Carr to face Gavronski in super middleweight main event at Emerald Queen Casino

TACOMA, Wash. – One year and half a world away, Jake Carr is stepping back into the ring.

The undefeated super middleweight will make his United States debut at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. on Sept. 10 in the main event at Battle at the Boat 107.

Carr, who captured the Australian super middleweight championship in 2013, will face hometown product Mike Gavronski (20-2-1) in a 10-round bout, which could catapult the victor into a top 10 world ranking.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, the 24-year-old Carr brings a stellar 11-0-0 record into the contest.

He currently trains out of Justin Fortune’s Fortune Gym in Los Angeles.

“The experience over here has been amazing so far. We have had some very high quality sparring and training and I’ve been improving with every session,” Carr said about working with Fortune, a former heavyweight contender and fellow Australian countryman. “All of my training camps have been very good, but where this experience has differed is that I’m training with a lot higher quality fighters, in a country where boxing is very popular. It is a great feeling.”

Carr, whose father, Rod Carr, was a former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBG) champion and the inaugural Commonwealth super middleweight titlist, has been unstoppable so far as a professional, capturing the Australian super middleweight crown in his sixth career fight and making three successful title defenses.

Carr’s last fight came on Aug. 8, 2015 when he knocked out Togasilimai Letoa in the sixth round and while he failed to fight over the next 12 months, he has certainly kept himself busy in the sport as he made his transition to the United States.

For the last quarter of 2015, Carr worked with Fortune, sparring out of Freddie Roach’s Wildcard Boxing Club.

“Despite the quiet year I haven’t stopped training hard and I’ve kept myself 110% dedicated to my sport,” Carr said.

Looking to put the first blemish on Carr’s record will be Gavronksi, who brings his own lofty resume into the affair.

Gavronski, a native of Tacoma, has become a fan favorite at the Emerald Queen by winning five consecutive fights at the Tacoma casino over a one-year span. His winning streak ended in his last outing, however, when he lost to Dashon Johnson on Nov. 7. The contest, which was for the WBA-NABA USA super middleweight championship, was a rematch from their Jan. 1, 2015 fight, which Gavronski won.


Mike Gavronski

Gavronski’s only other career setback occurred against current WBC Silver middleweight champion Tureano Johnson two years ago when Gavronski lost by decision in a bout for the vacant WBC Continental Americas middleweight title.

“This is one of those fights where the winner will have opportunity to get ranked in the world ratings and a fight away from a top ten ranking,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “This is a very important fight for both fighters considering what’s at stake.”

Tickets are available through the EQC box office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. Preliminary bouts start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Battle at the Boat 107 will feature the all new VIP experience with 3rd Row Seats being discounted to $75 per ticket. All fans seated in in the VIP section (rows 1-3) will have an exclusive access point and a dedicated server to help create a true VIP experience.

Battle at the Boat 107 is brought to you by Brian Halquist Productions. For more information, please visit halquistproductions.com and the Battle at the Boat Facebook page.

Battle at the Boat 107 Card
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016

10 Round Main Event – 168 pounds
Mike Gavronski (20-2-1) vs. Jake Carr (11-0-0)
5 Round Semi Main Event – 150 pounds
Andre Keys (1-1-0) vs. Antonio Neal (4-5-0)

5 Round Featured Bout – 138 pounds
Ramel Snegur (1-0-0) vs. Andres Reyes (4-1-1)

4 Round Undercard Bouts
147-pounds: Gabriel Solario (1-2-1) vs. Drew Brokenshire (1-0-0)
154-pounds: Nate Serrano (4-3-2) vs. Osvaldo Rojas (8-3-2)
157-pounds: Lexus Pagampao (0-1-0) vs. Ryan Schecterson (debut)




ABOUT BRIAN HALQUIST
Brian Halquist Productions is the Northwest premiere fight promotion company creator of the famed "Battle at the Boat" boxing series promoting more than 19 years and over 100 fights at the Emerald Queen Casino. BHP has also built the largest professional MMA series on the USA’s west coast with “CageSport MMA” nearing more than 50 fights. Brian Halquist Productions has promoted events for ESPN, ShowTime and HBO and featured on Showtime's historic boxing event in St Lucia, West Indies. Brian Halquist Productions has been promoting fights and concerts for over 30 years in the Pacific Northwest.