EDMONTON, Canada (April 28, 2018) – Super Channel has announced the formation of a new live boxing series, SUPERBOX LIVE, debuting Saturday, May 19, in association with KO Night Boxing LLC, from Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kansas, International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas flyweight champion Nico Hernandez (4-0, 3 KOs) will take on Szilveszter Kanalas (14-7, 9 KOs) for the vacant IBA World Flyweight Championship in the 12-round main event.
Wichita-native Hernandez captured a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. Two years ago, Kanalas became one of the youngest (17) world champions ever, when he defeated fellow Hungarian boxer, Jozsef Ajtai, for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super Flyweight World Championship.
The card will also feature two heavyweight showdowns as rising Canadian star Oleksandr Teslenko (12-0, 10 KOs) faces an opponent to be determined on the televised broadcast, while Russian heavyweight prospect Andrey Afonin (5-0, 2 KOs) meets veteran Cuban fighter Pedro “El Reguilete” Rodriguez (23-4, 19 KOs). Additional bouts will soon be announced for the televised portion of the May 19th event.
Integrated Sports Media will distribute “SUPERBOX LIVE: High Stakes” in the United States on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV, DISH and live-streamed worldwide on FITE.TV app and website (excluding Canada) for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
To watch “SUPERBOX LIVE: High Stakes” live in Canada, showcasing undefeated Canadian heavyweight Teslenko, as well as more exciting boxing to come in 2018, fight fans can contact their local cable provider to subscribe to Super Channel and all that it offers, including premium series, movies and much more, for as low as $9.95 per month.
“We have had tremendous success over the last two years airing live boxing on Super Channel from around the world,” said Don McDonald, President & CEO of Super Channel. “This is why we felt on top of continuing to acquire events, we would start working directly with promoters. We have co-created the SUPERBOX LIVE series to further demonstrate Super Channel’s commitment to create original content that we can air and distribute worldwide.
Media executive Mike Garrow, who is the co-creator of SUPERBOX LIVE, has been appointed executive producer of the new series.
“Events that fans will watch on SUPERBOX LIVE will showcase stars of tomorrow, as well as feature established fighters from around the globe,” Garrow commented. “Our series shows will take place in venues throughout North America. We look forward to working with various fighters, promotions, managers, and sanctioning bodies to make SUPERBOX LIVE a ‘go-to’ show for fight fans.”
Venum (venum.com) has been named the official gloves and apparel of SUPERBOX LIVE.
“We’re honored to be involved in SUPERBOX LIVE’s inaugural event,” IBA president J.C. Courreges commented. “With U.S. Olympian Nico Hernandez, our Americas champion, and an outstanding European boxer, Szilveszter Kanalas,matched in the main event, ‘High Stakes’ will make history as the first World Championship ever held in Kansas.”
The long, prestigious list of IBA world champions during the past quarter-century includes Hall-of-Famers Oscar de la Hoya, George Foreman, Roberto Duran and Arturo Gatti, as well as stars such as Roy Jones, Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosely, James Toney, Mikkel Kessler, Eric Morales, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver.