LOS ANGELES, April 16, 2021 —– Triller Fight Club (TFC) took another major step in its growing sports and entertainment business today when it added one of the world’s most respected and accomplished athletes, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, to its lineup of elite fighters, legends, rising stars and leading entertainment personalities. Holyfield, the only person ever to win the world heavyweight title four times, will return to the ring to fight Kevin McBride in a six-round bout in Florida on Saturday, June 5. He will join a card that already has the title fight between Teófimo López and George Kambosos Jr. The veteran McBride (35-10-1) is best known for ending the career of Mike Tyson in June of 2005 when Tyson retired in the sixth round in Washington, D.C. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between Triller and Snoop Dogg and is spearheaded by Ryan Kavanaugh. All professional fight rules will apply.

The location and times for Triller Fight Club on June 5 will be announced officially in the coming days.

“Our continued reinvention of boxing as four-quadrant entertainment now adds one of the biggest names in the history of boxing, Evander Holyfield, against one of the best opponents, Kevin McBride,” Kavanaugh said. “He joins a lineup featuring some of the most elite fighters who are on their way up the ranks and world-class musical entertainment as we present a multifaceted experience for fans of every interest in four action-packed and exciting pay per view hours.”

“I am proud to be able to join Triller Fight Club as they are exactly what our industry needed. They have reimagined the sport of boxing in a very exciting new way,” Holyfield said. “Their combination of young talent, music, entertainment and special matchups is setting a new standard for our sport, and my return to the ring for this fight is one that everyone, myself included, will enjoy, and I am proud to help take this to the next level.”

Holyfield is the only professional fighter to win the heavyweight championship four separate times, surpassing the record of Muhammad Ali, who won it three times. After a standout amateur and Olympic boxing career, Holyfield turned professional, and in 1986 he won the junior heavyweight title by upsetting World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi in a 15-round split decision. In April 1988, with an eighth-round knockout of Carlos DeLeon, Holyfield became boxing’s first undisputed cruiserweight champion. Three months later he fought his first heavyweight bout, knocking out James Tillis in five rounds. On October 25, 1990, he scored a third-round knockout of James (“Buster”) Douglas to win the undisputed heavyweight title of the WBA, the World Boxing Council (WBC), and the International Boxing Federation (IBF). After successful defenses against former champions George Foreman and Larry Holmes, Holyfield lost the title on November 13, 1992, dropping a 12-round decision to Riddick Bowe. In a rematch with Bowe one year later, he recaptured the WBA and IBF titles in another decision. Holyfield met heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a much-anticipated WBA bout on November 9, 1996, scoring a TKO in the 11th round, becoming the heavyweight champion for a third time. Holyfield regained the IBF title by knocking out Michael Moorer in the eighth round of their November 8, 1997 rematch. He retired in 2014 with a career record of 44 wins (29 by knockout), 10 losses, and 2 draws. Holyfield was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017.

Fight Club has created and named this match the Legends Title Fight and will be delivering the winner the Triller Fight Club Legends Champion Gold Belt, the first of Fight Club’s championship belts.

López, 23, is the current unified lightweight world champion, having held the IBF title since 2019 and the WBA (Super), WBO and Ring magazine titles since defeating Vasyl Lomachenko in 2020. López is ranked as the world’s fifth best active boxer, pound for pound, by ESPN and Boxing Writers Association of America, and sixth by The Ring. He is also ranked as the world’s best active lightweight by BoxRec, ESPN and the TBRB.

The Australian Kambosos has held the IBF Pan Pacific lightweight title since 2017. He previously held the Australian NSW, Australian, WBA-PABA, and WBA Oceania lightweight titles between 2013 and 2017. Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) became the IBF mandatory challenger after defeating Lee Selby by split decision in October.

In the headline matchup of Triller Fight Club’s first event of 2021 on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Jake Paul takes on former Bellator and ONE FC champion Ben Askren, while Regis Prograis (New Orleans), a former world champion and arguably one of the top two super lightweights in the world, battles Ivan Redkach (Shostka, Ukraine); heavyweight MMA Bad Boy Frank Mir (Las Vegas) opposes Steve Cunningham (Philadelphia); and Joe Fournier (London) challenges music icon and worldwide star Reykon (Envigado, Colombia). Several undefeated boxers put their records on the line Saturday: welterweight Quinton Randall (Houston, 7-0), super middleweight Junior Younan (Brooklyn, N.Y., 15-0-1) and middleweight Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (Baltimore, Md., 9-0). Simpson will meet Francisco Torres (Buenos Aires, 16-3-1), while Younan will take on Jeyson Minda (Quito, Ecuador/Salem, Mass., 14-4-1) and Randall will battle Cincinnati veteran William Jackson (13-2-2, 2 KOs).

The lineup for Saturday’s four-hour Pay Per View show will include performances by Justin Bieber, The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Diplo, Major Lazer, and the exclusive world premiere of the hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Too $hort and E-40) performing for their first time ever together. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Bert Marcus will lead and direct the creative storytelling for the Triller Fight Club event.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DIRECTV & U-Verse TV, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as leading providers in Canada.

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.com

ABOUT TRILLER FIGHT CLUB /TRILLERNET

Triller Fight Club is owned by TrillerNet, a first-of-its-kind company consolidating technology and content platforms to lead the move to Internet 3.0. TrillerNet pairs the culture of music with sports, fashion, entertainment and influencers through a 360-degree view of content and technology. TrillerNet—which owns the globally popular Triller app used by musicians, celebrities, athletes, and overall culture setters—has more than 300 million users worldwide. The Triller app—unlike other popular short-video apps it is often compared to, encourages its users to post the content created on the app across other social media platforms and websites. The app uses proprietary AI and Machine Learning technology, which is uniquely tied to the content rather than the user. By tracking the content, Triller empowers its tastemakers and users to push their content virally to affiliated and non-affiliated sites and networks reaching hundreds of millions of additional users. Data and insights gleaned from the Triller network, its creators, artists and users (from the app and off network) are used to program longer-form content, connect users across the web with the content, and provide unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetization. TrillerNet has developed highly successful campaigns that begin with the app and continue throughout the entire content and technology ecosystem with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Pepsi, McDonalds, Weedmaps, DraftKings, L’Oreal, and many others. TrillerNet offers brands a unique content and technology solution, including direct deals with the influencers and celebrities. This branded content journey starts with short-form video and can easily expand into valuable long-form content distributed through the Triller Network, such as live-event boxing and music PPVs, fashion shows, and episodic reality content on TrillerTV. Some of the more than 65 original half-hour TrillerTV shows include The D’Amelios Family’s “Ask a DAM Question,” Jennifer Lopez In The Morning, Jake Paul: Staying On Top, 2 Chainz Let’s Do It, DJ Khaled’s Spreading Love, Hype House’s Thomas Petrou’s Coffee Talks, Josh Richards’ Josh Pong, Ur Lov’d: the Noah Beck Show, Fat Joe’s Masterclass, The Perez Hilton Show, and Violet Benson’s Too Tired To Be Crazy, among others. TrillerNet additionally owns Verzuz, the massive live-stream music platform launched by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, Triller Fight Club (www.TrillerFightClub.com) which launched last year with the highly successful Tyson-Jones Fight which shattered digital PPV records. Other holdings include leading AI-powered customer engagement platform Amplify.ai, and FITE, the premier live event and PPV, AVOD, SVOD streaming platform.

For a while, in a strange way I was glad I couldn’t make it to Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino last Friday. I had to work my 9-5. Or on that particular day, my 2-10. The hours in the news media industry keep me off balance and last week, they prevented me from making the two hour drive to the Constitution State.

If I was there, though, I would have seen 6’7″ Mariusz Wach knock Mike Tyson-conqueror, Kevin McBride, unconscious with one jaw-crushing right hand.

—-

I had been ringside for both heavyweight’s previous fights. Wach’s was a third round knockout over North Carolina’s Jonathan Haggler, while McBride’s was a unanimous decision loss to Wach’s fellow countryman, Tomasz Adamek.

In the lead-up to his fight with Adamek, I got the chance to sit down with McBride at the Brick City Bar & Grill. Alongside a few other reporters, I sat next to him, in a seat that was only stone’s throw away from the bar — the bar that’s home to the liquid that sent not only McBride’s career, but his life, spiraling downward a few years back.

But the Irishman wasn’t there to throw back Jameson or guzzle down Guinness. Accompanied by his longtime friend and manager, Jerry Quinn, as well as an Irish-Catholic priest from Boston, McBride was there to talk about his upcoming fight. He seemed focused and determined.

He didn’t answer any questions in great detail, nor did he provide a quote that was worthy of the front page. What he did provide was a refreshing dose of honesty.

He knew there was only one way to win that night in Newark, Adamek’s adopted hometown. He was going to have rock Adamek’s world. He was going to have to hit “Goral” so hard “it’ll feel like the all of Ireland hit him.”

But that never happened. In fact, McBride hardly land as much as a jab. It’s quite possible McBride’s mighty right hand never even grazed Adamek’s flesh. At 285 lbs., McBride was too big, too slow.

After the fight, a battered McBride whose face was almost unrecognizable talked about the possibility of retirement.

“I’ll have to talk to my family and my wife,” McBride said. “There’s a good chance I will. I am a fighter and I am a warrior. I probably will step down. I tried, but I didn’t succeed, but that’s life. If you try, you’re still a winner though. You know, boxing’s a beautiful sport and I love the sport, but I’m not getting any younger. I’m 38 next month.”

He didn’t. So I met with him again before his fight with Wach at a press conference at Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, New Jersey. I asked him about the remarks he made after the fight with Adamek.

“Definitely, there is always that thought [of retiring],” the Irishman said. “After the Adamek fight, I felt like I should have retired. I have two beautiful kids and a lovely wife. But people said, you know, look at George Foreman…the last thing that leaves you is the punching power. Whenever there’s an opportunity, there’s a chance…I can be world champion.”

But what good is punching power if you can’t find the person you’re supposed to punch?

In reality, McBride was never a skilled boxer. And at 295 lbs. last Friday, he had zero chance of beating the undefeated giant who is Mariusz Wach. His weight, lack of speed, and age, transformed him into a walking heavy bag.

Wach beat McBride to the punch each time the two engaged over the first nine minutes. McBride looked out of place.

Then in the fourth round, Wach decided to up-the-ante. Just like trainer Juan de Leon had wanted, Wach came out aggressive, constantly coming forward, touching up McBride.

After walking McBride down so that his back were against the ropes, Wach unleashed a one-two. McBride nonchalantly threw his left hand out in front of body trying to flick away Wach’s jab. But what immediately followed that jab was an ill-intentioned right hand that McBride never saw. It landed flush on the Irishman’s jaw and knocked him unconscious before he even hit the canvas.

The big man crashed to the mat immediately, his arms and legs spread every which way so that when he finally did lay motionless on the mat, his body resembled that of a chalk outline. Doctors and medical personnel were rushed into the ring. He would leave in a stretcher.

I was watching from the comfort of my own home — on Youtube. I was sipping on a glass of Maker’s Mark, debating if I should switch to Justerini & Brooks.

I knew the punch was coming, I was waiting for it. When it landed, my insides got twisted. For a moment, I was glad I wasn’t there to see it in person.

But then I thought, if boxing were a bunch of robots, nobody would be interested. As much as it is the appeal and beauty of organized violence, it’s the human element that attracts us to this sport. People identify with fighter’s all the time because they can relate to them — whether it is by hometown, race, or religion.

So I suppose I am sorry I was unable to attend. It’s those gut-wrenching, lump-in-your-throat, stomach-in-your-mouth, type-moments that get your heart racing and the blood flowing. The undefeated heavyweight — Mariusz Wach’s right hand and the subsequent collapse of McBride — brought forth all of those feelings.

While boxing is definitely eye-pleasing, it’s more poetic than beautiful. And there are plenty of tragedies. McBride’s career, I suppose, is one of those.

On the flip side, I’m happy for Wach. He’s also good guy, who’ve I’ve spoken to on a few occasions. He was elated after he dropped McBride, his joy was written all over his face. From when I first saw him work out almost a year ago, Wach has certainly improved. He’s trained with former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, and this go around with Baby Joe Mesi’s old trainer, Juan de Leon. His improvements are showing, as is evident by the punishing KO he delivered to McBride.

And on that note — to McBride; I hope it’s as clear to you as it is to everyone else: please get out now. For yourself, for your wife, and for your children, Caoimhin and for Grainne.

Let’s hope this was it for the big Irishman. If he exits like he should, it would mean he will never become the first Irish-born man to win the heavyweight crown. But hell, at this point, with all the alphabet soup titles floating around, beating Iron Mike in many ways is a greater achievement than claiming some portion of heavyweight glory.

To the career of Kevin McBride, I’ll toast this Jameson.

Kyle Kinder can be reached via Twitter at Twitter.com/KyleKinder

Kevin McBride, Mariusz Wach, and trainer Juan De Leon (Audio Only) Speak On Upcoming Fight

Mariusz-Wach – Kevin McBride Press Conference 7.21.11 (1/3)

Part 2

Part 3

PART 2

Tomasz Adamek tuned up for a September 10th showdown with WBC Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko with a workmanlike twelve round pounding over Kevin McBride in front of over 7,300 mostly Polish Adamek supporters at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

It was obvious early who this fight would go as Adamek had a what looked at times a “Light Years” speed advantage over the slow, plodding and and even confused McBride as Adamek landed combination s as Adamek concentrated in working the flabby body of McBride. The combination’s were three, four and five punches at a time as it was clear what Adamek was trying to do. It looked like all McBride wanted to do was push a weak jab and lean on Adamek in an effort to tire him out. McBride started to bleed under the right eye as early as round four.

A round later, McBride began to bleed from his forehead but neither cut bothered the big Irishman during the fight. Every once in a while McBride, who did walk Adamek down for most of the fight would land a punch but with the punches that could be timed by a sun dial Adamek was able to move enough to take most of the sting of McBride’s punches.

Over the last half of the fight it was more of the same that saw Adamek move in and out and use his legs to keep away from McBride. For all of his lack of shape, McBride showed good endurance as he didint look much more fatigued then Adamek, who showed signs of tiredness which was mostly due to all the moving and the many times that McBride would lay his ample body on top of the top contender from Poland. McBride was deducted a point in round seven for excessive holding. Adamek closed the show as he landed some hard punches and the two exchanged for most of the final round with neither man ever looking like they would be hurt or knocked down.

The fight, which was billed “The Last Big Hurdle” for Adamek as he jumped over McBride with ease as he won by scores of 120-107; 119-108 and 119-1108.

Adamek, 215 lbs of Jersey City, NJ will via Gilowice, Poland will return to the homeland for what will be the biggest sporting event in the history of that European country when he takes on Adamek with a record of 44-1.

McBrdie, (every bit of) 285 lbs of Brocton, MA via Ireland is now 35-9-1.

The co-feature saw rising Welterweight and former U.S. Olympian Sadam Ali make easy work of Javier Perez by scoring a third round stoppage in a scheduled eight round bout.

Ali wasted no time by landing a left hook that sent Perez to the floor in round one. In round three, Ali landed a huge left hook that flattened Perez as he laid on the canvas for several moments.

The time of the stoppage was 2:40 of round three for Ali, 149 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY who remains undefeated at 12-0 with seven knockouts. Perez, 146 1/2 lbs of Ponce, PR is now 8-5.

Andrzej Fonfara warmed up the large Polish contingent by taking out Ray Smith in round four of an eight round Light Heavyweight bout.

Fonfara landed some nice punches over the first three round and then really turned up the heat in round four as he landed a big right on the ropes that rocked Smith. he followed that up with a big combination that sent Smith to the canvas. Fonfara landed a big right off the ropes that was followed by a perfect left that sent Smith down for the ten count at 1:09 of round four.

Fonfara, 175 lbs of Chicago is now 17-2 with eight knockouts. Smith, 179 lbs of Little Rock, Arkansas is now 9-6.

Joselito Collado remained undefeated by scoring a six round split decision over Rafael Lora in a Featherweight.
Collado was cut early in round one over the right eye and it seemed to have bothered him just a tad but the cut was controlled nicely as the fight went on. The two fighters engaged in nice exchanges with each taking turns getting through with left hooks.

The fight was very close but Collado was a bit more active and scored the split decision victory by scores of 59-54 and 57-56 while Lora took a card 57-56.

Collado, 128 lbs of Queens, NY is now 12-0. Lora, 128 1/2 lbs of Irvington, NJ is now 11-4.

Jose Peralta beat up Eber Luis Perez and stopped him in round three of a scheduled six round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Peralta rocked Perez with a hard right in round two and followed up with a combination that sent Perez to the canvas. Peralta opened up round three with a hard left that started blood flow from Perez nose.
Peralta dropped Perez with a right hand later in the round. With Perez down, his corner decided to stop the bout at 2:49 of round three.

Peralta, 142 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is now 6-1 with four knockouts. Perez, 136 lbs of Cartegena, Colombia is now 12-20

Vinny O’Brien scored a fourth round stoppage over Shakir Aquel Dunn in a scheduled four round Welterweight bout.

It was a tough bout with both guys landing good shots for which O’Brien, who has a terrific fan base, got in the better shots.

In round four, O’Brien landed some thudding shots that ended with a hard combination on the ropes and the bout was stopped just nine seconds before its scheduled conclusion.

O’Brien, 146 ½ lbs of East Hanover, NJ is 2-0 with both wins coming via stoppage. Dunn, 145 lbs of Newark, NJ was making his pro debut

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, world rated Heavyweight Tomasz Adamek will take on the man who retired Mike Tyson, Kevin McBride on April 16th in either Poland or New Jersey.

“We have confirmed Kevin McBride as Adamek’s April opponent, but we were holding off on a formal announcement until after I had the chance to meet with [Adamek co-promoter] Ziggy [Rozalski] to go over the two site alternatives with him and make a decision.”, said Adamek’s promoter Kathy Duva.