BoxRec

The August 3 edition of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox is now a tripleheader.

As previously reported by BS,com, the summertime telecast—which will air live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York—is headlined by a heavyweight clash between unbeaten local favorite Adam Kownacki and veteran contender Chris Arreola.

“That is one fight I’m really looking forward to,” noted welterweight titlist Shawn Porter in his role as co-host of FS1’s Inside PBC Boxing, with the most recent installment announcing the full PBC summer lineup. “Styles make fights and that one is going to be a banger.”

Another boxing graybeard appears on the August 3 show, as former welterweight titlist Andre Berto ends a year-long break. The Winter Haven, Fla. native and 2004 Haiti Olympian will take on fellow Floridian welterweight Miguel Cruz.

Berto (32-5, 24KOs) has not fought since a 10-round split decision win over former two-division titlist Devon Alexander last August on Fox. The 35-year old former tltlist is just 7-5 on the decade as a whole, his downward spiral beginning with his title reign coming to a close in a 12-round firefight with Victor Ortiz in April 2011.

The first loss of his career would be avenged five years later, but by which point he added three more defeats to his résumé and had clearly seen better days.

Cruz (18-1, 12KOs) rebounded from the lone loss of his career—a 10-round decision to Josesito Lopez last April, which also aired on Fox—with a 2nd round knockout win of Luis Flores this past January at this very arena.

Undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn-native Adam Kownacki will look to thrill in front of a hometown crowd when he steps into the ring against veteran former title challenger Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola for a 12-round heavyweight showdown that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, August 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

The broadcast starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features former world champion Andre Berto taking on Miguel Cruz in a 10-round welterweight clash and unbeaten interim WBA Light Heavyweight Champion "Sir" Marcus Browne battling former world champion Jean Pascal in a 12-round bout.

The heavyweight division is red hot and Kownacki is a top rising challenger who will look to continue his ascent up the rankings with a win over the all-action veteran Arreola. This will be Kownacki's ninth fight at Barclays Center, and his first as the headlining attraction.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, go on sale on Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center starting Saturday, June 8 at noon.

"This action-packed tripleheader is full of high stakes, toe-to-toe matchups with fighters highly-motivated to make a statement on the big stage," said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. "Brooklyn's Polish star Adam Kownacki has become a fan-favorite in his hometown and is surely in for a challenge from the always exciting Chris Arreola, as he looks to make a heavyweight statement. Andre Berto is always in action fights and he'll be looking to hold off the young challenger Miguel Cruz, while Marcus Browne returns off his career-best victory to face battle-tested former champion Jean Pascal."

"All eyes are on boxing's heavyweight division, and I am thrilled to welcome Brooklyn's own contender Adam Kownacki back to our ring for his first time as the headliner," said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global. "Adam has built an enthusiastic fan base in the borough, and I am confident they will be out in full force to support him as he takes on veteran Chris Arreola to earn a title shot in the near future. It will be yet another heavyweight night to remember in Brooklyn."

Berto (32-5, 24 KOs) has fought some of the top welterweight champions of this generation, including Floyd Mayweather. The 35-year-old won a welterweight world title with TKO victory over Miguel Angel Rodriguez in 2008 and successfully defended it five times before losing it to Victor Ortiz in 2011. He later avenged that loss to Ortiz with a knockout victory in 2016 on FOX. A native of Winter Haven Florida, Berto is coming off a split decision victory over former welterweight champion Devon Alexander in his last fight in August on FOX.

"I'm looking forward to this fight on August 3," said Berto. "My focus is different, my motivation is different and my hunger is different. I've had a lot happen in my life in a short period of time with the loss of my father and the birth of my new baby girl, Legaci. It's definitely turned me in to a whole different type of animal. August 3 is going to be cinematic. Barclays Center - see you soon. I've got some payback."

Cruz (18-1, 12 KOs) is among a group of promising welterweights prepared to burst onto the scene in one of the most talent-rich division in boxing. The 28-year-old from Lake Mary, Florida will be stepping up a level with his bout against Berto. He scored a TKO victory over Luis Eduardo Florez in his last fight in January to bounce back from a decision loss to Josesito Lopez on FOX in April 2018.

"I'm excited for all my Boricuas and NYC fight fans to come out and show love in August 3,'' Cruz said. "I want to thank everyone who made this opportunity possible, and I'm definitely going to make the most if it. This is a different era in boxing and I'm here to prove it to the world and to Andre Berto. Don't miss this night of boxing.''

Cruz To Berto: You're F***ing Washed, Bro; This Is My Time!

Andre Berto wasn’t all that familiar with Miguel Cruz when he accepted their fight recently.

It still got personal pretty quickly Tuesday for the former WBC welterweight champion. Berto and Cruz traded words during a press conference at Barclays Center, where they’ll go at it August 3 as part of a “PBC On FOX” tripleheader.

As their verbal battle escalated, Cruz indicated that he feels the 35-year-old Berto’s time as a top welterweight is over.

“You’re f***ing washed, bro!,” Cruz told Berto. “This is my time! This is my time! This is my time! This is my time! Josesito was whupping your ass, and you hit him with a lucky shot. This is my time! Done!”

“I’m coming for Andre Berto,” Cruz said. “I’m going straight through him before I go straight to Keith Thurman. That’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”

Cruz told Berto that he’s no longer hungry because of all the success he has achieved during a pro career that began in December 2004, when Cruz was 14.

“Listen, at the end of the day, you’ve got all this money, you’ve got all this stuff, you’ve got all these things,” Cruz said. “This is different, bro. This is different. I ain’t got nothing to lose. I ain’t got no family. I ain’t got no kids. I ain’t got no wife. I ain’t got no sh*t, bro. I’m ready to motherf*ckin’ die. Nah, man. Nah, man. You got all this stuff. You got all these things to lose. I ain’t got nothing to lose, which makes me a very, very, very, very, very, very dangerous man. I promise! I promise!”

Berto will box for the first time since the death of his father, Dieuseul Berto, who succumbed to cancer December 29 at the age of 60.

“I don’t care what Miguel Cruz wants to do, what his plans are,” Berto said. “And I’ve been through a lot of sh*t these last few months. You know, this will be my first fight without my dad in my corner. So, I’ve got a lot to fight for. This is my first fight [since] bringing my little baby girl into this world as well, so I have a lot to fight for.

“And I take on these type of responsibilities in life, and I hold ‘em with pride. So, this is gonna be a whole other animal coming August 3rd – I promise you! So hopefully he’s ready. I know what’s going on in his camp. I already know guys he’s been sparring. I already know what the sparring with him has been like. So, like I said, stay down there, stay focused. I’m just telling you, stay focused. You better tighten all your sh*t up. That’s all I’m sayin’. This sh*t can get ugly real quick.”

Andre Berto: I Need To Make a Statement With Miguel Cruz

Two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto will return to the ring and look to make a statement on his way toward another world title when he takes on Miguel Cruz in FOX PBC Fight Night action Saturday, August 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

"I'm at a point in my career where every time I step into the ring, I need to make a statement," said Berto. "I'm a fighter who has spent a lot of years at the top of the welterweight division and that's something to be proud of. I have to continue earning my stripes and I plan to do that on August 3."

Berto will be fighting for the first time since the passing of his father, who has been influential throughout his career, and for the first time since the birth of his daughter Legaci. With these new factors in his life, Berto promises to show a new fire on August 3.

"I definitely have a ton of motivation this camp," said Berto. "This is the first fight since my father passed away, and he's been in my corner my whole life. I'm also fighting for the first time as a father myself. I'm taking that honor into the ring and it's a huge motivation. I have more motivation for this fight than I've had in a very long time."

While he trains in the Bay Area with longtime coach Virgil Hunter, Berto represents his hometown of Winter Haven, Florida. His opponent Miguel Cruz is from nearby Lake Mary, Florida, creating a 'turf war' of sorts that came to fruition in the announcement press conference for the fight, with both men staking claim to the area and their side of the generational battle.

"I wasn't surprised at all that we got into it at the press conference," said Berto. "I saw someone that was nervous. I was doing a lot of barking, so the only thing he could do was defend himself.

"I don't really consider this a 'turf war' because I've been doing this for so long. He's watched me do it for a very long time. Everyone in Central Florida knows who the big dog in that area has been for a whole. He's one of the young fighters that's trying to come up, and we are going to have to tame him."

Cruz most recently scored a second round stoppage at Barclays Center in January to bounce back from his lone pro defeat, a decision loss to Josesito Lopez last April on FOX. Prior to that, the 29-year-old had beaten a slew of prospects and contenders, and will now look to put himself back in the title mix with a win against a big name in Berto.

For Berto, he will be facing a new challenge after a run that has seen him take on former and current champions in Devon Alexander, Shawn Porter, Victor Ortiz and Floyd Mayweather, dating back to 2015.

"I know that I'm facing a fighter who is trying to make a name for himself," said Berto. "That's always dangerous. He's tough, rugged and he's going to come to fight. I have to make sure I'm on point with all parts of my game."

Two-time former welterweight world champion Andre Berto suffered an injury during sparring on Saturday that resulted in a torn bicep muscle and is forced to withdraw from his bout against Miguel Cruz that was scheduled for this Saturday as part of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Berto tweaked his left bicep muscle during sparring earlier last week and tore the tendon during his final sparring session on Saturday in preparation for the Cruz bout. After an MRI revealed the extent of the injury, doctors advised Berto to withdraw from the fight and have surgery as soon as possible.

"Saturday was the last day of sparring and I was trying to finish and keep going strong,'' said Berto. "I threw a left hook and I felt a squeeze and a pop. I started yelling and cursing, because I knew what happened. I've had injuries before. Even though it was bad, I thought it was something that I could get a cortisone shot and fight with. But the MRI showed that the tendon was torn from the bone and I need surgery as soon as possible.

"It's devastating because I worked hard for eight weeks and I'm in dog shape. I was just ready to go. This just kills me. It's so freaky that it happened on the last day of sparring. When I hurt it on Tuesday, I just taped it up and went back to work. The doctors say there was a slight tear on Tuesday because there was still some inflammation when I came back to spar on Thursday and Saturday. They say it would have torn during the fight.''

Berto went into his match against Jesus Soto Karass with a shoulder injury, tore muscles during the match and had to fight with one arm. He had shoulder surgery to repair torn tendons and ligaments and spent eight months recovering. He was out of the ring for 14 months.

"This injury and the surgery won't be as bad as the shoulder,'' Berto said. "The shoulder was a lot of different muscles and tendons that were torn. I had a sling on for six weeks, and I was immobilized for so long that I had frozen shoulder syndrome and I had to go through three or four weeks with therapy to just get it to moving. It took eight or nine months with the shoulder. If I do it right with this injury, I'll be good in two or three months.''