On Thursday, April 4, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) will return to Roseland Ballroom for the latest installment of its Broadway Boxing series. The stacked 11-bout card will feature a number of DBE’s top young prospects and contenders including former WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, 29-2, 8KO’s, Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (16-1, 11KO’s) and WBC #6-rated welterweight Ionut “Jo Jo” Dan Ion (30-2, 17KO’s).
Also appearing on the card in separate bouts will be two of 50 Cent’s fighters out of his SMS Promotions stable, Luis Olivares and Donte Strayhorn.
“Our event on April 4 is possibly the most talent-laden Broadway Boxing card we have ever staged,” stated promoter Lou DiBella.
“From top to bottom, this card features an amazing array of talent including former world champion Yuri Foreman and title contenders Jo Jo Dan, Gabriel Bracero and Luis Del Valle. We are also featuring some of the most promising prospects on our DBE roster, as well as two of 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions young stars. 50 will be in attendance with his fighters, truly making this a can’t-miss card for New York fight fans.”
“Both Luis and Donte have the skills to be very successful in boxing,” said Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
“I’m excited to have them on the upcoming Broadway Boxing card and to see their progression in the sport. I’m glad they are a part of SMS Promotions.”
After a two-year hiatus from the ring, the popular Brooklynite Foreman signed a promotional contract with DBE earlier this year and quickly returned to action, winning a six-round shutout decision over Brendan Baue on the DBE-promoted card on January 23, at BB King Blues Club.
Foreman looked rejuvenated against Baue, boxing beautifully throughout their six-round contest, as his surgically repaired knee seemed to be a thing of the past. The 32-year-old Foreman is looking to reposition himself for a significant fight in the junior middleweight division some time before the end of 2013. Foreman’s bout is scheduled for six rounds against an opponent TBA.
Making his fourth straight appearance at Roseland Ballroom will be fellow Brooklynite and junior welterweight contender Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (21-1, 4KO’s). After dropping a decision in an absolute war to former world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley on January 21, 2012, Bracero has reeled off three consecutive victories as he looks to reposition himself in line for another significant fight in the junior welterweight division. Bracero will see action in an eight-round bout against an opponent TBA.
Looking to put himself back into the win column after suffering his first pro defeat in a decision loss to multiple world champion Vic Darchinyan will be Puerto Rico’s Luis “Orlandito” Del Valle (16-1, 11KO’s). The 26-year-old Del Valle, who made a name for himself early in his career fighting on DBE’s popular Broadway Boxing series, looked as though he was ready for a world title opportunity before being derailed by the longtime top-rated world champion and now resurgent contender Darchinyan on HBO’s Boxing After Dark on September 29, 2012.
Since the defeat, Darchinyan has relocated his training camp from Puerto Rico to Mexico and is now training at the famed Romanza Boxing gym in Mexico City, Mexico, under the watchful eye of Hall-of-Fame trainer Nacho Beristain.
Fighting for the second time under the DBE banner will be the former two-time world title challenger Ion. The former NABA light welterweight champion Ion, a native of Romania, but now living and training in Montreal, Canada, has only two losses as a professional both coming in world title bouts to former WBC welterweight champion Selcuk Aydin.
In those bouts, Ion traveled into Aydin’s backyard and put forth a great effort in two equally action-packed fights, only to come up on the wrong end of two very close decisions. Aydin went on to lose his title to 2012 “Fighter of the Year” candidate Robert Guerrero, who just recently defended his championship with a brutal 12-round unanimous decision over Andre Berto.
In his DBE debut in December of last year, Ion scored a devastating fifth-round TKO over Franklin Gonzalez. Rated as the number six welterweight in the WBA world ratings, Ion hopes to secure another title shot sometime this year. Both Ion and Del Valle’s bouts are scheduled for eight rounds against opponents TBA.
Additional bouts on the card and opponents for Foreman, Bracero, Del Valle and will be announced very shortly. The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com and Everlast. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $45.
