Johan Perez To Fight Steve Forbes Jan. 12

SUNRISE, Fla. – Golden Boy Promotions and Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced today that the first BB&T Center Boxing Series event is set for Saturday, Jan. 12 and will feature a junior welterweight showdown between rising Venezuelan star and former World Champion Johan Perez and former World Champion Steve “Two Pounds” Forbes as well as a special guest appearance by former Heavyweight World Champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports Networks and FOX Deportes.

Tickets for the Jan. 12 event, which is sponsored by Corona, go on sale on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. ET at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone (800-745-3000), at www.ticketmaster.com and on Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. ET at the BB&T Center box office.

In addition to the Jan. 12 event, the BB&T Center and Golden Boy will host additional live boxing events on June 1, 2013, Oct. 5, 2013 and Jan. 14, 2014. Fight fans can purchase annual subscriptions for all four events inclusive of VIP seating and boxing legend meet and greets by calling 954-835-CLUB.

“We are really excited about this new series in South Florida and for the first event we wanted to bring a world class fight and that is exactly what you have in Perez vs. Forbes,” said President of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “Fight fans will get to see two former world champions in a battle for what could lead to a world title shot later in 2013. That usually means fireworks in the ring, and I can't wait to see it.”

“We are thrilled and honored to partner with an incredible athlete and entrepreneur such as Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions,” said SSE President Michael R. Yormark. “We believe that together we can take live professional boxing to the next level in South Florida beginning with the first incredible event on Jan. 12 featuring Johan Perez and Steve Forbes and an appearance from boxing legend Evander Holyfield.”

Nicknamed “El Terrible,” Johan Perez (15-1-1, 12 KO's) is one of Venezuela's brightest hopes for boxing superstardom and with his fight-ending power and aggressiveness, another world championship could be right around the corner. A professional since 2005 with an WBA Interim World title win to his name along with a host of regional titles, the 29-year-old Perez made waves in 2011 with his fourth round technical knockout win over Puerto Rico's Kenny Galarza. Now looking to bounce back from his controversial decision loss to Pablo Cesar Cano in July, Perez has Steve Forbes in his sights.

Las Vegas' Steve Forbes (35-11, 11 KO's) earned his reputation in the fight game the hard way, taking on the best competition available night in and night out. A former IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion, the 35-year-old Forbes has been in the ring with some of the greats in boxing including Oscar De La Hoya, Andre Berto, Cornelius “K9” Bundrage and Francisco “Panchito” Bojado, impressing fans with his slick style and unyielding determination to win. Now returning to 140 pounds after stints at welterweight and junior middleweight, Forbes feels that he's back in championship form.