Wednesday, October 16th 2013

Alvarado & Provodnikov to Hold Final Press Conference

DENVER (October 16, 2013) — Denver’s very own homegrown world champion “Mile High” MIKE ALVARADO and No. 1 contender the “Siberian Rocky” RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV of Russia — both coming off nationally-televised Fight of the Year performances — will host a News Conference Luncheon to announce the return of world championship boxing to Colorado, Tomorrow! Thursday, October 17, at ViewHouse Eatery in LoDo (2015 Market St., Denver, Colo. 80205), beginning at 2:30 p.m. MT. Joining the fighters will be their respective promoters, Bob Arum of Top Rank, and Art Pelullo of Banner Promotions, Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports and Lt. Colonel Dan Starrett, Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army-Intermountain Division. All the participants will be available for one-on-one interviews.

ALVARADO (34-1, 23 KOs) will make the first defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight title a “home game,” when he battles Provodnikov (22-2, 15 KOs), SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, at 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. This marks the area’s first world championship fight featuring a local fighter since September 15, 2000 when former World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion Stevie Johnston unsuccessfully challenged defending WBC lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, via majority draw, at Pepsi Center. Alvarado vs. Provodnikov will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. It will be the first time HBO has ever televised a fight live from Colorado.

Promoted by Top Rank® and Banner Promotions, in association with Tecate, Alvarado and Provodnikov enter this world title tilt fresh from Fight of the Year performances that took place in March, just two weeks apart from each other, and were televised on HBO. They boast a combined record of 56-3 (38 KOs) — a winning percentage of 95% and a victory by knockout ratio of 68%.

For fight updates go to WWW.TOPRANK.COM<https://www.toprank.com/>,WWW.BANNER-PROMOTIONS.COM<HTTP://WWW.BANNER-PROMOTIONS.COM/> or WWW.HBO.COM/BOXING<HTTP://WWW.HBO.COM/BOXING>, on Facebook at FACEBOOK.COM/TRBOXING, FACEBOOK.COM/TRBOXEO, FACEBOOK.COM/BANNER-PROMOTIONS or FACEBOOK.COM/HBOBOXING, and on Twitter at TWITTER.COM/TRBOXING, TWITTER.COM/TRBOXEO, TWITTER.COM/BANNERBOXING or TWITTER.COM/HBOBOXING.