Quartey – Forrest Boxing Showdown Heating Up In New York

ByBoxing Press

DiBella Entertainment’s hotly anticipated light middleweight war between ex-welterweight world champions Ike Quartey and Vernon Forrest will reach a boiling point next week when the two heavy hitters participate in a series of open workouts in a midtown boxing gym before they clash at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 5. Also scheduled to appear in the workouts will be undefeated light middle Sechew Powell and dangerous former IBF Champion Kassim Ouma.

Bringing exciting and competitive fight cards to New York City has become one of DiBella Entertainment’s signatures, and that mantra will continue when DBE returns to Madison Square Garden presenting “Now or Never” in association with StubHub featuring former world champions Ike “The Bazooka” Quartey against Vernon “The Viper” Forrest in the main event and Sechew Powell vs. Kassim Ouma in the co-feature at the Theater at the Garden on Saturday night, August 5th.

The collision of these two former titlists will be one of this summer’s marquee fights. Quartey, fighting out of Accra, Ghana, is undefeated in three fights since his comeback from a four-year hiatus. Quartey has posted a stellar career ring record of 37-2-1, with 31 wins coming by way of knockout. He reigned as World Champion for over four years, making eight title defenses. His only two losses came in a razor thin controversial split decision loss to Oscar De La Hoya and decision loss to Fernando Vargas. Forrest, from Atlanta, Georgia, has put forth an equally imposing 37-2 career ledger, and has scored 28 KO triumphs, including two victories over Sugar Shane Mosley, one of which came in the Theater at the Garden. His only career losses came at the hands of former World Champion Ricardo Mayorga

HBO Sports “World Championship Boxing” will televise at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.

Brooklyn’s undefeated Sechew “Iron Horse” Powell (20-0, 12 KO’s) will be making his HBO debut against former World Champion and #1 world rated Kassim “The Dream” Ouma (24-2-1, 15 KO’s) in a highly anticipated junior middleweight affair featuring two of the most highly regarded fighters in the weight class. Both fighters are no strangers to the glitter of the international television stage, and look to make their presence felt in the junior middleweight division with a victory at the Mecca of Boxing. Powell has illustrated the knockout ability, ring savvy and determination to be a bona fide contender in his class. Ouma has defeated the likes of Kofi Jantuah, Marco Antonio Rubio, Verno Phillips and Carlos Bojorquez during an impressive ring career.

Tickets are priced at $255, $155, $105, $55 and $35, and are available at the Garden Box Office, through TicketMaster by calling 212-307-7171, and on line at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com.