As previously reported by BoxingScene, Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jnr will meet in the chief support to the Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman pay-per-view headliner.
Unfortunately, that fight remains as good as it gets for the confirmed undercard.
Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced the three-fight supporting cast for the March 28 Prime Video PPV event from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to the abovementioned heavyweight clash, a pair of ten-round bouts were added to the starting lineup.
Unbeaten middleweight contender Yoenli Hernandez, 9-0 (8 KOs) will become the latest in PBCverse to face the recycled Terrell Gausha, 24-5-1 (12 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round contest. Opening the telecast, Elijah Garcia, 17-1 (13 KOs) takes on Kevin Newman II, 18-3-1 (11 KOs) in a 10-round bout at super middleweight.
“Saturday, March 28 will now feature three more exciting pay-per-view undercard matchups that feature young stars and top contenders going toe-to-toe, with the winners putting themselves in position for world title glory,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Frank Sanchez has long established himself as a threat to anyone at heavyweight and can re-stake his place toward the top of the division against an undefeated U.S. Olympian in Richard Torrez Jr.
“Plus sensational Cuban middleweight Yoenli Hernandez takes on his most experienced opponent to date in the always dangerous Terrell Gausha, and Elijah Garcia hopes to make a statement at 168-pounds against the highly-skilled Kevin Newman II rounding out this PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video.”
As far as stakes go, the Sanchez-Torrez winner will become the IBF mandatory challenger to current lineal, RING and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“A victory on March 28 moves me one step closer to being the IBF’s mandatory challenger and realizing my dream of becoming the first Cuban heavyweight champion of the world,” said Sanchez. 25-1 (18 KOs). “Torrez is a strong fighter who’s hungry to prove himself, but I will win this fight in grand fashion for my great Cuban and Latino fans.”
Added Torrez, 14-0 (12 KOs): “Frank is skilled, technical and dangerous, and that’s exactly the kind of challenge I’ve been looking for. Great fighters don’t avoid tests; they run toward them. I’ve prepared for every moment of this fight, and when the bell rings, I’m coming to take over.”
Cuba’s Hernandez was always budgeted to appear on this show, though he underwent a drastic change in opponents.
It is of no fault at all to the 28-year-old Cuban, now based in Providence, Rhode Island. He was originally targeted to take on Jahi Tucker, who declined the opportunity to instead fight closer to home on a February 28 show in the Huntington section of Long Island, New York.
Hernandez instead settles for Gausha, a 38-year-old, battle-tested former title challenger who was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team.
“I’m a true professional who’s always training, because boxing is what I do,” said Gausha, who suffered back-to-back disputed defeats to Carlos Adames and, most recently, Garcia. “I’ve seen Yoenli fight and he’s a young, strong, skilled fighter.
“If you’ve watched my fights in the past, you’ll know that’s what I like. I want to test myself against the best. Beating him will get me close to my goal of becoming world champion. That’s what I’m here for.”
Garcia is coming off a highly questionable split decision victory over Gausha last March 22 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. That fight marked his first win following a 10-round, split decision defeat to Kyrone Davis in their June 2024 battle at MGM Grand, where he hopes to exorcise his demons upon his return and at a new weight.
“I’m excited to kick off this pay-per-view on March 28,” said Garcia, who previously cut his teeth at middleweight. “I’m working hard and can’t wait to show everything we’ve been working on in camp.
“This is a big opportunity to make a statement at super middleweight and I’m gonna make the most of it.”
He catches the hottest available version of Newman, a Vegas-based Los Angeleno who has won seven in a row. The 34-year-old hopes to advance from gatekeeper to contender as he steps up in competition for this crossroads clash.
“I’m looking forward to getting into the ring on March 28 and showcasing my skills,” said Newman. “I’m coming to put on a dominant performance from start to finish.”
Topping the bill, Fundora, 23-1-1 (15 KOs) attempts the third defense of his WBC 154lbs title versus the 37-year-old Thurman, 31-1 (23 KOs), a former unified welterweight titlist.
