UFC FIGHT PASS® TO LIVE STREAM DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT’S BROADWAY BOXING EVENT ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 AT 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT
NEW YORK, NY (April 4, 2019) – UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, today announced a collaboration with DiBella Entertainment and their acclaimed Broadway Boxing series. On Wednesday, April 10, at 8:00 ET / 5:00 PM PT, UFC FIGHT PASS will exclusively live stream the Broadway Boxing event from Times Square’s Sony Hall in New York City. Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub (15-1, 12 KOs) will headline the event defending his WBC USNBC title in a scheduled 10-round bout.
“April 10th’s card at Sony Hall is representative of what has made Broadway Boxing the longest running and most highly regarded grassroots boxing series in America,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “It features top welterweight contender Ivan Golub, who should be undefeated, as he continues to fight his way toward a world title, dynamic world champion Alicia ‘The Empress’ Napoleon, in a nontitle fight, and the ‘Big Uzbek’, Bakhodir Jalolov, who we believe is the scariest young heavyweight in the world and a future world champion. Former amateur stars Hurshidbek ‘Hershey’ Normatov, Joe Williams, Brian Ceballo and Khalid Twaiti round out the card in competitive bouts. DiBella Entertainment is thrilled that this Broadway Boxing will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass, the premier streaming service for MMA and combat sports. UFC Fight Pass’ commitment to offer first class boxing to its subscribers is great news for fight fans. We believe that this is the beginning of an exciting and creative collaboration.”
Making the first defense of his WBC USNBC welterweight strap, Ivan Golub, of Brooklyn, NY, will take on Manuel Alejandro “El Chino” Reyes (11-4-1, 5 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA. Golub, who is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., captured the USNBC belt last August via outstanding 10-round shutout decision against Lanardo Tyner. He has two impressive victories by knockout on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series, and his lone loss came via controversial decision in Toledo, OH, against local fighter Jamontay Clark, in a bout most observers felt Golub deserved to win. Golub accumulated a 270-32 amateur record, while becoming a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.
In a battle of heavyweight giants, fast-rising prospect Bakhodir “The Big Uzbek” Jalolov (5-0, 5 KOs), of Sariosiyo, Uzbekistan, who stands at 6’7″, will clash in a scheduled six-round tilt against the 6’10” Donnie Palmer (10-2-1, 9 KOs), of Dorchester, MA. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., Jalolov was born in Sariosiyo, Uzbekistan, and is incredibly popular in his native country, with 173,000 social media followers on Instagram. He was a highly accomplished amateur compiling a record of 84-13. A four-time National champion from 2013 to 2016 and the #1 ranked amateur in the world before his pro debut, Jalolov represented his homeland at the 2016 Olympic Games and had the distinguished honor of being the country’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremonies. As an amateur, Jalolov won gold medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in 2017, World Cup Tournament, Liventsev Memorial Tournament, Great Silk Way Tournament, and Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament in 2015, and at the World Cup of Petroleum Countries Tournament in 2014. During his amateur career, Jalolov also focused on his education, earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.
The card will also feature the highly anticipated return of WBA super middleweight women’s world champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (10-1, 5 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, against Eva Bajic, of Senta, Serbia, in an eight-round nontitle bout. The charismatic Long Islander defeated Femke Hermans on March 3, 2018, to capture the WBA world title then made her first defense five months later. The Veteran Boxers Association named Napoleon as the 2018 “New York State Female Fighter of the Year” at their annual Holiday Awards Dinner. She is an outspoken advocate for gender equality and has been featured on national TV, including on FOX 5’s “Good Morning America” and the Pickler & Ben talk show. Napoleon competed as an amateur for nine years, winning 11 National titles, including two New York Golden Gloves championships and a National Golden Gloves title.
Undefeated super welterweight prospect Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (7-0, 3 KOs), a native of Uzbekistan now fighting out of Brooklyn, NY, will face veteran Calvin Metcalf (9-1-1, 2 KOs), of Kansas City, MO, in a six-round bout. A pro since June 2016, the 26-year-old southpaw has already beaten two previously undefeated prospects in Nicklaus Flaz and Alexis Gaytan. As an amateur, Normatov accumulated a 190-40 record and won the European Amateur National Championships in 2014.
Welterweight prospect Brian Ceballo (7-0, 3 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, will face Ricardo Garcia (14-5-1, 9 KOs), of Reading, PA, in a six-round bout. The 25-year-old Ceballo was a stellar amateur, compiling a 206-13 record while becoming a five-time New York Golden Gloves champion. He turned pro last March and is coming off of a six-round unanimous decision victory in January against Randy Fuentes, at the Avalon, in Hollywood, CA.
In the junior featherweight division, Brooklyn fan favorite Khalid “Pure Gold” Twaiti (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round bout against Jeno Tonte, of Kecskemet, Hungary. Fighting for the first time in 2019 at Sony Hall, Twaiti returns to action following a four-round unanimous decision against Carlos Noe Ramirez last September in his home borough. Twaiti turned pro in February 2017 after compiling a 74-15 amateur record.
Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Joe “Mack” Williams (12-0, 8 KOs), of Far Rockaway, Queens, NY, makes his long-awaited return to the ring against Jose Mario Flores (8-1-2, 4 KOs), of Woodbridge, VA, in a scheduled six-rounder. In February 2017, Williams appeared on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series, handing 15-0-1 Lenin Castillo his first defeat via decision. Flores is coming off of a decision victory last November against 16-0 Armando Pina.
Tickets for BROADWAY BOXING, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are currently on sale and start at $55 for Standing Room Only, with $100 stage seating, and $125 for Ringside. VIP Tables are available for $200 per seat and Ringside Tables for $125 per seat. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577 and online through Ticketmaster HERE. Sony Hall is located at 235 West 46th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue), New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 PM with the first bell at 7:30 PM. For more information on Sony Hall, please visit their website (www.SonyHall.com).
