New York, February 28—DiBella Entertainment’s undefeated Dmitriy “Star of David” Salita (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) will take center stage in the main event vs. Grover Wiley (30-8-1, 14 KO’s) on Thursday night, March 22 in the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York City on the next edition of Broadway Boxing Presented by StubHub, it was announced today be DBE president Lou DiBella..
Fighting out of Brooklyn, Salita has a stellar ring record of 26-0-1, including 15 wins by way of knockout. “Star of David” returned to the Broadway Boxing scene on September 20th to score a unanimous decision over the tough-minded veteran Francisco Campos. Salita will square off against Wiley, the veteran from Omaha, Nebraska, in the featured attraction, a 10-round junior welterweight affair. Salita has reeled off seven straight Broadway Boxing victories, with the lone blemish on his slate being a draw in Atlantic City.
A pair of co-features highlighted by the New York super middleweight knockout artists known at the “Chin Checkers” will accompany the Salita main event. Jaidon “The Don” Codrington (14-1, 10 KO’s) returns to Broadway Boxing to square off against Marlon Hayes (23-5, 11 KO’s), and Curtis “Showtime” Stevens (16-1, 12 KO’s) takes on Darnell Boone (14-8-2, 5 KO’s) of Atlanta. The Chin Checkers, hailing from Douglaston, New York, and Brownsville, Brooklyn, respectively, are sure to give Broadway Boxing fans plenty to cheer about with their KO artistry.
Broadway Boxing Presented by StubHub will air on a later date in high definition exclusively on HDNet and in over 30 million homes on SportsNet New York in the New York Metropolitan Area, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Southeast, Comcast SportsNet West and Comcast Local – Detroit. Broadway Boxing is sponsored by StubHub, HBO Sports, and Gallagher’s Steak House.
The excitement of Broadway Boxing’s fights and the electricity of the crowds at the Manhattan Center have drawn the likes of celebrities and athletes such as Jay Z, Hilary Swank, Rosario Dawson, Fat Joe, Camron, Lennox Lewis, Jermain Taylor, Ricky Hatton, Tiki Barber and Tracy McGrady to name a few.
Tickets are priced at $200, $135, $100, $65, and $45, and are available by calling DiBella Entertainment at 212-947-2577. Tickets are also available through StubHub by visiting www.stubhub.com.
Dmitriy Salita/Lou DiBella quotes from today’s Conference Call
Lou DiBella: “It’s a terrific show, in the big room (Hammerstein) because it deserves to be in the big room. There are great young fighters on the card (Salita, Codrington, Stevens and Figeroa). Because there will be two TV shows, there are very strong fights on this card. These are real fights and terrific match ups. For a local fight card, and four of them could be ESPN main events.”
“Curtis Stevens is in a really good fight against Darnell Boone, a terrific fight. Jaidon Codrington will be fighting Marlon Hayes form Newark, he’s also on a win streak. Those bouts could be ESPN main events.
“In main event Dmitriy Salita will be fighting Grover Wiley from Omaha, and he is best known for retiring Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. It is a real interesting card and a terrific main event. Once again I am proud to present Dmitriy in a main event. Broadway Boxing has become his home base. It’s another step toward a major fight, a title fight, hopefully on HBO or Showtime.”
Dmitriy Salita: “I am currently in Delray Beach Florida (training in Deerfield), I had to get away from the cold. Training is going very well. I am looking forward to putting on a great performance. Wiley is definitely a fight that I am not taking lightly. I am running on the beach and preparing for a great performance.”
YOU HAVE 27 FIGHTS, ARE YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AT THIS TIME IN YOUR CAREER
Salita: “I’d like to be fighting on the major networks, HBO or Showtime, Lou has been working hard to get me that opportunity. Meanwhile, I can’t stay idle, I am waiting for my shot. This show will make it three straight weeks of fights in NYC, the heavyweight fight (Ibragimov) on March 10, John Duddy on the 16th and then my fight on the 22nd. It’s important for HBO or Showtime to let me fulfill my American dream.”
HOW MANY MORE UNTIL TITILE FIGHT
Salita: “Lou has discussed a serious possibility of late May or early June on HBO. We are all in agreement that this will be my last fight on Broadway Boxing, and we are looking for the big opportunities.
Lou on opponents: “Maybe Ricardo Torres, Lovemore L’Dou or Arturo Gatti.”
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A YEAR
“At this point in time the faces and names in boxing are changing. All of the names I grew up with – Roy J ones, Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Arturo Gatti – are on their way out, and new guys are taking over boxing. I see myself as being a real star a year from now, and as HBO says: ‘become a legend one round at a time.’”
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WILEY, HE DID WIN AGAINST CHAVEZ
“I know that he is a strong, tough guy. Even though he has gotten stopped, te losses have been at heavier weights. He went 10 rounds with a tough contender (Said Ouli), he is physically strong and I look forward to making a statement.”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS FIGHT, IS THERE A PARTICILARY WAY YOU WANT TO WIN
Salita: “I definitely would like to end it before the final bell, put on a great performance. I want the fans to he happy and move closer to my dream. Many of the guys that I grew up with, that I fought in the gym, are becoming world champions and I know that now it’s my time.”
WHY FLORIDA?
“Ideally I love the Poconos, and it serves a great purpose for getting me in shape. But the weather was very cold and icy roads up there, so it was impossible to run. I got the opportunity to come to Florida and training is very good. It’s easier to get up to 75 degrees rather than 14 degrees. I sweat a lot more.”
YOU HAVE A NEW TRAINER IN FRANCISCO GUZMAN, WHAT IS YOUR COMFORT ZONE WITH ANOTHER TRAINER
Salita: “I feel good about it Francisco Guzman. He has worked with many champions. He is a very good trainer. He has been present at Starrett City. Harry (Keitt) and I are good friends. He had to leave early for Vero Beach with Duddy, I am in Florida, but not able to make it to Vero Beach. We (with Guzman) had been working in Starrett City. We are clicking well.”
RUNNING ON BEACH
Salita: “When I go to Poconos, the steep long hills get me in shape. So to mimmick that, running on beach in deep sand is consistent work. It works well for me to stay on my toes and build stamina in my legs. It’s great. It’s beautiful and a lot of prominent fighters are at the gym — Ray Austin and Sultan Ibragimov are training here. It’s a great place, enjoying this camp and working hard.