TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Canada (March 4, 2022) – Like so many fellow brave Ukrainians, Serhii “El Flaco” Bohachuk (20-1, 20 KOs) has returned home in defense of his country fighting alongside his compatriots against the Russian invasion, which has forced his withdrawal from a scheduled March 25th showdown with Canadian super welterweight Mikaël Zewski (35-2, 23 KOs).

Vidéotron Coliseum in Trois-Rivières, Canada, will host its inaugural professional boxing event, starting at 7 p.m. ET, which is presented by Mise-O-Jeu, co-promoted by a Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) with Probellum, and in collaboration with Deacon Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

Bohachuk joins other Ukrainian fighters who have joined the fight such as retired former world heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, as well as reigning World unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and 3-time, 3-division World title-holder Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Zewski, a former IBF North American and WBO NABO welterweight champion, is fighting at super welterweight for only the second time. His new opponent in the 10-round main event for the WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship is former world title challenger Carlos “Chema” Ocampo Manriquez (32-1, 20 KOs), of Mexico, whose lone pro loss was in 2018 to IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence, Jr.

“We applaud Bohachuk’s courage to return home and fight with his countrymen in a real war,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. “Our hearts and prayers are with him and all Ukrainians who we wish for peace. Mikael is still in a very tough fight against Manriquez, the WBO’s No. 8-rated super welterweight.

“GYM is excited to co-promote this stacked card with our partner, Probellum, in our boxing series. Not only do we have some of the best Canadian boxers in action, but we are also thrilled to have three Olympians fighting in separate bouts, Arthur Biyarslanov, Joseph Ward, and Herbert Carvalho Sousa.”

In the 10-round co-featured event, undefeated super lightweight Biyarslanov (9-0, 7 KOs) takes on Roberto Verdugo (10-3-1, 4 KOs), of Mexico. Fighting out of Toronto, Biyarslanov represented Canada in the 2016 Olympic Games. Verdugo is unbeaten in his last 6 fights with 5 wins and 1 draw.

Undefeated Irish super lightweight prospect Joseph “Mighty” Ward (6-1, 3 KOs) is scheduled to fight an opponent to named in a 4-round match. Ward is a 3-time European amateur champion, in addition to representing Ireland in the 2016 Olympics.

Highly decorated Brazilian middleweight Herbert Caravalho Sousa will make his pro debut in a 4-rounder vs. TBA. The 23-year-old Sousa was a gold medal winner at the 2020 Olympics and 2019 World Championships.

Former Canadian National amateur champion Sebastien Bouchard (19-2, 8 KOs) meets Ricardo

“Riky” Lara (22-9, 10 KOs), of Mexico, in an intriguing 10-round bout. The popular Bouchard has been victorious in 10 of his last 11 fights.

Canadian welterweight Marie-Pier Houle (5-0-1, 2 KOs), returning to the ring quickly off her recent triumph (Feb. 24) over Yamilia Esther Reynoso by way of a 6-round decision, to face former World kickboxing champion Valentina Keri (5-5, 0 KOs), of Serbia, in a 6-round fight.

Also fighting on the undercard is Canadian heavyweight Alexis (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Marco Antonio Canedo (4-1, 2 KOs) in a 6-round clash; pro-debuting Canadian super lightweight Spencer Wilcox vs. TBA, and Petar Gavrilovic (1-0, 0 KOs) vs. Greg Weeks (3-1, 3 KOs) in a pair of 4-round confrontations.

Tickets, starting at $25.00, are on sale and available for purchase on ticketmaster.ca. Prestigious seat reservations can also be made by calling (819) 519-1634.

GroupeYM #Probellum #ZewskiBohachuk

Source: Groupe Yvon Michel

ABOUT THE YVON MICHEL GROUP (GYM): Groupe Yvon Michel is a professional boxing promotion organization, founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel, Alexandra Croft and Bernard Barré, all still active within the company, which is the most prolific organization in the history of professional boxing in Canada. Since its founding GYM has organized 160 events in Quebec, participated in 37 international galas outside of Quebec. Seven boxers became world champions: Joachim Alcine, Jean Pascal, Adonis Stevenson, Artur Beterbiev, Eleider Alvarez, Marie-Eve Dicaire and Oscar Rivas. Seventeen of the organization’s boxers have fought in 50 world championship bouts with an excellent record of 25 wins, 22 losses and 2 draws. During this period major American television networks were more active than ever in coming to Quebec to broadcast GYM’s most important events. On 36 occasions major American networks presented a GYM event, an exceptional showcase of Quebec knowledge including HBO (8), Showtime (7), ESPN2 (10), Wealth TV (4), Spike TV (2), ESPN (3), CBS (1) and NBC Sports (1).

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Canada (December 14, 2021) – Canadian super welterweight Mikaël Zewski (35-2, 23 KOs) wanted a major challenge for his first professional boxing fight in his region of Mauricie and his wish will be granted. For the first appearance in his 11-year career, at a boxing event in his hometown, the Trois-Rivières boxer will face WBC # 9 contender and powerful slugger Serhii Bohachuck (20-1, 20 KOs), of Vinitza, Ukraine, in the 10-round main event.

Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières will host its very first professional boxing event on Friday, March 25, starting at 7 p.m. This event is presented by Mise-O-Jeu, and a Groupe Yvon Michel co-promotion with Probellum in collaboration with Deacon Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

Also featured will be the popular welterweight Sébastien Bouchard (19-2, 8 KOs) from Baie-Saint-Paul, charismatic welterweight Marie-Pier Houle (4-0-1, 2 KOs) from Cap-de-la-Madeleine, skillful heavyweight Alexis Barrière (4-0, 3 KOs), of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and several other boxers in important fights for the advancement of their careers.

For Mikaël, it is a dream come true: “I have been a professional since 2010 and since my very beginnings, I have wanted to box in front of my own people, my family and my friends. I know the challenge is important and that my opponent is dangerous, but I will be inspired and motivated like never before!” declared the sympathetic athlete.

“We are proud to present this international boxing gala in Trois-Rivières, which has become a reality thanks to the invaluable collaboration of Mark Weightman, president and CEO of the Trois-Rivières Lions. There is no doubt for us that Mikaël Zewski belongs among the world elite of his division, and he will have the opportunity to demonstrate it to everyone on March 25,” said Yvon Michel, President of GYM.

According to Mark Weightman, “The Videotron Coliseum is an exceptional venue for presenting boxing events, and we look forward to demonstrating it at this historic event.”

Tickets go on sale this Saturday, December 18, starting at 10 a.m. on ticketmaster.ca. Prestigious seat reservations can also be made by calling (819) 519-1634. Tickets are available starting at $ 25.

Full details about this historic event will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

GroupeYM #Probellum #ZewskiBohachuk

Source: Groupe Yvon Michel

ABOUT THE YVON MICHEL GROUP (GYM): Groupe Yvon Michel is a professional boxing promotion organization, founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel, Alexandra Croft and Bernard Barré, all still active within the company, which is the most prolific organization in the history of professional boxing in Canada. Since its founding GYM has organized 160 events in Quebec, participated in 37 international galas outside of Quebec. Seven boxers became world champions: Joachim Alcine, Jean Pascal, Adonis Stevenson, Artur Beterbiev, Eleider Alvarez, Marie-Eve Dicaire and Oscar Rivas. Seventeen of the organization’s boxers have fought in 49 world championship bouts with an excellent record of 25 wins, 22 losses and 2 draws. During this period major American television networks were more active than ever in coming to Quebec to broadcast GYM’s most important events. On 35 occasions major American networks presented a GYM event, an exceptional showcase of Quebec knowledge including HBO (8), Showtime (7), ESPN2 (10), Wealth TV (4), Spike TV (2), ESPN (2), CBS (1) and NBC Sports (1).

MONTREAL (July 29, 2021) – Finally NABF champion and WBC # 1 contender Kim Clavel is back in a ring in Quebec for her first career fight at the IGA Stadium in Montreal on August 28th. The wait was long, the procedures laborious, the requirements numerous, but finally GYM received the approval of its sanitary protocol from both the Montreal Regional Public Health Direction and the Quebec Public Health Direction. GYM would like to thank Mr. Daniel Tierney and his DRSP team for their important collaboration.

Clavel (13-0, 2KO) will face powerful Mexican challenger Noami Arellano Reyes (9-1, 5KO) for the prestigious WBC Silver title in a 10-round showdown. Reyes has won her last five fights including four by knockout. In her last fight in November 2020, she beat former world champion Carina Moreno (25-6-0, 6KO) by decision. Clavel will return to a Quebec ring for the first time since November 2020. In her last outing she took the measure of Barbara Munoz in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

This event will also mark the return of world contender Mikael Zewski (34-2-0, 23KO), who led on points against Egidijus Kavaliauskas in Las Vegas in his last fight in September 2020 before making a mistake in the 8th round. The charismatic Trois-Rivières’ resident has only second defeat in 36 professional fights, and he intends to return to victory and relaunch his international career with an impressive showing in August. For this occasion, Mikael will make the jump to the 154-pound super welterweight division. His opponent will be 23-year-old Dilan “El Tremendo” Loza (15-4-1, 9KO), a tough, young brawler fighting out of Mexicali.

Sébastien Bouchard (19-2, 8KO) has been bothered by injuries in recent years and this will be the first time since 2018 that he will compete in two fights in the same year. In his last outing this past March, he stole the limelight at the Plaza Quebec hotel in Quebec City, fighting Ontario Mario Perez (20-7-5, 12KO) for a spectacular victory by decision. Based on his performance, the Quebecer has shown that he has recovered from his injuries, and he intends to make up for lost time. He will face veteran left-hander, former world contender, American Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (21-8-2, 9KO), fighting out of Los Angeles.

A total of nine fights will be scheduled involving several local hopefuls in action. The spectacular Marie-Pier Houle (3-0-1.1KO) versus. Jeanette Zapata (2-3-0, 0KO) of Mexico, skillful heavyweight Alexis Barrière (2-0, 2KO) against Angel Barron, of Mexico, and the talented Mazlum Akdeniz (13-0-0, 7KO) will have the opportunity to display their talent.

Petar Gavrilovic will make his pro debut. An intriguing matchup of two undefeated opponents, Diizon Belfon (2-0-0, 2KO) and Kevin Menoche (4-0, 4KO) trying to keep their unbeaten records intact. In the opening 4 rounder Samuel Lajoie-Dery will make his debut against MMA specialist Patrick Lafleur (1-3-1, 1KO).

This will be the sixth time that GYM has presented a boxing gala on the center court of the cozy tennis stadium and each time it was a resounding success. Former world champions Joachim Alcine, Jean Pascal, Adonis Stevenson, David Lemieux, and Bermane Stiverne all left their mark there between 2006 and 2010. On the unforgettable evening of June 8, 2007, when in the middle of the IBF super lightweight IBF title Eliminator between Quebecer Hermann Ngoudjo and American Randall Bailey, a deluge flooded the amphitheater, fuses blew and there was darkness for a few minutes, live on the American television channel ESPN2. This event eventually received the 2007 ESPN Boxing Event of the Year.

GYM has obtained authorization to put 5,000 tickets on sale for the occasion, available on ticketmaster.ca or at GYM (514) 383-0666. The prices are $35, $??50, $90 and $150 in the stands. At ringside there are 38 tables of six available for $2,500 which includes a great meal and wine served to guests. Tickets went on sale today at 12 noon / ET.

This event under the stars will also be available on pay-per-view on Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV and on Fite.TV for $ 49.99.

Kim Clavel, unbeaten in 13 professional fights has had an incredible journey since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. She was to be the main star of a series of events at the Casino de Montreal to bring her to a world title fight at the end of her fifth fight. This Series resulted in her professional boxing career leading to a whole new dimension. A week before her first fight, the COVID-19 pandemic completely upset her plans. Instead of complaining and doing nothing, she decided to take over her nursing career and put herself at the service of CHSLDs to help the elderly confined to their rooms, facing this pandemic that was sweeping all over the planet. It was with great self-sacrifice and courage that she set about the task for endless days due to the shortage of personnel and without much protection. The enemy being, at that time, fairly unknown in terms of the vaccine’s full impact.

Kim took on this fight quite naturally just wishing to make herself useful without realizing that her story would touch the planet and become a huge source of inspiration during these difficult times:

• First. in May 2020 the North American champion (NABF) received the “Hero of Humanity” award from the World Boxing Council at the same time as did the great international stars Manny Pacquiao and Juan-Carlos Ramirez for their social involvement.

• In June 2020, she received the “Pat Tillman Award” during the annual ESPY gala on ESPN, which commenced in 2014, for being a person with a strong connection to sport and who has served the population with the spirit of service, duty, and altruism. It was the first time that this honor had not been bestowed on an American.

• The following July, ESPN and US promoter Top Rank offered Clavel a fight live on US television against American Natalie Gonzalez, which the Quebecer won by unanimous decision.

• In November 2020 it was the prestigious Time Magazine which honored the champion as a “Top Ten Next Generation Leader for 2020”

• In December 2020, in her last fight she faced Barbra Munoz in Cuernavaca in Mexico where she won her 13th professional fight.

• In January 2021 the WBC, during its annual awards ceremony, awarded 2 important prizes to Kim; that of “Hope of the Year” and that of “The most inspiring athlete”

• Thanks to her new notoriety Kim Clavel was invited to participate in “Big Brother Celebrity” of Noovo where she finished in 3rd position after 13 weeks of reclusion.

Kim Clavel doesn’t shy away from flaunting her “Girl Power” beliefs as she has a deep belief in gender equity no matter what. GYM has always been extremely successful when presenting its events at the Jarry Park Stadium. This morning, Canada finds itself in 11th place at the Olympic Games in Tokyo thanks to 10 medals won, all by women, which demonstrates the major contribution of girls to the sporting success of our country on the international scene. We know that the people in Quebec promote and enact gender equity in all areas of our society. Coming to attend the professional boxing gala where the main star is a woman would be a confirmation of this direction.

We are convinced that Kim Clavel’s return to the ring should generate tremendous interest and will spark major popular excitement! on August 28 at the IGA Stadium, Kim Clavel returns with great pomp and circumstance to the ring, her first fight in Quebec since December 2019. It marks the return of international boxing in Canada as well as the relaunch of GYM activities. If she wins the WBC Silver title, she will become the mandatory contender for WBC champion Yasenia Gomez, whom she could face this year with a victory at IGA Stadium. A special event not to be missed!

FACEBOOK: @groupeyvonmichel

INSTAGRAM: @groupeyvonmichel

TWITTER: @yvonmichelGYM

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on ESPN+ oncedefeated Lithuanian welterweight Egidijus Kavaliauskas made a decisive and violent recovery of his mainevent match with Canada’s oncedefeated Mikael Zewski, stopping the Québécois with a fabulous round 7 uppercut from which Zewski still hadn’t recovered at the opening of round 8, when Kenny Bayless prudently stopped their match.  How much better Kavaliauskas looked across from Zewski than Bud Crawford last December was a function of how much better Crawford is than Zewski.

It was an honest effort and an honest broadcast, the very thing a $5.99 monthly subscription should purchase.  It hadn’t the nauseating hyperbole that chases our sport most everywhere it goes.  There were guys who’d each had a shot of some sort and lost to better men.  It was good middlebrow fare, boxing that sticks to your ribs, resonates very little and exacts even less.  The commentary was given by two guys who like one another and do their jobs well.  Even if neither liked the other nor was very good at commentary, fact remains a two-man booth is better than a three-.

Bernardo Osuna is something of a litmus test for aficionados; your familiarity with him is about how familiar you are with our beloved sport.  Before he joined ESPN he ran a two-man booth for Telefutura’s fantastic “Solo Boxeo” program, on which promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy built many if not most future titlists, mostly in the Southwest.

I recall sitting a few feet from him in a makeshift boxing venue, the parking lot of a Tucson nightclub, 14 or 15 years ago – an empty ambulance abandoned on a nearby sidestreet to check some regulatory box or other – while Osuna and his cohost recorded their evening’s leadin.  With only a wrinkled index card scotchtaped to the bottom of a camera for notes, Osuna nailed his first take, nonchalant, then started conversing with someone in a different language.  I remember thinking he might have the most talent on the evening’s card.  Later that night, if memory serves, Jesus Soto-Karass beat “Cool” Vince Phillips into retirement.

Osuna has an uncommon facility in two languages, as viewers might’ve heard and marveled-at, Saturday, with his calling play-by-play in English then doing on-the-fly Spanish translation between rounds.  He’s too talented for conventional broadcasting roles and woefully underutilized as a postfight interviewer.  That’s hardly his employers’ faults.  What, after all, do you do with a guy capable of national-broadcast-quality work in two languages simultaneously – lend him to the United Nations?

Then there’s Timothy Bradley, who’s still learning his craft but vulnerable and unpredictable and likable – one of not even a handful of professional athletes who might make a good friend, and the only man or woman or child Terence Crawford approaches at ringside.  Osuna and Bradley call a card like college roommates; maybe it’s not polished enough for whatever prepositionally historic thing ESPN usually broadcasts – Saturday night, apparently, the Lakers became the first NBA team, ever, to win two consecutive series, in five games, after losing the first game of each, and good God, but you bore witness to it! – but it’s exactly right for Kavaliauskas TKO-8 Zewski, a mainevent that would warrant an 11-hour undercard were it in the U.K. and a handful of Lennox Lewis comparisons to Lennox Lewis by Lennox Lewis if it were on Fox Sports.

I spent some of Saturday’s mainevent doing an examination of conscience, as it were, concerning my tolerance for Kavaliauskas-Zewski.  Would I have watched it if there weren’t a column to write the next morning?  No.  Did I remember anything about either guy before the opening bell?  No.  Did I enjoy the fight for being evenly matched?  Yes.  Did I enjoy the match because both fighters were white?  Hmm.

That’s the very part of my conscience I wished to examine (and how thrilling could the fight have been, honestly, if I used it as a barometer for my own racial bias?).  This isn’t a question of racism, as I see it; cheering for someone because he looks like you is acceptable in most cases – and the more specific, the more acceptable; “Paddy O’Sullivan is my favorite because he’s an Irish Catholic from Boston!” is more acceptable than “Bill Smith is the best because he’s white” – while cheering against someone because he doesn’t look like you is unacceptable in most cases, though, again, specificity probably matters.  There are power dynamics and a majority/minority distinction, here, too, which is why a white president of the United States stoking white grievance is reflexively more offensive than Joe Frazier saying he was taught always to cheer for Black fighters.

The purpose of this, all of this, every last molecule of this, if there’s any purpose whatever, is to know oneself better.  It’s necessary to suspend moral judgement of oneself to get very far in the exercise.  That’s what the cheer-for-someone permission slip above is about; if I’m more drawn to Kavaliauskas-Zewski than Broner-Theophane, I want to be able to acknowledge it, not in the name of eradicating the preference or reforming myself so much as having a better inventory at hand.

The deeper I thought this question through the better I felt about boxing; it’s a tangle enough of ethnic and national interests that most racist white Americans long since migrated away from our sport.  Boxing gyms, too, are some of the last diverse places in America where race can be discussed in good-faith, because as a local fighter once put it: “If you don’t like Puerto Ricans, just be honest and tell me – I’m going to punch you in the face anyway.”

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Former world title challenger Egidijus Kaviauskas stopped Mikael Zewski in in round eight of their scheduled 10-round welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

In round three, Kavaliauskas started to swell under his right eye.

In round eight, Kavaliauskas landed a huge right uppercut that hurt Zewski badly. Kavaliauskas jumped on Zewski and put him down with about 10 unanswered punches. Kavaliauskas came out in round eight and landed a booming right in the opening seconds that put Zewski down again, and the fight was stopped at seven seconds.

Zewski was ahead on two cards 67-65 and Kavaliauskas was ahead 67-65 on the other card at the time of the stoppage.

Kavaliauskas, 146.5 lbs of Lithuania is now 22-1-1 with 18 knockouts. Zewski, 147 lbs of Trois-Rivieries, CAN is 34-2.

Kavaliauskas said, “I was controlling the fight. I was never in danger. I was never hurt.
 
“I wanted to knock him out faster, but it happened this way. You can never count on the knockout. I was working. I was putting pressure on him. I saw him slowing down round by round. I saw him getting weaker and weaker. I was just blocking his punches and not feeling his power.
 
“I don’t think Crawford has any other choices at welterweight. I can ask his team, with all due respect, to give me a rematch because these guys have no opponents yet.”

Gonzalez Decisions Marriaga

Joet Gonzalez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Miguel Marriaga in a battle of former featherweight world title challengers.

In round nine, Marriaga was cut over his right eye.

Gonzalez landed 234 of 732 punches. Marriaga was 127 of 622.

Gonzalez, 125.8 lbs of Glendora, CA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 97-93 and is now 24-1. Marriaga, 125.9 lbs of Ajona, COL is 29-4.

Gonzalez said, “This puts me back in the position I want to be. I wanted to be back in with tough guys. I told my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my team at Golden Boy that I didn’t want no tune-up fights. I wanted to show people that I could compete with the top guys and be in with heavy hitters and boxers and compete for another title real soon.
 
“I want another world title shot. I think I’ve earned it.”

Jumakhanov stops Ramos

Aleem Jumakhanov stopped Jorge Ramos in round three of a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

In round three, Jumakhanov dropped Ramos with a hard right to the head for the ten count at 2:02.

Jumakhanov, 126.5 lbs of Reseda, CA is now 9-3-2 with five knockouts. Ramos, 127 lbs of Laredo, TX is now 7-3-1.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweight, Manuel Flores stopped Jonathan Rodriguez in round five of a scheduled six-round bout.

In round three, Flores put Rodriguez down with a left hook. In round five, Flores landed a hard left that snapped the head of Rodriguez back, and then a follow up flurry had the fight stopped at 1:11.

Flores, 117.3 lbs of Coachella, CA is 9-0 with six knockouts. Rodriguez, 118 lbs of Bethlehem, PA is 8-1.

Anthony Chavez won a six-round unanimous decision over Adan Gonzales in a junior lightweight bout.

In round one, Gonzales dropped Chavez with a right over the top. The replays showed the knockdown was caused by a headbutt and was rescinded. In round three, Chavez landed a left hook that drove Gonzales into the ropes, which was ruled a knockdown.

Chavez, 129.1 lbs of San Bernadino, CA won by scores of 58-56 on all cards and is now 9-1. Gonzalez, 129.1 lbs of Denver, CO is 5-4-2.

Eric Puente remained perfect by winning a four-round unanimous decision over Luis Norambuena in a lightweight bout.

Puente boxed well and used his jab to set up good shots, which included a couple of nice uppercuts.

Puente, 137.7 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is now 4-0. Norambuena, 135.6 lbs of Talca, CHL is 4-6-1.

•     Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas 146.5 lbs vs. Mikael Zewski 147 lbs 
(Zewski’s NABO and vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Titles — 10 Rounds)

•    Miguel Marriaga 125.9 lbs vs. Joet Gonzalez 125.8 lbs 
(Vacant WBO Intercontinental Featherweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•    Aleem Jumakhonov 126.5 lbs vs. Jorge Ramos 127 lbs 
(Featherweight — 8 Rounds)

•      Manuel Flores 117.3 lbs vs. Jonathan Rodriguez 118 lbs 
(Bantamweight — 6 Rounds)

•     Anthony Chavez 129.1 lbs vs. Adan Gonzales 129.1 lbs 
(Jr. Lightweight— 6 Rounds)

•    Eric Puente 137.7 lbs vs. Luis Norambuena 135.6 lbs 
(Lightweight — 4 Rounds)

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (September 10, 2020) — Three former world title challengers and a longtime contender met the media for a Zoom press conference Thursday afternoon ahead of their can’t-miss doubleheader Saturday from the MGM Grand Conference Center (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET ).

In the 10-round welterweight main event, the man known as “Mean Machine,” Egidijus Kavaliauskas, will take on Canadian contender Mikael Zewski in his first bout since challenging Terence Crawford for the WBO world title last December. 

The co-feature will see three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga battle recent world title challenger Joet Gonzalez in a crossroads featherweight tilt scheduled for 10 rounds.

Here is some of what they had to say to the media.

Mean Machine

“I want to face the best opponents at welterweight. My goal is to become mandatory and fight for another world title. I would like to fight the top names at 147.”

“Zewski is also a pressure fighter like me. I think we have similar styles, and I really believe we will make a very entertaining fight on Saturday. I know the fireworks will begin in the very first round. This will be an action fight!”

“If I get the opportunity to fight Crawford, I would do it all over again. I want to face him again. I know he is beatable. Everyone is. I liked how the fight started, but not how it ended. I lost focus in the middle of the fight. At the end of the day, that fight gave me more confidence. I was definitely in the fight. It made me a better fighter. I corrected the mistakes I did make, and now I’m coming stronger.”

Zewski

“I would love to fight the top guy in the division. That’s Terence Crawford, but I’m not really thinking about that right now. The guy that I have to beat right now is Kavaliauskas, and I have my total focus on him. I’m not looking at the future. Mean Machine is the present and I’m going to beat him. This will be a great fight. This is a fight that could get ugly, and it could be a war, for sure.”

“I’ve been here before. I feel like I’m home. There is no added pressure. Kavaliauskas is the perfect opponent for me right now. He is the kind of top fighter that will give me the challenge that I want. He is a great fighter and did a great job against Crawford. I want to show everyone that I’m at that level. I have a lot to win. I’m here to get the respect I know I deserve.”

Marriaga

“I have had the opportunity to fight for a world title three times, and I have not been able to be crowned as champion, but we hope that this time around I can finally conquer a world title. I’m hungry! I really want it. On Saturday night, Joet Gonzalez will face a very strong Miguel Marriaga. I have a great hunger for triumph. The motivation has always been there. I will not rest until I am champion. We will give everything on Saturday to get a big win for Colombian boxing.”

“It would be great to face the winner of the vacant WBO title fight between {Emanuel} Navarrete and {Ruben} Villa, but if that doesn’t happen, I’m ready to face any of the champions in the division.”

Gonzalez

“I told my team that after the world title loss against Shakur, I wanted to get right back in and face the best and biggest names in the division.”

“I want to show everyone that I’m a real contender and a top guy in the division. That’s why I took this challenge against Marriaga. He is one of the best, and I want to show that I’m a real fighter. I want to fight the biggest names possible. I would like to face the winner of Navarrete and Villa. I know I can compete with all these top guys at 126.”

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (August 26, 2020) — The Mean Machine is ready to rise again. Welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, a two-time Lithuanian Olympian coming off a valiant effort last December against Terence “Bud” Crawford, will face NABO welterweight title-holder Mikael Zewski in a 10-rounder Saturday, Sept. 12 from the MGM Grand Conference Center.
 
In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga will fight recent world title challenger Joet Gonzalez.
 
Kavaliauskas-Zewski and Marriaga-Gonzalez will stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.  The undercard, also on ESPN+, starts at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.
 
“Mean Machine proved he’s a top welterweight with his performance against Terence Crawford. He’s itching to get back into championship contention, and Zewski should give him a tough challenge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Viewers will get a high-energy, action-packed fight with the Marriaga-Gonzalez bout.”
 
Kavaliauskas (21-1-1, 17 KOs) is a seven-year pro who earned a mandatory shot at Crawford with wins over the world-rated David Avanesyan, Juan Carlos Abreu and the previously unbeaten Roberto Arriaza. The Crawford bout headlined the post-Heisman Trophy ceremony telecast on ESPN last December, and Kavaliauskas was competitive with the pound-for-pound great until a pair of knockdowns ended things in the ninth round. He is still ranked in the Top 15 by the WBO and WBC and hopes a win over Zewski (34-1, 23 KOs) moves him closer to a second world title opportunity. Zewski, from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, is 8-0 with 3 KOs since a 2015 decision loss to Konstantin Ponomarev in Las Vegas.
 
Kavaliauskas said, “I am excited to return to the ring, as I still have unfinished business. I still believe I have what it takes to become a world champion, and that journey resumes against a tough opponent in Mikael Zewski.”
 
Zewski said, “This is the fight I’ve been waiting for. Kavaliauskas is a fast and extremely powerful boxer, but I have all the tools to win. The stakes are high, and a win will propel me into a world championship fight. This is my ninth fight in Las Vegas. I’ll feel right at home.”  
 
Marriaga (29-3, 25 KOs) is itching to return after his July 16 ESPN main event was canceled when Mark John Yap missed weight by nearly nine pounds. The Colombian slugger has won four in a row by knockout since challenging Vasiliy Lomachenko for a junior lightweight world title in August 2017. Gonzalez (23-1, 14 KOs) last fought in October 2019, dropping a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the vacant WBO featherweight world title. With Stevenson having vacated the title to campaign at junior lightweight, Gonzalez’s path to a second world title shot goes through Marriaga.
 
Marriaga said, “I was disappointed after what happened with Yap, but Joet Gonzalez always comes to fight. It’s going to be a toe-to-toe battle. I believe my experience and power will be the difference. I will not underestimate him, as I must win to move forward in my career.”
 
Gonzalez said, “It’s a real privilege to be coming back at this time. I want to thank my manager, Frank Espinoza, and my promoter, Golden Boy, for making this possible. Marriaga is a very tough fighter. He’s been in the ring with Nicholas Walters, Oscar Valdez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, so this will give everyone a good indication of where I stand in the division. I plan to make the most of this opportunity and score a big win so I can show everyone that I deserve to be at the top of the division.”
 
In undercard action: 

• Genaro Gamez (10-1, 7 KOs), who scored a first-round knockout inside the “Bubble” on July 7, will fight Puerto Rican veteran Anthony Mercado (13-4, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior welterweight.
   
• Undefeated featherweight prospect Angel Alejandro (9-0, 4 KOs), from Dallas, Texas, will face fellow Lone Star State native Jorge Ramos (7-2-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• In a six-round bantamweight tilt, Manuel Flores (8-0, 5 KOs), from Coachella, Calif., will fight Jonathan Rodriguez (8-0, 3 KOs).
   
• Lightweight prospect Eric Puente (3-0), who is training out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, Calif., will fight an opponent to be named in a four-rounder.
   
• Thomas Wu will make his professional debut in a four-round junior welterweight bout against an opponent to be named. 

Use the hashtag #MachineZewski to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside. 

QUÉBEC CITY, Canada (OCTOBER 1, 2019) — The Videotron Center in Quebec City will be the scene of another exceptional boxing event, which will be crowned by a world championship match featuring the darling of professional boxing in Quebec, undefeated Marie-Ève Dicaire (16-0-0, 0 KOs).

The charismatic International Boxing Association (IBF) women’s super-welterweight World champion will defend her belt for the third time against the dangerous and experienced Ogleidis Suarez (29-3-1, 13 KOs), the IBF No. 2-rated contender from Venezuela.

Tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m. ET.
“The Videotron Center is a special place for me,” Dicaire said. “On December 1st, I wrote a page of history and this moment will remain engraved forever in my memories. To come back here almost a year later is very significant. I am happy and especially excited to have the chance to be able to demonstrate to my supporters the result of a year of effort and hard work.”

The blockbuster event is co-promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and Gestev, presented by Videotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
As a bonus, fans will have the privilege of attending the fourth title defense by World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World champion Hanna Gabriels (20-2-1, 11 KOs). This fight is in a collaboration with the brilliant New York City-based promoter, Lou DiBella. The opponent of the Costa Rican native will soon be announced. The plan is for a unification fight in March, 2020 at the Videotron Center between Dicaire and Gabriels provided they both retain their titles.

“I’m pleased to see that my team is doing everything in its power to allow me to get back into the ring as soon as possible,” Gabriels commented. “For the first time in my career, I have a winning combination with an outstanding manager, Hector Fernandez, in addition to my promoter, DiBella Entertainment. I am very close to my goal of becoming the unified champion in my division. Of course, I will focus first on winning my fight on November 23rd. Then, I want to face the other champions in my category who dare to face me. If Miss Dicaire wants to be first, I’ll be happy to beat her at home. It is a dream for me to fight in Canada, an extraordinary country. “

“I am pleased that Hanna Gabriels will be able to defend her title in Quebec City at this major event organized by my friend Yvon Michel,” added DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Hanna Gabriels and Marie-Ève Dicaire are two of the most talented women in professional boxing. A unification between these two athletes would be one of the biggest fights on the female sports scene. On the other hand, the two champions must win their duels of November 23 before thinking about the next stage.”

ZEWSKI AND BOUCHARD IN PIVOT COMBATS
Also featured will be aspiring world champion Mikael Zewski (33-1-0, 22 KOs), as well as hometown Quebec City favorite, Sebastien Bouchard (18-1-0, 8 KOs), who will both be in extremely crucial battles in terms of their respective pro careers. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 8-rated Zewski, the reigning North American Boxing Organization (NABO) welterweight champion, will defend his crown against American challenger Brad “King” Solomon (28-1-0, 9 KOs) of Douglasville, Georgia. Bouchard will be knocking at the door of world rankings by defeating Montreal’s Ayaz Hussain (13-1-0, 10 KOs) for the vacant North American IBF title.

For his part, Zewski is happy to return to Quebec City: “I am very happy and excited to be returning to Quebec to show people that I am part of the elite division and continue to climb the rankings. I expect strong opposition from Solomon. I am ready for the challenge!”
Bouchard wants to make Quebec vibrate for his 5th battle at the Videotron Center: “I have never been excited by local battles, but I know that fans are constantly asking for them. Yvon and I decided to hold this duel to make Quebec City and the Videotron Center vibrate on November 23 and thus thank the boxing fans for their continued support. “

“We are very happy to be returning to the Videotron Center for Marie-Eve’s fourth World Championship bout,” GYM president Yvon Michel remarked. “She won this IBF title on December 1st, right here in Quebec, under circumstances we know. With the participation of Zewski, Bouchard and Gabriels, there are four championship fights on this loaded, including two world title fights. It will be an evening rich in talent and very decisive for its participants. The show will be a fantastic evening of boxing, a can’t missed event for fans.”
“The Videotron Center has a special relationship with Marie-Eve Dicaire,” noted Martin Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment Group. “We look forward to another great event on November 23, when the first woman’s world title fight will headline a boxing event at a major Amphitheater. The local component is also important for this gala event. We are excited about the opportunity for Sébastien Bouchard to win his first North American title in front of his Quebec fans.”

GREAT VISIT WITH ADONIS STEVENSON
Former World light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson, who fought five world title fights in Quebec City during his reign, confirmed his presence to supportt Marie-Eve Dicaire. He will return for the first time to the Amphitheater, where he had his last fight, the same evening that Dicaire began her reign as world champion. Adonis will be in the VVIP section and available for interviews, photos and autographs. He will be accompanied by his wife, Simone God.

FERNAND MARCOTTE AT THE PANTHÉON DES SPORTS DU QUÉBEC.
Recently, Quebecer Fernand Marcotte was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame to crown his brilliant pugilistic career. A special tribute will be given on Nov. 23 and he will also be being present and available in the VVIP area.

Tickets, starting at $49 (taxes and service fees included), will be on sale at Gestev.com and Ticketmaster.ca, at the Champion Boxing Club (514-376-0980) and GYM (514-383-0666), or call 1-855-790-1245.

PRIVILEGE SECTION VVIP
A privilege section VVIP has been reserved to meet a customer who wishes to enjoy a unique and memorable experience:

• Limited quantity, only 100 tickets
• Section reserved on the floor near the ring
• Personalized VVIP accreditation with the poster of the evening
• Access to the VIP Lounge or snacks and cocktails will be served free of charge
• Proximity to the big names of Quebec professional boxing including Fernand Marcotte, Adonis Stevenson, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal, Eleider Alvarez and Oscar Rivas, among others, for a possibility of photos and autographs.
• Access to the post-Gala party with the main stars of the ring, Marie-Eve Dicaire, Mikael Zewski and Sébastien Bouchard.
• The price of each ticket is $500

TO CANAL INDIGO IN TELE LA CARTE.
The “Dicaire-Zewski-Bouchard-Gabriels” event will be broadcast in Canada on pay-per-view via Canal Indigo, Bell TV and Shaw TV.