TAMPA – Victor Salazar catches up with veteran Willie Nelson to discuss his upset knockout of Tony Harrison as part of the Premier Boxing Champions televised debut on ESPN from Florida. </p> <p>In the main event, Keith “One Time” Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) remained undefeated by stopping Luis Collazo (36-7, 19 KOs) in in the seventh-round in his hometown of Tampa on the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN from the USF Sun Dome.
Tampa, Florida - “Is there any reporters in here tonight?” A very happy Willie Nelson told the media following his 9th round knockout win over Tony Harrison. Nelson told the media all week they would be wrong and he backed those words up with an overhand right that sent Harrison to the canvas. Harrison would never recover forcing the referee to stop the fight.” Nelson said the plan was to get him tired and go for the knockout.
FLORIDA, TAMPA, USF Sun Dome - In the Premier Boxing Champions televised opener on ESPN, the veteran Willie Nelson (24-2-1. 14 KOs) scored an upset over previously unbeaten Tony Harrison (21-1, 18 KOs) with a TKO at 2:57 into the ninth round. Harrison had been in control of the fight thanks to a strong jab and led on all three judges’ scorecards heading into the ninth round. Nelson however was able to land a series of right hands in the ninth round that staggered and eventually dropped Harrison to the canvas.
USF Sundome, Tampa, Florida - Willie Nelson (24-2-1, 14KOs) stuns previously undefeated Tony Harrison (21-1, 18KOs) with a ninth round stoppage. It was the first time for Harrison to go beyond eight rounds, and Harrison's streak of knockouts was cut down. He had stopped his last ten opponents. He last went the distance in 2012. Nelson shocks his third undefeated prospect in recent years.
By his own admission, fringe junior middleweight contender Willie Nelson arrived at Thursday's press conference in Tampa with every intention of rattling Tony Harrison. The two square off this Saturday at USF Sun Dome in the opening bout of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN, in chief support to a welterweight clash between Keith Thurman and Luis Collazo.
Tony Harrison and Willie Nelson have both vowed to steal the show from main event players Keith Thurman and Luis Collazo on Saturday's ESPN-televised card at USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida. Thurman returns to the Tampa region for the first time in nearly six years, as he puts his welterweight belt and unbeaten record on the line versus a former titlist in Collazo. In the televised opener, Harrison and Nelson fight merely for bragging rights.
Keith Thurman and Luis Collazo are set for their welterweight bout, which headlines the inaugural edition of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN. The show takes place Saturday evening at USF Sun Done in Tampa, Florida. Thurman (25-0-1, 21KOs) tipped the scales at 146.2 lbs, while Collazo came in right at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs. Opening the show, Tony Harrison and Willie Nelson lock horns in a 10-round junior middleweight bout that has quickly developed into a grudge match.
By the time Tony Harrison had taken the mic during Thursday's press conference in Tampa, his forthcoming opponent Willie Nelson had already bashed the media and vowed to shock the world. As moved as he was by his opponent's upbringing, Harrison was quick to remind those on hand that nearly everyone in boxing has a story to tell. "We’re going to see the best Willie Nelson in a long time; he made the changes that need to be made to better his career," noted Harrison (21-0, 18KOs) ahead of their fight on Saturday, which airs live on ESPN from the USF Sun Done in Tampa. "He gave you a tough background. But as you know there ain’t nothing like the background of my city of Detroit.
TAMPA - Two days before their primetime fights, televised fighters on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN conducted a final press conference before their Saturday, July 11 bouts at USF Sun Dome in Tampa. While main event participants Keith "One Time" Thurman (25-0, 21 KOs) and Luis Collazo (36-6, 19 KOs) were calm and focused discussing their world title bout, Tony Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs) and Willie Nelson (23-2-1, 13 KOs) launched verbal jabs at each other during the formal portion of the press conference and through their face-offs
BoxingScene.com has been advised that a Premier Boxing Champions doubleheader is being put together for July 11th, as part of the PBC series on ESPN. In the main event, WBA 'regular' welterweight champion Keith Thurman (25-0, 21KOs) would defend his title against former beltholder Luis Collazo (36-6, 19KOs). Thurman is coming back from headlining the PBC premier on NBC, where he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero. Collazo lost a decision to Amir Khan on the Mayweather-Maidana undercard last May, and then came back last month to stop Chris Degollado in three rounds.