PBC's Prime Video deal kicks off with PPV topped by Tszyu-Thurman
Romero-Cruz, Lara-Zerafa, Fundora-Bohachuk also set for March 30
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
The next chapter of Premier Boxing Champions will begin with a four-fight pay-per-view card as it kicks off a multi-year deal with Amazon Prime Video on March 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The main event will pit WBO junior middleweight titleholder Tim Tszyu against former unified welterweight titlist Keith Thurman in non-title fight at a contract weight of 155 pounds, one over the junior middleweight limit.
The card (8 p.m. ET), which will also be available via traditional pay-per-view outlets on linear and satellite television, as well digitally via PPV.com, will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The broadcast team was not announced nor was the price of the pay-per-view, which is expected to be either $64.99 or $69.99.
PBC finalized a deal with Amazon Prime Video in December to replace longtime broadcast partner Showtime Sports, whose parent company, Paramount Global, shuttered Showtime Sports and its cornerstone boxing franchise after 37 years at the end of 2023.
In the co-feature, WBA junior welterweight titlist Rolando “Rolly” Romero will fight Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in a 12-rounder. The fight was announced as Romero’s first title defense, but WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Fight Freaks Unite the organization has not signed off on it yet as Romero has already been ordered to fight interim titlist and mandatory challenger Ismael Barroso next. However, that figures to be ironed out with Barros making a deal to step aside.
“This first show with PBC on Prime Video is jam-packed with fan-friendly matchups featuring stars who are established as the best of their generation and new stars who are looking to make a claim to lead the next generation of champions,” said Tom Brown, president of TGB Promotions, which handles all of the PBC events. “Keith Thurman versus Tim Tszyu gives each fighter a chance to debut 2024 with a statement, while ‘Rolly’ Romero and ‘Pitbull’ Cruz can send their ascending stock skyrocketing by emerging victorious.”
Also on the pay-per-view:
Erislandy Lara will make his second WBA middleweight title defense in a long overdue mandatory fight against Michael Zerafa.
Sebastian Fundora will face Serhii Bohachuk for the vacant WBC interim junior middleweight title.
Please upgrade to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also help support independent journalism
Make sure to check out the 2023 Fight Freaks Unite award stories
Tszyu vs. Thurman
Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs), 29, of Australia, who is the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, hoped to make his second defense of the title since being elevated from interim titlist when then-undisputed champion Jermell Charlo was stripped. His promoter, George Rose of No Limit Boxing, filed a sanction request with the WBO but was rejected.
The WBO told Fight Freaks Unite in a statement, “We’re not sanctioning the fight for Tim’s 154 title because Thurman has been inactive and has never fought at 154, nor is he rated. We simply can’t break the rules.”
The WBO said it will consider allowing Tszyu to have a nontitle fight. Its championship committee will take up the matter but likely will approve it because Tszyu is in an optional period. If the WBO approves it, the title would be vacant if he loses. If the WBO doesn’t approve the fight, which is highly unlikely, the fight will take place anyway and he would be stripped.
“I’ve been ready and waiting to headline a historic event like this in the U.S. for a very long time and it’s an honor that I don’t take lightly,” Tszyu said. “My father did it, and was at the top of the world for a decade, now it’s my turn. Thurman is a great fight, he’s tricky, tough and he’s mixed it with the very best the sport has seen. This is a new era now. It’s the Tszyu era. On March 30, everyone who tunes into this pay-per-view is going to see for themselves.”
Tszyu’s last fight in October was billed as his Australian farewell as he planned to fight regularly in the United States and Thurman gives him an opponent with a well-known name.
“Tim only wanted the big names, legacy fights, and Keith Thurman is exactly that,” Rose said. “It doesn’t end well for Thurman though as the world is going to realize Tim Tszyu is about to take over the sport.”
Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs), 35, of Clearwater, Florida, will end a 25 month layoff against Tszyu. Thurman has ought just five times since having two bouts in 2015, including suffering his only loss to Manny Pacquiao via decision in a 2019 welterweight title fight followed by a decision over Mario Barrios in his last fight in February 2022. .
“I’m back in action and I’m happy to be a part of this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” said Thurman, who headlined the first-ever PBC event in 2015. “Tszyu stands out as an exceptional fighter, and I've always held admiration for his performances. His distinctive style provides the perfect stage for me to exhibit the relentless dedication I've poured into training, refining my skills, and fortifying my mental game.
“This fight promises a spectacular showdown between two of the most electrifying fighters in the sport, an event that demands attention. Good things come to those that wait. Them days are over; bright lights and action are up ahead. Let’s shake up the world of boxing one more time on Prime Video.”
Romero vs. Cruz
Romero won the vacant 140-pound belt via controversial ninth-round knockout of Ismael Barroso in last May but has been idle since because of a lower back injury.
With Romero (15-1, 13 KOs), 28, of Las Vegas, sidelined, Barroso knocked out Ohara Davies on Jan. 6 to claim the vacant interim belt with the stipulation that Davis would have to face the winner in his return. However, a deal likely will be struck for Barroso to step aside.
“This is gonna be Rolly versus the ‘Chihuahua,’” Romero said. “I’m gonna stay world champ and be the first superstar on Prime Video.”
The Pacquiao-promoted Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), 25, of Mexico, has won three in a row since his lone loss by disputed decision in December 2021 to Gervonta Davis, who knocked out Romero in his lone loss.
“I’m very happy and extremely motivated to have this opportunity to fight for the world title,” Cruz said. “I’ve worked extremely hard to earn this shot. I’ve tried to fight other big names, but Rolly was the only one to step up and accept the challenge. He’s got power and courage, and he comes to knock you out. That’s going to make this a great fight.”
The fight came as a surprise to many because in the days before it was announced Romero’s camp was negotiating for an April 20 DAZN PPV fight against Ryan Garcia, who posted on social media Wednesday that the fight was on.
Obviously, it wasn’t and Garcia took to social media again on Thursday after being blindsided.
“Look I was informed the deal was finalizing and it would be announced in the coming days. Obviously that was a lie,” Garcia wrote without mentioning who he thought was lying. “My patience has been tested the last few weeks. I’m trying my best to be as honest and real as I can to you guys. I’ll be looking forward to announcing my next fight. I’m not going to say anything until it’s actually signed and delivered I still look forward to putting on a big PPV for DAZN boxing. Have a Blessed day.”
Lara vs. Zerafa
For months the chronically inactive Lara was connected to a late-2023 fight against Danny Garcia, but it went unmade and Zerafa complained to the WBA about his mandatory opportunity being held up since it was first due in February 2022.
The WBA eventually ordered the fight and a purse bid was scheduled for Feb. 15, but the sides made a deal.
Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs), 40, a Cuban southpaw fighting out of Houston, who will make his second title defense, claimed the vacant WBA “regular” title by first-round KO of Thomas LaManna in 2021. Lara eventually became the WBA’s only 160-pound titlist when Gennadiy Golovkin vacated the “super” title and went into apparent retirement after declining to make a mandatory defense against Lara last year.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and defending my title, especially on this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” Lara said. “I feel like I’m the modern day Bernard Hopkins and that I can keep doing this for years. I know that Zerafa has been waiting patiently for this opportunity, so he’s going to be hungry on fight night. But he’s going to realize that he’s now on the world class level facing the best fighter in the division.”
Lara has not fought since stopping Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan in the eighth round in May 2022. Lara has fought just three times since August 2020.
Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs), 31, of Australia, has won four fights in a row since a majority decision loss to former welterweight titlist Jeff Horn in December 2019, but has not fought since November 2022.
“This is long overdue ever since I became the mandatory,” Zerafa said. “I’m very thankful to everyone who made this fight happen. Come fight night, the world will see why I deserve this opportunity and Australia will have a new world champion.”
Fundora vs. Bohachuk
Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs), 26, a southpaw from Coachella, California, lost the WBC interim junior middleweight belt by dramatic seventh-round knockout to Brian Mendoza in a big upset in his last fight last April.
Fundora was way ahead and winning easily before getting stopped. Mendoza lost his next fight challenging Tszyu for the WBO title and the WBC interim belt was vacated, giving Fundora a chance to reclaim it in the pay-per-view opener.
“It’s been getting back to work as usual for me,” Fundora said. “I know I’ll win because my objective is still the same as before, to become world champion.”
Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs), 28, a Ukraine native fighting out of Los Angeles, has never heard the final bell for a fight. He has won five in a row since being stopped by Brandon Adams in the eighth round in 2021.
“I’ve worked my entire career for the chance to reach my dream in this sport” Bohachuk said. “I will give everything to win this fight because I’m not just fighting for myself, but also for my war-torn country of Ukraine.”
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 24 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Photos: Tszyu: Matt Roberts/No Limit Boxing; Romero and Fundora: Esther Lin/Showtime; Lara: Ryan Hafey/PBC
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
Oh joy. More PBC PPV bullshit. 2 of these fights flat out stink for a PPV. Way to introduce yourself to the largest streaming platform audience blah blah blah.
Thurman is irrelevant, basically retired, and has never fought at the weight, but hey, let's not let that stop PBC from charging $80 for it and act like it's relevant.
And while the WBC making the Fundora-Bohachuk an interim title fight is more sanctioning body bandit bullshit, I do like the fight. Should be fun.
PPV? Come on, man. Who’s paying for this garbage? New platform, same bullshit. Looks like we’ll be sailing the high seas to watch this....