READING, PA (March 23, 2016)–Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions is proud to announce the signing of junior middleweight Erik Spring to a promotional contract.

Spring of Reading, PA has a record of 6-1 with one knockout. The 31 year-old did not start boxing until the age of 30 after an amateur kickboxing career that saw him go 13-3-1.

“I feel this is a great opportunity,” said Spring. “This is a big step up for me as a I never had a promoter before. King’s Promotions is doing big things and this will keep me busy. I have not fought since September and I am eager to get back in the ring and get five fights in this year.”

Said King’s Promotions Marshall Kauffman, “I have seen Erik since he turned pro and I feel his best fighting is ahead of him. He has only been boxing for about a year and a half and he has natural fighting skills. We feel by keeping him active, he can turn into a real good fighter and that is our plan.”

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (March 22, 2016) – Olympic Bronze Medalist Andre Dirrell (24-2, 16 KOs) takes on Australia’s Blake Caparello (22-1-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight attraction as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) returns to Spike on Friday, April 29 from Taj Mahal Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Also on the same card, Dirrell’s brother, former world champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (28-1-1, 22 KOs) will meet former world title challenger Caleb “Golden” Truax (26-2-2, 16 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight affair as part of an exciting night of PBC on Spike action beginning at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

The former 168-pound titleholder Anthony and two-time title challenger Andre are both prime for another run at championship gold, but will have stiff competition from opponents who have recently had their own title opportunities.

“April 29 is going to be a fun night of boxing,” said Andre. “Caparello is hungry just like me and he’s fighting for his career so I know he’s a very dangerous man. Everything in camp has been perfect so far. I’m excited that both Anthony and I will get to showcase our skills and spread our family name even more on the same Spike show.”

“It’s an honor to be fighting on the same card as my brother,” said Anthony. “It’s going to be a great night of boxing. Truax is a good, rugged fighter who will bring out the best in me. I need someone to push me to the max. My prediction is always a knockout.”

Caparello scored a first round knockdown in his 2014 world title bout before losing to Sergey Kovalev, while Caleb Truax battled middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in a PBC on Spike co-feature in 2015, failing to Jacobs in the final stanza.

“This is a huge opportunity for me to show the world that I am one of the best 168-pounders in all of boxing,” said Caparello. “This is the weight class where I belong. Dirrell is a former Olympian and, like myself, a world title challenger. I expect a very tough fight on October 17, but I know that I will be victorious.”

“This is a fight that I have to take advantage of and win,” said Truax. “It’s another great opportunity for me and I’m putting everything into training. Dirrell is a good, athletic fighter with skills. It’s a tough task but I’m up for it. I’m bringing my A-game so he better do the same.”

“April 29 will be an outstanding night,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “Having the Dirrell brothers on the same card will be a great and unique night of boxing. Both are exceptional talents and they are in with two guys who are looking for breakthrough wins in Blake Caparello and Caleb Truax.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $50, are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and are on sale now.

An amateur standout that won two U.S. World Championships in addition to his Olympic Bronze medal, the 32-year-old Andre Dirrell is ready to return to the ring after an illness delayed his previously scheduled bout against Caparello. The fighter out of Flint, Michigan holds victories over Arthur Abraham and Curtis Stevens and only has two narrow losses on his resume.

A crafty fighter out of Victoria, Australia, Caparello won his first 20 professional fights primarily fighting out of his home country. He owns victories over Michael Bolling, Jorge Olivera, Allan Green and previously unbeaten Robert Berridge. The 29-year-old most recently scored a unanimous decision over Affif Belghecham in June and after his scheduled bout with Dirrell was delayed, he defeated Luke Sharp by decision.

Anthony Dirrell has seen more adversity than most throughout his career as his time in boxing has been seriously jeopardized twice, first in December 2006 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and was sidelined for 20 months and again in May 2012 when he broke his lower left leg and left wrist in a motorcycle accident. The Flint, Michigan-native never let that hold him down as he kept winning fights and working his way up the professional ranks. In 2014 he won his first championship when he defeated defending champion Sakio Bika. His road back to a 168-pound title began in September when he dominated the action against Marco Antonio Rubio on his way to a unanimous decision victory.

Born in Osseo, Minnesota, Truax is an experienced veteran who has fought professionally since 2007. Fighting mostly in his home state, the 31-year-old won his first 14 fights. He dropped a 2012 showdown to Jermain Taylor but went undefeated in his next eight fights to earn the fight against Jacobs. Most recently, Truax stopped veteran Melvin Betancourt in the fourth round in February.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AndreDirrell, @BlakeCaparello, @AnthonyDirrell, @GoldenCalebT, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports, @KingsBoxing_and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.
Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on Spike is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (March 16, 2016) – Lightweight contender Ivan Redkach (19-1, 15 KOs) will face-off against Puerto Rico’s Luis Cruz (22-4, 16 KOs) in a 10-round headlining event on Tuesday, April 19 on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a pair of exciting eight-round middleweight showdowns pitting top rising prospects and contenders. Brawling 160-pound prospect Immanuwel Aleem (15-0, 9 KOs) takes on Jonathan Cepeda (17-1, 15 KOs) while Delaware’s Kyrone Davis (10-0, 4 KOs) will face Dominican Olympian Junior Castillo (9-0, 9 KOs).

“I am really looking forward to headlining this event on April 19,” said Redkach. “I know that I have a strong opponent, but I am determined to impress the fans and show that I am ready to challenge the elite in my division. I’ve trained very hard and I’m ready to fight.”

“I plan on rejuvenating my career with this fight,” said Cruz. “This is an interesting fight and I’ve been training really hard. Redkach is a tough fighter, but it is nothing that I haven’t seen before. I want to get this big win. It’s now or never for me.”

“This is a terrific card and we are once again happy to be working with FS1, FOX Deportes and the Sands Bethlehem on a great event,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “There are three great televised fights with Redkach-Cruz, Aleem-Cepeda and two undefeated guys in Davis and Castillo in what should be an explosive fight. Those three guys have a combined record of 92-6 with 68 knockouts, so expect three competitive and entertaining fights.”

“This is Ivan’s second fight since his tough loss to Dejan Zlaticanin,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He’ll be facing a tough kid in Luis Cruz, but these are the kinds of opponents that will help Redkach get his career back on track. I am confident that he will emerge victorious and will seek the best fights for him as he rises up the rankings toward a world title opportunity.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, 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.

Born in Ukraine but fighting out of Los Angeles, Redkach began boxing at the age of six and has put together an impressive career since turning pro in 2009. The 30-year-old owns victories over Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich, Yakubu Amidu and most recently knocked out Erick Daniel Martinez in October.

Fighting out of Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, Cruz is coming off of a decision victory over Roberto Acevedo in November. He owns victories over Martin Honorio, Hevinson Herrera and Yogli Herrera in a career that dates back to 2007.

Born in East Meadow, New Jersey but fighting out of Richmond, Virginia, Aleem was introduced to boxing from a young age by his parents. Since turning pro in 2012 at age 18, the 22-year-old has wiped out all of the competition in front of him. In 2015, he dominated Emmanuel Sanchez, David Toribio and Oscar Riojas before winning a hard fought decision over Carlos Galvan in December.

Originally from New Jersey, Cepeda relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida at 16-years-old and had a brief but successful 22-3 amateur record, with all three of his loses coming to middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs. He won two Florida Golden Gloves titles and reached a National Golden Gloves semifinal. Cepeda has won five fights in a row including two stoppage victories in 2015.

The first Delaware-native to win multiple national amateur championships, Davis was a National PAL winner along with his victory at the national Adidas tournament. A fighter since he was eight-years-old, Davis turned pro in 2014 and has dominated his competition including five victories in 2015.

The 29-year-old Castillo made his U.S. debut in December 2015 with a first round knockout of Rolando Nagy and followed it up later that month by stopping Eduardo Flores. Fighting out of Higuey, Dominican Republic, he represented his home country in the 2012 Olympics.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.sandseventcenter.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @IRedkach, @FS1, @TheSBEC, @FoxDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.Facebook.com/the SBEC. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (March 6, 2016) – Julian Williams secured the IBF’s No. 1 position at 154 pounds and called out Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo after an impressive seventh-round TKO of Italian Marcello Matano Saturday on SHOWTIME from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa. VIDEO OF WILLIAMS CALLING OUT CHARLO: http://s.sho.com/1UJo5bp

The undefeated Philadelphia native put on a clinic, breaking down his opponent from the opening bell until referee Gary Rosato stepped in to protect a defenseless Matano (16-2, 5 KOs) at 2:24 of the seventh. Williams (23-0-1, 14 KOs) utilized a steady diet of combos, jabs and body shots in the middle rounds to weaken Matano and set up the big shots to close the show in the seventh. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: http://s.sho.com/1QzbBBb

Williams landed 59 percent of his power shots, including a staggering 76 percent in the deciding seventh.

“Maybe people will think they saw a chink in the armor tonight,” Williams said. “Maybe guys will come out from under the rock and get some of this West Philly work.

“Jermall has been watching my performances. Him and his brother know exactly who I am. He needs to fight or vacate now. He needs to step up, but he’s already laying his groundwork and making excuses.

“Step up and fight me. It’s two of the best junior middleweights in the world. It’s about greatness. I want to be great. All of you turkeys at 154 pounds, let’s fight.”

After the fight, Matano took issue with the stoppage.

“He was pretty fast with his jab, but I felt like I was just getting into the fight,” Matano said. “I felt the punch, but I felt like I could have kept going. I have a warrior heart and I never want to quit.

“I’m going to go back to Italy and take a little rest, then I’ll be right back in the gym. It was a wonderful experience coming here to America. I got to fight a top-echelon fighter and I feel like I belong.”

Avtandil Khurtsidze, a human brick wall barreling forward, upset previously unbeaten middleweight contender Antoine Douglas with a thoroughly dominating 10th-round TKO. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: http://s.sho.com/21er63g

The 35-year-old “mini-Mike Tyson” plowed forward from the opening bell until the TKO at 0:33 of the 10th. The 6-foot Douglas had no answer for his 5-foot-4 opponent, a Brooklyn-based native of Georgia who is looking to become the first world champion from the former Soviet nation.

Khurtsidze (32-2-2, 21 KOs) hurt Douglas (19-1-1, 13 KOs) with a big left in the opening seconds of the third round, sending the 23-year-old face forward through the ropes. Somehow, Douglas recovered from the first knockdown of his career and fought himself back into the fight. The Washington, D.C., native rallied to win the fourth and the fifth rounds, and the all-action sixth could have gone either way.

Khurtsidze opened the seventh with a monstrous one-punch left to floor Douglas, who again somehow survived the round on failing legs as Khurtsidze threw over 100 total punches. Khurtsidze, who showed unbelievable stamina to push the pressure throughout, started the 10th with a relentless attack, forcing referee Benjy Esteves to stop the fight at 0:33 of the with Douglas defenseless against the ropes.

“I knew he was going to get tired,” said Khurtsidze, who took the fight on less than three weeks notice. “I felt like I was going to catch him. He’s a good fighter, but he’s not strong.

“I knew he was going to be hungry. But I also knew that I was going to beat him. It was short notice but I did everything I could in the time we had. I stayed in the gym and stayed sharp.

“Whoever they put in front me, I’m ready for them. I love fighting. I’ll fight anybody.”

Douglas had entered the fight as a fast-rising 160-pounder on the cusp of a title shot.

“I feel OK,” Douglas told SHOWTME Sports analyst Steve Farhood after the fight. “He definitely dictated. He definitely had a better day today. It’s not discouraging, we just weren’t able to execute. Naturally, I’m crushed. It’s back to the drawing board.”

In the opening bout of the telecast, middleweight contender Tony Harrison looked impressive in a sixth round TKO over former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero.

Harrison (23-1, 19 KOs) was the aggressor from the outset, jabbing at range to set up his favorite weapon – a powerful right. The Detroit native floored Guerrero with a big right with 15 seconds to go in the second round. The southpaw got up, but looked hurt and was saved by the bell.

Guerrero (28-4, 20 KOs) had his moments in the fourth and fifth rounds after some heedful advice from his corner, but he couldn’t get inside to escape Harrison’s powerful right. It was a clean left hook midway through the sixth that ultimately finished Guerrero. After Harrison dropped Guerrero with the left, the Dominican Republic native beat the count but had no legs and went back to the canvas after four more consecutive shots from Harrison, forcing referee Gary Rosato to stop the bout at 1:56 of the sixth.

“I threw punches back and I finished the rounds stronger than him,” said Harrison, who landed 57 percent of his power shots. “I dominated the fight. My dad kept telling me to put the hook behind the right hand and if I had listened to him better I could have gotten the knockout much quicker.

“I was backing him up. My game plan was to take advantage of the fact that southpaws don’t fight well going backwards. I tried to just keep putting him back and discouraging him. I told everyone I was taking the fight to him. What’s not to like about me? I’m exciting.

“I want big fights, I want to go back to Detroit and I want the Willie Nelson rematch.”

Said Guerrero: “I wasn’t on today. He wasn’t faster than me, stronger than me or more skilled. I just locked up. I wasn’t listening to my corner, I didn’t do anything tonight.

“It just happens. Sometimes you have a bad day. Today was as bad as I could ever imagine.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. We trained so hard. He wasn’t as fast or strong as we thought he’d be. Today was a bad day for me to have a bad day.”

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