heavyweight title since 2015. After years of the fight being discussed but never coming to fruition, the Quebec-based Colombian native jumped at the opportunity when offered a fight with titleholder Kovalev. He knows a win over Kovalev allows him to transform from challenger to champion and start his reign atop the 175 pound division. |
| The Match-Up |
|
|
“This is a great light heavyweight match up,” said Jolene Mizzone, Main Events matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year. “You have a guy in Eleider Alvarez who has been waiting for his title shot for over two years, and a guy in Sergey Kovalev who jumped at the chance to give Alvarez the opportunity. You have to give both guys their props for stepping up and taking this fight. As a matchmaker, it is refreshing to see a fight like this happen, and for both guys to accept the challenge!”
Sullivan Barrera suffers eye injury bout against Seanie Monaghan Postponed
With a world title shot looming, Richard Commey faces Yardley Cruz on Berto Alexander Undercard
New York, NY (August 2, 2018) IBF Lightweight Title Mandatory Challenger Richard Commey (26-2, 23 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, now fighting out of Brooklyn, NY, faces battle-tested Mexican veteran Yardley Cruz (24-10, 14 KOs), of Los Mochis, Mexico, in an eight-round clash on Saturday, August 4, at NYCB LIVE, home of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Commey vs. Cruz is one of the featured undercard bouts of the stacked Premier Boxing Champions on Fox and Fox Deportes event. Determined to keep his mandatory status, Commey understands that this bout versus Cruz is a must-win for him with a world title shot looming. Doors to the venue open at 3:00pm, with the undercard commencing shortly thereafter.
On March 10, Commey looked sensational, stopping the previously unbeaten 22-0 Alejandro Luna in six rounds to become the mandatory challenger for the IBF lightweight title, then held by Robert Easter. Last Saturday, Mikey Garcia defeated Easter via unanimous decision to capture the IBF belt in a unification bout.
“I’m excited to fight this Saturday night on such a big card and can’t wait to fight for the IBF Lightweight World Title against Mikey Garcia,” said Commey. “This time I’ll be victorious and fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a world champion.
“I’m very grateful to my promoter Lou DiBella and the rest of my team for giving me the opportunity to face Alejandro Luna and now Yardley Cruz. First, I must be victorious on Saturday then next stop is my world title fight.”
Commey previously challenged Easter for the same title in September 2016, losing a very close 12-round split decision in Reading, PA, in a highly entertaining battle.
“Richard had an outstanding victory against Alejandro Luna in March stopping him in the sixth round and is now the well-deserved #1 mandatory challenger for the IBF Lightweight World Title,” said Commey’s promoter Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Mikey Garcia won the title on Saturday night and now Richard is in line to face him for the championship.
“Fans coming to the fights on Saturday at NYCB Live will be able to see Richard in action against Yardley Cruz, giving him the opportunity to stay sharp ahead of his world title challenge.”
Bivol-Chilemba Scouting Report
(Atlantic City, New Jersey) – WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (13-0, 11 KOs) of Russia faces a title defense against light heavyweight contender Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (25-5-2, 10 KOs) of Malawi. Bivol and Chilemba will fight in the co-main event on the Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev vs. Eleider “Storm” Alvarez card at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Saturday, August 4. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
|
Category
|
Dmitry Bivol
|
Isaac “The Golden Boy” Chilemba
|
|
Age
|
27
|
31
|
|
Record
|
13-0-0 (11 KOs)
|
25-5-2 (10 KOs)
|
|
Strength
|
Bivol is a strong light heavyweight who has wasted little time with his opposition thus far. He has legitimate power in both hands, a strong jab and unleashes vicious combinations.
|
Chilemba is a highly skilled technical fighter with plenty of experience. He has incredible endurance and great defense. He uses his jab well and is very accurate with all his punches.
|
|
Weakness
|
Although he’s the current WBA Light Heavyweight champion, Bivol only has 13 professional bouts under his belt. This is something that may play a part against his experienced opponent.
|
Chilemba lacks significant punching power in either hand. He has only recorded one knockout victory since 2011. He has been inactive, only fighting once in the past 22 months.
|
|
Experience
|
Bivol will be at a disadvantage. His most recent win over Sullivan Barrera came against his most impressive opponent thus far. Chilemba has been in the ring with some of the best men the light heavyweight division has to offer.
|
Chilemba has faced top opposition throughout his career, including Tony Bellew, Sergey Kovalev, Eleider Alvarez and more. He is coming in with more than double the number of professional bouts under his belt than his opponent.
|
|
Power
|
Bivol has raw and legitimate power in his punches. He has a powerful jab that he snaps all night, and anything that follows his jab can end the night in an instant.
|
Chilemba will be at a disadvantage. He’s recorded just one knockout win in his last 12 bouts. However, what he lacks in power he makes up for in timing and accuracy.
|
|
Speed
|
The WBA titleholder has quick hands and does a superb job of beating his opponents to the punch with uncanny timing.
|
Chilemba is quick on his feet and has tremendous body movement, which is a reason why he can be difficult to hit at times.
|
|
Endurance
|
Bivol proved in his most recent bout he could dig deep in the championship rounds when he earned a stoppage win in the 12th and final round against Sullivan Barrera.
|
Chilemba has proven time and time again his gas tank is just as deep as anyone’s. He has gone a full 12-rounds on 11 separate occasions, including his most recent bout, a UD win over former title contender Blake Caparello.
|
|
Accuracy
|
Bivol’s aggressive, in-your-face style has allowed him to perfect his accurate punching. He likes to close in on his opponents, leaving them little room to run.
|
Chilemba is a very accurate puncher. He picks his shots wisely and times his punches well. He is also an effective counter-puncher, which should help considering his opponent’s usual high punch output.
|
|
Defense
|
Isaac Chilemba will be the most technically skilled boxer the champion has faced in his young career. This fight will help determine the level of Bivol’s defense.
|
Chilemba will be at an advantage; he has good foot work and moves around the ring very well. He is also an effective counter-puncher, which stems from his defensive skills.
|
|
Chin
|
Bivol took some big shots in his last bout with Sullivan Barrera. He was able to weather the storm and finish the fight strong.
|
Chilemba has proven throughout his career that he can take a punch from the best. He is one of the few fighters to have gone the distance with current light heavyweight king Sergey Kovalev.
|
|
Style
|
Dmitry Bivol is a very physical, in-your-face fighter. He uses his jab to the fullest and throws punches in bunches. He likes to come forward throughout the fight and smother his opponents, which has worked to perfection so far in the young champion’s career.
|
Isaac Chilemba is a technical fighter who uses counter punching skills with an effective defense. He shows great patience in the ring in dissecting his opposition. He has demonstrated in past fights that if a slugfest breaks out, he will not hesitate to fight fire-with-fire.
|
|
Intangibles
|
Bivol won a world championship in just his 12th fight as a professional. He has thrown down the gauntlet to the division since his professional debut, and there is no turning back now. He fully understands as long as he holds the WBA title, he will continue to face the best 175 pounders in the world. Chilemba will be the most experienced and accomplished contender he has faced to date.
|
Throughout his career, Isaac Chilemba has never turned down a fight. He understands in order to achieve goals in this sport, you need to fight the best when those fights are offered to you. Chilemba has consistently fought the best. Now he has the chance to seize this opportunity to win a title. This fight will mark the fifth undefeated fighter he has faced in his previous six bouts.
|
|
Crowd Support
|
Dmitry Bivol should have significant crowd support. He gained new fans and put himself on the division map in his most recent TKO win over Sullivan Barrera.
|
Similar to his opponent, Isaac Chilemba should expect significant crowd support. He has some big wins on his resume, and has competed against some of the best fighters in the world.
|
|
The Match-Up
|
|
|
Yordenis Ugas Faces Cesar Barrionuevo in 147-Pound Title Eliminator, Unbeaten Polish Heavyweight Adam Kownacki Meets Former Champion Charles Martin
BROOKLYN (August 1, 2018) – Top 147-pound contender Yordenis Ugas and Argentine slugger Cesar Barrionuevo will battle in a WBC welterweight title eliminator while unbeaten Polish heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki will face former heavyweight champion Charles Martin in a 10-round attraction as part of a tripleheader live on SHOWTIME Saturday, September 8 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) will pit two of the division’s biggest names against each other as former 147-pound championsDanny “Swift” Garcia and “Showtime” Shawn Porter square off for the vacant WBC Welterweight World Championship. The winner of Ugas vs. Barrionuevo earns the WBC’s second mandatory position to the winner of Garcia vs. Porter.
Ugas (22-3, 11 KOs), who was born in Cuba and now lives in Las Vegas, is one of the busiest boxers in the sport and a consensus top-10 fighter in the welterweight division. After losing a unanimous decision to Amir Imam in 2014, the 32-year-old Ugas took a year off from boxing, moved up to 147 pounds and came back on a tear. During a 12-month span from August 2016 to August 2017, Ugas won five straight fights, knocking off top contenders and prospects including Jamal James, Bryant Perrella, Levan Ghvamichava, Thomas Dulorme and Nelson Lara. Ugas has added two more stoppage victories in 2018, including February on SHOWTIME when he handed Ray Robinson his first defeat since a 2010 decision to Shawn Porter.
“I’m very excited to be part of such a great card,” Ugas said. “This is a huge opportunity to put myself in position to fight the best fighters in the welterweight division and that’s my goal. I don’t know much about my opponent, but he is a power punching Argentine and I have to be 100 percent ready come September 8. This will be my second appearance on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and I look forward to making another huge statement. I’m going to close the show in New York like my friend, Yankees’ closer Aroldis Chapman.”
Barrionuevo (34-3-2, 24 KOs) has devastating one-punch power and is wildly popular in his native Argentina, where he has held regional titles while stopping seven of his last nine opponents. Barrionuevo will make his U.S. debut on September 8. The 29-year-old has won 10 fights in a row and has only lost once since 2010 as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Marcos Maidana and Lucas Matthysse, elite welterweights from Argentina. Barrionuevo, who is ranked No. 6 by the WBC at 147 pounds, was previously scheduled to face Abel Ramos on Aug. 3 in Las Vegas before taking the opportunity to fight Ugas in this title eliminator.
“I am proud to be fighting in the United States and fighting on SHOWTIME is a dream come true,” said Barrionuevo. “Argentine boxing has a long history of great champions from Carlos Monzon to Sergio Martinez and most recently Marcos Maidana. I am looking to become one of those great Argentine fighters of this era and it starts on September 8. I bring the power and the heart of my country with me and expect all the Argentine flags to be out at Barclays Center.”
Kownacki (17-0, 14 KOs) has become a must-see attraction amongst the large contingent of Polish boxing fans in his hometown of Brooklyn and will return to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth time on September 8. The 29-year-old has steadily climbed up the rankings, having most recently knocked out then once-beaten heavyweight Iago Kiladze in Brooklyn in January. Prior to that win, the undefeated heavyweight scored a dominant stoppage of Artur Szpilka last July on Long Island in a matchup of top Polish heavyweights.
“It’s exciting to be back in the ring on SHOWTIME to showcase my skills,” said Kownacki. “It will be another step to reach my goal of becoming the first Polish heavyweight champion. I am training hard in preparation to fight Charles Martin. It will be an amazing night in Barclays Center. I’m hoping Barclays Center will be covered in white and red.”
Born in St. Louis, Martin (25-1-1, 23 KOs) captured the IBF Heavyweight World Championship in January 2016 via a third round TKO against Vyacheslav Glazkov at Barclays Center on SHOWTIME. The 32-year-old scored knockouts in 21 of his first 23 before losing in his first title defense against Anthony Joshua in the UK. Martin trains in Big Bear, California and has since scored two knockout victories on his way towards a matchup with Kownacki that could move him closer to another shot at a belt.
“I don’t want to talk about fighting, I just want to get in there and show off my skills,” said Martin. “For this fight I asked for the toughest opponent that I could get. I’m not worried about who is in front of me. I will be ready on September 8.”