“Tsurkan is a rugged, come-forward fighter who has an unbending will and dedication to the sport” said Star Boxing CEO Joe DeGuardia. “Tsurkan-Sparkman will be a barn-burner”

The main event will feature former Olympian Raymond “Hallelujah” Joval (35-4, 16 KOs) against the rugged Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs (20-2, 16 KOs).

Tsurkan, a native of Mogansk, Russia, now living in the Bronx NY, started boxing when he was 12 years old. He fought in nearly 200 amateur bouts, was a four-time Ukraine National amateur champion, and won a silver medal in the European Junior championships.

In 2006 he upset Hector Camacho, Jr. in an electrifying fight of the year slugfest. Although Camacho Jr. stunned Tsurkan with a series of left hands in the seventh, Tsurkan rallied back in the next round, unloading a series of unanswered shots that forced referee Randy Neumann to halt bout. All three judges had Tsurkan ahead at the time of the stoppage by the scores of 68-65 (twice) and 67-66. On April 11th Tsurkan is looking to make a statement with an impressive performance over Sparkman.

Sammy Sparkman, a native of Tennessee, has faced some of today’s top talent including Jimmy Lange, Yuri Foreman, Miguel Angel Cotto, Marteze Logan, Cornelius “K-9” Bundradge, Cory Spinks, Paul “The Punisher” Williams, and that’s just to name a few. On March 31, 2006 he won a hard-fought battle against Marteze Logan in a Tennessee Turf War. Sparkman capped 2006 by besting the crafty Hercules Kyvelos via unanimous decision in Hercules' hometown.

It’s Andrey Tsurkan vs. Sammy Sparkman live Wednesday April 11th at the Bronx Paradise Theater. This event will feature eight action-packed bouts with talent from around the world. For tickets call (718) 823-2000.