(AUG 17) Lee Baxter Promotions
and FITE are proud to announce that fight fans worldwide will be
able to tune in to see the WBA-NABA welterweight title fight
between Samuel Vargas and Ali Funeka.
“This is an international event, so it’s important that it’s not
just the fans in Toronto who get to see it, but also Ali
Funeka’s fans in South Africa, or Christian M’Billi’s fans in
France,” said Baxter. “There’s a reason FITE is becoming the
place to go for combat sports. Technology is evolving, not
everybody has cable, but everyone has a phone and a computer.
We’re making this card as accessible to the public as possible.”
In the co-feature, WIBA super
featherweight champion Sandy Tsagouris will make her first title
defense on home soil in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, against
Simone Da Silva Duarte of Brazil. Both Tsagouris and Duarte have
developed reputations as being among the most exciting action
fighters in women’s boxing. Tsagouris became the first
Toronto-born fighter to ever win a world title in Toronto when
she defeated Carla Torres in March.
Vargas has been on boxing’s biggest stage against superstars
Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia, and he’s determined to prove
that he still belongs there.
The 28-year-old Vargas (27-3-1, 14 KOs) steps up in one of the
most significant fights of his career, August 19, as he defends
his NABA title against three-time world title challenger Funeka
(39-6-3, 31 KOs) in the main event of Lee Baxter Promotions’ (LBP)
second event at the Brampton Powerade Centre, “Face Off”, in
Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Funeka has been a fighting contender his entire career, going on
the road and battling some of the sport’s top stars. Last year,
he upset previously undefeated Russian prospect Viskhan
Murzabekov in his opponent’s homeland. More recently, the
dangerous South African veteran fought a bloody battle with Jeff
Horn, who recently upset future Hall-of-Famer Manny Pacquiao.
Vargas-Funeka is inarguably one of the highest-level bouts to be
staged in Toronto in several years.
Fans in France will also get a chance to see former Olympic
standout Christian M’Billi, as he battles Genaro Quiroga in
light middleweight action.
The 22-year old was one of the
true standouts of the Olympic boxing tournament in Rio, only
falling to eventual gold medalist Arlen Lopez in what was
perhaps the most exciting bout in any bracket. Already 4-0 as a
professional, M’Billi has never done anything but impress in his
boxing career, and fans across the world should expect no less
this time around either.
Commentary for the event will be provided by lineal heavyweight
champion Tyson Fury, as well as SHOWTIME host and veteran
broadcaster Corey Erdman.
Fans will be able to
purchase the event for just $14.99 on FITE.tv, and the
groundbreaking FITE app, which allows viewers to stream the
fights right from their phone to the television in their living
room.