Andy Lee stops Matt Korobov to win WBO middleweight world title in Las Vegas

Andy Lee celebrates his win over Matt Korobov after their fight for the vacant WBO middleweight title

Photos:  Getty Images /

By:  Declan Taylor –

• Andy Lee recovers from a slow start to stop Matt Korobov Irishman landed huge right hand in the sixth round to rock the Russian
• Lee threw a barrage of unanswered punches and the referee stepped in
• Lee is the new WBO middleweight world champion 

The old saying goes that nice guys finish last.

But Andy Lee made a mockery of that, and the bookmakers here in Las Vegas, to become the new middleweight champion of the world on an emotionally charged evening on the strip.

And, although he might not describe it as such, there was a sense that the popular 30-year-old fulfilled his destiny in front of the widow of his former trainer, the legendary Emanuel Steward at the Chelsea arena inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel. 

It was Steward who took Lee under his wing, immersed him in his famous Kronk philosophy in Detroit, even let him stay at his home after they met in 2002.

Steward guided Lee through his formative years as a professional and even up until his first challenge for a world title, the unsuccessful attempt to wrestle the WBC title from Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in 2012.

But Lee was forced to go it alone four months later when Steward passed away until he linked up with Adam Booth, who was in the corner here, and the brains behind Lee’s preparation for this shot at the WBO title.

Lee admitted in the week, in the suite 45 floors above the venue, that a defeat here would likely end his career, with no desire to fight his way back from another failed title challenge. He also said that he was completely confident of beating undefeated Matt Korobov.

And he showed exactly why in the sixth round of this contest, which was otherwise tentative, quiet and cagey. In fact, the only moment of note before the stoppage was when Lee momentarily stiffened the Russian with a left hand in the centre of the ring.

It was a sign of things to come.

In the sixth round, Lee shipped a left hand but, almost immediately, connected with a right hook that is swiftly becoming his trademark. Korobov tottered, stunned from the impact, and Lee did not waste a second, swarming the 31-year-old. Referee Kenny Bayliss waved it off quickly.

The celebrations were passionate as Lee, truly one of boxing’s good guys, embraced his new trainer Booth. His wife was also hoisted into the ring to join the new WBO champion.

He is the first Irish middleweight to clinch a world title since Steve Collins who, 20 years ago, won this very belt. He is also the first man from the travelling community to win a world title in the history of professional boxing.

Speaking of the traveling community, this victory also sets up a mouth-watering contest between Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, who is the mandatory challenger for the new WBO king.

That is one to look forward to next year, but for now, Lee and his team should savour this moment and their achievement against the odds in this famous gambling district.

When asked how to sum up the feeling of becoming champion, he said: ‘It’s tough to describe. When I thought about this moment, I had a speech in mind.

‘I would like to say than you to my manger who has done so much for me over the last couple of years.’

But then Lee paid a poignant tribute to Steward, whose widow Marie was in attendance for the bout, along with a clutch of other Detroit natives who cheered Lee on from the crowd.

He went on: ‘But it’s also for the man who made me, Emanuel Steward.

‘We spent seven or eight years together and he said I would win a world title.

‘His wife Marie came here today, flew all the way from Detroit so from everybody from Detroit and Kronk, thank you very much.

‘Matt Korobov was giving me nightmares but i could hear all the cheers from all that came to see me from New York and Detroit.

‘We were trading and a lot of the times he was having the better of it but my right hook is a killer punch I thought he wasn’t going down but i wasn’t taking any chances.’

And what of that showdown with Saunders?

‘I am a champion now and I want to defend my belt in Ireland,’ he said.

But, for now, it’s back to Ireland to celebrate a Christmas as world champion.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2873160/Andy-Lee-stops-Matt-Korobov-win-WBO-middleweight-world-title-Las-Vegas.html

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank – Andy Lee won his first title after defeating Matt Korobov by TKO on Saturday.

LAS VEGAS — Andy Lee spent most of his career at the side of the late, great Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. They traveled everywhere together and became almost like father and son.

Lee even spent several years living in Steward’s Detroit home when he moved from Ireland to the United States. In their first title shot together, Lee got knocked out by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the seventh round in 2012. A few months later, Steward died from cancer.

Vowing to win a world title in Steward’s memory, Lee knocked out Matt Korobov in the sixth round to win a vacant middleweight world title on Saturday night on the Timothy Bradley Jr.-Diego Chaves undercard at the Cosmopolitan.

Lee, 30, of Ireland, and Korobov, 31, a 2008 Russian Olympian now living in Florida, were both tentative early in what was a jabbing contest between southpaws as they each tried to establish control. It was a close contest all the way and neither man had taken control when the fight suddenly came to an end.

Out of nowhere, Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) landed a tremendous right hook that badly staggered Korobov. He did not go down, but he was in terrible trouble and Lee jumped all over him. Lee landed numerous punches until referee Kenny Bayless had no choice but to stop it at 1 minute, 10 seconds.

“We were trading and a lot of the times he was having the better of it but my right hook is a killer punch. I thought he wasn’t going down but I wasn’t taking any chances,” Lee said.

Lee said during the lead up to the fight that he wanted to win the title in Steward’s memory and then he paid respects to him in victory.

“When I thought about this moment, I had a speech in mind,” Lee said. “I would like to say thank you to my manager [and trainer Adam Booth], who has done so much for me over the last couple of years, but it’s also for the man who made me, Emanuel Steward.

“We spent seven, eight years together and he said I would win a world title. His wife, Marie, came here today, flew all the way from Detroit, so from everybody from Detroit and Kronk [Gym], thank you very much. Matt Korobov was giving me nightmares but I could hear all the cheers from all that came to see me from New York and Detroit.”

Korobov (24-1, 14 KOs) was ahead on all three scorecards, but had no complaints about the stoppage.

“I’ve never been hurt before but he got me with a tremendous hook,” he said. “I was stunned. I couldn’t continue.”

Said Charles Mooney, Korobov’s trainer, “He should have taken a knee but it didn’t happen and he couldn’t continue.”

Lee won the fight with titleholder Gennady Golovkin ringside and they could meet in a unification bout.

“Great performance and strong performance,” Golovkin said of Lee’s knockout.

Before a Golovkin fight, however, Lee had something else in mind.

“I am a champion now and I want to defend my belt in Ireland,” he said.

Lee and Korobov were fighting for the 160-pound belt that Peter Quillin vacated rather than defend against Korobov, the mandatory challenger, for a career-high purse (about triple) of $1,428,630 under the terms of a purse bid won by Roc Nation Sports. Lee, the next leading available contender, quickly accepted the fight.

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/12024793/andy-lee-surprises-matt-korobov-win-middleweight-title

Date:  Saturday, December 13, 2014

WBO VACANT MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Promoter:   Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   Richard De Cuir

Referee:  Kenny Bayless

Judges:   Tim Cheatham (45-50); Richard Houck (47-48); Don Trella (45-50)

Results:     Andy Lee won the vacant WBO middleweight title by scoring a TKO win over Matt Korobov (24-1) in the sixth round.

TV:   USA HBO

A deal has been struck for Matt Korobov to fight Andy Lee in Ireland for the vacant WBO middleweight title.

By Wil Esco –

Bob Arum announced a deal has been agreed to for Korobov and Lee to fight for the vacant WBO middleweight belt, in a bout promoted by Frank Warren, taking place in Dublin, Ireland. The fight will determine the ultimate replacement for Peter Quillin, who vacated the WBO title rather than fight Korobov. I think it’s probably fair to assume that “Irish” Andy Lee will be the crowd favorite on fight night.

“We have confirmation from last week from Frank Warren that we’re going forward with that fight. The fight will be in Dublin, Ireland, on Dec. 13,” said Arum. “We have an agreement through e-mail, and our lawyers are drawing up a provision of services agreement to send to Frank to sign. I think that it’s a very good fight and a very interesting fight.”

Andy Lee (33-2, 23 KOs) was the protege of the late Emanuel Steward, and was a rising force in the middleweight division until Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. put a tremdous beating on him. Andy hasn’t seemed quite the same since then, or perhaps he was just exposed on that night. Either way, Andy was getting beaten up again, pretty comprehensively, by young prospect John Jackson this past June, when in a moment of despair and retreat, Lee managed to land a picture perfect right hook on the button that ended Jackson’s night. It was a great punch and an exciting ending, but it hardly restored any legitimate faith in Lee as a top middleweight in my view.

So here comes Matt Korobov (24-0, 14 KOs), who doesn’t have any flashy names on his resume but appears to be fairly competent in the ring nonetheless. Solely based on Lee’s recent outings, I would be inclined to favor Korobov, but in no way would be surprised if Lee were able to take this one. I guess that makes this a fair and intriguing fight!

http://www.badlefthook.com/2014/10/7/6934815/matt-korobov-andy-lee-scheduled-for-dec-13th

Lem Satterfield –

Talks are ongoing for a middleweight clash of southpaws in December between Matt Korobov and Andy Lee for the vacant WBO belt, their respective promoters, Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions and Lou DiBella informed RingTV.com on Thursday.

“We’re working on the details right now,” said DiBella. “It would look like we’re aiming for December. The venue would be uncertain but it could be in England.”

The promoters’ request was also tweeted by WBO President Paco Valcarcel on Thursday.

“Their letter has been received by the WBO World Championship Committee,” said Jose Izquierdo, general secretary of the WBO, “so the championship committee will decide whether or not to sanction the fight for the vacant title.”

The negotiations for Korobov-Lee are part of recent developments in the wake of Peter Quillin’s having vacated the title last month rather than face Korobov.

“We’re trying to put it together,” said Arum of Korobov-Lee. “We’re looking at Dec. 13.”

Korobov (24-0, 14 knockouts) was subsequently ordered  to fight WBO junior middleweight beltholder Demetrius Andrade before Andrade chose to remain at 154 pounds and defend his belt in December.

Andrade was given the shot against Korobov over the Puerto Rico-based  WBO’s No. 2-rated 160-pounder Billy Joe Saunders in accordance with a petition from Andrade’s promoters, Artie Pelullo of Banner Promotions and and Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing. The WBO, in part, ruled that Andrade was more deserving as an organization titleholder given that Saunders had not fought a top-rated boxer in more than a year.

In his last fight in June, Korobov, 31, scored a unanimous decision over Jose Uzcategui. Lee (33-2, 23 KOs), 30, earned a come-from-behind, fifth round knockout of John Jackson in June.

The win over Jackson represented Lee’s fifth straight victory, third by stoppage, since falling by seventh round knockout to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2012.

“Andy Lee had the knockout of the year against John Jackson. I think that Andy Lee’s a very good fighter. I think that he can fight at either 154 or 160,” said DiBella. “I think that he has an excellent chance to beat Korobov and to become the middleweight champion. He’s well-traveled and he’s fought top competition. He’s been through the fire and he’s a guy who has shown that he’s resilient. He’s a very popular fighter and a very deserving fighter.”

Izquierdo said the WBO is also aware that Saunders could now face Chris Eubank Jr. in an all-English clash in November.

“I don’t know that there has been a formal request for that fight but that fight must also be approved. It seems that would be for a WBO International title,” said Izquierdo, “but we are aware that there are ongoing negotiations on that fight. In that case, it would have to be approved by the executive director of the WBO International [committee].”

Saunders, 25, was last in action for an eighth round knockout of Emanuele Blandamura in July and Eubank Jr., 25, for a first round knockout of Ivan Jukic in July, representing his ninth consecutive stoppage win.

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/358471-matt-korobov-andy-lee-in-the-works

By Dan Rafael –

When Peter Quillin gave up his middleweight world title in early September at the behest of manager Al Haymon rather than face Matt Korobov for a career-high payday (by far) of $1,428,630 — because Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports swooped in and won a purse bid to grab control of the fight from Haymon — it set things in motion for how the vacancy would be filled.

And what a roller coaster that has been.

Originally, the vacancy was to be filled by Korobov taking on Billy Joe Saunders. Korobov promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Saunders promoter Frank Warren quickly made a deal for Korobov to travel to England for the fight, which was ticketed for the Tyson Fury-Dereck Chisora undercard on Nov. 29 in London.

But then Banner Promotions’ Artie Pelullo, the co-promoter of junior middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade, petitioned the WBO to give Andrade the shot at Korobov for the vacant title. It is commonplace for the WBO to allow a titleholder from one division to get an immediate shot at the title in the weight class above where they hold the title.

So it came as no surprise when the WBO ruled in Pelullo’s favor, causing Arum to rip Pelullo because Arum claimed they had worked out a deal for Andrade to step aside.

But a funny thing happened on the way to Korobov-Andrade: Andrade’s camp rejected the fight this week, instead electing to remain at junior middleweight to defend his title, even though he has no specific date or opponent lined up just yet while Pelullo battles it out with HBO over his next bout.

So that set things back in motion for a possible Korobov-Saunders fight right? Sort of. Saunders is supposed to meet Chris Eubank Jr. on Dec. 13 in a fight that was agreed to when it looked like Saunders wouldn’t get the world title shot.

Arum said he got a call this week from Warren saying that it looked as though Saunders-Eubank — which has had trouble of its own getting finalized — would indeed take place. If that actually happens, it means that Korobov could instead face perennial contender Andy Lee for the vacant belt on Dec. 13 on the HBO undercard of Timothy Bradley Jr.’s next fight or in the United Kingdom.

“The deal would be the winner of Korobov-Andy Lee could fight Saunders if he beats Eubank,” Arum said.

Arum was still steamed that Pelullo went to so much trouble to get Andrade the shot at the vacant belt only to back out of the position and mess up the plans for Korobov-Saunders.

“I’m pissed off,” Arum said. “I’m not against a promoter doing the best he can for his fighter but to go off on a tangent and disturb everything that was planned and not even have the fighter on board is amateur night. You get your ducks in order before you make that move [with the WBO]. If Andrade really wanted to fight for the middleweight title then I would have understood it. I wouldn’t have liked it but I would have understood it. This I don’t understand. Why make such a production out of getting the kid the fight for the vacant title and then you don’t take the fight?”

Korobov is going to fight for the vacant belt against whomever the WBO approves for the fight. As for Lee, promoter Lou DiBella said, “It’s a possibility. Andy would definitely be interested in fighting Korobov for the title.”

The WBO is considering a request to approve Korobov-Lee for the belt.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/10573/korobov-lee-for-vacant-160-belt

By Dan Rafael ESPN.com

“Kid Chocolate” Peter Quillin vacated his middleweight world title and kissed a career-high $1.4 million purse goodbye on Thursday.

He was faced with a WBO-imposed deadline of 4 p.m. ET on Thursday to sign a contract for his mandatory defense against Matt Korobov. Quillin, who had already been given two extensions to the signing deadline, would have been stripped of his title had he not vacated.

It still comes as a surprise to many that Quillin, whose wife gave birth to their first child, a boy, about a week ago, would turn down a purse that is more than three times his biggest payday and give up his title without having another fight signed.

	Peter Quillin vacated his middleweight world title on Thursday, and in turn, lost out on a career-high $1.4 million purse.

“I’d like to thank WBO president Paco Valcarcel and his organization for their support throughout the years,” Quillin said in a statement. “Winning the WBO world championship was a highlight in my career and something I’ll never forget. This is a difficult decision, but in order to make the fights the fans and I want against my fellow middleweights at the top of the division, I needed to relinquish the title.

“This is an exciting new chapter in my life, and I’m looking forward to cementing my spot as the best middleweight in the world.”

Quillin’s statement rings a bit hollow because there is no obvious major middleweight fight on the horizon for him.

Fights with champion Miguel Cotto and titlist Gennady Golovkin were not possible. Only a match with fellow New Yorker Daniel Jacobs, who owns a lightly regarded secondary title and, like Quillin, is advised by the powerful Al Haymon, would be close.

About a half hour before the deadline, Arnold Joseph, the attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, Quillin’s promoter, sent a letter to the WBO informing it of the decision.

“Mr. Quillin has reviewed the middleweight landscape and is of the belief that there are other more compelling opponents for him to fight which will afford the boxing fans with excitement and which will afford him and his family more opportunities,” Joseph wrote. “Please be assured that Mr. Quillin is by no means minimizing Mr. Korobov’s talents or accomplishments. Mr. Quillin simply seeks to pursue bigger fights. Let me conclude by expressing Mr. Quillin and Golden Boy’s appreciation for your organization’s patience while Mr. Quillin worked through this decision and we look forward to our continued relationship with the WBO.”

Quillin’s decision means that the first boxing event to be promoted by Roc Nation Sports, the sports agency founded by music mogul Jay Z, will be delayed. Roc Nation Sports announced its intentions to promote boxing two weeks ago and the next day won a purse bid for the right to promote Quillin-Korobov, even though it doesn’t have promotional contracts with either fighter.

It bid $1,904,840, a dramatic overbid that easily beat Golden Boy ($1,207,000) and Korobov promoter Top Rank ($515,000). Quillin would have earned a career-best $1,428,630 to Korobov’s career-best $476,210. Korobov signed almost immediately while Quillin asked for extensions.

Roc Nation Sports planned to put the fight on Nov. 1 at the Barclays Center in Quillin’s hometown of Brooklyn, but had since notified Golden Boy and Top Rank that it would instead have been at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C., because Korobov is not licensed in New York due to a medical issue no other state has a problem with.

Michael Yormark, president and chief of branding and strategy for parent company Roc Nation, was disappointed Quillin turned down the fight.

“I’ve got $1.4 million sitting next to me,” Yormark told ESPN.com. “Do you want it? It’s puzzling that he turned down $1.4 million and gave up his belt. In order to turn down that money and give up his belt he has to be looking at a bigger opportunity. Who turns $1.4 million and gives up his belt for nothing?

“We wish him the best of luck. We like Peter a lot. We hope he’s made the right decision here, but it’s puzzling. I’m sure (Haymon) sat down and discussed this with him in detail. Peter has a team around him he listens to and we can only assume the direction he received was to pass. We wish him the best of luck and we hope he has an incredible payday in front of him because that’s the only justification for turning down $1.4 million and giving up his belt.”

Said Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti, “I’m sorry that Roc Nation Sports had to be put through this process. It’s disappointing for all of us, especially when a new player such as Jay Z wants to get involved in our sport. I hope this has no bearing on their future plans. As far as Top Rank goes, we look forward to working with them in any future endeavors.”

Yormark said Roc Nation Sports’ interest in boxing isn’t going anywhere.

“We will continue to look at all opportunities,” he said. “We continue to march forward. We’re in this for the long term. We’re disappointed but it’s not the end. We’re just getting started.

“This just motivates us even more. We knew we were getting into an industry we’d have to navigate through carefully. We hoped to have this first fight in November and it didn’t happen. But we’ll continue to be aggressive and move forward. We’re not going away.”

Korobov’s side was also disappointed.

“We’re disappointed that Peter Quillin didn’t respect the rules,” Moretti said. “Matt will still get his opportunity to fight for the title thanks to the WBO. We’re just really disappointed in Peter Quillin as a fighter. If he thinks that fighting Danny Jacobs for a secondary title is better than this opportunity than so be it. Why he couldn’t he have done both? If he’s that good he could have fought Matt and then Danny Jacobs. He must not have the confidence in himself, or his team doesn’t have confidence in him, that he would relinquish the title that he worked hard to earn.”

Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs), 31, defended the title three times, most recently by near-shutout decision against Lukas Konecny in Washington, D.C., on April 19.

Korobov (24-0, 14 KOs), a 31-year-old Russian southpaw and a 2008 Olympian, scored a pair of seventh-round knockdowns against Jose Uzcategui en route to a 10-round decision victory in his last fight on June 28 in Omaha, Nebraska in his HBO debut.

Korobov will get a shot at the vacant title next, possibly against Billy Joe Saunders, a 2008 Olympian from England. The 25-year-old Saunders (20-0, 11 KOs) is the WBO’s next ranked contender.

http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=11466721&type=story

Credit:  Photo by Steven Counts.com / Article by Lenn Satterfield –

WBO middleweight titleholder Peter Quillin may have landed his biggest pay day and a fight before fans familiar to him against Matt Korobov on Nov. 8 either in Washington, D.C., or New York City, thanks to a purse bid won by Roc Nation Sports on Monday.

The winning bid for Roc Nation Sports, the company founded by rapper Jay-Z, was made by newly-hired former Golden Boy Promotions COO David Itskowitch.

Itskowitch bid $1,904,840 compared to $1,207,000 by Golden Boy Promotions representative Ramiro Gonzalez and $515,000 by Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti, according to Jose Izquierdo, general secretary of the WBO.

Izquierdo and WBO President Paco Valcarcel said that Quillin (31-0, 22 knockouts) is entitled to 75 percent ($1,428, 630) of the bid to 25 percent ( $476,210) for Korobov (24-0, 14 KOs).

“I’m already making enough money where I’m able to take care of my family and to own a couple of things and to live a good life, but that’s damn near $2 million on the table that they’ve bid on this fight,” said Quillin, who is promoted by Golden Boy and advised by Al Haymon.

“I don’t think or believe that [WBA 160-pound titleholder] Gennady Golovkin has come close to being offered nothing like that. Of course, my other pay days are very good pay days, and I’m looking to put away as much as I can for life after boxing. Some of these other guys around me may be making more money, but I just hope they’re making the right decisions with their money.”

Izquierdo said Itskowitch proposed the date of Nov. 8 either in Washington, D.C. or New York City, where Roc Nation has been licensed.

Michael Yorkmark, president and chief of branding and strategy for Roc Nation, is the twin brother of Brett Yormark, the CEO of Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where Quillin has competed in two of his past four fights contested under the banner of Golden Boy.

Quillin debuted at Barclays Center in October 2012 when he scored a unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Hassan N’Dam, whom he dropped six times to earn the WBO’s vacant belt.

In Quillin’s next fight in April 2013 at Barclays Center, he scored two second-round knockdowns 30 seconds apart and dropped his man twice more in the seventh and final round of a technical knockout victory over Fernando Guerrero.

In his last fight in April at The D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C., Quillin dominated Lukas Konecny, winning a unanimous decision by the scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 120-108.

“Both of those areas are places that have the demographics where I have been able to relate to people and to get my story out there. I feel as though I have a big following in Brooklyn, as well as in D.C.,” said Quillin.

“I just want to be able to deliver my story in a positive way to people, regardless of whether it’s in Brooklyn or in D.C. or against Korobov or any of those other guys.”

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/352919-peter-quillin-poised-for-lucrative-defense-vs-matt-korobov

El presidente de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB) dio la bienvenida a Roc Nation Sports, empresa que ganó hoy la subasta de la OMB para la pelea entre el campeón peso mediano Peter Quillin y el primer clasificado Matt Korobov.

“Definitivamente estoy sorprendido por su participación”, dijo Valcarcel de la primera incursión de Roc Nation Sports en el mundo del boxeo. “En nombre de la OMB le doy la bienvenida a Jay Z y su compañía Roc Nation Sports y les deseo éxito en su empeño por traer eventos de boxeo de calidad y representar bien a los boxeadores que adquieran”.

“Nos sentimos honrados de que ellos (Roc Nation Sports) hayan optado por un combate de campeonato mundial de la OMB para hacer su entrada al deporte como promotor de boxeo y esperamos trabajar con ellos”, dijo Valcárcel sobre la pelea, cuya fecha propuesta es el 8 de noviembre 2014, posiblemente en  Washington DC o Nueva York.

Con una oferta de $1,904,840 Roc Nation Sports, la compañía fundada por el rapero y estrella de la música Jay Z, ganó la subasta, que se llevó a cabo en las oficinas de la OMB en San Juan, Puerto Rico, para promover la pelea de Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs), campeón mediano de la OMB, contra Korobov (24-0, 14 KOs).

Roc Nation, representado por David Itskowitch, superó la oferta del promotor de Quillin, Golden Boy Promotions ($1,207,000) y el promotor de Korobov, Top Rank, ($515.000).

World Boxing Organization (WBO) President, Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel welcomed Roc Nation Sports, company that won today’s WBO purse bid for the fight between the middleweight champion Peter Quillin and the #1 ranked Matt Korobov.

“I’m definitely surprised by their participation,” said WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel of Roc Nation’s first foray into the world of boxing. “On behalf of the WBO I welcome Jay Z and his company Roc Nation and wish them nothing but success in their quest to put on quality boxing events and represent well the fighters they eventually sign.”

“We are honored that they (Roc Nation Sports) have chosen a WBO World Championship contest to mark their entrance to the sport as boxing promoter and look forward to working with them,” said Valcarcel of the fight proposed for November 8, 2014 at an undetermined venue in either Washington, DC or New York City.

With a bid of $1,904,840 Roc Nation Sports, the company founded by rapper and music superstar Jay Z, won Monday’s purse bid at the WBO Headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to promote Quillin’s (31-0, 22 KOs) mandatory WBO Middleweight title defense against Korobov (24-0, 14 KOs).

Roc Nation Sports, represented by David Itskowitch, outbid both Quillin’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions ($1,207,000) and Korobov’s promotor Top Rank ($515,000).

To: All Bona Fide Promoters
From: Luis Batista Salas, Esq.
Date: August 18, 2014
Re: Wbo Middleweight Purse Bid

Peter Quillin Vs Matt Korobov

As per Section 11 through 14 of the WBO Regulations for World Championship Contest (www.wboboxing.com/regulations) and as per promoters request be advised that a purse bid will be held at 10:00 AM AST on August 18, 2014 at:

WBO HEADQUARTERS
1056 Muñoz Rivera Avenue
Suite 711-714
San Juan, PR 00927-5013

The minimum acceptable bid for the Middleweight Title is $200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dollars).
The WBO President, Francisco Valcarcel, will preside.

PDF File: 140818 PB Notice Peter Quillin-Matt Korobov

OMAHA, NEB. (May 23, 2014) — Top Rank® announced today that undefeated Top-Five contenders MATT KOROBOV and JOSE UZCATEGUI would battle in a 10-round rumble in the co-main event to World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion TERENCE CRAWFORD’S world title defense homecoming against Cuban sensation and three-division world champion YURIORKIS GAMBOA. Korobov and Uzcategui will be battling for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title. Both fights will be televised live from the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Saturday, June 28, on HBO Boxing After Dark®, in its first-ever visit to Omaha, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
This exciting all-action doubleheader features four undefeated gladiators with a combined record of 91-0, 63 KOs.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Crawford vs. Gamboa world championship event, priced at $102, $52 and $27, can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call 800-745-3000. To order online, visit Ticketmaster.com.
Korobov (23-0, 13 KOs), a 2008 Russian Olympian and stellar amateur will be making his long-awaited HBO debut. Now based in St, Petersburg, Fla., Korobov, a six-year veteran of the pro ranks, enters this fight having won three of his last four fights by knockout, including a sixth-round stoppage of Emil Gonzalez on April 16. Korobov is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBO.
Uzcategui (22-0, 18 KOs), a native of Venezuela who trains in Mexico, will be making his U.S. debut. A knockout artist who has stopped 10 of the last 11 opponents he has faced, he captured the WBO Latino middleweight title in March, knocking out David Lopez in the sixth round. He is currently world-rated No. 5 by the WBO.

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