4 x 3 mins International International Super-Welterweight contest
LELI BUTTIGIEG 158.5 lbs v ARTJOM SPATAR 157.5 lbs
(Newham, England)               (Narva, Estonia)

followed by

6 x 3 mins International Super-Featherweight contest
KURT WALKER 133.2 lbs v DARWING MARTINEZ 130.6 lbs
(Lisburn, Northern Ireland)  (Managua, Nicaragua)

followed by

19:00 LIVE ON DAZN

6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
GIORGIO VISIOLI 133.2 lbs v SAMUEL PIKIRE 133.5 lbs
(Guidford, England)                (Longbridge, England)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA International Welterweight Title
CONAH WALKER 146.4 lbs v LLOYD GERMAIN 146.6 lbs
(Wolverhampton, England)    (Cardiff, Wales)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA Continental Welterweight Title
PADDY DONOVAN 146.4 lbs v WILLIAMS ANDRES HERRERA 146.6 lbs
(Limerick, Ireland)                     (La Calera, Argentina)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Cruiserweight Title
CHEAVON CLARKE 199.6 lbs v TOMMY MCCARTHY 199.4 lbs
(Gravesend, England)                 (Belfast, Northern Ireland)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Title
LEWIS CROCKER 150lbs v JOSE FELIX 146.6 lbs
(Belfast, Northern Ireland)  (Los Mochis, Mexico)  

Philadelphia, PA (January 26, 2024) — Weights for Saturday night’s RDR Promotions card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Isaiah Johnson 145 – Dashaun Johns 146

Jalique Holden 130 – Jacob Ray 134

Devin Price 138.8 – Sebastian Gabriel Chaves 141

Devon Lee 142 – Rondale Hubbert 142

Dante Selby 218 – Dominique Mayfield 281

Erron Peterson 161 – Christopher Arguello 169

Ghandi Romain 145.8 – Callen Herley 144.6

Eleizer Olmeida 146.6 – Donte Turner TBA

Josh Aarons 118.4 – Edwin Cortes 118.6

Keith Jackson 161.6 – Tyler Nystrom 159.8

Pryce Taylor 272 – Gabriel Aguilar Costa 205.6

Promoter: RDR Promotions

Venue: Harrahs Philadelphia

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Stream: BXNGTV.com

Tickets are $65, $75, $100 and $130 and can be purchased at rdrboxing@yahoo.com

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 26, 2024) – In a clash that promises fireworks, Top Rank’s undefeated super featherweight contender Andres “Savage” Cortes (20-0, 11 KOs) is gearing up for the most significant bout of his career as he takes on Puerto Rican contender Bryan Chevalier (20-1-1, 16 KOs). The 10-round battle is set to be the co-feature to the main event, showcasing O’Shaquie Foster vs. Abraham Nova, as part of the ESPN-televised tripleheader. The action-packed event is scheduled to take place on Friday, Feb. 16, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, with live broadcast coverage on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Cortes, training from his hometown in Las Vegas, is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for this pivotal clash. With an undefeated streak that has caught the attention of the boxing world, Cortes is ready to elevate his career to new heights by taking on a challenging opponent like Chevalier. He’s training hard like never before.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire career,” said Andres Cortes, who is managed by his brother and trainer, Luis Cortes, as he shared his thoughts on the upcoming battle. “This will be my first televised fight on the national stage and I’m going to show the world that I’m an elite fighter. Bryan Chevalier is a tough opponent, but I will not be denied in this fight. I’ve dedicated myself to pushing my limits in training. The hard work is paying off and its showing in my sparring. I’m feeling great and I’ll be at my best when I step in the ring on fight night.”

A victory in this bout would undoubtedly propel Cortes one step closer to a world title fight, solidifying his position in the super featherweight division.

“This fight is not just a steppingstone…it’s a giant leap towards a world title. Like myself, Chevalier is a dangerous fighter who is looking to take his career to the next level, so I know what I’m up against. The fans are going to see an all out Mexican vs. Puerto Rican war. I want to show the world that ‘Savage’ is here, and I’m ready for the top dogs in the division.”

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (January 26, 2024) – The lightweight division’s newest imminent, undefeated danger and unparalleled knockout machine William “El Camarón” Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico will face his first English fighter and former IBO World Champion Maxi “Maximus” Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) in a 12-round IBF and WBA Lightweight World Championship Eliminator fight. The event, which is co-promoted with DiBella Entertainment, is scheduled for Saturday, March 16. The action will take place live from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and broadcast around the world on DAZN.

“I am excited for this big challenge ahead of me, and being one step closer to accomplishing my dream of becoming a world champion,” said William Zepeda. “Maxi Hughes is a grand fighter, and I can’t wait to face him in the ring on March 16 and represent my humble hometown of San Mateo Atenco on the world’s stage. I know Golden Boy wants to bring big fights back to Las Vegas, the capital of boxing, and I want to be part of that – I want to be crowned a World Champion in Vegas.”

William Zepeda has developed a track record for his unmissable, knockout performances. Representing the humble town of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, “El Camarón” has cruised through his tough opposition, winning the hearts and minds of boxing fans. His breakout performance was against former world champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz in October 2022, where he broke three CompuBox records at lightweight for total punches thrown (1,536, exceeding Efren Hinojosa’s 1,507 against Lamar Murphy on 3/16/01), jabs attempted in a round (89 in round two, breaking Lamar Murphy’s 88 in round two against Angel Manfredy on 8/3/01) and attempted jabs (787, surpassing Stefano Zoff’s 673 against Julien Lorcy on 8/7/99). He was last seen knocking out the resilient former world title challenger Mercito Gesta during Mexican Independence weekend last year.

“My last fight in the U.S., the judges broke my heart. I won’t let them derail my career. I’m coming back stateside with the bit between my teeth. Zepeda hasn’t fought anyone like me before,” said Maxi Hughes.

Former World Champion Maxi Hughes comes from humble beginnings, representing Rossington, England. Since making his professional boxing debut on September 17, 2010, he quickly ascended the ladder, building a portfolio full of regional titles including BBBofC Featherweight, WBC International Super Featherweight, WBO European Lightweight, and the WBC International Lightweight title. He ultimately became the IBO Lightweight World Champion in 2021 against Jovanni Straffon, which he successfully defended twice. He was last seen in a valiant performance against George Kambosos Jr. in July 2023.

“Zepeda is a wrecking ball every time he steps into the ring — and with a title shot hanging in the balance, fans are going to be in for an offensive barrage from “El Camarón,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “Maxi Hughes has been in with the best of the best, and if Zepeda gets past him, the sky’s the limit.”

“Maxi Hughes earned this double world title eliminator with a great run of fights and a terrific performance against George Kambosos Jr.,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Maxi and William Zepeda are two of the best lightweights in the world and this fight will establish a justifiable mandatory contender. I thank Golden Boy Promotions for their fairness in the negotiating process, treating Maxi like the world class fighter he is.”

Additional information on event tickets, undercard and media credentials will be announced in the coming weeks.

###

Zepeda vs. Hughes is a 12-round IBF and WBA Lightweight World Championship Eliminator fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in co-promotion with DiBella Entertainment. The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

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 #ZepedaHughes

PHOENIX, AZ (January 25, 2024): In the lead up to what has the potential to become a Fight of the Year candidate, undefeated, former World Champion Jaime Munguía (42-0, 33 KOs) and former Interim World Champion John “The Gorilla” Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) of the U.K hosted a press conference today ahead of their 12-round super middleweight clash for the WBC Silver Title. The event is presented in association with Zanfer Boxing and Matchroom Boxing, live from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, January 27 and broadcast worldwide on DAZN beginning at 6:00 p.m. MST/ 5:00 p.m. PST.

In the co-main event, presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions, Villalba, Puerto Rico’s history-making Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (8-0, 6 KOs) will defend his WBO Minimumweight World Championship title against Reyneris Gutierrez (10-1, 2 KOs) of Matagalpa, Nicaragua in a 12-round fight. Also on the DAZN Broadcast, knockout superstar in-the-making Darius “DFG” Fulghum (9-0, 9 KOs) will be defending his WBA Continental USA Super Middleweight Title against the crafty Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (28-5-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round contest. Co-promoted with Sampson Boxing, IBF Female Flyweight World Champion Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora (12-0, 5 KOs) of Coachella Valley, California will defend her newly minted hardware in a 10-round combat against Christina Cruz (6-0, 0 KOs) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Opening the DAZN broadcast, Mexico City’s David Picasso Romero (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will participate in a 10-round super bantamweight fight against Erik Ruiz (17-9-1, 7 KOs) of Oxnard, California.

On the preliminary card that will stream live on Golden Boy Boxing’s YouTube, Daniel “Junebug” Garcia (7-0, 5 KOs) of Denver, Colorado will participate in a six-round lightweight match against Phoenix, Arizona’s Daniel Lugo (4-1, 1 KOs). Gregory Morales (15-1, 9 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas will challenge Ronal Ron (14-4, 11 KOs) of Chino Hills, California in an eight-round super bantamweight fight. In a four-round bantamweight, former Mexican Olympian Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (3-0, 2 KOs) will measure up against Miguel Ceballos (2-0, 2 KOs) of Peoria, Arizona . Opening the fight night festivities with a four-round bantamweight fight, Johnny “Sugarcane” Cañas (2-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Ana, California will face Kameeko Hall (0-3) of Brunswick, Georgia.

Here is what some of today’s participants had to say:
JAIME MUNGUÍA, FORMER WBO WORLD SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“Good afternoon to all. First of all, and again, thank you to Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Beltran and Eddie Hearn. I want to thank everybody for being here, and thanks to Freddie Roach and Wildcard Boxing Gym. This was a great camp for all of us. It’s going to help me keep moving forward to achieve my goals. I know that John Ryder is a tough fighter. He has lost and he has won close fights, but I’m ready. I’m ready to do this on Saturday. Y que viva Mexico!”

JOHN RYDER, FORMER WBO INTERIM SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:
“Firstly, thank you to Eddie and Matchroom, and Oscar, Golden Boy and Zanfer for making this happen. It’s been a fight long in the pipeline and I’m glad we’re fighting. It’s a fight I feel like I needed since the Canelo defeat, and I want to continue operating at the level I’ve been operating at. This is the fight to kick me on, and push me in my career.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
“I said it three weeks ago, and I’ll say it again. The future is today for a bunch of Golden Boy fighters. This Saturday, the whole world stands in front of Jaime Munguia. If he can win: championship fights, PPV stardom and a place on the pound for pound list are all in reach. And right behind him, the same situation is there for Vergil Ortiz, Ryan Garcia, William Zepeda and many more in the Golden Boy stable.”
FERNANDO BELTRAN, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF ZANFER BOXING:
“John Ryder is a great fighter. He always comes forward and doesn’t go backwards. I’m very happy to be involved. I really believe that the real winner is going to be the audience watching the fight. They are the real winners.”
EDDIE HEARN, CHAIRMAN OF MATCHROOM SPORT:
“Congratulations to Oscar, Bernard, Golden Boy and DAZN, who I believe are now established as the global home of boxing. Now this Saturday, we have a big fight card in Belfast in Northern Ireland and then you’ll be switching over to here in Phoenix, Arizona for a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender with Jaime Munguia against John Ryder. When you look at the schedule, DAZN is constantly delivering worldwide, and is unrivaled second to none.”

#

Munguía vs. Ryder is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in co-promotion with Zanfer Boxing and Matchroom Boxing. Collazo vs. Gutierrez is a 12-round fight for the WBO Minimumweight World Championship presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions. Fundora vs. Cruz is a 10-round fight for the IBF Female Flyweight World Championship and is presented in co-promotion with Sampson Boxing. The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

Media interested in covering the fight can apply at: https://www.emccredentials.com/munguia_ryder. Applications are due by Monday, January 22. No late applications will be accepted.
?
Tickets for Munguía vs. Ryder are on sale and are priced at $200, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $30 plus applicable fees. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

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 #GarciaDuarte

Highly ranked super middleweight Erik Bazinyan stopped Billi Godoy in round three of their 10-round bout at Montreal Casino in Montreal, Canada.

In round three, Bazinyan dropped Godoy with a chopping right hand and the fight was stopped at 2:24.

Bazinyan, 169.9 lbs of Laval,QUE, CAN is 32-0 with 23 knockouts. Godoy, 166.3 lbs of Centaras, ARG is 41-8.

Albert Ramirez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Artur Ziyatdinov in a light heavyweight bout.

Ramirez, 174.8 lbs of El Vigna, VEN won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 18-0. Ziyatdinov, 174.3 lbs of Montreal is 15-2.

Steve Claggett stopped Marcos Gonzalez after two rounds of their eight-round junior welterweight fight.

Gonzalez could not answer the bell for round three.

Claggett, 142 lbs of Calgary, ALB, CAN is 38-7-2 with 26 knockouts. Gonzalez, 141.1 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 23-4.

Recent world title challenger Mary Spencer stopped Sonya Dreiling after the opening round of their eight-round junior middleweight fight.

Spencer had a good first round as she landed a couple of good combinations. Dreiling did not continue after the round.

Spencer, 153.8 lbs of Montreal is 8-2 with six knockouts. Dreiling, 153.2 lbs of Albertsville, AL is 6-4.

Jhon Orobio stopped Juan Carlos Garcia after round three of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Orobio dropped Garcia with a hard flurry. Orobio battered Garcia and the fight was stopped at 3:00 in the corner.

Orobio, 133.5 lbs of Montreal is 6-0 with six knockouts. Garcia, 134.7 lbs of Mexico City is 5-5.

Wilkens Mathieu remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Oscar Soto Quintana in a scheduled six-round light heavywight bout.

In round four, Mathieu landed a hard right that was ruled a standing eight count and the fight was stopped at 31 seconds.

Mathieu, 173.1 lbs of Montreal is 7-0 with four knockouts. Quintana, 173.2 lbs of Sonora, MEX is 6-5.

Moreno Fendero remained undefeated with a second round stoppage over Ricardo Lara in a scheduled four-round middleweight fight.

In round one, Fendrro dropped Lara with a left uppercut to the body. In round two, it was a left over the top that put Fendero down in the corner. Fenderp ended things when he landed a big right hook that put Lara down and the fight was stopped at 1:46.

Fendero, 163.9 lbs of Besancon, FRA is 4-0 with three knockouts. Lara, 163.6 lbs of El Grullo, MEX is 22-12-2.

LAS VEGAS – January 25, 2024 – A pair of all-action, high-stakes showdowns will top a stacked four-fight pay-per-view event as two-time world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman duels rising star and reigning world champion Tim Tszyu in the main event while 140-pound world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero and Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz meet in the co-main event on Saturday, March 30 in the inaugural PBC Pay-Per-View available on Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The card marks the debut event for PBC Pay-Per-View available through Prime Video since the parties announced a landmark, multiyear rights agreement in December. In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets.

The pay-per-view will also see Cuban star and reigning WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defend his belt against No. 1 rated mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa, plus all-action super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will meet streaking contender Serhii Bohachuk in the pay-per-view opener.

*Ticketing information to be announced shortly. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. The main event is promoted in association with No Limit Boxing.

“This first show with PBC on Prime Video is jam-packed with fan-friendly matchups featuring stars who are established as the best of their generation and new stars who are looking to make a claim to lead the next generation of champions,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Keith Thurman vs. Tim Tszyu gives each fighter a chance to debut 2024 with a statement, while ‘Rolly’ Romero and ‘Pitbull’ Cruz can send their ascending stock skyrocketing by emerging victorious. With two more clashes rounding out the pay-per-view, this lines up as another night from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that you’ll want to stay glued to your seat for.”

“This is an historic event and puts the Tszyu name right back at the pinnacle of boxing where it belongs,” said George Rose, CEO of No Limit Boxing. “Tim only wanted the big names, legacy fights, and Keith Thurman is exactly that. It doesn’t end well for Thurman though as the world is going to realize Tim Tszyu is about to take over the sport. Thank you Premier Boxing Champions, TGB Promotions and Prime Video for what is going to be an incredible night of boxing.”

*KEITH THURMAN VS. TIM TSZYU*

The main event will see the former unified world champion Thurman, a long-time stalwart at welterweight, take his first crack at the super welterweight division as he faces the undefeated reigning WBO 154-pound World Champion Tszyu in a 12-round non-title showdown.

Clearwater, Florida’s Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) earned his “One Time” moniker by talking the talk and delivering with highlight-reel KOs. He has assembled one of the most impressive resumes among the top welterweights of this generation, having defeated former champions Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero. That showdown with Garcia saw him become a unified world champion in a rare unification bout between undefeated welterweight world champions. Thurman’s only blemish came in a 2019 Fight of the Year against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, with Thurman ending up on the wrong side of a narrow split-decision. Most recently, Thurman bested former world champion and current highly ranked welterweight Mario Barrios by unanimous decision in February 2022.

“I’m back in action and I’m happy to be a part of this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” said Thurman. “Tszyu stands out as an exceptional fighter, and I’ve always held admiration for his performances. His distinctive style provides the perfect stage for me to exhibit the relentless dedication I’ve poured into training, refining my skills, and fortifying my mental game. This fight promises a spectacular showdown between two of the most electrifying fighters in the sport, an event that demands attention. Good things come to those that wait. Them days are over, bright lights and action are up ahead. Let’s shake up the world of boxing one more time on Prime Video.”

The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, the 29-year-old Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) comes off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former world champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza and former title challenger Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Australia, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.

“I’ve been ready and waiting to headline a historic event like this in the U.S. for a very long time and it’s an honor that I don’t take lightly,” said Tszyu. “My father did it, and was at the top of the world for a decade, now it’s my turn. Thurman is a great fight, he’s tricky, tough and he’s mixed it with the very best the sport has seen. This is a new era now. It’s the Tszyu era. On March 30, everyone who tunes into this pay-per-view is going to see for themselves.”

*ROLANDO ROMERO VS. ISAAC CRUZ*

The WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Romero will make the first defense of his world title in a 12-round matchup against the top lightweight contender Cruz, who will look to debut at 140-pounds with a championship-winning performance in the night’s co-main event.

Part of the Mayweather Promotions stable, Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) is known for his brash talk that he backs up with power in both hands as well as an exciting, unique style that makes him a must-see whenever he steps between the ropes. The 28-year-old rose to the ranks of world champion in his last outing, stopping Ismael Barroso in round nine to win the title in May. It was Romero’s first return to the ring since a May 2022 defeat against three-division champion Gervonta Davis. Prior to the Davis fight, the Las Vegas resident Romero won an interim title in August 2020 by earning a close but unanimous decision over then unbeaten Jackson Marinez. 

“This is gonna be Rolly versus the Chihuahua in the ring on March 30,” said Romero. “I’m gonna stay world champ and be the first superstar on Prime Video. Just make sure you buy your tickets or tune in on pay-per-view, don’t miss this one.”

One of the most exciting fighters in boxing, the 25-year-old Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs) has racked up three consecutive victories since dropping a competitive and entertaining decision against undefeated superstar Gervonta Davis in December 2021. A native of Mexico City, Cruz shot up the lightweight rankings in 2020, announcing his presence with an electrifying first-round knockout over veteran Diego Magdaleno in October before adding dominant decisions over Francisco Vargas and Jose Matias Romero. After stopping former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in April 2022 and veteran contender Eduardo Ramirez in September 2022, Cruz returned this past July to turn away the previously unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera by decision.

“I’m very happy and extremely motivated to have this opportunity to fight for the world title,” said Cruz. “I’ve worked extremely hard to earn this shot. I’ve tried to fight other big names, but ‘Rolly’ was the only one to step up and accept the challenge. He’s got power and courage, and he comes to knock you out. That’s going to make this a great fight on March 30. I’m thankful to my promoter Manny Pacquiao and my whole team for helping secure this fight for me. I will leave the ring as world champion on March 30.”

*ERISLANDY LARA VS. MICHAEL ZERAFA*

Unbeaten in two fights at middleweight, Lara will defend his WBA Middleweight World Championship against the WBA’s top-rated mandatory challenger Zerafa in a 12-round attraction on the pay-per-view lineup.

Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound world champion before he lost a tough split-decision to Jarrett Hurd in a 2018 title unification match that earned “Fight of the Year” from the BWAA. Lara returned from that fight and battled former 154-pound world titleholder Brian Castaño to an exciting draw in another narrow fight that could have gone Lara’s way. Lara most recently moved up to middleweight, capturing his WBA title with a first round knockout of Thomas LaManna in May 2021, before KO’ing Gary O’Sullivan in May 2022. Lara faced a slew of the top 154-pounders in the sport, including Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight debut.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and defending my title, especially on this first event with PBC on Prime Video,” said Lara. “I feel like I’m the modern day Bernard Hopkins and that I can keep doing this for years. I know that Zerafa has been waiting patiently for this opportunity, so he’s going to be hungry on fight night. But he’s going to realize that he’s now on the world class level facing the best fighter in the division. It’s an honor to be on this great card that’s going to be action packed from start to finish.”

Melbourne, Australia’s Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs) is long established as one of his country’s top contenders and has won four-straight to earn the title fight on March 30. Zerafa has split a pair of matchups against former champion and Australian rival Jeff Horn in addition to a first round knockout of longtime contender Anthony Mundine. The 31-year-old previously fought stateside in 2015, as he dropped a contest to former middleweight champion Peter Quillin. The veteran has also challenged former champion Kell Brook and defeated previously unbeaten fighters Danilo Creati and Isaac Hardman in his last two fights.

“This is long overdue ever since I became the mandatory,” said Zerafa. “I’m very thankful to everyone who made this fight happen. Come fight night, the world will see why I deserve this opportunity and Australia will have a new world champion.”

*SEBASTIAN FUNDORA VS. SERHII BOHACHUK*

Already established as a must-see attraction, Fundora will return to face fellow highly ranked super welterweight Bohachuk in a 12-round fight for the vacant Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.

Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. His unbeaten streak came to an end in his last outing, as he got caught and was defeated by Brian Mendoza in April of last year. At nearly 6-foot-6, the 26-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in April 2022, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round. Fundora represents a boxing family, as he is trained by his father Freddy alongside his younger sister, IBF Flyweight World Champion Gabriela.

“Training camp is going great and I’ve been working hard to get ready for this fight,” said Fundora. “I train 100% for every fight, so it’s been getting back to work as usual for me. I know I’ll win because my objective is still the same as before, to become world champion in the super welterweight division.”

A 28-year-old from Ukraine, Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs) now resides in Los Angeles, where he’s fought out of since turning pro. The 28-year-old has won five-straight outings, including 2023 stoppages of Nathaniel Gallimore and Patrick Allotey. This run has come after a defeat to Brandon Adams in March 2021 and has seen him rise back up the 154-pound rankings. He won his first 18 fights after turning pro in 2017 following an extensive amateur career.

“I can’t wait for this opportunity to fight for the title,” said Bohachuk. “I’ve worked my entire career for the chance to reach my dream in this sport. I will give everything to win this fight, because I’m not just fighting for myself, but also for my war-torn country of Ukraine.”

#         #         #

For more information visit www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #ThurmanTszyu and #RollyPitbull, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions

CIDRA, Puerto Rico (Jan 25, 2024) — Former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza hosted a media workout yesterday at Felix Pagan Pintor Municipal Boxing Gym in his hometown of Cidra, Puerto Rico, ahead of his 10-round battle against Keyshawn Davis on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Davis-Pedraza will serve as the co-feature to the junior welterweight showdown between WBO and Ring Magazine world champion Teofimo Lopez and Jamaine Ortiz. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. 
 
Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
 
Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) captured the IBF junior lightweight world title against Andrey Klimov in June 2015 and made two successful title defenses. He then became a two-division champion by defeating Rey Beltran to earn the WBO lightweight world title in August 2018. After losing the belt in a unification showdown against Vasiliy Lomachenko, he moved up to 140 pounds, where he gave stiff tests to Jose Zepeda, Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey, Lindolfo Delgado and Arnold Barboza Jr. Pedraza hopes for another world title opportunity as he returns to the lightweight division. Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), a U.S. Olympic silver medalist, returns following his October majority decision win over Nahir Albright, which was later ruled a no contest.

This is what Pedraza and his trainer, Luis Espada, had to say at yesterday’s workout:

JOSÉ “SNIPER” PEDRAZA

“It’s been almost a year since my last fight. I needed the rest. And as they say in Puerto Rico, ‘my veins are already itching,’ so I’m ready to return to the ring. This has been a great training camp. I have done a lot of sparring, a lot of running up the mountains of Jajome and very solid weight training to achieve the excellent physical condition I am in for this fight. It has been a very complete training camp. I feel very good.”

“I believe the key is going to be throwing a lot of punches. I’m going to overwhelm him with a lot of punches. I’m going to use a lot of lateral movement as well. I will use all my experience. All of that is going to be key in this fight. He has youth on his side, but I have the experience. I wish him all the luck in the world, but be careful not to slip on this ‘stepping stone’. I am not a stepping stone!”

“He is a very talented young man with many skills. But he has the typical American style of moving a lot and counterpunching. He is very selective with his punches and uses his speed very well. I hope he comes well prepared because I am prepared to put on a great performance that will catapult me into the lightweight world title conversation. I want to become a world champion for a third time and cement my legacy in Puerto Rican boxing history.”

LUIS ESPADA

“This will be a great fight of youth versus experience. We have prepared Pedraza for a demanding fight. We have returned with the original team, the people with whom we have seen the best results of his career. We brought back his physical trainer, Andrés Melendez, and we have prepared so well as to erase the 10-year gap that exists between the two fighters.” 

“I am certain that we are well prepared because for this camp we did something we had never done before, which was a 36-minute sparring session without rest with three different sparring partners. Every two minutes a fresh sparring partner entered, and Pedraza performed very well in the last minute as if it were the first minute of sparring. I can assure you that he is in optimal condition.”

NEW YORK (January 25, 2024) – Split-T Management former world title challenger Mary Spencer will be back in action when she takes on Sonya Dreiling in an eight-round junior middleweight bout at Montreal Casino in Montreal, Canada.

Spencer, who is managed by Brian Cohen of Split-T Management has a record 7-2 with five knockouts.

?The 39 year-old Spencer knocked out Cynthia Lozano (9-1) in one round on September 9, 2022.

Dreiling of Albertville, Alabama is now 6-3 with two knockouts, The 33 year-old Dreiling has quality wins over Kara Wiggins (1-0), Jordanne Garcia (4-0-1) and is on a two fight winning streak with victories over Chevelle Hallback (33-8-2) as well as Garcia (4-1-2) for a second time. The latter victory came on February 24, 2023 in Rio Grande, New Mexico.

Spencer, who is promoted by Eye of the Tiger Management, weighed 153.8 lbs. Dreiling was 153.2

The fight will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 7 PM ET.

Frank Smith, Matchroom Boxing CEO:

“Lewis [Crocker] showed back in December on the Michael Conlan undercard that he has a massive future. We’ve seen some great nights here in Belfast over the years – whether it be Carl Frampton, Mick Conlan, Ryan Burnett, and now this is a big opportunity for Lewis to step into those big nights. With Jose it won’t be easy because we saw against Gary Cully what he can do. And looking at the pictures of him from yesterday, he looks like he’s coming here to fight. You also have to applaud both fighters as this main event was made on late notice. What is key in this sport is working with professionals who are working in the gym and are ready to go at all times, which both of these have proved. I think it’s a brilliant fight. It’s exactly the fight that Lewis needs to kick on but Jose isn’t coming here to lay down. Lewis is young and he’s in a market where there’s a love and passion for boxing. We hadn’t been to Belfast for a long long time but we came back here with Mick in December and like I say this is Lewis’ chance because he’s in a place where people talk about boxing. It’s great so come somewhere where everyone is talking about the boxing at the weekend, because you don’t get that everywhere. He’s got that perfect opportunity to recreate those sold out nights in Belfast. It’s going to be a tremendous atmosphere on Saturday. This is his chance, he’s got the personality and he’ got the skills and ability. He needs a big performance on Saturday night. This can really set him up for massive fights in 2024 and beyond.”

Lewis Crocker:

“It’s amazing to be back in Belfast so soon again. I’m headlining this time. Obviously last month the atmosphere in the city was amazing, fight week was great, fight night was great – so to be doing it again so soon is unreal against a very dangerous opponent as well. He’s coming off a win over Gary Cully. He looked very good in that fight, very strong. I’m expecting fireworks on Saturday. Because it was Belfast vs. Belfast I’d grade my performance A*. It has to be. That meant everything to me. It was the pride thing, I said that during the fight week. As long as I got the victory it would have been A* regardless. To come through and do it in front of my friends and family was amazing. It put me on the map. Everything went well. With the platform of Matchroom and DAZN now everything is so different. Going into the fight week last time I realised this was the big stage. They’ve obviously got confidence in me to set me up as main event the next month. I’m not looking past Jose Felix but a big statement on Saturday sets me up for a big year. I’m expecting an exciting fight because I think he has the same mindset as me. This is a more dangerous fight than the McKenna one. With the McKenna one there was more pressure mentally. There’s just as much at stake with each and every fight. He’ll be full on confidence with the Gary Cully win and looking to make another upset in Ireland.”

Jose Felix:

“Firstly I want to say thank you to all of the people that are gathered here. I want to say thank you to God, also to Matchroom for continuing to give me these opportunities, also to Paco who manages everything for me. I also have to thank the people of Ireland for their support. It is almost as if I have more supporters in Belfast than I have in Mexico so I thank God for that also. I think this fight will be a really interesting fight because when I fought Cully it was a real battle for me to get down to that weight. The main battle I had was with making weight more than anything. This time I’m fighting at 147, I’m much more prepared and I’m hoping to put on a better show this time so that Eddie Hearn gets to see me win and gets to see that I’m the next star of Matchroom. As I said before my main problem against Cully was making the weight. This time there won’t be that pressure to make the weight. My battle was with the scales on that occasion but this time I think that will work to my advantage. I know my opponent will try to use that weight against me in the way that he can but I’m sure that I can go on and get this victory on Saturday night and put on a great show. Don’t take your eyes off this fight. You know that Crocker hits hard, I hit hard too – I think it will be a great fight. I love this city, I love these people. I feel like I’m in Mexico and I feel like I’ve got the support, so I’m very grateful to the people here.”

Cheavon Clarke:

“Where was the experienced and handsome Tommy McCarthy in your last fight. We’ll find out if he’s my biggest test to date on Saturday night. Obviously he’s been in with some good guys from the British circuit and come up short. On Saturday night we’ll find out. I’ve seen clips of him but I haven’t watched him in depth through his career to rate him. He’s talking about being fast-tracked. I’m not being fast-tracked. Who’s fast-tracking me? I’m moving at my pace. Maybe he’s moved slow in his career. I’m moving at my pace. They give me a fight, I think I can win it, I take it. The boos can’t fight for you, they ain’t gunna fight for him. What are they going to do. Like you said, as an amateur I’ve ravelled the world. I’ve been in hostile places. You’ve just got to be professional and focus on what you’ve come to do and execute. Bring the same energy Saturday, that’s all I’ll say on that. He’s a funny guy, he’s a clown. Bring the same energy on Saturday. I’m going to be smiling and laughing as I inflict damage.”

Tommy McCarthy:

“Obviously I’m the A-side because it’s Belfast. People from Belfast are coming to watch the Belfast man. It’s an attractive fight, like you say an up-and-coming prospect agains the experienced and talented and handsome Tommy McCarthy. Chev don’t worry about the last fight I just went there for the craic. This time I’ve trained properly for it. It was a last minute thing. Listen, don’t worry about the past, focus on the present. All you need to worry about is what’s happening on Saturday night. I’ve taken this fight seriously because I know you’re a serious guy. I’ve trained properly so just worry about that. The last fight, I’m not even joking, I just went there because I had nothing else to do. During that fight I was like, ‘you know what – I love this game’. I love fighting, and it just brought back a buzz for me because I hadn’t fought for like 14 months before that. That really got my passion back for boxing and got my head back in the game. I had Eddie Hearn on my podcast at the last show in Belfast and I asked him to throw me a bone. He then phoned my and asked if I wanted to fight Chev Clarke. It’s a good fight for me. The WBA Title is on the line. The winner of this fight is going to go high up in the world rankings. This is almost like a World Title Eliminator – you’re putting yourself in line for a big title fight.”

Paddy Donovan:

“I’m in a great position. Obviously with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, you couldn’t ask for any better. I’ve got to keep living up to the expectation and keep performing very well at the highest level. The opportunities are there, as you can see there are so many Welterweights here today. I’m ready to put on a big performance on Saturday and I’m glad to be back in Belfast. First of all Andy (Lee) has been there and he’s done that. He knows the road to be a World Champion and he knows it’s not easy – there’s a lot of ups and downs. Obviously I’m still a prospect with Andy. I’m still under his care. Andy can see a little bit of me in him, what he’s been through. I’ve got to just listen to Andy and observe everything that I can. Keep building in the gym, keep working and learning with Andy, keep disciplined and the world will be my oyster. We’ve got a good challenge on our hands on Saturday. Deal with that on Saturday. We’ve got May at Croke Park on the Katie Taylor undercard. I’m sure a lot of Irish fans would like to see me on that. Hopefully summer time Eddie said we could do a show in Limerick City. Why not? I’ve seen some of his fights and he’s a very durable fighter – never been stopped, 15 fights 13 wins. It’s a great test for me at this stage of my career. It’s an opportunity for me to perform again at the highest level.”

Williams Andres Herrera:

“Firstly I’d like to say thank you very much for the opportunity. I’ve just come here to compete. It’s a great opportunity for me and I just want to show that I’m at this level. I’ve seen a lot of my rival, I know that he moves well around the ring. He has great potential but we’ve come here to win and that’s what we’re coming to do. All I need to do is just study him in the ring, to watch him, to watch how he develops and how he fights, to kind of get the worst out of him.”

Conah Walker:

“I’m massively grateful. As all boxers will know, inactivity can kill you, so it’s best to be getting out and getting out so early in the year. I’ve got a test in front of me, he’s undefeated, 9-0, he’s a good talent. We’ve spoke in the past and we get on but all of that is to the side now because we’ve got to go to war and that’s that. I’m always confident, I got into the trenches every camp. Every fight from now onwards is one more step of securing a future for my family that I want. I treat every fighter and every fight the same. I prepare diligently and it is what it is. He’s never tasted defeat and i’m grateful for him stepping up but he’s got a big task on his hands. He’s never fought anyone and he’s never fought anyone like me. I’m going to win. It doesn’t matter how I’m going to win, but I will win.”

Lloyd Germain:

“Obviously I’m here for big fights and I’m grateful for the opportunity from DAZN and Matchroom. Come Saturday night I’m ready to grab the opportunity with both hands. Beating Conor is going to progress my career and I’m looking forward to doing that on Saturday night. Like he said, we’ve spoken to each other in the past, there’s not bad feelings. It’s business at the end of the day. What he’s got I want very very much. He had a great performance against Cyrus upsetting the applecart and I’ve been brought in now and I’m going to do the same for myself on Saturday.”

Giorgio Visioli:

“I’ll be real, I’ve watched my debut knockout pretty much every day. I watch the little clips on DAZN back on Instagram, I watch the YouTube full fight back and everything. It was a great experience. Watching it back I’m not too surprised I got the knockout but back then I was because in the amateurs I was more like a boxer mover – I didn’t really get the stoppages. Watching it back I realised that I’m a good fighter and I can read my opponents really easily. My reaction times were on top. I do a lot of rounds in sparring, I do eights and I do tens and I do them really comfortably. I don’t think an extra two rounds is going to be a problem for me at all.”

Leli Buttigieg:

“I’ve gained a bit of experience. I know what it’s like, first public workout, press conference and weigh-in last time. I went back to the gym and i carried on learning, working on things. Now I’m coming back to Belfast and I’m glad to be back. I’m going to put on another demolishing performance. As an amateur I flew to Russia, Ukraine – I fought abroad a lot. So coming to Belfast wasn’t really anything new to me because I’m used to this stuff.”

Kurt Walker:

“I’m happy. Big thanks to Matchroom and Conlan Boxing for getting me on the show. It’s what I want, activity. I’ve got big plans for this year. I’m looking to have big fights. I’ve been pro for two years now. I had a long long amateur career where I did good things so I’m ready to go now, I don’t want to waste time. I’m just ready to go, big fights, any opportunity I can get. I have to take my opportunities now. I’m ready to go. I need to get through this fight on Saturday obviously, I’m not overlooking my opponent. I’m looking at the likes of Hopey Price and Nathaniel Collins, all them boys. We have big plans, If I want those big fights in the summer it’s about learning too. I’m still learning. I’m trying to learn every fight. It’s just about small improvements every time for me.”

CHRIS BOURKE WILL challenge for the British bantamweight title against Ashley Lane on a night of triple title action at York Hall on Friday March 22, live on TNT Sports.

Also in championship fights is top young light heavyweight Willy Hutchinson (16-1, 12 KOs), who will defend his WBC International title against Martin Huber (17-2, 10) from Germany, plus Raven Chapman (8-0, 2) defending her WBC International featherweight title against the undefeated Colombian Yohana Sarabia (10-0, 6).

Leading British prospects Royston Barney-Smith (8-0, 4, super featherweight), Sean Noakes (6-0, 3, welterweight) and Sonny Liston Ali (7-0, super welterweight) feature, along with Queensberry newcomers Frank Wood (super featherweight), Iman Zamatkesh (cruiserweight) and Nicola Barke (4-0, super lightweight).

Tickets for the triple title fight night at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday, 22 March are on sale now, available at: ticketmaster.co.uk

Bourke (13-1, 8) previously challenged for the British title at super bantamweight against Marc Leach in early 2022 and is now seeking to officially reboot his career at the weight below.

“This is what I wanted and it is why I went down to bantamweight,” explained the Streatham puncher, 29, who trains out of the Peacock Gym in Epping. “I am aiming to make a statement and then move on from there.

“I’ve got no injuries this time and I am just ready to do the business.

“Ashley Lane has been around for a long time, is very experienced and has been in the ring with a lot of good fighters, but I just feel like this is the perfect fight for me. He stopped Jordan Purkiss for the English and I saw the good, heavy knockdowns.

“He looked good, but this is my time now, I’ve got to go in there, make a statement and start making waves in the bantamweight division this year.

“This is a bit like phase two for me now in my career. Before my loss everyone was talking about me and then it all went quiet and my name wasn’t really getting mentioned.

“I feel like this is my opportunity to put myself back out there and get people excited again.”

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren added: “These York Hall shows are so important in helping to secure the future success of British boxing and we will continue building our foundations on March 22 with a smashing card headed up by three very competitive title fights.

“I am delighted to deliver a second British title fight to Chris Bourke, at bantamweight this time, against Ashley Lane and I am confident that Chris will do the business and really push on from there.

“Willy Hutchinson and Raven Chapman are both in good fights defending their WBC belts and I anticipate both nudging themselves towards world title action over the course of this year.

“We also get to officially welcome three new faces to the Queensberry ranks in Frank Wood, Iman Zamatkesh and Nicola Barke and I am looking forward to seeing them all perform.”

Tickets for the triple title fight night at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday, 22 March are on sale now, available at: ticketmaster.co.uk

A recharged Matty Harris starts out on the heavyweight comeback trail on Friday, March 1 in Telford as part of a huge night of European title action.

Also added to the Wasserman Boxing event at the Telford International Centre, is one of British boxing’s most exciting young stars, Dan Toward who has made a flying start to life as a professional.

The Wasserman Boxing talents are the first additions to the undercard of the EBU European Super Welterweight title showdown between Abass Baraou and Sam Eggington, which will be shown live and free-to-air on Channel 5.

Baraou’s clash with ‘The Savage’ promises to stake an early claim for Fight of the Year, as Wasserman Boxing, in association with Ladbrokes, Infinitum Entertainment and Numan, starts its 2024 schedule with a bang.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10am and are expected to go fast.

Heavyweight puncher Harris, 24, returns to the ring for the first time since July’s shock defeat in Edinburgh to Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko and fights for the first time under new coach, Peter Fury.

Toward, 22, has hit the ground running in the pro ranks, clocking up two quick wins at the end of last year, and heads to Telford with a new trainer, Dave Coldwell. 

Matty Harris said: “Since losing my unbeaten record, I have taken time out to work on what went wrong last summer. 

“I’ve now got a renewed focus and I feel recharged and more than ready to get back in the ring, on March 1 in Telford. 

“I have teamed up with Peter Fury and I am really excited about this new partnership and where my career can go with this man in my corner, because he has forgotten more than most people know about the sport. 

“I’m buzzing to be back; I can’t wait to put right what went wrong and start putting myself back in the heavyweight mix.” 

Dan Toward said: “I am one of Britain’s brightest prospects and I fully intend on setting out my stall for 2024, with a big performance on March 1 in Telford.

“This time, I will have Dave Coldwell in my corner and I can’t wait to show people in the arena, and those watching on TV, what we have been working on behind-closed-doors.

“It was incredible to experience being under the lights and in front of cameras for the first time as a pro last year, and the stage gets even bigger in Telford.

“One day soon, it will be me who is fighting for the European title but, for now, I am going to soak up the atmosphere and deliver a performance that will steal the show.”

Belfast Welterweight hope Lewis Crocker makes a quick return to the ring when he takes on Mexican danger-man Jose Felix this Saturday at Ulster Hall, live worldwide on DAZN, and ‘The Croc’ is promising an explosive start to what he hopes will be his breakout year. 

Crocker (18-0, 10 KOs) is fresh from a shutout points win over local rival Tyrone McKenna at the SSE Arena last month in what was a highly anticipated showdown dubbed the ‘Battle of Belfast’ – a dominant display that has filled the 27-year-old with confidence as he prepares to headline his first ever Matchroom show. 

“The atmosphere was class that night,” said Crocker. “Losing wasn’t an option, it’s not in any fight but especially this fight. This was me all along, I just needed the big platform and I knew that I was going to put on a big performance.

“He said that he was going to make me ‘no mas’, basically quit, that I wasn’t ready for 10 rounds, that I was going to fold under the pressure. I’ve never had so much fun in a fight. You can see it, I’m smiling and laughing the whole way. It was just a great night.

“I’ve got the confidence now since my last performance that I feel like I’m here now. I think with the platform of Matchroom and DAZN I’ve got everything there that I need to be a superstar. I can’t wait to fight now, in Belfast again too – class.”

The Sandy Row native, who picked up four wins from four fights in 2023, is unbeaten since making his professional debut at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall back in 2017 – and the powerful Billy Nelson-trained puncher is hoping for an active 2024 as he looks to build towards further title opportunities in the competitive 147lbs division.

“The day I got the call I was halfway through a kebab. I thought maybe I’d have a couple of weeks off and stuff so I was just enjoying it. I got the call and here we are – back out the next month. It’s great to be out so quick again – that’s what you need. You need to be active, especially after a good performance. Being out again this Saturday is perfect. The stage is set for a huge year. Get this win and then push on for bigger and better fights as well.

“I truly believe that I’ve not hit anywhere near where I’m going to be as a fighter. I’m going to be a force to be reckoned with. Every man’s dream in boxing is to be a World Champion, so that’s the goal and that’s the dream. This is what you dream of when you start out – main event, home city, top of the bill. I can’t be stopped, I believe I will reach the very top.”

Crocker is thriving under the guidance of veteran Scottish trainer Nelson and the heavy-handed Irishman believes it is only a matter of time before he is locking horns with some of the biggest names in the Welterweight division. 

“I always knew I had to make the move from Belfast to elsewhere, just to get me in the zone and keep me focused. There’s no distractions over in Scotland. With Billy Nelson it’s the perfect set up, my last four fights since I’ve been over there with Billy – I’ve got better each and every time – fitter each time, stronger. My last fight showed that. I’m starting to reach my potential and I’m getting there. I think this year is my breakout year.

“I put my life on the line, each and every time – no problem. I’m there for a fight, every time. He likes to come and fight and so do I – let’s have it. This is why I work so hard every day. This is the year of Lewis Crocker. We’re starting 2024 with a bang

“There’s so many names at Welterweight in the UK. It’s not like I’m calling anyone out but you go through the world class names, you’ve got Conor Benn and Josh Taylor. 147 is always a popular weight – it’s only a matter of time before all of the big names start to fight each other. Hopefully I’m in that mix.”

Crocker vs. Felix headlines Matchroom’s first show of 2024, fast-rising Cruiserweight contender Cheavon Clarke (7-0, 5 KOs) faces the biggest test of his career to date when he meets Belfast’s former European Champion Tommy McCarthy (20-5, 10 KOs), Limerick Welterweight talent Paddy Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs) aims to start 2024 with a bang against Argentina’s Williams Andres Herrera (15-2, 6 KOs), Wolverhampton Welterweight Conah Walker (12-2-1, 4 KOs) returns against Cardiff’s Lloyd Germain (9-0, 1 KO) following his brilliant win over Cyrus Pattinson, Guildford prospect Giorgio Visioli (1-0, 1 KO) fights for the second time as a pro in a six-round Super-Featherweight contest with Longbridge’s Samuel Pikire (4-2), Newham’s Leli Buttigieg (1-0, 1 KO) returns to Belfast for his second pro fight against Estonia’s ArtjomSpatar (4-4, 1 KO) at Super-Featherweight and Lisburn Featherweight Kurt Walker (9-0, 1 KO) joins the card as a late addition. 

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (January 25, 2024) — Today the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) unveiled the twenty-one (21) honorees chosen for induction into its Hall of Fame. The prestigious 8th Annual Awards & Induction Weekend is scheduled to take place from Friday, September 27th, to Sunday, September 29th, 2024, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. 

CLASS OF 2024:

FIGHTERS:

James Buster Douglas, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Sharmba Mitchell, Tyrone Mitchell Frazier, Mario Maldonado and Eva Jones-Young

CONTRIBUTORS:

James “Buddy” Mcgirt {Trainer}, Bruce Blair{Trainer},  Sampson Lewkowicz {Manager & Promoter}, Eric Bottjer {Matchmaker}, Randy Gordon {Media} Guy Gargan {Media}

POSTHUMOUS:

Howard Davis Jr. {Fighter}, Jay Larkin {T.V Executive}, Eddie Cotton {Referee}

PIONEERS:

Eric Seelig {Fighter}, George Godfrey {Fighter}, Joey Giardello {Fighter}

“We eagerly anticipate the induction of these distinguished individuals chosen for the “2024” Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. We look forward with great enthusiasm to celebrating and paying tribute to this exceptional group, whose contributions have played a significant role in establishing Atlantic City as a globally recognized boxing Mecca.” – Ray McCline, President & Founder, Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame

   The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame will offer boxing enthusiasts a fun filled experience with exceptional programming at this year’s Boxing Hall of Fame Awards & Induction Weekend. Delight in a VIP cocktail reception, engage in meet & greets with legendary figures, and immerse yourself in a fight fan experience showcasing stunning artwork, exhibits, and boxing memorabilia. The pinnacle of the weekend is the Awards & Induction red-carpet ceremony, set in an award-show atmosphere.

On behalf of Hard Rock Atlantic City, we are proud to welcome back Atlantic City’s Boxing Hall of Fame. This exciting event offers boxing enthusiasts a wonderful experience to interact and meet some of the most influential and legendary names in boxing history. Hosting unique events such as the ACBHOF continues to provide us with the most diverse entertainment line-up in Atlantic City,” stated Mike Woodside, VP of Entertainment & Marketing, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

“Thank you esteemed colleagues for selecting me for a prestigious position such as an inductee into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame! This is a great honor and I salute you all. Moreover, Atlantic City has been great to me throughout my career and I have fond memories of the many fights fought there while pursuing my Championship journey. I look forward to seeing you all in September 2024.” – James Buster Douglas

“Atlantic City holds many great memories from my boxing career, where I experienced triumph and defeat. The iconic Boardwalk Hall marked the start of my recognition on the world boxing stage, establishing me as one of the best globally. I’m humbled and forever grateful for being inducted into Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame rich boxing history. Thank you for this extraordinary recognition.” – Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez

“I cherish the memories from my time in Atlantic City, where numerous significant moments unfolded in my life. I’m so proud to be honored by A. C. Boxing Hall of Fame, particularly at this juncture in my life when it might seem that the efforts I invested to achieve championship status are overlooked by many. I’m humbled by this recognition” – Paul Williams 

A special thanks to our partners, sponsors and supporters: Mayor Marty Small Sr., City of Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Flagship Hotel-Club Boardwalk Resorts, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Atlantic City Sports Commission, Sparbar Ltd, Bare Knuckle Fighting Champions, Fight Night Apparel, Icons of Boxing Memorabilia, Adams Boxing, Sampson Boxing, WBC, IBF, CM 3D Crystal’s, Chris Guzman Gloves and Patrick Killian Arts

For more information, visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame’s website at: www.acbhof.com

NEW YORK (January 24, 2024) – Split-T Management has signed former world title challenger Angelica Rascon.

Rascon, 32 of El Paso, Texas has a record of 11-2 with two knockouts.

Racon will be managed by Brian Cohen.

“We are very happy to be working with her and navigate her to a world title. Angelica is fighting on March 1st in her hometown of El Paso Texas at the County Coliseum,” said Cohen.

Rascon turned professional on February 28, 2014 with a fourth round stoppage of Adilemme Murrieta. She also has a win over previously undefeated Johanna Porras.

Rascon has fought 10 fights in Mexico and came up short in losing a decision to Yamileth Mercado on June 26, 2021 in a battle for Mercado’s WBC Super Bantamweight title.

Rascon is coming off a career best win as she took a majority decision over the highly regarded Mia Ellis (7-1) on December 1st in Houston, Texas.

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2024) — Following three impressive victories in 2023, welterweight standout Brian Norman Jr. is gearing up for a breakthrough year.

Norman will defend his WBO International title against Janelson Bocachica in a 10-rounder on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Norman-Bocachica joins a stacked undercard that will be headlined by the vacant WBA featherweight world title showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American contender Raymond Ford.

In the co-feature, Mexico’s Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF crown against Japanese upstart Reiya Abe.

Kholmatov-Ford, Lopez-Abe and undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

Norman (25-0, 19 KOs) made his pro debut in January 2018 and went 11-0 in his first year in the paid ranks. In 2021, he fought four times, including a first-round TKO against Roque Agustin Junco that December. After a year-long layoff, Norman regained his momentum in 2023 by tallying eight-round decisions against Rodrigo Coria in January and Jesus Perez in May before capturing his first regional title against Quinton Randall in November. Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) went 16-0 before handing Mark Reyes Jr. his first pro defeat in February 2021. Since then, he’s been involved in several close contests, including a narrow decision loss to Alberto Palmetta last November.

The undercard will showcase a variety of emerging talents from the Top Rank roster, as well as the return of a home region hero:

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (9-0, 1 KO) will see action in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Ragan signed with Top Rank in August 2020 and fought four times as a pro before capturing the silver medal in Tokyo. He then continued his career in the paid ranks in 2022 by scoring four additional victories. The Cincinnati native toughed out a split decision victory against Jose Perez last October.

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs) will lock horns against Tarik Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs). Polanco conquered a trio of stiff tests last year, each with only one career loss. He decisioned Ricardo Quiroz in April and earned stoppages against Cesar Francis in July and Keith Hunter in December. Zaina aims to build off his biggest triumph yet, a unanimous decision win over Argentine contender Marcelino Lopez.

U.S. Olympian Troy Isley (11-0, 4 KOs) will face Marcos Hernandez (16-6-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. The 25-year-old looks to build off a successful 2023, including a unanimous decision verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez in November.

Heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore (13-0, 8 KOs) takes on Helaman Olguin (9-6-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Moore returns following his Top Rank debut in November, an eight-round decision over Robert Simms.

Floyd Diaz (10-0, 3 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in an eight-round bantamweight tilt against the upset-minded Puerto Rican Edwin Rodriguez (12-7-2, 5 KOs). Diaz decisioned once-beaten Max Ornelas for a regional title in November.

Middleweight prospect NicoAli Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs) will make his 2024 debut in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. The grandson of “The Greatest” starts his 2024 following a points triumph over Noel Lafargue last December in Conakry, Guinea.

Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (14-1, 5 KOs), who hails from nearby Liverpool, New York, will square off against Gerffred Ngayot (6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

# # #
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the March 2 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing hall-of-famers and legends of the sport have attended fights, promoted cards, or fought at Turning Stone over the last two decades, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miquel Cotto, Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, and Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and attended a fight in 2022 when she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate in June with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. 

Turning Stone features world-class amenities including NY Rec & Social Club, featuring TS Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book and elevated sports lounge, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  

New York, NY (January 24, 2024) The Fastest Rising Star in Boxing, Undefeated Super Welterweight, ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (9-0, 7 KOs), of Cork, Ireland will battle on St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Friday, March 15 against hard-hitting Kazak veteran Dauren Yeleussinov, (11-3-1, 10 KOs) in the ten-round main event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and broadcast live globally on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

Walsh vs. Yeleussinov is promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions as part of their nationally acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series. Tickets starting at $45 are Now On-Sale and can be purchased at MSG.com.

“Following Callum’s impressive performance before an energetic crowd on November 9 in his debut at Madison Square Garden, we started making plans for him to headline again on a truly special New York City Irish weekend,” said Tom Loeffler, President of 360 Promotions. “Dauren Yeleussinov presents another tough test for Callum in the main event and we look forward to announcing an action-packed undercard featuring some of the top New York City based fighters.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Callum Walsh back to The Theater at Madison Square Garden for another exciting night of boxing at ‘The Mecca’,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events & Operations, MSG Entertainment.  “Callum follows in the footsteps of some of Ireland’s biggest stars – John Duddy, Andy Lee, Matthew Macklin and Michael Conlan with fighting at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick’s Day weekend and we expect to welcome back the loyal Irish fans.”

Headlining at The Mecca of Boxing on Thursday, November 9, 2023, Walsh made a strong impression on the raucous boxing crowd in the famed venue with a dominant ten-round decision over top local prospect Ismael Villarreal, (13-1).

The March 15 event at Madison Square Garden will be the second straight year Walsh has celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a headlining fight, previously defeating Wesley Tucker on March 16, 2023 at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA in front of a huge contingent of Irish boxing fans.

Following a sensational 2023 with four victories, three by knockout, Walsh was named the Prospect of the Year by the World Boxing Council (WBC) in addition to being honored as the UFC FIGHT PASS Athlete of the Year.

A native of Kayindy, Kazakhstan and brother of 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Daniyar Yelussinov, Dauren considers Brooklyn, New York his second home. Fighting in Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 21, 2023, the southpaw Yelussinov knocked out Bakhrom Payazov in the second round. Seven of his ten knockouts have come in the first two rounds.

LOS ANGELES (January 24, 2024) – The beat continues this Saturday night in Phoenix for undefeated super middleweight prospect Darius “DFG” Fulghum (9-0, 9 KOs) as he takes on the toughest test of his relatively young professional boxing career, former world title challenger Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (28-5-1, 13 KOs), on a show presented by Golden Boy Promotions.

Headlined by Jaime Munguia vs. John Ryder, all the action will be streamed on DAZN from Footprint Arena, including Fulghum’s 10^th pro fight.”

Two years ago, Fox unsuccessfully challenged David Morrell for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight World Championship, and he’s also fought two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, as well as Liam Williams and Erik Bazinyan.

“I’ve watched a lot of tape of him (Fox) and he’s the most experienced guy I’ve fought and the biggest test of my career,” the 27-year-old Fulghum said. “I want to make a big statement in this fight to showcase my skills. I’m looking forward to this great opportunity, fighting on a great platform again, DAZN.   

“I have a lot of experience, too (amateur and pros), and I’ve seen a lot of styles. I feel one of my best attributes is that my style is adaptable. No matter what the situation, I’ll figure it out. I want to get the world to recognize my talent and make an impression on everybody watching me fight. If they say after this fight that they need to see me fight again, I’ve accomplished what I’m setting out to do.”

Fulgham, who is a perfect 9-for-9 with 9 knockouts, will be fighting in his first scheduled 10-round bout against Fox. “If the knockout comes, it comes,” he noted. “I want to make a big statement and 10-for-10 would be a big statement. I trust my team, 3 PM (3 Point Management) and Golden Boy, and they’re moving me the way I should be. By the end of this year, I want to be in striking distance to names like Canelo and Benevidez because, eventually, those are the guys I want to fight. But I need to earn it first.

“I really haven’t made any drastic changes for my first 10-round fight. I prepare for every fight like it’s for a world title. Physically, I’ve made improvements and I’m even better prepared mentally for this fight because I’m locked in and understand the process.”

Fulghum was a decorated amateur boxer, ranked No. 1 in the USA as a heavyweight, despite fighting as a super middleweight as a professional. He captured top honors at the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, both major amateur accomplishments were achieved while he was earning a nursing degree from Prairie View A & M University.

INFORMATION:

Instagram/X (Twitter)/Linkedin: @DariusFulghum

LIVERPOOL, UK (January 24, 2024) – A huge television audience tuned in to watch Natasha Jonas defend her IBF World Welterweight Title against Mikaela Mayer on Saturday, January 20th live on Sky Sports.

It was described as the ‘Hagler vs Hearns’ of women’s boxing in the build-up and did not fail to deliver as Jonas edged a split decision victory (96-94, 93-97, 96-95) to retain her IBF World Title in an epic back-and-forth battle against the former IBF and WBO World Super Featherweight Champion Mayer.

The incredible contest, which has already been lauded as one of the greatest fights in women’s boxing history and has left many fans calling for a rematch, attracted a peak audience of 269,000 and an average audience of 149,000, making it one of the most watched women’s boxing events on Sky Sports.

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer put it all on the line to deliver one of the greatest fights I’ve had the privilege of watching from ringside. The atmosphere inside the arena was electric and I am delighted that so many people tuned in live on Sky Sports to witness their epic world title tussle.

“At BOXXER we want to be a force for good for women’s boxing. We will continue to provide a platform and opportunities for female fighters to showcase their skills on the biggest stage. From our record-breaking women’s night in 2022 to last Saturday’s world title fight, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

“The viewing figures speak for themselves. 269,000 viewers tuning in to watch Natasha defend her world title shows there’s a huge demand for women’s boxing and I look forward to many more big fight nights featuring our female stars in the future.”

The BOXXER schedule continues on Saturday, February 3rd when unbeaten world ranked #1 and #2 light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez collide in a WBA World Title Final Eliminator at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

COMMERCE, CA (January 24, 2024) – Former World Champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (33-4-1, 15 KOs) of South El Monte will kick off the first Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN card of 2024 in a 10-round super lightweight main event against the tough Jesus “Ricky” Perez (24-5, 18 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico. The action will take place at The Commerce Casino & Hotel and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN at 6:00 p.m. PT.

“I am excited to let the boxing world know I’m back on track,” said Joseph “JoJo” Diaz. “My comeback continues on February 15. After this, I want all the top guys.”

“I would like to thank Golden Boy and my promoter Paco Damian for believing in me and giving me this great opportunity,” said Jesus Perez. “I know how important this fight is for me, a win over JoJo Diaz would open many great opportunities. I am working extremely hard to put on a great performance. One thing for sure, the fans are going to get their money’s worth. It is going to be a war!”

“Throughout his career, JoJo has defied the odds — competing at the Olympics, defeating undefeated fighters, and winning a world championship,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. “Now he is taking his second step back towards title contention, and I see the renewed focus in his eyes as he takes one more run at championship glory.”

Tickets for Diaz vs. Perez will go on sale today, Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $30 plus applicable fees. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience upgrades will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

“The Commerce Casino & Hotel is absolutely thrilled to be welcoming back Golden Boy to our property,” shared Spencer Villasenor, Director of Guest Experience. “We’ve recently upgraded our incredible event center and look forward to another production of the highest quality with the Golden Boy team.”

In the co-main event, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (23-2, 16 KOs) of Rialto, who was recently ranked number 10 on ESPN’s Top 25 under 25 list, will participate in a 10-round flyweight event. Also on the DAZN broadcast, Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s Eric Tudor (9-1, 6 KOs) will make a redemptive return in a six-round super welterweight fight. Opening the DAZN broadcast, San Diego’s Jorge “El Niño Dorado” Chavez (9-0, 7 KOs) will participate in a six-round super bantamweight fight. Opponents for each and the complete undercard will be announced in the coming weeks.

###

Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

Media interested in a credential for the fight must fill out a credential application by Monday, February 12. To apply, please visit https://forms.gle/BWn6AfZcwmrjNvA66. 

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a card headlined by a collision of top-ranked heavyweights that will see No. 8 Tai Tuivasa take on No. 11 Marcin Tybura. Also on the card, an exciting lightweight bout pits Thiago Moises against Brad Riddell. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: TUIVASA vs. TYBURA will take place Saturday, March 16 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish with the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Tuivasa (14-6, fighting out of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia) looks to deliver another signature finish in his third UFC main event. A fan favorite, Tuivasa has finished all but one of his bouts by KO, including victories over Derrick Lewis, Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy. He now aims to begin his 2024 campaign with a statement victory and build momentum for another run at the title.

Tybura (24-8, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) intends to break back into the Top 10 of the division with a vintage performance. A well-rounded veteran, he holds notable wins over Andrei Arlovski, Stefan Struve and Walt Harris. Tybura now has his sights set on taking out Tuivasa and putting together another long win streak.

Moises (17-7, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) plans to put his submission skills to use in a classic striker versus grappler matchup. Still only 28 years old, Moises cemented himself as a top prospect ever since he joined the UFC six years ago with victories over Michael Johnson, Bobby Green and Alexander Hernandez. He now seeks to impress against Riddell and once again crack the Top 15.

Riddell (10-4, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) looks to add another post-fight bonus to his resume. An entertaining striker, he burst onto the UFC scene with standout performances against Jamie Mullarkey, Magomed Mustafaev and Drew Dober. Ridell now hopes to return to the win column in highlight-reel fashion. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Light heavyweight action sees former title challenger Ovince Saint Preux (26-17, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) face off with Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Natan Levy (8-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets Mike Davis (10-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) for a thrilling clash at lightweight
• No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Pannie Kianzad (17-7, fighting out of Helsingborg, Sweden) looks to defend her spot in the rankings in a rematch against No. 9 Macy Chiasson (9-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Josh Culibao (11-2-1, fighting out of Botany, NSW, Australia) and Danny Silva (8-1, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) go toe-to-toe in an exciting featherweight bout
• Christian Rodriguez (10-1, fighting out of West Allis, Wisc.) returns to the featherweight division to take on Isaac Dulgarian (6-0, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.)
• No. 14 ranked bantamweight contender Josiane Nunes (10-1, fighting out of Gralha Azul, Parana, Brazil) meets No. 15 Chelsea Chandler (5-2, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) in an intriguing bout
• Middleweight veterans collide as Gerald Meerschaert (35-17, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) locks horns with Bryan Barberena (18-11, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.)
• A thrilling welterweight bout pits Bryan Battle (11-2, fighting out of Matthews, N.C.) against Ange Loosa (10-3, fighting out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by way of Kinshasa, DR Congo)
• Flyweights Jafel Filho (15-3, fighting out of Fuazeiro, Bahia, Brazil) and Ode’ Osbourne (12-6 1 NC, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) battle in an early Fight of the Night candidate
• Jaqueline Amorim (7-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Manaus, Brazil) and Cory McKenna (8-2, fighting out of Cwmbran, Wales) look to impress in a strawweight matchup
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Charalampos Grigoriou (8-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) aims to impress in his UFC debut against Chad Anheliger (12-7, fighting out of Airdrie, Alberta, Canada) in a bantamweight scrap

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for media credentials to the event.

###

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 233 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s active fighter roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus/

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON (January 23, 2023)  —  Roy Jones Jr., legendary world champion boxer and now trainer and promoter, will have two of his prized fighters headline an action-packed fight card at Legends Casino in Toppenish, Washington on January 25, 2024. The fight card will be promoted by Roy Jones Jr Boxing and streamed live on DAZN, beginning at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT.

If not a present DAZN subscriber, go to www.dazn.com/royjones to sign up!

In the main event, hometown favorite, undefeated Yakima born Andrew Murphy will fight in an eight-round bout defending his National Boxing Association (NBA) Super Middleweight Americas title. In the co-main event Mandeep Jangra, former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games Silver Medalist, will fight for the NBA vacant Intercontinental Super Featherweight title in a ten-round bout.

Both train at Roy Jones Jr.’s camp on his farm in Pensacola.  “It’s like a family thing, said Murphy, who has been training there since the beginning of the pandemic. “When we are not in the gym, we’re out on the farm helping with the animals. It’s like a zoo – horses, sheep, goats, chickens, deer, and alligators in the pond.”

Andrew Murphy (7-0, 5 KOs) was born in nearby Yakima, Washington an d January 25 will be the twenty-three-year-old’s third fight at Legends Casino. His opponent will be local talent Devontae McDonald (5-3, 1 KO” from nearby Wenatchee, Washington.

Regarding having Jones as a trainer, Murphy stated, “He’s the OG in the game. He’s done it all and he has an answer for every question that I have. He teaches me some of the things that he did and some can see that when I fight. Any way we can implement his moves into my game is a plus. But more importantly, he trains me to be the best version of myself, as he does with all of his guys his guys, to be the best version of themselves. On Thursday, my plan is to go dominate. By any means. Whatever he tries to do we have a plan for. I know it’s going to be an entertaining fight that’s for sure.”

Mandeep Jangra (6-0, 4 KOs), born and raised in Kharian, India, had a wonderful amateur career highlighted by winning Silver Medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships and the Commonwealth Games. This will be Mandeep’s fourth bout under Jones’ tutelage. He will fight a scheduled ten-rounds against Tacoma Washington’s finest, Gerardo Esqivel (5-3-1, 1 KO)

“I am very excited because this is my first title fight and it’s my first fight that is live on DAZN,” said Jangra. “I am good with my weight. I am good with my training. I am right at 130. I’ve been working with Roy for eleven months. Roy works on my skills. I had some skills, but he polished them – so now I fight like a pro boxer. I’ve been working on how I use my feet to get the most out of my hook and my power. I have changed my boxing style some and improved a lot. Before I didn’t throw many combinations, maybe three or four punches at most and in my last fight I threw a thirteen-punch combination, and I couldn’t believe it myself.”

Promoted by Roy Jones Jr. Boxing, tickets, priced at $60, $50 and $40, are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Legends Casino Gift Shop or on-line at Ticketmaster HERE

Doors open at 6 pm and first bell will be at 7 pm PT.

“I am very happy to be promoting again back at Legends Casino with my good friend Greg Fritz and the rest of the fine people that work there. Legends provides me and my fighters with wonder hospitality,” said Jones. “I will be bringing with me some treats. One of them is Mandeep Jangra. However many rounds Mandeep fight lasts, they will be exciting rounds. The second is Andrew Murphy, who brings power and aggression and is always looking for the knockout. I am really looking forward to January 25.”

The fight card will also include some LOCAL BOXING TALENT. Union Gap Washington’s Carlos Villanueva (5-3, 1 KO) will attempt to knock off Bend, Oregon’s undefeated Alberto Rivas (4-0, 1 KO) in a six-round cruiserweight scrap; in a six-round super welterweight bout, Kamar Bray (3-0) from Deerfield Beach, Florida and trained by Stacy McKinley, will battle Kevin Davila (5-11) from Lakewood, Washington; and in a six-round super clash of undefeateds, Mount Vernon’s Luis Gallegos (5-0, 2 KOs) battles fellow Washingtonian Josue Cadena (3-0, 1 KO).  Opening the card will be twolocals making their pro debut in a four-round super welterweight bout, Bryce Wyatt and Gerardo Ceresero.

ROY JONES JR. was world champion at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight (undisputed) and in 2003 became the first former middleweight world champion to become world heavyweight champion in over 106 years when he beat John Ruiz to win the title. Throughout that stretch he was recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

NEW YORK, NY – January 23, 2024 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the full card and special broadcaster for Most Valuable Prospects V, the first prospects event of 2024, taking place on Friday, February 2 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL available globally on DAZN subscription. Most Valuable Prospects V, headlined by H20 Sylve (10-0, 9KOs) vs. Estivan Falcao (13-2, 7KOs) for the WBC Youth World Championship and presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will feature super lightweights Orestes Velazquez (8-0, 7KOs) vs. Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith (7-2, 5KOs) for the WBA International Title. Famed Filipino fighter Ninito Donaire will also join the event as an analyst and expert commentator, bringing his significant experience, success, and signature “flash” to the DAZN broadcast team. 

Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects V are available now via Ticketmaster. 

H2O Sylve and Estivan Falcao will headline Most Valuable Prospects V with a 10-round lightweight bout on Friday, February 2nd, for the WBC Youth World Championship. The 19-year-old phenom Sylve returns to the ring for his very first 10-round fight against Brazil’s Falcao. This fight marks a step up in class for Sylve, after his victory over Adam Kipenga, and his thrilling knockout of veteran William Silva on the Paul vs. Diaz card in August of 2023. With six years of professional fighting under his belt, Falcao will prove a challenge after back to back wins in 2023.

The highly anticipated WBA International Title super lightweight battle between Orestes Velazquez and Julian Smith will take place over ten rounds. Velazquez (8-0, 7KOs), from Cuba, triumphed over Mohamed Soumaoro in September of last year for the WBA International Super Lightweight title with a TKO in the eight round. The Las Vegas-based fighter gained this win six months after going the distance with Marcelino Lopez on the Benavidez-Caleb Plant undercard in Las Vegas, NV, in March of 2023. The inspirational Illinois native Smith (7-2, 5KOs), who is deaf, is a Chicago Golden Gloves champion and will be making his third appearance in the prospects series, where he most recently defeated Julio Rosa (8-3, 4KOs), by majority decision (59-55, 57-57, 60-54). Smith found out he won via sign language and celebrated his hard-fought victory with a heartfelt moment where his mom joined him in the ring.

Rounding out Most Valuable Prospects V will be lightweight undefeated Florida natives Benigno Aguilar (13-2-0, 7KOs) and Corey Marksman (8-0) as they battle over six rounds, and Maricela Cornejo (14-6, 5KOs) will take on Kandi Wyatt (10-4, 3KOs) in a welterweight bout across eight rounds. Cornejo fought Claressa Shields in June of 2023, with only two weeks’ notice before the bout. Despite the short notice, Cornejo took Shields the distance, ultimately losing via unanimous decision. Cornejo has decided to take a new path toward becoming a world champion, competing at welterweight, with Most Valuable Prospects marking only her second fight in this class. 

Providing commentary on these fights will be Nonito Donaire, the former boxing champion in four weight classes from flyweight to featherweight, and the oldest boxer in history to win a bantamweight world title – while being the first three-time champion in that weight class. Donaire also holds the distinction of gaining world championships in three consecutive decades, and is the sixth boxer to do so alongside legends like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Serving as analyst and expert commentator, Donaire will bring his incredible and unique POV to the DAZN broadcast team alongside Wade Plemons, Dan Canobbio and Sibley Scoles, and to fans around the world. The full card will be offered globally via DAZN subscription.

“In May of 2023, I headlined MVP’s very first Most Valuable Prospects event, and now I’m battling for the WBC Youth World Championship less than a year later. It’s an honor to come back to Orlando and represent the series for a second time,” said H20 Sylve. “Most Valuable Prospects has provided so many fighters – myself included – with a platform and opportunity in this sport and I’m looking forward to headlining for a second time. Thank you to MVP, Boxlab, Caribe, and DAZN for the opportunity and make sure to tune in on Friday, February 2nd to watch me give the WBC Youth World Championship belt a new home.”

“Most Valuable Prospects was introduced last year, and since that time we’ve provided up and coming fighters with a platform to display their skills and build their names. We couldn’t be more excited by this first installment of 2024, where we’ll see MVP phenom H20 Sylve battle Estivan Falcao for the WBC Youth World Championship in H20’s first 10-round bout, and Orestes Velazquez and Julian Smith fight for the WBA International Title,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “It’ll also be a big night and test for Maricela Cornejo, as she forges her path towards becoming world champion at welterweight against Kandi Wyatt, an important bout which continues Most Valuable Promotions’ support of women’s boxing. It’s truly a card created for the fans, and another great representation for Most Valuable Prospects. Thank you to DAZN, Boxlab, Caribe Royale Resort, and CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy for another year of partnership.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The fifth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of Most Valuable Promotions and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on Twitter via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

How to watch DAZN  

• Visit DAZN.com and follow the steps to sign up now
• Once signed up, download the DAZN app to watch on any device
• Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  
• DAZN is available on your phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles. 
• Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

?

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

An action-packed Spring schedule is in store for fight fans this year with Matchroom Boxing delighted to announce its upcoming events through to April, shown exclusively live worldwide on DAZN. 
 
Matchroom return to the Utilita Arena Sheffield for a huge night of boxing on Saturday March 23 as the Steel City’s fast-rising Super-Lightweight contender Dalton Smith (15-0, 11 KOs) steps up against the USA’s three-time World Title challenger Jose Zepeda ( 37-4, 28 KOs) and Derby’s WBO Welterweight World Champion Sandy Ryan (6-1-1, 2 KOs) puts her gold on the line against Denaby Main’s two-division World Champion Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs) in a huge domestic clash. 
 
‘Thunder’ reinforced his credentials as a future World Champion last time out by sensationally wiping out Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell with a vicious one-punch knockout in the seventh round of their meeting in Sheffield to add the Commonwealth Super-Lightweight Title to his British Title that he has now won outright. 
 
California’s Zepeda has twice challenged for world honours at Super-Lightweight – falling short on points against Jose Carlos Ramirez for the WBC crown in 2019 before suffering an eleventh-round stoppage against Regis Prograis for the same title in November 2022. In his only previous visit to the UK Zepeda suffered a dislocated left shoulder during his challenge for the vacant WBO Lightweight World Title against Manchester’s Terry Flanagan. 
 
WBO 147lbs ruler Ryan will be looking to bounce back from a controversial split decision draw against WBC and WBA World Champion Jessica McCaskill in Orlando last September. Ryan was left bitterly disappointed following her World Title unification clash having felt she did enough to earn a career-best win. Harper was also left frustrated after her draw with Cecilia Braekhus last October but the 27-year-old now has the opportunity to claim a World Title in a third weight division following her success at Super-Featherweight and Super-Welterweight. Also on the card, Hyde’s Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs) goes for his first title when he meets Doncaster’s James Flint (13-1-2, 3 KOs) for the Central Area Super-Lightweight Title.
 
Two of the USA’s brightest emerging stars are out to impress at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6. New York Super-Lightweight ace Richardson Hitchins (17-0, 7 KOs) looks to build on his shutout points win over Jose Zepeda at the Caribe Royal Orlando last September when he takes on Argentina’s Gustavo Daniel Lemos (29-0, 19 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF World Title, and destructive Super-Middleweight powerhouse Diego Pacheco (20-0, 17 KOs) is aiming to extend his nine-fight knockout streak when he meets Colorado’s unbeaten Shawn McCalman (15-0, 7 KOs).
 
Manchester’s AO Arena plays host to an exciting domestic clash between Super-Featherweight rivals Jordan Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) and Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16 KOs) on Saturday April 13, with World Title action on the undercard as Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) looks to win her first World Title when she takes on Argentina’s Karen Elizabeth Carabajal (21-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBO 140lbs crown.
 
Chatteris’ Gill, a former European and Commonwealth Champion at Featherweight, stunned Irish hero Michael Conlan with a seventh-round stoppage win on away territory at the SSE Arena Belfast last month and immediately called for a World Title shot in his post-fight interview. Standing in ‘The Thrill’s’ way of a dream World Title shot is Manchester’s former World Title challenger Barrett, and the 30-year-old ‘Brown Flash’ has further World Title aspirations of his own having come up short against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the IBF title in Abu Dhabi. 
 
Liverpool Super-Bantamweight Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) gets an immediate shot at redemption when he rematches Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) at the top of a NXTGEN card on home soil at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on Saturday April 27. The former amateur star was cruising to a wide points decision on the Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards card in Arizona, USA last month when O’Quinn finished his opponent with a brutal right hand in the fifth round.  
 
“The big fights keep coming and I’m delighted to confirm a bumper schedule across March and April,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Four big fight nights across the pond featuring huge domestic World Title clashes, some of the best emerging talent in boxing and make or break rematches – not forgetting ‘Knockout Chaos’ with AJ vs. Ngannou on March 8 in Riyadh. There’s still plenty more to come as we gear up for an exciting year. I can’t wait to get a huge 2024 underway this week in Belfast with Lewis Crocker vs. Jose Felix at Ulster Hall before we head out to Las Vegas for the return of Conor Benn. Watch all of the action live on DAZN.”
 
“There are some fantastic matchups in this run of shows,” said Alfie Sharman VP of DAZN. “Featuring World Champions, future stars and domestic dust ups, DAZN are excited to update our schedule through April – with more shows to be added. 2024 is a huge year for us and we look forward to bringing you all the action exclusively live on DAZN.”
 
Announcements on ticket details and further undercard additions will be made in the coming weeks.

NEW YORK (January 22, 2024) – Newly crowned World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Welterweight Champion, rising Irish star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs), returns to action this Saturday night (Jan. 27) at Ulster Hall in Belfast to make his first title defense against Williams Andres Herrera (15-2, 6 KOs) in a 10-round fight streaming live on DAZN.

Donovan, who celebrated his 25^th birthday this past January 10^th, has also cracked the world ratings at No. 13 in the WBA, the result of his sensational fourth-round stoppage of English welterweight champion Danny Ball (13-2-1, 6 KOs) last November 25^th in Dublin on a DAZN pay-per-view headlined by the Irish superstar Katie Taylor-Chantelle Cameron rematch.

?“I’m going into this fight with a new belt and ranked 13^th in the world,” fan favorite Donovan said. “I’m really hungry to just keep getting fights to keep shining on big stages. I love fighting, I love being the center of attention. I want to be world champion in the next 12 to 15 months. I’m building my resume under WBA sanctioning and Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs), from Lithuania, is the WBA Welterweight Champion. So, I’ve got my eye on him.”   

Fighting out of his native Argentina, Herrera is a 27-year-old former International Boxing Federation (IBF) Latino Super Welterweight Champion, whose 12-fight win streak was snapped in his last fight by way of a 10-round unanimous decision to Josh Wagner (16-0).

“Paddy has trained extremely hard for this fight and he’s really maturing into a world-class professional boxer,” Donovan’s head trainer Andy Lee added. “Watching his skills improve each day and also seeing how intelligent he is in the ring leads me to believe this will be another star performance from Paddy.”

Former world middleweight champion Lee also co-manages Donovan with New York City-based lawyer Keith Sullivan.

“We believe Paddy has the skill, talent and hunger to be a world champion,” Sullivan commented. “More importantly, he has the willingness to continue learning and developing under Andy’s meticulous training style.”

Donovan is using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity that provides mental health services throughout Ireland, Pieta House. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pieta Crisis Helpline, 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harm and also supports those bereaved through suicide. “If I can get somebody to call that number and change their life,” Donovan believes, “I think my deed is done on this earth.” 

INFORMATION:

X (formerly Twitter): @PaddyDonovan23

Instagram: @paddy_realdeal_donovan

Facebook: /PaddyRealDealDonovan

Conor Benn has warned Peter Dobson that he’s bringing ‘sheer violence’ to their clash at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday February 3, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW – Benn and Dobson will step through the ropes at approximately 2.30pm PT/10.30pm UK, with the first bell on the day at 11am PT/7pm UK

Benn (22-0 14 KOs) is back in action in his second straight fight in the States after he returned from a 17-month absence in Orlando in September with a ten-round points win over Rodolfo Orozco. ‘The Destroyer’ is polishing off his preparation at the Matchroom Churchill Gym in Santa Monica alongside George Liddard and Jimmy Sains, who are on his undercard, as well as John Ryder, who meets Jaime Munguia in Phoenix on January 27 live on DAZN. 

Dobson (16-0 9 KOs) has warned the Essex man that he’ll ruin his plans to face the elite at 147lbs and derail his World title dreams, but as Benn ticks a massive box in his career by topping the bill in Sin City, 

“I never thought I would fight in Las Vegas, let alone headline, so it’s nothing but a blessing,” said Benn. “I’ve got a lot of supporters in America, and I know that people will be traveling over to see me. I sit back and count my blessings, England is my home, and I can’t wait for the homecoming, but at the same time I am embracing every step of this journey. It’s all part of the story and I am excited about what is to come.

“I’m going to make an example of him. He can do the talking. Talk as much as you want, the outcome will be the same. Delusion is one hell of a thing and there’s a fine line between delusion and confidence. I know what I am bringing in and that’s sheer violence, sheer brutality, sheer spite. Whatever he does, I do better, and I am going in there to handle business and deal with him in serious fashion. 

“It’s exciting to have four Essex boys going to Vegas with George, Jimmy and Johnny Fisher and his ‘Bosh Army’. I don’t think that been done before and it shows the opportunities that have presented themselves throughout this process. First Orlando and now fighting in Sin City, it’s great to fight in the States and get my name out there over there. 

“Obviously, I’m not my dad. It’s evident to see. I am Conor Benn, that’s that. What he’s said is nothing I haven’t heard before, if he wants to talk that talk, fair play. Talk is cheap, I take no notice of it but when I get in the ring, I express every bit of feeling I have in me. So, he can keep talking, it’ll just make me want to end the fight early. I’m going in there to dismantle him and remind everyone who’s who and what’s what. 

“I’m coming for it early and when I see an opportunity, I take it, that’s who I am. I take the shots I see, I don’t pull back, I don’t pitter-patter, I’m going in there to iron him out, that’s who I am, and I can’t help it. If I see one split-second of pain or weakness, I make sure he knows I’ve seen it.

“I don’t watch my opponents, I leave that to Tony, I am confident in what I do and my ability. So, I don’t know much about Peter, but I know that I am one hell of a fighter, I’m powerful, extremely determined and full of grit. I punch like a horse’s kick, so good luck to him.”

Benn’s clash with Dobson tops the bill in Las Vegas, where the co-main event pits two exciting and unbeaten Middleweights against each other in the shape of Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (15-0 10 KOs) against Florida-based Irishman Connor Coyle (20-0 9 KOs) for the for the WBA International and IBF North American titles.

It’s a Brit-heavy card with Benn’s Tony Sims-trained stable mates Liddard and Sains – who faces Andrew Buchanan (3-0-1 2 KOs) and Ahmed Swedy (5-2 2 KOs) respectively, and popular unbeaten Heavyweight Fisher (10-0 9 KOs) offers a first overseas away day for his loyal ‘Bull Army’ and takes on Ukraine’s Dmytro Bezus (10-1 5 KOs) over ten rounds, while Light-Heayvweight talent Khalil Coe (7-0-1 5KOs) enjoyed a fruitful 2023 takes on Mexican KO artist Gerardo Osuna (20-0 18 KOs) over eight rounds.

NEW YORK (January 22, 2024) – Split-T Management is pleased to announce the signing of undefeated bantamweight contender Johanna “Wonder” Wonyou.

Wonyou will be co-managed by boxing’s premier manager for female fighters Brian Cohen and Block One Sports.

“Johanna is a terrific young fighter who has a ton of talent and is a major player in the bantamweight division. In her last bout she dominated an undefeated fighter in her opponent’s hometown. She has been the most avoided fighter in the division, but we (along with Block One Sports) expect to have her in title contention very soon, and we expect her to be a terrific fighter for a long time.” said Cohen

Wonyou, 23 years-old of London, England via France, was a Youth Amateur Gold Medal Winner and three-time French Amatuer champion.

Wonyou has a record of 9-0 with two knockouts.

Wonyou is a four-year professional who already is a major player in the bantamweight division.

Wonyou already has two wins over Wendellin Cruz. Cruz was undefeated at 5-0-1 before the first fight.

On March 12.2023, Wonyou captured the Commonwealth Boxing Council Bantamweight Title with a fourth round stoppage over Egine Kayange in Kent, England. In her last outing, Wonyou captured the European Bantamweight title with a 10-round shutout over previously undefeated Simona Salvatori (8-0) on May 5, 2023 in Lazio, England.