Oscar Rivas vs. Luckasz Rozanski - February 25, 2023

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Probellum and Global Jabes 77 held a joint press conference today in Bogota, Colombia, to announce World Boxing Council Bridgerweight world champion Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) will make his first title defense August 13th at home against undefeated Polish challenger Luckasz Rozanski (14-0, 13 KOs), in the 12-round main event on the “Batalla en Cali” card in the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero stadium (40,000 capacity) in Cali, Colombia.

“Battle in Cali” will be distributed worldwide (details coming). There will be five to seven bouts, including one or possibly two other world title fights, which are expected to be announced within the week.

A native of Colombia and a 2008 Colombian Olympian, Rivas will be fighting at home for the first time as a professional boxer having settled in his adopted home of Montreal 13 years ago when he signed his initial promotional contract with GYM.

Rivas, who was born in Cali, captured the inaugural WBC Bridgerweight World (201-224 lbs.) Championship last October, taking a 12-round unanimous decision from Nova Scotia’s previously undefeated Ryan Rozicki (13-0).

“I have three dreams I want to realize before the end of my boxing career,” Rivas said. “I want to establish myself as the absolute best bridgerweight fighter, defend my title in Colombia, and become World Heavyweight Champion.”

Rozanski is the WBC International Bridgerweight champion, in addition to being a former Polish National Heavyweight Champion, who is the WBC No. 2 rated bridgerweight contender. In his most recent action (May 30, 2021), Rozanski registered his statement victory to date, upsetting fellow Pole Artur Szpilka (24-4), a former world heavyweight title challenger, by way of an explosive first-round knockout to capture the WBC Bridgerweight International crown.

“I’m highly motivated and in the best shape of my life,” Rozanski commented. “I have what it takes to win this fight.”

The fighters also announced where their training camps will be held: Rivas in Bogata, Rozanski in Chicago. Ronzanski will work there with his fellow countryman, former World Light Heavyweight Champion Andrzej Fonfara, who moved from Poland to Chicago, which has nearly 2-million Poles living there.

[margaret thatcher]

[joshj909]

Rivas decision or Rozanski KO I think. Good Heavyweight fight where the winner could crack the top 15

Have to say, this could be some event if all lives up to the hype. A 40k stadium event in Cali with a few world title fights could be crazy.

Once the winner has faced Romanov and Babic then the division can be closed and they can all go back to their original weight classes.

[Ruthless-RKO]

“Kaboom” Rivas will defend WBC title at home

Colombian Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas, the World Boxing Council Bridger champion, will defend his title for the first time, against Pole Luckaz Rozanski, on August 13 at the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium, in Cali, Colombia.

This will be his first fight in his home as a professional boxer, after making Montreal his second home, thirteen years ago. He signed a promotional contract with Yvon Michel’s GYM.

He aims to retain and then return to the heavyweight division in search of conquering that world crown.

Oscar made history, by winning the World Boxing Council’s first Bridgerweight world title, by defeating Canadian Ryan Rozicki by unanimous decision, at the Olympia Theater in Montreal, Canada.

Meanwhile, Rozanski fought in May 2021, when he knocked out his compatriot, Arthur Szpilka. This time he has in mind to snatch the title from the Colombian.

“The battle in Cali”,will have an attractive undercard that will be announced soon.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oscar Rivas-Lukasz Rozanski Postponed Due To Logistical Issues, New Date Sought

Oscar Rivas’ dream of defending a major title in his birth country is officially on hold.

BS.com has confirmed that Rivas’ planned WBC Bridgerweight title defense versus Poland’s Lukasz Rozanski has been postponed. The bout was due to headline an August 13 show at Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia. However, on-site issues beyond the control of GYM [Groupe Yvon Michel] Promotions to move off the date with hopes of rescheduling in September.

“Several logistics problems arose [with] our partners in Colombia,” Yvon Michel, Rivas’ career-long promoter told BS.com. “We are looking at different scenarios to find another date in Colombia, as to keep Oscar’s dream to defend his WBC title in his native country.”

The event would have marked the first time that Rivas (28-1, 19KOs) fought in his home country since turning pro in 2009, when he relocated to Montreal after representing Colombia in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The desire of the 35-year-old was to return home with a title to defend, having claimed the newly created WBC Bridgerweight title in a thrilling twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Ryan Rozicki last October in Montreal.

GYM Promotions was prepared to move forward in realizing Rivas’ dream, putting together a show that was to also include Colombia-born former champs Cecilia Braekhus and Eleider Alvarez also in their first-ever fight in country.

Braekhus (36-2, 9KOs)—the former long-reigning undisputed welterweight champion and pound-for-pound queen who is based out of Norway—was due to face unbeaten WBC junior middleweight titlist Patricia Berghult in a bid to become a two-division titleholder. The fight is the first for Braekhus since back-to-back defeats to Jessica McCaskill, the first of which came in August 2020 to end her record-breaking championship reign.

Alvarez (25-2, 13KOs)— also based out of Montreal, like Rivas—is slated to face Alex Theran in a scheduled ten-round cruiserweight bout. The 38-year-old former WBO light heavyweight titlist has not fought since a ninth-round knockout loss to Joe Smith Jr. in their August 2020 title eliminator in Las Vegas. The defeat came more than a year after losing a twelve-round decision to Sergey Kovalev in February 2019, six months after scoring a stunning seventh-round knockout to end Kovalev’s second light heavyweight title reign.

Michel informed BS.com that both bouts remain in play for whenever the show is rescheduled, as well as a dual title defense for current WBA light heavyweight and WBC heavyweight titlist Hanna Gabriels (21-2-1, 12KOs). Everyone has been brought up to speed, including the unbeaten Rozanski (14-0, 13KOs), who was due to leave in the coming days for his first career fight outside of Poland and for his first major title fight.

“It will definitely be [resolved] shortly,” stated Canada’s leading promoter. “I have already spoken to Andrew Wasilewski, the promoter of Rozanski. He understands the situation and is still on board supporting us.”

“We also have the intention to keep the Berghult/Braekhus fight on the event and Hanna Gabriels also.”

The absolute worst case scenario for the show is to relocate to Canada sometime in October, though only after every option would have been exhausted to keep it in Colombia which remains the priority.

Rivas was among the first fighters to embrace the WBC’s introduction and rollout of the Bridgerweight division in late 2020. The weight range is 191-224 pounds, with the intention to attract big cruiserweights and small heavyweights. Naturally, the concept was met with resistance, nor was it embraced by targeted fighters such as Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk, both of whom have defied the logic that such sized fighters cannot compete with the bigger heavyweights that have become the norm since the late 1990s.

In fact, Usyk—a former undisputed cruiserweight champ—has since claimed the unified WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight titles in a twelve-round win over Anthony Joshua last September 25. The two are due to meet in a rematch on August 20 in Saudi Arabia, with Ukraine’s Usyk currently a -200 favorite to successfully defend against the much bigger Joshua.

Rivas emerged as the most notable candidate to further the cause, having since posted two wins in the weight range since a twelve-round defeat to Dillian Whyte in their July 2019 interim WBC heavyweight title fight. The win over Rozicki came with mixed reviews over what was at stake and his being granted the label of a major titleholder. However, the fight itself among the best of 2021 which in turn sparked interest as to his next move.

Unfortunately, that part will have to wait for at least another month.

[H8Usernames]

What this thread needs is some morons bashing the bridgerweight concept with dramatic remarks as if that made their stance any more relevant.

I know that you fellows are out there and just dying to chime in.

[DrDuke]

Those bridgerjoke 'championship' bouts get cancelled or postponed too often.

[Cap]

"Bridgerweight" ? Wot da heck is dat?

[Ruthless-RKO]

The postponed fight for the WBC Bridgerweight title between champ Oscar Rivas (28-1) and challenger Lukasz Rozanski (14-0) is now officially rescheduled for October 15 but remains in Colombia, reports bokser.org.

[oogiebe]

The postponed fight for the WBC Bridgerweight title between champ Oscar Rivas (28-1) and challenger Lukasz Rozanski (14-0) is now officially rescheduled for October 15 but remains in Colombia, reports bokser.org.

Be still my beating heart.

[Cap]

Who are the top contenders for the WBA Super-fabulous lump-o-lard weight title? Stay tuned, more weight classes coming in the very near future. Ka-Ching!

[margaret thatcher]

rivas vs rozicki was fun as f@ck. screw da haterz

[joshj909]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why is Babic so high up ?

[joshj909]

Why is Babic so high up ?

Because he's probably the only one who's vocally pushing for the fight and publicly supported the division and paying the fees. The top 15 is filled with people who haven't even fought in the weightclass.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why is Babic so high up ?

Because he's probably the only one who's vocally pushing for the fight and publicly supported the division and paying the fees. The top 15 is filled with people who haven't even fought in the weightclass.

Yeh that’s true.

I only recognise like 4 names in that top 15

[Cap]

So 200 to 224 lbs? They couldn't come up with a better name than "bridgerweight"? Why not "Heavy Cruiser" or "Dreadnought" class?

[Ruthless-RKO]

So 200 to 224 lbs? They couldn't come up with a better name than "bridgerweight"? Why not "Heavy Cruiser" or "Dreadnought" class?

It’s a bridge between Cruiserweight and Heavyweight.

I think it was named after a kid. He saved his sister form a dog and the dog mutilated him instead.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!

[tiny_acres]

Fight week!!

I could be wrong, but I thought this fight was cancelled

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!

I could be wrong, but I thought this fight was cancelled

Was supposed to take place in August.. was rescheduled.. will have to double check if it was cancelled again.

[tiny_acres]

Fight week!!

I could be wrong, but I thought this fight was cancelled

Was supposed to take place in August.. was rescheduled.. will have to double check if it was cancelled again.

Nearly positive it was cancelled again

[daz74]

Rivas v Babic now being talked about …..

[Ruthless-RKO]

New date as per WBC Convention.

[Ruthless-RKO]

OSCAR RIVAS TAKES ON LUKAZ ROZANSKI IN POLAND ON FEB. 25 WITH CIESLAK-BREGEON IN CO-MAIN EVENT

Oscar Rivas will put his WBC bridgerweight title (not recognized by The Ring) on the line for the first time against Lukasz Rozanski in Rzeszów, Poland on February 25, 2023.

In chief support, former two-time world title challenger Michal Cieslak will face Dylan Bregeon for the vacant European cruiserweight title.

Rivas (28-1, 19 Knockouts) represented Colombia at the 2008 Olympics before basing himself in Canada as a pro. He struggled to gain traction before a late stoppage of Bryant Jennings (TKO 12) earned him a bigger assignment against Dillian Whyte in the U.K. Rivas showed how dangerous he is by dropping the Brit in the ninth-round but was unable to capitalize on that situation, and lost a unanimous decision.

The 35-year-old returned at bridgerweight and became the inaugural WBC champion by beating Ryan Rozicki (UD 12) in October 2021. He was proposed several times to face Rozanski in Colombia but will ultimately face him in Poland.

Rozanski (14-0, 13 KOs) turned professional in 2015. The 36-year-old Polish fighter has shown his power in wins over former world title challenger Albert Sosnowski (KO 1), former British and Commonwealth titlist Michael Sprott (TKO 2) and fellow Polish fighters Izuagbe Ugonoh (KO 4) and Artur Szpilka (KO 1).

Cieslak (23-2, 17 KOs) won 19 fights at home in Poland, and scored stoppage wins over Kalenga (RTD 7) and Olanrewaju Durodola (TKO 2) to help earn him a world title opportunity. Cieslak had to venture to the Congo to face IIunga Makabu for the vacant WBC title, and although he gave a solid performance, Cieslak dropped a unanimous decision.

The 33-year-old won two fights, notably stopping Yury Kashinsky (TKO 1) before he came up short against WBO kingpin Lawrence Okolie (UD 12) in February. He has since won two fights including one-time prospect Enrico Koelling (TKO 1).

Bregeon (12-2-1, 3 KOs) turned professional in 2017. The 28-year-old Frenchman fought a draw with compatriot Siril Makiadi (D 10) for the vacant national title. However, two-months later he bested Olivier Vautrain (UD 10).

He stepped up to face Fabio Turchi but lost a hard fought 12-round unanimous decision. Despite the loss, he met Chris Billam-Smith for the European title and lost a wide 12-round decision. He has since returned to winning ways with a defense of his national title.