Heavyweight contender Trevor Bryan will face Christopher Lovejoy in a battle of unbeaten big men for the WBA “interim” title on Sept. 26.
Eighty-year-old promoter Don King, disturbed by these turbulent times, wants to bring the country together. And what better way to do that than rely his forte: Bringing heavyweight boxing to the public.
King has announced that contender Trevor Bryan will face Christopher Lovejoy in a battle of unbeaten big men for the WBA “interim” title on Sept. 26 on the Impact Network. No site has been determined.
“I’m bringing some life back into the business again for the love of the people,” King, as energetic as ever, told Boxing Junkie. “I’m bringing back a heavyweight title fight, giving the people what they want.
“… The country is divided. I want to show that working together works. I dedicate this fight to coming together.”
Bryan (20-0, 14 KOs) was expected to face Manuel Charr, who holds a secondary title. However, Charr, based in Germany, was unable to fight because of a variety of issues. One of them is the inability to travel because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 6-foot-4 Bryan, ranked No. 1 by the WBA, hasn’t fought since he stopped BJ Flores in four rounds in August 2018 but his name recently surfaced. Tyson Fury has mentioned the Schenectady, New York fighter as a possible opponent.
The 6-foot-5, Las Vegas-based Lovejoy (19-0, 19 KOs) has a gaudy record but has never faced an opponent with more victories than losses. He isn’t ranked.
King likes the zeroes in the fighters’ loss columns.
“It’s an irresistible force versus an immovable object. Something has to give. And it will on Sept. 26,” he said.
King won a purse bid in March to promote the Charr-Bryan fight, which was supposed to have taken place by the end of May. He said the winner on Sept. 26 could face Charr in the future.
“The winner could fight Charr or any of the other top heavyweights,” King said.
King doesn’t plan to slow down after the Sept. 26 card. He said he will feature former light heavyweight titleholder Beibut Shumenov in a cruiserweight fight in October of November on the Impact Network. No opponent has been selected.
“I want to bring boxing back into the living rooms,” King said. “I want fans to sit back, relax and enjoy. And at the same time I want to bring the country together through sport.
“A house divided cannot stand. A nation divided against itself cannot stand.”
The Impact Network is in 88 million homes. And those who don’t have it can download the Impact Network app and watch it for free.
