Integrated Sports Media to distribute World title fights in N. America
Wlodarczyk-Drozd, Lebedov-Kolodziej
Saturday, Sept. 27 live on PPV from Moscow
HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 8, 2014) — Integrated Sports Media (ISM), North America’s undisputed leader of major boxing pay-per-view distribution, announced today that it will bring “Clash of the Cruiserweights” to North American fans, Saturday, September 27, live from Dynamo Palace of Sports in Moscow, Russia.
Three world championship fights will be featured on “Clash of the Cruiserweights,” promoted by Andrey Ryabinsky (World of Boxing), which is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via IN Demand, DISH and Vuboquity for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. For additional information please visit www.IntegratedSportsnet.com.
Two-time world champion Krzysztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk (49-2-1, 35 KOs), of Poland, defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) cruiserweight title for the eighth time against Russian challenger Grigory Drozd (38-1, 27 KOs) in the 12-round main event.
In the 12-round co-feature, two-time world champion Denis Lebedev (25-2, 19 KOs), of Russia, puts his World Boxing Association (WBA) belt on the line versus undefeated Polish invader Pawel “Harnas” Kolodziej (33-0, 18 KOs).
Also airing on the PPV card are a pair of 10-round fights, including the WBA female junior welterweight championship match between unbeaten Russian fighter Svetlana Kulakova (9-0-1, 1 KO) and Argentinian opponent Ana Laura Esteche (10-3-2, 2 KOs), as well as a World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental cruiserweight bout with Russian champion Andrey Knyazev (10-1, 5 KOs) taking on Brazilian titlist Fabiano Soares Piquet (10-0-1, 8 KOs).
“We’re very excited to bring this great boxing card to North American fans,” ISM president Doug Jacobs said. “It has all the makings of a tremendous event with Russia vs. Poland and their passionate fan bases. The two world cruiserweight title fights showcases four of the best cruiserweights in the world, who have a combined record of 145-5-1 with 99 knockouts. Plus, we’ll also be showing a women’s world title fight and regional cruiserweight match with top prospects.”
Krzysztof captured the WBC title May 15, 2010 with an eighth-round technical knockout of Gracobbe Fragamomeni. The powerful Pole has also defeated Steve Cunningham, Danny Green and Imamu Mayfield, among the more notables.
European cruiserweight champion Drozd is rated No. 4 in the world by the WBC. His victims have included Mateusz Masternak and Richard Hall.
Lebedev has victories over future Hall of Famers James Toney and Roy Jones, Jr. in addition to Enzo Maccarinelli. His only two losses have been to world champions Marco Huck and Guillermo Jones.
The 6′ 4″, 33-year-old Kolodziej, rated No. 11 by the WBA No. 11, is relatively untested to date in world-class competition.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
