NEW YORK (June 18, 2013) – NABF super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) is dedicating his HBO® debut fight on June 29, against Argentinian-invader Luciano Leonel “El Principito” Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs), to the three Cleveland women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – who were kidnapped, abused and held hostage for a decade until they were recently freed.

“I’m from Cleveland and this terrible thing hit too close to home,” Nelson explained. “I wanted to do something so people don’t forget what these brave women

and their families went through. They are the toughest fighters in Cleveland.”

The 10-round fight between Nelson and Cuello will be the HBO opener (9:45 p.m. ET/PT start) on an explosive triple-header, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions, headlined by WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) defending against Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs), live from MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. IBO super middleweight titlist Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) takes on Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature on HBO.

“Willie Nelson is a very special kid,” said Steve Smith (Rumble Time Promotions), who co-promotes Nelson with Lou DiBella. “Right after these poor women were freed, I had a long conversation with Willie, and I could tell how moved he was by what had happened to them. He wanted to honor them in some manner and Willie decided to dedicate the fight to them. What better way to do that than on HBO? He’s just a caring young man who will make a statement on June 29th.”

The father of two daughters, eight-year-old Constance and four-year-old Willow, Nelson was brought up in Cleveland by his four sisters, who back then were about the same ages as the kidnapped women were when they were abducted.

“I have a special place in my heart for these three courageous women,” Nelson added. “I can’t imagine my daughters missing for 10 years and them having to deal with what these women had to in order to survive. And we shouldn’t forget about what their families went through for 10 years, either. One mother never gave up hope but, sadly, she passed away before her daughter was found. Almost everybody in Cleveland thought they were dead. The guy accused of doing this to them (Ariel Castro) was in the Cleveland news as an up-and-coming musician. I can’t understand how anybody could do something like this.

“I’m so happy that they’re free, but they’ve all missed out on their teenage years and part of their young adult lives. They’ve each lost part of their life that they’ll never get back. I don’t want people to ever forget what they went through. I hope to get that message across to America by honoring them on HBO.”

Nelson also plans to wear a “Cleveland 3” patch on his trunks, a symbolic gesture that will also be displayed on the jackets of his corner-men.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For updates and additional information, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.HBO.com/boxing.

NEW YORK (June 11, 2013) – Born and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, light welterweight prospect Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (20-1, 7 KOs) has always been a proud Bostonian and avid sports fan of local clubs like the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and New England Revolution.

On June 29th, the 28-year-old Irish-American boxer will take things a step further when he gets into the ring to fight veteran Hector Munoz (21-10-1, 14 KOs) in an eight-round fight on the non-televised portion of an HBO® triple-header card at Foxwoods® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

O’Connor will shed his traditional Clan O’Connor outfit for one specially designed by Rival Boxing Gear to honor victims of the recent Boston Marathon bombing. “I’m really excited to be Boston Strong,” O’Connor said about dedicating his fight. “I’m honored and privileged to wear what Rival has made for me. The names of the Boston Marathon bombing victims will be on my trunks. I’ll also be wearing the Boston Marathon logo and colors on my trunks, shoes, gloves….everything. This means a lot to me.

“It’s not like I’m on a team playing 100 games, so, after this one fight, we’re going to auction everything with all proceeds going to The One Fund. It’s just my way of showing my appreciation for what these families have been through. We’ll never forget. I’m from Boston and I’ve probably been at that spot (of the bombing at the finish line) a million times. Boston is tight-knit and this affected me and all Bostonians a lot. We’re Boston Strong!”

The DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions-presented HBO triple-header, starting at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, is headlined by WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) champion defending against Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs), live from MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Also airing on HBO is a 10-round co-feature pitting IBO super middleweight titlist Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) against Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs), while NABF super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) defends his title against Argentinian-invader Luciano Leonel “El Principito” Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs) in the 10-round HBO opener.

O’Connor has gone through a metamorphism, in and out of the ring, since suffering his lone professional loss on April 8, 2011, by eight-round decision to Gabriel Bracero. The popular O’Connor has won six in a row, four by knockout, after he started being trained by two-time world title challenger Ronnie Shields and managed by Kenny Casey, founder/front-man for the wildly popular Dropkick Murphys band out of Boston.

“I am a different person,” O’Connor explained, regarding what’s happened since his only loss. “I have a family now – my wife Diane and our two-year-old son Liam – and I’ve been sober for one and a half years and will remain this way. I have a completely different lifestyle now. They inspire me and today I appreciate even the smallest things. I’m blessed to be in the position I am in with Kenny, Coach Ronnie, and all of the others who’ve helped me. I strive to be great in boxing and as a person.

“I’m not fighting on HBO, but I hope to impress the people there on June 29. Maybe my next fight will be on television? I’m coming off an injury and itching to get back in the ring. I’m fighting a tough veteran in Munoz, who keeps coming forward with his in-your-face style. I’m ready for anybody after what I’ve been through. I feel so good now.”

Echostar Technologies and 1208 Reality are sponsoring a free bus trip to and from Foxwoods for O’Connor fans. Go to www.dannyoconnorboxing.com to sign up. Tickets may also be purchased at that site.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For updates and additional information, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.HBO.com/boxing.

New York, NY (5/28/13) – Defending WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s) both took time out of their busy training schedules to talk about their eagerly anticipated upcoming middleweight championship showdown on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The championship matchup will be the main event on the HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, which will be televised live on HBO® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Golovkin is training at The Summit High Altitude Training Facility in Big Bear with head trainer Abel Sanchez, while Macklin has been preparing at his brand new state-of-the-art facility, Macklin’s Gym Marbella (MGM) in beautiful Marbella, Spain. Macklin left his camp in Spain this past Sunday to travel to New York City for his final preparations with head trainer Buddy McGirt.

Below are camp notes from both fighters.

GOLOVKIN: “Training has been going very well, we have a very good atmosphere up in Big Bear. This is where I have trained for my last seven fights and I am very comfortable here. I have been getting great sparring, training with WBO junior middleweight champion Zaurbek Baysangurov.

“Every morning I wake up at 6:30 and do my morning run, which is anywhere between 4-5 miles. We go to the gym in the afternoon and, depending on the day, I will either spar or work on strategy with Abel. Every night, we all have dinner together as a team and then we spend the latter part of the evening socializing, relaxing and watching movies.

“We respect Macklin, but I don’t believe that the strengths that he has shown in the past against previous opponents will have any effect on me. I expect him to be a complete different fighter with a completely different game plan against me. Whatever he brings though, we will be more than ready to come away successful, and as always I plan on putting on a very strong, and entertaining performance on June 29th.”

MACKLIN: “I have had an excellent camp so far here in Spain, and I am looking forward to coming over to NYC to join Buddy and get acclimated to the time difference. It is great having my own gym when I am preparing for a fight, but I also cherish the fact that the facility is home to a number of world-class athletes from all types of sports, as well as for the local kids here to come in and learn the sport of boxing.

“We start our day with an early morning run. I divide my running sessions up between hill runs, through the beautiful mountains, and sprints. After my run, I go home and have a good breakfast and relax until the afternoon. In the afternoon, I head to the gym for my main session of the day. I switch things around to keep things fresh; depending on the day, the main focus of the session will either be pad-work or sparring. On alternate days, I’ll go back to the gym in the evening and work with my strength and conditioning coach. At night, I will either watch a movie to relax, or go for a long walk around the beautiful harbor in Marbella.

“I have been a pro since 2001, but I am always learning and trying new things in training. There is no substitute for experience and through that, you find out what works for you and what doesn’t. It is important to listen to your body and not be afraid to adapt your training routine based on what your body is telling you.

“I am very excited about this fight, because Golovkin is there to be hit. With someone like Sergio Martinez, because of his style and movement, it can be very hard to land cleanly on him and get your combinations off, and that is frustrating. With Golovkin, obviously he is very dangerous, but he is right there in front of you. Everyone talks about his power, and believe me, I am well aware of it, but just like I am going to have to deal with his, he is going to have to deal with mine.

“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in my own ability. I think the nature of my career and the ups and downs that I’ve had to get to this point have made me a very mentally strong person. To become World Champion and finally lift that world title belt is a goal that has driven me since the first day I put on a pair of boxing gloves. I’ve won everything else in terms of Irish, British and European titles and I should have had the world title after I got ripped off in the Sturm fight. Each setback though has just made me more determined to become World Champion so that’s really the driving force behind me at this point in my career.

“As much as I am looking forward to June 29th, the the fans are the real winners in this fight. This is a real old fashioned, middleweight ‘fight’ and a throwback to the great middleweight heyday of the 40’s and 50’s where the best fought the best. I don’t think there are going to be too many tactical surprises in there from either of us. You have two physically strong punchers who love to come forward, so it’s no surprise that people are predicting a real war.

“Gennady’s a great fighter and he will go on to achieve a lot in this sport, but every great fighter hits a bump in the road at some point, and for Gennady, that will come on June 29th.”

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

The event is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment. The bouts will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2013) – Ever since it was first announced, boxing insiders and fans alike have been buzzing about the much-anticipated upcoming middleweight championship showdown between defending WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s). Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment, promoter of Macklin, has made references to the fight as “Gatti/Ward-like” and even hall-of-fame promoter-arguably the greatest promoter in boxing history-Bob Arum was quoted as saying that it is a fight that he would pay to see.

Adding to the excitement of what promises to already be a can’t-miss main event are the two HBO-televised undercard bouts. In the co-feature bout, red-hot super middleweight contender and IBO Champion Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13KO’s) puts his undefeated record on the line against fellow undefeated contender Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10KO’s) while top-rated junior middleweight NABF champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12KO’s) squares off against Luciano Cuello (32-2, 16KO’s) in the televised opener. Both bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds.

The stacked card will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

“Both of these bouts have huge implications for each fighter’s respective divisions,” said DiBella, promoter of Oosthuizen, Nelson and Cuello.

“Tommy is not only one of the best 168lb. fighters in the division, but, in my eyes, one of the top prospects pound-for-pound in the entire world. He is taking on another undefeated, highly regarded fighter in Gonzales, and the winner of the bout truly emerges as not only a force in the 168lb. division, but as a potential star.”

“Willie is coming off back-to-back-to-back tremendous performances and is one of the hottest and most feared fighters in the junior middleweight division right now. Cuello is a proven contender, riding a six-fight winning streak and whose only two career losses have come against Canelo and Chavez Jr. This is a real fight and it will provide a true litmus test to see exactly where Willie is at.”

“June 29th is a big-time opportunity for all four of these fighters on the undercard to step into the HBO spotlight and establish themselves on a national level,” said Kery Davis, senior vice president of programming, HBO Sports.

With a combined record of 90-3-2, a nearly 95% win-to-loss ratio, and the bouts being the HBO debut for all four fighters, each fighter is chomping at the bit to get in the ring and prove their worth on June 29th.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity,” said the IBF #5, WBC #6 and WBO #14-rated super middleweight Oosthuizen. “There is no bigger stage than fighting on HBO. This is what I have dreamt about since I was a young child. I respect Gonzales as a fighter. He had a great amateur pedigree and he has yet to lose as a professional, but he never faced a fighter like me, and come June 29th, he is going to find that out very quickly.”

“Tommy gets his long-awaited opportunity on HBO. Fight fans around the world will have the chance to witness the most gifted super middleweight on the planet,” stated Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves, LTD., Oosthuizen’s co-promoter and the premier promoter in South Africa.

“I want to thank my team and HBO for this great opportunity,” said the IBF #12-rated Gonzales, promoted by Goossen-Tutor Promotions. “Fighting on HBO has always been one of my dreams. Winning this fight will put me in a great position for a world championship and I look forward to putting on a great performance on June 29th.”

“Fighting a guy like Cuello on HBO will give me a chance to make a big splash in the junior middleweight division,” said the WBC #3 and IBF #14-rated Nelson. “He’s a high quality fighter whose only two losses have been to world champions (Canelo and Chavez Jr.). I want to beat him in a better fashion than they did to prove that I belong at the top of the 154-pound division. I need to win and win impressively. My ultimate goal is to become world champion and this fight puts my in line for that.”

“This fight is a major step toward Willie becoming world champion,” echoed Steve Smith of Rumble Time Promotions, Nelson’s co-promoter. Fans all over watching him in his first HBO fight will see what a tremendous talent he really is.”

“I am very excited about this opportunity to fight Wille Nelson on HBO and to have the chance to showcase my skills in the USA,” said the WBC #13-rated Cuello. “I am confident that we will achieve a major victory on June 29th. I would like to thank my manager Pedro Garcia and my advisor Elvis Grant Phillips for putting this fight together and of course my new promoter Lou Dibella and HBO.”

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions, in association with Golden Gloves, LTD., Goossen-Tutor Promotions and Rumble Time Promotions. The bouts will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

BIG BEAR, CA (May 13, 2013) Having started training in the mountains of Big Bear, California for his eighth world title defense, WBA and IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has become the best man standing in the division.

Golovkin will defend his titles against Ireland’s Matthew Macklin on Saturday, JUNE 29 at the MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut in a bout that will be broadcast as the main event on HBO, beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

With an undefeated record of 26-0-0 with 23KO’s, Golovkin’s 88% knockout ratio is the highest among any middleweight champion in the history of the sport. Additionally, his last thirteen bouts have ended by stoppage, the highest active knockout streak of any current champion.

“Gennady has truly distinguished himself as the most exciting, biggest punching and most active fighter in the middleweight division” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “Looking through the division, WBC titlist Sergio Martinez has proven to the best, however he is not available until next year due to injuries suffered in his valiant win over Martin Murray last month”.

“Felix Sturm has all but disappeared since losing his title, although Gennady has offered him an opportunity to fight for his title back in Germany.”

“Daniel Geale relinquished his WBA “Super” title status in order to avoid having to face Gennady. Although he still has the IBF Title, we don’t see him wanting to face Gennady in a unification bout in the near future. ” continued Loeffler.

“WBO belt holder Peter Quillin has been stuck fighting on undercards as opposed to main event status granted to a marketable, hard punching, world champion such as Golovkin.”

“Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is one of the most popular fighters in the division. Fans have been clamoring to see a fight between him and Gennady, the division’s two hardest punchers. We would certainly welcome the opportunity to face him in a mega-event for the fans.”

Golovkin’s title defense against Macklin on JUNE 29 will be his third this year and fourth since debuting in the US and on HBO last September with a dominant fifth round stoppage of European Champion and top rated WBA contender Grzegorz Proksa.

Since the Proksa knockout, Golovkin has become one of the most talked about fighters in the sport.

This year Golovkin has fought at two of the premier boxing locations in the world, stopping Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden, ‘The Mecca of Boxing” and most recently knocking out former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30 in Monte Carlo, a stunning stoppage that has become a top candidate for the 2013 Knockout of the Year.

Continued Loeffler, “Gennady told us that he wanted to stay busy in 2013, and that he would fight anyone from 154 to 168 anywhere in the world. Right now he’s on pace to fight up to five times this year, quite the contrast from many other top champions who are only fighting twice a year. Now that HBO is firmly behind him, we have the budget to go after high profile opponents such as Matthew Macklin.”

Golovkin arrived in Big Bear on Thursday, MAY 2, and weighed in at 166 at The Summit High Altitude Training Center according to his noted trainer Abel Sanchez.

NEW YORK CITY (April 16, 2013) – Tickets officially went on sale yesterday for the highly anticipated middleweight championship showdown between defending WBA and IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s).

Golovkin and Macklin will meet on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The world title bout will be part of a live HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, with the first televised bout beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

On Saturday, Golovkin and Macklin met face-to-face for the first time at their initial fight announcement press conference at NYC’s historic Gallagher’s Steak House in midtown Manhattan. The event, promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, has had the media and fight fans alike buzzing for some time now, as the matchup is one of the best possible fights to make, not only in the middleweight division, but in all of boxing.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets will also be on sale through Ticketmaster beginning this Friday.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.comorwww.hbo.com/boxing

NEW YORK CITY (April 13, 2013) – Earlier this afternoon in front of a jam-packed room of media at NYC’s historic Gallagher’s Steak House in midtown Manhattan, K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment hosted the initial press conference to announce the highly-anticipated Middleweight Championship between defending champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated, former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s).

The two highly-regarded middleweights will meet in their must-see showdown June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The world title bout will be part of a HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, with the first live televised bout beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

Below are quotes from the press conference, which was hosted by famed announcer Michael Buffer.

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN (WBA & IBO Middleweight World Champion)

I am very happy to be here back in NYC and back on HBO. We know that this is a very difficult fight for us, and one of the biggest fights that can be made in boxing right now. Matthew is going to be the toughest challenge I have ever had. He is just as big, fast and strong as me and we are expecting a very tough fight on June 29th.

MATTHEW MACKLIN (WBC #3, WBA #11 and & IBF #14)

I am not the kind of person to turn down world-title shots so when this fight was offered to me, it was a no-brainer. My lifelong dream has been to become world champion and now I have another shot at capturing the middleweight world title.

I take nothing away from GGG. I think that he is a great champion. On June 29th though, he is fighting me and I am by far the biggest puncher that he has ever fought in his life. He won’t be able to just walk in on me like he has been able to against some of his past opponents.

I want to be involved in the biggest and best fights that I can be in and that’s exactly what we have in our upcoming title bout. I think that GGG is going to have a great career and I have nothing bad to say about him as a fighter or a person, but he is going to lose on June 29th.

When Bernard Hopkins fought Felix Trinidad, everyone was picking Trinidad to walk right through Hopkins and knock him out. That didn’t happen though and Hopkins knocked him out, and that is exactly what is going to happen when we meet on June 29th. I am going to knock GGG out.

TOM LOEFFLER (Managing Director of K2 Promotions)

It is always nice being up here on the podium with people you honestly call friends. This fight is one of the best in the middleweight division and the response that we have seen thus far throughout the media is a testament to that.

This fight wasn’t an easy fight to make, we have all made a ton of sacrifices to make this happen.

I feel that we have the best middleweight in the world in GGG, but the only way to show that is to get those other so-called best middleweights to actually get into the ring and fight him. I have a harder time making a fight for GGG than I do for the Klitschko’s. That is why I give a lot of credit to Lou and Brian and Matthew for taking the fight.

LOU DIBELLA (President of DiBella Entertainment)

I am thrilled to be standing here to announce this fight. Style-wise this fight is a can’t-miss. There are few other fights in the middleweight division and boxing that are as anticipated as this matchup.

Kudos go to Peter Nelson and everyone at HBO for making it known that HBO really wanted this fight. They believe in the excellence and quality of this matchup.

I want to send a special thank you to Tom and everyone at K2. We have both made a ton of sacrifices to make this fight possible because this is a fight that everyone wants to see.

I saw GGG fight in Monaco and when you simply demolish a world-class fighter (Nobuhiro Ishida) who has never been knocked out, you have to be impressed.

You saw in the Rosado fight with GGG that he will mix it up and rumble and Matthew is unquestionably the biggest and strongest fighter that he has ever fought. Matthew is going to go right after him and that’s what makes this a great fight.

PETER NELSON (Director of Programming HBO Sports)

All of us at HBO are happy that we were able to put this fight together. We have had a great string of fights recently and we expect to continue that string with this great fight on June 29th. We don’t see any loser in this event. We are expecting a spectacular performance by both GGG and Macklin. It is a great privilege and we are very proud to have these two great fighters call HBO their home

BRIAN PETERS (Brian Peters Promotions/Macklin Manager)

We are delighted to be here and want to thank everyone involved in making this great opportunity a reality. Want to thank our promoter Lou DiBella, who is easily the most passionate and interesting promoter in the world.

Hopefully GGG and Matthew can show the tenacity that Peter Nelson of HBO showed in making this fight (room erupts in laughter).

Most middleweights are scared to walk down the street with GGG let alone fight him. He is a helluva fighter, there is no doubt about that, but we are very confident in Matthew’s ability and expect a great showing on June 29th.

DANIELLE CARPENTER (Executive Director, Advt. & Brand Foxwoods)

It is always a thrill for Foxwoods to host a world-class boxing event and the opportunity to team up with DiBella Entertainment, K2 Promotions and HBO Boxing further helps solidify Foxwoods Resort Casino as the premier venue for professional boxing on the East Coast.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.comorwww.hbo.com/boxing

Tickets will go on sale Monday, April 15th and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office.

NEW YORK CITY (April 11, 2013) – Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, will play host to the highly anticipated World Middleweight Championship bout between WBA (World Boxing Association) / IBO (International Boxing Organization) Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN and top-rated contender and former world title challenger MATTHEW “MACK THE KNIFE” MACKLIN on Saturday, June 29, 2013 in the beautiful, state of the art MGM Grand Theater. The world title bout will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

“I’m excited to return to the United States and once again fight on HBO. Matthew Macklin is a skilled, strong fighter and I look forward to the challenge of defending my titles on June 29th,” said Golovkin. “I have seen a few of his fights and am very conscious of how tough of a battle this is.”

“Golovkin hasn’t put a foot wrong yet as a pro. He’s destroyed pretty much everyone and, as a consequence, he’s probably the most hyped fighter in the sport right now,” said Macklin. “People have made him out to be this monster, but he bleeds red just like everyone else and, for the first time in his career, he’s going to be stepping into the ring against a big, strong, proper world-class middleweight.

“When you compare my last three opponents to Golovkin’s last three opponents, it’s clear who the proven entity is, going into this fight. I got robbed against Felix Sturm in Germany, it was nip-and-tuck between me and Sergio Martinez until I got caught in the eleventh, and last time out, I blew away Joachim Alcine inside a round, a former world champ who was coming off a career-best win.”

“Gennady is excited to return to the ring so quickly to defend his titles against a proven, top-rated middleweight in Matthew Macklin. Gennady was ringside for Macklin’s fight against Sergio Martinez last March and saw firsthand how dangerous he is, as he dropped Sergio in the seventh round,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “GGG has become one of the most talked-about fighters in boxing. This fight with Macklin will be a very hot ticket. We’re thankful to HBO for featuring Gennady again and also to the Foxwoods Resort Casino for hosting this event.”

“Golovkin-Macklin is one of the very best fights that can be made in the middleweight division and all of boxing,” said Macklin’s promoter, Lou DiBella. “It figures to be a barnburner and we are thrilled that Matthew is getting another deserved opportunity at a world title.”

“This is a fight fan’s fight,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President, HBO Sports. “We are thrilled that both fighters accepted the challenge and we are looking forward to a terrific night of boxing on HBO.”

“Foxwoods Resort Casino is proud to be teaming up with DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions to bring a stellar championship match to Connecticut; proving once again that Foxwoods is the premier venue for professional boxing on the East Coast,” said Scott Butera, Foxwoods’ president and CEO. “The Golovkin-Macklin fight will be one for the record books.”

Known for his heavy hands and brutal knockouts and sporting a perfect record of 26-0-0 with 23 knockouts, Golovkin has quickly become the most talked-about fighter in the sport. His 88% knockout ratio ranks highest among active world champions.

Based in Stuttgart, Germany, and training under the watchful eye of Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California, Golovkin dramatically burst onto the U.S. boxing scene this past SEPTEMBER 1 with a sensational performance, dropping WBA #3-ranked challenger Grzegorz Proksa three times en route to a fifth-round stoppage in Verona, New York. He followed that up with a dominating seventh-round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing”. Both world title defenses were televised on HBO.

Most recently, Golovkin stayed undefeated with a devastating third-round knockout of former world title challenger Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, his 13th consecutive victory by knockout and eighth title defense.

Irish middleweight contender Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin, 29-4 (20 KOs), is an intelligent boxer-puncher, who has shown that he is not afraid to engage or press the action when necessary. He is currently ranked #3 by the WBC, #11 by the WBA, and #14 by the IBF.

In his first stateside appearance since a pair of 2005 victories, Macklin

challenged middleweight champion Sergio “Maravillia” Martinez at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012. Although he came up short, Macklin gave the champion all he could handle for 11 rounds, even scoring a knockdown in the seventh frame, in front of thousands of fans at the Garden and those watching on HBO.

Returning to the ring six months later, Macklin faced former junior middleweight champion Joachim Alcine in Las Vegas, destroying him inside one round, making an emphatic statement that he belongs among the best middleweights in the world.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing

NEW YORK (April 9, 2013) — Fresh off of his sensational victory over Brandon Rios, Mike Alvarado will celebrate with the public when he attends the 88th annual dinner of the Boxing Writers Association of America, this Thursday (April 11), at the Capitale in New York City. It is only fitting that Alvarado should be there to soak in the accolades. His first bout with Rios barely missed out on being named the 2012 “Fight of the Year.” The rematch is sure to garner many votes when all is said and done in 2013.

Also announcing his plans to be in attendance is middleweight title holder Gennady Golovkin. The unbeaten Golovkin who is generally considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world is taking a well earned rest after having fought just last week, scoring an impressive stoppage over Japan’s Nobuhiro Ishida

Alvarado and Golovkin are the latest stars committed to attending what is called the Academy Awards of boxing. Also confirmed to attend are Nonito Donaire, Juan Manuel Marquez, Roy Jones, Timothy Bradley, Ruslan Provodnikov, Paul Malignaggi, Steve Cunningham, and Danny Jacobs.

There will be ample opportunities to take photos, get autographs, and chat with the many celebrities in attendance.

Dave Diamante the host of NBC’s sports show “The Lights” will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

All ticket holders will receive a gift bag valued at approximately $125.

There are a limited number of tickets still available. They can be purchased by contacting Event Coordinator Gina Andriolo at ginaandcom@aol.com (917-312-6418) or BWAA President Jack Hirsch at ajhirsch5@aol.com (516-790-7592).

For full information on the dinner go to www.bwaa.org.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2012 BWAA Award Winners

Nonito Donaire The Sugar Ray Robinson Award Fighter of the Year
Robert Garcia The Eddie Futch Award Trainer of the Year

Juan Manuel Marguez – Manny Pacquiao IV The Ali-Frazier Award Fight of the Year

Al Haymon The Cus D’Amato Award Manager of the Year

Kathy Duva & Bruce Trampler The Barney Nagler Award Long & Meritorious Service

Steve Farhood The Marvin Kohn Award Good Guy

Danny Jacobs The Bill Crawford Award Courage Overcoming Adversity

Peter Finney The A.J. Liebling Award Outstanding Boxing Writer

Dave Kindred The Nat Fleischer Award Excellence In Boxing Journalism

Max Kellerman The Sam Taub Award Excellence in Broadcast Journalism

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bernie Awards for boxing writing winners will also be presented. A silent auction will be held.

Cocktails are available at 6:00 p.m. ET, followed at 7:30 p.m. ET by dinner and the awards ceremony.

VENICE, CA (April 8, 2013) For the second time in three months middleweight world champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has been named the World Boxing Association’s Fighter of the Month, following his impressive third round knockout of former world titleholder Nobuhiro Ishida on Saturday, MARCH 30 in Monaco.

The stoppage was the seventh defense of the WBA Middleweight Title by Golovkin and was broadcast live in over sixty countries from the Salle des Etoiles. Many VIP guests were in attendance at this exclusive event, including Marvin Hagler, Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco.

Earlier this year, following his seventh round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Golovkin was also named WBA Fighter of the Month for January.

“I’m honored to win this award again this year; it’s a nice birthday present for me. I’m very proud to defend the WBA title and look forward to many more title defenses in the future” said Golovkin.

Golovkin is a native of Kazakhstan, lives with his family in Stuttgart, Germany, and trains in Big Bear, California. He first won the WBA Middleweight Title on AUGUST 14, 2010 with a first round knockout of Milton Nunez in Panama City, Panama.

With a record of 26-0-0 with 23 knockouts, Golovkin’s 88% knockout ratio is highest amongst all active world champions.

Said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, “Gennady’s plan this year was to stay very active, he’s off to a great start with these first two defenses ending early, keeping his KO streak alive. Being recognized in January and March as fighter of the month is great, but our goal is for him to be the fighter of the year.”

Details of Golovkin’s highly anticipated return to the ring will be announced shortly. He will be in New York City this week, attending the BWAA awards on Thursday as well as the HBO televised Donaire vs. Rigondeaux fight on Saturday April 13.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will defend against tough Matthew Macklin on June 29th at a site to be determined.

Promoter Lou DiBella and promoter Dan Goossen are trying to close the deal to match Thomas Oosthuizen and Brandon Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif. Gonzalez recently withdrew from an April 12 ESPN2 undercard fight because of a hamstring problem, but he is expected to be just fine to lace ’em up for June 29.

Also expected to appear on the HBO televised triple header will be Jr. Middleweight Willie Nelson

Monaco (3/30/13) – Earlier tonight at the stunning Salle d’ Etoile in beautiful Monaco, WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” easily defended his title against challenger Nobuhiro Ishida, knocking out the former world champion with one devastating right hand in the third round of their scheduled 12-round championship contest.

Having never been stopped before, Ishida was looking to present a tough challenge for the young champion, but Golovkin would have no part in it. Golovkin stalked the much-taller opponent Ishida from the outset. By the second round, he was landing heavy shots with both hands and Ishida’s face began to show the wear and tear of the blows landed by Golovkin.

Near the end of the third round, with Ishida backing up to the ropes, Golovkin landed a picture perfect overhand right. The blow landed flush on Ishida’s jaw, sending the Japanese fighter through the ropes and out cold, flat on his back. Official time of the stoppage was 2:20 of round number three.

It was an impressive showing for Golovkin, who improved to 26-0, 23KO’s, with the stoppage victory.

RODRIGUEZ DECISIONS MADERNA

In the co-feature bout of the evening, undefeated super middleweight Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez moved on to the finale of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 tournament pounding out a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Argentine Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna.

Rodriguez was the aggressor throughout, pressing the action and landing the much bigger shots. Maderna was able to counter well though, keeping the fight relatively close.

Rodriguez was deducted a point for a low blow in the eighth round and another in the ninth for what the referee deemed a blow behind the head that dropped Maderna. It was a questionable call, as the blow seemed to land more toward the top of Maderna’s head. Rodriguez was able to get the point back later in the round though, as he dropped Maderna with a straight right hand just as the round was ending.

Rodriguez looked to end the show in the 10th, but settled for the unanimous decision, winning by scores of 96-92 twice, and 95-92. With the win, Rodriguez improves his record to 23-0, 15KO’s, while Maderna drops to 19-1, 13KO’s

.

GRACHEV HANDS ERDEI FIRST CAREER LOSS

In what was easily the fight of the night, Denis Grachev handed former two-division world champion Zsolt Erdei his first career loss as a professional, taking a 10-round split decision and advancing on to the Super 4 Finale in July where he will face off against the undefeated Rodriguez.

It was a classic boxer (Erdei) vs. puncher (Grachev) matchup, as Erdei controlled the early action with beautiful boxing, working behind a piston-like jab, and leaving Grachev swinging and missing widely.

However, as the rounds progressed, Grachev was able to turn the fight into more of a slugfest, as he looked to rough up Erdei in the process. Grachev was the busier of the two, with Erdei landing the much cleaner blows.

With the fight up for grabs, both fighters came out in the 10th and final round throwing bombs. It was a close round, with both fighters having their moments.

In the end, two of the judges favored Grachev’s aggression over Erdei’s boxing ability, winning the split decision by scores of 96-94, 96-94, 94-96.

It was a close and controversial decision, with many at ringside having Erdei as the victor. Erdei’s performance was not wasted though, as he was invited back to fight on the card featuring the Super 4 Finale on July 13, back in Monaco.

The event was promoted by Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves. The Golovkin-Ishida bout was promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev bouts were promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment. The Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 Tournament Finale will take place on July 13.

Monte Carlo – According to the latest odds on Bet365.com, WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin is a whopping -5000 pick to retain his title against Nobuhiro Ishida (+1200) in Monte Carlo on Saturday night.

In the Million Dollar Super Four event, light heavyweight Denis Grachev is a narrow -110 favorite to hand Zsolt Erdei (-125) his first career loss, while super middleweight Edwin Rodriguez is a solid -450 to defeat Ezequiel Maderna (+300).
Early on Friday evening the fighters weighed in with Golovkin, in particular, appearing in tremendous physical shape.
He looked all business as weighed in and was bang on the middleweight mark. “He looks a class apart from everyone,” said Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell, here as a television analyst. “Everything I’ve seen and heard suggests he is very special. I’m expecting him to be explosive.”

Apart from the US, where the tournament will be available via pay-per-view, it will be broadcast to a myriad countries, including Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, Qatar, Argentina, Brazil, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Israel, Brazil, France, Switzerland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Monaco, South Africa, plus 50 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Monte-Carlo (3/29/13) – WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, challenger Nobuhiro Ishida, and all four participants of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 Tournament, Edwin Rodriguez, Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna, Zsolt Erdei and Denis Grachev weighed in earlier today for their mega event tomorrow night in Monaco at the Salle d’Etoile.

Golovkin tipped the scales at a ripped and ready 159¼lbs. (72.3 kg) while Ishida weighed 158½lbs. (71.9 kg). Rodriguez weighed in exactly at 168lbs. (76.2 kg) for his super middleweight contest against Maderna, who weighed in just below the super middleweight limit at 167½lbs. (76 kg). Former two-division champion Erdei weighed in well below the light heavyweight limit, tipping the scales at 171¼lbs (77.7 kg) while his opponent Grachev weighed in at 174¾lbs (79.3 kg).

The event in Monaco is headlined by red-hot WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, 22KO’s) defending his title against former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida (24-8-2, 9KO’s). The opening round of the Super 4 tournament matches Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15KO’s) against Argentinean Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna (19-0, 13KO’s) and former two-division world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18KO’s) squaring off against Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8KO’s). The card will be distributed in the United States and Canada on PPV by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View.

The “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” and Golovkin’s middleweight title defense will be distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and in Canada via Bell TV, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In addition, the event will be available via online Pay-Per-View at:

http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Gennady_Golovkin_vs_Nobuhiro_Ishida/1896

The event is promoted by Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves. The Golovkin-Ishida bout is promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev bouts are promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting the SBM Reservations Department by phone at: +377 98 06 36 36 (10 am to 7 pm) or email: ticketoffice@sbm.mc.

Monte Carlo – Gennady Golovkin is in peak physical condition ahead of the seventh defence of his WBA and IBO middleweight titles in Monte Carlo on Saturday.

The unbeaten Kazakhstani yesterday went through his paces during a public 45-minute workout at the suitably grand Monte Carlo Casino.

With his short off, he looked lean and ripped as he worked the pads with top trainer Abel Sanchez. “I’m ready to go,” said Golovkin. “I had an eight-week camp and all has gone according to plan.”

He defends against Nobuhiro Ishida, a fighter he isn’t underestimating.

“We’re expecting a hard fight,” said manager Tom Loeffler. “Ishida is tall and has some power, but Gennady is in tremendous shape.”

Earlier, Ishida worked out and looked sharp and relaxed ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

All the fighters, bar Jean Marc Monrose, who arrives today, put on public workouts against the dramatic backdrop of the famous casino. Unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez got a first hand look at Ezequiel Maderna, who he fights in the first round of the Million Dollar Super Four event. Big around the shoulders, the Argentine is a largely unknown quantity, but Rodriguez isn’t taking him lightly given his impressive amateur career.

“We’ve come off probably the best fight camp ever,” said trainer Ronnie Shields. “I couldn’t have asked for more and we’re planning to put on a show come Saturday night.”

There is a buzz around Zsolt Erdei’s participation, not least because he hasn’t fought in two years and no-one has a real idea of how he’ll shape against determined Russian Denis Grachev.

“He has a lot riding on this,” said Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman. “He’s a massive hero in his native Hungary, with many of his fans expected ringside. He’ll be fighting for them as much as himself.”

Sergey Rabchenko also looks in tip-top condition ahead of his European junior-middleweight title fight against Adriano Nicchi of Italy. Training camps in France and the UK have prepared him well and he says he is looking to make a statement against Nicchi.

“I’m number two in the WBC. A title fight could be around the corner, so no slip-ups from me,” he said confidently.

Meanwhile, cruiserweight Junior Makabu charmed the crowd as he addressed them in his native French. Little-known beyond Africa, he intends making a few waves against local hero Monrose.

The weigh-in takes place 6pm local time on Friday.

Monte-Carlo, Monaco (3/26/13) – Early this evening at the elegant Casino de Monte Carlo in beautiful Monaco, Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves, hosted the final press conference and V.I.P meet-and-greet, for Saturday’s much anticipated event in Monaco..

The event, promoted in association with Monte Carlo SBM Hotel and Casino, is headlined by red-hot WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, 22KO’s) defending his title against former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida (24-8-2, 9KO’s). The opening round of the Super 4 tournament matches Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15KO’s) against Argentinean Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna (19-0, 13KO’s) and former two-division world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18KO’s) squaring off against Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8KO’s). The card will be distributed in the United States and Canada on PPV by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View.

Berman, the premiere promoter in South Africa, kicked off the presser thanking everyone for coming out, and for everyone who was involved in putting this historic event together.

“A lot of people have put a lot of hard work into this,” said Berman. “This is going to be a fantastic event on Saturday night, with a card that features an array of talent and fantastic fighters from the top to bottom. There has been a huge worldwide response for this tournament which features “GGG” (Gennady Golovkin). We are just really excited to finally get things underway on Saturday night.”

The middleweight champion Golovkin took to the podium first:

“I am very happy to be here in this beautiful country and a in such great city and I want to thank everyone involved in this event. This is great for the fans and for the sport of boxing. I know Ishida well and I know this is going to be a difficult fight. I am ready to put on a great performance for everyone on Saturday night.

“I want to thank the champion for giving us the opportunity for this fight,” said the challenger, and former champion Ishida. “We know that he (Golovkin) is a great and powerful champion. He is very strong and one of the best fighters pound-for-pound in boxing, but we are here for the upset. We are prepared to do whatever we have to do to take this championship home with us.”

The first fighter of the Super 4 tournament to the podium was undefeated super middleweight contender Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15KO’s). The defending USBA champion, and IBF #3, WBC #3, WBA #5, WBO #12 rated super middleweight Rodriguez first thanked his promoter Lou DiBella and manager Larry Army, as well as the organizers of the event, including a special thanks to Rodney Berman, before giving his take on the tournament.

Below are quotes from all four contestants in the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4:

“I think that this is a great tournament, for not only all of the fighters involved, but for the sport of boxing,” said Rodriguez. “Everyone in this tournament is coming in thinking that they are the favorite, and I know that I have a big task in front of me on Saturday with Maderna. I plan on taking care of business though, not only on Saturday but in the finale in July as well. I know everyone has worked very hard to get to this point, but I have no intentions on letting this opportunity pass me by. This is a monumental event for my career as well as for my family.”

“I respect Edwin as a fighter just like I respect everyone of my opponents that I am up against,” said Maderna. There is no doubt in my mind though I will be taking the victory with me back to Argentina.”

“I came back because I love boxing. This is my life,” said the two division long-time former world champion Erdei. “I want to prove that I am still one of the top fighters in the world and winning this tournament does just that.”

“I know everything there is to know about Zsolt,” said Grachev. “I know he is a tough opponent and it wasn’t a mistake that he was champion for as long as he was. I am here to win though. I am always confident going into my fights. It doesn’t matter who is in front of me, I will always fight hard and always find a way to win.”

The event in Monaco is headlined by red-hot WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, 22KO’s) defending his title against former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida (24-8-2, 9KO’s). The opening round of the Super 4 tournament matches Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15KO’s) against Argentinean Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna (19-0, 13KO’s) and former two-division world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18KO’s) squaring off against Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8KO’s). The card will be distributed in the United States and Canada on PPV by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View.

The “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” and Golovkin’s middleweight title defense will be distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and in Canada via Bell TV, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In addition, the event will be available via online Pay-Per-View at:

http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Gennady_Golovkin_vs_Nobuhiro_Ishida/1896

The event is promoted by Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves. The Golovkin-Ishida bout is promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev bouts are promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting the SBM Reservations Department by phone at: +377 98 06 36 36 (10 am to 7 pm) or email: ticketoffice@sbm.mc.

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 19, 2013) A media lunch for the Los Angeles boxing press was held on Saturday afternoon for WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and contender Nobuhiro Ishida who will clash on Saturday, March 30 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The Golovkin/Ishida battle will be broadcast LIVE by Integrated Sports Media at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via IN Demand, DIRECT TV, DISH and Avail-TN/$24.95.

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin

“Thank you all for coming today, this will be a great fight and I’m looking forward to fighting in Monte Carlo, a beautiful part of the world. It’s very good for boxing that this is event is being held there.”

“It’s no problem for me to fight from 154 to 168.”

“I agree, my style means that I will never be in a boring fight.”

“Ishida is taller than me and that does present different challenges, I saw his fight with Pirog and I know how tough he is.”

Nobuhiro Ishida

“I have a lot of respect for Gennady and his power and consider him to be one of the best middleweights in the world.”

‘I am looking forward to fighting for a world title again.”

Daisuke Okabe, Co-Trainer of Ishida

“This could be Ishida’s last chance at a world title, he is like a samurai warrior and will do everything possible to win.

Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions

“We have a lot of respect for Ishida for agreeing to fight Gennady while others have avoided him at all costs.”

“Gennady wants to fight all over the world and it’s very important for him to put on exciting fights.”

“Ishida beat James Kirkland in a middleweight bout and his last fight was against Pirog, one of the top middleweights in the world. He’s very popular in Japan, Asia and Europe and we’ve had a lot of international interest.

“Our plan is to stay at 160 until a more attractive fight presents itself either at 154 or 168.”

“We’ve had very strong support in New York City from boxing fans and the Kazakh Consulate there and look forward to fighting there in the future.”

“While we are focused on making Gennady a household name in the United States, he would have no problem facing Sergio Martinez in Argentina.”

When asked about the Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout winner, Loeffler stated,

“For the winner of Canelo vs. Trout, Gennady would have no problem fighting either at 154.”

“There is an excellent chemistry between Gennady and his trainer Abel Sanchez, it’s great to watch in the gym as well as in the ring. Gennady has been very accepting of Abel’s direction.”

Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s Trainer

“We’re looking forward to a competitive fight on March 30th from both fighters.”

New York, NY (3/14/13) – As the date of Gennady Golovkin’s title fight in Monte-Carlo looms, Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman has issued a stark warning to the WBA and IBO middleweight champion: “Underestimate Nobuhiro Ishida at your peril.”

Unbeaten Golovkin makes his seventh title defence against the Japanese boxer, who is considered an underdog against one of the world’s best fighters, in Monaco on March 30.

Berman’s fighters have a remarkable knack for upsetting the odds, none more impressive than Corrie Sanders, who stopped heavy favourite Wladimir Klitschko in two rounds for the WBO heavyweight title 10 years ago.The late Sanders was a prohibitive underdog, but he stunned the doubters with the performance of his life.

Berman also promoted the heavyweight championship fight when Lennox Lewis was knocked cold by unheralded Hasim Rahman inside five rounds in 2001.

One of Berman’s earliest world championship promotions saw unbeaten Olympic champion Kennedy McKinney derailed by little-known South African Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu for the IBF super bantamweight title. Ring Magazine named it 1994’s “Upset of the Year”.

“I must admit, it’s a bit freakish, which is why I learned long ago never to underestimate anyone in boxing,” said Berman. “Some of the least likely boxers go on to do great things.”

Another such example occurred in 1996 when Sugarboy Malinga, who had lost nine fights, was matched with ferocious puncher Nigel Benn for the WBC super middleweight title. Few gave Malinga a chance, but he captured a split decision in Benn’s UK backyard.

Berman was again the mastermind when former lightweight champion Dingaan Thobela knocked out Glenn Catley to win the WBC super middleweight title 13 years ago. It was an extraordinary upset that demonstrated Thobela’s power.

Africa’s greatest promoter was again on hand when low-key Phillip Holiday challenged vaunted Miguel Julio for the vacant IBF lightweight title in 1995. The Colombian was on a run of 27 stoppages, but this time it was Holiday who inflicted the stoppage, winning by TKO in the 10th round against every expectation.

Ratanopol Sor Vorapin had made 10 defences of his IBF minimumweight title when he faced Zolani Petelo, another Golden Gloves star, in 1997. Yet the tiny South African overwhelmed him, inflicting a fourth-round stoppage.

“Complacency is every boxer’s biggest enemy, let this be a warning to Golovkin. Ishida will do him no favours,” said Berman.

Golovkin versus Ishida is the headliner on the “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four” tournament that features four of the world’s best super middleweight and light heavyweight boxers, plus a clash for the European junior middleweight title.

The “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” is distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and in Canada via Bell TV for a suggest retail price of only $24.95. In addition, the event will be available via online Pay-Per-View at: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Gennady_Golovkin_vs_Nobuhiro_Ishida/1896

The event is promoted by Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves. The Golovkin-Ishida bout is promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev bouts are promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting the SBM Reservations Department by phone at: +377 98 06 36 36 (10 am to 7 pm) or email: ticketoffice@sbm.mc.

BIG BEAR, CA (February 19, 2013) WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will head to UFC 157 this Saturday, FEBRUARY 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California to support Ronda Rousey, UFC Bantamweight World Champion.

Golovkin and Rousey have both trained at The Summit Training Facility in Big Bear, California and have shared a mutual admiration of their shared excellence within their given sports.

“She’s an incredible athlete, I watched her a few times while she was training in the gym for her boxing skills. Her discipline towards her sport shows why she is one of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world” said Golovkin. “I’m very excited to watch her fight live, it will be my first time ever at a UFC event.”

Golovkin is preparing for his seventh world title defense against Japanese contender Nobuhiro Ishida on Saturday, MARCH 30 in Monte Carlo, one of the premiere cities in the world. Golovkin is the undefeated WBA/IBO middleweight champion and holds the distinction of having the highest knockout percentage of any active boxing world champion.

“Gennady has a true appreciation for Ronda’s unique skills. She has become one of the most talked about fighters in the mixed martial arts world. Gennady has achieved similar success in the sport of boxing,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions.

LOS ANGELES, CA (February11, 2013) Gennady “GGG” Golovkin was named today the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Fighter of the Month for JANUARY 2013 following his devastating seventh round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing.”

Broadcast on HBO, Golovkin’s win over Rosado represented the seventh defense of his WBA Middleweight Title and kicked off a huge upcoming 2013 for THE most talked about fighter in boxing.

“I’m very thankful to the WBA for this honor and I look forward to defending my title against Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30 in Monte Carlo, Monaco” said Golovkin as he prepares to return to Big Bear, California and commence training under the watchful eye of Abel Sanchez at The Summit Training Center.

Fighting for K2 Promotions, Managing Director Tom Loeffler spoke about the upcoming year for Golovkin.

“As we’ve said since after the Proksa knock out in September of last year, we want Gennady to fight often and our plan is to have him fight five times this year. If all goes well against Ishida we’re looking at a return in June in the United States and then two more fights in 2013” said Loeffler.

In regards to future opponents this year, Loeffler as always was emphatic about Golovkin’s opposition, “Gennady wants to face the other top middleweights to prove in the ring who is the best as it should be, not to have the top slot dictated by outside the ring influences. He is ready right now to face any of the top names; Sergio Martinez, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Daniel Geale, Dmitry Pirog, Felix Sturm, Matthew Macklin or Peter Quillin.”

“Gennady is ready to line then up and face them in any order they wish. At the end of this year he wants there to be no doubt as to who the best middleweight in the world is and who the 2013 Fighter of the Year should be.”

New York, NY / Monaco / Johannesburg (February 1, 2013) – Africa’s promotional giant Golden Gloves has partnered with the Monte-Carlo SBM Group to announce the “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four”, a four-man boxing spectacular.

The elimination event features Edwin Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs), Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18 KOs), Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KOs) and Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna (19-0, 13 KOs).

Co-headlining this mammoth triple-header on March 30, which will pit Rodriguez against Maderna and Zsolt versus Grachev in the opener, is one of the biggest stars in world boxing today.

Undefeated WBA middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, 22 KOs) fresh off his sensational seventh-round destruction of Gabriel Rosado at Madison Square Garden,will defend his title against dangerous Japanese contender Nobuhiro Ishida (24-8, 9 KOs). The Golovkin-Ishida bout will be promoted in association with K2 Promotions, while the Rodriguez-Maderna and Erdei-Grachev matchups will be promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment.

“I am excited about fighting in Monaco in my next fight,” said Golovkin. “It is a great location and I always want to keep contact with my European fans. Ishida has proven he is a very dangerous opponent with his KO win over James Kirkland and I am up for the challenge.”

Tom Loeffler managing director of K2 added, “Gennady wants to stay active this year and this fight will give him the opportunity to defend his world titles in one if the premiere cities in the world. GGG had two great KO performances in the US on HBO and now it is time for him to showcase his skills again in Europe. Gennady’s recognition as the most feared middleweight has grown and he is truly the type of fighter that will fight anywhere in the world without hesitation.”

The two Super Four winners will fight for a 60/40 share of one million dollars on July 13th in Monaco.

The European junior-middleweight title bout featuring champion Sergei Rabchenko (Russia) and Adriano Nicchi (Italy) also features on this March 30 historic card.

The Final of the Super Four on July 13 in Monaco will be the boxing arm of the Nelson Mandela 95th Birthday Celebrations which will also serve to raise public awareness and interaction with Mandela’s initiative to encourage public funding for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, a project to build a state-of-the-art research and care facility for children throughout Africa.

The tournament will be held at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille and several parallel events will also take place at the elegant and historic Casino de Monte-Carlo during the week of the event.

“The opportunity of staging this mammoth event in Monaco is a great honour, and my deepest thanks and appreciation go to the Monte-Carlo SBM and its management team for their support and encouragement,” said Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves.

He continued: “We look forward to two outstanding events and hosting many international celebrities and dignitaries.”

Commenting on the event, Ndaba Mandela, one of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, said: “On behalf of my foundation, Africa Rising, it is a great honor to be a part this event. My grandfather was an avid boxing enthusiast and we felt it would only be fit to honor him with a world-class boxing event as part of the Celebration of his 95th birthday. We are very excited to be a part of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four final to take place in Monaco in July and honored to have his Serene Highness Prince Albert II and the people of Monaco be a part of what will be an extraordinary celebration.”

The Africa Rising Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established by the Mandela grandsons, Ndaba and Kweku, in 2009 as a platform to empower the youth of not only South Africa, but also young Africans across the continent. The Foundation is endorsed by Nelson Mandela and is committed to shaping the image of Africa by means of educational programmes, entrepreneurship development projects and by celebrating African culture.

While the upcoming tournament will be the first professional boxing event held in the country in seven years, Monaco does in fact have a long history with the sport. The first world championship bout staged in Monaco took place 101 years ago, back in 1912.

“Monte-Carlo SBM is delighted to join forces with Golden Gloves in organizing one of the major boxing events in the world this year,” said Jean-Louis Masurel, Board Member of the company. He adds that “It will be a great honor to host such an event associated with the Nelson Mandela 95th birthday celebration”.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo, which has always been involved in sports and entertainment, will play a key role in this project and will make sure that these exciting Super Four tournament is optimized in order to meet the expectations of the fans among their casino clients.

With the winner of the Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four confirming himself as a top contender in his respective division, and a world title opportunity on the horizon, combined with the massive prize money, each fighter is confident that they will be the last man standing.

“It is a dream come true for me to participate in this tournament,” said Edwin Rodriguez. “I have worked my entire life for this opportunity and don’t plan on wasting it. While I am happy and honored to be in the tournament, I won’t be satisfied until I win it. Having not had the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Olympics, it’s an added bonus to be placed against an undefeated former Olympian in Maderna for my first fight. I want to thank to my manager Larry Army and my promoter Lou DiBella for putting me in this position and also a special thanks to Rodney Berman and Golden Gloves for giving me this opportunity.”

Rodriguez, the USBA champion, is ranked the WBC #2, IBF #3, and WBA #7 super-middleweight in the world. Having grown up fighting on such networks as ESPN and Showtime, Rodriguez’ last two fights were featured on the HBO network. In March last year, Rodriguez won a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over fellow super- middleweight contender Don George, and followed up that performance with a devastating eighth-round TKO stoppage over previously undefeated Jason Escalera in September.

While Rodriguez has been in the national spotlight for some time, the 2008 Argentinean Olympian Maderna, ranked as the WBO #6 and IBF #13-rated super-middleweight in the world, sees the tournament as his coming-out party.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity of proving myself at the international level against the best,” said Maderna. “This is my chance to show that I belong amongst the elite fighters in the world, and I promise that I will deliver.”

A former two-division world champion, both at light heavyweight and cruiserweight, Erdei won the WBO light heavyweight title in 2004 and defended it 11 times before moving up in weight and winning a 12-round decision over Giacobbe Fragomeni for the WBC cruiserweight title on November 21, 2009. After defeating Fragomeni, Erdei took some time away from the ring and even contemplated retirement after a remarkably successful run as a professional and amateur. Erdei boasts an incredible amateur record, having won 212 amateur bouts and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Erdei returned to the ring in late 2010, this time under the new promotional banner of DiBella Entertainment, with hopes of becoming a star in the United States. He quickly won two fights, including a sixth-round TKO over former super-middleweight champion Byron Mitchell, positioning himself for a shot at reclaiming his light-heavyweight crown.

Erdei was scheduled to take on current undefeated IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud in December 2011, but the card was cancelled and the bout against Cloud was called off.

Erdei is extremely motivated to get back into the ring and show everyone that he is still one of the top fighters in the world.

“I feel healthy, energized and focused,” said Erdei. “I have the opportunity with this tournament to prove that I am still the one of the best in the world. Winning the tournament puts me right in line for a shot at reclaiming my world championship, and there is no way I will let that opportunity pass me by.”

Rated as the number six light-heavyweight in the WBC world ratings, Russian native Grachev was a two-time world kick-boxing champion before becoming a professional boxer in 2007. Grachev had his coming-out party on April 27, 2012, when he took on the undefeated and highly regarded 17-0, top 10 light-heavyweight contender Ismayl Sillakh on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Grachev was able to dominate the southpaw Sillakh, who entered the contest as an 11-1 betting favorite, stopping him in the eight round of their scheduled 10-round contest. With the victory, Grachev won the NABF title.

On November 3, 2012, Grachev faced former IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute, in Bute’s hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at the Bell Centre. Despite Grachev being the aggressor and the busier of the two, Bute was awarded a close unanimous decision. With the bad taste of the Bute decision still resonating, Grachev believes that this tournament is the perfect way to get himself back into the world title picture.

“I believe that I am fighting the best out of the four of us, but once I beat Erdei, I will then be the top guy left in the tournament,” proclaimed Grachev. “I can’t rely on the judges in these bouts. That is why I am going to take matters into my own hands and I am going into this tournament with the full intention of knocking both of my opponents out. This is a huge opportunity for me and a way for me to reach my ultimate goal as being recognized as one of the best fighters in the entire world.”

“This is a huge opportunity for these four fighters,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment and promoter of Rodriguez and Erdei. “The winner of this tournament clearly cements themselves as one of the top fighters in the entire world and I am thrilled to be a part of what promises to be a historic event.”

Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco is one of the most exclusive vacation destinations in the world and attracts millions of visitors each year. The Casino de Monte-Carlo, owned and operated by the Monte-Carlo SBM Group, is the premiere casino destination in Europe. It continues to attract gamblers among the wealthiest and most well-known celebrities.

A country rich in sports history, Monaco is home of the world famous Formula 1 Grand Prix motor race and many major international events such as the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

The “Monte-Carlo Million Dollar Super Four” will be broadcast internationally, including countries across Western Europe, the US, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and 50 nations throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including adjacent islands.

TICKET PRICES FROM €200.

WBA Middleweight champion will most likely defend his crown against Nobuhiro Ishida on March 30h in Monte Carlo according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“We would look for the biggest names that would fight him by that time,” said Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler said of the June bout. “Hopefully someone steps up (to fight Golovkin) with the bigger HBO budget.”

“I was impressed with Daniel Geale’s performance and wish to publicly congratulate him on his victory,” Golovkin said. “I know this was personal for him as he had lost previously to Mundine and he certainly got his revenge.”

“I also want to wish Felix Sturm the best of luck in his upcoming bout against Soliman,” Golovkin said. “I’m sure he was quite disappointed losing to Geale last September and is looking to shine against Soliman. Felix avoided me as his mandatory for over two years when he was champion, but I will give him the opportunity to fight for his old title whenever he would like to.”

Titleholder Peter Quillin is another opponent Golovkin is interested in. Quillin makes his first title defense against Fernando Guerrero on April 27 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The card was postponed from Feb. 9 because junior welterweight titlist Danny Garcia, who faces former titlist Zab Judah in the main event, suffered a rib injury.

“I’m aware that his fight with Fernando Guerrero was pushed back until the end of April. He’s talked about fighting me in the past and I’m certainly interested if he’s serious,” Golovkin said.

“I want the biggest fights and the best challenges, as I’ve said all along,” Golovkin said. “With HBO broadcasting my fights, either Geale or Sturm would be a perfect fight this year. Geale said after the fight (with Mundine) that he wanted to fight in the U.S. this year. Look no further — we can make a title unification bout this summer.”

STUTTGART, GERMANY (January 31, 2013) WBA/IBO Middleweight Champion Gennady “GGG’ Golovkin, wishes to congratulate IBF Champion Daniel Geale for his dominant performance over Anthony Mundine in their Australian showdown Wednesday in Sydney, Australia.

“I was impressed with Daniel Geale’s performance and wish to publicly congratulate him on his victory. I know this was personal for him as he had lost previously to Mundine and he certainly got his revenge” said Golovkin.

Geale chose to fight Mundine and give up the WBA “Super” Middleweight Title rather than face Golovkin as was ordered by the WBA prior to Geale’s fight with Sturm.

“I also want to wish Felix Sturm the best of luck in his bout upcoming bout against Soliman, I’m sure he was quite disappointed losing to Geale last September and is looking to shine this Saturday against Soliman” continued Golovkin. Felix avoided me as his mandatory for over two years when he was champion, but I will give him the opportunity to fight for his old title whenever he would like to. “

Golovkin is preparing to stay very active in 2013; a year kicked off in style in a sensational performance on HBO, stopping Gabriel Rosado in the 7th round on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing.” Golovkin is considered the most feared middleweight boasting a record of 25-0 with 22 KOs and is currently riding a knockout streak of 12 KOs in a row. GGG is scheduled to return on Saturday, March 30th in Monte Carlo.

“I want the biggest fights and the best challenges as I’ve said all along. With HBO broadcasting my fights, either Geale or Sturm would be a perfect fight this year. Geale said after the fight that he wanted to fight in the US this year, look no further we can make a title unification bout this summer.”

Another titleholder whom Golovkin has eyes on is WBO Middleweight Champion Peter Quillin. “I’m aware that his fight with Fernando Guerrero was pushed back until the end of April. He’s talked about fighting me in the past and I’m certainly interested if he’s serious.”

Golovkin would also welcome a unification fight with WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez, but realizes that fight might be a long way away. Sergio’s promoter Lou DiBella is afraid to acknowledge Golovkin for fear that it might set up a showdown of the two top fighters in the division. The hunter has now become the hunted.

ABOUT K2 PROMOTIONS

K2 Promotions currently promotes the unified heavyweight champions, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko along with WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion, Gennady Golovkin, WBC International/NABO Heavyweight Champion Johnathon Banks, WBO Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Ola Afolabi and WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Zaurbek Baysangurov. Over the last decade, K2 Promotions has promoted the most heavyweight championship title bouts of any promoter worldwide. K2 Promotions is one of Boxing’s most respected promoters showcasing boxing’s biggest events in the US and Europe at some of the world’s premier venues.

For more information, please visit their website at

www.K-2Promotions.com

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

We came to the moment for which we assembled, Saturday, the telling collection of intervals, two predecessors succeeded by the aptly named championship rounds, the young contender, having had the bridge of his nose crushed by the top of the other man’s head, would have to beat back the old champ, making him quit or at least relent enough to bring a satisfyingly definitive conclusion. Instead, his test sheet confidently filled, our prodigy strode to the room’s front and handed it to the proctor, and the proctor nodded sagely, took the crisp leaf from the student, turned, slipped it in the shredder beside his desk, and said: “That’s an A, champ!”

American Mikey Garcia dropped Mexican Orlando Salido four times in the opening four rounds of their Saturday fight for Salido’s WBO featherweight title – tempting, briefly, a line like “Trampler KO-4.” Noticeably, Garcia did not drop Salido again after round 4, though he staggered him a few times, notably in the sixth, after which, at the halfway point of the match, Garcia’s trainer and older brother, Robert, beseeched his charge to knock Salido out before any shenanigans ensued. A couple rounds later, shenanigans ensued when Salido landed a long right hand then brought his head crashing into Garcia’s relocated nose, breaking it. A ringside physician was hastily summoned and convinced noses are not broken in prizefighting, and the match was complicitly waived-off, giving Garcia a technical decision, Salido’s maroon belt and enough exculpation to keep an asterisk out of his biography – even if the young man never protested.

Likely, Mikey Garcia would have passed Salido’s inquisition well enough, but then, likelier still, Sergio Martinez would have made a quite different spectacle from the one he made in his final 90 seconds with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in September, no? The pair of minutes that followed Salido’s splintering Garcia’s cartilage, belaboring his breathing for what was to come and at least fraying the edges of Garcia’s composure, held in them a chance to learn everything left to know about Garcia, but instead left aficionados ignorant of Garcia’s capacity for adversity as we were when the night began.

Saturday’s main event also did nothing to help televised boxing’s mounting credibility problem. Without Larry Merchant to check enthusiasms any longer, HBO’s journalistic role has succumbed to its promotional one, and Showtime – whose Al Bernstein has nearly Merchant’s credibility but whose dissent is a negative thing (it is found in what he doesn’t say about a fight or fighter) – has rapturously embraced the role of “in association with” promoting.

This was what Saturday’s co-main brought on HBO, when, instead of forcing guest commentator Andre Ward to say what he doubtlessly noticed with wide eyes – that limited little Gabriel Rosado couldn’t miss Gennady Godzilla Golovkin with right uppercuts, as many as four in a row – viewers were treated to “middleweight Mike Tyson” comparisons, as if Rosado were a fraction of the light middleweight Michael Spinks was a light heavyweight, as if Tyson needed a corner stoppage after 20 1/2 minutes to finish Spinks rather than 91 seconds. Or is that analogy too much? It is too much, alas, and perhaps less appropriate than Shakespeare, so we’ll have some:

“As on the finger of a thronèd queen
The basest jewel will be well esteemed,
So are those errors that in thee are seen
To truths translated and for true things deemed.”

It is a sense that now overcomes viewers of the showcase events that have in the past composed an unseemly number of HBO matches: Regardless of what the a-side guy does, it will be celebrated. When Mikey Garcia (or Floyd Mayweather) retreats to the ropes, lands a potshot, clinches, and begins canvassing the canvas for a referee, it is at best evidence of the opponent’s inability to get anything done, and at worst a slightly boring but tolerable bit of strategizing by a master boxer. Which is fine, probably, so long as violent endings or accomplished opponents are en route.

But as Golovkin nears his 31st birthday, the best name on his resume remains Kassim Ouma, 2-5 in the 4 1/2 years before Golovkin got him; and while Garcia was probably going to beat Salido comfortably and possibly going to stop him, well. There was nothing to celebrate Saturday, and it does future celebrations no favors to force a celebration over what proved unsatisfying. These things need to happen organically, lest we get cases like Andre Berto or Victor Ortiz or James Kirkland, which seem, somehow, to check fans’ future enthusiasm fractionally much as they multiply their inevitable discontent.

Mikey Garcia is absolutely one of boxing’s best prospective attractions, and Golovkin is almost as likely the beast he appears in the gyms of Big Bear, Calif. But until Garcia is made uncomfortable by an opponent, or allowed, as the case may be, to continue with an opponent whose foul tactics render him uncomfortable, should anyone be sure? And while Golovkin probably is the robotic tenderizer of men’s flesh he appeared while walloping a 154-pounder with five losses – a man, it may be helpful to remember, whom Alfredo Angulo finished in less than a third of Golovkin’s time, at junior middleweight – must the coronation commence already, because it behooves ratings at boxing’s flagship network to manufacture and market new faces to viewers?

No and no – those are the answers, but since no one likes a scold, here’s a better note: Saturday’s three-fight card from New York was an excellent matchmaking start to HBO’s 2013, bereft of what cynicism we’ve seen from the network in bygone days; the main event featured two fighters from one promoter, yes, but Salido was universally believed a stern test for Garcia and proved to be, or would have. Neither fighter in the co-main belonged to the main-event’s promoter, and that too was excellent. There is quality control afoot at HBO, and since the on-air talent is going to sell instead of report to viewers whatever happens in front of them, this is something welcome as it is overdue.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com