Ola Afolabi will challenge Poland’s Lukasz Janik for the vacant International Boxing Organization’s Cruiserweight World Title on Saturday, NOVEMBER 2 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, announced Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. The Afolabi/Janik 12-round clash will be part of MONSTERS COLLIDE, the Middleweight World Title Clash between boxing’s fastest rising star, WBA/IBO Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and world ranked contender Curtis Stevens.
Presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events, GGG Promotions and Madison Square Garden, tickets for MONSTERS COLLIDE, priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 are on sale at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com
“We’re very excited to add this compelling cruiserweight clash to an already sensational event,” said Loeffler. “Ola has proven to be one of the top cruiserweights in the world and is thrilled to be fighting in New York City for the first time.”
Over the last four years the London born, Los Angeles based Afolabi, 19-3-4 (9KO’s) has battled in three classic wars with current cruiserweight world champion Marco Huck, most recently on JUNE 8 of this year. In spite of having no amateur bouts, Afolabi has demonstrated the ability to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
“Ola has the draw and a majority decision loss to Huck in his last two fights, but always expressed interest in facing any of the top cruiserweights. This is a great matchup as Janik hasn’t lost in four years and has defeated many of the top fighters in Europe,” continued Loeffler.
“It seems like my whole career has been defined by my fights with Marco Huck” said Afolabi. “I’m happy to move on and very excited to be fighting in the United States and at Madison Square Garden in particular. I watched a lot of fights when I was growing up on TV from there and always thought ‘one day I will fight there.’”
About his future plans, Afolabi stated, “First I have to take care of business on November 2 against Janik and win the IBO title. After that I’m ready for any of the top names at cruiserweight. It’s a hot division right now with a number of great fighters.”
The 27-year-old Janik has compiled a record of 26-1-0 (14KO’s), over his six-year career.
Fighting out of Jelenia Gora, Poland, Janik has won eleven fights in a row and this will be his third start of 2013.
Also featured at MONSTERS COLLIDE is an outstanding heavyweight battle between Cuban born Mike “The Rebel” Perez, 19-0-0 (12KO’s), now living in Ireland and Russia’s Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov, 18-0-0 (18KO’s), for the WBC USNBC Heavyweight Title
The Golovkin/Stevens and Perez/Abdusalamov bouts will be televised Live on HBO®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
The Perez/Abdusalamov bout is presented in association with Sampson Boxing, LLC