DMITRY PIROG VS. GENNADY MARTIROSYAN

HEADLINES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT CARD

ON SEPT. 25 IN KRASNODAR, RUSSIA;

PIROG MAKES 2^ND DEFENSE OF WBO MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Art Pelullo’s Banner Promotions and Kirill Pchelnikov and German Titov’s GT & KP Boxing Promotion will present a sensational world championship fight card on Sunday, September 25, 2011, at the Palace of Sports “Olympus” in Krasnodar, Russia. The fights will be televised in Russia on Channel 2. Check local listings for times.

In the main event – scheduled for 12 rounds – World Boxing Organization middleweight world champion Dmitry Pirog, 18-0 with 14 knockouts, of Gelendzhik, Russia, will make his second defense of the title against WBO No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Gennady Martirosyan, 22-2 with 11 knockouts, of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Promoter Art Pelullo said, “Dmitry Pirog is one of the most talented and exciting middleweights in the world, and Gennady Martirosyan is a very worthy challenger for the world title. My partners, Kirill Phelnikov and German Titov, and I are very excited about promoting this terrific event and are looking forward to some very big opportunites for Dmitry in the future.”

Pirog, 31 years old, made his first defense of the title on March 26 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, and won a 12 round unanimous decision against Javier Francisco Maciel (18-1 entering the fight) by scores of 117-110, 116-111, 115-112. He won the vacant WBO title in July, 2010, with an electrifying fifth-round knockout against previously undefeated – and favored to win – Danny Jacobs (20-0 entering the fight) in Las Vegas.

Martirosyan, also 31 years old, has won five fights in a row, all by knockout, which include winning the WBO European middleweight title and making two successful title defenses.