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Promoter Greg Cohen wishes to congratulate WBA World Lightweight Champion Anthony Crolla for being just that… a true champion. Crolla (30-4-3, 12 KOs) has chosen to ignore pleas from domestic promoters in his native England to engage in a showdown with WBO Champion Terry Flanagan and instead make his mandatory defense and face Cohen’s fighter, Interim WBA World Champion Ismael Barroso on May 7 at the Manchester Arena. Barroso, with his intimidating 19-0-2, 18 KOs record and terrifying punching power, is considered a much more dangerous challenge to Crolla.
“You have to give your respect to Crolla,” said Cohen. “Crolla could have easily chosen to take the easier route of vacating his belt and fighting Flanagan, like Derry Matthews did, but he didn’t. That’s what true champions do.”
Barroso, of El Tigre, Venezuela, is slowly earning the reputation as the most dangerous lightweight on the planet. And while Cohen congratulates Crolla for his courage, he doesn’t necessarily think it was a smart career move.
“With his ferocity in the ring, Barroso reminds every one of his late countryman Edwin Valero and the KO he’s going to score over Crolla will be his coming out party to the boxing world,” continued Cohen. “This fight is like when Gennady Golovkin fought Grzegorz Proksa in his US premium cable debut. Ismael Barroso simply needs to be seen on USA premium cable and once he is, the USA boxing fans will fall in love with him! Fans love Knockouts!! He essentially Knocked out the highly respected Kevin Mitchell with a jab to win the WBA Interim Lightweight World Championship. He’s a superstar in the making.”
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About Greg Cohen Promotions
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One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.
Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.
Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.
In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.
Cohen currently promotes multiple world champion and boxing superstar Zab Judah and former world champion Kendall Holt, as well as current world-rated contenders including top undefeated cruiserweight Lateef Kayode, long-time elite middleweight “Mean” Joe Greene, lightweight KO artist Ismael Barroso, top super featherweight Arash Usmanee, Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis; WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Australian lightweight prospect Josh King.
Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.
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