Derevyanchenko and Soliman to Headline PBC on ESPN 7/21
Avtandil Khurtsidze Replaces Sam Soliman vs Antoine Douglas on March 5 Showtime Card
NEW YORK (Feb. 23, 2016) – Undefeated middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will face hard-hitting Avtandil Khurtsidze in the co-feature of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.
Khurtsidze (30-2-2, 20 KOs) steps in to face GH3 Promotions’ Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout for the WBO International title after Sam Soliman pulled out of the fight last week with a knee injury.
Khurtsidze, of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kutaisi, Georgia, has won eight straight – including six by knockout – since dropping a controversial decision to then-unbeaten Hassan N’Dam in a bout for the vacant interim WBA World Middleweight Title in Paris in 2010.
Khurtsidze was scheduled to face N’Dam in a rematch last November 21 in Paris, but the event was cancelled following the tragic November 13 terror attacks in France. The rematch with the former world champion was to be contested for the IBF No. 2 spot at 160 pounds.
A pressure fighter, Khurtsidze was also slated to fight last week on a DiBella Entertainment Broadway Boxing event and has been training since the fight with N’Dam was called off. The 36-year-old, who has also campaigned at super middleweight, is coming off a knockout victory over Melvin Betancourt last August.
“Avtandil is a world class guy, a former silver titlist and has been at the top of the division for years,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a great opportunity for him and a huge step up for Douglas. Avtandil had been on his way to France to fight for the No. 2 ranking against N’Dam when the tragic terrorist attacks hit Paris, which was a terribly unfortunate situation for all. Now, he looks to impress in this fight against the highly regarded Douglas. The winner of this bout moves up significantly in the middleweight world rankings and will be in line for a major fight in the 160-pound division later this year.”
In the main event of the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader, Julian “J-Rock” Williams and once-beaten Italian Marcello Matano will square off in a 12-round IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking at 154 pounds. In the opening bout of the telecast, hard-hitting prospect Tony Harrison will face veteran former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero in a 10-round super welterweight contest.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
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Photos & Weights: Sam Soliman vs Jermain Taylor

Both IBF Middleweight Champion Sam Soliman and challenger Jermain Taylor were respectful to each other and thankful to their teams during a press conference/weigh-in held at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, in Biloxi, Mississippi, in advance of tomorrow (Wednesday, October 8) night’s championship fight.
Soliman and Taylor are headlining a mammoth 14-fight card that also features Andre Dirrell and a host of up-and-coming prospects and proven contenders.
ESPN Wednesday Night Fights will broadcast the two main events and a four-rounder between Ahmed Elbiale and Dakota Dawson live.
Sam Soliman 160 vs. Jermain Taylor 159.8
IBF World Middleweight Championship
André Dirrell 169 vs. Nick Brinson 168.8
Ahmed Elbiale 174.6 vs. Dakota Dawson 171.6
Carlos Velásquez 131.6 vs. Jean Javier Sotelo 131.4
Steve Lovett 176 vs. Ricardo Campillo 177
Phillip Jackson Benson 172.2 vs. Michael Gbenga 173.6
Joey Hernández 162 vs. Jose Miguel Rodríguez 157.6
Mario Barrios 125.4 vs. Abraham Rubio 127
Walter Castillo 142 vs. Shad Howard NA
Justin DeLoach 156.2 vs. Joshua Snyder 155
Gervonta Davis 126.8 vs. German Meraz 125
BJ Flores 203..8 vs. Kevin Engel 190.8
Regis Prograis 142.2 vs. Mario Hermosillo 142.2
Erick Bone 142.6 vs. Peter Oluoch 144