News On: Bryant Jennings, Ola Afolabi, Peter Quillin

NEW YORK CITY (October 9, 2013) Ola Afolabi will challenge Poland’s Lukasz Janik for the vacant International Boxing Organization’s Cruiserweight World Title on Saturday, NOVEMBER 2 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, announced Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions.

The Afolabi/Janik 12-round clash will be part of MONSTERS COLLIDE, the Middleweight World Title Clash between boxing’s fastest rising star, WBA/IBO Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and world ranked contender Curtis Stevens.

Presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events, GGG Promotions and Madison Square Garden, tickets for MONSTERS COLLIDE, priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 are on sale at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com

“We’re very excited to add this compelling cruiserweight clash to an already sensational event,” said Loeffler. “Ola has proven to be one of the top cruiserweights in the world and is thrilled to be fighting in New York City for the first time.”

Over the last four years the London born, Los Angeles based Afolabi, 19-3-4 (9KO’s) has battled in three classic wars with current cruiserweight world champion Marco Huck, most recently on JUNE 8 of this year. In spite of having no amateur bouts, Afolabi has demonstrated the ability to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

“Ola has the draw and a majority decision loss to Huck in his last two fights, but always expressed interest in facing any of the top cruiserweights. This is a great matchup as Janik hasn’t lost in four years and has defeated many of the top fighters in Europe,” continued Loeffler.

“It seems like my whole career has been defined by my fights with Marco Huck” said Afolabi. “I’m happy to move on and very excited to be fighting in the United States and at Madison Square Garden in particular. I watched a lot of fights when I was growing up on TV from there and always thought ‘one day I will fight there.’”

About his future plans, Afolabi stated, “First I have to take care of business on November 2 against Janik and win the IBO title. After that I’m ready for any of the top names at cruiserweight. It’s a hot division right now with a number of great fighters.”

The 27-year-old Janik has compiled a record of 26-1-0 (14KO’s), over his six-year career.

Fighting out of Jelenia Gora, Poland, Janik has won eleven fights in a row and this will be his third start of 2013.

Also featured at MONSTERS COLLIDE is an outstanding heavyweight battle between Cuban born Mike “The Rebel” Perez, 19-0-0 (12KO’s), now living in Ireland and Russia’s Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov, 18-0-0 (18KO’s), for the WBC USNBC Heavyweight Title

The Golovkin/Stevens and Perez/Abdusalamov bouts will be televised Live on HBO®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The Perez/Abdusalamov bout is presented in association with Sampson Boxing, LLC.

October 9, 2013 – Philadelphia's undefeated heavyweight contender, Bryant Jennings (17-0, 9 KOs) has signed a co-promotional contract with Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions. Advised by manager James Prince, Jennings on the verge of fighting for a world title, is ranked IBF No. 3, WBO No. 14 and WBC No. 21.

Having fought stiff competition thus far in his career, Jennings is the type of battle tested warrior America is seeking to represent the heavyweight division on a global stage. With a powerful team behind him, Jennings feels he's ready to take his career to the next level.

“I'm glad I'm finally moving forward in my career with a great team,” said Bryant Jennings. “Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard are two great promoters who have been in this sport for many years and have promoted some of the biggest fights in boxing history. I'm ecstatic to be managed by James Prince because he's guided the careers of many world champions and his knowledge as a boxing manager is impeccable. It's truly a blessing to have these experienced gentlemen working on my behalf. I'm ready to take my career to the next level.”

Having promoted some of boxing's greatest fighters, which include Mike Tyson, Diego Corrales, Shane Mosley, Winky Wright, Vernon Forrest and Lennox Lewis to name a few , Gary Shaw sees Bryant Jennings as the next heavyweight contender to conquer boxing most glorified division.

“First off I want to say I'm very thrilled to be working side by side with my good friends Antonio Leonard and James Prince,” Shaw said. “We've worked harmoniously together in the past when we had Corrales and it was an astonishing journey. Now we've come together again with an outstanding heavyweight in Bryant Jennings. From what I've seen, Jennings has the personality and talent to become a star in this sport. He's a very kind young man who brings an exciting style to the heavyweight division. I'm very pleased to add Jennings to our rich history of great fighters here at GSP and I'm working hard with Antonio and James to get him in a big fight. He'll be in the ring very soon.”

James Prince, Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard made history when they worked together with Diego Corrales. Prince, who currently manages some of boxings best fighters, is eager to unite with Shaw and Leonard with the hopes of taking Jennings to the peak of the heavyweight division.

“I'm just excited to be working with Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions once again,” said James Prince. “It was beautiful ride we all had with the late Diego Corrales and once again I feel like I'm bringing them an outstanding fighter in American Bryant Jennings, who I believe is the best heavyweight in the world.”

Antonio Leonard has the same feelings as Prince when it comes to working with Gary Shaw.

“When Gary Shaw and I team up its like dynamite,” stated Antonio Leonard. “Whoever we work with is going to be the next superstar in boxing. With Diego Corrales we did amazing things together. I have great respect for Gary Shaw who I started out with, not just as a boxing promoter, but as a loyal friend. I know Bryant Jennings is in the hands of a great promoter with Shaw who cares about his fighters just like I do.

Antonio Leonard continued saying, “Jennings' work ethic is unbelievable and he reminds me lot of Andre Ward. Bryant carries himself with great respect inside and outside of the ring. James Prince along with Gary and me will take this man to the top. I can promise you Jennings will leap to the top of the heavyweight division and will whip the Klitschko brothers. Bryant who hails from Philadelphia will make America proud!”

NEW YORK (October 8, 2013) – Much has changed in the life of undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (29-0, 21 KOs) since his last fight on April 27, when Quillin dropped challenger Fernando Guerrero four times en route to an impressive victory by seventh-round technical knockout.

Quillin will make his second world title defense Oct. 26 against challenger Gabriel “King” Rosado (21-6, 13 KOs), airing on Showtime Championship Boxing, live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. WBO No. 11-rated Rosado, fighting out of nearby Philadelphia, was stopped in the seventh round of his only world title fight to World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title-holder Gennady Golvkin last January.

In the past five-plus months, Quillin has turned 30, married Allison Berger, and started a few businesses (T-shirts and headphones).

“I'm in the best shape of my life and preparing to elevate myself to another level for this fight,” Quillin said. “Since my last fight I've set myself up in a lot of good ways, financially-speaking, so I'll be able to pay bills for years. I have a family now with a wife who is my inspiration. My wife has a good career. She's the producer of NBC's Today Show. She supports me 100-percent and has helped me a lot with some creative ideas.

“I learn more about myself every fight. I know what my purpose in life is and who I really am. I've got past any insecurities I may have had – not insecure feelings about fighting my opponent – about letting people down. I've learned in life that you can't make everybody happy. I've elevated myself as a fighter and person.”

Rosado is coming off a fight with J'Leon Love last May, in which Rosado lost a disputed split decision that was overturned and ruled a no-contest, when Love failed a post-fight test. The 27-year-old Rosado had won seven fights in a row prior to his loss to Golovkin.

“We're both looking for definitive performances,” Quillin remarked. “I'm putting in the work at training camp to continue improving, physically and mentally. Rosado is coming ready to fight. He may have six losses, including one to a guy I bet (Guerrero), but I'm expecting to fight the best Gabriel Rosado.

“If all the talking he's been doing is good for him, well, that's fine with me. I don't come up short. He knows how to lose, I don't. I know some of the guys I fought aren't the same. If the punches he's taken in the past have hurt him, it'll just make my job easier. I don't have a problem with him. This fight isn't personal; it's business. We've both signed a contract to fight. We'll shake hands before and after our fight, when I walk out of the ring the winner once again.”

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