PARAMOUNT FIGHTS TONIGHT: WEIGHIN RESULTS
June 18, 2016
Star Boxing’s Cletus Seldin Drills Jesus Selig with First Round KO to Remain Unbeaten
June 18, 2016
Friday, June 17
12:30 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza – LaSalle Room (15th Floor)
350 W. Mart Center Dr.; Chicago, IL 60654
12:30 p.m. – Media Arrival
1:30 p.m. – Fighters On Scales
***PARKING – Discounted parking (daytime only) available by visiting hotel front desk (14th Floor). Tell hotel staff you’re there for the Warriors Boxing weigh-in.
Saturday, June 18 – 5:00 p.m.: UIC PAVILION DOORS OPEN; 5:30 p.m.: FIRST FIGHT BEGINS;7:30 p.m.: PBC ON NBC TELECAST BEGINS
Star Boxing‘s Long Island knockout artist Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) makes his national television debut against another power-puncher, Andrzej Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs), when fists collide on Saturday, June 18, in a 10-round main event on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
The broadcast begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and will feature a bantamweight world title rematch that sees current champion Juan Carlos Payano (17-0, 8 KOs) take on three-time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee “Nuke” Warren (13-1, 4 KOs) as they rehash their rivalry that began in August 2015 when Payano won a narrow split-decision to retain his title. Also featured on the telecast is rising star Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (14-0, 10 KOs) who faces powerful Mexican Daniel Sandoval (37-3, 34 KOs) in a super welterweight contest.
Quotables:
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The fighters faced-off at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza and spoke with media about their upcoming primetime bouts. Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
JOE SMITH JR.
“I’m very excited for this fight and opportunity. I’m here to prove myself to all those who think I shouldn’t be here. I’m taking the victory home. I want to prove it to the world.
“I’m amped up to get in the ring with a high quality fighter like Andrzej Fonfara and put on a show.
“Our styles are going to make for an exciting fight. I expect a war, but I’m prepared for anything. All I know is, I’m going to end the night with my hand raised.
“Ever fight I go into the ring with the same mentality. Everything is on the line and I want to prove myself to the world.”
PROMOTER JOE DEGUARDIA
“Smith and Fonfara have truly exciting styles. In boxing, to make it to the top you have to beat the guy you’re not supposed to beat. Joe Smith knows that this is his opportunity to do just that. I am looking forward to a thrilling fight here in Chicago, be sure to catch it nationwide on NBC.”
ANDRZEJ FONFARA
“I want to thank everyone who brought this show to Chicago. I’m ready. We’ve had a very long camp. I’ve had great sparring after traveling two weeks in Big Bear and three weeks in Houston. The rest of our camp was in Chicago and it was outstanding.
“I’m ready for this opportunity. Joe Smith is a young guy who is here to beat me. I have to show him I’m a better fighter in the ring. What we say now doesn’t matter, we’ll see everything on Saturdaynight.
“I’ve been in a lot of fights, I’ve been the favorite and I’ve been the underdog. I know this is a big fight for Joe Smith and that he’s trained very hard. He is going to be very motivated but I will be too and I will be ready on fight night.
“Each fight is different. I can’t give him a lot of space to punch. I want to wear him down and finish him. I’m taking it round-by-round to get the win.
“I know he has a big punch, because he wins fights by knockout. But who has he knocked out? The guy who was a little bit better, Will Rosinsky, he went the distance. He has heavy, wide punches and we will be ready for him.”
For more information visit [http://www.
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follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Andrzej_Fonfara, @JC_Payano, @RausheeWarren, @EricksonHammerL, @WarriorsBoxProm, @StarBoxing, @JohnnySportsMan, and @NBCSports and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/
CONTACTS:
Swanson Communications: (202) 783-5500
Tim Smith, Premier Boxing Champions: timothy@
Andre Courtemanche, Warriors Boxing: (954) 302-2462, bigmediabuzz@msn.com
Warriors Boxing: Leon@warriorsboxing.
Star Boxing: (718) 823-2000; DeGuardia@
UIC Pavilion: (312) 413-5700
Media Credentials: www.magnamedia.
Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and
Facebook.com/StarBoxing. For more information
visit [http://www.
follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Andrzej_Fonfara, @BeastSmithJr, @JC_Payano, @RausheeWarren, @EricksonHammerL, @WarriorsBoxProm, @StarBoxing and @NBCSports and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/
Star Boxing’s Long Island knockout artist Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) makes his national television debut against another power-puncher, Andrzej Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs), when fists collide on Saturday, June 18, in a 10-round main event on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
The broadcast begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and will feature a bantamweight world title rematch that sees current champion Juan Carlos Payano (17-0, 8 KOs) take on three-time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee “Nuke” Warren (13-1, 4 KOs) as they rehash their rivalry that began in August 2015 when Payano won a narrow split-decision to retain his title. Also featured on the telecast is rising star Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (14-0, 10 KOs) who faces powerful Mexican Daniel Sandoval (37-3, 34 KOs) in a super welterweight contest.
“I’ve been working very hard and for many years towards an opportunity like this,” said Smith Jr. “I am grateful to Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing for helping to get me here. This fight is going to change my life and no one is going to keep me from winning.”
“I am truly looking forward to this main event,” said Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing. “Smith and Fonfara are both very exciting fighters and I expect a thrilling war. Their styles will have Chicago rocking with enthusiastic Irish fans for Smith and Polish fans for Fonfara. The electric atmosphere will be a treat to everyone watching on NBC and I expect big things from Joe Smith Jr.”
“I think that this fight Smith is a great challenge for me and I do not underestimate him,” said Fonfara. “He is young and hungry and he wants to use this fight and my name to show the world his skills. He’s coming to Chicago for victory and glory. I have to show him that I am stronger, more experienced and most importantly, a smarter fighter. I have to win this fight because it will open the door for me to rematch Adonis Stevenson.”
“Warriors Boxing is excited to bring PBC on NBC to the Windy City,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “Chicago’s favorite son, Andrzej Fonfara, always thrills fans with his non-stop fighting style. Joe Smith Jr. has been destroying his competition in New York and also brings a fan friendly ‘seek-and-destroy’ style to the fight. The main event should be explosive. When you add up-and-coming superstar Erickson Lubin and if Payano vs. Warren II live up to their prior Fight of the Year candidate, it will be a can’t miss night of boxing.”
Representing Long Island, New York, Smith Jr. will bring his heavy hands to primetime as he looks for his 16th straight victory on June 18. The 26-year-old was a highly decorated amateur who won the 2008 New York Golden Gloves with a victory over Seanie Monaghan. A member of the Local 66 Laborers Union between fights and the oldest of eight siblings, Smith Jr. picked up his most impressive victory of his career so far when he defeated veteran Will Rosinsky in a hotly contested battle in Brooklyn. He followed it up with a second round stoppage of Fabiano Pena in April and is set for his toughest challenge in June.
Fonfara returns to the ring after defeating Nathan Cleverly in October at UIC Pavilion in a fight that garnered Fight of the Year consideration and saw a record number of punches landed (936) and thrown (2524) for a light heavyweight fight in CompuBox history. Prior to that, the 28-year-old became the first person to stop Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and lost a decision to world champion Adonis Stevenson in a fight that saw both men hit the canvas. From Warsaw, Poland but training out of Chicago, Fonfara will fight in the Windy City for the 20th time when he enters the ring in primetime on June 18.
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