LAS VEGAS (March 2, 2022) — Former junior lightweight world champion Miguel “El Alacrán” Berchelt, the fighting pride of Cancun, Mexico, has his sights squarely on the lightweight division’s top names. Berchelt will battle Namibian contender Jeremiah Nakathila in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 26 at the Resorts World Events Center located at Resorts World Las Vegas.

Berchelt-Nakathila marks the debut sporting event at Resorts World Las Vegas, which opened June 2021 as the first integrated resort to be built on The Strip in over a decade.

In the 10-round co-feature, top featherweight contenders Jose Enrique “El Ejecutor” Vivas and Enrique “El Gemelo” Baez will meet in a guaranteed all-action clash with potential world title implications. Berchelt-Nakathila and Vivas-Baez will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets starting at $25 go on sale Thursday, March 3 at noon PST, and can be purchased at www.rwlasvegas.com/experiences/top-rank.

“Miguel Berchelt is motivated to become a two-weight world champion, and he has a formidable test in his lightweight debut against Jeremiah Nakathila,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “It is a great honor to promote the first boxing event at Resorts World Las Vegas, a fantastic new property we hope will host many fight nights in the coming years.”

“As we developed Resorts World Las Vegas, entertainment was always an integral piece of our business strategy, and as part of that, we envisioned having major sporting events take place on our property,” said Scott Sibella, President of Resorts World Las Vegas. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with an industry leader like Top Rank to host this event and look forward to welcoming fans to the first-ever Resorts World Las Vegas fight night experience.”   

Berchelt (38-2, 34 KOs) won the WBC world title in January 2017 and defended that belt six times, becoming one of boxing’s longest-reigning world champions. Five of his title defenses came by knockout, including a ninth-round triumph over Miguel Roman and a fourth-round blitzing of former world champion Jason Sosa. Berchelt’s momentum was halted in February 2021, when he lost his world title in a dramatic showdown against Oscar Valdez. Berchelt was knocked out in the 10^th round by Valdez and soon looked to regain his championship form in another division.

“I am ready to turn the page and show the fans I have what it takes to become a two-division world champion,” Berchelt said. “The Valdez fight is in the past, and my focus is on Nakathila and a lightweight world title in 2022. ‘El Alacran’ is back, and I can’t wait to come to Resorts World Las Vegas to put on a show.”

Nakathila (22-2, 18 KOs) is a former WBO Africa and WBO Global junior lightweight titlist who is one of Namibia’s most decorated fighters. He went undefeated for more than four years, and last June, he made his Las Vegas debut against Shakur Stevenson for the WBO interim junior lightweight world title. Nakathila lost a clear points verdict to the unbeaten phenom, but he returned in fine form last October with a second-round stoppage over Ndodana Ncube. The 32-year-old Nakathila hopes to score the upset and a spot among the lightweight elites.

Nakathila said, “It’s an amazing opportunity to fight Berchelt. Given our styles, it will make for a highly entertaining fight. This is my lightweight debut, and I’m looking forward to my first win against a highly rated former champion.”

Vivas (21-1, 11 KOs), from Texcoco, Mexico, has won four straight fights and emerged as a contender to watch during the “Bubble” in 2020 with standout performances against Carlos Jackson and John Vincent Moralde. Last May, in one of the year’s best toe-to-toe affairs, he recovered from a pair of third-round knockdowns to edge Louie Coria by unanimous decision. Baez (20-2-2, 7 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is a former Mexican junior featherweight champion who is now testing the featherweight waters. Last March, he notched a one-sided decision over the previously undefeated Abimael Ortiz, which came a little more than three months after a near-shutout verdict over Narek Abgaryan. Baez saw his 12-bout unbeaten streak snapped with a razor-thin majority decision loss to Ra’eese Aleem. 

ARLINGTON, TX. – March 2, 2022 – WBC and IBF world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas will square off in a welterweight title unification clash that headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Spence vs. Ugas is just the 12^th unification fight in the rich history of the welterweight division, joining other classic matchups such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns I and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. 

One of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, Spence looks to add a third welterweight championship belt to his resume when he returns to fight at AT&T Stadium in front of his hometown fans for the third time. Cuba’s Ugas has torn through the welterweight division since 2016, winning 12 of his last 13 fights, including most recently securing his WBA championship with a unanimous decision victory over legendary eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in August.

“Errol Spence vs. Yordenis Ugas is a fight that will once again show the world how passionate boxing fans are in North Texas,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “AT&T Stadium was built to host big time events like this one, and we’re grateful to join with SHOWTIME, TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions for this incredible showdown on April 16.“

“SHOWTIME Sports^® is proud to present one of the biggest events of 2022 and stylistically a can’t-miss matchup,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “The history of the welterweight division is chock-full of legendary fights but precious few title unifications. Much credit should be given to Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas for embracing this challenge and putting their titles on the line. But it’s not surprising. Spence is the best welterweight in boxing. There’s no debate when you consider his performances over the past several years. That being said, Yordenis Ugas is coming off the biggest win of his career. His confidence is sky high and he has the skills to back it up. If you had to pick a winner, it would be the fans.”     

“The star-studded welterweight division will add yet another chapter to its dramatic history of memorable matchups when Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas go toe-to-toe for a highly-anticipated unification showdown on Saturday, April 16,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Spence has proven himself as one of the sport’s elite fighters and will have another opportunity to make history in front of his hometown fans, who have come out in droves for his last two fights at AT&T Stadium. This could be the toughest test of his career, as Yordenis Ugas enters this bout highly-confident in his ability after he stepped in to defeat Manny Pacquiao last summer.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) returns to the ring after he was forced to pull out of a summer showdown against Pacquiao due to an eye injury that he has since recovered from. The 31-year-old was launched into stardom when he first captured a welterweight crown by traveling to the U.K. to stop Kell Brook in front of Brook’s hometown fans in 2017 on SHOWTIME. Following triumphs over Lamont Peterson and Carlos Ocampo, Spence added the WBC 147-pound belt to his collection by dropping Shawn Porter on his way to a unanimous decision victory in one of 2019’s best matchups.

Fighting out of his native Desoto, Texas, Spence has twice competed at AT&T Stadium, the home of his beloved Dallas Cowboys. He has earned unanimous decision victories at the venue in March 2019 over four-division champion Mikey Garcia, and in December 2020 against two-division champion Danny Garcia. Spence represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics before turning pro later that year and scoring knockouts in 10 of his first 12 fights, showing the promise that he would eventually fulfill on the biggest stages of the sport.

“There’s nothing better than fighting in front of my hometown fans at AT&T Stadium,” said Spence. “This is the perfect stage for me to fight for a third welterweight world title and unify the championships. I’m healthy and ready to go. Yordenis Ugas has proven to be a tough champion and I know he will bring his very best. It’s a high-stakes fight on a big stage and that always brings out the best in me. The fans should expect fireworks at AT&T Stadium and on SHOWTIME PPV on April 16.’’

Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) has established himself as an elite welterweight since returning from a layoff in 2016 and elevating himself to world champion in January 2021 after winning a WBA belt by defeating Abel Ramos in September 2020. He solidified his world-championship status last August, when he stepped in for an injured Spence to defeat Pacquiao by unanimous decision.

Hailing from Santiago, Cuba and now living in Miami, Florida, Ugas was on an eight-fight winning streak before losing a narrow split-decision to Shawn Porter in his first world title fight in March 2019, having been edged out on the scorecards after what appeared to be a 12^th-round knockdown in his favor was ruled a slip by the referee. The Olympic bronze medalist trains in Las Vegas with renowned coach Ismael Salas and owns victories over then undefeated fighters Jamal James, Omar Figueroa Jr. and Bryant Perrella, plus veteran contenders Thomas Dulorme and Ray Robinson.

“It’s a tremendous blessing to be in another big pay-per-view fight, especially against a great champion and top pound-for-pound fighter like Errol Spence Jr.,” said Ugas. “These are the types of fights that fans deserve. We both have plenty of time to prepare for each other, which means we are primed and ready to give the fans a show. I have a great trainer in Ismael Salas, who will have me prepared for battle. On fight night everyone will see a man at his best both physically and mentally. I’m pleased to have a hard-working team behind me and I’m thankful for this opportunity. On April 16 the energy in AT&T Stadium will be amazing.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceUgas, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

About AT&T Stadium:

AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world.  Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world.  Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round.  The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue.  In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events.  For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 1, 2022) – Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) of Victorville, CA and Jamestown, Ghana’s Emmanuel “The Gameboy” Tagoe (32-1, 15KOs) hosted their kick-off press conference, today, in Los Angeles at Golden Boy Headquarters. The fighters were onsite alongside Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy, and DAZN’s Executive Vice President, Joe Markowski, to discuss their upcoming 12-round, lightweight battle on April 9. The fight is set to take place at San Antonio’s Alamodome, live, worldwide on DAZN.

Tickets for Garcia vs. Tagoe go on sale today and are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, and $40, not including applicable facility fees. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com or in-person at the Alamodome Box Office, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. CT.

Below are what the attendees had to say today:

RYAN GARCIA, LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“Im very excited, it’s been a long time. Tagoe is a legitimate contender, I have nothing but respect for him. He has a big opportunity here, he’s been looking for a tough fight, a fight that will make or break him; and I am looking forward to a dog fight if it happens to be one.

“I am definitely not looking past him, whether people think he is a good contender or not, and I respect him and I know this will be a good fight.

“I have been boxing my whole life. I know what it takes. I know the discipline you need, the sacrifices you have to make. What makes me feel confident is all the experience I have in the ring; over 200 amateur fights, 21 professional, been in some top training camps. I feel very comfortable and confident. I know whomever is in front of me, it will not be easy, that’s for sure. If it’s a quick or a long fight, I am ready for whatever.”

EMMANUEL TAGOE, LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:

“I want to thank my promoter Lou DiBella and manager Peter Khan for giving me this opportunity to showcase myself to everyone. I know people don’t know me, but after this fight, people are going to ask, who is this guy!?

“I know Ryan Garcia, I respect him a lot as a good boxer but he is not my style.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY:

“For Tageo, to loose his professional debut and have an undefeated record after that for many years, shows that he has tasted defeat but he doesn’t want to taste it again which makes him very very dangerous.

“Ryan has been off for 15 months and we are glad that he is back. He is healthy, he is ready to go, but he knows that this is not a walk in the park.

“Ghana has some amazing boxing history with Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey. I know it’s going to be a really good fight. I know both guys are going to be ready, both guys are going to get into the ring with nothing to loose and with everything to loose. If there is someone who knows fighters like to Tageo, it’s me. I can see it in his eyes.”

JOE MARKOWSKI, DAZN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT:

“Ryan is a longtime DAZN fighter who moves the needle in a way that many fighters don’t. We applaud your bravery for speaking about your struggles, and we are delighted you are healthy and ready to fight on DAZN

“Ryan starts off some amazing content on DAZN, this fight is not going to be a walk in the park. My friend Lou DiBella has been talking to me about Emmanuel Tageo for sometime. Those of you that know Lou when he talks you have to listen. But he has been talking about this matchup for a while and we are excited to be hosting it.”

SPECIAL STATEMENT FROM LOU DIBELLA, PRESIDENT OF DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT:

“Hi everyone, Ryan Garcia is one of boxing’s most talented young stars and it’s good for the sport to have him back. I want to commend Ryan on his candor and mental health advocacy. I think his honesty will help a lot of people in battling the stigma associated with mental health care. I want to thank Ryan and Golden Boy Promotions for giving Emmanuel Tagoe, yet another talented, hungry fighter from Ghana, an opportunity to show his talents on the world stage. With Ryan’s immense popularity, he and his promoter could have come back against anyone. In Tagoe, they chose a legitimate and dangerous contender, who has won his last 32 fights. Emmanuel isn’t an easy touch; he’s a real threat. I applaud Ryan and Golden Boy Promotions for seeking this kind of challenge and I look forward to a great fight on April 9.”

Garcia vs. Tagoe is a 12-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with DiBella Entertainment. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, April 9th, and streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #GarciaTagoe

New York, NY – MARCH 1, 2022 – Everlast Worldwide the premier boxing and combat sports equipment manufacturer and perennial Choice of Champions, welcomes WBC & IBF Welterweight World Champion, Errol Spence Jr., officially back to Team Everlast.

Spence began his unbeaten world champion campaign in 2017 when he dropped and eventually stopped Kell Brook to win the IBF welterweight title after 11 rounds. In 2019, Errol picked up his second title when he defeated Shawn Porter for the WBC belt and unified status in what was arguably the fight of the year.

“Team Everlast has always been about adding the world’s most elite athletes. Errol is a rare talent who truly embodies the values of strength, dedication, individuality and authenticity we covet here at Everlast. We are honored to have him officially back as part of the Team Everlast family,” said Chris Zoller, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Everlast.

Errol has been with Team Everlast since 2018 and Everlast has been a necessary part of his training even since his amateur and Olympic days.

“I am happy to continue my career representing the Everlast brand. They have truly made me feel a part of the Everlast family. I appreciate their loyalty and patience over the years,” said Errol Spence Jr.

In signing a long-term partnership with the premier fight sports and fitness brand, Errol will train and fight exclusively in his favorite Everlast fight sports equipment and wear the new Greatness sportswear range. Battle-tested in one of the toughest athletic environments, Everlast products have been crafted over a hundred years to empower you on the road to greatness.

Adrian Clark, who has been integral in bringing Errol to Team Everlast says, “Errol becoming the face of Everlast is legendary. Both Everlast & Errol share a passion for being of service to different communities. We have some really cool things planned for the future.”

Errol becomes the latest to join Everlast’s existing stable of elite athletes, which includes champions like Deontay Wilder, Dustin Poirier, Josh Taylor and more. Together, the #TeamEverlast fighters seek to inspire the fight in us all on the journey to greatness.

To keep updated on Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. and other #TeamEverlast fighters, head to: www.everlast.com/pro-team.

PLANT CITY, FL (March 1, 2022) – Rising prospects, cruiserweight Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs) and welterweight Tommy Wu (1-0), both scored victories this past Friday on a card promoted by Garry Jonas of Pro Box Promotions. The bouts took place at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

Lopez, who hails from Ellwood, GA, was impressive as he defeated veteran journeyman Alex Theran (23-7, 15 KOs) with a second-round TKO. Lopez dropped Theran in the opening round, then finished him off in round two. After the short night, Lopez is ready to get right back to business.

“It felt fantastic to score another knockout this early in my career,” said Lopez. “I have a lot of confidence and I know I can defeat many of the top guys in the division right now. I’m going to take it one fight at a time, but I’m definitely ready to keep stepping up my competition. I’ll be right back in the gym ready to go for March 25th.

Tommy Wu, who was making his pro debut, won a unanimous decision against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs). Wu used his superior boxing skills and lateral movement to secure a nice win. Scorecards read 40-36 twice and 39-36.

“It was a great experience to get my pro debut out of the way,” said Wu, who has a tremendous following on social media. “I’m still learning and getting my first win as a professional is a big weight off my back. I know with more fights, I’ll be getting better and better.”

“I was really impressed with Lopez who beat a very experienced fighter in Theran,” said manager Tim VanNewhouse. “My plan is to move him a little more quickly than most at his level of experience. If Najee develops the way his team and I believe, I can see him being ranked before his tenth pro fight. As for Wu, he has all the tools to become something special, with some more professional coaching I will get him into a great position. I want to keep these guys busy and fighting at least five times a year.”

WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World, April 23 at Wembley Stadium

London March 1, 2022: Tyson Fury and fight promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry, along with Brad Jacobs from Top Rank, today met the media to signal the official launch of his mandatory defence against Dillian Whyte on April 23 under the famous arch at Wembley Stadium.

Challenger Whyte from Brixton, London, opted not to attend and remained at his training base in Portugal, leaving the No.1 heavyweight in the world with the stage to himself in front of the assembled world media.

Hall of Fame promoter Warren conveyed his obvious delight over staging the biggest event of the year but, however, expressed his disappointment over the no-show of Whyte and explained the circumstances behind his absence.

“We entered a world record purse bid for the fight and here we are with largest purses ever paid to British boxers to fight on UK soil. I am delighted, we are at Wembley and it doesn’t get any better than this.

“It will be a fantastic night of boxing and will be a sell-out with just under a 100,000 capacity. It will be a special night because you have got the WBC champion, the Lineal champion who has not fought here in nearly four years.

“Tickets go on sale tomorrow at noon and it is going to be phenomenal. All we needed was for the other side of the card to show up. We ticked all the boxes and he signed a contract that he left right until the last minute. Then he tries to renegotiate.

“One of the things was he wanted a private jet to fly him in and out today and we agreed to that in writing. Then they tried to add other stuff to it and didn’t even want to let us use his photograph on the poster. I’ve never heard of anything like it in my life. He is getting eight times more than Tyson got to fight Klitschko, more than Joshua got to fight Martin and more than Usyk got to fight Joshua.

“Champions bank on themselves to win, that’s what they do. If you win the title you get the money. We are where we are, but Dillian Whyte is in Portugal and it is disgraceful that he is not here. It is not professional and, if somebody else had won the purse bid, we would have helped to make that work. It is madness.”

Ahead of a second defence of his WBC world heavyweight title, Tyson Fury made light of his missing opponent.

“It has been an absolute roller coaster of a ride,” said the Gypsy King. “I’ve been across the Atlantic fighting at exotic venues and now I feel like the song by Thin Lizzy ‘The boys are back in Town’. After four years away I get to come back on the world’s biggest stage at Wembley Stadium.

“I am putting on for those who travelled out to Las Vegas and the fans who stayed up until 5am to watch on BT Sport. Now they can come and watch on home soil and be a part of history. People will be talking about this event, saying ‘where were you when this happened on that night of 23 April 2022?’ in years to come. When Tyson Fury smashed this fella to pieces in front of home fans in the UK.

“There hasn’t been a bigger fight since Lewis-Bruno, an all-British showdown for the WBC heavyweight championship of the world.

“It will be a fantastic event and I know Dillian Whyte is going to come in prepared. He will be rugged, rough, game and aggressive. Both fighters are going for the knockout in this fight and when I land the Lancaster Bomber on his jaw it is going to be over.

“I am looking to put on an excellent showcase of knockout boxing in front of the UK fans and then sing a load of songs afterwards! Time to party on down in the Big Smoke!

“I am not concerned about Dillian not being here because this is the Tyson Fury Roadshow.”

Brad Jacobs of Top Rank added: “Whyte is certainly a credible threat and is one of the top available contenders. It is unprofessional that he is not here today but we will get past that and move on. Everyone is second best to Tyson, in the ring, in personality, in everything.”

POMONA, CA. (March 1, 2022) – Rising unbeaten prospect Ashton “H2O” Sylve scored an impressive one-punch knockout victory this past Saturday night as he defeated Aldimar Silva in the second round in front of a sold out crowd in Pomona, California.

“It was a great night,” said Sylve post fight. “A sold out crowd turned out to watch me take on a veteran opponent with a great track record. I worked really hard in training camp and it paid off. I wanted to give the fans an exciting fight. We came with a game plan, stuck to that plan and put on a great performance.”

“It was a spectacular night,” said Ivan Sylve, Ashton’s father and trainer. “I’ve always known and said that Ashton is special, and now the world gets to see his unmatched talents.”

The 18-year-old Sylve improved his pro record to 6-0, with six knockouts, as he delivered a bruising left hook to finish off Silva 32 seconds into round two, thrilling a star-studded crowd that included former NFL star Willie McGinest, YouTuber Fousey, MMA Champion A.J. McKee, pro boxer Raquel Miller, and rappers Manny Montana, P Nice, DW Flames, TayF3rd and Allen Maldonado. WATCH THE K.O. VIDEO HERE

“It was very special to have my U.S. debut in front of my hometown crowd,” said Sylve. “I felt the energy of my family, friends and fans and I wanted to give them a great night to remember.”

A former amateur standout who turned pro in October 2020, Sylve stepped up in competition against the Brazilian Silva on Saturday night. Silva had not been stopped since 2018, and has faced former world champions including Jorge Arce and Juan Manuel Lopez during his pro career.

“Before the fight, people were asking me why we are taking on such a tough opponent at this early stage in Ashton’s career,” said Ivan Sylve. “I think we answered that question tonight.”

Now, Sylve and his father will look forward to building on the success from Saturday night and look to carry that momentum into Ashton’s next fight.

“Ashton works harder than anyone and his skills speak for themselves,” said Ivan Sylve. “The journey continues and I’m so happy with where we are.”

“This is just the beginning,” said Sylve. “I’ll be back in the gym on Monday training and working hard for my next fight in March.”

Sylve will return to the ring on March 26 in Orlando, Florida. Additional details will be announced shortly.

QUINCY, Mass. (March 1, 2022) – Granite Chin Promotions returns to the Granite State on March 19th with another professional boxing card, “Slugfest,” at New England Sports Center in Derry, New Hampshire.

“Slugfest” will be the second Granite Chin event promoted three weeks having presented “Showcase” this past Saturday night in Framingham, Massachusetts.

“After an exciting show in Framingham last weekend,” Granite State president Chris Traietti said, “I am excited to get back to Derry, New Hampshire, where we have had a ton of success during the last two years.”

Undefeated lightweight prospect Nicholas “Saint Nick” Molina (7-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of Lowell, Massachusetts, will headline “Slugfest” in an 8-round bout against “Outlaw” Ryan Venable (2-10, 6 KOs).

In the co-featured event, Woburn (MA) middleweight Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste (3-1, 2 KOs) faces Brian Urday (1-0), of Whitman (MA), in an 8-round match.

Other fighters scheduled to be fighting on “Slugfest” include former New England Heavyweight Champion Justin “Crazy Train” Rolfe (6-3-1, 4 KOs), New Bedford (MA) Edet Mkpanam (5-0, 4 KOs), Providence’s pro-debuting welterweight Michael Vongsavath, Jr., Swansea (MA) super welterweight Anthony Andreozzi (1-2, 1 KO), Metheun (MA) heavyweight Viktor “The Siberian Express” Lobov, and Pittsfield (MA) brothers, super middleweight Steve Sumpter (4-0, 4 KOs) and heavyweight Quinton Sumpter (2-0, 2 KOs).

“There are a lot of fights in this card that will be well worth the price of admission,” Traietti added. “We are happy to have Nick Molina on a Granite Chin card for the first time, as well as debuting Viktor Lobov. Fans will also get a good dose of notoriously exciting fighters such as Julien Baptiste, Jason Rolfe, Anthony Andreozzi, and the return of Edet Mkpanam.”

Card subject to change.

Tickets are available for purchase at www.TicketRiver.com (Search: SLUGFEST). Ticket prices are $35.00 (Bleacher Seating), $45.00 (Floor Seating, and $260.00 for a table of 4.

Doors open at 6:30 pm. ET with the first bout at 7:00 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

Twitter: @Granite_Chin

OBREGON, Sonora, Mexico (February 28, 2022) – Last Thursday night, Luis “Koreano” Torres (15-0, 10 KOs) and Irving “Poderoso” Castillo (10-2, 6 KOs) were semifinal winners of the World Cup Boxing Series (WCBS) “4-Man Lightweight Tournament” on the first 2022 installment of RJJ Boxing Promotions on UFC FIGHT PASS®, at Palenque de la Expo in Obregón, Sonora, Mexico.

The two tournament fights and three other bouts were streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

Torres, the former WBC Youth Silver Lightweight Champion, and Castillo advanced to this spring’s “WCBS Lightweight Tournament” at a date and site to be determined.

In the main event, Torres knocked out Rodolfo “Rudy” Flores (14-6, 6 KOs) in round four, after dropping him in the second and third rounds. The pre-tournament favorite, 20-year-old Torres headlined the card in his hometown of Obregon.

Torres semis.jpg
Luis “Koreano” Torres

In the co-featured event, decorated United States amateur Quinton Randall (8-0-1, 2 KOs) and Ivan “Ivan “Zurdo” Alvarez (31-13-2, 21 KOs) fought for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Welterweight Championship. An unintentional headbutt caused a severe cut over Alvarez’ right end, leading to a second-round technical draw.

Castillo took an 8-round majority decision over Isai “Gaga” Hernandez (11-3-1, 7 KOs) to set-up his showdown against Torres in the “WCBS Lightweight Tournament” championship final.

In two other lightweight fights on UFC FIGHT PASS, Venezuelan Fradimil Macayo (16-1, 13 KOs) went the distance for only the third time in his career, winning an 8-round unanimous decision versus previously unbeaten Armando Ramirez Almanza (5-1-1, 2 KOs), of Mexico; undefeated 19-year-old prospect Jorge “Jorgito” Cota (7-0, 5 KOs) – the youngest in the famed Mexican fightin’ Montiel family – stopped his Guatemalan opponent Rene “Kampana” de Leon Mazariegos (7-4, 4 KOs) in the third round.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – WCBS 4-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS

Luis Torres (15-0, 10 KOs), Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico

WTKO4 (0:49)

Rodolfo Flores (14-6, 6 KOs), Los Mochis, Nuevo Leon, México.

(Torres advances to WCBS Lightweight Tournament Championship final)

CO-FEATURE – VACANT WBC USNBC SILVER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Quinton Randall (8-0-1, 2 KOs), Houston, Texas, USA

TD2

Ivan Alvarez (31-13-2, 21 KOs), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México.

WCBS 4-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS

Irving Castillo (10-2, 6 KOs), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México

WDEC8 (77-74, 76-75, 76-75)

Isai Hernandez (11-3-1, 7 KOs), La Paz, Baja California, México

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Fradimil Macayo (16-1, 13 KOs), Carúpano, Venezuela.

WDEC8 (77-74, 76-75, 76-75)

Armando Ramirez Almanza (5-1-1, 2 KOs), Celaya, Guanajuato, México.

Jorge Lugo Cota (7-0, 5 KOs), Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México

WKO3 (2:59)

Rene de Leon Mazariegos (7-4, 4 KOs), Celaya, Guanajuato, México

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Reading, PA (February 28, 2022)–King’s Promotions has announced the signing of 2021 Olympian Euri Cedeño Martinez to a promotional contract.

Euri had qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo and had to put his professional career on hold. At the Tokyo Olympics, Cedeño Martinez reached the quarterfinals after a 67 second knockout against Eldric Sella from Venezuela in the opening round of the tournament. In the second round he outpointed Francisco Daniel Veron from Argentina, before losing a split decision in a very competitive fight against the heavily favorite Oleksandr Khyzhniak from Ukraine.

Euri Cedeño Martinez started boxing at age five, as he was inspired by his father who was a boxing trainer in the Dominican Republic. Throughout his amateur career, he amassed numerous national titles, and represented his nation at every major international tournament. His most recent achievement was winning the Independent Cup International Tournament where he stopped all of his opponents on his way to the gold medal.

“Winning the Independent Cup was a good way to finish my amateur career. I’m very excited to start my journey in the professional ranks,” said Cedeño Martinez.

The 22-year-old takes the next step toward that goal after signing with advisor Trifon Petrov. For Cedeño Martinez the decision came down to trusting Petrov’s deal making abilities and his character.

“Trifon Petrov has been around the game and has a very solid stable of young fighters. I’m very excited to be a part of his team. He is a very genuine person and I saw qualities in him that I did not see in other managers who wanted to sign me, it was an easy decision to trust him with my career,” said Euri Cedeño Martinez.

For Petrov, it was a combination of his boxing abilities and character that made him pursue the Dominican prospect.

“With over 400 amateur fights and countless achievements in the amateurs, Euri is a true blue chip prospect. Above all, he is a great human being and I think he’ll be a great role model for the upcoming generation of young athletes,” said Trifon Petrov.

After linking with Petrov, Euri Cedeño Martinez signed with very well respected promoter in Marshall Kauffman and Andrew Foy of Kings Boxing.

The Pennsylvania based company has proved they can build a fighter from the ground up over and over again. Marshall Kauffman has promoted well over 130 events across all big media platforms such as Showtime and Fox.

“I wanted to sign with Marshall Kauffman as I heard great things from my advisor and my brother who has known Mr. Kauffman for a couple of years. I have seen the work Marshall and Andrew have done with all the fighters under Kings Boxing, the work they were able to do with WBA interim World Champion Ra’eese Aleem and the WBC/IBO unified World Champion Alycia Baumgardner speaks for itself. I’m very excited to work with Kings Boxing,” said Cedeño Martinez.

Marshall Kauffman, who was recently inducted into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame can’t wait to see his new prodigy in action.

“It’s such a rarity to see a fighter who is a complete package at such a young age. At only 22 years old Cedeño Martinez has all the physical gifts, mental toughness and ring savvy to achieve greatness in the sport of boxing,” said Kauffman.

Euri Cedeño Martinez will be training in Reading, Pennsylvania under the tutelage of Denny Rivera known as “Sensei”. Rivera is well known from his work with World Champions such as Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Elio Rojas and Cesar Seda.

Martinez decided to follow his older brother Hendri’s footsteps and turn professional. Hendri Cedeño Martinez amassed a record of 4-0 in his first year as a professional fighter. While both brothers wanted to turn professional together, Euri’s debut was on hold due to competing in the Olympics.

NEW YORK (February 28, 2022) – It was a perfect weekend for Split-T Management fighters as six members of the top management stable posted wins in as many outings.

On Thursday, Sonny Conto remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Mike Marshall in front of a capacity crowd at Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia.

Conto dominated the fight as he was able to land hard shots to the head and body. He was very effective with his jab that eventually set up some nice straight rights and left hooks to the body. Marshall showed a good chin, but was never able to get any consistent offense of his own on-track.

Conto, 226.1 lbs of Philadelphia won by shutout margins of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 9-0. Marshall, 248.8 lbs of Danbury, CT is 6-3-1.

Conto is promoted by Top Rank.

On Friday night, Marques and Dominic Valle scored impressive stoppage victories in Plant City, Florida.

Marques Valle needed just 89 seconds to dispose of Robbie Rose in their scheduled six-round welterweight contest.

Valle of Wesley Chapel, Florida is now 4-0 with four knockouts. Rose of Richburg, South Carolina is 1-2.

Dominick Valle stopped Nelson Colon Torres in round three of a scheduled four-round super featherweight contest.

Valle raises his perfect record to 3-0 with three knockouts. Torres of Vayey, Puerto Rico is 4-7.

The Valle brothers are promoted by ProBox Promotions.

On Saturday night in Philadelphia, Ray Robinson shook off a two-and-a-half year layoff by stopping veteran Silverio Ortiz after round three of a scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout in front of a big crowd at the 2300 Arena.

The eight-bout card was promoted by RDR Promotions.

Robinson was very sharp with his punches as he continuously banged shots off the head of Ortiz. Robinson had a big round three as he had Ortiz in trouble several times. The corner of Ortiz had seen enough and bowed their charge out of the fight.

Robinson of Philadelphia is 25-3-2 with 13 knockouts. Ortiz of Mexico is 37-29.

In Atlanta, super middleweight, Money Powell IV stopped veteran Fidel Monterrosa Munoz in round two of their scheduled eight-round bout.

Powell dropped Munoz three-times in the opening round from body shots. Munoz also had a point deducted for spitting out his mouthpiece.

With the win, Powell is now 13-1 with eight knockouts. Munoz is 39-28-1.

In the Dominican Republic, Yan Santana moved to 3-0 with a 2nd round knockout over Juan Ysabel.

LAS VEGAS, NV (February 28, 2022) – Super bantamweight prospect,
Darren “The Gift” Cunningham (15-1, 8 KOs), continued to impress in his comeback campaign with a first-round knockout against Ernesto Guerrero (33-33, 19 KOs). Cunningham vs. Guerrero was an 8-round bout that took place this past Friday at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona, on a card promoted by Ironboy Combat Sports.

In the opening minuets of round one, Cunningham set the tone by landing a powerful overhand right to the head of Guerrero, forcing him to fight on his back foot. In the latter half of the round, Cunningham connected with a damaging left hook to the body that send Guerrero to the canvas. After failing to get up, the referee stopped the bout and the fight was over.”

With the win, Cunningham is now back on a winning streak having won his last two fights since suffering his first defeat as a professional. The plan is to have him back in the ring by late March.

“I knew I hade to make an impressive statement in this fight because every bout from here on out is crucial to me climbing up the rankings.” said Cunningham, a St. Louis native who trains in Las Vegas. “I took no punishment against Guerrero so I’m hoping to get right back in the ring in March. I have big plans for 2022 and I won’t stop until I get in a position to fight for some kind of title, a regional belt with one of the sanctioning organizations.”

POMONA, CALIF. (February 27, 2022): Australian heavyweight Trent Rawlins (13-2-1, 10 KOs) scored a six-round majority decision win over Santander Sildago (30-11, 24 KOs) of Arboletes, Colombia in the main event of a MarvNation Promotions card Saturday evening in Pomona, Calif.

Rawlins won with scores of 58-54, 58-54 and 56-56. The event, which was billed as BoxFest 2, took place at The Derby Room and was streamed in its entirety on MarvNation’s official YouTube channel.

“I felt great,” said Trent Rawlins. “My opponent was a veteran. He was a tough guy with 30 wins. It was a tough fight and all praise be to God for giving me the victory tonight. I’m going to keep building in order to one day fight for the heavyweight championship of the world.”

In the co-main event, Ashton Sylve (7-0, 7KOs) of Long Beach, Calif. stopped Aldimar Silva (22-19, 14 KOs) of Sao Paulo, Brazil in the second round of a scheduled six-round featherweight fight. Sylve won with a time of 0:32 of the aforementioned round.

Mylik Birdsong (13-0-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. defeated Daniel Perales (12-22, 6 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico via unanimous decision in a six-round welterweight fight. Birdsong won with three scores of 58-55.

Raul Solomon (9-1, 8 KOs) of Long Beach, Calif. beat Jeremy Ramos (11-12, 4 KOs) of Colorado Springs, Colorado via unanimous decision in a six-round super middleweight bout. Solomon won with two scores of 59-55 and one score of 60-54.

Ruben Islas (4-0, 3 KOs) of Rialto, Calif defeated Alen Dudo (0-1) of Sarajevo, Bosnia via unanimous decision in a four-round super featherweight fight. Islas won with three scores 40-36.

Saul Bustos (15-0-1, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. beat Martin Angel (21-20-1,14 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico via unanimous decision in an eight-round 147-pound battle. Bustos won with three scores 80-79.

Alan Garcia (5-0, 4KOs) of Ulysses, Kansas knocked out Luis Norambuena (4-9-1) of Talca, Chile via knockout in the second round of a scheduled four-rounder in the 135-pound division. Garcia won with a time of 0:38 seconds of the round just mentioned.

Lawrence King (11-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, Calif. defeated Abel Nicolas Adriel (25-23-3, 5 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina via unanimous decision in a six-round super middleweight fight. King won with three scores of 60-54.

Juan Sanchez (2-0, 2KO) of Buena Park, Calif. knocked out Chilean prospect Javier Lara (2-1) in the first round of a scheduled six-round welterweight fight. Sanchez won with a time of 2:51.

Sincere Brooks (2-0) of Long Beach, Calif. won against Andres Abarca (2-8) of Normandy Park, Washington via four-round unanimous decision in a super lightweight bout. Brooks won with two scores of 40-36 and one score of 39-37.

William King (2-0) of Perris, Calif. beat Michaels Mendez (0-3) of Las Vegas, Nevada. via unanimous decision in a four-round super lightweight bout. King won with two scores of 40-36 and one score of 39-37.

Rawlins vs. Silgado was a six-round heavyweight fight presented by MarvNation Promotions. The event took place on Saturday, Feb. 26 at The Derby Room in Pomona Calif. The entire card was streamed live on MarvNation’s official YouTube channel.

For more information, follow MarvNation on Instagram and Twitter @MarvNation_.

About MarvNation
MarvNation Promotions was founded in 2014 by Marvin Rodriguez and was created with a vision to not only create concerts or boxing events, but to also create experiences for the fans. In 2018, after noticing a lack of support for many young and hungry prospects without an extensive Olympic and amateur background, MarvNation involved itself in the sport of boxing with a mission to make a way for these young prospects and develop them into top contenders and champions in the sport. Established both on a national and international level, MarvNation is here to bring you the best of boxing and live entertainment.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (February 27, 2022) – Granite Chin Promotions successfully kicked-off its 2022 campaign last night with “Showcase,” featuring many of New England’s best and most popular professional boxers, at Sheraton Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Only the second pro boxing event ever held in Framingham, “Showcase” was streamed live on bxngtv.com. Granite Chin Promotions’ next event will be March 19 in Derry, New Hampshire.

“This was the club show of all club shows,” promoter Chris Traietti said. “We had three fighters get their first pro wins. Then, we saw the cream rise. We asked Denzel (Whitley) and Carlos (Castillo) to step up and they did their jobs. The difference between Denzel and his father (Derrick) and uncle (Darren) is that Denzel has somebody to look out for him. (Denzel’s father and uncle are his coaches and both former pro fighters.) They (father and uncle) had people who exploited their toughness. I’m going to capitalize on his talent. He will be in his first scheduled 8-rounder in his next fight this June.”

In the main event, Puerto Rico-native Jeffrey Torres (10-1, 6 KOs) used his height, length and skill advantages against his Mexican opponent, Israel “Filipino” Rojas (14-26, 5 KOs), who was unable to withstand Torres’ assault right from the opening bell. Rojas was dropped early by an overhand right, and he immediately got on his bicycle, but the change in strategy didn’t work. Rojas went down again, this time from a right cross, and the fight ended when the referee didn’t like the way Rojas responded after he beat the count.

ME.jpg
Jeffrey Torres (R) was too much for Israel Rojas to handle

Rising welterweight prospect Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (8-0, 6 KOs) stopped converted MMA fighter Alfred “Keenan” Raymond (1-1, 0 KOs) in the third round. Whitley started putting his punches together in round two and in the third, he dropped Raymond with an overhand right and the fight was stopped because Raymond injured his right shoulder when he landed awkwardly, and he was unable to continue.

“I give myself a C+ because I should have started faster,” Whitley harshly graded himself. “He was a good opponent who brought it to me and that’s what I needed. I’m still undefeated! I’m working my way up to eight rounds and fighting better competition. I’m going to push it to the limit.”

CF.jpg
Denzel Whitley (L) improved to 8-0

Rising welterweight prospect Josniel “TG” Castro 8-0-1, 6 KOs) suffered a cut over his left eye from an unintentional clash of heads versus Jesus Rivera Garces (18-27-1, 12 KOs), the former WBC Youth World Super Lightweight Champion from Mexico. The fight was stopped in round three on the advice of the ring doctor and declared a no contest.

In a fight that could have been held in the proverbial phone booth, light heavyweight Stephen “Clubber” Langlais (4-1, 3 KOs) out-slugged Scott “Scotty Bombs” Lampert (2-4, 2 KOs), who lived up to his nickname early in the fight. Langlais went downstairs in the second round, in which Lampert took a knee, and a straight right to the stomach dropped Lampert, leading to the referee stopping the fight.

Super middleweight Laurent Humes (4-0, 4 KOs) knocked down a game Juan Celin Zapata (6-21-2, 4 KOs) four times in the opening round en route to a first-round technical knockout. Humes used a left hook to the head for the first two knockdowns, then went downstairs with a left hook to the body for Zapata’s third trip to the canvas, followed by another left hook to the body that ended the show with two seconds remaining in round one.

Young junior middleweight Carlos Castillo (5-0, 3 KOs) needed rounds and he got six from Antonio Chaves Fernandez (9-42-4, 3 KOs) to win a 6-round majority decision. Castillo, 23, fought in his first scheduled six-round and was taken the distance by the always difficult Fernandez.

Undefeated southpaw prospect Steve Sumpter (4-0, 4 KOs) needed only 1:03 to dismiss super middleweight David Rohn (0-12-1). Sumpter dropped Rohn on the seat of his trunks with a straight right and soon after he closed the show with a left hook that led the referee to stop the fight.

Brazilian junior middleweight Maycon Oller (1-3, 1 KO) upset Jamer Jones (2-1, 2 KOs) in the second round. Jones used his jab as a range seeker, moved inside, and battered Oller throughout the opening round. But Oller came back strong in the second, catching Jones with a couple of head-snapping punches. One sent Jones flying onto the ropes that was ruled a knockdown, but he was hurt and when Oller connected on a few more solid shots and he was out on his feet, when the referee wisely halted the action.

Framingham rivals Saul “The Spider” Almeida (1-14-4, 1 KO) and Kevin “Lucky” Lewis were in a grudge match. Lewis’ pro debut was anything but lucky for him as he was unable to continue after three rounds against cruiserweight Almeida, a Brazilian MMA fighter of note in New England. The two were supposed to fight each other last October, but Almeida came in overweight and their fight was scrapped. Almeida recorded his first pro boxing win in his 19th fight.

In a battle of previously winless junior middleweights, Anthony “Gentle Savage” Andreozzi (1-2, 1 KO) and Robert Bricks (0-9) came out throwing bombs. The action didn’t slow as Andreozzi landed much more often, mostly with powerhouse exchanges in an all-out brawl. The end came in the second round, when Andreozzi closed the show with a right uppercut from which Bricks never recovered for a second-round technical knockout victory.

Highly decorated amateur Felix Parrilla (4-0, 4 KOs), fighting out of New Haven (CT), completely outclassed his opponent, Ecuadorian junior lightweight Ronny Arana (0-5), who was unable to beat the referee’s count after getting hammered and dropped with a vicious left hook to the body in the opening round. Parrilla was a 4-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, as well as a silver medalist at the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament.

Florida junior middleweight prospect Eric Tudor (2-0, 2 KOs) unleashed his fury on Rynell Griffin (8-51-2, 2 KOs), unloading a dozen unanswered punches on Griffin, who was trapped in a neutral corner, until the referee waved off the fight midway through round two.

Journeymen Larry “Slo Mo” Smith (13-50-4, 9 KOs) and Manny “Shake Em’ Up” Woods (17-16-1, 6 KOs) opened the nighty in a competitive fight between veteran middleweights. Smith was the aggressor from the opening round, cutting off the ring and throwing combinations, while Wood relied too often on one big punch, The fight was stopped on the advice of the ring doctor in the ninth round because of cut over Woods’ left eye and awarded a technical knockout to Smith.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

Jeffrey Torres (10-1, 6 KOs), New Haven, CT

WTKO1 (2:59)

Israel Rojas (14-26, 5 KOs), Aqua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS

Denzel Whitley (8-0, 6 KOs), Holyoke, MA

WTKO3 (2:35)

Alfred Raymond (1-1, 0 KOs) Warwick, RI

CRUISERWEIGHTS

Saul Almeida (1-14-4, 1 KO), Framingham, MA

WTKO3 (3:00)

Kevin Lewis (0-1), Framingham, MA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Stephen Langlais (3-1, 2 KOs), Acushnet, MA

WTKO2 (2:37)

Scott Lampert (2-3, 2 KOs), Dover, NY

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Laurent Humes (4-0, 4 KOs), Enfield, CT

WTKO1 (2:58)

Juan Celin Zapata (6-21-2, 4 KOs), Bronx, NY

Steve Sumpter (4-0, 4 KOs), Pittsfield, MA

WTKO1 (1:03)

David Rohn (0-12-1), Moline, IL

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Larry Smith (13-50-4 (9 KOs), Dallas, TX

WTKO9 (1:59)

Manny Woods (17-16-1, 6 KOs), Saint Petersburg, FL

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Carlos Castillo (5-0, 3 KOs), Holyoke, MA

WDEC6 (59-55, 59-55, 57-57)

Antonio Chaves Fernandez (9-42-4, 3 KOs), Brockton, MA

Maycon Oller (1-3,1 KO), Concord, NH

WKO2 (2:42)

Jamer Jones (2-1, 2 KOs), Pittsfield, MA

Anthony Andreozzi (1-2, 1 KO), Swansea, MA

WTKO2 (1:52)

Robert Bricks (0-9), New York, NY

Eric Tudor (2-0, 2 KOs), Fort Lauderdale, FL

WTKO2 (1:15)

Rynell Griffen (8-51-2, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV

WELTERWEIGHTS

Josniel Castro (8-0 1 NC, 6 KOs), Boca Raton, FL

No Contest 3 (2:39)

Juan Jesus Rivera Garces (18-27, 1 NC, 12 KOs), Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS

Felix Parrilla (4-0, 4 KOs), New Haven, CT

WKO1 (2:17)

Ronny Arana (0-5), New York, NY

Lawrence Okolie made the 2nd defense of the WBO Cruiserweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Michal Cieslak at the 02 Arena in London, England.

In round five, Okolie dropped Cieslak with an overhand right to the head.

Okolie landed 125 of 466 punches; Cieslak was 55 of 313.

Okolie, 199.3 lbs of Hackney, ENG won by scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 and is now 18-0. Cieslak, 199.5 lbs of Radom, POL is 21-2.

Yafai stops Bautista in 5

2021 Olympic Gold Medal winner Galal Yafai made a successful pro debut with a 5th round stoppage over Carlos Vado Bautista in a scheduled 10-round flyweight bout.

Yafai beat up Bautista over the course of the fight. In round five, Yafai landed a straight left that sent Bautista down, and the fight was stopped.

Yafai, 111.5 lbs of Birmingham, ENG is 1-0 with one knockout. Bautista, 109 1/2 lbs of Mexico City is 10-5-1.

Gill stops Guerfi in 9

Jordan Gill stopped Karim Karim Guerfi in round nine of their featherweight bout

It seemed liked it would be Guerfi’s night as in round seven, Guerfi sent Gill to the canvas with a starlight right hand. In round nine, Gill landed a big right that sent Guerfi crashing down on his back and he was out at 2:59.

Gill, 126 lbs of Chatteris, ENG is 27-1-1 with eight knockouts. Guerfi, 125.3 lbs of Manosque, FRA is 30-6.

Fowler Decisions Maciej

Anthony Fowler won a 10-round unanimous decision over Lukasz Maciej in a middleweight fight.

Fowler, 163.5 lbs of Liverpool, ENG won by scores of 99-91, 99-92 and 99-93 and is now 16-2. Maciej, 163.6 lbs of Lublin, POL is 27-4-1,

Wardley Stops Martz in 2

Fabio Wardley remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Daniel Martz in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Wardley dropped Martz with an overhand left-right combination. Wardley scored a 2nd knockdown when he landed a left to the side of the head, and the fight was stopped at 30 seconds.

Wardley, 234.5 lbs of Ipswitch, ENG is 13-0 with 12 knockouts. Martz, 266.2 lbs of Clarksburg, WV is 20-10-1.

Hatton Stops Ducker in 6

Campbell Hatton remained undefeated with a 6th and final round stoppage over Joe Ducker in a lightweight bout.

Hatton dominated the action until the bout was stopped at 2:23.

Hatton, 136.2 of Manchester, ENG is 6-0 with two knockouts. Ducker, 136.7 lbs of Loughbrough, ENG is 9-9-2.

PHILADELPHIA–Ray Robinson shook off a two-and-a-half year layoff by stopping veteran Silverio Ortiz after round three of a scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout in front of a big crowd at the 2300 Arena.

Robinson was very sharp with his punches as he continuously banged shots off the head of Ortiz. Ortiz was able to get in a some flush punches of his own. Robinson had a big round three as he had Ortiz in trouble several times. The corner of Ortiz had seen enough and bowed their charge out of the fight.

Robinson of Philadelphia is 25-3-2 with 13 knockouts. Ortiz of Mexico is 37-29.

Muhsin Cason remained undefeated with a 5th round stoppage over Steven Lyons in a scheduled six-round cruiserweight fight.

Cason got off to a slow start, but started to turn the fight around in the fourth frame. In round five, Cason landed a left-right and another hard left that put Lyons down for the count at 2:58.

Cason of Philadelphia via Las Vegas is 10-0 with seven knockouts. Lyons is 5-8-2.

Oscar Barajas won a six-round majority decision over Jerome Conquest in a lightweight fight.

Barajas of Mexico won by scores of 58-56 twice and 57-57 to raise his record to 17-8-1. Conquest of Philadelphia is 11-7.

Dominque Mayfield won a four-round unanimous decision over Darryl Clark in a heavyweight bout.

Mayfield scored a knockdown in round two and won by scores of 40-35 on all cards.

Mayfield of Philadelphia is 1-1. Clark of Houston is 1-2.

Joel Caudle stopped previously undefeated Robert Sabbagh after round four of their heavyweight fight.

Caudle was aggressive and was landing some hard shots until Sabbagh pulled the plug on the fight at the end of round four.

Caudle is 9-6-2 with six knockouts. Sabbagh of Brooklyn, NY is 3-1.

Good looking prospect Isaiah Johnson destroyed Dieumerci Nzau in 72 seconds of their junior welterweight fight.

Johnson viciously dropped Nzau with a hard left cross. He finished off Nzau with a hard combination that forced a stoppage.

Johnson is now 4-0 with four knockouts. Nzau is 11-16.

Edwin Cortes made it two straight over Jerrod Miner in a four-round bantamweight contest.

Cortes, 115.5 lbs of Millville, NJ won by 40-36 scores on all cards to go to 2-0. Miner, 119.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-14-2.

Jabril Noble stopped Joseph Santana in round one of a scheduled four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Noble hurt Santana several times before dropping Santana with a left hook, and the fight was stopped at 2:01.

Noble, 134.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 3-0 with three knockouts. Santana, 139 lbs of Providence, RI is 0-5.

Josh Taylor escaped with a 12-round split decision over heavy underdog Jack Catterall to retain the undisputed junior welterweight title a the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland

It was a tough fight with Catterall getting through with overhand lefts. Taylor took a few rounds to get going and was able to get into the fight in the second half of the contest.

In round five, Taylor began to swell around his right eye.

In round eight, Catterall landed a left that was ruled a knockdown. In round 10, Catterall was deducted a point for hitting on the break. Taylor was deducted a point after round 11 for tapping Catterall after the bell.

Taylor landed just 73 of 302 punches; while Catterall was 120 of 525.

The judges saw the fight 114-111 and 113-112 for Taylor. Catterall won a scorecard 113-112.

Taylor, 140 lbs of Scotland is now 19-0. Catterall, 139 lbs of Chorley, ENG is 26-1.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Robeisy Ramirez stopped Eric Donovan in round three of their 10-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Ramirez dropped Donovan with a straight left. In round three, Ramirez landed a hard left that sent Donovan down and the fight was over at 1:04.

Ramirez, 126.3 lbs of Cuba is 9-1 with five knockouts. Donovan, 126.3 lbs of Ireland is 14-2.

Nick Campbell scored a 7th round stoppage over Jay McFarlane in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight brawl

In round seven, Campbell dropped McFarlane with a right uppercut. Campbell continued to batter McFarlane with hard power shots and the fight was finally stopped at 2:18.

Campbell, 254 lbs of Glasgow, SCO is 5-0 with five knockouts. McFarlane, 276 lbs of Glasgow is now 12-6.

Paddy Donovan remained undefeated with a 6th and final round stoppage over Miroslav Serban in a welterweight fight.

In round six, Serban was cut around the left ear. and the fight was stopped.

Donovan, 146 lbs of Limerick, IRE is 8-0 with six knockouts. Serban, 145 lbs of the Czech Republic is 13-9.

Ebonie Jones and Eftychia Kathopuli fought to a six-round draw in a featherweight contest.

The referee score was 57-57. Jones, 126 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 1-0-1. Kathopuli, 124 lbs of Scotland is 4-3-1.

John Docherty stopped Jordan Grant in round two of their eight-round super middleweight fight.

In the 2nd frame, Docherty landed a left uppercut to to the body that sent Grant down for the count at 2:49.

Docherty, 172 lbs of Scotland is 12-1 with nine knockouts. Grant, 176 lbs of Hamilton, SCO is 4-2.

Bilal Fawaz stopped Malam Varela in round three of their four-round middleweight contes.

In round one, Fawaz was credited with a knockdown and a left knocked Varela off balance. In round three, Fawaz landed a 16 punch flurry on the ropes, and the fight was stopped.

Fawaz, 158.3 lbs of London, ENG is 2-0 with two knockouts. Varela, 162 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 1-2.

Scott Forrest stopped Eric Nazaryan in the 2nd round of their four-round cruiserweight bout after Nazaryan could not continue due to a arm injury.

The time was 1:08 for Forrest, 203.3 lbs who is 1-0 with one stoppage. Nazaryan, 207 lbs is 28-26-4-2.

2021 Olympian Kurt Walker stopped Jaroslav Hiradel in the opening round of their four-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Walker dropped Hiradel with a body shots, and the fight was stopped at 2:03

Walker, 129 lbs of Northern Ireland is 1-0 with one knockout. Hiradel, 127.3 lbs of the Czech Republic is 1-3.

Kieron Molloy made a successful pro debut with a 2nd round stoppage over Damian Esquisabel in a junior middleweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 33 seconds for Molloy, who is now 1-0. Equisabel is 4-8.

PLANT CITY, Florida (Feb. 25, 2022): Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (26-2, 10 KOs) of Manchester, United Kingdom defeated Kazakh contender Kanat “QazaQ” Islam (28-1, 22 KOs) by majority decision in the ProBox Promotions’ main event Friday evening in Plant City, Florida.

Kelly, who captured the WBO Global Middleweight Championship, won with scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 95-95. The fight took place at Whitesands Event Center, one of 11 scraps put together by the Florida-based company headed by Garry Jonas.

“I thought I won every round,” said Jimmy Kelly, who admitted after that he wanted to fly home quickly to see his two kids. “I even hurt my hand and could only box with my jab during the last four rounds. Despite that, I still feel I won every round. I felt his pressure, but I didn’t feel his power. Kanat was looking for the counter all night, but I didn’t let him do it.”

In the co-main event, “Pistol” Pete Dobson (15-0, 9 KOs) of The Bronx, New York beat Mexican southpaw Jose Miguel Borrego (19-4) via wide unanimous decision. Dobson’s accuracy, movement, ring generalship, all of that added up to a long night for Borrego, by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 100-90. Dobson has sharpened his game by getting superior sparring, against the likes of Terence Crawford, of late.

Jonathan Eniz (12-8, 2 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina scored an upset unanimous decision victory against Mark Reyes Jr. (14-2, 12 KOs) of Tampa, Florida after 10 rounds of action. The three judges scored the fight in Eniz’s favor with the following scorecards: 95-94, 95-94, 96-93.

The Argentine won over the sold-out house with this fast hands, crazy stamina and slick movement. Reyes Jr looked a step behind at times, but he drew massive cheers from locals, for his ability to slick and duck, when he avoided getting tagged hard as Eniz flurried maniacally in round nine.

Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs), a cruiserweight standout of Puerto Rican nationality who represents Ellwood, Georgia, scored a second-round knockout victory against Alex “El Principe” Theran (23-7, 15 KOs) in what was his first fight scheduled for six rounds. Lopez scored two knockdowns, the latter of which ended matters at :33 of the aforementioned round. Lopez said after that he believes he’s ready for another step up, after downing a boxer who’d battled Anthony Yarde, Yunieski Gonzalezand Hot Rod Kalajdzic. “I feel like I can compete with the best of them,” Lopez said after the victory.

Marques Valle (4-0, 4 KOs) of Wesley Chapel, Florida scored a vicious stoppage win over Robbie Rose (1-2) of Richburg, South Carolina in what was a scheduled six-round welterweight battle. The older Valle brother, age 23, ended the fight at 1:29 of the very first round. His power and hand speed were on a different level.

Rising Puerto Rican knockout artist Julio Solis (6-0, 6 KOs) scored a first-round knockout against Trenton Gibson (1-1) of San Antonio, Texas in a lightweight battle originally scheduled for four rounds. The time of stoppage was 1:41 of the opening round. A healthy portion of the sold-out crowd seemed to be Solis rooters.

Floridan prospect Dominic Valle (3-0, 3 KOs) defeated Nelson Colon Torres (4-6, 3 KOs) of Aibonito, Puerto Rico via knockout in what was originally a scheduled four-round bout in the super featherweight division. Valle, the younger of the Valles, at 21, ended matters at 1:56 of the third round.

Light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (8-0, 6 KOs), a UK-born prospect who calls the United States his home, maintained his undefeated record by defeating Brandon Maddox (8-5-1, 6 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan via six-round unanimous decision. Tinker, using a persistent jab, won with scores of 58-56, 58-56, and 59-55.

Casey Dixon (1-0, 1 KO) of Atlanta, George won his first professional bout via second-round knockout against Arsenio Hall (3-6) of Chester, South Carolina in a light heavyweight clash. The brawler Dixon ended matters at :28 of round two.

Imran Haddabah (4-0, 4 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida knocked out Dominique Wiltz (0-3) of Houston, in a light heavyweight bout. The bout was halted at 2:39 of the second round as the 6-4 winner struck with a nasty hook which buzzed Wiltz badly.

Tommy Wu (1-0) made a successful professional debut with a four-round unanimous decision win against Anthony Curtiss (3-14, 2 KOs) of Butte, Montana. The California welterweight came out rumbling in the first, and he found a stubborn target in Curtiss. Wu won via scores of 39-36, 40-36 and 40-36.
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Islam vs. Kelly was a 10-round fight presented by ProBox Promotions for the WBO Global Middleweight Championship. The event took place on Friday, Feb. 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

About ProBox Promotions
ProBox Promotions is a Florida-based company founded by entrepreneur Garry Jonas out of a desire to incorporate his love of boxing and business marketing to develop a revolutionary way to promote the sport. The company boasts an impressive stable of fighters that includes Erickson Lubin, Mark Reyes Jr., Jose Miguel Borrego and more.