BETHLEHEM, PA. (March 3, 2016) – Undefeated top contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams and Italy’s Marcello Matano went face-to-face for the first time Thursday at the final press conference before they meet with the IBF’s No. 1 spot at 154-pounds on the line this Saturday, March 5 live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Saturday’s SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® tripleheader features middleweight matchups between rising contender Antoine Douglas and Avtandil Khurtsidze and exciting Detroit prospect Tony Harrison against former title challenger Fernando Guerrero.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I want to thank Matano and his team for coming all the way over here. We’ve had a difficult time getting opponents for different reasons, but I’m excited to headline this stacked card.

“When I win this fight I’ll be able to accomplish my dream of being a world champion. It’s one step closer.

“I’m going to attack the head and body as much as I can. I’ve got enough film on him to see what he’s got. He’s pretty solid. He got better each time out. But those guys in Italy don’t have the skills that I have. I think he’s going to bring it for as long as he can handle it.

“He’s an awkward fighter. He’s definitely a boxer and he can be a little skittish in the ring. I know I’ve fought the better competition and I’ve trained my hardest for this.

“I’m ready to make a statement. I’m not worried about a knockout. However the win comes, it’s great. I’m just looking to win and beat him down.

“I’m expecting a good Philadelphia crowd to be out here supporting me. Ninety percent of my career I’ve been on the West Coast and other places. But now fighting in front of my hometown fans, there’s nothing better. It’s perfect.”

MARCELLO MATANO

“I feel very good. I’ve been here since Friday so I have gotten used to the time zone difference and I’m ready to fight. My American experience is just starting and I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s been a hard two months of training for this fight. This is by far the most important fight of my career so I’ve trained even harder than I usually do.

“I know that Julian Williams is a top-notch athlete and that he is coming to give his best, just like I am. It’s going to be an exciting fight because we both want to get to the top.

“I can adapt myself to any opponent. I can be a boxer or I can be a brawler. But in my heart, I am a warrior and I will come forward all fight. I am coming to leave that ring victorious.

“This is a dream come true to come here to the United States. I’ve always worked hard and it’s gotten me here. I will put all of my heart into the ring on Saturday night.”

ANTOINE DOUGLAS

“You can always look forward to an action-packed fight when I step into the ring. I have an admirable opponent who I know is coming to fight.

“I’ve grown into this role and into who I am. If you asked me earlier in my career, I would have never thought I’d be here. This is great and it comes from all the hard work I’ve put in over the years.

“You will see my growth Saturday night in the ring. I plan on being victorious. The work I put in won’t let me be any less than that. I’m looking forward to the action.

“I have a very strong opponent and I think it will make for a more exciting fight than Sam Soliman.

“I just always have to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me. This is boxing – there are no guarantees. We just have to be prepared for everything and do our best.

“The styles of Soliman and Khurtsidze are completely different, but we always base our offense and defense off a fighting at range and working the jab. I’m not going in blind – I’ve faced opponents who come forward. We’ll be ready for him and ready to make the adjustments in the ring.

“A win on Saturday will definitely put me in a position for a title shot. We just take it day-by-day. It’s not about looking at future opponents. We take each step successfully and see where it puts us.”

AVTANDIL KHURTSIDZE

“I’m very happy to be here and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m fighting a very strong fighter. Once I step into the ring I’m expecting a good challenge and I can’t wait for Saturday night.

“Everything in training went well. We’ve trained really hard and we’re ready for Saturday night.

“Douglas is a good fighter. He’s a good boxer and he has a good left hook. But none of that means anything until you get in the ring.

“Once I step into the ring, I will bring 100 percent. I am not going to stop swinging until Douglas goes down.”

FERNANDO GUERRERO

“We’re ready to fight. We had a great training camp and there’s not too much to say. It’s warrior time.

“I’ve been through my ups and downs, but I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere. This is for my whole nation, everyone in the Dominican Republic who is watching. You have to step in that ring for something.

“This isn’t a game. This is the only sport that you cannot play. I’m going to make this one of those fights that will be one of the best of the year. It will either be the best knockout or the best fight of the year. This is going to be memorable.

“This is the kind of opponent who will bring out the best of me. Everybody has to watch out for me. I’m coming to make a statement on Saturday.”

Friday, March 4

6:00 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Vision Bar (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
5:00 p.m. – Media arrival
6:00 p.m. – Fighters to scales

Saturday, March 5

5:30 p.m. SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER DOORS OPEN
Location: 77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015

6:45 p.m. FIRST BOUT

10:00 p.m. SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION BROADCAST BEGINS

CREDENTIAL DISTRIBUTION
Fight night credentials can be picked up on Saturday, March 5 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at the Backstage Entrance. Proper personal photo ID (Driver’s license or passport) is required for credential pick-up.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

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

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 2, 2016) – Julian “J-Rock” Williams (21-0-1, 13 KOs) held a media workout on Tuesday in Philadelphia at James Shuler Boxing Gym as he prepares to put his undefeated record on the line in a 154-pound world title eliminator this Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® main event pits Williams against Italy’s Marcello Matano (16-1, 5 KOs) as part of a tripleheader live from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Also featured on the telecast will be middleweight contender Antoine Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) facing off against Avtandil Khurtsidze (31-2, 20 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout and exciting Detroit prospect Tony Harrison (22-1, 18 KOs) battling former title challenger Fernando Guerrero (28-3, 20 KOs) in a 10-round super welterweight matchup.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Here is what Julian and his trainer, Stephen Edwards, had to say Tuesday:

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I am extremely focused. There is a lot at stake this Saturday. I am finally in the position I wanted to be in since turning pro.

“I have come to a conclusion that if people don’t have to fight Julian Williams then they won’t. It hasn’t been that frustrating though because I always have a fight on the books. I can’t worry about the people who won’t fight me. I just have to stay ready and put myself in the mandatory spot. That’s what I am going to do on Saturday night.

“It’s never any challenge fighting at home. I know exactly what I have to do. I don’t cut any corners in camp. The biggest challenge is the waiting because I am so anxious to get in there and get a win, especially in front of my home crowd.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue a boxing career, so I treat it like I want it. I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time and my opportunity is finally here.

“I’ve been a student of the game since I started watching boxing. I want to learn and I want to know everything about boxing.

“It means everything to have my biggest fight to date in my backyard. I know my fans cheer loud and it feels great to have their support in my corner.

“I know everything about my opponent. I probably know what kind of toothpaste he used this morning. I searched high and low for videos of Matano. I am ready because I know he is ready.

“He is a little bit awkward. He seems to have a really good gas tank. He said he wants to take me the distance, so we’ll see.

“The last fight solidified the things that I already knew about myself. I know I am fundamentally sound and I know I am the hungriest fighter in the world.

“I always want to put on an explosive performance. It’s always about a win.

“In about nine months, Philadelphia will have it’s fourth IBF super welterweight champion after David Reid, Robert Hines and Buster Drayton.”

STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams’ trainer

“We are ready. It’s been a long four-month camp. We thought were going to fight in January, so we’ve been grinding through this rough weather early in the morning. Julian is chomping at the bit and ready to rock ‘n roll.

“We thought we were going to fight Austin Trout in December, and he saw that Julian gave his opponent a concussion and said I don’t want to fight him. It’s just that simple. We have to get past Matano and then we can talk about (super welterweight champion Jermall) Charlo.

“Anybody with two hands and a heartbeat can fight. Matano is ranked and just because he isn’t well known, it doesn’t mean he can’t fight. He is 16-1 and they didn’t have a hard time convincing him to take the fight. The best soldiers are volunteers. Any time someone willingly comes to someone else’s country, you have to take him seriously.

“I don’t want to make a prediction, but Julian will hurt this guy very bad.”

Thursday, March 3

3:00 p.m. PRESS CONFERENCE -OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Berks Meeting Room (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
2:30 p.m. – Media arrival
3:00 p.m. – Press conference begins

Friday, March 4

6:00 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Vision Bar (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
5:00 p.m. – Media arrival
6:00 p.m. – Fighters to scales

Saturday, March 5

5:30 p.m. SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER DOORS OPEN
Location: 77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015

6:45 p.m. FIRST BOUT

10:00 p.m. SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION BROADCAST BEGINS

BETHLEHEM, PA. (March 1, 2016) – Unbeaten middleweight prospect Ievgen Khytrov (12-0, 11 KOs) takes on Alabama’s Kenneth McNeil (9-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round bout that highlights an exciting undercard taking place this Saturday, March 5 from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The card features an exciting tripleheader of action live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT and is headlined by undefeated rising star Julian “J-Rock” Williams in an IBF eliminator for the top ranking at 154 pounds against Italy’s Marcello Matano. Also featured on the telecast is fast-rising middleweight contender Antoine Douglas against Avtandil Khurtsidze and exciting prospect Tony Harrison battling former title challenger Fernando Guerrero.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

The non-televised undercard will be streamed live by GFL.TV

In other action, Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko (16-4-2, 9 KOs) will compete in an eight-round heavyweight showdown against 2012 Ecuadorian Olympian Ytalo Perea (6-2-1, 4 KOs).

Also in a non-televised bout is unbeaten Terrance Williams (4-0, 1 KO), who faces Anthony Miller (2-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round middleweight contest and the pro debut of Brooklyn’s Chordale Booker against Patrick Kehoe (1-2) in a four-round heavyweight fight.

Rounding out the night of fights is super welterweight prospect Oshaquie Foster (10-1, 7 KOs) in a six-round bout against Brazil’s Claudinei Lacerda (17-14-1, 12 KOs) and Philadelphia’s Amir Shabazz (2-0) against Atlanta’s Hakeem Atkinson (2-1, 1 KO) in a four-round light heavyweight contest.

An Olympian for his native Ukraine, Khytrov also won an Amatuer World Championship before turning pro in 2013. Since then, the 27-year-old has dominated on his way to stopping contenders Josh Luteran and Nick Brinson in addition to previously unbeaten fighters Maurice Louishomme and Aaron Coley. Now training out of Brooklyn, he will be opposed by the 25-year-old McNeil out of Birmingham, Alabama who enters this fight on a six-bout winning streak.

An exciting brawler out of the great fighting city of Philadelphia, Dawejko looks to make it three in a row after delivering stoppages of Natu Visinia and Robert Dunton his last two times out. The 25-year-old has shared the ring with heavyweight world champion Charles Martin and contender Amir Mansour. He faces a stiff test in the 22-year-old Perea. The Ecuadorian Olympian trains out of Howard Beach, New York and picked up his last win via knockout over Oswaldo Sanchez.

NEW YORK (Feb. 23, 2016) – Undefeated middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will face hard-hitting Avtandil Khurtsidze in the co-feature of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Khurtsidze (30-2-2, 20 KOs) steps in to face GH3 Promotions’ Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout for the WBO International title after Sam Soliman pulled out of the fight last week with a knee injury.

Khurtsidze, of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kutaisi, Georgia, has won eight straight – including six by knockout – since dropping a controversial decision to then-unbeaten Hassan N’Dam in a bout for the vacant interim WBA World Middleweight Title in Paris in 2010.

Khurtsidze was scheduled to face N’Dam in a rematch last November 21 in Paris, but the event was cancelled following the tragic November 13 terror attacks in France. The rematch with the former world champion was to be contested for the IBF No. 2 spot at 160 pounds.

A pressure fighter, Khurtsidze was also slated to fight last week on a DiBella Entertainment Broadway Boxing event and has been training since the fight with N’Dam was called off. The 36-year-old, who has also campaigned at super middleweight, is coming off a knockout victory over Melvin Betancourt last August.

“Avtandil is a world class guy, a former silver titlist and has been at the top of the division for years,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a great opportunity for him and a huge step up for Douglas. Avtandil had been on his way to France to fight for the No. 2 ranking against N’Dam when the tragic terrorist attacks hit Paris, which was a terribly unfortunate situation for all. Now, he looks to impress in this fight against the highly regarded Douglas. The winner of this bout moves up significantly in the middleweight world rankings and will be in line for a major fight in the 160-pound division later this year.”

In the main event of the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader, Julian “J-Rock” Williams and once-beaten Italian Marcello Matano will square off in a 12-round IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking at 154 pounds. In the opening bout of the telecast, hard-hitting prospect Tony Harrison will face veteran former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero in a 10-round super welterweight contest.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

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

NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 2016) – Undefeated super welterweight contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams and once-beaten Italian Marcello Matano will square off in a 12-round IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking at 154-pounds in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

In the co-feature, fast-rising middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will take on former world champion Sam Soliman in a 10-round middleweight bout. In the opening bout of the telecast, hard-hitting prospect Tony Harrison will face veteran former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero in a 10-round super welterweight contest.

“This upcoming fight will be the biggest fight of my career,” Williams said. “I’m chomping at the bit to get back out there. I am taking my opponent very seriously and I refuse to let Marcello Matano stop me from being a world champion.”

“This is a dream come true,” said Matano. “I’ve been working for my whole life for a real opportunity to make to the top level and I will not let Julian Williams take it away. What will happen when Williams has to go to the championship rounds? Will he be ready? I know for sure that I will. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I will do all I can to grab it.”

“Facing a former world champion like Sam Soliman is a great opportunity for me,” Douglas said. “The plan has always been to keep moving forward, and to do it successfully. This is that next step, and I’m ready for it. I’ve grown and learned so much fighting on ShoBox and it’s a beautiful thing to continue to progress and move to the next level.”

“This is an important fight for me,” said Soliman. “I had three opportunities on the table and I chose Douglas believing it to be a better fight for ranking, and it’s a challenge I’m excited to take on. From what I have seen, Douglas is a very talented fighter, which will make for a good fight. I am in great shape and looking forward to fight night.”

“I’m excited and eager to showcase my abilities to the world again,” said Harrison. “I’d advise fans to arrive early because I don’t plan to be in the ring long. I’m knocking this guy out. I know Guerrero is coming in with a chip on his shoulder and I can’t overlook him. I brought my uncle into camp and I think that’s going to give me the edge that I’ve needed to get over the hump. I’m putting the whole division on notice!”

“It’s warrior time,” said Guerrero. “We are going to have a war. This is going to be non-stop action. This fight will lead to big things for me. I’m used to fighting guys that are bigger than I am. I’m at my more natural weight and I’m looking to do great things in this division.”

“I’m thrilled to promote this great show on March 5,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “This is a great card from top to bottom with some future champions looking to show the world that they are ready for the next level. I am honored to have Julian Williams headline this card. He put on an explosive performance in his last bout at the Sands and I am sure he will be looking to do the same on March 5.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

One of the most promising and highly regarded young stars in boxing, Williams (21-0-1, 1 ND, 13 KOs) will headline for the first time on SHOWTIME. He’s stepping up after honing his skills and steadily ascending the ranks after five fights on SHO EXTREME. The 25-year-old shut out longtime contender Joey Hernandez last April, followed that with a sixth-round stoppage of Arman Ovsepyan in June and closed the year by stopping Orlando Lora in the first round in September. The Philadelphian has also picked up victories over Joachim Alcine, Eliezer Gonzalez and Freddy Hernandez in his young career and looks to earn his first title shot with a win on March 5.

Matano (16-1, 5 KOs) is a former Italian super welterweight titlist. He’s registered four consecutive wins since the only loss of his career, including victories in three scheduled 12-round fights. The 29-year-old is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over fellow-Italian Nick Klappert in October 2015. Like Williams, he fought three bouts in 2015, although he logged 31 total rounds compared to just 17 for Williams.

Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) has been impressive in five consecutive victories since he boxed to a draw when he was just 21 years old with former world title challenger Michel Soro in July 2014. The former top amateur has won his last three fights by knockout, including a sixth-round KO of previously undefeated Thomas LaManna and a fourth-round TKO of veteran Les Sherrington last November in his fifth appearance on ShoBox: The New Generation. On the prospect developmental series, the 23-year-old Douglas has graduated from unproven prospect to undefeated contender and is now ranked No. 4 in the WBO and No. 6 in the WBA. Douglas is promoted by GH3 promotions.

Soliman (44-13, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia, is vastly more experienced than Douglas, having competed in four world championship fights. The 42-year-old held the IBF Middleweight World title before suffering a debilitating knee injury and losing via decision to Jermain Taylor in his first title defense in October 2014. Soliman, who is 9-2-1 since 2008, won the IBF crown with a decisive 12-round decision over Felix Sturm in 2014. The Australian, who fights at a relentless pace and can be awkward at times, will look to bounce back from a close, 10-round split decision loss to Dominic Wade last June on ShoBox.

At just 25-years-old, Harrison (22-1, 18 KOs) has showed tremendous promise as he recorded a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 to 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10-rounds in October. The Detroit-native will look to make it back-to-back victories as he continues his ascent towards championship contender status. He has picked up knockout victories over Antwone Smith, Tyrone Brunson, Bronco McKart and Pablo Munguia in the last two years.

A former world title challenger, Guerrero (28-3, 20 KOs) returned to his winning ways in 2015 with victories over Abraham Han and Daniel Souza Santos. The 29-year-old lives and trains out of Los Angeles but grew up in Maryland after being born in the Dominican Republic. The veteran owns victories over Ishe Smith, Derrick Findley and Gabriel Rosado in a pro career that dates back to 2007.

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