Andrzej Fonfara faces an unknown foe Joe Smith Jr., in a 10 rounds light heavyweight bout in the main event on primetime NBC. The co-feature offers up a rematch from a razor-close fight last August between Juan Carlos Payano and Rau’shee Warren. Fonfara vs. Smith Jr. could be good TV bout but Haymon could have matched Fonfara with a more recognizable name. This would have given the event a fighting chance in a wave of critics that always point toward the PBC. The card will take place in Chicago, Illinois, at the UIC Pavilion.
Andrzej Fonfara
Fonfara and Smith make weight
JOE SMITH, JR. Tips Scales at 173 lbs., ANDRZEJ FONFARA Weighs in at 174.5 lbs. for PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBC – Star Boxing’s Long Island knockout artist Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) weighed in at 173 lbs. for his national television debut against another power-puncher, Andrzej Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs), who tipped the scales at 174.5 lbs. for tomorrow night’s (Saturday, June 18) 10-round main event on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
Fonfara-Smith Jr. & Payano-Warren quotes
CHICAGO (June 16, 2016) – Light heavyweights star Andrzej Fonfara and hard-hitting Joe Smith Jr. went face-to-face for the first time Thursday at the final press conference before they enter the ring Saturday, June 18 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
Televised coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and features a world title rematch between Juan Carlos Payano and Rau’shee Warren plus rising star Erickson Lubin battles Mexico’s Daniel Sandoval. PBC coverage switched to NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and will see unbeaten middleweights Hugo Centeno Jr. and Maciej Sulecki square-off.
Joe Smith Jr. Looking to Score Door Opening Upset vs Andrzej Fonfara June 18th
By Phil Kane: (June 8th) When fighters, fight doors open, and that’s what they have done for Mastic, Long Island light heavyweight Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr.
Not only have doors been cracked, they have blown wide open. The power punching Smith in the biggest bout of his young career, a true career altering fight is set to take on take on former WBC World Light Heavyweight title challenger Andrzej Fonfara, June 18th, for his WBC International Light Heavyweight title in his first nationally broadcast event coming in the main event of a Leon Margules Warriors Boxing / Star Boxing co-promoted Premiere Boxing Champions on NBC card LIVE from the UIC Pavilion in the champions hometown of Chicago.
Adonis Stevenson-Andrzej Fonfara II likely for May or June
It seems we can pretty much forget about seeing a light-heavyweight unification battle between bitter and vocal rivals Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev any time soon. These two gigantic punchers should have met by now, at least a few months back, but negotiations, for whatever reason or reasons, have failed and failed.
Fonfara beats Cleverly; Kono decisions Kameda
(Photo: David Earnisse/PBS) Hometown-favorite Andrzej Fonfara (28-3 16 KOs) out-slugged former world champion Nathan Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs) over 12 grueling rounds on his way to a unanimous decision on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. Fonfara and Cleverly exchanged punches throughout the night with neither man yielding an inch of ground. Cleverly won rounds by throwing punches from awkward angles and by countering effectively. Fonfara never seemed phased by Cleverly’s power however, and was able to impose his will as the fight wore on.
Results – Fonfara decisions Cleverly
(Photo credit: David Earnisse/Premier Boxing Champions) Former WBO 175lb champion Nathan Cleverly (29-3, 15 KOs) fought as well as he could for the first six rounds tonight against #2 WBC, #5 IBF light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs), but he was eventually worn down by the hard hitting Polish fighter and beaten by a 12 round unanimous decision on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike TV from the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, Illinois.
Cleverly: Thriving Off Fonfara Challenge
Former WBO light heavyweight champion, Nathan Cleverly, has admitted he experienced a ‘reality check’ in the wake of his loss to big-hitting Russian, Sergey Kovalev back in 2013, as well as conceding that his [knee-jerk] move up to 200 lbs wasn’t the right one.
Yet the Welshman is keen to keep the past where it belongs and says he is thriving off the challenge of beating Poland’s Andrzej Fonfara in his adopted Chicago backyard tonight, on the huge Stateside platform of Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.
Fonfara, Cleverly, Kameda Weigh-In Photos, Videos
Andrzej Fonfara 174.6 vs. Nathan Cleverly 174.4
Kohei Kono 114.8 vs. Koki Kameda 115
Two days before they enter the ring, Andrzej Fonfara, Nathan Cleverly, Kohei Kono and Koki Kameda hosted a final press conference at DoubleTree By Hilton Hotel Chicago as they near their Premier Boxing Champions on Spike showdowns from UIC Pavilion.
Fonfara / Cleverly Interview Transcript
Kelly Swanson
Thanks everyone for calling in. We’re talking about Fonfara versus Cleverly, Friday, October 16 from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. It’s at 9 p.m. ET on Spike and I’m really looking forward to watching this fight. It’s an exciting fight in the light heavyweight division.