By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of February 23rd to March 1st, , covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

PBC on ESPN Debut for 2016 Pushed Back to June

ESPN’s Dan Rafael recently reported on social media that the 2016 PBC on ESPN debut has been pushed back to June. It was originally scheduled to take place in January but pushed back to April. It has now been pushed back to June and no shows are planned in the interim.

Canelo vs. Khan Open to the Public Press Tour Kicks Off

Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan are set to fight for Canelo’s middleweight title on May 7th, 2016 at the T-Mobile Arena live on Pay-Per-View in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Their press conference tour kicked off in London, England and will continue in New York City and Los Angeles.

The New York City Press Conference will be on Tuesday, March 1st at the Hard Rock Café in New York City on the corner of Broadway and 43rd Street. Fan arrival is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. The Los Angeles Press Conference Tour will be on Wednesday, March 2nd and it will begin at 3:00 p.m.. It will e held at Universal City Walk at 100 University City Plaza in Universal City, California.

Alexander Povetkin Camp Wins Purse Bid for Deontay Wilder Bout

A purse bid was held in Miami for the right to promote the heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin. Povetkin is a former world title holder and is the mandatory challenger for Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight title.

Andrey Ryabinsky, Povetkin’s promoter, won with a bid of $7.15 million dollars. Lou Dibella put up the next highest bid with a bid of $5,101,000.42.

The champion is entitled to 70% of the money. It appears likely that Povetkin will attempt to have the bout held in Russia.

Antonio Margarito Retuns to the Ring on Saturday Night

Antonio “The Tijuana Tornado” Margarito (38-8) has not been seen inside the ring in four years. However, he has been given a clean bill of eye health and look forward to resuming his career on Saturday night at the Arena Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico City in a super welterweight bout against Jorge Paez Jr. (39-7-2). This bout will be televised through BeIn Sports En Espanol and beIN Sports Connect in the United States and through Azteca 7 in Mexico.

Margarito’s ultimate goal, as mentioned before is another crack at a world title, something which will get him closer to, adding Paez’s name to his long list of opponent’s, be it champions or highly rated contenders at one time, such as David Kamau, Frankie Randall, Antonio Diaz, Danny Perez, Andrew ”Six Heads” Lewis, Hercules Kyvelos, Sebastian Lujan, Kermit ”Killer”Cintron, Manuel ”Shotgun” Gomez, Joshua Clottey, Golden Johnson, Miguel Cotto and Roberto ”La Amenaza” Garcia and WBC Super welterweight and Middleweight world champion Sergio ”Maravilla” Martinez.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promoted Margarito throughout his career has stated to different News outlets that should the former champion look good and impress against the wily, quick- fisted Paez Jr., he will work towards getting him licensed back once and promote him in the U.S.

Adrien Broner vs. Ashley Theophane Press Conference Quotes

Four division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and Ashley “The Treasure” Theophane hosted a press conference at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C. in anticipation of their title fight on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike on April 1st, at the DC Armory.

The telecast will also feature Robert Easter Jr., Gervonta Davis, Anthony Peterson, and Kareem Martin.

The following is a few select quotes from the press conference.
ADRIEN BRONER

“This is really a big fight for me. I know that Ashley Theophane is going to come to fight, because he has something to prove. He’s going to try to take my world title.

“A lot of people told me I wouldn’t be here. I come from nothing. Like cereal and water nothing. I’m very fortunate to have someone like Floyd to look up to. I don’t want to be like Floyd though, I don’t want to be like any man. I admire him and respect him, but I’m creating my legacy.

“At the end of the day, Floyd and Ashley aren’t on my side. I’m against them. They’re coming to dethrone me. They’re my enemy right now and I’m going to beat Ashley down.

“This training camp, I’ve really been perfecting my craft. This is going to be the best performance of my career. It’s going to be a highlight reel performance. I’m not coming to just get a win.

“This fight isn’t going four rounds. That’s too many. This is going to be quick. I’m not playing.

“There’s nothing Floyd can teach [Theophane]. At the end of the day, it all goes out the window. The trainers and entourage can’t help. They can’t help Ashley Theophane.

“I want everyone to come out. Big brother Floyd Mayweather is gone, everyone else is too boring, so I’m taking over the sport.”

ASHLEY THEOPHANE
“There are many different thing we’re working on to neutralize Broner and keep up with his quickness. I’ve sparred with a lot of young guys who imitate him and I believe I can match him.

“He does a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong. Adrien Broner can be beat and he has been. We’re working hard. At the end of the day this is my career-defining fight.

“We all turn pro to become a world champion. I’ve been in the gym for months, working on things and staying in shape.

“I’ve watched Adrien Broner in the past. I was at the John Molina and Shawn Porter fights and I know he’s got talent. But he can be beat. He’s vulnerable, very vulnerable.

“It’s not just about what you do in the ring, but it’s also about being a mature fighter. He’s going to do what he does and as a grown man, I just have to stay calm. Being the more experienced fighter is a position I like.

“I’m representing Floyd Mayweather. He has my back and he believes in me. He believes I can win and that’s extra motivation.

“I want to be the best I’ve ever been. I want to fight the fight of my life on April 1. I don’t want to turn the clock back. I want this to be the best performance of my career.

“It’s been a long journey as a professional and I have to thank Floyd for giving me this chance. April 1 is going to be a war. Adrien is a warrior and I know he has no quit in him. If
you have a dream, you have to work hard to make it come true and that’s what I’m here to do.”

Antoine Douglas to Face Avtandil Khurtsidze on March 5th on Showtime

Undefeated middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will face hard-hitting Avtandil Khurtsidze in the co-feature of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa. 

Khurtsidze (30-2-2, 20 KOs) steps in to face GH3 Promotions’ Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout for the WBO International title after Sam Soliman pulled out of the fight last week with a knee injury. 

Khurtsidze, of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kutaisi, Georgia, has won eight straight – including six by knockout – since dropping a controversial decision to then-unbeaten Hassan N’Dam in a bout for the vacant interim WBA World Middleweight Title in Paris in 2010. 



Khurtsidze was scheduled to face N’Dam in a rematch last November 21 in Paris, but the event was cancelled following the tragic November 13 terror attacks in France. The rematch with the former world champion was to be contested for the IBF No. 2 spot at 160 pounds.

A pressure fighter, Khurtsidze was also slated to fight last week on a DiBella Entertainment Broadway Boxing event and has been training since the fight with N’Dam was called off. The 36-year-old, who has also campaigned at super middleweight, is coming off a knockout victory over Melvin Betancourt last August. 

”Avtandil is a world class guy, a former silver titlist and has been at the top of the division for years,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“This is a great opportunity for him and a huge step up for Douglas. Avtandil had been on his way to France to fight for the No. 2 ranking against N’Dam when the tragic terrorist attacks hit Paris, which was a terribly unfortunate situation for all. Now, he looks to impress in this fight against the highly regarded Douglas. The winner of this bout moves up significantly in the middleweight world rankings and will be in line for a major fight in the 160-pound division later this year.”

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