Former Welterweight World Champions Andre Berto & Devon Alexander Square Off
*LONG ISLAND, NY* (July 5, 2018) – Former 147-pound world champions *Andre
Berto*(31-5, 24 KOs) and *Devon Alexander *(27-4-1, 14 KOs)will battle in a
12-round showdown that headlines a stacked night of *Premier Boxing
Champions *on *FOX *and *FOX Deportes *live in prime time on Saturday,
August 4 from NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The
telecast begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT with former world champion *Peter
“Kid Chocolate” Quillin *(33-1-1, 23 KOs)facing 168-pound contender *J’Leon
Love *(24-1-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Also in action will be former
amateur standout and fast-rising unbeaten prospect *Joey Spencer* (3-0, 3
KOs) in a super welterweight match.
The exciting night of fights begins with a special edition of *PBC on FS2 &
FOX Deportes*at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT with unbeaten light heavyweight
contender *Marcus Browne*(21-0, 16 KOs) taking on once-beaten *Lenin
Castillo *(18-1-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round match. The FS2 & FOX Deportes
telecast will begin with a welterweight showdown between former world
champion *Luis Collazo *(37-7, 20 KOs) against *Bryant Perrella*(15-1, 13
KOs).
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella
Entertainment, go on sale Friday, July 6 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be
purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com
<r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c2Vq4eZgYrirpFSQinhs4lBwwjYdBIbfez6W0c_Zrn3iMVo5Ggwkf1hAJGhHXEXTAH2uGCCD5llBWjsMQAwWSLhMr3BUvhtVftyGpMWhNYdyMZoGuJI-SmotP9rscy3BywTiB1Q9U8mEP4TLHxHctleJaF4vHZR3T5L4O-oV9G5SK…>
, www.nycblive.com
<r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c2Vq4eZgYrirpFSQinhs4lBwwjYdBIbfez6W0c_Zrn3iMVo5Ggwkf1hAJGhHXEXTHRzi7jjSiz7aBtuzxjLckxv4f2MzxgkobVOg3FGeW0ogWG-O7Mp3zLllqhp7ZgqQ4X5zOEAvCR1FmMOmHb_r7K7eVyVZiOSXWCa0HvoQo3bkX…>,
or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the
Ticketmaster Box Office at NYCB LIVE beginning Saturday, July 7 at noon. Group
discounts are available by calling 516-231-4848.
“This is an outstanding card from top to bottom with matches that figure
prominently in the 147-pound, 168-pound and 175-pound divisions,” said Tom
Brown of TGB Promotions. “Berto and Alexander are two former champions who
are fighting to get back into the crowded welterweight title picture. The
Peter Quillin and J’Leon Love winner factors heavily in the super
middleweight championship mix. It’s compelling action for the fans at
Nassau Coliseum and the ones tuned in to FOX in prime time.”
“I’m happy to bring another action-packed event back to NYCB Live on Long
Island,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Headlining
the FOX and FOX Deportes telecast, former world champions Andre Berto and
Devon Alexander meet in a high-stakes crossroads battle with the winner
emerging one step closer to another shot at the welterweight crown. Former
middleweight champion Peter Quillin continues his comeback facing the
talented J’Leon Love and Staten Island’s unbeaten light heavyweight
contender Marcus Browne also appears on the card. Long Island boxing fans
will want to arrive early for a tremendous undercard, with local talent as
well.”
An exciting and accomplished fighter from Florida, *Berto* returns to the
ring after dropping a contest last April to Shawn Porter. Berto represented
Haiti in the 2004 Olympics and picked up his biggest recent triumph on FOX
in April 2016 as Berto scored a fourth-round knockout of former champion
Victor Ortiz in their high-octane rematch.
Berto previously challenged retired legend Floyd Mayweather in September
2015 and has engaged in numerous Fight of the Year-worthy bouts, including
a 2012 war with Robert Guerrero and his first fight with Ortiz. He has
twice held a welterweight title, first the WBC belt, which he successfully
defended five times between 2008 and 2011, plus the IBF crown he picked up
in 2011 with a victory over Jan Zaveck.
“This is a great fight that has been a long time coming,” said Berto. “We
share some common opponents, but we have different styles of fighting and
styles make fights. I’ve had a lot of success with southpaws. I’m looking
forward to seeing him in front of me and capitalizing on what I’m working
on now.”
*Alexander* returned to the spotlight in February after only fighting once
since 2015 while he sought treatment for an addiction to painkillers. He
looked sharp in his first big fight in years, displaying similar speed and
skills that had made him a two-weight champion before being given a
controversial draw against former champion Victor Ortiz on FOX, in a fight
most thought Alexander had won.
The 31-year-old emerged onto the scene with a unanimous decision victory
over Randall Bailey to add the welterweight crown to the 140-pound title he
had won three years prior. Originally from St. Louis, but now training in
Florida with longtime coach Kevin Cunningham, Alexander has defeated the
likes of Marcos Maidana, Lucas Matthysse and Jesus Soto Karass throughout
his accomplished career.
“I’m very excited about this fight. Berto and I have history going back to
the amateurs,” Alexander said. “I know him very well, but we’ve never
fought. I have to show that I’m still one of the best in a stacked
division. This is all business for me, because at this point in my career,
I’m approaching every fight as if it’s my last. This is prime time for me.
“My mentality is that Berto is still the killer that he was 10 years ago.
So I’m looking at him like he’s lost nothing. I’ve got one mission, and
that’s to beat Berto. I’ll be technically sound and 100 percent focused on
accomplishing that task.”
A Brooklyn-resident who has made the borough home for his whole career,
*Quillin* returned to the ring last September when he defeated Dashon
Johnson by unanimous decision. The former middleweight champion made three
title defenses after winning his title from Hassan N’Dam in Brooklyn and
his only loss came at the hands of former champion Daniel Jacobs.
“I’m excited to be back at home in New York in front of my fans and people
I love so dearly,” Quillin said. “I’m coming back more polished and more
seasoned and a man of God. I’ve definitely always been a guy who steps out
and does what people think I can’t do. I know J’Leon is looking to make a
splash. He needs a name on his resume. I have to do everything in my power
to make sure that doesn’t happen. Either he’s going to have to learn a hard
lesson or give me a hard lesson.”
The 30-year-old *Love* enters this fight unbeaten in his last seven
contests after most recently defeating Jaime Barboza in May. The
Michigan-native who now trains and lives in Las Vegas had previously
defeated a slew of contenders and will look to move closer to a world title
shot with a victory over Quillin on August 4.
“I think this is a really good matchup,” said Love. “Peter Quillin is a
very talented fighter and a former world champion who is always in great
shape. He’s someone you have to train very hard for and that you definitely
cannot take lightly. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to fight a
spectacular fighter like him. We’ll put on a great fight.”
*Browne* has put together three-straight impressive knockout victories to
continue his rapid rise up the highly competitive 175-pound division. The
27-year-old southpaw has sandwiched knockouts of Thomas Williams, Jr. last
February and Francy Ntetu this January around a second-round destruction of
then unbeaten Seanie Monaghan in the inaugural boxing event at Nassau
Coliseum on a FOX primetime telecast last July. The 2012 U.S. Olympian will
look to put himself in position for a world title fight with a convincing
win on August 4.
“I feel good about fighting close to home in New York,” said Browne. “Lenin
Castillo is definitely a good, hungry, up-and-coming fighter who has one
loss to Joseph Williams. I’m not overlooking him, but right now I’m trying
to keep my top position in order to vie for a title, so I have to destroy
him.”
The 29-year-old *Castillo* fights out of his native Dominican Republic and
enters this bout with three straight victories by stoppage. Castillo’s
recent wins followed his first professional loss, a majority decision
defeat to unbeaten Joseph Williams last February. Castillo has fought
professionally since 2010 and was unbeaten in his first 12 fights. The only
other blemish on his pro resume was a majority draw in Brooklyn against
then unbeaten Travis Peterkin in 2015.
“Marcus Browne is a boxer I’ve been following a long time because we were
both Olympians,” said Castillo. “This is a good style matchup that I think
will make a fun fight for the fans. We’re looking for the victory. Both of
us know that a win here can take us to a world title shot and I’m not
planning on wasting my opportunity.”
*Collazo* is a former world champion hailing from Brooklyn who has fought
top welterweights from Berto and Shane Mosley to Keith Thurman and Ricky
Hatton. His most recent fight saw him score a sensational knockout victory
over Sammy Vasquez in February 2017. He returns to the ring after
recovering from injuries sustained during training and will face *Perrella* of
Fort Myers, FL. The 29-year-old defeated Alex Martin in his home state in
December via a unanimous decision in his last outing.
