In the blistering televised opener, Dominic Breazeale (18-1, 16 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Izuagbe Ugonoh (17-1, 14 KOs). Ugonoh controlled the fight early landing heavy blows to both Breazeale’s body and head, but Breazeale was able to compose himself and stormed back to knock out Ugonoh in impressive fashion.
The co-main event featured Jarrett Hurd (20-0, 14 KOs) knocking out Tony Harrison (24-2, 20 KOs) in the ninth round of their contest.
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) has to come from behind to beat a surprisingly good #8 WBC Gerald Washington (18-1-1, 12 KOs) by a 5th round TKO on Saturday night at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Alabama. Wilder kept his offensive weapons under wraps until the 5th round when he hurt Washington with a devastating right hand to the head.
Deontay Wilder returns to his home state of Alabama for what’s sure to be some down-home, southern-cooking against yet another non-de script opponent in former USC football player Gerald Washington. In case the main event is a one-side debacle, Al Haymon added two intriguing bouts for Saturday’s PBC on Fox broadcast.
Dominic Breazeale attempts to put the pieces back after suffering a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last June. On Saturday, Breazeale will try his hand against an unknown fighter, at least stateside, in Izuagbe Ugonoh. Ugonoh is a professional kick boxer and boxer from Poland with a record of 17-0, (14ko’s).
Weigh-In Results:
Deontay Wilder 222 vs. Gerald Washington 239
Tony Harrison 153.6 vs. Jarrett Hurd 153
Dominic Breazeale 263 vs. Izu Ugonoh 230.6
By Ryan Greene, Premier Boxing Champions – Jerry Izenberg will tell you he’s covered boxing for so long that the only reason he missed the fight between Cain and Abel was due to a big traffic jam.
Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and unbeaten Gerald Washington went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before their primetime showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday, February 25 from Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
(Jennifer Hagler/Premier Boxing Champions)
In his own super-polite way, IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua has laid into rival champ, WBC ruler Deontay Wilder. AJ is no trash-talker and never will be, but he got as close to being verbally aggressive towards another fighter as he is likely to get when he spoke about Wilder and his “easy pickings” opposition.
Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and unbeaten Gerald Washington kicked-off fight week with a media workout in Alabama Wednesday before they headline Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes action this Saturday, February 25 from Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
Also working out at Round 1 Boxing Gym and featured in televised action beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT were rising super welterweight contenders Tony Harrison and Jarrett Hurd, who battle for a vacant junior middleweight world title, plus hard-hitting Dominic Breazeale and undefeated Izuagbe Ugonoh, who meet in a 10-round heavyweight battle.
Lou DiBella
Thank you everybody for joining us. This is a call for a really big fight card on Saturday, February 25 at the Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
The show will be PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes, the main event — the Heavyweight Championship of the World — the WBC Heavyweight Championship between Deontay Wilder and Gerald Washington.
Unbeaten heavyweight Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington held an open workout Thursday for Los Angeles-area media as he prepares to challenge unbeaten heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes, Saturday, February 25 from Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
Televised coverage on FOX and FOX Deportes begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features a pair of exciting matchups as rising super welterweight contenders Tony Harrison and Jarrett Hurd meet in a 12-round world title eliminator, plus hard-hitting Dominic Breazeale battles undefeated Izuagbe Ugonoh in heavyweight action.
While reigning and unbeaten WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder has gone on record as saying he doesn’t believe his February 25 challenger Gerald Washington is ready to fight him (way to build the fight!), “The Bronze Bomber” is more than ready to get busy trying to unify the heavyweight titles here in 2017.
Speaking at a presser this week, and quoted by RingTV.com, Wilder said that after he gets past the unbeaten (but yes, still very green) Washington, he wants his very next fight to be for the WBO belt; either against the current holder Joseph Parker or Parker’s next challenger Hughie Fury – who will face Parker in his maiden defence on April 1 (incidentally, Wilder picks Parker to win the fight.)