Verona, NY (May 19, 2014)–This Friday Night, The finals of the popular Boxcino 2014 lightweight and middleweight tournaments will be held at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

The fights will be broadcast live on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes & WatchESPN at 9 PM ET.

After 3 months of great action, 4 men will battle for 2 belts to be called 2014 Boxcino Champion.

In the lightweight finals, Petr Petrov (34-4-2, 16 KO’s) of Madrid, Spain via Russia will take on Fernando Carcamo (17-5, 13 KO’s) of Ciudad, Mexico.

In the middleweight championship, undefeated Brandon Adams (14-0, 9 KO’s) of Los Angeles, CA will take on Willie Monroe Jr. (17-1, 6 KO’s) of Rochester, NY.

Petrov reached the finals with a 6-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Fedor Papazov and a 4th-round stoppage of Chris Rudd.

Carcamo reached this point with a 2nd-round stoppage over previously undefeated Samuel Neequaye as well as a 8-round split decision over Miguel Gonzalez.

Adams and Monroe will be in familiar surroundings as they each won their semifinal bouts at the Turning Stone Casino Resort on April 18.

Adams scored a 4th-round stoppage over Daniel Edouard and then followed that up with his semifinal split decision win over Raymond Gatica on April 18.

Monroe went into the hometown of Donatas Bondorovas and took home a split decision. In his semifinal bout, he boxed his way to a 8-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Vitalii Kopylenko.

“This has been a great tournament and these four guys have a tremendous opportunity on May 23,” said Banner Promotions president Artie Pelullo.

“I want to thank ESPN for getting behind Boxcino and I know they have been happy with the fights so far. These are two excellent match ups for the finals and we are excited to crown 2 champions.”

May 8, 2014 – HBO Sports® debuts an all-new installment of “2 Days” when the feature segment returns Saturday, May 24 at 12:15 a.m. (ET/PT) with a behind-
the-scenes look at world junior welterweight title-holder Ruslan “Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov, one of boxing’s most fascinating characters.

“2 Days” is a revealing and intimate look at a 48-hour span in the life of a boxer in the lead-up to one of his fights and the next edition will focus on Siberian native Ruslan Provodnikov. HBO cameras followed the intriguing and complex prizefighter in the lead-up to his blockbuster showdown last October with 140-pound title-holder Mike Alvarado in Alvarado’s hometown of Denver, CO.

HBO air times include: May 24 (12:15 a.m.), 25 (12:00 p.m.), 27 (2:45 p.m.), 29 (5:00 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.) and June 2 (8:30 p.m. & 1:50 a.m.), 5 (9:15 a.m. & 5:45 p.m.), 12 (1:30 p.m.) and 14 (11:30 a.m.).

HBO2 air times include: May 25 (11:35 p.m.), 27 (9:00 p.m.), 30 (1:15 p.m.), 31 (2:45 a.m.) and June 1 (11:30 a.m.), 8 (2:30 p.m.), 10 (10:00 a.m.) and 13 (4:50 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

Provodnikov makes his much anticipated 2014 ring debut on Saturday, June 14 when he defends his 140-pound title vs. Chris Algieri live on HBO from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

“2 Days” will also be available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing as well as various other new media platforms that distribute the series.

World Championship boxing returns to Barclays Center when “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov makes the first defense of his World Boxing Orginization (WBO) junior welterweight title and his Brooklyn debut against undefeated world rated contender and New York product Chris Algieri. Provodnikov-Algieri will take place Saturday, June 14 and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10 PM ET/PT.

Promoted by Banner Promotions and Top Rank®, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, tickets to the Provodnikov-Algieri world champion event are $31, $56, $86, $106 and $206. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Friday, April 25 at noon. Group tickets are also available by calling 855-GROUP-BK. For information on individual suites, please call 718-BK-SUITE.

The co-main event will feature undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion DEMETRIUS “Boo Boo” ANDRADE making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger BRIAN “The Lion” ROSE.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 87-3-1 (44 KOs)- a 96 percent winning ratio, with more than half of their total victories coming by way of knockout.

The action-packed undercard will feature undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas champion, Top-Five contender and Long Beach, Long Island fan favorite “Irish” SEANIE MONAGHAN, and the debut of professional women’s boxing at Barclays Center with HEATHER “The Heat” HARDY of Brooklyn risking her undefeated record.

For fight updates go to www.banner-promotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/banner-promotions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/bannerboxing or twitter.com/hboboxing.

About Barclays Center
Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. One of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, Barclays Center offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 18,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

Barclays Center hosts an extensive variety of events, including premier concerts, major professional boxing cards, top college basketball, family shows, the Brooklyn Nets and soon the New York Islanders.

Barclays Center has redefined the arena customer service and culinary experience. Its more than 2,000 employees are trained by Disney Institute, the business advisory arm of The Walt Disney Company, and its BrooklynTaste™ food program features selections from 55 well-known restaurants and vendors in the borough.

Barclays Center engages the customer with state-of-the-art technology to enhance the fan experience. As the first arena in the world to utilize Cisco StadiumVision mobile multicast streaming technology, Barclays Center allows fans to watch live video and instant replays from their mobile phones while connected to the arena’s free Wi-Fi.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines.

BROOKLYN (April 23, 2014) – World Championship boxing returns to Barclays Center when “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov makes the first defense of his World Boxing Orginization (WBO) junior welterweight title and his Brooklyn debut against undefeated world rated contender and New York product Chris Algieri. Provodnikov-Algieri will take place Saturday, June 14 and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10 PM ET/PT.

Promoted by Banner Promotions and Top Rank®, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, tickets to the Provodnikov-Algieri world champion event are $31, $56, $86, $106 and $206. Tickets will go on sale beginning Tomorrow! Thursday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m. ET and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Friday, April 25 at noon. Group tickets are also available by calling 855-GROUP-BK. For information on individual suites, please call 718-BK-SUITE.

The co-main event will feature undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion DEMETRIUS “Boo Boo” ANDRADE making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger BRIAN “The Lion” ROSE.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 87-3-1 (44 KOs)- a 96 percent winning ratio, with more than half of their total victories coming by way of knockout.

The action-packed undercard will feature undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas champion, Top-Five contender and Long Beach, Long Island fan favorite “Irish” SEANIE MONAGHAN, and the debut of professional women’s boxing at Barclays Center with HEATHER “The Heat” HARDY of Brooklyn risking her undefeated record.

Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KOs), born and raised in Berezovo, Khanty-Mansi, Russia in Siberia, is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach. He had an incredible year in 2013. On March 16, he was on the wrong end of a hotly-disputed unanimous decision loss to undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. Provodnikov, who moved up in weight for his first title shot, hurt Bradley numerous times during their slugfest, nearly knocking out the defending champion in the first and second rounds and scoring a knockdown in the final round.

Two of the three scorecards had Bradley winning by only one point. It was voted the Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Provodnikov moved down to his natural weight in his next fight and challenged WBO junior welterweight champion Mike Alvarado, scoring a dramatic 10th round stoppage to claim his world title, last October 19. Five of Provodnikov’s last six victories have been by knockout.

Algieri (19-0 8 KOs), hails from nearby Huntington, NY. Over the last 18 months Chris has elevated himself to a world-class contender after accumulating significant victories over top prospect Jose Alejo, former USBA champion Mike Arnaoutis, and most recently highly-rated contender Emmanuel Taylor in February. He’s as much a scholar as he is a brawler. He graduated from Stony Brook University with Honors in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Care Management and then went on to receive his Masters degree from the New York Institute of Technology. He aspires to attend Medical School.

Andrade (20-0, 13 KO), of Providence, RI, has been a mainstay on television since making his professional debut following his stint on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. Co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Star Boxing, Andrade’s aggressive style has attracted and created fans on both coasts of the U.S. He captured the vacant world title on November 9, defeating fellow U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan in a battle of undefeated top-rated contenders. One doesn’t have to look any further than his recent record where Andrade has stopped five of his last eight opponents. Career highlights include victories over former world title challengers Freddy Hernandez and Angel Hernandez as well as former Contender champion Grady Brewer.

Rose (25-1-1, 7 KOs), from Blackpool, Lancashire, England, will be fighting outside the United Kingdom for the first time. He enters his first world title tilt riding a four-year, 11-bout winning streak, which has included BBBofC British, BBBoC English and WBO Inter-Continental junior middleweight title victories. In his last fight, on October 26, he won a split decision over Javier Maciel in a title elimination bout which made Rose the WBO’s mandatory junior middleweight challenger and No. 1 contender. Career highlights include knockout victories over former world champions Joachim Alcine and Vivian Harris.

For fight updates go to www.banner-promotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/banner-promotions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/bannerboxing or twitter.com/hboboxing.

About Barclays Center
Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. One of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, Barclays Center offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 18,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

Barclays Center hosts an extensive variety of events, including premier concerts, major professional boxing cards, top college basketball, family shows, the Brooklyn Nets and soon the New York Islanders.

Barclays Center has redefined the arena customer service and culinary experience. Its more than 2,000 employees are trained by Disney Institute, the business advisory arm of The Walt Disney Company, and its BrooklynTaste™ food program features selections from 55 well-known restaurants and vendors in the borough.

Barclays Center engages the customer with state-of-the-art technology to enhance the fan experience. As the first arena in the world to utilize Cisco StadiumVision mobile multicast streaming technology, Barclays Center allows fans to watch live video and instant replays from their mobile phones while connected to the arena’s free Wi-Fi.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines.

Verona, NY (APRIL 21, 2014)–Brandon Adams and Willie Monroe Jr. each took home decision victories and punched their tickets to the finals of Boxcino 2014.

The finals will take place at the same venue as the semifinals, that being the Turning Stone Resort and Casino and is promoted by Banner Promotions and the semifinals were broadcast on ESPN 2.

The finals will take place on May 23 as will the lightweight finals that will feature Fernando Carcamo and Petr Petrov. Both bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds.

Adams scored an exciting 8-round split decision over Raymond Gatica while Monroe boxed his way to an 8-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Vitalii Kopylenko.

Adams and Gatica put on a good show that saw them stand toe to toe all over the ring. Adams mixed it up being the aggressor and counter-punching effectively.

The action picked up in round three with some good exchanges. Adams rocked Gatica with a solid right in the next frame. Later in the round, Adams landed another right hand that buckled his opponent. In round six, Gatica tried to make a stand by landing a combination on the ropes but that was short lived as Adams successfully fired off a pair of right hands to stop that flurry. Adams boxed well down the stretch and even put a stamp on the fight by landing a hard right at the bell.

Right hand from Adams

Adams, 161 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 78-74 twice and Gatica, 158 lbs of Austin, TX took a card 77-75.

Adams is now 14-0. Gatica is now 14-3.

“He is a tough guy,” said Adams. “This is the 1st southpaw I had fought. It is a lot tougher, but I got the job done. He taught me a lot in the ring and it was a fun fight.”

Said Gatica, “I won the fight. I was busier and I landed more punches.”

Monroe darted in and out and boxed at a comfortable range. He was quick with his right hooks and quick left hands. Kopylenko looked and remained dangerous throughout the fight and landed a big right hand in round five that sent the mouthpiece of Monroe flying. That was Kopylenko’s high point of the contest as Monroe got back to effective boxing and won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74.”

Monroe Jr. lands a jab

Monroe Jr, is now 17-1. Kopylenko is now 23-1.

“It was hard but fair,” said Monroe. “I gave him his 1st loss. He was coming but we fought at my range and set up feints and landed good shots.”

Adams commented on the final by saying, “We are going to dance. This is very exciting. He is a flashy southpaw. I am going to train for a slick southpaw. He put on a good show tonight.

Nate Heaven remained undefeated by scoring an explosive 1st round stoppage over Donovan Dennis in a scheduled 8-round Heavyweight bout.

Both guys landed heavy shots until Heaven landed a crushing right to the jaw that sent Dennis down. Dennis got to his feet but was wobbly and the fight was stopped at 3:00 of round one.

“I give all hail to god,”said Heaven. “The right hand is my weapon. I saw him on youtube and saw that he gained weight and got slower. My coach said to relax and I would get him.”

Heaven, 233 lbs of Ocala, FL is now 9-0-1 with 7 knockouts. Dennis, 226 lbs of Davenport, IA is now 11-2.

Marcus Hall scored a 4-round unanimous decision over Raphael Luna in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Hall, 153 lbs of Rochester, NY and is now 7-6. Luna, 152.5 lbs of Albany, NY is now 3-8-3.

Simeon Hardy destroyed Rahman Yusubov inside of a round of their scheduled 6-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Hardy scored three knockdowns with the 1st and 3rd coming from devastating left hooks at 2:36 of round one.

Simeon Hardy

Hardy, 155 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 12-0 with 10 knockouts. Yusubov, 155 lbs of Dallas is now 9-15.

Cecil McCalla remained perfect by scoring a 6-round unanimous decision over Antonio Chaves Fernandez in a Welterweight bout.

McCalla hurt Fernandes in the 4th and cruised home to the victory by scores of 60-54 on all cards.

McCalla, 149 lbs of Randallstown, MD is now 18-0. Fernades, 150 lbs of Brockton, MA is now 4-17-2.

Brandon Adams 161 – Raymond Gatica 158
Vitalii Kopylenko 160 – Willie Monroe Jr. 160
(BOXCINO MIDDLEWEIGHT SEMIFINAL BOUTS)

Donovan Dennis 226 – Nat Heaven 233
Cornelius Whitlock 145 – Greg Jackson 144
Cecil McCalla 149 – Antonio Chaves Fernandez 150
Simeon Hardy 155 – Rahman Yusubov 155
Marcus Hall 153 – Raphael Luna 152.5

Promoter: Banner Promotions
Venue: Turning Stone Resort Casino
Time: ESPN 2 Broadcast is at 9 PM ET

Philadelphia, PA (APRIL 18, 2014)–Two undefeated fighters remain in the Boxcino 2014 Middleweight tournament. Brandon Adams of Los Angeles raised a lot of eyebrows with his 4th round stoppage over Daniel Edouard in the quarterfinals that took place on February 28 in Hammond, Indiana.

Adams, who is now 13-0 with 9 knockouts takes Raymond Gatica (14-2, 9 KO’s) in the 8-round semifinal bout this tonight at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

The bout, along with the 2nd semifinal bout between undefeated Vitalli Kopylenko and Willie Monroe Jr. will be broadcast live on ESPN2, ESPNDeportes+ and WatchESPN beginning at 9 pm ET.

Adams was very happy with his 1st performance in the national stage with the stoppage win over Edouard.

“I did what my corner wanted me to do. My camp wanted me to work off the jab. We watched a little bit of tape on him and we wanted to see where he positioned himself,”said Adams.

With the quick 6-week turnaround, Adams did not much have much time to savior his impressive victory.

“I train everyday. I have been feeling real good. I am ready for Gatica. He is my first southpaw and I have been getting good work and I am feeling very good.”

After their respective fights on February 28, Gatica and Adams had a very respectable if not friendly exchange in the middle of the ring.

“I know how to separate friends. He is not an enemy. We are just in here working and I will do what it takes to win.”

Adams also has a lot of respect for Gatica the fighter and expects a good show for the fans.

“I saw his fight with Agbeko. He is a crowd pleaser. He comes forward and likes to throw big shots but that is nothing I am unfamiliar with. The only difference is that he is a southpaw. Come April 18, I will show that I am different. I plan on stopping him.”

With the 1st fight down, Adams sees that he can be the Boxcino champion.

“I am satisfied that we took care of the 1st fight. I am not looking past Gatica. This is one fight at a time and I dream of winning. I am going for Brandon Adams. i feel strongly and I look forward to giving the audience at Turning Stone and watching on ESPN what they want to see on April 18,” said Adams.

BROOKLYN (April 16, 2014) – World Championship boxing returns to Barclays Center when the “The Siberian Rocky” RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV makes the first defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight title and his Brooklyn debut against undefeated world-rated contender and New York product CHRIS ALGIERI. Provodnikov vs. Algieri will take place Saturday, June 14 and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The co-main event will feature undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion DEMETRIUS “Boo Boo” ANDRADE making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger BRIAN “The Lion” ROSE.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 87-3-1 (44 KOs)- a 96 percent winning percentage, with more than half of their total victories coming by way of knockout.

The action-packed undercard will feature undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas champion, Top-Five contender and Long Beach, Long Island fan favorite “Irish” SEANIE MONAGHAN, and the debut of professional women’s boxing at Barclays Center with HEATHER “The Heat” HARDY of Brooklyn risking her undefeated record.

Promoted by Banner Promotions and Top Rank®, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, tickets to the Provodnikov-Algieri world champion event are $31, $56, $86, $106 and $206. Tickets will go on sale beginning Thursday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m. and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Friday, April 25 at noon. Group tickets are also available by calling 855-GROUP-BK. For information on individual suites, please call 718-BK-SUITE.

“I am very excited to be fighting in Brooklyn at Barclays Center and look forward to this fight very much,” said Provodnikov. “I know a lot of my fans from Russia will be flying in to see this great event. I also hope that my fans from the United States, including the great Russian community in Brooklyn, will be there to support me.”

“I cannot wait for June 14,” said Algieri. “Ruslan is a great champion and a feared and avoided guy in the junior welterweight division, which is exactly why I am eager for the chance to fight him. I am ready.”

“This will be a great event,” said Arthur Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions. “Ruslan has proven in his last two bouts that he is one of the best fighters in the world and he knows that the biggest fights are ahead of him. Algieri is hungry and will be fighting close to home so we know this will be an outstanding fight with both men each bringing in a legion of fans to support them. We look forward to bringing this great event to Barclays Center in front of the great fans in Brooklyn.”

“We have been grooming Chris for this opportunity and I know he is ready,” said Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing. “Chris is in top shape and thrilled to be fighting Ruslan, one of the toughest and most highly-regarded fighters in boxing. This show will be captivating and I am looking forward to watching it at one of the most premiere arenas in the world.”

“We are excited to continue hosting such great boxing events at Barclays Center,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. “Between the large Russian community in Brooklyn coming out to support Ruslan, and the other local fighters on the card, we expect a great crowd and a lot of excitement in Brooklyn on June 14. I also want to thank our boxing partner Golden Boy Promotions for graciously enabling us to host this fight for the boxing fans of this borough.”

Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KOs), born and raised in Berezovo, Khanty-Mansi, Russia in Siberia, is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach. He had an incredible year in 2013. On March 16, he was on the wrong end of a hotly-disputed unanimous decision loss to undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. Provodnikov, who moved up in weight for his first title shot, hurt Bradley numerous times during their slugfest, nearly knocking out the defending champion in the first and second rounds and scoring a knockdown in the final round. Two of the three scorecards had Bradley winning by only one point. It was voted the Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Provodnikov moved down to his natural weight in his next fight and challenged WBO junior welterweight champion Mike Alvarado, scoring a dramatic 10th round stoppage to claim his world title, last October 19. Five of Provodnikov’s last six victories have been by knockout.

Algieri (19-0 8 KOs), hails from nearby Huntington, NY. Over the last 18 months Chris has elevated himself to a world-class contender after accumulating significant victories over top prospect Jose Alejo, former USBA champion Mike Arnaoutis, and most recently highly-rated contender Emmanuel Taylor in February. He’s as much a scholar as he is a brawler. He graduated from Stony Brook University with Honors in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Care Management and then went on to receive his Masters degree from the New York Institute of Technology. He aspires to attend Medical School.

“We are excited to have Demetrius make his first defense on this card,” said Pelullo, Andrade’s co-promoter. ” He is one of the future stars of boxing. To be at Barclays Center in Brooklyn is just fabulous”

“I am thrilled that Demetrius Andrade will be defending his WBO World Championship on this fantastic card,” added Andrade co-promoter DeGuardia. ” I’ve always felt Demetrius would rise to stardom and, on June 14, he will be able to do it in spectacular fashion at the beautiful Barclay Center in Brooklyn, NY.”

Andrade (20-0, 13 KO), of Providence, RI, has been a mainstay on television since making his professional debut following his stint on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. Co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Star Boxing, Andrade’s aggressive style has attracted and created fans on both coasts of the U.S. He captured the vacant world title on November 9, defeating fellow U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan in a battle of undefeated top-rated contenders. One doesn’t have to look any further than his recent record where Andrade has stopped five of his last eight opponents. Career highlights include victories over former world title challengers Freddy Hernandez and Angel Hernandez as well as former Contender champion Grady Brewer.

Rose (25-1-1, 7 KOs), from Blackpool, Lancashire, England, will be fighting outside the United Kingdom for the first time. He enters his first world title tilt riding a four-year, 11-bout winning streak, which has included BBBofC British, BBBoC English and WBO Inter-Continental junior middleweight title victories. In his last fight, on October 26, he won a split decision over Javier Maciel in a title elimination bout which made Rose the WBO’s mandatory junior middleweight challenger and No. 1 contender. Career highlights include knockout victories over former world champions Joachim Alcine and Vivian Harris.

For fight updates go to www.banner-promotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/banner-promotions or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/bannerboxing or twitter.com/hboboxing.

Philadelphia (April 14, 2014)–Barclays Center and Banner Promotions will host a press conference to announce the WBO jr. welterweight title fight between champion Ruslan “The Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov of Beryozovo, Russia and Chris Algieri of Huntington, Long Island on Wednesday, April 16 at noon in the GEICO Atrium in Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The fight will take place Saturday night, June 14, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark. Provodnikov – Algieri will headline a championship night of boxing.

A strong undercard will include the WBC Continental America’s Light Heavyweight championship bout between Seanie “Irish” Monaghan of Long Beach, Long Island against an opponent to be named. In addition the card will include the first professional woman’s fight at Barclays Center featuring Heather “The Heat” Hardy of Brooklyn.

The show is promoted by Banner Promotions, Top Rank in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The Press conference will begin at noon with the doors opening at 11:30 AM

WHO: Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s)-WBO Jr. Welterweight champion
Chris Algieri (19-0, 8 KO’s)–WBO number-13 Contender-Huntington, NY
Artie Pelullo–CEO Banner Promotions
Joe DeGuardia–President of Star Boxing
Brett Yormark–CEO Barclays Center
Carl Moretti–Vice President of Top Rank
Sean Monaghan-(23-0 13 KO’s)
Heather Hardy (9-0, 2 KO’s)
Simeon Hardy (11-0, 8 KOs)

WHAT: Press Conference to announce HBO Boxing After Dark fights for June 14

WHEN: Wednesday, April 16 at noon; Doors open at 11:30 AM

WHERE: Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Media should enter through main entrance

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, The Long Island Rail Road and 11 bus lines.

For more information on Barclays Center, please visit barclayscenter.com

Philadelphia (April 14, 2014)–On Saturday night, June 14, WBO Jr. Welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov will make the 1st defense of his title when he takes on undefeated Chris Algieri in 12-round bout from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

The show is promoted by Banner Promotions, Top Rank in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) of Beryozovo, Russia has become one of the most popular fighters in the world due to his exciting non-stop style. He won his first 17 bouts with wins over former world champions Javier Juaragui and DeMarcus Corley (for the WBC Asian Council Jr. Welterweight title). He also has quality wins over previously undefeated fighters Brian Gordon, Abdulaziz Matazimov & Ivan Popoca. He won the WBO Intercontinental Jr. Welterweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over Victor Castro. He recaptured the WBO Intercontinental title with a 6th round stoppage over David Torres and defended it with a 2nd round destruction over Jose Reynoso.

Provodnikov made his presence on the world stage when he battered and knocked down undefeated WBO Welterweight champion in what was the 2013 BWAA “Fight of the Year.”

On October 19, Provodnikov won the WBO Jr. Welterweight title when reigning champion Mike Alvarado could not continue at the end of the 10th round.

Algieri (19-0, 8 KO’s) of nearby Huntington, New York will be making his 1st attempt at a world title.

He is ranked number-13 by the WBO and he earned the title shot based on some string wins that came in front of his hometown fans in Huntington.

He has amassed a strong fan base that saw him score big wins over Jose Peralta, former world title challenger Mike Arnaoutis and in his last bout when he scored an impressive unanimous decision over world-ranked Emanuel Taylor on February 14 in Huntington, New York.

“This is will be a great event,” said Banner Promotions President Artie Pelullo.

“Ruslan has proven in his last two bouts that he is one of the best fighters in the world and he knows that the biggest fights are ahead of him. Algieri is hungry and will be fighting close to home so we know this will be an outstanding fight. We look forward to bringing this great event to the Barclays Center in front of the many great fans of Brooklyn,” finished Pelullo.

Said Provodnikov, “I am very excited to be fighting in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. I am looking forward to this fight very much. I know a lot of my fans from Russia will be flying in to see this great fight. I also hope that my fans from the United States and including the great Russian community will be there to support me.”

Said Algieri, “I am Very excited for June 14. Ruslan is a great champion and a feared and avoided guy in the 140 lb. division, which is exactly why I am eager for the chance to fight him. I am ready.”

Algieri’s promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing said, “We’ve been grooming Chris for this opportunity and I know he is ready. Chris is in top shape and thrilled to be fighting Ruslan, one of the toughest and most highly regarded fighters in boxing. This show will be captivating and I am looking forward to watching it at one of the most premiere arenas in the United States.”