BoxNation will air a triple fight card this Saturday night with knockout artists Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov facing off, Derry Matthews taking on Tony Luis and Terence Crawford up against Thomas Dulorme for the vacant WBO light welterweight crown.
The action will get underway from 7pm as Liverpool’s Matthews fights in front of his home crowd at the Echo Arena, taking on 27-year-old speedster Luis, with the promise of knocking out his Canadian foe.
“I can’t’ wait to go,” said Matthews. “I’m fighting for my fans on Saturday night who have stuck with me. It’s not been an easy few weeks with the changes in opponents but I’m delighted to still be fighting for a world title and in front of my home crowd.
“That can only spur me on and help me. I’m going for the knockout on Saturday and anyone who follows boxing knows that I’m always in the fight and make sure people get their money’s worth. Against Luis that will be no different – it’s going to be explosive,” he said.
Talented Liam Smith will also be on the Queensberry Promotions bill as he looks to keep his undefeated record by capturing the vacant WBO Intercontinental light-middleweight title against Buenos Aires born boxer David Ezequiel Romero.
Another Merseyside marvel in Joe Selkirk will also be on the show in a matchup against Spaniard Yuri Pompilio, as he looks to catch the eye and record the 13th win of his career.
‘The Channel of Champions’ will then head Stateside as it brings two blockbuster fight cards starting with the mouth-watering war between two of boxing’s most exciting fighters in Argentine Matthysse and Siberian sledgehammer Provodnikov.
Both men are noted for their hard-hitting with Matthysse having knocked out 34 opponents in his 40 fights, with the no-nonsense Provodnikov scoring 17 stoppages in his 24 wins.
“Ruslan is a great fighter, he comes prepared for a war. My strategy against him will be to make sure to box and keep moving, that is why sparring has been really important in my training,” said Matthysse.
“Fans can expect one of the greatest fights in the division. I know I am ready to win this fight and fans should expect a victory,” he said.
31-year-old Provodnikov, a former light-welterweight champion, is going to let his fists do the talking for him.
“I am glad Lucas and his team are so sure of themselves because I am positive that once I am in the ring my actions will speak for themselves. I am here to win and I will do everything to win this fight,” said Provodnikov.
“No one can stop my will, my will, will not be broken. I fight for an idea, for myself, for the people and to make history. I am fighting one of the best fighters, and I feel like this will make history. I don’t do it for the fame or the money.
“This is going to make a great fight, the fans have waited long, and let the best man win,” he said.
Following the live action from Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, BoxNation will head south to Arlington, Texas where the 2014 ‘Fighter of the Year’ Crawford will look to continue his momentum against big-hitting Puerto Rican Dulorme.
Crawford is regarded by many experts as the upcoming pound-for-pound king of boxing but knows he will need to be at his best as he moves up to light-welterweight in the hope of becoming a two-weight world champion.
“I feel like I need to use my career momentum to my advantage and I feel like I’ve got the momentum right now. I don’t want to take any steps backwards – I want to keep moving up,” said Crawford.
“I think Dulorme is a good boxer. He’s got a sharp, nice jab, he’s got a nice right hand. He likes to throw the little right hook. He moves well. He switches like me. I don’t have anything bad to say about him.
“Come Saturday I feel like I’m going to make my adjustments in the ring and do what I’ve got to do to get the job done,” he said.
Crawford is adamant the move up in-weight against the naturally bigger Dulorme won’t be an issue either.
“I see myself doing great things in this weight class. I feel like I am going to be stronger. I feel like I am going to be faster. I am getting the experience that I need to be smarter and wiser,” he said.
“I don’t go in the ring looking for any particular fighter, like ‘I want to fight him or I want to fight him.’ I just want to fight the best. My manager, my promoter, if they feel it is the best fight for me, then they will come to me and say this is the fight we want and I will believe in them like they believe in me and we will go forward with the fight,” said Crawford.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford’s star has risen quickly following a highly-successful 2014 campaign, capturing the WBO lightweight title from Ricky Burns before successfully defending it against Yuriorkis Gamboa and Raymundo Beltran.
Those victories saw him win the Boxing Writers Association of America ‘Fighter of the Year’ award for 2014, with Crawford insisting he has always wanted to push himself and fight the very best around.
“I feel like I had a great year. Going over there to Scotland, where nobody wanted to go, then coming back and fighting Gamboa – tough, tough fight, tough fighter – undefeated and a lot of experience and a lot of backing. Then taking on Ray Beltran – I felt great about my performance and my year,” said Crawford.
“I’ve been telling my manager, Cameron Dunkin, for years I wanted to be pushed. ‘Cameron throw me in there. Throw me in there.’ I just bought my time, waited for the moment, and look at me now,” he said.
