Photo by Ed Diller
Lou DiBella and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark hosted a luncheon at the famous Junior’s Cheesecake in Brooklyn to announce the undercard of the Premier Boxing Champions card to be held on April 11, 2015, airing live on NBC at 8:30pm, EST.
Headlining the card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will be the reigning WBA and WBC super lightweight champion Danny Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) vs. Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs).
In the evening’s co-feature, world middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) will defend his WBO belt against former champion, Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs).
The undercard will be chock full of Brooklyn-bred boxers to lend a local flavor to the show led by WBA (Regular) middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs, the “Miracle Man.”
Jacobs, (28-1, 25 KOs) takes on Caleb Truax (25-1-2, 15KOs) and makes his first defense of the title he won at the Barclays Center last August.
Jacobs will have a keen interest in the outcome of the Lee-Quillin match.
“Quillin has been on my mind for a long time,” said Jacobs. “However, I don’t chase fighters. I chase belts.”
Jacobs story is widely known in boxing and his comeback is as inspirational as they come. In 2011, Jacobs’ pro boxing career was put on hold as he was diagnosed with a life threatening form of bone cancer. The large tumor on his spine made him paralyzed for months as he fought for his life.
Jacobs beat cancer with the same ferocity as he has shown during his ascension in the middleweight division.
Another feel good story is Brooklyn’s Gabriel Bracero (23-1, 4 KOs) as he takes on the tough and undefeated Felix Diaz (16-0, 8 KOs) from the Bronx.
“I am so excited for this fight,” said DiBella. “Gabe was incarcerated and completely turned his life around and Diaz is undefeated and an Olympic gold medal winner. This is a 50-50 fight.”
DiBella feels strongly that the winner of this fight will be up for a world title in their next fight.
“People will be sorry if they miss this one,” DiBella added. “You have a Puerto Rican kid from Brooklyn versus a Dominican from the Bronx. It’s unbelievable and Gabe’s fans can practically walk to the fight. I can’t wait for this one.”
Also on the undercard will be light heavyweight sensation Marcus Browne who will be making his eighth appearance at the Barclays Center.
Browne (13-0, 10 KOS), from Staten Island will take on Aaron Pryor Jr. (19-7-1, 12 KOs) as he looks to extend his streak of three consecutive first-round knockouts.
Rounding out the undercard is popular female boxer Heather Hardy, (12-0, 2 KOs) as she makes her second appearance at the Barclays Center.
Dibella and Yormark both showed enthusiasm for this type of card coming to Brooklyn on free network television thanks to Al Haymon.
“I love the hard core boxing fans who watch boxing on their computers,” said DiBella. “With this fight on NB,C with Marv Albert, Al Michaels and Sugar Ray Leonard calling the fights, it lures the casual sports fan into boxing.”
