Oleksandr Usyk vs. Mairis Briedis Meet in World Boxing Super Series Semifinals

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Unbeaten cruiserweight world champions Oleksandr "The Cat" Usyk and Mairis Briedis open the entertaining World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals today in Latvia, starting at 2 p.m. ET, live exclusively on Super Channel in Canada.

Super Channel acquired the exclusive rights in Canada to broadcast the World Boxing Super Series from MP & Silva, a leading international media company that provides media rights, digital, technology and sponsorship services.

Usyk (13-0, 11 KOs), the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Cruiserweight World Champion is a two-time Ukrainian Olympian, who captured gold medals at the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World Championships, twice defeating current International Boxing Federation (IBF) Light Heavyweight World Champion Artur Beterbiev, the two-time Russian Olympian now based in Montreal.

"I am going to entertain the crowd at the Arena Riga," Usyk said. "That I can promise! I have worked on some new thing and Saturday you will see what I'm talking about."

Briedis (23-0, 18 KOs), the World Boxing Council (WBC) Cruiserweight World Champion, will be fighting in his hometown in front of an expected crowd of 10,000.

"My team is doing everything to take pressure off my shoulders," Briedis commented. "We are just concentrating on the fight. My dream is to deliver a fight that can go into the Boxing Hall of Fame."

The Usyk-Briedis world title unification winner will advance to the WBSS championship final in May to fight the winner of the other WBSS semifinals match, Feb. 3 in Russia, between IBF World Champion Murat "Iron" Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) and WBA World Champion Yunier "The KO Doctor" Dorticos (21-0, 20 KOs).

Five exciting fights on the "Usyk vs. Briedis" card, promoted by Sauerland Event, will air in Canada exclusively on Super Channel.