Follow all the action from the UIC Pavilion as Erslandy Lara defends the WBA Super Welterweight championship against Delvin Rodriguez. The action begins at 9 PM eastern with a Light Heavyweight fight between Artur Beterbiev and Alexander Johnson

12 ROUNDS–WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–ERISLANDY LARA (20-2-2, 12 KO’S) VS DELVIN RODRIGUEZ (28-7-4, 16 KO’S)

Round 1 Lara drilling Rodriguez with left hands…10-9 Lara

Round 2 Lara lands a left…Jab…20-18 Lara

Round 3 Lara lands a right hook..right..snapping right and left..2 hard lefts..30-27 Lara

Round 4 Lara pounding with both hands...40-36 Lara

Round 5 More Lara domination…50-45 Lara

Round 6 STRAIGHT LEFT HAND AND DOWN GOES RODRIGUEZ…60-53 LARA

ROUND 7 Lara continuing to box well…70-62 Lara

Round 8 Hard left makes Rodriguez stumble…..80-71 Lara

Round 9

10 ROUNDS–LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS–ARTUR BETERBIEV (8-0, 8 KO’S) VS ALEXANDER JOHNSON (16-2, 7 KO’S)

Round 1 Not much…10-10

Round 2 Beterbiev lands 2 left and an uppercut..20-19 Beterbiev

Round 3 Johnson lands a left..29-29

Round 4 Beterbiev lands a hard combination..Good body combination...39-38 Beterbiev

Round 5 Beterbiev lands a left..LEFT AND DOWN GOES JOHNSON…HARD RIGHT ON THE ROPES FOR A 2ND KNOCKDOWN…Big flurry at the end of round...49-45 Beterbiev

Round 6 Beterbiev controlling…59-54 Beterbiev

Round 7 RIGHT AND DOWN GOES JOHNSON…HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES JOHNSON AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

Adonis Stevenson retained his Light Heavyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Sakia Bika at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada.

In round six, Stevenson dropped Bika with a straight left. In round nine, Stevenson scored a 2nd knockdown with a lead left to the head.

Stevenson, 175 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 116-110, 115-110 and 115-111 and is now 26-1. Bika, 174 1/2 lbs of New South Wales, AUS is now 32-7-3.

Artur Beterbiev remained perfect by scoring a crunching 4th round stoppage over former world champion Gabriel Campillo in round four of a scheduled 10-round Light Heavyweight bout.

Beterbiev scored a knockdown in round one from a hard right that was follwed up by a combination, In round four, Beterbiev landed a booming right on the ropes that snapped Campillos head back as he crumbled to the canvas and the fight was over at

Beterbiev, 175 lbs is now 8-0 with 8 knockouts. Campillo, 174 1/2 lbs of Madrid, Spain is now 25-7-1.

ADONIS STEVENSON: 174 ½ Pounds

SAKIO BIKA: 174 ½ Pounds

ARTUR BETERBIEV: 175 Pounds

GABRIEL CAMPILLO: 174 ½ Pounds

(TV Swing Bout)

JULIAN WILLIAMS: 154 ½ Pounds

JOEY HERNANDEZ: 155 pounds

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (April 1, 2015) – During Wednesday’s final press conference at Le Bonne Entente in Quebec City, both Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika promised a knockout when they meet in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT.

The hard-hitting Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) will defend his light heavyweight world championship against former super middleweight world champion Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

The case was the same with the co-main event fighters as both undefeated light heavyweight and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) and former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) expected to win via KO this Saturday afternoon. Campillo, sporting a Tom Brady jersey, even promised he would win in dramatic fashion like this year’s Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

Below are quotes from the fighters and trainers from Wednesday’s press conference:

ADONIS STEVENSON:
“I know Sakio is going to try to take my title, but I’m prepared for that.

“I know he was a champion. I made the move from 168 to 175 pounds and it worked well for me. I expect him to bring his best at 175 pounds. He’s a former champ so I’m preparing to face a champion.

“I’m looking for the KO because I’m from the Kronk Gym. Knockouts sell. But I can go 12 rounds, that’s not a problem. I train for 12 rounds.

“My trainer has given me a great plan. He knows Sakio Bika very well and we’ll see what happens in the ring.

“Bika is still going to have the same power moving up in weight. He should actually be stronger.

“I’m very focused because I know Bika is very dangerous. I know he’s going to come into the ring and try to give me trouble.

“I’m a knockout artist. I can do a lot in the ring, but first and foremost I’m a knockout artist.

“I’d love to unify the belts eventually, but I’ll let my manager Al Haymon take care of that.

“My mentor Emanuel Steward always told me that as soon as I enter the ring the knockout is what sells. I’ll definitely be going for the knockout this Saturday on CBS.”

“I’m ready to go toe-to-toe. Adonis Stevenson vs. Sakio Bika on CBS, baby.”

SAKIO BIKA:
“To beat a great fighter you have to be your best. I’m looking to take the WBC title back home.

“I’ve fought everyone – I’ve never ducked an opponent – and I don’t know if he can handle the pressure.

“I feel more comfortable at 175 pounds. I want to test the big boy [Stevenson] and I feel like I can do that. On Saturday we’ll see.

“He’s knocked people out, but I’ve never been knocked out. On Saturday I’ll be the one to knock him out.

“I’m very hungry to get a world title back. I trained very hard at light heavyweight to get a title back.

“I didn’t come here to Canada just to walk and look around. I came here to take this belt back home and I’m very confident I’m going to do that.

“Training camp went very well, we put in good work and now we’re here in Canada ready to shock the world.”

JAVAN “SUGAR” HILL:
“Training camp was very good as always. Nothing different, just hard work perfecting his boxing and the basic fundamentals. We’re looking for him to make a mistake and catch him.

“The way you prepare for an unorthodox fighter like Bika is to make sure your basics are sound. You have to have a good jab, you have to have good movement and you have to have ‘super power’ And I have “Superman.

“Emanuel also told me the knockout sells. It’s something that we both know and it’s something that is imbedded in us. We’re looking for the knockout on April 4. Sometimes I see things that Adonis is looking to do before he does it. So I’ll just be sitting there waiting for Adonis to catch Sakio Bika making a mistake and getting a knockout.

“I’m super proud to represent Kronk Gym. That’s why I wear my hat here. Kronk to me is like my family name and that’s what I live by. I was born into Kronk when I was a little kid going to a tournament with my uncle Emanuel and all I remember is the Kronk fighters winning. And that’s what I do now: win.

“Adonis is an artist, he’s a KO artist. My prediction for Saturday is a knockout on CBS.

“There’s been a lot of talk and now it’s time for action. Toe-to-toe on April 4. Don’t miss it.”

KEVIN CUNNINGHAM:
“We had a great training camp. Everyone was relaxed. We had great sparring.

“He was making 168 pretty easy, but stepping up he’s able to eat whatever he wants. The weight is good. We think he’s going to be good and strong at 175. It’s a good move for him.

“He’s never had any problems with power, so I think the extra weight and energy should be good for him at light heavyweight.

“All this talk about Stevenson fighting (Sergey) Kovalev has motivated him pretty good. I think it gave him a pretty good picture of how the business of boxing works. He realizes that when the bell rings he needs to do something about it and he’s motivated by that.

“I can’t say if Stevenson is overlooking him because I’m not around him enough. But I know the fans and media want to make the Kovalev fight. It was good for Bika to hear that because it motivated him. He knows he has an opportunity to do something about it. On Saturday afternoon he can change all that.

“If Stevenson does what he says he’s going to do – meet him in the center of the ring and go toe-to-toe – this is going to be a tremendous fight.

“If he comes to the center of the ring and fights and goes toe-to-toe then this fight won’t go the distance. If Stevenson comes to trade I think he gets knocked out. If he runs around the ring and boxes then it could be a different outcome.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV:
“I don’t think this is a big challenge for me. I’m ready to face the world champions and raise the bar higher. This is just another opponent for me.

“This is another step that will move me closer to facing the champions at 175 pounds. I want to put on a solid fight and show that I’m one of the best fighters in this division.

“A knockout is never a goal for me. I’m trying to show my work and my dedication in the ring, but usually that’s what happens. Usually I finish with a knockout but that is not my main goal. My main goal is to box and show my skills.

“My motivation is to face the champions. That’s why I work so hard every day in the gym. I will get there soon.

“Why not face Kovalev? I’m ready. When I turned professional my goal was to meet the champions. He’s a champion now and I’d like to face the champions.”

GABRIEL CAMPILLO:
“We started training Jan. 1 and camp has been very good. We’ve been working very hard and I think I’m in great condition for this fight.

“Beterbiev may not have a lot of professional experience, but he’s had a very long amateur career. So we know that he’s ready and is a good opponent for us. We’ll see how he handles things once we get past the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds.

“To get ready for a hard-hitter like Beterbiev required lots of conditioning training. We worked the neck and the chin a lot. We think we’ve got a great chance in the second half of this fight though considering Beterbiev hasn’t really been tested like that.

“As for a prediction, I’m going to knock Beterbiev out in the seventh round.”

# # #

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

QUEBEC CITY (March 19, 2015) – After dominating the amateur ranks during two entire Olympic cycles, Russian prospect Artur Beterbiev is now ready for pro boxing’s elite, even though he has only fought seven times as a professional. The Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) jewel will continue his journey April 4 in Quebec City, airing live on CBS and TVA Sports, against former world champion Gabriel Campillo, of Spain.
“The journalists won’t be happy since I did not KO anybody today,” laughed Beterbiev after a public training session today in Quebec City, He demonstrated his skills with his sparring partners, Englishman Bob Ajisafe and Australian Blake Caparello.

“I really think it will be a short night for Campillo,” Caparello said after sparring Beterbiev. “This guy has some incredible brute force. He could even chase and hunt down a strong Sergey Kovalev in the ring,”

Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOa) will face former WBA light heavyweight world champion Campillo (25-6-1, 11 KOa), a slick 6’2” southpaw who has fought 211 rounds as a professional, in a preliminary bout before the WBC and The Ring light heavyweight world title fight between defending champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio Bika.

Beterbiev-Campillo is for the IBF world second ranking in the light heavyweight division.

“It is a good fight against an excellent opponent; a resistant, experienced guy,” Beterbiev trainer Marc Ramsay analyzed. “Campillo will bring a lot of ring experience to Artur. My boxer continues to improve every day but, in fact, he is already ready for the best.”

“I will put on a good show and fight April 4th,” Beterbiev continued. “When I step in the ring, I don’t have a friend. I want to continue to get better until I face Sergey Kovalev again. And I will beat him again!”

Kevin Bizier vs. Stanislav Salmon

Canadian welterweight Kevin Bizier (23-2, 16 KOs) will have his chance to write history in the old Québec Coliseum, since he will fight the last boxing bout ever produced in the former Nordiques arena. April 4th, he will face former French and WBC Mediterranean welterweight champion Stanislav Salmon (24-3-2, 10 KOs).

In order to realize that dream, the Quebec City’s pride had to refuse an offer to appear in the semi-final bout of the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Andrzej Fonfara fight, April 18th in Carson, California.

“Kevin would have received a bigger purse than the one he had for his last fight against Jo Jo Dan, but he wanted to stay on the Quebec card,” promoter Yvon Michel added. “He did a great job in a really close brawl against Dan and Dan will fight in an IBF world welterweight fight, March 28 in England. Everything is still possible for Kevin and we believe in him.”

“To be the one that will close the Colisée is really something,” Bizier commented. “It is also a good preparation fight and I must do great. I would have liked to fight in California, but I will have another opportunity in June. And of course, I would have loved to be in Jo Jo Dan’s shoes to fight in a world championship…but one day, it will be my turn.”

Sébastien Bouchard vs. Denis Farias

Also on the card, Canadian fovorie Sébastien Bouchard (9-1, 3 KOs) will step up to face French tough guy Denis Farias (19-6-2, 1 KOs).

“Sébastien made us proud in his last fight when he stopped the last boxer to defeat icon Stéphane Ouellet, Belgian Cedric Spera,” GYM vice-president Bernard Barré mentioned. “He will be facing a durable fighter, who has only lost one time by K.O.”

Tickets are on sale at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUEBEC CITY (Dec. 17, 2014) – Jo Jo Dan, Kevin Bizier, Artur Beterbiev and Jeff Page Jr. held a final press conference at Houston’s Bar & Grill in Quebec City on Wednesday just two days before their bouts on the undercard of this Friday’s SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION from Pepsi Coliseum.

Bizier (23-1, 16 KOs), of Quebec, will face the only man to defeat him, Canadian-based Romanian Dan (33-2, 18 KOs) in a 12-round IBF welterweight eliminator – the winner to face World Champion Kell Brook – in the co-feature of a four-fight telecast, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the opening bout of the telecast, two-time Russian Olympian Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs), who twice beat WBO/WBA/IBF Champion Sergey Kovalev in the amateurs, will square off with fellow unbeaten Page (15-0, 10 KOs), of Andover, Kansas, in a 10-round light heavyweight scrap.

In the main event, WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs) will defend his title against Russian challenger Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs) in a 12-round bout. Rounding out the telecast, super middleweight contender Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), will face Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs) in a 12-round IBF super middleweight elimination bout.

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

JO JO DAN:
“I’m more prepared than I was for the first fight [against Bizier in November 2013]. I’m in better shape, both physically and mentally. I expect it to be a great fight. I’m going to put on a great performance to win the fight.

“It depends on him if this fight will be a war. If he wants to bang, we’ll bang. If he wants to box, we’ll box. It depends on his strategy. I’m able to adjust to anything.

“I can’t predict the ending until the fight starts. I’m ready for Friday. I can’t wait to get in the ring to prove that I will win again.

“I’m excited to make a great impression for the fans in the U.S.”

KEVIN BIZIER:
“It was the best training camp since I turned professional. I’m happy with where I am and I feel I did everything necessary to walk out of the ring with a victory.

“What killed us in the first fight was the holding from Jo Jo Dan. Every time I did something good he would hold me, and then he would respond with garbage punches that made him look good. Even if I landed the cleaner punches he would score with garbage punches after holding.

“The holding was a huge issue and we’re going to make sure the referee doesn’t allow it this time around.

“I’m ready for everything. I’m ready for a war. I’ve been ready since the last fight. Whatever he brings to the table, I will be one step ahead.

“I will win. I promise you. If the knockout comes, it comes.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV:
“I trained really hard. Everything was on schedule. We’re prepared and ready to fight.

“My main goal isn’t to knock him out, it’s to win the fight. If I do everything right then the fight will end in a knockout.

“I’ll do what I have to do to win over the U.S. fans. I know I’m not that well known in the U.S., but I’m going to show them my skills and give them my best. I’m a simple person but I’m going to open up and earn their respect.

“I’d like to fight for a world championship and become a world champion in 2015.”

JEFF PAGE JR.:
“Training camp went great. We trained up in the higher altitude of Big Bear [Calif.] with Abel Sanchez, bringing in fighters from all over the world. I’m in the best shape of my life. We’re very confident for this fight.

“I’m coming to win. I didn’t come all the way here to get knocked out.

“I’ve been in Quebec for two days and I love this city, I love the people here. I’m ready to put on a good show for them.

“He has power, but I have a lot of power, too. I’m going to counter his power with my speed and footwork. I have great power – 10 knockouts in 15 fights.

“I’m not afraid to trade with him, but I’ll use my footwork and speed to beat him.

“I’m predicting a knockout. I train for knockouts, but I’m prepared to go the full 10 rounds.”

# # #

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JO JO DAN, Once-Beaten Welterweight Contender

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

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

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

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

KEVIN BIZIER, Once-Beaten Welterweight Contender

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

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

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

ARTUR BETERBIEV, Former Amateur Standout And Undefeated Light Heavyweight

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

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

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

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

JEFF PAGE JR., Undefeated Light heavyweight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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