Tag: Omar Douglas

‘LIGHTNING’ LEE SELBY RETURNS TO ACTION AT THE O2

‘LIGHTNING’ LEE SELBY RETURNS TO ACTION AT THE O2

Welsh star’s highly awaited comeback on DeGale v Eubank Jr, live on
ITV Box Office

An audacious 2019 plan to become Wales’ first ever two-weight World Champion

London (14 January 2019) Former IBF World Featherweight Champion Lee Selby will make his big return to the ring on Saturday 23rd February at The O2, London, on the blockbuster James DeGale-Chris Eubank Jr. show, exclusively live on ITV Box Office.

Selby kicks off 2019 with new and fresh ambitions as he makes a daring move up two weight classes to campaign in the talent-packed Lightweight division and has targeted a second world title belt before the end of the year.

The Welsh star will face hard-hitting American Omar Douglas with a championship title on the line to be confirmed shortly that will support the mouth-watering showdown between bitter rivals DeGale and Eubank Jr in the UK debut event for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) promoted by Poxon Sports.

The 31-year-old can’t wait to return to The O2 and he see’s it as his lucky omen where he is unbeaten in the five fights he’s had there, including his sensational win over Evgeny Gradovich to win the IBF World title in May 2015.

This will be Selby’s first fight since a shock loss of his title to Josh Warrington last May that he put down to trouble making the 126 pound weight limit and realising that he should have made the move up in weight a lot sooner.

A loss has certainly not dented Selby’s confidence and the time away has made him reflect and refocus on his career and he is now relishing the challenges of fighting in a division that holds some of the elite names in world boxing and being crowned a two-time World Champion.

Making history is very much in Selby’s sights as he aims to become Wales’ first ever recognised two-weight World Champion. The Barry man is looking to carve his name alongside those of other Welsh sporting legends like Joe Calzaghe, JPR Williams, Gareth Bale and Geraint Thomas as he moves in to the next phase of his already glittering career.

Selby said, “I’m looking forward to the challenge of becoming a two weight world champion. The move up in weight was long overdue so that’s why we’ve chosen to jump up two weight classes to the Lightweight division,”

“There are so many fights to look forward to with big domestic fights like Campbell, Crolla and Burns along with some of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world like Vasyl Lomachenko and Mikey García,”

“The Featherweight division was one of the toughest weight classes and I reached the top as IBF world champion. It’s the same mission now at Lightweight and I can’t wait to get back to business on February 23. The O2 London has been a special venue for me where I won my world title so it’s great to be back there on a massive night for British boxing.”

Douglas, from Wilmington, Delaware, had a decorated amateur career, winning five state Golden Gloves titles and is under the PBC banner. The 27-year-old comes in with a top record of 13 knockouts in 19 wins from 21 fights, with two highly controversial points losses, and is a former NABA Super-Featherweight Champion.

He said, “I am very grateful for this opportunity to come to London and fight on the show and the UK fans get to see me in action. Lee Selby is a solid fighter, but I know in my heart that I’m an undefeated fighter and that will make me very dangerous and I will show it on February 23. I will show I’m a major player at junior lightweight. Although this fight is at 135 pounds I want the world to see that I’m one of the top guys at 130 and put the champions on notice.”

Promoter Richard Poxon of Poxon Sports is thrilled to welcome a fighter of Selby’s calibre to the action-packed card and expects him to shine at lightweight.

Poxon said, “I always felt Lee would be a dominant champion at Featherweight and would have fancied him against anyone. I was as surprised as anyone when he lost to Josh Warrington, but it was no secret Lee had had his problems making weight,”

“I’m really looking forward to watching Lee in this fight. To jump up two weights is some leap and it will be very interesting to see how he fits in the Lightweight division,”

“Douglas isn’t a joke for anyone and has only lost to the ‘top tier’ boxers. Edner Cherry is a proven operator and Fortuna is top drawer. He’ll be coming to win, that’s for sure,”

“If Lee carries the weight well, then I’d expect him to be a serious threat to any of the champions at 135lbs. There are some great domestic fights out there for him as well as on the international stage.”

Tickets available from http://www.AXS.com and Inner Ringside/VIP Hospitality from http://www.sportandmusic.co.uk.

This fight will be shown exclusively on ITV Box Office. For further information and updates, please go to http://www.itvboxoffice.com

Former Title Challenger Edner Cherry Takes On Once-Beaten Omar Douglas

Former Title Challenger Edner Cherry Takes On Once-Beaten Omar Douglas in Lightweight Clash That Headlines Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 & BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, April 4 From Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

 

Plus! Battle of Unbeaten Featherweights Stephen Fulton & Luis Rosario While Bethlehem’s Frank DeAlba Meets Exciting Brawler Ryan Kielczweski in Super Featherweight Showdown

 

Tickets on Sale Now!

 

BETHLEHEM, PA.
(March 22, 2017) – Former title challenger
Edner Cherry (35-7-2, 19 KOs) will meet once-beaten Omar Douglas (17-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, April 4 from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

 

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features an eight-round showdown between unbeaten featherweight prospects Stephen Fulton (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Rosario (8-0-1, 7 KOs) plus Bethlehem’s Frank DeAlba (21-2-2-, 9 KOs) taking on Massachusetts-native Ryan Kielczweski (26-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight attraction.

 

“I have to give Omar Douglas credit for taking this fight,” said Cherry. “We’re both very hungry, so I think this is going to be entertaining for the fans. Omar is coming off of a loss so I know he needs this win. We both come with speed and power. It’s going to be fireworks on April 4.”

 

“I’m looking forward to a great fight on April 4,” said Douglas. “I have a good experienced opponent in front of me. This fight will show my full arsenal, because I know he’s going to bring pressure.
I can box or come forward. I plan to use my jab to win rounds and get this victory.”

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $50, $75 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available
at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

 

Cherry, of Wauchula, Fla., enters this fight after a victory of Haskell Rhodes in June of last year and is 11-1 since 2009.  His only blemishes since 2007 are losses to Timothy Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi at 140-pounds and his title challenge in 2015 against Jose Pedraza in which he dropped a split decision. Cherry, who was born in the Bahamas, owns victories over Vicente Escobedo, Monte Meza Clay and Wes Ferguson and will look to take down another contender on his way to
another title shot.

 

Fighting out of Wilmington, Delaware, Douglas looks to bounce back after losing a narrow decision to former world champion Javier Fortuna in November. The 26-year-old impressed in his previous two
outings when he defeated De Alba in a step up fight in 2015 and followed it up with a seventh round knockout of Alexei Collado in June 2016. Douglas has had his last five fights in Pennsylvania after an amateur career that saw him become a five-time Pennsylvania Golden Glove champion.

 

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Fulton is coming off of a 2016 that saw him stop previously unbeaten Adalberto Zorrilla and Cristian Renteria. The 22-year-old is unbeaten since turning pro
in 2014 and will be looking to make it a perfect 11 wins in 11 pro starts when he enters the ring on April 4.

 

A pro since 2013, Rosario fights out of Cidra, Puerto Rico and was unbeaten in his first six bouts before making his U.S. debut in June 2015 with a third-round knockout of Aaron Hollis in Alabama. He followed that up in Cincinnati with a fourth-round stoppage of Aaron Hollis and most recently he won an eight-round decision over Saul Hernandez.

 

The 29-year-old De Alba had a 19 fight unbeaten streak snapped in December 2015, when he dropped a narrow majority decision to unbeaten Omar Douglas, but he has rebounded with four straight victories since. His last win came over German Meraz in February and he will be fighting for the fourth time at Sands Bethlehem on April 4.

 

A runner-up in the 2008 National Golden Glove tournament, the 27-year old Kielczweski has an exciting style and always makes competitive fights. Born and
raised in Quincy, MA., he won his first first 22 pro fights and enters this contest a winner of four of his last five outings. Most recently he scored a first round knockout over Francisco Medel in December 2016.