Already a marquee event featuring Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s) defending his WBC Middleweight and Ring Magazine World Champion titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) in a 12-round main event, the June 6 showdown will now include a live musical performance by Roc Nation and Grammy-nominated artist Big Sean before the main event.
Roc Nation will bring other major names to the boxing experience at Barclays Center including notable event emcee and “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez, who will serve as the event’s host, alongside hit master DJ Lobo from WSKQ La Mega 97.9 FM New York City, the #1 Spanish radio station in the United States. Martinez and Lobo will entertain together throughout the night to keep the energy up between bouts.
Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. The championship bout takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Last year marked Big Sean’s first Grammy nomination and the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore effort, “Hall of Fame” which once again held an impressive number three Soundscan debut in the U.S. With over 10 million records sold to date, Sean became the first rapper to ever perform at The White House earlier this year and has released three successful shoe designs in partnership with Adidas Originals. While his professional work as an artist keep him extremely busy, Sean makes the time to use his resources to give back through his Detroit based non-profit, the Sean Anderson Foundation. He is currently on a national tour promoting his third major label album, Dark Sky Paradise (G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam Recordings) which debuted at number one.
“I’m so excited to be coming together again with Roc Nation Sports to host its next boxing event at Barclays Center on June 6 featuring Miguel Cotto’s return to New York City,” said Angie Martinez. “The event format, including a live musical performance by Big Sean, will ensure the night is one to remember.”
“As an active member of the Latino community in New York City, I’m proud to be kicking off the week of the Puerto Rican Day Parade festivities with Miguel Cotto’s long-awaited return to the ring and debut at Barclays Center,” said DJ Lobo. “I’ll be sure to keep the atmosphere rocking between bouts and hope I can count on the Latino community to show their support on June 6.”
In addition to an exciting June 6 performance lineup, some of boxing’s hottest rising stars will be featured on the non-televised undercard. Roc Nation Sports standouts Dustin Fleischer, Junior Younan Zhang Zhilei, and Miguel Cotto Promotions’ Jose Lopez, Alberto Machado and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. will look to keep fans on their feet from the opening bell through the main event.
New Jersey native and Two-Time State Golden Gloves Champion Dustin “The White Tiger” Fleischer (1-0, 1 KO), age 25, is on a quest to become the first grandson of a Holocaust survivor to be crowned world champion. Fleischer, with an amateur record of 112-18, is a protégé of 1996 Olympic Head Coach Al Mitchell and the youngest graduate of the U.S. Olympic Education Center for boxing at the age of 16. Mitchell’s guidance helped to propel Fleischer to U.S.A. Boxing’s #5 open-fighter ranking at 132 lbs in 2007, with only standout professionals Sadam Ali, Terence Crawford, Danny Garcia, and Luis Ramos ranked ahead of him. Fleischer made his professional debut on January 9, 2015 during Roc Nation Sports’ inaugural throne boxing event, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Frank Jordan in a fight that was televised live on FOX Sports 1. Fleischer faces an opponent to be determined in a four round welterweight bout on June 6.
Brooklyn’s 19-year-old, undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (6-0, 5 KO’s) is considered one of New York City’s best boxing prospects. Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way including nine Junior Olympic championships, nine Junior Metro championships, eight New York State Silver Gloves championships and five Regional Silver Gloves championships. In 2011, he was crowned National Junior Golden Gloves champion and was U.S.A. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer in his weight class. Less than a month after his 18th birthday, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, New York, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. On June 6, he will see action in a six round light heavyweight bout.
Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (3-0, 2 KO’s) is a 6-foot-6, 260-pound southpaw who is poised to make a major splash in the heavyweight division. Born in Henan, China, home to the world famous Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Warriors, Zhilei began his amateur career in 2003, participating in the World Championships. He went on to compete in the World University Boxing Championship the following year where he made it to the finals. A breakthrough came in 2007 at the World Championships when Zhilei captured a bronze medal and, by finishing the competition in third place, qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing where he reached the super heavyweight finals, proudly adding to the host country’s medal total with a Silver Medal. Zhilei returned to the Olympics in 2012 in London, where he looked to better his 2008 performance. After a solid start, Zhang faced a stern test in the hard-hitting, eventual Gold Medal winning Brit Anthony Joshua and suffered a heart-breaking loss. In 2009 and 2013, Zhilei captured gold medals at the China National Games, an event of equal prestige to the Olympics in China. On August 8, 2014, Zhang made his professional debut by scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Lee Tate in Fallon, Nevada. On January 17, 2015, Zhang overpowered Perry Filkins with another first round knockout at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. In his last bout on March 14, he scored a four round unanimous decision victory over Eric George in Jersey City, New Jersey. The 32-year-old Zhilei will face an opponent to be determined in a four round bout at Barclays Center.
Hailing from Carolina, Puerto Rico, Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez (15-0-1, 11 KO’s) is a bit modest when it comes to discussing his punching power, but that power was evidenced during the 21-year-old’s appearance on October 26, 2013 at the Ray G. Amalbert in Juncos, Puerto Rico when he faced veteran Nicaraguan Sergio Gomez and knocked him out in the eighth and final round. On March 29, 2014, the undefeated powerhouse scored a first round technical knockout win over Leivi Brea of The Dominican Republic to capture the vacant WBC FECARBOX super bantamweight title at the Cosme Beitia Salamo Coliseum in Cataño, Puerto Rico. Lopez successfully defend the title on June 7, 2014 against Raul Hidalgo via a near shutout eight round unanimous decision victory. Another defense came on August 16, 2014 when he faced Roberto Casteñeda in what became an instant classic with Lopez hitting the canvas four times in the first round and Castañeda getting floored once each in rounds one, two and three before Lopez emerged the victor via an eight round majority decision. In his last bout on February 7, Lopez fought to a draw with Josean Figuroa at the Coliseo Guillermo Angulo in Carolina. On June 6, Lopez will look to add another win to his record in a six round featherweight bout.
Alberto “El Explosivo” Machado (10-0, 8 KO’s) started boxing at the age of ten in the Monte Hatillo Gymnasium located in San Juan. The 24-year-old Rio Piedras native compiled an amateur record of 145-21 and secured national championships in the junior, junior Olympics, cadet and adult categories. On November 11, 2012, Machado made is professional debut against Alex Nazario at the Coliseo Roger L. Mendoza in Caguas, Puerto Rico scoring a third round technical knockout win. Seven consecutive wins would follow, and on November 1, 2014, Machado fought for his first professional title at the Coliseo Hector Sola Bezares in Caguas where he defeated Alvin Torres via a second round technical knockout to capture the vacant WBC United States super featherweight title. In his most recent bout, Machado successfully defended his title on March 14 against Jean Javier Sotelo at the Coliseo Roger L. Mendoza in Caguas with a first round knockout. Machado faces an opponent to be determined in a six round junior lightweight bout on June 6.
Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (24-4-1, 19 KO’s) has emerged from the large shadow of his father, Puerto Rican legend Wilfredo Vazquez, to make a name for himself inside the squared circle. The 30-year-old former World Champion from Bayamon is on a quest to recapture a world title belt now campaigning in the featherweight division. After storming out of the gates with an 18 fight unbeaten streak, Vazquez captured the WBO junior featherweight world championship by defeating then fellow unbeaten Marvin Sonsona via a fourth round knockout on February 27, 2010. Two successful title defenses followed before Vazquez lost his title to Three-Time World Champion Jorge Arce in an all-out war that the judges had a draw at the time of the twelfth round stoppage. Another world title challenge came against Six-Time World Champion Nonito Donaire on February 2, 2012, but Vazquez came up short, dropping a split decision to the champion. In his last bout on November 1, 2014, Vazquez scored a majority decision win over Jonathan Arrellano in Caguas, Puerto Rico. On June 6, he’ll look to keep his winning ways going in an eight round featherweight bout against an opponent to be named.
Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.