Moscow (Aug. 8, 2020) – Uprising Promotions cruiserweight Rashid Kodzoev (7-0, 4 KOs) will be returning to action this Tuesday at Vegas City Hall in Moscow, Russia. Standing opposite of him will be Dmitry Sukhotskiy (23-8, 16 KOs), who is a durable veteran of 31 bouts.

“We are very excited to see Rashid back in the ring this Tuesday,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “Rashid is a determined and tenacious fighter who is hungry to prove himself. He has the type of mentality that is going to take him far in boxing, and he has the heart and will to become a champion. Our job as a promoter is to make sure we put him a position to make that happen.”

Kodzoev was set to arrive in the United States this past March, right as the global COVID-19 pandemic began to spread. Unfortunately, the coronavirus directly resulted in the cancellation of multiple bouts for the undefeated Russian. Additionally, COVID-19 has delayed the VISA process, which has prevented him from being able to make the move to New York.

As far as Tuesday goes, Kodzoev expects it to be a quick night.

“I am going to try and knock out my opponent as soon as I can, preferably in the first round,” he said from Russia via a translator. “I promise that it will be a very good performance.”

Kodzoev says that his favorite boxer is heavyweight legend Joe Frazier, and he can oftentimes be found studying the all-time greats. Growing up in the town of Nazran in Russia, Kodzoev had a difficult upbringing, but that experience helped to shape him into the person he is today.

“In my area of Russia, you learn how to fight before you learn how to walk,” he laughed. “Fighting is in my culture, so becoming a world champion is my dream. If someone from my region were to become a world champion, he would immediately become more popular than nearly anyone in the country. After this fight, my main goal is to move to the United States so I can start on my mission to become a world champion.”

Over the course of his professional career, Kodzoev has fought just one opponent who did not have a winning record. He has victories over the likes of 21-bout winner Tamas Polster, then-unbeaten Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko and 16-fight victor Andrei Kniazev. In just his fifth professional contest, he also became the first man to finish Ukrainian Vitaliy Nevesiliy, needing less than two rounds to earn the stoppage. Most recently, he fought 14-bout veteran Juan Ezequiel Basualdo in Estosadok, disposing of the Argentinian in the first frame. Known as a boxer-puncher who has power in both hands, Kodzoev had an accomplished amateur campaign in his native Russia before turning to the professional ranks in 2016.

Keep it locked to UprisingPromotions.com and @UprisingNYC for all of the latest information from Uprising Promotions.

Adonis Stevenson retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title with a 5th round stoppage over Dmitry Sukhotsky at Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

In round two, Stevenson dropped Sukhotsky with a straight left. In round five, Stevenson dropped Sukhotsky three times all from hard left hands with the final being a crushing shot to the jaw the left Sukhotsky on the canvas for several minutes at 2:42 of round five.

Stevenson, 174 1/2 lbs of Montreal is now 25-1 with 21 knockouts. Sukhotsky, 173 1/2 lbs of Russia is now 22-3.

“I gave a beautiful knockout for SHOWTIME,” Stevenson said. “I just used my speed, my movement. I have the power and I know the knockouts are going to come. I’m not going to force it. I was just waiting for him and, bang, I caught him. I wanted to hit him with my left hand and it worked.

“I’m the big champion. He has to come to me,” said Stevenson of any challengers. “I’m the man in the light heavyweight division. They have to come to me. My job is to go in the ring and knock everybody out. I’m a ‘Superman.’”

In a rematch of Welterweights, Jo Jo Dan eked out his 2nd split decision win over Kevin Bizier to earn the number-one spot in the IBF.

It was a tough fight early as Bizier getting the better of the action.

In round seven, Bizier knocked Dan with a good left hook. Later in the round, Bizier was cut over the right eye from an accidental clash of heads. Dan steadied himself and upped his workrate over the second half of the fight. It was that volume punching that proved to be the difference as he won by scores of 115-112 Dan, 114-113 Bizier, 114-113 Dan.

Dan, 146 3/4 lbs of Romania is now 34-2 and is line for IBF champion Kell Brook. Bizier, 146 3/4 lbs of Montreal is now 23-2.

“Yes, of course (I’d fight Bizier again), but first I want to fight Kell Brook,” Dan said. “I hope we’ll make an exciting fight like this one.”

After the fight, Bizier (23-2, 16 KOs) was disappointed to again be on the losing end of a close split-decision.

“All the close rounds went to Jo Jo,” Bizier said. “We knew we had to win those last two rounds and I guess they gave it to him. When I hurt Jo Jo in the seventh I hurt my right hand. At that point, I was fighting with one hand.

“Let’s fight again. Why not? The first two fights were close. I don’t know why, but the judges just seem to give the close rounds to him.”

Former world title challenger Andre Dirrell scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Derek Edwards in a Super Middleweight bout.

Dirrell dominated the bout ,mostly from the southpaw stance. He landed some hard flurries with the best being in round eight when he landed a blistering combination where he snapped the head Edwards back several times. He rocked Edwards in round ten as he landed some thudding uppercuts. In round twelve. Edwards had s light glimmer of hope when he landed a hard left hook that momentarily stunned Dirrell. He could not capitalize and Dirrell came home with the victory by scores of 119-109, 120-108 and 119-107.

Dirrell, 167 3/4 lbs of Flint, MI is now 24-1. Edwards, 167 lbs of Winston Salem, NC is now 27-4-1.

Punch stats saw Dirrell 225-591. Edwards 47-269

“I want to perfect my craft as far as fighting southpaw,” Dirrell said. “I was shooting the left hand. This guy has a tough, tough head so I’m not going to doubt my power one bit. I’m glad to walk away with a victory. My knuckle was hurting but it wasn’t bad enough that I couldn’t throw it. This boy could take a punch.

“I’m getting there. I’m proud of my performance, but it was a tough 12 rounds.”

“I believe he’s scared to fight me,” Dirrell said. “It’s too risky a fight to take. But I’m going to push it to the best of my ability. There’s a win on his record that’s questionable to everyone in the world. Give me the rematch. Prove to your fans that you beat me and try to do it again. Step in the ring with Andre Dirrell and you’re going to see what I’m all about.”

Super prospect Artur Beterbiev remained undefeated but was knocked down to come back and score a 2nd round stoppage over previously undefeated Jeff Page Jr. in a scheduled 10-round Light Heavyweight bout.

In round one, Page landed a right that sent Beterbiev to the canvas. In round two, Beterbiev landed some head shots that rocked Page and sent Page to the deck. He sent Page down later in the round from another hard round. Beterbiev finished things seconds later when he dropped Page for a third and final time and the fight was stopped at 2:21 of round two.

Beterbiev, 174 1/2 lbs of Russia now 7-0 with 7 knockouts. Page, 174 1/4 lbs of Wichita, KS is 15-1.

“I felt a bit sleepy before the fight and I don’t think I was concentrating for a fraction of a second (in the first round),” Beterbiev said. “I got angry after the knockdown and decided to go forward. I have a lot to learn in professional boxing, but I’m looking forward to the experience.”

When asked if he thinks he could beat WBO/WBA/IBF Champion Sergey Kovalev, who he defeated as an amateur, Beterbiev was noncommittal.

“I beat him (Kovalev) as an amateur so I can’t say much,” Beterbiev said. “It’s hard to say right now.”

WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 12 Rounds
Adonis Stevenson – 174 ½ Pounds
Dmitry Sukhotskiy – 173 ½ Pounds

IBF WELTERWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR (No. 1 Spot) – 12 Rounds
Jo Jo Dan – 146 ¾ Pounds
Kevin Bizier – 146 ¾ Pounds

IBF SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT ELIMINATOR (No. 2 Spot) – 12 Rounds
Andre Dirrell – 167 ¾ Pounds
Derek Edwards – 167 Pounds

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT – 10 Rounds
Artur Beterbiev – 174 ½ Pounds
Jeff Page Jr. – 174 ¼ Pounds

# # #

Stevenson vs. Sukhotskiy, a 12-round light heavyweight bout for Stevenson’s WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship, will air live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) in the main event SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada. In the co-feature, Jo Jo Dan will face Kevin Bizier in a 12-round IBF welterweight eliminator. Also on the card, Andre Dirrell will face Derek Edwards in a 12-round IBF super middleweight elimination bout and Artur Beterbiev will take on Jeff Page Jr. in a 10-round light heavyweight scrap. The event is presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron.

Tickets range from $25 to $250 and are on sale in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

DATE: Friday, Dec. 19

SITE: Pepsi Coliseum
Quebec, Canada

TELEVISION: SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION
SHOWTIME
LIVE at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast)

PRINCIPALS: WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship – 12 Rounds
Adonis Stevenson vs. Dmitriy Sukhotskiy
24-1, 20 KOs 22-2, 16 KOs
Quebec, Canada Barnaul, Russia

IBF Welterweight Elimination Bout – 12 Rounds
Kevin Bizier vs. Jo Jo Dan
23-1, 16 KOs 33-2, 18 KOs
Quebec, Canada Montreal, Canada

IBF Super Middleweight Bout – 10 Rounds
Andre Dirrell vs. Derek Edwards
23-1, 16 KOs 27-3-1, 14 KOs
Flint, Mich. Las Vegas, Nev.

Light Heavyweights – 10 Rounds
Artur Beterbiev vs. Jeff Page Jr.
6-0, 6 KOs 15-0, 10 KOs
Montreal, Canada by way of Russia Andover, Kansas

QUEBEC CITY (Dec. 16, 2014) – WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Russian challenger Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy held a main event final press conference on Tuesday in Quebec City, Canada, as they prepare for their showdown on SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION this Friday, Dec. 19.

Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs) and Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs) will square off in the 12-round main event of a SHOWTIME quadrupleheader that begins live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec.

Joining the main event fighters at Tuesday’s press conference was super middleweight contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), who will face Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs) in a 12-round IBF super middleweight elimination bout.

Here’s what the participants had to say on Tuesday:

ADONIS STEVENSON:
“This was probably the best training camp that I’ve had. We’re ready for this fight. We’re not underestimating him. I know he’s coming to fight and I will be ready.

“I know he’s a tough contender. And I know he’s training very hard for this fight. He’s going to try to surprise me, but I’m very prepared because I know the contender is always going to try to take your belt.

“I’m going to win by knockout. Emmanuel (Steward) always told me that knockouts sell, so I’m going to win by knockout. It’s going to be a short night on SHOWTIME.

“My plan is to face (Sergey) Kovalev in 2015. But first we need to focus and win this fight. Then we can talk 2015.”

DMITRY SUKHOTSKIY:
“He looked nervous at the podium, like he wasn’t ready to fight. But I am ready to fight.

“I’m not going to say that he is underestimating me because I’ll show that in the ring. I came here to win; I came here to bring the world title back to Russia.

“He has flaws and it is our job to find them and find a way to win the fight.

“It’s always different when you fight a southpaw, but we prepared for it. We prepared for everything that can happen in the ring.

“I’m ready to fight. I’m here to make a statement. This isn’t my first time fighting for a world title. Only this time, I will win.”

ANDRE DIRRELL:
“I’m here to do a job and it will get done.

“It’s good to be back. This is my third fight in six months, and before that I fought three times in the past four years. I’m on a very busy schedule right now and it feels good.

“I’m just looking forward to the fight. It will put me in a high ranking in the IBF and bring me this much closer to challenging for that title pretty soon.

“I want that rematch with Carl Froch. He’s the IBF Champion and a win on Friday will bring me closer to fighting him again and proving that I beat him the first time.

“I’m excited to be here. It’s cold but it’s beautiful in Canada. I just can’t wait for the action to start.”

SUGAR HILL, Stevenson Trainer:
“This was the best training camp we’ve had. It was a fun training camp, and when you have a fun camp you learn a lot, you’re relaxed and you get better results.

“His attitude has been great. He’s happy and he’s ready to fight.

“Dmitry is a very sound fundamental fighter. He uses his jab very well and he likes to punch and get knockouts. His nickname is ‘The Hunter; so we’re expecting him to come forward. He’s not going to be bouncing around and moving and making it a boring fight.

“Adonis is a come-forward kind of boxer, but he can also move backwards and counterpunch. It’s going to be a strategic fight up until a certain point. As Adonis always says, ‘I’m going to wait for you to make a mistake and I’m going to catch you.’

“I’m looking forward to Dmitry making a mistake and Adonis capitalizing and catching him.

“I always see Adonis’ fights ending in knockouts. He’s such a tremendous puncher, he can move well, and he’s still learning. His boxing IQ is off the charts. He can think so fast in the ring. He can remember something from the first round in the ninth round and come back and capitalize on that.

“The original training was supposed to be in Detroit at the New Kronk Gym that was opened by my cousin, Sylvia Steward, Emmanuel’s daughter. The gym is open, but it’s just not ready. Some of the equipment was not ready in time so we continued the camp in Brampton, Canada.”

# # #

Stevenson vs. Sukhotskiy, a 12-round light heavyweight bout for Stevenson’s WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship, will air live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) in the main event SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada. In the co-feature, Jo Jo Dan will face Kevin Bizier in a 12-round IBF welterweight eliminator. Also on the card, Andre Dirrell will face Derek Edwards in a 12-round IBF super middleweight elimination bout and Artur Beterbiev will take on Jeff Page Jr. in a 10-round light heavyweight scrap. The event is presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron.

Tickets range from $25 to $250 and are on sale in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

NEW YORK (Nov. 18, 2014) –- An IBF super middleweight elimination bout between 168-pound contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and veteran spoiler Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, has been confirmed as a 12-round co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition quadrupleheader on Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Quebec.

For the switch-hitting Dirrell, the elimination bout for the IBF’s No. 2 position behind No. 1 James DeGale and champion Carl Froch will be his first start on SHOWTIME and fifth overall since getting injured against then-undefeated Arthur Abraham in his second Super Six World Boxing Classic fight on SHOWTIME on March 27, 2010.

Dirrell had scored a knockdown in the fourth and was comfortably ahead of the Armenian on all scorecards heading into 11th. About a minute into the round, Dirrell slipped on a wet canvas and Abraham blatantly hit him while he was down, knocking Dirrell out cold and resulting in Abraham being disqualified. Dirrell suffered neurological issues as a result of the punch, withdrew from the tournament and was sidelined for 21 months.

A fixture on SHOWTIME before the injury, Dirrell is quickly approaching the peak form he exhibited when he entered the Super Six and was regarded by many as one of boxing’s fastest-rising contenders. Dirrell has won his last five fights, three by stoppage.

“I’m excited to be back on the fast track and I’m ready to show that this is definitely where I belong,” Dirrell said. “It takes time to move back to the top, but I like to improve myself each time I step into the gym. I almost feel like I’ve been overworking myself in the gym to prove that I’m back.

“But I feel like I’m there and ready for a title shot. And, when the time comes to prove that I’m ready, I won’t leave any doubt.’’

A 2004 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist and the older brother of WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony Dirrell, Andre scored a second-round TKO in his return to the ring on Dec. 30, 2011, but didn’t fight again until February 2013. He’s been victorious in both his fights in 2014, winning his last via fourth-round TKO over Nick Brinson on Oct. 8.

After blasting out Vladine Biosse two starts ago, the 31-year-old Dirrell called out IBF Champ Froch, who was the unbeaten WBC 168-pound champion when he dealt Dirrell his lone loss via a controversial, 12-round split-decision in his native England in the first Super Six fight for both fighters on Oct. 17, 2009.

“I know I won that fight against Froch,” Dirrell said. “I think everyone knows I won that fight. He’s the one opponent I want and the fact that he’s a world champion again is just icing on the cake. I don’t think I’ve ever been defeated and I want that title shot. Hopefully he doesn’t retire because I know the world wants to see that rematch.

“I want to fight the best at 168. I want to unify the division, but if my brother does that first then I will move up to 175. I have a lot of work to do in a little amount of time – I want to fight for about five more years – and if Anthony runs me out at 168 then I’ll go up to 175.”

Before Dirrell gets his shot at a title he must first defeat a power-punching opponent who has a knack for upsets.

“This guy may have power, but power-punchers are the best opponents for pure boxers, for slick guys like me,” Dirrell said. “That’s when I’m at my best. I’m not even looking at his power – his will and determination in the fight will be more important than his power.

“I know he’s going to be at his best when he steps in the ring on Dec. 19. He’s been in some tough fights, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best from him yet. I’m not worried about anything but getting the job done and I know I will when the time comes.”

Edwards, who once fought light heavyweight kingpin Adonis Stevenson when he was campaigning at 168 pounds, is coming off perhaps the most unlikely result of the year, a stunning 1:01, first-round knockout of previously-unbeaten, top-five ranked Badou Jack on ShoBox: The New Generation last Feb. 28 on SHOWTIME.

An extreme longshot going in, Edwards twice dropped Jack, the first coming with an overhand short right 32 seconds into the match. Moments later, Edwards registered another knockdown from a right followed by a glancing left hook. Jack stumbled to his feet but the referee had seen enough and waved off the bout.

“I’m definitely confident going in against Andre,” Edwards said. “He’s a different fighter than Jack. He had a good amateur background and fought some of the best super middleweights in the Super Six, but I see some things I can exploit in Andre. I know I’ll need to force the action on him and be the aggressor.

“A win like this would put a lot of other fighters on notice; let guys know that I can deal with the speed of a fighter like Andre and the power of a guy like Jack. And it would give me the confidence to fight anyone.’’

A “traveling underdog” who has fought from 161 to 185 pounds, Edwards, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., is known for an ambidextrous style of fighting. Despite only six amateur bouts, he won his first 25 fights – more than 50 percent by knockout – after turning professional in October 2002.

And while he’s never faced an opponent with the speed, amateur pedigree and as naturally athletic as Dirrell, he knows that a second consecutive upset victory could forever change his life.

“I’ve never been this motivated for a fight,” said the 34-year-old Edwards. “A win like this would put a lot of things on the table, open up a lot of doors and opportunities. It’s definitely the biggest fight of my life.

“There’s no tomorrow. It’s just one night. I need to seize the moment and lay it all out on the line. This is my one big shot.”

In the main event on Dec. 19, hard-hitting WBC and The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs) will defend against Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs), of Russia.

Kevin Bizier (23-1, 16 KOs), of Quebec, will face the only man to defeat him, Canadian-based Romanian Jo Jo Dan (33-2, 18 KOs) in a 12-round IBF welterweight eliminator – the winner to face World Champion Kell Brook – in the second clash of a four-fight telecast. The opener will feature the SHOWTIME debut of two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs), who twice beat WBO/WBA/IBF Champion Sergey Kovalev in the amateurs. Beterbiev meets fellow unbeaten Jeff Page Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs), of Andover, Kansas, in a 10-round light heavyweight scrap.

Tickets for an event presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, range from $25 to $250 and are on sale in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

MONTREAL (Nov. 5, 2014) – Popular, hard-hitting WBC and The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs), of Montreal, will defend against top-10 contender Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs) of Russia, in the main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition® quadrupleheader Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, it was formally announced Wednesday at a jam-packed press conference at NRJ Bell Media building in Montreal.

The final SHOWTIME boxing telecast of the year, presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, will include three other fights: former world title challenger and super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., will box an opponent to be announced in the co-feature, Kevin Bizier (23-1, 16 KOs), of Quebec, will rematch Canadian-based Romanian Jo Jo Dan (33-2, 18 KOs), in an IBF welterweight elimination fight and undefeated contender and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten Jeff Page Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) of Andover, Kan., in a 10-round light heavyweight match.

Tickets, ranging from $25 to $250 will go on sale next tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m. ET, in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

Here’s what Stevenson, Bizier, Dan, Beterbiev and Page had to say on Wednesday:

ADONIS STEVENSON, WBC and The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion

“My hand has healed from the injury when I fought Fonfara. I’m healthy and I’m ready to go.

“Going 12 rounds was a good experience for me. I train for 12 rounds in the gym. Sometimes it’s good to go the distance and get the experience.

“Everybody brings their A-game because I’m the champ.

“I know I’m the king of the light heavyweight division and I know that everyone wants to take my belt. I’m going to train very hard.

“Sukhotskiy is a tough guy and he’s hoping to surprise me. I’ll prepare, my hands will be perfect and it will be a short night on SHOWTIME.”

JO JO DAN, Once-Beaten Welterweight Contender

“I’m hoping to fight with Kell Brook, but I’m concentrating 100 percent on the fight with Kevin Bizier. I’ve been waiting for this fight since I started boxing.

“I know he’s learned some things and has more experience since our first fight. But I also know him better now than when we first fought, so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.

“If the knockout comes, it’s comes, but I always prepare for 12 rounds. If the chance is there, I won’t miss it. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t preparing for 12 rounds.

“I train 100 percent and I’m sure he’ll be in the best shape of his life. We’re looking to make the fight of the year in Quebec.”

KEVIN BIZIER, Once-Beaten Welterweight Contender

“If I want to win the world championship then I need to prepare for the best and the toughest fight of my life against [Jo Jo] Dan.

“It puts a little more pressure knowing that I could fight for a title if I win in December. But I’m focused on Dan and no one else. I’m just focusing on boxing. I’m not worried about stopping him.

“I learned to be more relaxed after our first fight. In the first fight I was going for the KO. I’m going to try to be more relaxed and use my jab this time around.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV, Former Amateur Standout And Undefeated Light Heavyweight

“I’m not worried about getting another knockout. It all depends on the strategy of the fight. I’m going to fight until the last round.

“With [Tavoris] Cloud I was preparing for 12 rounds and I could never have predicted that I would only box for four minutes. I was just doing my job and that’s what happened.

“I’m going to be more motivated for this fight because he’s undefeated. Every fight I go in the ring thinking that I’ve already lost to my opponent before. That way I won’t take my opponent lightly.

“The amateur career helped and I hope it will help me for the rest of my life. But at the same time I need to progress. I have a lot to learn in professional boxing and I’m looking forward to it.”

JEFF PAGE JR., Undefeated Light heavyweight

“No, I don’t think he’s overrated. He had a great amateur background and he went to the Olympics twice. He has beaten a lot of good fighters and he just beat Tavoris Cloud, so I think he’s a tough opponent.

“I have great hand speed and great footwork, but I know I can’t run from him like everyone else has. I’m ready to exchange – I have great power myself.

“I think him and his team are underestimating me, but I’m going to use that to my advantage. I’m going to come in and show him right away that I’m there to win, that I’m not an opponent.

“Being an underdog is absolutely a motivator for me. Everybody back home is going to be watching. If I win this fight big things are going to start happening for me and my team. Everyone will know who I am.

“I think my experience helps. He’s had a lot of amateur fights, but amateur and pro fights are a lot different. I’ve trained with a lot guys – I’ve been to Vegas, I’ve been to Chicago – and I’m getting ready to go to Big Bear. I have a lot of experience and I plan to use it.

“I train for knockouts but I’m ready to 10 rounds.”

NEW YORK (Nov. 5, 2014)–-SHOWTIME Sports will close out its 2014 boxing calendar with the return of WBC and The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson as he defends his title against top-10 ranked Russian challenger Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy in the main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition on Friday, Dec. 19, LIVE on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Stevenson will once again headline in his adopted home province of Quebec for his ninth consecutive fight and his fourth world title defense. The showdown will originate from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City and is presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron.

In the co-feature of the stacked quadrupleheader, former world title challenger and super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs) will return to SHOWTIME for the first time since appearing in the Super Six World Boxing Classic in 2010. Dirrell will face an opponent to be announced in the super middleweight division.

Once-beaten Kevin Bizier (23-1, 16 KOs) will face the only man to defeat him, fellow welterweight contender Jo Jo Dan (33-2, 18 KOs), in a rematch of their 2013 split-decision showdown. The winner of Bizier-Dan II, a 12-round welterweight bout, will determine the mandatory challenger to IBF Welterweight World Champion Kell Brook.

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated light heavyweight contender and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten Jeff Page Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round 175-pound bout.

The 37-year-old Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs) is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision victory against Andrzej Fonfara in his SHOWTIME debut this past May 24 in which the champion was knocked down for just the second time in his career. Stevenson started strong, scoring two early knockdowns of his own and was cruising to an easy win until Fonfara battled back and floored the champ in the ninth round. The two went toe-to-toe from then until the final bell, with Stevenson prevailing with a convincing victory.

Stevenson, one of the most exciting and destructive fighters in boxing, had a breakout year in 2013. He won the WBC crown with a first-round knockout of Chad Dawson and then followed up that performance with two successful title defenses, against Tavoris Cloud and Tony Bellew, to close out one of the most impressive campaigns of the year.

Now, the Haitian-born slugger will face the 33-year-old Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs), a former world title challenger currently ranked No. 7 by the WBC and WBO, and No. 8 by the WBA. Sukhotskiy challenged for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Championship against then-champ Juergen Braehmer in 2009 and lost in the champ’s hometown in Germany.

Sukhotskiy, who has never been stopped, is currently riding a four-fight winning streak that features three knockouts. He’s just one fight removed from a career-best win, a fifth-round TKO of former world title challenger Eduard Gutknecht, and owns a 2011 second-round TKO over current IBF light heavyweight No. 1 contender Nadjib Mohammedi.

Ranked in the top 15 in all four sanctioning bodies (11th in the IBF), Sukhotskiy has fought in his native Russia for all but three of his professional bouts and has seven knockouts in his last nine fights.

Dirrell, of Flint, Mich., was one of boxing’s fastest-rising contenders entering the innovative Super Six tournament, which matched the top super middleweights in a round-robin tournament to determine the best in the division. Undefeated when he entered the tournament, Dirrell traveled to England in 2009 to challenge then-WBC champ Carl Froch in his hometown, losing a close, disputed 12-round split-decision.

In his next bout in the tournament, Dirrell faced then-unbeaten Arthur Abraham and was winning on all three judges’ scorecards when Abraham was disqualified in the 11th round for punching Dirrell while he was defenseless on the canvas after slipping on the wet surface. The former Olympic Bronze Medalist suffered neurological issues as a result of the punch, withdrew from the tournament and stepped away from boxing for 21 months.

The 31-year-old Dirrell, the older brother of WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony Dirrell, is undefeated since his return to the ring, winning three of his four bouts by knockout. The switch-hitting southpaw has been called one of the most athletically gifted fighters of today. At this point in his career, he is looking to reassert himself as one of the top fighters in the sport.

Quebec’s Bizier, 30, a pro since 2008, was undefeated and the favored fighter heading into his first showdown with fellow contender Dan. The two battled for 12 action-packed rounds with Dan taking a split decision – 116-111, 114-1113 for Dan and 117-110 for Bizier. Dan controlled the early rounds; Bizier the later sessions of a thrilling fight.

Still a top contender at 147 pounds, Bizier has recorded consecutive knockouts in 2014 including his most recent performance, a first-round TKO of Laszlo Fazekas in Montreal this past September. Bizier is ranked No. 6 by the IBF and will get his first shot at a world title if he avenges the loss to Dan.

The 33-year-old Dan was born in Romania and has campaigned for most of his career in Canada. The only blemishes on the southpaw’s record are a pair of close, controversial decision losses to then-undefeated contender Selcuk Aydin – the first in 2010 and the second in 2011 – both in Aydin’s native Turkey.

Dan, whose full name is Ionut Dan Ion, has registered four consecutive wins since the 2011 loss to Aydin and is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Lukasz Janik on the Stevenson-Fonfara undercard in May.. A consensus top-10 fighter, Dan is currently ranked No. 2 in the IBF, No. 6 in the WBC and No. 8 in the WBA.

Beterbiev is fresh off a dominating second-round TKO of former IBF light heavyweight champ Tavoris Cloud on Sept. 27 in Montreal in which he floored the former champion four times in less than 4 minutes. An amateur standout who turned pro in June of 2013 and has campaigned exclusively in Canada, the highly regarded Beterbiev has knocked out all of his professional opponents in four rounds or less.

The 29-year-old Beterbiev, who holds two amateur victories over current WBO Light Heavyweight Champ Sergey Kovalev, is already ranked in the top-10 by the WBO (No. 10) after just six professional fights and 26 rounds of boxing.

The 24-year-old Page, of Andover, Kansas, is a former college linebacker. He turned professional in March 2013 and fought 10 times in nine months, facing limited opposition. Page has registered two consecutive knockouts and is coming off a fifth-round KO of Maxwell Taylor in October.

Tickets, ranging from $25.00 to $250.00, will go on sale next Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10:00 a.m. ET, in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

MONTREAL (Oct. 27, 2014) – World Boxing Council (WBC), The Ring Magazine and lineal light heavyweight champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs), the The Ring Magazine and ESPN’s 2013 Fighter of the Year and 2013 Knockout of the Year winner, returns to the ring December 19 at Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec to face Russian challenger Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs),

“THE REIGN OF SUPERMAN,” featuring the world light heavyweight championship between Stevenson and Sukhotskiy, is presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron. Stevenson’s fourth world title defense will be against Sukhotskiy, who is world rated by all four major governing bodies: WBC #7, WBO # 8, WBA # 7 and IBF # 11.

For the second time in a row Stevenson will headline on Showtime as part of its prestigious series, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, which will televise Stevenson’s title defense on American television, thanks to the close cooperation of Stephen Espinoza, Showtime Executive Vice President & General Manager, Sports and Event Programming.

WBA #10, and WNC #13 light heavyweight contender, two-time Russian Olympian sensation Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs), as well as dangerous IBF #5 welterweight Kevin Bizier (26-1, 16 KOs) will also be in action.

Two press conferences will be held next Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the morning in Quebec City and Montreal in the afternoon. All details will be announced then.

Tickets, ranging from $25.00 to $250.00, will go on sale next Thursday, November 6, at 10:00 a.m. ET, in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.

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ABOUT GROUPE YVON MICHEL, INC.: Founded in 2004, Yvon Michel’s GYM’s mission is the development of high-level boxers by providing a supportive coaching and especially management competition. GYM is active in recruiting talent in order to achieve its objectives and event planning. Since its founding nine years ago, GYM has promoted 117 events, including ticket and PPV viewing history making fights such as Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II. GYM has produced more than 300 hours of television with Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX, TVA, CBC, RDS and V, in Canada, as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the USA. A total of seven different GYM boxers have fought in 21 world championship fights. Under the tutelage of GYM, Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight title in 2007 and Jean Pascal the WBC light heavyweight championship in in 2009. Since June of 2013, Adonis “Superman” Stevenson has held the WBC light heavyweight title. In addition to also being The Ring and lineal light heavyweight champion, Stevenson was named the 2013 Boxer of the Year by The Ring, Sports Illustrated and many other publications.