Big Time Boxing USA Returns to Flint, Michigan Dec. 12

Salita Promotions returns to Flint, Michigan on Thursday, December 12 with the next edition of BIG TIME BOXING USA, the sport’s leading talent developmental series, featuring a fight card loaded with some of boxing’s top prospects, including Michigan’s Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr., Joey Spencer, Da’Velle “Hitman 2.0” Smith and Leon Lawson III.

This will be the sixth Big Time Boxing USA card since the series launched in February. Promoter Dmitriy Salita calls it the series’ strongest lineup to date from top to bottom. All the action takes place at Dort Financial Center in Flint, with the top four bouts airing live on DAZN.

Big Time Boxing USA returns on December 12.

Tickets for the event go on sale on Wednesday at 11 am ET and can be purchased online HERE or in-person at the Dort Financial Center Box Office.

 Ardreal Holmes Jr. Comes Home

Ardreal Holmes Jr. celebrates his knockout victory over Marlon Harrington. Photo: Adam J. Dewey, Salita Promotions

After successfully defending his USBA Junior Middleweight title in September, Flint native Holmes (16-0, 6 KOs) returns to his hometown to put his title on the line once again in the main event against an experienced challenger, French veteran Ahmed El Mousaoui (35-6-1, 9 KOs).

Fan favorite Spencer (18-1, 11 KOs) from nearby Fenton, Michigan, will contest a 10-round bout at 160 pounds. Spencer has rebounded with two wins since suffering his lone defeat to undefeated, highly-rated Jesus Ramos in March 2023.

Spencer will fight for the second time as a professional in his home state of Michigan. “It was the best experience to fight in front of fans and friends from all over the state,” Spencer said. “I grew up fighting alongside Ardreal Holmes and Leon Lawson – training and traveling together to tournaments and even sparring one another as we grew into the same weight class.

“Big Time Boxing is a very cool series, and Dmitriy Salita is doing a lot for Michigan boxing. I’m psyched for December 12, and will be ready to put on a show.”

Salita: “Best Of Them All”

Da’Valle Smith is honored by comparisons to the great Tommy Hearns. Photo: David A. Infante, Pura Sal Films

“My team and I are proud to announce the strongest Big Time Boxing USA fight card to date,” Salita said. “Since the series launched in February, we have been building and growing this series to become the premier talent developmental platform for young fighters, and this fight card is the best of them all.

“We thank DAZN for providing the global platform for these fighters to shine and earn their shot at a world title. And we thank the fans of Flint for supporting their hometown heroes and the sport of boxing overall. We had a terrific show in September at the Dort Financial Center, and this fight card is even more loaded with hard-hitting talent.”

Da’Velle “Hitman 2.0” Smith, who has been touted as Detroit’s finest, undefeated middleweight prospect since Tommy Hearns, is coming off an impressive victory over Gilberto Pereira dos Santos in Puerto Rico last month. Smith is 10-0 with eight knockouts and looks to build on his momentum when he returns to the ring against William Townsel (8-1, 6 KOs) from Virginia Beach.

This matchup represents the first big test for Smith, who is regarded as the second coming of the legendary Hearns for his combination of speed, power and physique. Townsel previously upset Nadim Salloum, who was 12-1 coming into the bout, on the March edition of Big Time Boxing USA.

Family Affairs

Flint native Lawson (16-1, 9 KOs), cousin of Anthony and Andre Dirrell, is back after an impressive performance in September when he dominated Argentinian Luis Alberto Veron to earn his second-straight TKO. Lawson’s super welterweight opponent is to be determined. Additionally, former world title challenger Byron Rojas (28-4-3, 11 KOs) will fight on the card.

Surging talent Samantha Worthington (9-0, 7 KOs) from Lexington, Kentucky, will compete for the third time in 2024 as she defends her undefeated record in a women’s super lightweight bout. Worthington is ranked second by the IBF, fourth by the WBO and sixth in the WBC and WBA at 140 pounds.

Worthington is promoted by the “GWOAT”, unified women’s world champion and Flint native Claressa Shields and T-Rex Promotions. Shields and Worthington were U.S. Olympic teammates in 2016.

Shields added that Worthington is a fighter Flint fans won’t want to miss. “Samantha is going to showcase the relentless work ethic and tremendous skill that first caught my eye and are pushing her up the rankings,” Shields said. “Samantha is on a path to challenge the sport’s top fighters, with future world title bouts against the likes of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano well within her reach. Michigan fans, get ready to watch a rising star in women’s boxing right in your own backyard.”