Triller, MSG teaming up for monthly boxing series at Hulu Theater beginning Aug. 3

Triller, the group that delivered the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition and the Jake Paul-Ben Askren occasion, has agreed to a one-year cope with the Madison Sq. Backyard firm to convey a month-to-month, Tuesday evening boxing sequence to New York’s Hulu Theater at MSG, Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh tells ESPN.

The sequence kicks off Aug. 3 with ESPN’s No. 9 heavyweight, Michael Hunter, taking up Mike Wilson in a title eliminator. Former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri will compete within the chief-support bout at a catchweight of 144 kilos in opposition to an opponent to be decided.

The deal hasn’t been signed but, however MSG administration greenlit the pact on Thursday. The sequence will probably be dubbed “TrillerVerz” and can characteristic a Verzuz rap battle between well-known artists N.O.R.E. and Beanie Sigel. The occasion will probably be streamed on FITE and Triller TV with the Verzuz portion going down after the headline struggle is over (every card will characteristic as much as 10 bouts).

“We could not be extra excited to be bringing again ‘boxing Tuesdays’ on the Mecca of boxing, Madison Sq. Backyard, combining the thrill and purity of boxing with the innovation and cultural relevance of Verzuz,” Kavanaugh informed ESPN.

Triller’s chief boxing officer, Peter Kahn, architected the deal and led negotiations with MSG. Kahn will oversee the boxing facet of the sequence. Producers Swizz Beats and Timbaland will oversee the Verzuz rap battles. DiBella Leisure will function the native promoter.

The heavyweight struggle between Michael Hunter and Mike Wilson was initially scheduled for the pay-per-view undercard on June 19 headlined by Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos. That 135-pound title struggle was rescheduled after Lopez examined optimistic for COVID.

“I am the principle occasion. That is the primary time this has ever occurred to me,” Hunter, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, informed ESPN. “It is form of unreal. I am actually enthusiastic about it.

“It places a distinct kind of stress on me, although. I form of have to indicate up and carry out in a performing method particularly being with Triller. … I fought at MSG one time earlier than, clearly I wasn’t the principle occasion, and particularly being at MSG, that is the world-renowned area, so I really feel like that is the best alternative for me to step up my recreation and present everybody who the No. 1 American heavyweight is.”

Hunter’s solely professional defeat got here in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk in a cruiserweight title struggle. Since shifting to heavyweight, Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs) has impressed together with his boxing abilities and motion, combating to a draw with Olympic gold medalist Alexander Povetkin in December 2019.

The 32-year-old represented the U.S. within the 2012 Olympic Video games, shedding to present mild heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev. Hunter’s father is former heavyweight contender Mike “The Bounty” Hunter.

Algieri (24-3, 9 KOs) grew to become a 140-pound champion when he upset Ruslan Provodnikov in 2014. He parlayed that victory in a pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao at welterweight, the place he was dropped six instances in a call loss. Algieri’s different losses got here in opposition to Amir Khan and Errol Spence Jr.

The Lengthy Island, New York, native is a confirmed ticket-seller in New York and infrequently seems on tv as a boxing analyst. The 37-year-old hasn’t competed since June 2019, when he defeated Tommy Coyle.