Las Vegas, NV: The HBO Pay Per View® undercard of the Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” on June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas will include the ten-round light heavyweight battle between the hard-punching young Russian prospect Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) and seasoned veteran technical boxer Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs). Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Dmitry Bivol
Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
Age
26
30
Record
10-0 (8 KOs)
29-2 (15 KOs)
Strength
Bivol has knockout power in both hands; he has a stiff jab and shows great patience and poise while breaking down his opponents.
Agnew is a technician in the ring; he’s a great body-puncher, has an effective jab, and brings plenty of experience to the table.
Weakness
With only ten pro bouts under his belt, Dmitry lacks championship-level experience coming into this fight.
Agnew lacks significant power in either hand; he has also been somewhat inactive with only one fight since mid-2015.
Experience
Although he has an extensive amateur background, Bivol will be entering the squared-circle at the professional level for just the 11th time in his professional career.
The Chicago native has triple the pro bouts under his belt than his opponent. He has also competed for a world title, a fight in which he came up short against Sergey Kovalev.
Power
Bivol’s power is one of his main strengths, he delivers a nasty body attack and has a disastrous right-hand that has ended the night for many.
Although he doesn’t possess much power, he does can physically break down his opponents. He is more affective at inflicting gradual punishment throughout the fight.
Speed
Bivol has a quick jab and moves around the ring well, his body attack is his best asset and is also where the speed comes into play.
Agnew has above-average speed; he picks his shots wisely and maintains a steady and consistent pace throughout the fight.
Endurance
Bivol proved in just his seventh pro bout that he can handle a full 12 rounds. He comfortably won a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Felix Valera.
Agnew is a ten-year veteran of the sport and has proven multiple times that he has no problem at all going the distance.
Accuracy
He is an accurate puncher that begins with his pin-point jab that allows him to follow-up accordingly.
His accuracy is one of his strongest tools in his arsenal; he does not waste shots and has an effective jab that allows him to pick his shots carefully.
Defense
Bivol’s defense has been stagnant thus far, simply due to how dominant his offense has been in his first ten bouts.
Agnew’s defense may just be his most prominent strength. He has proven to be tough to lay hands on throughout the years.
Chin
He has steamrolled through his opponents thus far and has not been in any real danger, so his chin is still in question.
Agnew has a durable chin and has only been stopped once in his career against knockout artist Sergey Kovalev. To his credit, he was able to get off the canvas twice in the fight before finally being stopped on the third knockdown.
Style
This young prospect is an aggressive offensive fighter who wastes little time once the first bell rings. He sits behind an extremely sharp jab and follows up with rigorous bodywork along the way.
This crafty veteran is an affective technical boxer; he likes to utilize his jab and set up his shots. In contrast to his opponent, he has no problem taking his time in dissecting his opponent and grinding out a dominant decision win.
Intangibles
Bivol has been on an obvious mission since the start of his career, which is to steamroll his opposition on his way to a world title shot. He has done exactly that thus far and has taken no time off or tune-ups in the process. He has successfully tested himself against big-punchers in Robert Berridge and Samuel Clarkson and now will test his skills against an in-ring technician in Agnew. Agnew has only been stopped once in his career by The Krusher, if Bivol can add his name to that mix then it can be a major game-changer for him moving forward.
Agnew is a crafty veteran of ten years who has had difficulty finding opposition throughout his career. He is a difficult fight for anybody in the light heavyweight division due to his highly technical style. He has called out all-comers but to no prevail. Rather than sit on the sidelines and wait for his next big shot, he will instead try to derail the hype behind this young prospect. Agnew understands a win over the highly regarded Bivol will put him back on the map and will leave those in the division no choice but to step up and face the former title challenger.
Crowd Support
He has only fought in the US on three separate occasions, but he has an entertaining fight style that is sure to have fans asking for more.
Agnew has fought his entire pro career in the United States, so it is expected that he will have some strong supports coming into this fight.
The Match-up
1. Bivol is a young up-and-coming light heavyweight that a lot of people are high on, will he be able to handle the pressure under the big lights?
2. Will Agnew be able to handle the power of Bivol?
3. Is the southpaw stance of Agnew going to give Bivol any problems?
4. Will Agnew be able to handle Bivol’s come forward/pressure style?

According Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “This is your typical young up-and-coming fighter trying to prove that he belongs in the mix against a veteran fighter who wants to prove he still belongs in the mix. I believe this is Bivol’s toughest test to date. Agnew is a southpaw, he has already fought under the bright lights and is hungry to get back into another championship-level fight in a very hot division.”

Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.

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LAS VEGAS, NV (June 15, 2017) – On Wednesday, June 14, the televised undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” sat down to participate in roundtables with the media during Fight Week Powered by Monster. Head trainers Virgil Hunter (Team Ward) and John David Jackson (Team Kovalev) followed the group of boxing talent with respective roundtables of their own. Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” will take place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Below is what the participants had to say:

Virgil Hunter, Trainer of Andre Ward

“[Andre’s] ring IQ speaks for itself but the worst mistake you can make is to underestimate the opponent’s IQ. We take it all the way to the top, whoever we’re fighting. The mindset is you’re the best in the world. You’re the best that ever did it. You don’t want to stop the bar on eight when you can go all the way to 10. The bar is set at 10 in giving Sergey the credit that he rightfully deserves. Look, I’ve said it before, but I’m a Sergey Kovalev fan. Just not this fight. But I’m a fan of his. I knew a long time ago that if we ever moved up to light heavyweight that we would meet. I understood that a long time ago.

“You can never tell what’s going on in a fighter’s mind. I tend to let Andre set the tone. If we have to change it up, then I’ll come in and we might change up a few things. But he’s been doing it so long and I trust him. I know exactly what I’m looking at when he’s fighting. He can set the tone. If the frustration becomes an asset for us, we’ll stay there and keep him frustrated.

“Me knowing Andre’s mindset and how he approaches things, I told him that we’ll train for a knockout. It doesn’t mean it’s going to come, but we’ll train for it. It’ll be quite evident in the fight. He’s going to get hit because you got to get hit to win and get knockouts. He’s been hit by Sergey and he described the punches just as I see the punches on TV, very sharp… not concussive but sharp. [A knockout] is a possibility. I’ve only trained Andre to purposefully knock out somebody twice – the first one was Chad [Dawson], the second one was this one. I never trained him to knock anybody out, but those two I did. Only twice have we changed strategy to stop somebody.

“What we want to do is make sure Sergey doesn’t get the flush punch. He might graze you, he might rush punch, he might punch you like ‘get off me’ as opposed to being planted and zeroed in and ‘boom’ give him that shot. Sergey never landed another punch after the knockdown. So, if Andre was hurt, how could he make Sergey miss? All you got to do is watch it after the knockdown.

“I’ll have to take Sergey at his word, but when I look at the fight, I just don’t see where he got tired. He continued to throw and he continued to press. I don’t see personally where he got tired and I think I can identify fatigue in a fighter pretty well. But I have to take him at his word.

“No, Andre never made any excuses about his fight. Look, it was a tough fight, a great fight. If you came to the fight and participated in the fight, you don’t have any excuses. I’m not making any excuses; I’m just saying we’re going to have a different fighter. That doesn’t guarantee victory or anything, just a different fighter.”

John David Jackson, Trainer of Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev

On the first fight against Ward:

“My opinion is the same now as it was that night: Sergey won the fight. If you look at the first half of the first fight Sergey dominated. If you look at the second half of the fight Ward got back in the game but Ward didn’t come back and dominate like the way everyone says he did. Especially with the knockdown, Sergey won the fight hands down but he unfortunately didn’t get the decision. For this fight, if he can fight the second half of this fight the way he fought the first half of the last fight, then of course we will win the fight. He has proved it publicly that he can outbox Ward at his own game. The question now is, can Ward come back and try to outbox Sergey at Sergey’s game? That is highly doubtful. Ward isn’t a big puncher and can he take Sergey’s body shot? We’ll see in the second fight what happens but if Sergey fights the second half of this fight the way he fought the first half of the last fight then he wins. I had the first half 5-1 or maybe 6-0 for Sergey but the second half I had it 3-3 or at best 4-2 for Ward. So, when you count in the knockdown, Sergey won the fight.”

On whether it’s the game plan to knock out Ward:

“No. Sergey needs to stick with his jabs and his combinations, put every round in the bank just like we did the first fight but in the second half he needs to sustain that attack. Don’t falter and he will win. If he goes for the knockout, he may not catch Ward. Ward is a very defensively sound-minded fighter. Sergey needs to be smart.”

On Sergey’s tiredness, late in the first fight:

“There is a different conditioning coach now so hopefully that helps him physically as well as mentally. They seem to work well together. If he did his job than Sergey will be fine. For the first fight Sergey was running 14 miles a day and I asked him why. I told him he was going to wear his legs out. He is still running but not nearly as much. He is saving himself for this time around. I told him that although he was fatigued he hid it pretty well. I couldn’t tell that he was fatigued. He got a different coach for the conditioning part and that should work for him. If it works for him physically, it will help him mentally. And that is a tremendous blow to help him win this fight. Now that he has brought a new guy in let’s see if that is what he needed to be more successful in his pursuit of Andre Ward.”

On prediction for the fight:

“I give Andre a lot of credit for being a very defensive-minded fighter. The fight might go the distance but that’s ok. We aren’t worried about that. If it goes the distance and Sergey does what he is supposed to do, he dominates; he should win hands down. Just think about this: if Sergey hadn’t slowed down and kept up the same pace he had, what would Ward have done differently? He would have gotten his ass whooped the same way because Sergey beat him in the first half of the fight the way he wanted to. Sergey slowed down and that allowed Ward to get back in the game. If he didn’t slow down, then what would Ward do? He would have still lost the second half of the fight the way he lost the first half. Sergey allowed him to get back in the game. He didn’t just do it; Sergey allowed him to get back in the game because he got tired.”

On the knockdown in the first fight:

“I wasn’t surprised he got up because Sergey didn’t hit him flush. It was kind of a grazing shot. It wasn’t full with his knuckles. If Sergey had hit him with a solid shot, Ward probably wouldn’t have gotten up. He got hit with a shot that wasn’t solid.”

On changes for this fight:

“We worked on the inside game. Both fighters held a lot and Sergey was to blame for that also. Now Ward thinks that he is going to hurt Sergey to the body and probably break him down. Well, guess what? If you watch Ward’s fights he grabs a lot. He is not a true inside fighter. He grabs a lot and he holds and hits with the free hand. As good as Sergey punches, do you think that he is going to stand there and take those kinds of punches to the body? No. Sergey’s mentality is different. He is a survivor-type fighter. He is defensively sound. Once he gets hit he is going to take off. He is not going to stand there and take those kinds of punches.”

Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs), WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion

“I can’t wait for Saturday night. The Mexican boxing community is going to be out there and every Mexican is ready for war, so we’re ready to put on a spectacular fight on Saturday. I believe my preparation has always been excellent and the Cuban school of boxing has always been something I’ve focused on. I believe, on Saturday, June 17, it will be shown. I train for one boxer at a time and when it comes, it comes. You just train hard all the time. No boxer intimidates me in any way. [Flores] is a good boxer and I’m impressed by his style, but I’m not intimidated by anyone. It’s a God-given gift to move [the way I do] in the ring and have the reflexes I have. It just kicks in. I go to work when I step into the ring.

“I’m 122 pounds, I’ve always been at 122 but I’ll still beat anyone at 126. Weight isn’t really much of a big issue for me. I just want the big names and the big fights. For really good quality boxing, it’s not really about size. It’s more about heart, conditioning, speed, experience, excellence – everything I’ve gone through. We live everyday based on the results and the good work we put in. All the people are intimidated to get in the ring with me.

“When you have two superstars like that – and two friends of mine – it’s hard to determine [who will win]. But they’re going to put on an excellent show on Saturday, June 17. Andre Ward will truly have to prove whether he’s the real champ and this is the real test.’

Moises Flores (25-0, 17 KOs), Interim WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion

“I feel great; I’m level-headed. I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity and do what I need to do. [Rigondeaux] being favored is not really a big deal. I’ve been the underdog during my last five fights, so this is nothing new to me. I understand the game. I’m humble; I’m OK with it, I’m ready. I’m ready to fight.

“[My reach and height] is definitely an advantage. We’re definitely going to use that advantage – we just need to use it the right way. His age will play a part in [the fight], so we need to take advantage of it and my youth. But I’m sure he’s done his job in the ring and in the gym. But so have I. I think it will be one of the toughest fights of my career because of his boxing style. He operates from a distance, his legs are strong and he’s intelligent. He doesn’t have the same speed he once had, but he’s still fast. We just need to attack him and trap him. I think my boxing style can slow him down.

“These are the opportunities you train for. He’s a boxer in every sense of the word. But what can he – or any rival – do to me that life hasn’t already done to me. [Rigondeaux] is the posterchild of a real boxer and, for all that, I give him credit. People talk because they love to see action, blood, a horror movie. They want to see combat. Rigondeaux has talked a lot and we’re going to confront him in the ring. There will be action, there will be blood. I work for that.”

Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) – Interim WBA Light Heavyweight Champion

On changing opponents from Sullivan Barrera to Cedric Agnew, a Southpaw:

“Any fight with any level opponent can create problems for a fighter. This is boxing and anything can happen. I think that if I follow the plan that we have set everything is going to be good. I am definitely glad with the way things have gone now. It is my 11th fight and I am glad to be fighting on such a big event on HBO Pay-Per-View. It is a great honor. It is a great achievement for me. We have set certain goals with my manager, my trainer, my promoter and the rest of my team and so far, everything is going by the plan. I am very glad that everything is going the way it is.”

On the Russian light heavyweights:

“I have certain pressures in my career and in boxing most of those pressures come from what I have to accomplish for myself. The goals I have set are for myself. It really isn’t a competition or a comparison to other fighters from Russia or any other fighters in the division. As long as I am achieving what I have set out to do and as long as I am going beyond what I am supposed to be doing fight after fight, that is the achievement for me. That’s a win for me.”

On his opponent:

“I never really try to set the main goal of knocking somebody out. Obviously, I want to showcase a good, exciting fight. I will be looking for openings and if there are openings I will use as many of them as I can. Hopefully, I can try to finish the fight earlier but I am ready to go the full ten rounds if I have to.”

Cedric Agnew (29-2, 17 KOs) – Former WBO Light Heavyweight World Championship Challenger

On his opponent:

“I think he is a pretty tough competitor but that goes without saying because everyone is a tough competitor. My thing is to overcome what I am dealing with that night and to impose my will on him and come out with the victory. It is going to be an all-out war. I am just trying to take it to him the whole fight. The things they say about him [Bivol] are the same things they said about Kovalev. I didn’t run from Kovalev. I can take a hit. I just need to stand in there and try to overcome that storm for the first few rounds and stay focused, stay grounded and stay ready.”

On his title fight with Kovalev in 2014:

“I just underestimated him. It was a learning experience. I grew from it. I am still trying to grow. Afterwards, we went back to the gym and we worked on different things and worked on perfecting different parts of my craft. We’re not quite where we need to be but things are moving in the right direction. People don’t know certain things that a fighter deals with on fight night and in training camp. He could be feeling physically ready but not mentally ready. We need to give fighters a chance to prove themselves and comeback after a loss. People look at fighters like they are not human but we are human too.”

On his confidence for this fight:

“If I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t be taking this fight. My thing is to fight the best-of-the-best in my weight class, to prove to myself and prove to the naysayers out there. I have been the underdog in quite a few fights and it doesn’t bother me at all. My thing is, those who really know me know I am not an underdog. It is going to be an action fight. It is going to be a grit and grind war out there. I am here to showcase my talent, my skills and it is going to be an amazing fight. You’re gonna see me fight a hell of a fight. You’re gonna see a lot of Cedric Agnew come Saturday night.”

Luis Arias, USBA Middleweight Champion (17-0, 8 KOs)

“I should have been at this stage (in my career) already but timing is everything. For whatever reason, my timing is now. I’m a little late; I’m 27 and should be fighting for a world title by now. But give it another year and I’ll be fighting for a world title. I’m just going to make a statement. I’m going to get him [Magomedov] out of there and I’m just going to start calling out some names.

“The middleweight [division] is definitely one of the top divisions in the game right now; I think it’s middleweight, welterweight and heavyweight that are the popular divisions in the game. I’m coming out at the perfect time. There’s a mega-fight coming in September in my weight class. The goal is to get the winner.

“[Magomedov] has a good record. He has the best record that I’ve fought so far. I honestly don’t feel like he’ll be my toughest opponent. But like I said, we’ll have to wait and see. He’s coming off a loss; he got dominated by an opponent. He’s fighting an undefeated champion, who is very confident and strong. Had the best camp I ever had. We’ll just have to wait and see. If he’s willing to take it, I’m willing to dish it out for 10 rounds but it will be over before then. We’ll find out Saturday night.”

Arif Magomedov (18-1, 11 KOs) – Former NABO Middleweight Champion

On his only career loss:

“It was a long time ago; it was more than one year ago. I know I did a big mistake, I know what it was and right now I am preparing completely different. We are going to see everything is going to work for me for sure. I know why I lost the fight before and I know where I made my mistake. That guy was not very good and I was fighting in even more better fighters. I know how I’m going to work to (give him a loss).”

On his opponent:

“He’s a very good boxer; he never had a loss and I watched a lot of his fights. I saw the video on the internet about him and he’s very fast and a very tough guy. I think he is one of the best opponents I ever had. Anybody who saw my fights on the internet probably tell that I’m going all the time straight, I give a lot of power punches and I’m doing a lot of combinations all the time.”

On extra motivation coming to the United States as the underdog:

“I got the goal to have performance here in the United States and I am reaching it step-by-step. I’m going to the big shows and I know that one day I’m going to be a champion. People in the United States love boxing more than in my country. People are very loud here and you can feel the fans are very (interested) in the boxing; they know who is good in boxing.”

Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.

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LAS VEGAS: When WBA Light Heavyweight Interim Champion Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs) in a ten-round battle on Saturday, June 17 on the televised undercard of Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” it may be the first time many fans watching on television or live at the Mandalay Bay Events Center catch a glimpse of the up-and-coming light heavyweight prospect from Kyrgyzstan. Boxing fans are certain to remember Bivol after they witness his exciting style and aggressive power. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay Per View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Bivol is originally from Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan and now resides in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In his short two and a half-year pro career, he has quickly made a name for himself in the light heavyweight division. In his first ten fights, he amassed eight knockouts for an 80% knockout-to-win ratio. In only his seventh professional bout, he secured the WBA Light Heavyweight Interim Title when he knocked down Felix Valera twice on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Since then, he is 3-0 with two knockouts over Robert Berridge and Samuel Clarkson, despite only being 26 years old.

Despite his impressive and lightning-fast rise through the light heavyweight rankings, Bivol stays grounded in his approach to his next fight against Agnew. He said, “I look at my fights a bit differently; I don’t assume that one is more important than the other. A boxing career is like a staircase and when you successful with each win, you move up the staircase and this fight, of course, is another step up the staircase for me.”

He isn’t letting the added pressure of an international pay per view telecast affect his concentration and drive. “In reality, when you are inside the ring, mentally there is no difference whether you are at home or in the US or somewhere else,” said Bivol. “You have your opponent in front of you and that’s all I think about. I enjoy fighting in the US because the fans are very supportive and they will support the fighter they like, no matter what country or nationality he is. It’s all about being fan-friendly; anybody can create a big fan base for themselves in the US! We have our preparation system, our technique which we adhere to. It works well for me so we don’t change it much and just make adjustments to the different opponents we are facing.”

When asked about Agnew he added, “Agnew is an experienced boxer. He fought for the world title before against Sergey Kovalev. I have not faced opponents of his experience yet. I think he will stick to the same tactics that he usually does. He has been victorious in many fights using his counterpunching technique. I expect him to do the same with me. We will see what happens in the ring on fight night.”

Bivol’s trainer, Gennadii Mashyanov, said “Preparation to the fight goes in regular mode, I don’t like to give any predictions, so I can only tell that we are getting ready for the battle that fans and boxing experts will like.”

Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Water, Zappos and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

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LAS VEGAS: Before fans at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and those watching live on pay-per-view are treated to the much-anticipated rematch between Andre “S.O.G.” Ward and Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles on June 17, they will be excited by another stellar light heavyweight match-up between Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) and Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs). This 10-round bout is presented by Main Events and World of Boxing in association with DiBella Entertainment. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

“Cedric Agnew is the opponent with the biggest name in my career so far,” said Bivol. “He is an experienced fighter and is well-skilled defensively. The Kovalev and Ward rematch is the most important fight in the light heavyweight division right now and I am honored to be part of such an event. I am very motivated and excited about this fight and I am anxious to showcase my skills in the mecca of boxing of Las Vegas, USA live on one of the top boxing networks of HBO Pay-Per-View.”

Bivol’s promoter Andrei Ryabinsky of World of Boxing added, “Only two months after his last victory in the USA on June 17, Dmitry Bivol will come back into the ring against Cedric Agnew. This fight will be aired live on HBO Pay-Per-View as part of the telecast of the Ward vs. Kovalev rematch. It makes me happy that two boxers from Russia will headline such an important boxing event and I will be rooting for them!”

Finally, Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, said, “Initially Kathy Duva reached out to us about fighting Barrera on the Ward-Kovalev II card and we had to make a decision quickly. Even though Barrera chose to take another fight, Kathy came forward with another opponent to stick to her offer and keep Bivol on the card. It has been a pleasing experience in putting this fight together with Kathy and the rest of the Main Events team. In his last fight against Samuel Clarkson in April, Dmitry Bivol has proven that he is one of the major forces in his division and started building a US fan base for his aggressive and exciting style. On June 17, he will face Cedric Agnew on HBO Pay-Per-View in a fight where not only will he have to perform up to his reputation, but also be at his best on the biggest stage of his professional career. Bivol is in the third week of camp in Los Angeles with his trainer Genndaii Mashyanov and will be ready to shine come June 17.”

Bivol will face a great challenge with Agnew who replied, “This is my destiny and I won’t let anything or anyone stop me from conquering it. I will show everyone on fight night how serious I am. Team L.O.W.”

Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, “Working with World of Boxing, Andrei, Vadim and Dmitry has been a delight. We were originally talking to them about facing Sullivan Barrera on the Ward-Kovalev 2 undercard, which would have been a huge step up for Dmitry Bivol, and he and his team did not hesitate in taking that fight. When Sullivan was offered a bigger opportunity against Joe Smith Jr. on HBO on July 15, it just made sense to stick with Bivol, who is a rising talent in the light heavyweight division, and find him an opponent. That part was not easy! All credit to Cedric Agnew who was willing to take on this undefeated prospect.”

“We’re aware that Bivol is considered the next big thing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Cedric Agnew is a true professional and a quality boxer. He was not an easy out for Kovalev. I don’t expect that he will be an easy out for Bivol. Agnew will show up to win.”

Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) is quickly making a name for himself as the next big knockout artist in the light heavyweight division. The 26-year-old from Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan, now residing in Saint Petersburg, Russia, made his professional debut in 2014 with a sixth-round knockout over Jorge Rodriguez Olivera. He has won his first 10 professional bouts with eight of those wins coming by way of the knockout for an 80% knockout-to-win ratio. In 2016, he handed Felix Valera his only career loss with a lopsided unanimous decision victory to secure the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight World Title. In February of this year, he had his first defense of his WBA Title with a fourth round TKO over Robert Berridge. Less than two months after his win over Berridge, he travelled to the US and stopped Samuel Clarkson in the fourth round in his second title defense of the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight World Title.

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (29-2, 15 KOs), is a seasoned veteran southpaw despite still being in the prime of his career at age 30. He made his professional debut in 2007 with a second-round knockout and went on to win his next 25 fights in a row, stopping 12 of those opponents. Next, he challenged then WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev who stopped him in the seventh-round back in 2014. Since, he loss to Kovalev he is 3-1, 2 KOs. His only other loss is a controversial split-decision against Samuel Clarkson, the young southpaw prospect from Texas. Two judges scored the bout 76-75 in favor of Clarkson and one judge scored the bout 76-75 in favor of Agnew. He holds notable wins over Yusaf Mack, Otis Griffin and Daniel Judah. In his most recent bout he stopped Martin Verdin in the second-round in February of this year.

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Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Water, Zappos and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office.

ATLANTIC CITY–Sergey Kovalev may not be getting the fight with Adonis Stevenson that he was hoping for, but he was professional in scoring three knockdowns en route to a 7th round stoppage to retain the WBO Light Heavyweight title at the Adrian Phillips Ballroom inside of Boardwalk Hall.

Agnew came out in a southpaw stance and tried to land quick combnations while Kovalev was looking for the right hand. the only action of consequence was a low blow landed by Agnew. At the end if round two, Kovalev landed a hard left hook that dumped Agnew on the canvas. In round three, Kovalev landed a huge four punch combimation that stunned and had Agnew holding on. Round four saw Agnew slip and counter better. Kovalev started to bleed from around his right eye that was ruled from a punch. In round six, Kovalev dropped Agnew for a 2nd time from a body punch. The action was good for the rest of the round, as there was a lot of contact that opened up a cut under Kovalev’s left eye and blood from Agnew’s mouth.

Moments into round seven, Kovalev hit Agnew with what looked like a jab to the body that sent Agnew down for referee Sammy Viruet’s ten count at 58 seconds of round 7.

Kovalev, 174.3 lbs of Russia now 24-0-1 with 22 knockouts. Agnew, 174.4 lbs of Chicago is now 26-1.

After the fight Krusher said, “It was a difficult fight tonight because I got the two cuts. One from his hand and one from his shoulder. I don’t like the floor. He has good defense. I found the key – the left to the body. This is very good for me. I was ready for 12 rounds – just to try. He is not a fighter, he is just a boxer. I tried to box with him. I found the key to the body. I found this open place in his defense and my last punch was more harder.” When asked about Adonis Stevenson Kovalev responded, “Adonis Stevenson is a piece of shit. I will fight any champion in my division. I want to get another title. I am ready for anyone. I will be great boxer.

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva said, “Agnew was far tougher than anyone gave him credit for. Sergey is just incredible. We look forward to a nice long run with the best light heavyweight in the world.

Cedric Agnew said only, “I will be back.”

Thomas Dulorme scored a 10 round unanimous decision over Karim Mayfield in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

A right in the first round buckled Mayfield. Dulorme continued to get home with the right hand one at a time. Mayfield started to be agressive in the 3rd. At the end of the round the two exchanged in a furious fashion with Dulorme landed a left hook at the bell.

Round six saw Mayfield land a nice overhand righy onky to get hit right back with a powerful left hook. Round seven saw some good action with Mayfield striking first with a nice right over the top. Dulorme answered back with a hard left hook that momentarily stunned Mayfield. Mayfield was cut around the left eye from a accidental headbutt. Mayfield fought back in round eight with an overhand right. Dulorme landed two hard low blows that stopped the action briefly. Mayfield tried to make a last stand as he chased Dulorme in between landing a couple of nice overhand rights.

Dulorme, 139.8 lbs of Carolina, PR won by scores of 98-92, 97-94 and 96-93 and is now 21-1. Mayfield, 139.6 lbs of San Francisco, CA is now 18-1-1.

“Tonight I wanted to show the world that I’m a force in the Jr. Welterweight division,” said Dulorme. “Mayfield was an undefeated fighter who punches with a lot of power but he never hurt me. Robert Garcia and Alex Ariza are taking me to another level and I believe I’m the best Jr. Welterweight in the world.”

“My promoter Gary Shaw said he wants to see me in a big fight with a world champion in the near future. I’m ready to fight the best. Shaw and I are ready to take on all comers. I dedicate this fight to my people back home in Puerto Rico.” Dulorme concluded.

“Dulorme showed great poise tonight against a power puncher who likes to brawl,” said Gary Shaw. “He’s now in position to challenge any of the champions at 140lbs and I’ll talk with his team to see what we can put together. This is a great win for Dulorme and I’m proud of his accomplishments thus far. Garcia and Ariza are doing a great job with him and happy they’ve united. He’s on his way to big time fights.”

Light Heavyweights Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson (15-3, 9 KOs) of Buffalo, NY and Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic (15-0, 10 KOs) of St. Petersburg, FL met for eight rounds (originally scheduled for ten rounds was cut due to unforeseen delays with the undercard) just prior to the co-feature. “Hot Rod” started strong but tired in the later rounds. Thompson turned it on as Kalajdzic began to wear down but it was not enough to secure the victory. Kalajdzic won via split decision with the judges scoring the bout 78-72 and 76-75 for Kalajdzic and 77-75 for Thompson. The referee Allen Huggins deducted a point from Thompson for spitting out his mouthpiece. Lonnie B said, “I think the score was kind of crazy. I felt like it was close. He is a good fighter. I thought I did enough in the later rounds to win. He fought a tough fight. I am going to go back in the gym, work on my mistakes and come back stronger next time. I thank God that I just came out safe. I am sorry I didn’t get the decision tonight but mark my words I will be back.”

For the first fully international card of the night junior middleweight Puerto Rican Wilky Campfort (17-1, 9 KOs) took on undefeated Khurshid Abdullaev (6-1-1, 3 KOs) of Russia for eight rounds. Campfort knocked Abdullaev down in the first and in the second Campfort threw Abdullaev out of the ring. The Russian came back with a vengeance in the third getting in several key hits. This gutty, gritty brawl was almost too close to call. Campfort won via a very close split decision with the judges scoring the bout 77-74 for Campfort, 76-74 for Abdullaev and 76-75 for Campfort.

Late in round one, Campfort dropped Abdullaev from a right hook. Abdullaev turned the tabled in round two by rocking Campfort and opening up a huge flurry to the point where Campfort threw Abdullaev to the canvas. It was a tough bout throughout as Abdullaev

Heavyweight Adam Kownacki scored a 2nd round stoppage over Excell Holmes in a scheduled 4 round bout.

Kownacki dominated and the fight was stopped after a huge flurry at 41 seconds of round two.

Kowncaki, 254 lbs of Brooklyn is now 6-0 with 6 knockouts. Holmes, 244 lbs of Buffalo is 2-3-1.

Michael Mitchell scored a 2nd round stoppage over Rafael Jastrzbeski in a scheduled four round Super Middleweight bout.

Mitchell scored 2 knockdowns and the fight was stopped at 2:53 of round two.

Mitchell, 163.8 lbs of Paterson, NJ is now 3-3-2 with 1 knockout. Jastrzbeski, 166 lbs of Vineland, NJ is now 4-8-1.

Wellington Romero scored a four round unanimous decision over Gerald Smith in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Romero scored a knockdown in the first when a left hand drove Smith backfirst into the corner pad. Romero land a hard combination on the ropes in round two.

Scores were 40-35 on all cards for Romero, 138.6 lbs and is now 3-0. Smith, 139.2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 3-1.

In a battle of undefeated Middleweights, Ismael Garcia scored a six round unanimous decision over Dushane Crooks.

It was a spirited bout that saw Garcia, 156 lbs of Vineland, NJ win all cards by a 58-56 tally and is now 6-0. Crooks, 153.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 6-1.

Atlantic City, NJ: Today amidst all the press about a potential fight with Adonis Stevenson, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) faced the media and his opponent Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) at Caesars to discuss the fight in front of them Saturday night at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall and live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Agnew & Kovalev
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva started things off reminiscing about her experiences at Boardwalk Hall with the late great Arturo Gatti, “We are very pleased to be back here in Atlantic City, NJ. The last time we were at Boardwalk Hall was seven years ago when Arturo Gatti last fought at Boardwalk Hall against Alfonso Gomez. If these walls could talk… Now we have a fight worthy of the house that Gatti built. Ken Condon is the reason that boxing is in Atlantic City and it is wonderful to be here.”

Ken Condon, entertainment and sports consultant to Caesars AC said, “It is a pleasure to have Kathy and Main Events back in Atlantic City. It brings back a lot of great memories. She continues her commitment to Atlantic City boxing and so does Caesars. We are looking forward to a great weekend in Atlantic City. We are looking forward to welcoming Sergey and Cedric to Atlantic City. We have very few tickets left so I wouldn’t wait until Saturday to try to get them because they will probably be sold out by then. We look forward to creating a great relationship with Sergey Kovalev and HBO going forward.”

Krusher Kovalev
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Duva also addressed questions about why Kovalev is fighting on HBO. She said, “Sergey Kovalev is fighting on HBO because it is the network of champions. HBO is the network that built each and every legendary fighter in the last 30 years. In the United States during the last 30 years no superstar has been built on any other network. Sergey’s plan is to become a legend. That is why he is fighting on HBO.”

Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports said, “We are very excited to have this event on HBO. We are always pleased to be back in Atlantic City. Boardwalk Hall is the home of many storied fights and Saturday we plan add another fight to that collection. These are the types of fighters HBO loves. It isn’t easy to find people who will step up and fight Sergey. This is Sergey’s debut on the network in a main event. We believe there is going to be a lot of action which will lead to big things down the road.”

Kathy Duva said it is usually difficult to find opponents for Sergey but it was not difficult with Cedric Agnew. She said, “On Saturday, Sergey will fight an undefeated fighter who asked for this fight. Clearly he has a lot of courage. I have always respected a fighter with that attitude.”

Cedric Agnew
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
Cedric’s promoter Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions said, “We are ecstatic to be here. This is a fight this kid wanted. This is a fight he plans to win. We are glad that everyone in the media, and hopefully Kovalev, have overlooked him. I know Cedric can’t wait for the fight to begin. Cedric has trained hard and is the hardest working fighter I have ever worked with.”

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew said, “Everyone who knows me knows I am very quiet. I would like to thank HBO for this opportunity and my team for helping me prepare for this fight. I am ready to go out there and show the world what I am capable of. And show the naysayers what I am capable of. There are always going to be naysayers out there and people who overlook me. I say nothing to them and I will keep doing what I am doing. Saturday I need to fight smart and always be the smartest fighter in the ring. Sergey is a pretty good fighter. He is a tough guy. He is a world champion. He earned that spot. Come Saturday night I will earn mine.”

Duva, Kovalev & Klimas
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Kovalev’s manager Egis Klimas reminisced about the path he took with Sergey to get here, “Sergey and I have been down a very long road and it wasn’t easy. When Sergey came from Russia he didn’t speak a word of English. Our relationship is more than just manager-fighter. He is like my son. I took him all over the country to get him any fight we could. At that time nobody wanted him. Then I brought him to Main Events and they took the opportunity. Since then we have had a good relationship with Main Events. They did a very good job to get us here. This is our first main event on HBO. I wanted to thank Cedric’s team for taking this opportunity. I wanted to thank Sergey who trusted in me for all those years when I told him to be patient and that one day we would get here. Finally we are here with Main Events on HBO in Atlantic City. Saturday night do not reach for the popcorn or go for a beer during this fight because you can miss it.”

Agnew & Kovalev
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
Krusher’s trainer, John David Jackson, kept Sergey focused these last few months while he trained for this fight. He said, “I want to thank everyone at Main Events, they are a first class company. It is great to be back here at Caesars. I appreciate all that they are doing for us. This is an intriguing fight. I take my hat off to Cedric for taking the fight because a lot of fighters talk a big game but when it comes down to it they don’t want to fight Sergey. We are not overlooking him at all. He is the present and we are not looking over him. We have to get passed him to get to the next phase in Sergey’s career. Sergey has great boxing skills but we won’t know if he will ever get to use them. Sergey is one of the hardest working guys I have ever worked with. It is a great night of boxing. Expect a great evening of boxing all around.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev said, “I am not a talker but I just want to say stay tuned and don’t miss HBO Saturday night. I will try to make a good fight. Thank you to Cedric Agnew for agreeing to fight with me. Thank you to Kathy Duva and HBO. I don’t have any predictions for this fight. He is an undefeated guy and so am I. He has big motivation. He is on HBO and it is a title fight. I am going to do my job. Short fights are the result of my job and my work in the gym. I am only boxing. I go into the ring to show good boxing. I want to show the people what they want to see in the ring from me.”

When asked about the Adonis Stevenson situation, Sergey laughed and said, “I never go into the ring thinking about someone else. I want to say good luck to Adonis is in his career but someday he will meet my punch. We will talk about it after the fight.”

Finally, Duva discussed the undercard fights, “The undercard is loaded with tremendous fights if you can make it to Boardwalk Hall. We are going to have a group of fighters whose combined records are: 91-11 (64 KOs) vs. 76-5 (42 KOs). I would also like to thank our sponsors Caesars AC, Do AC and Khortitsia Vodka.”

About March 29:

March 29 features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The telecast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

Atlantic City, NJ: Saturday night the Russian wrecking ball Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) will make his second defense of his WBO Light Heavyweight Title against undefeated Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from Chicago, IL at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Kovalev will be making his third appearance on HBO Boxing After Dark, but his first appearance in the hit series’ main event. Agnew will be making his HBO debut.

Krusher Kovalev
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Kovalev, 30, has had a stellar career thus far knocking out 21 of his opponents for an astounding 91% knockout-to-win ratio. He knocked out Nathan Cleverly in the fourth round on August 17, 2013 in Cleverly’s backyard of Cardiff, Wales to win the WBO Light Heavyweight Title in his first HBO appearance. Then on November 30, 2013 he traveled to Quebec, Canada for his first title defense and his second HBO appearance where he knocked out Ismayl Sillakh in the second round. Kovalev has knocked out his last seven opponents (two in the second round, three in the third round, one in the fourth round and one in the seventh round). This will be his first title defense on US soil.

HBO Boxing Video News Update: Sergey Krusher Kovalev (HBO Boxing)
HBO Boxing Video News Update: Sergey Krusher Kovalev
(HBO Boxing)

Krusher is very excited to be back on HBO. He said, “I am very happy to fight again on HBO. This is a very big thing for me. It is a dream come true for me to be the main event on HBO. I promise my fans a great show.”

Agnew, 27, is also undefeated with a 50% knockout-to-win ratio. He knocked out Daniel Judah in the sixth round on November 3, 2011 in Dallas, TX to take the then vacant WBC US (USNBC) Light Heavyweight Title. Then Cedric successfully defended his title on May 3, 2012 when he defeated Otis Griffin via unanimous decision in twelve rounds in Dallas, TX. He picked up the USBA Light Heavyweight title on April 12, 2013 when he defeated Yusaf Mack in twelve rounds via unanimous decision in New Buffalo, MI.

Cedric Agnew
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events
Agnew said, “It feels good to make my HBO debut and I want to thank them for this opportunity to showcase my skills on the big stage. This is a very good opportunity for me. I am just going to go out and fight a smart fight. I am staying focused and staying humble. I am just looking to put on a great show come Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.”

Malcolm Garrett, Cedric’s promoter said, “I know Cedric is ready for this fight. Most importantly, he knows he is ready for this fight. He wants this fight. There is no hesitation on his part. We are ecstatic to be fighting on HBO this is what we have been working towards for a long time. This is like a dream come true for him.”

HBO Boxing Video News Update: Cedric Agnew (HBO Boxing)
HBO Boxing Video News Update: Cedric Agnew (HBO Boxing)

This light heavyweight match-up is scheduled for twelve rounds but Kovalev has never been taken deeper than eight rounds in his professional career. The only time he went a full eight was in a split decision victory over Darnell Boone on October 9, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. Cedric has gone twelve rounds twice in his career (a unanimous decision win over Yusaf Mack on April 12, 2013 and a unanimous decision win over Otis Griffin on May 3, 2012 ) and ten rounds once (a unanimous decision victory over Rayco Saunders on May 1, 2008). In order to defeat the Krusher, Cedric’s best strategy is to try to outlast the Russian into the later rounds – that is, of course, assuming he can handle Kovalev’s intense power.

Kovalev & Agnew
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Main Events CEO, Kathy Duva, said, “It will be interesting to see if Agnew can take Sergey into deep waters. Usually the champion has the advantage of late round experience, but we haven’t been able to find anyone that lasted past the fourth round with Kovalev!”

“Krusher Kovalev had a spectacular introduction to HBO subscribers in 2013,” said Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports. “Now he gets to headline his first telecast on the network in his 2014 debut. We look forward to an exciting night of action at Boardwalk Hall.”

About March 29:

March 29 features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The telecast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

HBO’s hit late-night boxing franchise returns for an all-action doubleheader when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. CEDRIC AGNEW AND KARIM MAYFIELD VS. THOMAS DULORME is seen SATURDAY, MARCH 29 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Adrian Phillips Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman and Roy Jones Jr. will be ringside for the event, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: March 30 (10:00 a.m.) and April 1 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: March 30 (4:45 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 p.m.)
In the 12-round main event, Krusher Kovalev (23-0, 21 KOs) of Russia defends his light heavyweight crown against Chicago’s Cedric Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs). Surging to the top of the 175-pound division in powerhouse fashion, the undefeated Kovalev, 30, knocked out his last six opponents in four rounds or fewer, most recently defeating top contender Ismayl Sillakh on HBO in November. Fans expect another remarkable display of power from Kovalev, who now calls Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., home.
A formidable challenger in his own right, the undefeated Agnew, 27, has taken the competition the distance in each of his last four bouts. He turned in a convincing performance in his most recent outing, an April 2013 contest against Yusaf Mack, earning a shot at a major title in his HBO debut.
The evening opens with a junior welterweight matchup expected to thrill, as San Francisco’s Karim Mayfield (18-0-1, 11 KOs) and Thomas Dulorme (20-1, 14 KOs) of Carolina, Puerto Rico, meet for a scheduled ten-round, 140-pound bout. The undefeated 33-year-old Mayfield knocked out Christopher Fernandez in eight rounds in his previous bout last September. Making his HBO debut in 2012 with a ten-round drubbing of rugged veteran Mauricio Herrera for a unanimous decision victory, Mayfield expects to shine in his first trip to Atlantic City.
In his only previous HBO appearance, Dulorme, 24, fell to Luis Carlos Abregu in the seventh round of their 2012 title bout, despite a game performance. Since then, the highly-valued prospect has scored two knockouts and two decisions to go undefeated in 2013. This will be Dulorme’s second visit to Boardwalk Hall.
Immediately following the doubleheader, HBO will present the premiere of 24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2 at 12 midnight (ET/PT).
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
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Atlantic City, NJ: Undefeated light heavyweight Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) has yet to go beyond eight rounds in any professional bout in his career, because 91% of the time he knocks out his opponent before the fight gets too far, but if Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) hopes to defeat Krusher taking him into the later rounds may be his best shot for success on March 29 at Boardwalk Hall. Below is the scouting report for the March 29 fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship at Boardwalk Hall on HBO Boxing After Dark:

Category
Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
Age
30
27
Record
23-0-1, 21 KOs
26-0-0, 13 KOs
Weight
174
174
Strength
Kovalev has ring intelligence, footwork, punching power and laser focus. He is incredibly agile and flexible. He moves very well on his feet and is never out of position.
Agnew is a pure boxer with a strong US amateur background. He is undefeated. His focus will be 100% on this-the biggest fight of his life.
Weakness
Sergey has never been extended to the later rounds so there is no way to know what will happen if Cedric takes him deep. There has been a lot of speculation about the possibility of future unification bouts, this could tempt him to lose focus and look past Agnew.
Cedric has never fought a fighter of Sergey’s caliber. He has never been on the big stage and fought under the bright lights so there is no way to know how he will respond to the pressure.
Experience
Kovalev is the more experienced fighter. He has fought better competition and has beaten his recent opposition (Cleverly and Sillakh) to the punch.
Although Agnew has not fought the same level of opponents as Kovalev he has defeated everyone who was put in front of him
Power
They don’t call him “Krusher” for nothing!
Cedric will have to rely on his boxing skills, as Kovalev is the more powerful boxer.
Endurance
Sergey’s endurance is still untested as he has never had to go beyond 8 rounds.
Agnew has gone 12 rounds twice and been extended to 10 rounds once, so he gets the edge here with his experience.
Accuracy
Kovalev is extremely accurate. Against Sillakh he connected for 36.9% of his overall punches and 43.4% of his power punches.
Agnew is more of a boxer so if Sergey allows him to, he will connect with the jab.
Defense
Kovalev has not had to use a lot of his defense lately, so it is still a question mark.
For any opponent stepping into the ring against Sergey their main concern is going to be their defense because he has incredible punching power. For Cedric, questions remain about whether or not he was able to improve his defense during training camp.
Style
Kovalev’s style is to seek and destroy.
Cedric is a more classic boxer.
Intangibles
Kovalev has the confidence of a champion; he is remarkably focused and intense.
Agnew was the only Light Heavyweight to ask for this fight and accept the terms.
Crowd Support
Kovalev is fast becoming a big star so he will likely have most of the crowd with him.
As the American in this fight some of the fans will be with Agnew on 3/29.
The Match-Up
Kovalev is favored, but Agnew is a pure boxer who has a chance to extend Kovalev into the later rounds. If so, he will take Kovalev to a place where he has never been at a time when his focus may be elsewhere.

Questions:
1. Will Sergey be able to handle a pure boxer inside the ring?
2. Will Agnew fold under the lights?
3. Will Sergey be looking past this fight onto bigger fights?
4. Will Agnew be able to take Sergey’s punch if it connects?

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva says, “Never miss a moment of a Krusher fight because you never know when it will all be over. He is electrifying in the ring and this will be his first main event on HBO so look for him to dominate early.”

About March 29th:

March 29th features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The telecast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

Atlantic City, NJ: 28 year old light heavyweight Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson (15-2-0, 9KOs) is looking to keep his streak of three straight wins alive as the highlight of the undercard of the Kovalev-Agnew fight at Boardwalk Hall on March 29 with his ten round match-up against the undefeated Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic (14-0-0, 10 KOs) originally of Zenica, Bosnia.

Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson
Photo Credits: Larry Levanti/Main Events
Lonnie’s three straight victories include two unanimous decisions, one on December 14, 2013 against Ryan Coyne in ten rounds as the co-feature on NBCSN Fight Night at Resorts in Atlantic City, NJ, the other an eight round unanimous decision victory over Yathomas Riley at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY on May 11, 2013, and a second round TKO against Chuck Mussachio at Bally’s Event Center in Atlantic City, NJ on February 23, 2013. He said, “It is very important for me to keep the momentum going after three straight wins but I really don’t focus on that. I just don’t plan on losing for the rest of my career. I just think about dominating every opponent I get in the ring with.”

Thompson has not lost since September 21, 2012 when he suffered a third round TKO (on nine days’ notice) at the hands of Main Events stable mate Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, who is coincidentally defending his WBO Light Heavyweight Title in the main event on March 29. Lonnie reflects on the Kovalev fight as a great learning experience and a chance to prove he can get right back in the ring. He said, “After the Kovalev fight I came right back and I think a lot of people are overlooking that. A lot of guys take a loss and take like ten months off. I came in as an opponent and dominated my next three opponents. I didn’t take the easy fights. I came in with all odds against me.”

Thompson vs. Coyne
Photo Credits: Larry Levanti/Main Events
Lonnie is originally from Buffalo, NY but he is training for this fight in Manhattan, NY at Mendez Boxing. He said he has a great sparring partner to help him prepare to fight Kalajdzic, “I have a sparring fighter that fights exactly like him but just a little more aggressive. My sparring partner is Russian and he works out perfect to prepare me for this fight. He doesn’t speak the language but he is strong as hell. I’m ready.”

The undefeated Kalajdzic has a 71% knockout-to-win-ratio but Thompson’s manager, Kevin Diever, does not think that will matter, “He has never faced anybody with the competition of Lionell. He has a protected record. Lionell is quicker and has the ability to destroy this guy. This time he is both physically and mentally prepared. He is going to have contend with the best version of Lionell.”

According to Main Events’ matchmaker Jolene Mizzone, Kalajdzic wanted this fight, “This is a fight where the opponent called and specifically asked to fight Thompson. Getting opponents for Lonnie is not easy. Kalajdzic is young and hungry and he wants to fight the guy that no one wants to fight. That says a lot about him. This will be Kalajdzic’s biggest test to date.”

About March 29th:

March 29th features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The broadcast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

Atlantic City, NJ: Light-heavyweight contender Lionell “Lonnie B.” Thompson (15-2-0, 9 KOs) hopes to continue his climb into the world title picture when he boxes Radivoje Kalajdzic (14-0-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round contest next Saturday evening, March 29, at Boardwalk Hall.

The Thompson-Kalajdzic match tops a stacked card in support of the scheduled 12-round main event between WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and undefeated challenger Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) in a HBO-televised contest.

“Lonnie B” Thompson
Photo Credits:
Larry Levanti/Main Events
Thompson, 28, of Buffalo, NY, gave his career a boost in 2013 with wins over Chuck Mussachio, of Wildwood, NJ (a second round RTD at Bally’s in Atlantic City, NJ); Yathomas Riley, Panama City, FL (an eight round unanimous decision at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY) and Ryan Coyne, of St. Louis, MO (a ten round unanimous decision at Resorts International Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ).

A pro since 2009, Thompson is ranked No. 8 by the WBA. Thompson was a five-time Golden Gloves Champion in New York State. He has trained with world champions and top contenders including Chad Dawson, Carl Froch and Lucian Bute.

Kalajdzic, 22, is from Zenica, Bosnia, but now lives in St. Petersburg, FL. He has won all 14 of his pro fights, 10 by knockout, since turning pro in 2011. He has knocked out his last three opponents in the first round: Samson Onyango of Newark, NJ; Charles Hayward of Philadelphia, PA; and Otis Griffin of Sacramento, CA (all in Tampa, FL). All three were quality opponents with a combined record of 53-26-2 at fight time.

In an eight-round junior middleweight match, Wilky Campfort (16-1-0, 9 KOs) returns to Atlantic City for the second time this year when he takes on Khurshid Abdullaev (6-0-1, 3 KOs).

Wilky Campfort
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
Campfort, 29, of Ft. Lauderale, FL, earned an eight-round split decision over Atlantic City’s DeCarlo Perez in a toe-to-toe brawl on Jan. 24 at Resorts International Casino and Hotel in Atlantic, City, NJ. Abdullaev, 24, is originally from Russia but now resides in Oxnard, CA. He is undefeated in six professional bouts with three knockouts (third round against Khalik Memminger May 11, 2013; third round against Alexey Kulikov on April 27, 2010; and first round against Dmytro Bolotskyy on February 27, 2010).

Local favorite Ismael Garcia (5-0-1, 3 KOs), of Vineland, NJ, and southpaw DuShane Crooks (6-0-0, 4 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, meet over six rounds in a battle of undefeated junior middleweight prospects. Garcia has knocked out his last three opponents (Michael Sunkett in the second round on August 24, 2013; Alando Swain in the sixth round on June 1, 2013; and Kenneth Moody in the first round on July 27, 2012).

Crooks has a tendency to knockout is opponents early. In six professional bouts he has four knockouts. He knocked out Michael Taylor on November 12, 2011 in the first round, he finished Tyrone Braswell in the first round on August 12, 2011 and then took out his brother, Tyshone Braswell, in the first round a month later on September 17, 2011 in Tyshone’s professional debut. In his professional debut, Crooks also knocked out On’rey Towns on May 21, 2011 in the second round.

Wellington Romero
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events
Wellington Romero (2-0-0, 1 KO), who represented the Dominican Republic in the 2012 Olympics, takes on Gerald Smith (3-0-0, 1 KO), of Philadelphia, PA, in a four-round junior welterweight match. The 23-year-old Romero is coming off a first round knockout of Ismael Serrano, of Bethlehem, PA on January 24th at Resorts International Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Smith, 28, is.

Adam Kownacki
Photo Credits: Mike Gladysz
Popular heavyweight Adam Kownacki (5-0-0, 5 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, looks for his sixth knockout in six pro fights when he meets Excell Holmes (2-2-1, 1 KO), of Buffalo, NY, over four rounds.

Super middleweight Rafael Jastrzebski (4-7-1, 1 KO), 32, of Atlantic City, and Mike Mitchell (2-3-2), 36, of Paterson, NJ, collide in a four-rounder.

The total combined records for the entire event is 91-11, 64 KOs vs. 76-5, 42 KOs.

About March 29th:

March 29th features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The broadcast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

OXNARD, CA (March 17, 2014) – Gary Shaw Productions rising star, Puerto Rican sensation, Thomas Dulorme (20-1, 14 KOs), who’s highly ranked in all sanctioning organizations, gives his thoughts on his recent training camp with new trainer, Robert Garcia. Dulorme will battle Karim Mayfield (18-0-1, 11 KOs) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 29 in a 10-round bout for the NABF Super Lightweight title on the undercard of Sergey Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Cedric Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs). Both fights will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Dulorme on working with promoter Gary Shaw and fighting on HBO…
“Gary Shaw is a fantastic promoter and I’m thrilled to be fighting back on HBO. I told Shaw that I was hungry to get back into world title contention and that is exactly what I’m doing going up against a tough fighter like Mayfield. Gary Shaw has always been straight forward with me when it comes to my career and I appreciate him standing behind me. I want to thank Shaw and everyone at HBO for giving me another opportunity to fight on the big stage. I promise to put on a great show.”

Dulorme comments on his recent training camp with Robert Garcia….
“I’ve been here training with Robert Garcia in Oxnard, Californian for the last eight weeks. He’s a tremendous coach and I’m learning a lot about myself and what I need to improve on. There is always room for growth and Garcia is bringing the best out of me. I’ve been getting great sparring and I’ll be 100% ready for Mayfield’s awkward style.”

Dulorme discusses strength and conditioning methods with Alex Ariza…
“Alex Ariza is great at what he does and I’m happy that he is helping me with my strength and conditioning. We are doing a lot of explosive drills that are helping me with my overall speed and stamina. I feel very strong at 140lbs and with the type of training Ariza has me doing, I feel more confident in my ability to punch with power at this weight.”

Dulorme on sparring with top level opposition…
“I don’t want to give up the names of my sparring partners but everyone that Garcia has me sparring have excellent professional records and all of them are giving me great work. There are a couple of Russian fighters along with a few Olympians in camp with me. During this camp there is no room to make mistakes or else you will pay for them. These are the best sparring partners I’ve had for any camp in my pro career.”

Dulorme on his fight against undefeated contender Karim Mayfield…
“Mayfield is a great fighter but he’s never faced the type of punches that I’ll be throwing at him. I posses speed and power unlike any of Mayfield’s past opponents. His awkward style will not be a problem. He also has physical disadvantages that I will exploit. I know he thinks he’s unbeatable but I will prove him wrong.”

Ft. Lauderdale, FL: WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev is truly under the microscope as he prepares to defend his title against Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall live on HBO Boxing After Dark. For the past two days HBO cameras have filmed “Krusher” at his training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Although this is the third time Sergey will appear on HBO Boxing After Dark, it is his first appearance in the main event. As a result, this is Kovalev’s first experience with a camera crew there to record his every move.

Previously, the undefeated Russian has not been subjected to this level of media attention. While he remained fairly anonymous in his adopted country, signs of his increasing fame are everywhere. For example, a billboard for the event hangs near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. Numerous press appearances have already begun, including one on ESPN.com’s Making the Rounds on March 4th.

Billboard at Lincoln Tunnel Entrance
Photo Courtesy of HBO
And of course the press has been consumed with the possibility of a match-up between Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson down the road.

In the midst of so much unfamiliar attention in the run up to his second title defense, questions linger about whether or not “Krusher” can stay hungry and stay focused. According to Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva, “Once a fighter becomes more comfortable with his status as a world champion, some can be tempted to lose focus and get distracted by all the attention. He can’t always walk down the street without being recognized anymore, but luckily Sergey has managed to stay focused on Agnew and winning on March 29th.”

According to Kovalev’s trainer, John David Jackson, “Sergey is on course. He is a really hard worker. He is definitely training hard for this fight. He is doing what he is supposed to do.” When asked whether or not the cameras were affecting Sergey’s ability to concentrate in camp, Jackson replied, “He probably loves it. They stay out of our way so it is just like any other training camp.” Kovalev also assured that he is not distracted by the cameras. “I am already used to them being there. They don’t bother me at all.”

“Krusher” Kovalev
Photo Credits:
Rich Graessle/Main Events
“Krusher” will face a tough challenger in the undefeated Agnew. As he heads into the fight of his life, Agnew has exhibited incredible confidence that he can stand toe-to-toe with the “Russian Wrecking Ball.” Jackson elaborated, “The key to this fight for Sergey is to be more strategic offensively. There isn’t much film on Agnew but we are approaching this fight like we do all the others. Sergey will do his thing.” According to Kovalev, “I feel good. Everything is normal. I feel no pressure and everything is going by the book.”

About March 29th:

March 29th features the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The broadcast will begin live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT with the Thomas Dulorme vs. Karim Mayfield co-feature. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

Atlantic City, NJ: Over the past week or two the boxing world has been consumed with the verbal sparring match happening in the media between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Adonis Stevenson. But before any Kovalev-Stevenson match can take place “Krusher” will face-off against undefeated challenger Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) for the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ and live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Agnew has been flying under the radar, so few people know how deeply the sport of boxing runs in his veins. His uncle, Chicago’s own “Mighty” Mike Evans (38-11-1, 27 KOs), started taking Cedric to the gym with him when he was just eight years old. Agnew spent the majority of his childhood in Chicago working out with his pro-boxer uncle. His youngest brother, Frankie, is also a fighter, coming off a Chicago Golden Gloves Championship and contemplating a professional career.

Cedric had a stellar amateur career, winning 110 of his 120 bouts. During his amateur career he won gold medals at the 2003 United States National Junior Olympics, the 2003 Sweden Cup for Under-19’s, the 2004 Chicago Golden Gloves, the 2004 United States Under-19 Championships, the 2006 Chicago Golden Gloves and won a silver medal at the 2004 National Golden Gloves. He also defeated current WBA Champion Beibut Shumenov.

According to Cedric’s promoter, Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions, he was not looking to sign another fighter when he first heard about Cedric. He received a call from legendary boxing trainer Sam Colonna, who has worked with such names as Andrew Golota, Angel Manfredy, Angel Hernandez and Vaughn Bean, and told Garrett he needed to come look at Cedric. According to Garrett, “Sam Colonna told me that Cedric is the most talented fighter to come out of Chicago in over 30 years. When Sam said that, I needed to listen so I signed him.”

Cedric turned pro in 2007 at the age of 20 and has not lost a fight since. He is no stranger to big fights. Agnew defeated Rayco Saunders via unanimous decision on May 1, 2008 (just one year after his professional debut) to take the vacant WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight title. Three years later, on November 3, 2011, he knocked out Daniel Judah in the sixth round to take the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) Light Heavyweight title. Finally, on April 12, 2013 he defeated Yusaf Mack via unanimous decision for the USBA light heavyweight title. According to Agnew, “My win over Yusaf was one of the biggest of my career thus far.”

“L.O.W.” is a student of the sport. According to Garrett, Agnew watches almost every fight but especially the fights in the light heavyweight division. He has studied Kovalev extensively and feels he is ready for this fight. Malcolm said, “He believes he is right there with Kovalev. He plans to win the fight. We are hoping for a big upset and he has the ability to upset him. Hopefully the public will enjoy the fight.” And Agnew believes he has what it takes to defeat Kovalev, he said, “My brain and the way I think will be my biggest advantage in the ring. I’m a very smart fighter. I’m just looking to fight my fight, that’s all”

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
When Garrett approached Agnew about the possibility of a fight between him and Kovalev, Agnew did not hesitate. Garrett said, “I have learned when you have to convince a fighter to take a fight you are already in trouble. I was encouraged when Cedric took the fight without an ounce of hesitation. He wants this fight and he knows he’s ready.”

And Agnew is not bothered by the Kovalev-Stevenson hype; he said, “I try not to listen to the media. I’m just focusing on what I need to do come March 29th.” Malcolm is hoping the hype will work to their advantage and that the media is not the only one overlooking Agnew, “I think all the media attention about Kovalev-Stevenson is great and I hope Kovalev is overlooking Cedric like everyone else and it will work to our advantage. This is a fight Cedric wanted. He knows he’s been overlooked – out of the limelight under the radar – but when the bell rings, we will all know.”
About March 29th:

March 29th features the light heavyweight world title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The main event and the co-feature (to be announced soon) will be broadcast live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Media):

MAIN EVENTS: Ellen Haley- 973-903-6715, [email protected]
HBO: Kevin Flaherty – 212-512-5052, [email protected]
CAESARS: Jerry Eisenband, [email protected]
BOARDWALK HALL: Zack Lloyd, [email protected]

NEW JERSEY (February 25, 2014) – Gary Shaw Production’s super-lightweight contender and Puerto Rican star, Thomas Dulorme (20-1, 14 KOs), who’s ranked WBA # 3, IBF # 5, WBC # 6, and WBO # 14, will battle WBO # 6 and WBC # 11 rated contender, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (18-0-1, 11 KOs) battle for the NABF Super-Lightweight title. The 10-round bout will take place at the Boardwalk Hall (The Ballroom) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 29 on the undercard of Sergey Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Cedric Agnew (26-0, 13 KOs). The event will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Dulorme is coming into the bout riding a 4-fight winning streak. Since moving from welterweight to super-lightweight, Dulorme feels he’s more powerful and will look to bring that power to Mayfield.

“I know I made the right move coming down from 147 lbs. to 140 lbs.” said Dulorme. “My punches carry a lot more pop now and I’m making the weight with no problems. I feel most comfortable at super-lightweight. I know Mayfield has power so I will be fully prepared for his awkward style. A fight like this is what the fans deserve. My goal is to bring a victory back to Puerto Rico. Mayfield is in danger.”

“Dulorme is coming to show the world he’s got the talent to be something special in this sport and Mayfield is no walk in the park,” promoter Gary Shaw stated. “Dulorme’s very comfortable at 140 pounds and I expect him to be in great shape for this fight. I know if he’s focused he’ll come out on top.”

Mayfield, known for having a unique style, has knocked out four of his last six opponents. His ability to punch heavily with both hands makes him a difficult foe for any fighter. He’ll be looking to take the fight to Dulorme.

“My style is to always go for the knockout and wear down my opponent,” Mayfield said. “I’ve seen Dulorme fight and he’s got good skills but I’m a whole different animal. He’s going to have to withstand my hard hitting style, which is not easy to do. I believe if I can catch him with a good shot on his chin, he’s going down.”

Having seen both fighters up close, promoter Gary Shaw feels this fight is going to have a lot of action.

“Both Dulorme and Mayfield have special talents that they bring to the ring,” said Gary Shaw. “Dulorme is an excellent boxer, with a great jab, while Mayfield has a rough house awkward style. The two of them have good power, and both chins will be tested. I think it’s going to come down to who wants it more which makes for a great night of boxing. This is certainly a fan friendly fight, one everyone should be tuning into.”

Amid the wintery conditions facing the Northeast today, boxing media from around the country managed to take time out this afternoon to ask questions about the upcoming WBO Light Heavyweight Championship match between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning 10PM ET.

Present on the call to answer those questions in addition to Kovalev and Agnew were, Kathy Duva, Malcolm Garrett, Jolene Mizzone, John David Jackson, Egis Klimas, Bill Benton and Bobby Benton. Playback of the call is available by dialing (712) 432-1085. Below are highlights of some of the best quotes from the call.

Main Events’ President and CEO, Kathy Duva, said this about the upcoming Kovalev-Agnew fight, “We are beyond excited to make this fight official. This is exactly the kind of fight we should be putting on.” Duva added, “Sergey is must see television. This is a young fighter testing his skills against a champion. Don’t be late; you never know what is going to happen.”

When asked about his fight against Agnew, WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev said, “I have a big wish to win next fight. My main goal is to get one more title this year.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
Photo Credits to Scott Heavey

His opponent, a confident Cedric Agnew, said, “I think he is a decent fighter but I don’t see anything spectacular coming from him. In my personal opinion I just think he is ordinary.” Agnew added, “I will go out there and do what I have been doing for years. I am ready to take care of business.”

Cedric Agnew

John David Jackson, Sergey’s trainer, said, “Sergey is an all-around good fighter. He takes his punches a lot better. He has boxing skills but no one gets to see them because most fighters don’t make it four rounds against him.” He added, “He has the talent to do a lot of things. He is not one-dimensional; he has a lot of tools to work with. If the fight lasts longer he will get to showcase his talents.” He added, “Once that bell rings he does what he does best; he delivers. Sergey lives to be a champion.”

John David Jackson and Sergey Kovalev
Photo credits to Rich Graessle/Main Events

Jackson said this about Agnew, “We will dissect him in the upcoming weeks. We don’t know much about Agnew but anyone is dangerous. He says he can beat Sergey.” He went on, “Once Sergey became a champion he is not the hunter anymore. Agnew is hungry and that makes him dangerous. It should be a good fight. He is the most dangerous man on the planet as far as we are concerned.”

When asked whether he was overconfident about the match-up Agnew replied, “I prepare the way I have been preparing, hard work. I take no fight lightly no matter who I am fighting.” He went on to say, “This is a great fight for us. We wouldn’t have taken it if we didn’t think we could win. He can be hurt just like anyone else.” Finally, he said, “You will see my style on March 29th.” Cedric’s trainer, Bobby Benton said, “Cedric has been fighting since he was 8. We have been begging for exposure and he has been getting it. He is a gym rat and he is ready.”

Main Events’ Matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone said, “Agnew has been asking to fight Kovalev. Most guys don’t want to fight Kovalev. Most fighters say they will fight any other light heavyweight except Sergey.”

Agnew’s promoter, Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions said, “We are glad that a lot of people are underestimating Agnew. He is a very skilled fighter, he is chomping at the bit. He has been flying a bit under the radar which may not always be the worst thing.”

About Kovalev, Duva also said, “No matter what we will see a sensational performance from Sergey but Sergey has to stay focused. Sergey is a great fighter and can beat everyone in the world.” She further noted, “His style is so exciting and electrifying. I can’t say the outcome is preordained. Everyone is taking this seriously. The real challenge is not to get distracted by fights that are not scheduled yet.”

Main Events, Kovalev and his team fielded many questions about whether or not a Kovalev-Stevenson fight is on the horizon but Duva said, “Sergey is fighting two things: he has to fight Agnew and the temptation to look past him. It is going to be fun.” Sergey said he hopes a fight with Stevenson will happen this year, “Last year in my division the best boxer was Stevenson. Which means I need to beat him. Maybe after this I will be in third place in my division. I am ready for any fight in my division. I want to fight Stevenson”

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ: Dating back to December 2011,Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) has demolished all seven opponents that he has faced by knockout in an average of less than four rounds per bout. On Saturday, March 29 he’ll be looking to continue the streak and score his 22nd KO when he returns to the ring for his 2014 debut to defend his WBO World Light Heavyweight Title against undefeated challenger Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) live from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.Kovalev vs. Agnew will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Darkbeginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, tickets for the light heavyweight world title showdown are on sale now through TicketMaster online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

“I am excited to be back on HBO and for my first fight at Boardwalk Hall,” said Kovalev. “I promise to put on an exciting show!”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
Photo credits to Scott Heavey

A confident Agnew said, “I think as of now he has not seen a person of my skill level.” He added, “At the end of the day you have to fight world champions to be a world champion and be considered the best. He’s a world champion. I am looking to be considered one of the best.”

Cedric Agnew

Main Events’ President and CEO Kathy Duva said, “We’re thrilled that we’re able to bring Sergey to Atlantic City where we have been so successful in the past. You can’t miss a second of a Kovalev fight. There’s so much tension in the ring. You’re almost guaranteed to see an incredible knock out!”

“In 2013, the Sergey Kovalev secret was unveiled,” said Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports. “Last year, Kovalev had breakout performances in two televised fights on HBO. Kovalev has demonstrated the knockout artistry and ring activity that earn fans’ respect. In his March 29 return, Kovalev will face undefeated Cedric Agnew in his HBO debut. The Chicago-native Agnew knows what an upset of Kovalev’s momentum could mean to his career. Mark your calendars.”

“Caesars Atlantic City’s commitment to sponsoring some of the top sporting events on the East Coast is no more evident than with this March 29th HBO bout set for historic Boardwalk Hall,” said Kevin Ortzman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Caesars, Bally’s, and Showboat Atlantic City. “As a boxing fan, I’m particularly intrigued to watch Kovalev, live in the ring, and see if his winning streak continues.”

Kovalev, originally of Chelyabinsk, Russia now residing in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, is notorious for knocking his opponents out early. Of his twenty-one career knockouts, six occurred in the first round, nine occurred in the second round and four occurred in the third round so look for Kovalev to be aggressive early and take out his opponent. Kovalev’s knockouts-to-win ratio is an astounding 91%. His meteoric rise through the light heavyweight ranks began just one year ago with his third round TKO defeat over former world champion Gabriel Campillo on January 19, 2013 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. “Krusher” followed that win with his destruction of Cornelius White in another third round TKO win on June 14, 2013 to become the mandatory contender for the IBF title. Kovalev immediately proceeded to challenge for the WBO World Light Heavyweight Championship against Nathan Cleverly in Cleverly’s backyard of Cardiff, Wales on August 17, 2013. He made a splash in his HBO debut by winning the title by fourth round TKO. He continued his title reign on HBO when he knocked out slick boxer Ismayl Sillakh in the second round in Quebec City, Quebec on November 30, 2013.

Cedric Agnew, of Chicago, IL, is also undefeated in 26 professional bouts with 13 of those coming by knockout. Agnew has gone the distance in his last four starts so look for him to take the dangerous Kovalev into deep waters. Agnew holds the USBA Light Heavyweight Title which he earned on April 12, 2013 in his twelve round unanimous decision over light heavyweight gatekeeper Yusaf Mack. With all of his fights taking place in Texas and the Midwest, this will be Agnew’s first fight on the east coast and his HBO debut. Promoter Kathy Duva said, “I’m thrilled that Cedric Agnew stepped up to fight Sergey. For an undefeated young fighter to take a fight that it seems no one else wants, that really says a lot about him. I’m sure he’ll be prepared come fight night and Kovalev will have a tough challenge in front of him.”

Historic Boardwalk Hall has been home to many boxing superstars, including the late Arturo Gatti whom Main Events promoted throughout his entire career. The last nine fights of Gatti’s illustrious time in the ring all took place at Boardwalk Hall, including the infamous Gatti-Ward II and III fights and Gatti’s knockout wins over Jesse James Leija and Leonard Dorin.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.