Tag: andrew tabiti

Andrew Tabiti headlines card in Philly

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Philadelphia’s biggest name fighters and future stars will fill a loaded boxing card that takes place on Saturday, April 27 at Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University(BLK Prime).

In the main event, Andrew Tabiti and Junior Wright will fight in a ten-round heavyweight bout.

Andrew “Beast” Tabiti (20-2, 16 KOs), former world title challenger, is Chicago born and now resides in Las Vegas, NV. The 34-year-old made his Pro debut in 2012 and won his first ten fights by knockout. In his thirteenth fight, on May 13, 2016, he won the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) cruiserweight title, then added the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Cruiserweight title on August 26, 2017. He fought for the IBF world title in 2019.

“I’m Excited to Fight in Philly, where there’s big boxing community and where legends made,” said Tabiti. “I know the show will have a lot of fans and it’ll be a great night of boxing. My opponent has some decent competition, but ⁠I will show I’m on another level . He has no business being in that ring with me.”

Junior Anthony “Hurricane” Wright (20-5, 17 KOs) born and raised in Evanston, IL, is thirty-seven-years-old and made his pro debut in 2011. He won his first seven bouts by knockout and has fought for titles on three separate occasions, the last being in Riyadh in October when he succumbed to the undefeated NABF and World Boxing Association (WBA) Inter-Continental champion Arslanbek Makhmudov.

In the co-main, Nikita Ababiy and Cleotis Pendarvis will battle in an eight-round middleweight bout, with the winner looking to get a title shot.

Nikitia “White Chocolate” Ababy (12-0, 6 KOs) was born in Richmond, VA and now resides in Brooklyn, NY. Born in 1998, Ababy made his pro debut two weeks prior to his twentieth birthday, winning by first round knockout. He is coming off a win over a fourteen win and one loss opponent, his toughest opponent to date.

Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (22-20, 9 KOs) from Lancaster, CA, is in his twentieth year in professional boxing. He is former World Boxing Foundation Intercontinental Welterweight Champion, IBF USBA Super Lightweight Champion and WBC USA Super Lightweight Champion.

The winner will be on the cusp of a title opportunity.

Jesse “Hard Work” Hart (30-3, 24 KOs) was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and has been boxing professionally since 2012. Jesse won the NABF super middleweight title in 2014 and a year later added the IBF USBA and WBO NABO super middleweight titles with a knockout win against an undefeated Mike Jimenez. “Hard Work” made four successful defenses of the IBF and WBO titles which set him up for his first world title shot, which he lost by razor thin decision. Three wins later Hart fought for a world title once again, this time losing by another razor thin decision against WBO champion Zurdo Ramirez. Hart is currently on a four bout win streak, last three by knockout.

“Hank” Lundy (31-14, 14 KOs) was born and raised in Philadelphia and wears that Philly tough guy brashness on his sleeve. He is a former Universal Boxing Federation World Lightweight Champion and a two-time WBO NABO Lightweight Champion. He is also a former NABF Lightweight and NABF Super Lightweight Champion, WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Champion. He also fought pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford for his WBO World welterweight title. Hank will fight Juan De La Cruz (11-22-1, 7 KOs) from Front Royal, Virginia

Dylan Price (17-0, 11 KOs) was born in Philadelphia and now resides just over the Walt Whitman bridge in Sicklerville, NJ. The twenty-five-year-old made his pro debut in 2017. He became the NABF Bantamweight Champion with a unanimous decision victory a year ago February and successfully defended that title in his last bout in January at Boardwalk Hall. He will battle Argentinean Ernesto Sebastian “Tito” Franzolini (19-14-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round bantamweight bout.

“I’m super excited about fighting in Philly,” said Price. “I know my opponent is tough, but nowhere near my level. I can’t see this fight going the distance, and yes, I’m going to knock him out.”

Frankie Lynn (3-0, 3 KOs), a Chester, PA native, will fight in a four-round welterweight bout, anticipating that he adds to his perfect record.

Nineteen-year-old Philadelphian Richard Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), who made his professional boxing debut on February 17 with a first round knockout, will battle Deron Eillis, making his pro debut, in a four-round super welterweight bout.

Philadelphian Shamsuddeen Justice (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring after multi-year layoff to fight in a four-round super lightweight bout against Puerto Rican Kelvin Diaz.

Seifullah Jihad Wise (4-8, 1 KO), born and raised in Philadelphia, will fight in a four-round super lightweight bout against Atlantic City native Aaron Newsome (2-4).

Foster-Hernandez set for October 28 in Mexico

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O’Shaquie Foster will defend his WBC World Super-Featherweight title against Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez at the Benito Juárez Sports Center in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday October 28, live worldwide on DAZN, in association with Pepe Gomez and Cancun Boxing.

Foster (20-2 11 KOs) landed the vacant belt in San Antonio, Texas in February, becoming the first fighter to defeat Mexican Rey Vargas on points to become World champion at the first attempt. The Houston native meets Mexican opposition again in his maiden defense on hostile ground, with the well-traveled champion fighting in a fourth country in his last seven fights.

Hernandez (34-1 31 KOs) lands his mandatory shot at Foster on home turf and the big punching challenger will relish having his first World title fight in Mexico. ‘Rocky’ has been on a ferocious run of KO wins, recording his sixth straight win inside six rounds with a third round bludgeoning of Hector Garcia in Monterrey in July.

“It’s that time again!” said Foster. “King Shock is back in action. I’m excited for the opportunity to be back in the ring and defend my title.

“We’re once again going into uncharted territory, so I’m eager to prove once again that I’m the best in the world and that I’m here to stay! Come October 28, I will dominate!”

“I’ve dreamed about this moment my whole life,” said Hernandez. “O’Shaquie is the best 130-pound champion. I beat him, and I show the world that I’m the best in the division.”

The first undercard action announced on the card sees Australian Heavyweight Justis Huni make his long-awaited Matchroom debut against Andrew Tabiti. The pair were slated to meet in New Orleans in June, but an ankle injury in sparring for the Aussie amateur standout just weeks before the bout robbed forced the bout to be postponed.

Huni (7-0 4 KOs) will be champing at the bit to get back in the ring and kick-off his new dawn with Matchroom after penning a two-year deal with Hearn in February, and the 24 year old fights in the States for the first time in his career against former Cruiserweight World title challenger Tabiti (20-1 16 KOs) in his second fight at Heavyweight following a successful first bout against James Wilson in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia in August 2022.

Hrgovic-Zhang, Smith-Bauderlique to headline Usyk-Joshua 2 undercard

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Details of the supporting cast to the Unified Heavyweight World Title rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua have now been confirmed. The rivals will lock horns again at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in the coastal city of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday August 20.

Avoided Croatian Heavyweight star Filip Hrgovic (14-0, 12 KOs) meets China’s undefeated Zhilei Zhang (24-0-1, 19 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Heavyweight World Title. The rivals were originally set to clash on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol in May but will now do battle on the Red Sea.

Hrgovic sits at No.3 in the IBF rankings and the big-hitting giant has been hunting a dance partner for a showdown to name the mandatory challenger for the title held by Ukraine’s Usyk. The 30-year-old Olympic bronze medallist has cut a lethal swathe through the pro ranks to sit in a prime position for a deserved shot at the big prize, ending all but two of his fights inside the distance, and not going past the fifth round in his last seven outings.

A host of Heavyweights were offered the clash with ‘El Animal’, but not until it came to No.15 ranked Zhang was a dance partner found, with the lofty Chinese star accepting the challenge. The 39-year-old has been circling for a major showdown, and ‘Big Bang’ gets his wish against Hrgovic with the two KO artist promising to leave it all in the ring with the stakes so high.

‘I respect a fighter like Zhilei Zhang, especially as there were plenty of others who could have fought me and didn’t,” said Hrgovic. “The respect stays outside the ring, and it’ll be business as usual for me when I step in there and look to do what I do best; put people away.

“There’s a huge amount at stake in this fight. I’m a fighter who belongs at the top of this division, and there’ll be no doubt about this when Zhang is dealt with and I go on to beat whoever it is out of Usyk or Joshua. I’m entering my prime, and now is the perfect time to be putting myself up against the top fighters in this division. I will become the heavyweight champion of the world.”

“I’m looking forward to August 20,” said Zhang. “My team and I have been grinding every hour of every day for this fight. Hrgovic is going to be the toughest opponent in my professional career. A victory will secure me the IBF mandatory challenger position, which is why this fight is so important to me. I will be in the best shape I’ve ever been in.”

Liverpool’s Callum Smith (28-1, 20 KOs) returns to the scene of his finest moment where he stopped British rival George Groves in seven rounds at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in September 2018 to be crowned the WBA Super-Middleweight World Champion and the winner of the World Boxing Super Series Muhammad Ali Trophy.

Now campaigning at Light-Heavyweight where he is ranked as the No.1 contender with the WBC, ‘Mundo’ will face France’s reigning European Champion and No.2 ranked WBC 175-pound contender Mathieu Bauderlique (21-1, 12 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the World Title currently held by Artur Beterbiev.

Smith was last in action on the undercard of the first meeting between Usyk and Joshua at the home of Tottenham Hotspur in September, destroying Lenin Castillo with a brutal second round KO to return to winning ways after his points loss to Mexican superstar Canelo. Bauderlique last stepped through the ropes in September when he retired Igor Mikhalkin in seven rounds to land the vacant EBU crown.

“The last time I was in Jeddah I was crowned the best Super-Middleweight in the world, so I have fond memories of the place,” said Smith. “The whole experience was great, and the fans really got behind me, so I’m really looking forward to returning next month. I won’t come away this time as a World Champion, but this is a tough fight on a great card and one which should set up a challenge at the number 1 in the Light-Heavyweight division.”

In a huge moment for women’s boxing, Somali-British prospect Ramla Ali (6-0, 1 KO) becomes the first female boxer to feature in an official international event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, clashing with Crystal Garcia Nova (10-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round Super-Bantamweight contest. Former two-weight World Champion Badou Jack (26-3-3) fights Richard Rivera (21-0, 16 KOs) in a ten round Cruiserweight contest. Andrew Tabiti (19-1, 15 KOs) and Tyrone Spong (14-0, 13 KOs) collide in an eight round Heavyweight contest. There’s also action for Ukrainian Light-Heavyweight Daniel Lapin (5-0) as he continues his education in the paid code against Slovakia’s Jozef Jurko (9-6-1, 6 KOs) and Super-Lightweight prospect Ziyad Almaayouf faces Mexico’s Jose Alatorre (0-1).