Los Angeles – December 10, 2020 – Ring City USA, the new sports media startup that recently debuted its Thursday night boxing series on NBC Sports Network, announced the slate of undercard fights for its final fight night of 2020 on Dec. 17. Fights will take place at Freddie Roach’s famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles; The event is headlined by undefeated 2016 Olympian Charles Conwell (13-0, 10 KO’s) squaring off against Madiyar Ashkeyev (14-0, 7 KO’s) in a 10-round Super Welterweight matchup.
In co-main event action, Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2, 19 KO’s) will defend her WBA World Featherweight title against Paola Torres (12-4-1, 4 KO’s) in a 10-round fight. In an eight-round featured attraction of Heavyweights, undefeated prospect Stephan Shaw will face the once-beaten Lyubomyr Pinchuk (12-1-1, 7 KO’s).
Hailing from Hay River Canada, the 38-year-old Mrdjenovich began her athletic career as a collegiate basketball player for the University of Alberta. After tearing her ACL in college, Mrdjenovich spent her recovery time watching boxing on television, and turned to the sport in 2003 at the encouragement of her father, a longtime boxing fan. Mrdjenovich made her pro debut in 2003 and has captured world titles in three different weight classes in her illustrious career. She returns to the ring for the first time in 2020 after defeating Marisol Corona in September of 2019. Mrdjenovich faces Paola Torres, who last earned a split decision win over Cristina Fuentes in August 2019.
Heavyweight prospect Shaw returns to the ring after knocking out Gregory Corbin in 2019. Shaw, who is the grandson of famed St. Louis trainer Buddy Shaw, grew up playing baseball, basketball, and football. He was always partial to boxing, which he was exposed to at age three watching his grandfather train fighters in the gym. After making his pro debut in 2013, Shaw has remained undefeated after fighting a mix of both up and coming prospects and veterans. He will fight Pinchuk, who fought in over 250 amateur fights before making his pro debut. Pinchuk, who stayed busy with six fights in 2019, fights out of Pittsburgh, P.A.
Additional featured action pits Kelvin Davis against Michael Honesto in what will be the professional debut for both fighters when they face-off for a four-round junior welterweight match. Davis, a decorated amateur, is the older brother of Keyshawn Davis, who will be representing the US at Lightweight in the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“We are excited to end the year and our first slate of shows with more exciting fights,” Head of Boxing Evan Rutkowski said. “We are just getting started and remain incredibly excited for 2021, when we will continue to put on competitive fights that satisfy fighters and fight fans. Our Dec. 17 undercard is a strong jumping off point for the entertaining cards Ring City is planning for next year.”
Former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter will call the action alongside NBC Sports blow-by-blow commentator Todd Harris. Brian Campbell serves as fight night analyst with Curran Bhatia reporting from ringside. The full Ring City fight card will air live on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 9pm EST/6pm PST. Ring City fights will stream live on the NBC Sports app, with highlights featured on NBC Sports’ YouTube Channel.
About Ring City USA
Ring City is boxing’s newest sports media platform. Working in tandem with a variety of promoters and talent, its new boxing series places an emphasis on competitive matchups that genuinely test the fighters and excite the fight fans. Ring City provides great fights in the ring and compelling shoulder programming outside of the ring. Ring City is the proving ground where up-and-coming talent can earn their stripes and launch themselves into the upper echelon of boxing stardom.
