In one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year, Top Rank will present the light heavyweight title unification showdown between WBC/IBF champion Artur Beterbiev (17-0,17 KOs) and WBO champion Joe Smith, Jr. (28-3, 22 KOs) this Saturday, June 18, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The fight will be live from Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The high-stakes heavyweight main event promises to feature plenty of action between two of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. Beterbiev is boxing’s only active world champion with a 100 percent knockout rate, and Long Island native Smith is a one-time union laborer who has knockout wins over Eleider Alvarez and living legend Bernard Hopkins.
Battling in the featherweight co-feature will be two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (9-1, 5 KOs) and the unbeaten Abraham Nova (21-0, 15 KOs).
On location, Joe Tessitore will call the action, working with analysts Andre Ward, a Hall of Famer and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist; and future Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley Jr., Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna will serve as reporters and handle interviews. Immediately after the main event the team will present the State of Boxing Post-Show on ESPN+ at midnight.
Before the main card on ESPN the preliminary undercard will live stream on ESPN+ online and feature a stacked card with rising stars.
Main Card on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
Main Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr.
Robeisy Ramirez vs. Abraham Nova
Undercard on ESPN+
Bruce Carrington vs. Adrian Leyva
Jahi Tucker vs. D’Andre Smith
Troy Isley vs. Donte Stubbs
Floyd Diaz vs. Daniil Platonovschi
Kieran Molloy vs. Jonathan Ryan Burrs
Wendy Toussaint vs. Asina Byfield
Jahyae Brown vs. Keane McMahon
Live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ this Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT from the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York
Featherweights Co-Feature: Ramirez vs. Nova and Preliminary Undercard Live Streams Exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET/ 3:30 p.m. PT
