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UNDEFEATED!
GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN VS. DOMINIC WADE World Middleweight Championship Saturday, April 23 at the Forum
Televised Live on HBO
Tickets on Sale Tuesday, February 16!! Los Angeles, CA (February 10, 2016) Boxing Superstar and Unified Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will make his highly anticipated return to the Fabulous Forum on Saturday, April 23 to defend his world titles against undefeated, mandatory challenger Dominic “Lights Out” Wade. The event will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Presented by K2 Promotions and GGG Promotions in association with TGB Promotions, advance tickets for “UNDEFEATED”, priced at $400, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, will go on-‐sale Tuesday, February 16 at 12:00 p.m. PT through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-‐800-‐745-‐3000) and the Forum Box Office. A world class undercard will be announced shortly. “I’m happy to fight again at the Forum in front of my fans and friends in Los Angeles. Dominic Wade is a very hungry and skilled middleweight who is undefeated and will be another big test for me,” said Golovkin. “Thanks to my Coach Abel Sanchez, my promoter Tom Loeffler, my team, HBO and the Forum for another opportunity to defend my middleweight titles.” Stated Wade, "I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to fight ‘GGG’ for the IBF Middleweight Championship on April 23rd! I've worked hard my entire career to get to this point. I'm poised and ready to take on the challenge. I thank my Manager Jerry Vines, #TeamWade and all of my trainers, opponents and supporters for preparing me for this moment."
“We’re excited to announce Gennady’s next world title defense against Dominic Wade along with his return to the Fabulous Forum, “said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. “Since fighting at the Stubhub Center in October 2013, the Southern California boxing fans have embraced Gennady as the biggest ticket seller in the State and we’re expecting another massive crowd and an outstanding night on April 23.” “The Fabulous Forum has been the Southern California home for decades to the biggest stars in the sports and entertainment world and we’re honored to add ‘GGG’ to that distinguished list.” Stated Tom Brown of TGB Promotions about the world title fight, "Dominic is a young and hungry middleweight with an outstanding amateur pedigree that jumped at an opportunity so many have avoided" "Knockout excitement in the ring has grown synonymous for fans with just one letter repeated three times, 'GGG,' and Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin doesn't look to disappoint in his 2016 debut headlining a World Championship Boxing event from the historic Forum in Inglewood, CA," said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. "His challenger, Dominic Wade, has a career-‐defining opportunity in front of him to usurp stardom with an upset, and we know he will bring his A-‐game on April 23."
Said Dana Dufine of the Forum, “We’re excited to welcome championship boxing and ‘GGG’ back to the ‘Fabulous’ Forum in April. Our reimagined venue boasts decades of rich boxing history and Golovkin added to that storied history with his knockout of Willie Monroe here in May. We, along with fight fans worldwide, can’t wait to see him go toe-‐to-‐toe with Dominic Wade.”
Following a memorable year which saw three outstanding knockout performances, Golovkin, (34-‐0, 31KOs) was lauded by numerous media platforms worldwide as the 2015 Fighter of the Year. Commencing the year with a dominant performance on February 23, 2015 against #1 ranked contender, Martin Murray, Golovkin made his third appearance in Monaco where he has also become a fan favorite. Displaying his full arsenal of weaponry and with two earlier knockdowns of Murray, Golovkin earned the stoppage in the 11th round against the valiant native of the United Kingdom who had never been knocked down or stopped previously. Three months later on May 16, Golovkin made his triumphant return to Los Angeles with a sixth round knockout of Willie Monroe at the Forum in front of a huge crowd of 12,732. On October 17, before a sold-‐out crowd of 20,548 at Madison Square Garden, Golovkin dismantled IBF Middleweight Champion David Lemieux with an exhilarating eighth round stoppage in his fourth appearance at the ‘Mecca of Boxing.’” After winning the title, the IBF ordered Golovkin to make his mandatory world title defense against the leading contender, Dominic Wade.
The victory over Lemieux unified the middleweight world titles as Golovkin added the IBF belt to his collection of the previously won WBA, IBO and WBC “Interim” straps. It was also his 15th world title defense and 21st knockout in a row, extending his knockout ratio to 91.2% and one step closer to breaking Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 consecutive middleweight world title defenses. The 25-‐year-‐old Dominic Wade, (18-‐0, 12KO’s), was an outstanding amateur as a four-‐time Junior Olympic Champion and a participant in the 2007 Olympic Boxing Trials. In 2014, Wade was very active scoring four victories in dominant fashion. The Largo, Maryland native is coming off an impressive victory over former world champion Sam Soliman on June 26, 2015. SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.K2Promos.com, www.GGGBoxing.com, www.TGBPromotions.com, www.FabulousForum.com and www.HBO.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Dominic Wade @_DomoWade, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, TGB Promotions @TGBpromotions, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Use the hashtag #GGGWade to join the conversation on social media.
Media Contacts: Bernie Bahrmasel, K2 Promotions: (773) 592-‐2986 TGB Promotions: (818) 817-‐8001 Erik Stein, the Forum: (818) 761-‐4645 Kevin Flaherty, HBO: (212) 512-‐5052 Patrick Byrne, HBO: (212) 512-‐1361 Media Credentials: www.MagnaMedia.com
ROMAN GONZALEZ VS. MCWILLIAMS ARROYO WORLD FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
ADDED TO GOLOVKIN VS. WADE EVENT Saturday, April 23 at the Forum
Televised Live on HBO®
Tickets on Sale Tuesday, February 16!!
Los Angeles, CA (February 12, 2016) Consensus #1 Pound-‐for-‐Pound Fighter and World Boxing Council Flyweight Champion, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez will defend his title against world ranked Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum in the co-‐featured bout to the World Middleweight Championship between Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Dominic “Lights Out” Wade, it was announced today by K2 Promotions. Both bouts will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Tickets for the April 23rd event priced at $400, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, will go on-‐sale Tuesday, February 16 at 12:00 p.m. PT through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-‐800-‐745-‐3000) and the Forum Box Office. Gonzalez vs. McWilliams is presented in association with Teiken Promotions and PR Best Boxing. Said Gonzalez, “I want to thank God, Teiken Promotions, especially my father Mr. Honda, HBO, K2 Promotions, and my family, and my team for helping me once again obtain the opportunity to fight representing my country and my fans. God bless!!” About his second world title opportunity, Arroyo stated, “ I am very happy with this opportunity to fight for the world title again. We were confident that this fight would come and now is the time to continue training to bring this title to Puerto Rico. We know that Roman Gonzalez is a great fighter, one of the best today, and we will get in the best condition to win that belt. It is our dream to be world champions, my brother (McJoe, IBF superflyweight champion) and I, and I know we will get it done."
“Having Roman paired with Gennady was a winning combination in 2015 as both fought in front of huge crowds in Los Angeles and New York City,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “Roman has a very fan-‐friendly style and we’re pleased that following his HBO debut in May at the Forum, he was recognized as the #1 Pound-‐For-‐Pound Fighter by most of the major media platforms worldwide.” “McWilliams Arroyo brings a great deal of confidence and skill into this battle, wanting to join his brother McJoe as a world champion.” “We were thrilled that the sport’s consensus number one pound-‐for-‐pound fighter Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez made his debut last year on the network and subscribers were able to see his incredible ability and personality,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “We are delighted that “Chocolatito” will be once again be paired with a Gennady Golovkin event that will be featured live on HBO.”
Commented Peter Rivera of PR Best Boxing Promotions, “"We are grateful to be working with K2 Promotions in this great event. We know it's going to be a great fight, everyone knows Chocolatito and McWilliams, so the only thing to expect is an exciting fight. We are confident in McWilliams' skills, in his preparation, and hopefully he will be crowned like his brother McJoe."
The 28-‐year-‐old Gonzalez, 44-‐0-‐0 (38KO’s), captured the passion of boxing fan’s worldwide in 2015 making his HBO debut and fighting in front of over a combined 33,000 fans in Los Angeles and New York City.
On May 16, Gonzalez scored a second round knockout over former world champion Edgar Sosa at the Forum in Los Angeles, an electrifying performance that was hailed as star-‐making by the boxing media.
Debuting in New York City on October 17 at a sold-‐out Madison Square Garden, Gonzalez dominated four-‐time world champion Brian Viloria heading towards a ninth round stoppage. Displaying world class skills and outstanding combinations, Gonzalez thrilled the crowd throughout the fight.
Twin brother of IBF Super Flyweight Champion, McJoe Arroyo, the Fajardo, Puerto Rico native McWilliams brings a record of 16-‐2-‐0 with 13 knockouts into his second world title fight.
On September 10, 2014, Arroyo traveled to Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, to challenge IBF Flyweight Champion Amnat Ruenroeng. Despite dropping the champion in the sixth round, Arroyo was denied the title in a very close, controversial split-‐decision.
Arroyo followed up the world title fight by stopping Victor Ruiz in the third round on April 11, 2015 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.K2Promos.com, www.GGGBoxing.com, www.TGBPromotions.com, www.FabulousForum.com and www.HBO.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Dominic Wade @_DomoWade, Roman Gonzalez @chocolatitobox, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, TGB Promotions @TGBpromotions, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Use the hashtags #GolovkinWade and #GonzalezArroyo to join the conversations on social media.
Media Contacts: Bernie Bahrmasel, K2 Promotions: (773) 592-‐2986 TGB Promotions: (818) 817-‐8001 Erik Stein, the Forum: (818) 761-‐4645 Kevin Flaherty, HBO: (212) 512-‐5052 Patrick Byrne, HBO: (212) 512-‐1361 Media Credentials: www.MagnaMedia.com
GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN Age: 33 (4-8-82) Residence: Los Angeles, CA Birthplace: Karaganda, Kazakhstan Record: 34-0-0 (31KO’s) Height: 5’11” Stance: Right handed Promoter: K2 Promotions Manager: Oleg Hermann Trainer: Abel Sanchez
• 2014,15 Fighter of the Year (Yahoo Sports) • 2014,15 Fighter of the Year (Los Angeles Daily News) • 2015 Man of the Year (HBO’s The Fight Game) • 2015 Fighter of the Year (Orange County Register) • 2015 Fighter of the Year (Riverside Press Enterprise) • 2015 Fighter of the Year (Boxing News UK-Fan Poll) • 2014 ESPY “Best Fighter” Nomination • # 2 Pound For Pound (ESPN, Sports Illustrated • WBA World Middleweight Champion • IBF World Middleweight Champion • WBC ‘Interim’ World Middleweight Champion • IBO World Middleweight Champion • Twenty-one bout current knockout streak • Fifteen consecutive title defenses • 91.2% knockout ratio, highest in the history of the middleweight division
2015 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- In front of a sold-out crowd of 20,548 at Madison Square Garden on October 17, Golovkin stopped IBF Middleweight Champion David Lemieux, 34-2-0, of Montreal, Canada in the eighth round in his first title unification bout. Working behind a bazooka like left jab from the opening bell, Golovkin dominated Lemieux displaying his full arsenal. Dropping the game Lemieux in the fifth round, Golovkin was awarded the victory when referee Steve Lillis stopped the fight at the 1:32 mark of the eighth stanza. Scores at the time of the stoppage were 70-62 on all three judge’s scorecards.
Wrote Chris Mannix for Sports Illustrated, (excerpts).. “Golovkin is the best fighter in the world! In the aftermath of Floyd Mayweather’s retirement, many have wondered: Who’s the best? Look no further than Golovkin, who picked up his 34th win (and 31st knockout) with another one-sided destruction of a top contender, this time Lemieux, the IBF champion. Lemieux is a good fighter; Golovkin made him look average. His head-snapping jab was working early, pushing Lemieux (34-3) backwards and making him wary of fully committing to his power shots. A rib-splintering body shot sent Lemieux down in the fifth round. Golovkin’s relentless assault–he connected on 280 of his 549 total punches per CompuBox, including 110 power shots–battered and bloodied Lemieux’s nose. At the end of the seventh, referee Steve Willis looked ready to stop it. He let the fight go another round, but jumped in quickly when Golovkin started to surge in the eighth. It was a clean stoppage of a fight that was only going to get worse for Lemieux.”
On May 16, 2015, Golovkin knocked out #2 ranked challenger Willie Monroe Jr., 19-1-0, of Rochester, New York in front of 12,732 fans at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, California. Fighting for the second time in eight months in Los Angeles, Golovkin’s popularity continued to ascend with huge crowds and outstanding TV ratings. Fighting brilliantly from the opening bell, Golovkin dropped Monroe twice in the second round, and scored the knockout at the 0:45 mark of the sixth round as referee Jack Reiss determined Monroe could not continue after being knocked down for a third time. Scores at the time of the stoppage were 50-43 x 2 and 49-44.
From Kevin Iole, Yahoo.com (excerpts) “If every televised card was like the one Saturday on HBO, boxing might regain the spot it held in the first half of the 20th century as one of the three major sports in the U.S.”
“Fans didn’t want to leave after the main event, as Gennady Golovkin gave them what they wanted by stopping Willie Monroe Jr. at 45 seconds of the sixth round in a bout for the WBA middleweight title.”
“That was a very good drama show,” said Golovkin, uttering one of his familiar and increasingly popular lines.
Indeed it was. Golovkin dumped Monroe twice in the second, and then floored him again in the sixth with a crushing left after a big flurry. Monroe barely beat the count. When referee Jack Reiss asked him if he wanted to continue, Monroe said, “I’m done.”
Had he gone on, he would have simply taken a battering from a man who not only is one of the world’s best fighters, but who increasingly is becoming one of its most popular. Golovkin, one of the game’s hardest hitters, was teeing off on Monroe for much of the fight. He landed 49 percent of his power shots, connecting on 116 of 238 punches.
The knockout was Golovkin’s 20th in a row and his fourteenth consecutive world title defense.
Returning to Monte-Carlo for the third time on February 21, 2015, Golovkin stopped #1 ranked challenger Martin Murray, 29-1-1 of St. Helens, United Kingdom in the eleventh round (0:50) at
the Salle des Etoiles as Prince Albert II of Monaco looked on in a fight telecast to millions around the world. Dominating from the opening bell, Golovkin dropped the game Murray twice in the fourth and once in the tenth before referee Luis Pabon called a halt to the bout. Scores at the time of the stoppage were 100-87 and 99-88 x 2 on the three judge’s scorecards. The performance was also a knockout with fans who watched the fight broadcast in over 120 countries. Telecast by HBO live and same-day replay in the United States, over 1,433,000 combined viewers tuned in. In Mexico over 6,000,000 fight fans tuned in on TV Azteca, while Germany also reported viewership on SAT 1 of over 2,000,000.
From Dan Rafael/ESPN.com (excerpts) “Golovkin (32-0, 29 KOs), boxing's most dynamic fighter, was never in any danger against Murray, a brave Englishman who many viewed as GGG's toughest opponent to date. While he was indeed tough and determined, he took a tremendous amount of punishment in making it into the 11th round.”
“With his relentless pressure, precision punching and heavy hands, Golovkin beat, battered and bloodied Murray, who connected with solid combinations, though none of the punches remotely rattled his opponent.”
Followed the win, Golovkin ascended into the top five on many Pound-For-Pound lists in the boxing media.
2014 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- Fighting for the first time in Southern California on October 18, 2014, in front of a record setting crowd of 9,323 at the famed StubHub! Center in Carson, California, Golovkin knocked out WBC ‘Interim’ Middleweight Champion Marco Antonio Rubio, 59-6-1, of Torreon, Mexico, in the second round (1:19). Starting strongly from the opening bell, Golovkin never let up his assault. Drilling Rubio to the canvas with a massive left hook in the second stanza, Golovkin was awarded the victory as referee Jack Reiss counted out the Mexican native. Billed as ‘Mexican Style’ in keeping with comparisons to Golovkin’s fighting style of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the K2 Promotions’ Southern California event was a rousing success with the demand for tickets far exceeding those available. With the tremendous tickets sales on both U.S. coasts over less than a 90-day period (17,895 total), Golovkin continue to demonstrate that he is one of the most marketable fighters in the world.
From Bill Dwyre/Los Angeles Times (excerpts) He entered the ring to chants of "Triple G," his nickname. He was clearly the fan favorite, even though he was fighting a Mexican in L.A. He was also clearly the subject of fan curiosity, which is exactly what his promoters, K2, wanted.”
“Right now, like the venue in which he fought Saturday night, there appears to be no ceiling to Golovkin's future.”
Wrote Dan Rafael/ESPN.com (excerpts) “GGG mania is awfully fun, isn't it? Golovkin's fight with Rubio was not expected to be much of a test. Pretty much anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the two fighters figured this had Golovkin by knockout written all over it. Yet even without a big-time competitive fight on paper the fans flocked to Golovkin's first fight on the West Coast to the
tune of a sold-out crowd of 9,323 at the StubHub Center. It got to that capacity because after K2 Promotions sold all the tickets it twice added additional bleacher seats as well as standing room only tickets, the first time ever at StubHub Center. In fact, it was the biggest crowd for any event in the history of the arena.”
“When the electric night was over one executive from AEG, which owns the StubHub Center as well as the Staples Center a few miles away in downtown Los Angeles, said Golovkin-Rubio easily could have done big business in the bigger arena.”
“Golovkin surely will fill the Staples Center eventually but the point is he is on his way to superstardom -- and eventually HBO PPV -- because people want to see him and his prodigious punching power regardless of who he's fighting because he brings massive excitement and gives fans their money's worth. This was his sixth fight in the United States and each has played to increasingly larger crowds and media coverage. Golovkin's trajectory is much like that of Manny Pacquiao in his early days of fighting in the United States. The sky's the limit for Golovkin.”
On July 26, 2014, Golovkin faced two-time world champion Daniel Geale, 30-2-0 of Mt. Anaan, Australia at Madison Square Garden in New York. Before a huge crowd in his Arena debut, Golovkin stopped Geale in the third round with a mesmerizing one-punch knockout that will certainly be at the top of the 2014 “Knockout of the Year” media and fan polls. With Geale tagging Golovkin sharply on the chin, the hard-hitting Champion turned his body with the punch and drilled the Australian to the jaw sending him to the canvas with the fight being stopped as he rose on wobbly legs at the 2:47 mark of the stanza. The knockout was the first time Geale has been stopped in his distinguished ten-year career. Wrote Mitch Abramson/New York Daily News (excerpts)… “Gennady Golovkin proved he can act on Broadway, make frequent public appearances and still perform at a scary level after all.” “With his promotional team putting him in the big room at Madison Square Garden for the first time, Golovkin didn’t disappoint, blasting overmatched contender Daniel Geale with a devastating right hand in the third round and causing the bout to be stopped earlier than most expected Saturday night.” “Both Geale and Golovkin exchanged right hands. Geale's punch landed first but Golovkin barely flinched, coming back with his own clubbing right and putting Geale down.” “It was Golovkin’s 17th straight knockout and 11th consecutive defense of his WBA and IBO middleweight titles, and it came against an opponent who was supposed to provide the stiffest test of Golovkin’s career. Although Geale was a former middleweight unified champion, he was no match for Golovkin, whose power and aggression were overwhelming”. “The 32-year-old dropped Geale twice before the bout was stopped by referee Mike Ortega at 2:47 of the third. Almost as impressive were the announced attendance figures: Golovkin drew 8,572 fans, exceeding the goal of 7,500 his team had set for him.”
Golovkin returned to Monte Carlo for the second time on February 1, 2014, challenged by world ranked contender and former Ghanaian Olympian Osumana Adama, 22-3-0, of Chicago, Illinois via Accra, Ghana. The bout took placed at the famed Salle des Etoiles once again in front of a packed house of European sport superstars and celebrities along with Princess Charlene of Monte Carlo. Broadcast to over 190 countries, Golovkin controlled the action from the outset, drilling Adama to the canvas in the first and sixth round before referee Luis Pabon called a halt to the bout at the 1:20 mark of the seventh round following the challengers third knockdown. It was the first time Adama had been stopped in his thirteen-year professional career. Wrote Dan Rafael for ESPN.com, (excerpts)… “The GGG train rolled on with yet another one-sided knockout victory. After four exciting knockouts in four fights in 2013, Golovkin kept it up as he opened what he expects to be another four-fight year in 2014. Unable to lure the very top middleweights into the ring to face him, Golovkin has stayed active nonetheless, fighting the best opponents willing to fight him and destroying them, which is exactly what he did to Adama.” “But Golovkin, 31, of Kazakhstan -- who lives in Germany and trains in California -- had an easy time with him, breaking him down, dropping him three times and stopping him as he retained his world title for the 10th time and recorded his 16th knockout in a row while also raising his knockout percentage to 89.66, the best among active titleholders.” “Golovkin looked very sharp from the outset. He scored the first knockdown at the tail end of the opening round when he landed a crisp right hand. Adama, 32, a native of Ghana living in Chicago, got knocked down for the second time with a booming left hook -- perhaps Golovkin's best punch -- in the sixth round.” “By the seventh round, Adama was fading and all it took for Golovkin to drop him for the third time was a solid left jab on the button. Adama beat the count but moments later, Golovkin badly rocked him with another powerful left hook. As Adama staggered backward from the punch, referee Luis Pabon appropriately stepped in to stop the fight at 1 minute, 20 seconds. There was no reason to let Adama take more punishment. He was done.” 2013 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On November 2, 2013, Golovkin returned to Madison Square Garden with a sensational performance, stopping top rated challenger Curtis Stevens, 25-3-0 in front of a packed house of cheering fans. Drilling Stevens to the canvas in the second round with a devastating left hook, Golovkin pummeled Stevens at will with brutal power shots prior to the Brooklyn native’s corner calling a halt to the action after the eighth round. Telecast live on HBO, the clash was the third highest rated cable boxing broadcast in 2013, cementing Golovkin status as the breakout star of the year in boxing. The title defense was also broadcast live in over 100 countries. Wrote Chris Mannix for Sports Illustrated (excerpts)… “From the first round on, Golovkin stalked Stevens, pushing him to the ropes, hammering him with power shots to the head and body. Stevens did what he could to counter, tagging Golovkin with several hard hooks and straight right hands, landing flusher than any Golovkin opponent in recent memory. But Golovkin just smiled and walked right through them. In the second round Golovkin landed two left hooks that knocked
Stevens to the canvas. In the eighth round, Golovkin landed a whopping 56 of his 101 power shots. When the bell rang to the end the eighth, referee Harvey Dock walked to Stevens’ corner and told them he was going to stop the bout. Stevens’ trainer and uncle, Andre Rozier, agreed.” STRENGTHS: Outstanding amateur background…tremendous power in each hand…willingness to fight anyone, anywhere in the world…excellent conditioning…superior ring generalship..
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 34 fights...154 total rounds...80 world title rounds……….. AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.53 rounds KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 91.20%... DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 0, 10 rounds – 0, 8 rounds – 3 (3-0-0)
DOMINIC “Lights Out” WADE Age: 25 (4-12-90) Residence: Largo, Maryland Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Record: 18-0-0 (12KO’s) Height: 5’11” Stance: Right handed Promoter: TGB Promotions Manager: Al Haymon Trainer:
• IBF Middleweight Mandatory Title Challenger
2015 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On June 26, 2015, Wade won a ten round split decision over former world champion Sam Soliman, 44-12-0, at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA. In a bout telecast on Showtime, Wade was awarded his career best victory by scores of 97-92, 95-94 and 93-96. From Dan Rafael/ESPN.com (excerpts)….”Wade’s punches were obviously heavier”….”Wade tried to navigate as best he could in a close fight filled with fouls and clinches”…(Wade) “gained experience in a fight like this”.
2014 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- Wade knocked out battle-tested veteran Eddie Hunter, 10-11-2, in the second round (2:06) of their scheduled ten-rounder at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA…..In a bout telecast on Showtime, Wade made his nationally televised debut winning a ten-round unanimous decision over Nick Brinson, 16-1-2, on June, 27, 2014 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Scores were 97-93 (twice) and 96-94. From Dan Rafael/ESPN.com (excerpts)… “Wade, 24, of Washington, D.C., has tremendous power and is a good prospect who was stepping up to his most formidable professional opponent in Brinson, 26, of New York, who a year ago upset Jorge Melendez via unanimous decision. Brinson also owns an amateur victory against Wade in the 2009 National Gloves tournament.”
Wade passed the test as he went past the sixth round for the first time. Although he wasn't as dynamic as he has been in some of his brutal knockout victories, it was good to see Wade get a bit of a test. Brinson got off to a very slow start as Wade easily won the first three rounds, but Brinson did get a bit better as the fight went on and won some of the middle rounds. But mostly it was Wade who controlled the pace. He was quicker, landed some nice combinations and his punches appeared to be crisper. It should be on to bigger and better things for Wade, who was fighting in his first scheduled 10-round bout.”
On April 19, 2014, Wade knocked out Marcus Upshaw, 15-11-2, in the second round (2:41) of their scheduled eight rounder at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C……Wade on a six-round unanimous decision over Dashon Johnson, 15-13-3, on January 25, 2014 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. Scores were 59-55, 58-55 and 57-56.
2013 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On October 26, 2013, Wade knocked out Roberto Ventura, 12-7-0, in the first round (2:06) in the first round at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ventura
was knocked down three times in the initial stanza…At the DC Armory in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 2013, Wade stopped Marcus Brooks, 7-11-0, in the second round (2:46).
2011 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On February 18, 2011, Wade won a four-round unanimous decision over undefeated Grover Young, 4-0-0, in Salisbury, Maryland. Scores 40-36 on all three judges’ scorecards.
Wade knocked out Brian Norman, 17-10-0, on January 29, 2011 in the sixth round in Tunica, Mississippi. Time of the stoppage was 2:57 in the final round of their scheduled contest.
STRENGTHS: Very strong amateur background.. strong ability to adapt to different styles…...well rounded boxer with wide ranges of punches…..knockout power in each hand…works behind an excellent jab to control the action…
AMATEUR: Record 167-9 Five Consecutive Silver Gloves National Titles Silver Media/Junior Olympics PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 18 fights...60 total rounds... AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.38 rounds KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 86%... DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 4, (4-0-0) 10 rounds – 2 (2-0-0) 8 rounds – 0 (0-0-0)
ROMAN “Chocolatito” GONZALEZ Age: 28 (6-17-87) Residence: Managua, Nicaragua Birthplace: Managua, Nicaragua Record: 44-0-0 (38KO’s) Height: 5’3” Stance: Right handed Promoter: Teikin Promotions/K2 Promotions (USA) Manager: Carlos Blandon Trainer: Arnulfo Obando
• WBC Flyweight World Champion • Consensus #1 Pound For Pound (Yahoo, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, • Ring Magazine, Bleacher Report) • 14-0 in World Title Bouts • Former WBA World Junior Flyweight Champion • Former WBA Strawweight Champion • Youngest Three-time World Champion From Nicaragua • Nicaragua’s Youngest Boxing Champion • Notable Wins over Akira Yaegashi, Juan Francisco Estrada, Brian Viloria, Edgar
Sosa, Francisco Rosas, Manual Vargas, Omar Salado, Omar Soto, Ramon Hirales
2015 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- Fighting for the first time in New York City on October 17, 2015, Gonzalez faced off against former four-time world champion in two weight divisions and United States Olympian, Brian Viloria, 36-4-0 in a bout telecast on HBO Pay-Per-View as the co-feature to the Middleweight World Championship between Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux. Dominating the action from the opening bell using a full array of punches, Gonzalez dropped Viloria in the third round and battled on to a ninth round stoppage in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,548 at Madison Square Garden.
Wrote Dan Rafael for ESPN.com. (excerpts), “Flyweight champion Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez strengthened his claim as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world with his one-sided, ninth-round destruction of former unified titleholder Brian Viloria on Saturday night at sold-out Madison Square Garden.”
“Gonzalez dominated, much to the delight of a raucous cheering section of fans from his home country of Nicaragua, as he retained the title for the third time.”
“In the wake of Floyd Mayweather's retirement last month, most anointed Gonzalez as the new pound-for-pound king, and he showed it is a crown he is worthy of with the way he took apart Viloria, one of the top three flyweights in the world.” “It was virtually target practice for the 28-year-old Gonzalez in the ninth round as he landed a wide-open right hand that snapped Viloria's head to the side. Finally, with Viloria, 34, a 2000 U.S.
Olympian from Hawaii, taking tremendous punishment along the ropes, referee Benjy Esteves Jr. stepped in and stopped the fight at 2 minutes, 52 seconds.” Gonzalez made his HBO debut on May 16 at the Forum in Inglewood, California with a second round knockout of former world Edgar Sosa, 51-8-0. Dropping Sosa three times in the second stanza, Gonzalez was awarded the victory as referee Wayne Hedgpeth called a halt to the action at the 2:37 mark of the round.
Wrote Kevin Iole for Yahoo.com (excerpts)..” Flyweight Roman Gonzalez made his HBO debut on Saturday a spectacular one, dumping Edgar Sosa three times en route to a successful WBC title defense at The Forum, forcing referee Raul Caiz Sr. to stop it at 2:37 of the second. It raised Gonzalez's record to 43-0 with his 37th knockout and burnished his reputation as an elite champion.”
“He may not be the best in the world yet, but there aren't but a very few fighters who are better than he is at this stage. Gonzalez has been one of the world's elite for a while, but because American television has had a bias against smaller fighters, he didn’t' get an opportunity to fight on the big stage before Saturday.”
“He took full advantage, pummeling a quality fighter in Sosa. He dropped Sosa three times in the second, forcing Caiz to halt it. He could have stopped it at any point in the final 45 seconds, as Gonzalez was overwhelming Sosa with hard, accurate shots to the body and head.”
He credited the late Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello, his countryman and one of the greatest fighters who ever lived, for helping him get to this point.
On February 28, 2015, Gonzalez knocked out Valentin Leon, 38-28-3, in the third round (2:27) in Managua, Nicaragua. Gonzalez dropped Leon once in the second and twice in the third stanza before referee Onofre Ramirez stopped the scheduled ten round non-title bout. 2014 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- Gonzalez defended his WBC Flyweight World Title on November 22, 2014 with a sixth round stoppage of Rocky Fuentes, 35-7-2, in Yokohama, Japan. Time of the stoppage by referee Len Koivisto was 2:11.
Wrote Dan Rafael/ESPN.com (excerpts).. “Gonzalez, 27, of Nicaragua, is a former strawweight and junior flyweight titleholder who moved up to flyweight in 2013 and got a shot at the legitimate world championship on Sept. 5. He was brilliant in knocking out Japan's Akira Yaegashi in the ninth round to win the title and returned to Japan, where he was fighting for the third time in a row and has fought frequently during his career, to make his first defense against the Philippines' Fuentes, 28, who lost his second fight in a row after having dropped a decision for a vacant version of the title to Amnat Ruenroeng in January.”
“One of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Gonzalez pounded Fuentes in the one-sided win. He unloaded numerous combinations to the head and body in the sixth round before knocking him down face-first with a right hand to the head. Fuentes beat the count but Gonzalez
was all over him in the follow-up attack, forcing referee Len Koivisto to step in at 2 minutes, 11 seconds.”
On September 5, 2014, Gonzalez stopped champion Akira Yaegashi in the ninth round (2:24) in Tokyo, Japan, earning the WBC Flyweight Title. Gonzalez dominated Yaegashi, putting him down the first time in Round 3. After the second knockdown in the ninth, with an uppercut, the referee stopped the bout.
Wrote Robert Aaron Contreras/BleacherReport.com (excerpts)… Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez made his way to Tokyo to seize the WBC flyweight title from Akira Yaegashi via Round 9 TKO. Following in his hero Alexis Arguello's savage fists, Gonzalez became just the second fighter from Nicaragua to claim world titles in three separate weight divisions. Gonzalez's ninth-round drumming of the excellent Yaegashi not only demonstrated the most polished two-fisted attack in the sport but also consummated his place atop the 112-pound weight class: the best division in boxing.
“The end came by way of a five-punch series of hooks and uppercuts. Yaegashi fell to his bottom, with his face dazed in the worst possible way. He made a frail attempt back to his feet. He always does. But, for once, no one wanted him to. This included referee Michael Griffin, who justly called the bout with 36 seconds to go in Round 9.”
STRENGTHS: Outstanding combination puncher…devastating power in each hand….excellent conditioning…..all-action crowd pleasing style….very strong international experience professionally.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 44 fights...193 total rounds...77 world title rounds……….. AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.38 rounds KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 86%... DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 4, (4-0-0) 10 rounds – 2 (2-0-0) 8 rounds – 0 (0-0-0)
MCWILLIAMS ARROYO Age: 30 (12-5-85) Residence: Fajardo, Puerto Rico Birthplace: Ceiba, Puerto Rico Record: 16-2-0 (14KO’s) Height: 5’4” Stance: Right handed Promoter: PR Best Boxing Promotions Trainer: Anthony Otero
• IBF Former World Title Challenger • World Ranked # 5/WBO, #9/WBC, #11/IBF • 2008 Puerto Rican Olympic Team
2015 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On April 11, 2015, Arroyo knocked out battle-tested Mexican veteran Victor Ruiz, 18-4-0, in the third round in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Time of the stoppage was 1:32 of the third stanza.
2014 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- On September 9, 2014, Arroyo, then the #1 ranked contender travelled to Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand to challenge the IBF Flyweight Champion Anmat Ruenroeng, 13-0-0, Despite dropping the hometown champion in the sixth, Arroyo can up short in a very close, controversial split decision. Scores were 114-113, 113-114 and 113-114. Wrote Ryan Songalia for RingTV.com (excerpts)… “Amnat Ruenroeng successfully defended his IBF flyweight title with a hard-fought split-decision over McWilliams Arroyo on Wednesday at Liptapanlop Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand”
Rueonroeng (14-0, 5 knockouts), of Chonburi, Thailand, built an early lead with his superior movement and accuracy before being floored in round six by a left hook-right hand combination from Arroyo (15-2, 13 KOs). Ruenroeng beat the count but was in considerable danger as the hard-punching Puerto Rican looked to finish the hometown favorite.
Luck shined on him when referee Pat Russell ended the round early after misinterpreting the five second clapper for the bell to end the round. Arroyo couldn’t capitalize on his earlier success as fatigue began to set in. The fight turned ugly, with both being warned for roughhousing.”
Arroyo knocked out Frolian Saludar, 19-0-1, on June 19, 2014, in the second round of their scheduled 12-round clash in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
2013 FIGHT BY FIGHT --- In Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on February 2, 2013, Arroyo stopped Miguel Tamayo, 14-5-2, in the fourth round (0:45) of a scheduled 10-round bout. Dropping Tamayo twice in the second and again in the fourth, Arroyo was awarded the “Interim” WBC Latino Flyweight Title.
2012 FIGHT BY FIGHT ---On September 27, 2012, Arroyo knocked out Ronald Ramos, 32-10-3, in the fifth round of their scheduled 12-round bout. Time of the stoppage was 2:28. With the victory, Arroyo defended his WBO Latino Flyweight Title.
Arroyo knocked out Rigoberto Casillas, 8-6-1, in the seventh round on June 9, 2012, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Time of the stoppage was 2:00.
On March 10, 2012, Arroyo won a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Maldonado, 36-7-1, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Scores were 99-91, 99-91 and 98-92. With the victory Arroyo was awarded the vacant WBO Latino Flyweight Title.
Arroyo kicked off his 2012 campaign on February 3, 2012, with a win over Gilberto Mendoza, 2-2-0, in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico. Mendoza retired from an injured right shoulder after the third round.
STRENGTHS: Excellent ring generalship……knockout power in both hands…. outstanding amateur career……strong international experience… PERSONAL: Twin brother of IBF Super Flyweight Champion McJoe Arroyo. AMATEUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009 Gold Medal/World Amateur Boxing Championships 2008 Puerto Rican Olympic Team Representative/Beijing Games (Flag Carrier for Puerto Rico at Opening Games Ceremony) 2007 Gold Medal/Pan American Games 2006 Gold Medal/Central American Games
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 18 fights...78 total rounds...12 world title rounds……….. AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 4.33 rounds KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 78%... DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 1, (0-1-0) 10 rounds – 1 (1-0-0) 8 rounds – 0 (0-0-0)