On Wednesday, January 23, former junior middleweight world champion Yuri Foreman (28-2, 8KO’s) will return to the ring for the first time in nearly two years when he takes on Brandon Baue (12-8, 10KO’s) in a special attraction six-round feature bout at BB King Blues club in New York City. The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and will feature a number of DBE’s top up-and-coming prospects, including unbeatens Lamar Russ (11-0, 7KO’s), Luis Rosa (11-0, 6KO’s) and Delen Parsley (9-0, 2KO’s). A complete list of bouts will be announced shortly.
The Belarusian-born Israeli Foreman, who has been living and training in Brooklyn since 1999, is studying to become a Rabbi in addition to competing as a professional boxer. Foreman won the WBA junior middleweight championship by pitching a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Daniel Santos in November 2009. By winning the title, Foreman became the first Jewish world champion in 71 years, since Barney Ross lost his welterweight crown in 1938. In his first title defense, Foreman lost his junior middleweight belt in a spirited effort to Miguel Cotto in the inaugural boxing event held at the new Yankee Stadium in June 2010. Foreman badly injured his knee in the seventh round of their championship bout but continued to fight on. He was eventually stopped on his feet in the ninth round once his knee left him immobilized.
In Foreman’s next bout, he was stopped in six rounds by fellow top-rated contender Pawel Wolak on March 12, 2011. After the bout against Wolak, Foreman took some time out of the ring, but he has been training for the past few months feeling rejuvenated and ready to make another run at a world championship.
Tickets are priced at $125, $100, $75 and $55, with a limited number of $1,000 V.I.P. tables available. There are five seats to each V.I.P. table. Tickets can be purchased by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com and Everlast.
