Montreal, Monday March 17th 2010 – It is with much pleasure that InterBox unveils the bouts that will headline the undercard at the Bell Center in Montreal. The Main Event final, presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Warriors Boxing will feature IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute (25-0-0, 20 K.O.) vs. #9 rated mandatory contender Edison Miranda (33-4-0, 29 K.O.), on Saturday, April 17th 2010. The bout will be live on HBO World Championship Boxing and Canadian PPV (Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw and Viewer’s Choice).
The undercard will feature InterBox fighter Renan St-Juste (20-1-1, 13 KO) defending his WBC Continental of Americas and NABA Middleweight titles against Colombian Dionisio Miranda (20-5-2, 18 KO). The Repentigny, Quebec fighter, who last fought on Friday, March 13th (W KO 8 Roberto Hernan Reuque), will be looking to add the 21st victory to his record. Dionisio Miranda is one tough customer, having participated in two recent IBF Eliminators, including an outstanding fight against Roman Karmazin last January on ESPN. Dionisio is no stranger to Montreal, having beaten local top 10 fighter Sebastien Demers at the Windsor Station in Montreal in August 2008 and capturing the NABA title with the split decision win..
InterBox blue chip prospect Pier-Olivier « Apou » Côté (10-0-0, 6 KO) will lace up the gloves against Mexican journeyman Hugo Pacheco (7-12-1, 7 KO) in a bout scheduled for 6 rounds. Last February 27th, in Augusta, Georgia, Pier-Olivier won his first fight on American soil by unanimous decision against Willshaun Boxley. The boxer from Charlesbourg, Quebec will be looking to add a 7th K-O to his pro record. As for Pacheco, all his wins have come by K-O.
The St-Juste and Cote fights are scheduled to be broadcast on HBO International, together with Bute-Miranda and Pavlik-Martinez bouts this April.
After nearly a year absence from the ring, super bantamweight fan favorite Sébastien Gauthier (17-2-0, 12 KO) is ready to return against Newfoundland’s own Jason Hayward (6-8-0, 2 KO). Hayward earned a fight in Montreal after a gutsy 10-round performance (L UD 10) against Pier-Olivier Cote last November 28th in Quebec City on the Bute vs. Andrade II undercard.
To round up the card, Francy N’Tetu (2-0-0, 1 KO), from Saguenay, Quebec, will take on Juan Sanchez from Nova Scotia in a 4 round super middleweight bout and Montreal native Nathalie Forget (2-0-0) will dispute her 3rd pro fight against American Karen Dulin (1-5-0, 1 KO) in a 4 round super bantamweight bout.
Kelly Pavlik and Lucian Bute to fight on same HBO card
Two renowned champions are set to defend their titles on the same April 17th HBO World Championship Boxing card. IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute (25-0-0, 20 KO) will put his title on the line against Colombian knock-out artist Edison Miranda (33-4-0, 29 KO), while Unified world Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (36-1-0, 32 KO) will defend his titles against Sergio Gabriel Martinez (44-2-2, 24 KO). The HBO broadcast starts at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
“This simultaneous broadcast is a great way to set the tables for an eventual fight between Lucian Bute and Kelly Pavlik », states InterBox President Mr. Jean Bedard. “There should be an estimated 18,000 people at the Montreal Bell Centre to watch Lucian’s fight and approximately 10,000 fans at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to see the Pavlik bout. This will certainly be an outstanding night of boxing”.
Fans at the Bell Centre will also be able to watch the Pavlik/Martinez bout on big screen right after the Bute/Miranda clash. Those who order the PPV in English and French will also be able to catch both fights. This will mark the first time that a Lucian Bute bout is available on PPV in the English language.
« Combining two headline bouts on the same broadcast is great news for all boxing fans » concludes Jean Bedard.
“We’re excited to be returning to Canada for this highly anticipated clash between Lucian Bute and Edison Miranda, said Luis Barragan, director of Programming, HBO Sports. “It is a great night for boxing fans around the world to have the best middleweight in the world, Kelly Pavlik, defending his title against Sergio Martinez on the same telecast that presents Lucian attempting to solidify his claim to the mantle of best super middleweight in the world. “
Good tickets available soon
Now that InterBox has been informed of the HBO mega-production set-up for the evening, it will release excellent tickets for the Bute vs. Miranda bout in the next few days. These tickets will be available by visiting www.geg.ca and at the Bell Centre Ticket Office by calling 514-790-2525. This event will be broadcast live at the 49 Cage aux Sports restaurants on Saturday, April 17th as of 9 PM. The Bute and Pavlik bouts will also be televised on Canal Indigo, Bell TV (French and English PPV), Shaw direct (French and English PPV) and Viewer’s Choice.