Salita Promotions Features Michigan’s Top Young Prospects on September 12

Michigan’s top boxing talent will be on display and viewed by a global audience on DAZN Boxing on Thursday, September 12, as Salita Promotions presents the next edition of its Big Time Boxing USA series featuring undefeated Flint, Michigan native Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes Jr. (15-0, 6 KOs) defending his USBA Junior Middleweight title against Cuba’s Hugo Noriega (10-2, 5 KOs) in the main event.

The action takes place at Dort Financial Center in Flint. Four bouts, including the main event, will air live on DAZN starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased online HERE or in person at the Dort Financial Center Box Office.

Salita Promotions Provides Prospects Their Opportunity

Ardreal Holmes Jr. knocks down Marlon Harrington. Photo: Adam J. Dewey, Salita Promotions

Promoter Dmitriy Salita has quickly built the series into the world’s leading talent development platform with an international reach of over 200 countries worldwide via DAZN. Development cards are the life's blood of boxing, allowing talented prospects to hone their skills and aspire someday to reaching championship level competition.

“From Detroit to Flint to Grand Rapids, boxing has always been in the blood of this blue-collar state,” Salita said. “Michigan has produced the GWOAT, Claressa Shields, a three-division world champion, the world-renowned Dirrell brothers, Andre and Anthony, and former heavyweight world champion Chris Byrd. You’d be hard-pressed to find another region in the United States as rich in boxing talent as the greater Detroit area.

“On Thursday, September 12, all of the fighters will be tested to varying degrees,” said Salita, a former world championship contender. “They will have the opportunity to show a global audience if they are worthy of advancing from highly regarded prospect to world title contender in a stacked and always exciting division. That is what this series is all about.”

Versatile combat sports commentator Corey Erdman will call all the action on DAZN and is joined in the booth by International Boxing Hall of Famer Al Bernstein and former U.S. Olympian and junior middleweight world champion Raul Marquez.

Al Bernstein: “154 Pound Division Is On Fire”

“The 154-pound division is on fire right now, and undefeated Ardreal Holmes is well positioned to make a run in that division,” said expert analysis Bernstein. “Standing in his path to 154-pound glory is Hugo Noriega. This former Cuban amateur standout has only two decision losses marring his record, and both were tough, exciting fights. He has a powerful right hand, and he’ll be motivated in what might be a crossroads fight for him.

This fight should have plenty of action. Holmes wants to continue his new punching prowess, and Noriega has made some exciting fights.”

Marquez added, “The fans who come out for these fights are die-hard fans, and they know the sweet science. If you want to see young, rising prospects who are hungry to climb the boxing ladder and someday fight for a world title, then you don’t want to miss this Flint boxing extravaganza on September 12. Some will rise. Some will fall on their path to the top.”

Undercard Lineup Includes Local Talents Hicks and Smith

The co-main event will feature unbeaten prospect Joseph “Sug” Hicks (10-0, 7 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Michigan taking on Detroit’s Ronnie Austion (10-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout.

Hicks, 30, has become one of Michigan’s most promising stars. After scoring an impressive knockout over Ricardo Ruben Villalba in February 2024, Hicks will put his perfect record on the line against Austion. Although he is also 30 years old, Austion’s career spans nearly a decade longer than his opponent. However, the Grand Rapids native aims to insert himself back into the win column in front of his home state.

Detroit native and Sugarhill Steward-trained “Hitman 2.0” Da’Velle Smith (8-0, 6 KOs) faces Esau Herrera de la Cruz of Mexico City (21-17-1, 8 KOs) in a middleweight fight.

Kicking off the televised card on DAZN will be a showdown between Flint prospect Leon Lawson III (15-1, 8 KOs) and Argentina’s Luis Alberto Veron (20-8-2, 9 KOs). Lawson is the cousin of the Dirrell brothers, and he is trained by his father, former pro boxer Leon Lawson II.

Deriving from a rich lineage of world-class boxers, Lawson III’s high-stakes matchup comes following a year-long layoff from the ring. After suffering his first career loss in 2021, Lawson III bounced back into the win column when he scored a third-round TKO victory over Abraham Peralta in 2023. Opposite Lawson III, veteran Veron looks to take the Flint’s native massive momentum.