Salita Promotions has introduced that rising junior middleweight prospect, the undefeated Flint, Mich., native Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr. (15-0, 6 KOs), will defend his USBA title.
Holmes stars in the principle occasion of the subsequent version of BIG TIME BOXING USA on Thursday, September 12, when he steps into the ring towards Cuban veteran Hugo Noriega (10-2, 5 KOs). Followers world wide will get to witness the perfect of the motion from an thrilling night time of boxing dwell on DAZN.
True to Salita Promotions BIG TIME BOXING USA collection’ rising format, a number of regional prospects and nationwide rising contenders will seem on the portion of the cardboard televised by DAZN together with unbeaten prospect Joseph “Sug” Hicks (10-0, 7 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Detroit’s undefeated “Hitman 2.0” Da’Velle Smith (8-0, 6 KOs). Fellow Flint product Leon Lawson III (15-1, 8 KOs) will make his return to the ring after a 17-month layoff. Lawson is the nephew of Flint’s famed Dirrell brothers, Andre and Anthony. The struggle card can even function Claressa Shields-promoted novice standout Jaquan McElroy (1-0) from Flint, who gained his professional debut in July and is the youthful brother of Holmes, and Flint natives Chris Thompson (2-0, 2 KOs) and Deandre Savage (5-0, 5 KOs), each of whom presently prepare in Las Vegas.
All of the motion takes place at Dort Monetary Heart in Flint, with a minimum of the ultimate three bouts airing dwell on the premier international sports activities platform DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Tickets for the dwell occasion are on sale now on the Dort Monetary Heart Field Workplace.
“The BIG TIME BOXING collection has shortly turn into the premier developmental platform for younger fighters within the U.S.,” stated Salita. “Flint is the house of former heavyweight world champion Chris Byrd, Anthony and Andre Dirrell, and, in fact, The GWOAT, Claressa Shields. We’ve by no means seen a crop of younger and hungry fighters just like the group preventing on Sept. 12, and I really feel the subsequent U.S. born world champion will come from proper right here within the Better Detroit and surrounding areas like Flint. I’m excited that these within the crowd and the viewers watching on DAZN will get to see some superb matchups that may make or break the subsequent chapter in these fighters’ respective careers. You don’t need to miss it.”
The 30-year-old southpaw Holmes is a Flint native who beforehand fought on the favored SHOWTIME prospect collection SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION. Holmes was a adorned novice successful the 2015 U.S. Nationals and was a silver medalist on the 2013 Nationwide Golden Gloves. That very same yr, he additionally gained a bronze medal on the World Golden Gloves within the 152-pound division. Holmes is the oldest of 11 kids and suffered a household tragedy in 2016 when his 20-year-old brother was killed in a drive-by capturing in Flint.
“There’s nothing like preventing at dwelling and I do know on Sept. 12, there shall be a raucous crowd rooting me on,” Holmes stated. “Once I get my ‘W’ over Hugo Noriega, it can put me simply that a lot nearer to my dream of successful a world title.”
In his final bout in February, Holmes seemed spectacular as he scored a second-round TKO towards hometown fighter Marlon Harrington within the inaugural Salita Promotions’ BIG TIME BOXING USA collection on DAZN on the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit.
The 34-year-old Noriega lives and trains in Miami by the use of Camaguey, Cuba. He has been lively since turning professional in March 2022. After reeling off eight straight wins, Noriega misplaced a detailed unanimous resolution towards countryman Damian Lescaille in an MVP Prospects present in Orlando, Fla., in August 2023. Noriega rebounded from his second loss with a unanimous resolution win over Mexican Saul Corral in March.
Within the televised co-feature, unbeaten middleweight prospect Joseph Hicks (10-0, 7 KOs) will face Ronnie Austion (10-2, 7 Kos) of Las Vegas by the use of Detroit. Hicks fights out of Grand Rapids, Mich., and made his skilled debut in January 2022. He has stopped three of his final 5 opponents, together with a fourth-round KO over Ricardo Villalba in his final struggle. As an novice, Hicks competed within the Nationwide Golden Gloves in 2018 and 2019 and made an look within the 2020 U.S. Olympic Group Trials.
In his final struggle in February, Da’Velle Smith, who resembles one in all boxing’s all-time greats, Thomas Hearns, recorded a unanimous resolution win over Argentine veteran Rolando Wenceslao Mansilla. Smith will face an opponent to be named.
Lawson final stepped into the ring in April 2023, recording a third-round TKO towards Abrahan Peralta. It was a comeback struggle for Lawson after struggling his first professional loss to Nathaniel Gallimore by a detailed majority resolution in 2021. Thompson made his skilled debut in October 2023 when he knocked out Marquaun Flowers within the first spherical and most lately scored a knockout victory over Mason Partlow this previous March.
