HE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY returns for its season premiere TONIGHT (11:00-11:30 pm. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy® winner, who has been the host of HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988, the show is a provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing.

Other HBO playdates: March 19 (4:15 p.m., 3:50 a.m.), 21 (9:45 a.m.), 25 (1:30 p.m.), 29 (noon), 30 (10:30 a.m., 11:00 p.m.) and 31 (9:30 p.m.), and April 3 (7:30 p.m.) 6 (5:05 a.m.) and 7 (11:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 20 (11:45 p.m., 8:30 p.m.), 26 (7:30 p.m.), 28 (9:00 a.m.) and 31 (12:35 a.m.), and April 2 (1:00 a.m.), 4 (2:10 p.m.) and 6 (12:50 p.m.)

HBO On Demand® availability begins March 18. The show will also be available on HBO GO®.

On this edition of THE FIGHT GAME, commentators Max Kellerman and Michelle Beadle join Lampley for a look at the biggest news stories and personalities in the sport. Featured will be: a review of the Kovalev-Pascal light heavyweight title fight; a look at the controversial ending of the dramatic Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor showdown 25 years ago; Beadle’s visit to the Wild Card gym in Hollywood for a one-on-one with welterweight superstar Manny Pacquiao; and an all-new Gatti list and FIGHT GAME pound-for-pound compilation.

Immediately following the program, fight fans can log on to hbo.com for an exclusive overtime segment hosted by Lampley.

On Saturday night, Juergen Braehmer (45-2, 33 KOs) defends his WBA World Light Heavyweight title against Robin Krasniqi (43-3, 16 KOs) at the StadtHalle in Rostock, Germany. Ahead of their sell-out world championship clash, both fighters took part in public workout today at the Ostsee-Park.

In his last championship defence, Braehmer set a record for the fastest knock out in a light heavyweight title fight since the formation of the major alphabet organisations, with his opponent Pawel Glazewski lasting just fifty-five seconds in the ring.

Today in Rostock, Krasniqi may have set a record for the shortest public workout in history. Having greeted the crowd and laced his gloves, the Munich fighter lasted only ten seconds before making his excuses and leaving the ring.

Thankfully for the fans in attendance, the reigning and defending champion showed significantly more in the ring. Displaying textbook combinations to the delight of a raucous crowd, who cheered every punch the local hero threw into the mitts of his coach Karsten Roewer. ‘’It’s great to be here in Rostock,’’ exclaimed Braehmer. ‘’On Saturday night, I will give you even more to cheer about. I will defeat Krasniqi and retain my world title!’’

The WBA World Light Heavyweight Championship fight between Juergen Braehmer and Robin Krasniqi is available to watch live on SAT.1 in Germany and Sky Sports in the UK.

LOS ANGELES (March 17) – Golden Boy Promotions’ Irish fighters Jamie Kavanagh (17-1-1, 8 KOs), a native of Dublin, and Jason Quigley (4-0, 4 KOs), a native of Donegal, Ireland, are in camp, training hard to prepare for the Friday, March 20 fight on the undercard for Kamegai vs. Gomez at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Kavanagh, a former Irish national championship fighter, is set for an eight-round televised lightweight match against power puncher Miguel Zamudio (29-6-1, 17 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico airing live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes on March 20. The same night, Irish and European championship fighter Quigley (4-0, 4 KOs), fresh off his March 6 victory at LA FIGHT CLUB, will face an opponent yet to be named in a six-round middleweight television swing bout.

We asked them what it’s like to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in America as Irishmen living abroad in the U.S. pursuing professional boxing careers and their plans for March 17.

What does St. Patrick’s Day mean for an Irishman living in the US?

JAMIE KAVANAGH: “People always ask that question around St. Patrick’s Day here in the U.S. but they don’t realize that actually the holiday in, say, Boston and New York, which has a rich Irish heritage, is a bigger day than back in Dublin, Ireland. It is great be at home with family and friends and celebrate the festive event. There is a lot of buzz around the city and a lot happening, but for me this year, I’m here in the desert in Indio. There isn’t much going on here for the holiday.”

JASON QUIGLEY: “This is going to be my first experience in the U.S. on St. Patrick’s Day. I’m interested to see the difference in how it’s celebrated in both countries. It’s exciting, and I’m looking forward to it!”

How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or do you have any plans to celebrate this year?

JAMIE KAVANAGH: “Yes, I have some friends coming into town for St. Patrick’s Day, especially because my fight on March 20 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino falls in the same week. I’ll be dieting and sheading the pounds, and I will try my best to keep in St. Patrick’s Day spirit around my friends. We’re going to go to an Irish restaurant to have a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage.”

JASON QUIGLEY: “This past weekend I went to Long Beach to attend the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and met up with some other Irish friends that are living in the U.S., too. But, on St. Patrick’s Day itself, I’ll be in the gym, preparing for my upcoming fight on March 20.”

What will a win on the March 20card mean for you and any family you have back in Ireland?

JAMIE KAVANAGH: “We will all be delighted to have the win on March 20. Since I fight the same week as the holiday, my family will keep the festivities going through fight night and will be tuning into FOX Sports1 to watch me take the win.”

JASON QUIGLEY: “As always I’ll be very proud and so will my family and friends back home. This is what I’m here in the U.S. for and every fight means just as much to me. They are all stepping stones to becoming a world champion.”

How does your family back home celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

JAMIE KAVANAGH: “My family gathers to watch the St. Patrick’s Day parade and fireworks, it’s a family tradition. It’s really about the kids and helping them celebrate the day. There’s so much for them to do, there is also a fair and everyone will be dressed in green and flying the flag on that day. I will be deep in training, but I’ll make up for it when I return home after my fight.”

JASON QUIGLEY: “Everybody goes to the parades. There’s one in every town and there is huge turnout for them. I led the St. Patrick’s Day parade through my hometown last year. Everybody wears green, and the pubs are filled with people and the sound of Irish music; it’s a great “craic” (crack)! I hear there may be snow back home, so it’s going to be a cold one.”

Kamegai vs. Gomez is a 10-round super welterweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the ?rst bell rings at 6 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, priced at $25, $35, and $45, are on sale now and available for purchase from the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

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For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing,@FOXSports, @FOXSports1, @FOXDeportes and, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Tuesday, March 17, 2015) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions has confirmed the date and venue for its second show of 2015, returning to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Friday, May 15th. This show will continue and focus more intently on the initiative of Uprising Promotions to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York.

“We are really excited about coming back to Brooklyn,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “For every card, we do fundraising for autism awareness, but we really want to make a bigger contribution from this show in particular to draw more attention to the great work they do in Long Island. We are seeking the support of some local businesses for the cause, and we know that we can always count on the fighters to get behind it. Overall, we are looking to have a nice turnout and be able to give more back to the school. We always hype our boxers and have great match-ups, but we really want to make the focus of this show on the kids. We hope to raise more revenue so our donation to the school is something that can really make a difference.”

September marks the last time that Uprising Promotions held a show at the Masonic Temple, which is located at 317 Clermont Ave #4 in Brooklyn. The intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house, and anyone who frequents Uprising Promotions shows already knows that there will be top-notch fights on the card.

“We always put together exciting bouts with young up-and-coming guys, and this show will not be any different,” Frank confirmed. “Stay tuned for the lineup.”

This card is being sponsored by Ronson Frank Fitness, Bill4Time, Belaire Rosé Champagne, Alma Restaurant, Resolution Sports and Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of our latest news, make sure to check out www.UprisingPromotions.com and follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC

Los Angeles, CA (March 17, 2015) Tickets will go on sale TODAY!!, March 17 at 12:00 p.m. PDT for the World Middleweight Championship showdown between Boxing Superstar GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN and #2 Rated Challenger WILLIE MONROE JR. set for Saturday, May 16 at the Forum.

Priced at $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, tickets will be available through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and at the Forum Box Office.

“Starting at $30, we’ve priced the tickets very reasonably to give as many fight fans as possible the opportunity to see “The GGG Big Drama Show,” said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions. “As his last fight in Los Angeles was sold out, we encourage fans to purchase their tickets early.”

The first 100 fans purchasing tickets at the Forum Box Office this Tuesday starting at 12:00 p.m. will have an opportunity to have a photograph taken with “GGG” on the press conference stage starting at 1:00 p.m. at the famed venue.

The Forum is located at 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305. The Box Officecislocated on the West Side of the building, parking can be accessed through the S. Prairie Ave. entrance.

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Presented by K2 Promotions and GGG Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and the Forum, the event will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

World Boxing Association (‘WBA’), International Boxing Organization (‘IBO’) and World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) ‘Interim’ Middleweight World Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, 32-0-0 (29KO’s) of Los Angeles, California via Karaganda, Kazakhstan will make the 14th defense of his title against top rated challenger WILLIE MONROE JR.,19-10 (6KO’s), of Ithaca, New York on Saturday, May 16 at The Forum in Inglewood.

On February 21 in Monte-Carlo, Golovkin stopped Martin Murray for his 19th consecutive win by knockout, the most in the history of the middleweight division. This will be Golovkin’s second fight in Los Angeles, having stopped former world title challenger Marco Antonio Rubio on October 18, 2014 before a record setting crowd of 9,323 at the StubHub! Center in Carson, CA.

Monroe Jr. won the acclaimed 2014 ESPN Boxcino Tournament defeating fellow contenders Donatas Bondorovas, Vitaliy Kopylenko and Brandon Adams towards the title.

Most recently Monroe Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Bryan Vera on January 16 in a bout telecast on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

Additionally Monroe Jr. comes from a great boxing pedigree, his uncle Willie “The Worm” Monroe defeated legendary middleweight Marvin Hagler in 1976.

Monroe is currently ranked #2 by the WBA, #5 by the WBO and #9 by the WBC.

SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.K2Promos.com, www.GGGBoxing.com, www.Banner-Promotions.com, www.FabulousForum.com and www.HBO.com/boxing.

Follow on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Willie Monroe Jr. @WillieMonroeJr, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, Banner Promotions @BannerBoxing, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/WilieMonroeJrFanPage,
www.facebook/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Use the hashtag #GolovkinMonroe to join the conversation on Twitter.

Philadelphia, PA—Amir “Hard Core” Mansour, of Wilmington, DE, and Joey “The Tank” Dawejko, of Philadelphia, will collide in the most anticipated local showdown in years when they battle over 10 rounds—or less—for the vacant Pennsylvania State Heavyweight Title on Friday evening, May 8, at the 2300 Arena.

The Mansour-Dawejko contest, which will be televised live by ESPN 2, tops a seven-bout card that begins at 7 p.m. The ESPN 2-televised portion of the program begins at 9 p.m.

Mansour (above right), a powerful southpaw, is one of the most feared heavyweights in the world and constantly has been avoided by the big names in the division. At 42, and with time running out, he makes his ESPN debut after piling up a record of 21-1, 16 K0s.
A former USBA heavyweight champion, Mansour lost that belt to Steve Cunningham, who survived a pair of fifth-round knockdowns last year to earn a 10-round decision in Philadelphia.
Because of his inability to get the big- name contenders to fight him, Mansour is rated no higher than No. 24 by the WBC, which most boxing fans consider an insult to Mansour’s record and to his ability.
In his last fight Nov. 8 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem (PA), Mansour scored what Sports Illustrated claimed was the Knockout of the Year when he flattened Fred Kassi, of New Orleans, LA, with a single right hand in the seventh round of their scheduled 10-rounder.
Mansour believes a win over Dawejko will get him back into the world rankings
“I’m gonna smash this kid,” Mansour said. “He doesn’t have the power or the skill level or the warrior’s mentality to go the full 10 rounds with me. I’m not going to leave it in the hands of the judges; I’m going to leave it in the hands of the paramedics.”
Dawejko (above left), 24, comes into this fight riding a six-fight winning streak, including a stretch of four consecutive first-round knockouts.
A pro since 2009, Dawejko is 14-3-2, 7 K0s, but he survived the first four and one-half years of his career by managing and promoting himself, accepting fights on short notice when he was out of shape.
Now, under new management (Club 57), Dawejko is finally living up to the promise he showed as a world-class amateur.
He opened 2015 with an eight-round decision victory over fringe contender Derric Rossy, of Medford, NY, then followed by beating former amateur rival Mark Rideout, of Philadelphia. His four first-round knockout victims may not have been world-beaters—David Williams, Philadelphia; Yohan Banks, Redwood City, CA; Rayford Johnson, Longview, TX; Enobong Umohette, Milwaukee, WI—but Dawejko needed less than six minutes combined to demolish all four of them.
“I can’t wait to step into the ring May 8 in my national TV debut,” Dawejko said. “It’s going to be an explosive night. I’m going to steamroll Mansour ‘cause I’m the tank.”

About May 8

The Mansour-Dawejko contest headlines a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight is 7pm. The card will be televised live by ESPN 2 at 9 pm. Tickets are $55 and $80 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The May 8 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions and BAM Boxing.

Philadelphia, PA (March 16, 2015)–This past Friday it was announced that Boxcino 2014 Middleweight champion Willie Monroe Jr. has accepted the challenge and will fight WBA/IBO and WBC Interim Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on May 16 at the Forum in Inglewood,California.

The event will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Monroe of Rochester, New York earned the opportunity on the strength of his three wins in the 2014 Boxcino Middleweight tournament and a ten-round unanimous decision victory over Bryan Vera on January 16.

“On May 16, I will shock the world,” said Monroe.

“I think this is an awesome fight. We have two contrasting styles and that will make for some spontaneous combustion. We will see which style comes out on top on May 16.”

“I want to thank Banner Promotions for standing by me. I also want to thank GGG for accepting the fight. This is a risky fight for him because people have not given me the credit for who I am.” continued Monroe. “I want to also thank Brian Kweder and John Campagna of ESPN for the platform of the Boxcino tournament. I know that it was those three fights that really spingboarded me into this position.”

Said Banner Promotions President Artie Pelullo, “We are extremely happy for Willie. He has worked very hard, and he got this opportunity the old-fashioned way. He earned it. To win the 2014 Boxcino tournament shows that when fighters take risks in their career, and they are willing to fight quality fighters, great things come from it. For that I have to really give a lot of credit to Brian Kweder and John Campagna of ESPN for help facilitating this great run that Willie has been on and which led to this opportunity.”

“When ESPN signed on with Banner Promotions to bring back the Boxcino Championship last year, Artie Pelullo promised that the tournament would produce a world champion just as it did back in the 1990’s,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions. “I’m happy to see Willie Monroe, Jr. get the first shot at delivering on that promise. This fight on May 16th is exactly the reason fight fans should tune in to this year’s crop of talent appearing in the Boxcino semifinals on April 10th on Friday Night Fights.”

New York (March 16, 2015)–Boxing is a funny business. Sometimes, even when you lose, you win.

So it was on Friday night, when 26-year-old Ecuadorean junior welterweight Erick Bone showed the world that he is a world-class talent and willing warrior.

Bone, who lives in Queens, NY, and is managed by Eli Mackay, was stopped in round five by former world champion Shawn Porter on Spike TV in Ontario, California.. Viewers saw Bone having some success against Porter. That success may have been suprising as Bone took the fight on twenty-four hours notice.

In round two, Bone, who is signed to adviser Al Haymon, sprained his right knee. He fought for three rounds on one knee. “I won’t make any excuses. But I want people to know I will be back, on TV, and I will be ready for a summer fight,” said Bone (16-2).

Mackay said he is proud his boxer stepped up a weight class on such short notice. “He fought on one knee,” Mackay marveled. “A doctor said it was good the fight ended because Erick’s knee could have been seriously hurt. But it’s just a sprain. Bottom line, Erick is a real talent and will make noise at junior welterweight!”

“As the fight progressed, Erick was starting to figure out Porter. It would have been real interesting to see how it would have played over the scheduled twelve rounds had he not injured his knee.”

CHICAGO (March 16, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike TV returns with an action-packed doubleheader on Friday, April 24 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago as the hard hitting Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KOs)faces off against challenger Badou Jack “The Ripper” (18-1, 12 KOs) in super middleweight action.

The first main event of the evening will see Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (28-1, 25 KOs) battling it out with exciting veteran Caleb “Golden” Truax (25-1-2, 15 KOs) in a middleweight bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is co-promoted by Warriors Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are priced at $151, $101, $51, and $31, not including applicable service charges, and are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or UIC Pavilion Box Office at (312) 413-5740. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).

The televised action on Spike TV begins at 9 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. PT (delayed on the west coast).

“I’m extremely excited to be fighting on Spike TV and I plan on being the guy everyone is talking about when the night is over,” said Dirrell. “This is a great platform for me and I’m more motivated than ever to put on a show for the fans. Badou Jack is a tough opponent but I’m going to make it a very bad night for him.”

“This is a great opportunity for me and I am not going to let it slip through my fingers,” said Jack. “I know Anthony Dirrell is a very skilled fighter but he’s about to feel a different kind of power when I hit him. I’m looking forward to becoming the super middleweight champion on April 24th.”

“The Miracle Man’ is back! I’m excited about this fight and I know it’s going to be a great night for the fans and I expect to put on a show,” said Jacobs. “Everyone in Chicago and everyone watching on Spike TV is going to be in for a treat.”

“I’m so thrilled to be able to compete in such a big fight on such a tremendous stage,” said Truax. “Jacobs is a good fighter and I respect him, but he’s never been in the ring with someone like me. I will make him pay if he underestimates me.”

“We’re excited to be bringing Premier Boxing Champions back to Spike TV and to the UIC Pavilion in Chicago for the first time,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing, co-promoter of the event with Mayweather Promotions. “Chicago has a great fight history and with two championship fights, April 24 will be another great chapter in that history.”

“We’re excited to be co-promoting this great night of boxing,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “”Badou Jack is a hard-working and motivated fighter who has been putting in the work to earn this world title shot. I expect a night of fireworks and on April 24th. Mayweather Promotions will have another champion.”

“We are thrilled to deliver to our viewers a compelling, action-packed event showcasing fighters who have beaten world class opponents in the ring and overwhelming obstacles outside of it to get to boxing’s big stage,” said Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports, Spike TV.

Dirrell has seen more adversity than most throughout his career as his time in boxing has been seriously jeopardized twice. First in December 2006 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and was sidelined for 20 months and again in May 2012 when he broke his lower left leg and left wrist in a motorcycle accident. The Flint, Michigan-native never let that keep him down however as he kept winning fights and working his way up the professional ranks. In 2014 he won his first championship, when he defeated Sakio Bika in a rematch of their 2013 draw. Now the 30-year-old looks to put on another show on April 24 in Chicago.

The 31-year-old Jack has been on course for a world title shot since signing with Mayweather Promotions in 2013. The hard-hitting fighter out of Las Vegas by way of Stockholm, Sweden, lost for the first time in 2014 but rebounded in his next bout with a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Jason Escalera in August and continued to impress in December when he stopped Francisco Sierra in the sixth-round. Now, the 2008 Gambian Olympian will get a shot on the big stage when he takes on Dirrell on April 24.

Another inspirational figure that will be entering the ring, Brooklyn’s Jacobs completed his road from cancer survivor to champion last August when he defeated Jarrod Fletcher for his middleweight title. In 2011, he was in pursuit of a championship when cancer threatened his life and kept him out of the ring for 19 months. But when he returned, he picked up where he left off, having not lost since. Now, he looks to build on his momentum against a tough opponent on April 24.

Born in Osseo, Minnesota, Truax is an experienced veteran who has fought professionally since 2007. Fighting mostly in his home state, the 31-year-old won his first 14 fights before his first blemish on his record, a draw with Phil Williams in 2010. Truax would win four more fights, including a victory over Williams that earned him a 2012 fight with Jermain Taylor. Truax dropped a tough decision to Taylor but has gone undefeated in eight fights since. Now, he enters the biggest fight of his career on April 24 in Chicago.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, or www.warriorsboxing.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AnthonyDirrell, @BadouJack, @DanielJacobsTKO, @GoldenCalebT, @WarriorsBoxProm, and @SpikeTV. Or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo and www.Facebook.com/Spike.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 16, 2015) – Less than a month after making history becoming the first-ever British World Champion in a major MMA organization, Liam McGeary (10-0) has signed a multi-fight, multi-year contract extension with Bellator MMA.

Born in England, but now living in the Bronx, NY where he trains with Renzo Gracie, Liam McGeary set a promotional record for most submission attempts (11) in a fight en route to defeating Emanuel Newton to win the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship at “Bellator: The British Invasion” last month.

“I’m excited to have signed this contract extension with Bellator,” said McGeary. “I know that I’ve got a target on my back as Champion, but I’ve never been one to walk away from a fight. Whoever Scott Coker decides to put across the cage from me next, it doesn’t matter. To me, their name might as well be ‘Victory #11’. I look forward to working with Coker and Spike TV for years to come.”

Photo Credit Bellator MMA / Eric Coleman
Photo Credit Bellator MMA / Lucas Noonan

Photo Credit Bellator MMA / Lucas Noonan

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

New York, NY/Uncasville, CT (3/16/15) – On Friday, April 17th, DiBella Entertainment, in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing, returns to the beautiful Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, for that week’s edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights.

Headlining the card is blue-chip middleweight prospect Sergey Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3KO’s) taking on hometown favorite and former middleweight world-title challenger Elvin Ayala (27-6-1, 12KO’s) in the 10-round feature bout of the evening.

In the co-feature, WBA #10-rated super featherweight Ryan Kielczweski (22-0, 6KO’s) puts his undefeated record on the line against Connecticut’s own Danny Aquino (16-2, 10KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight matchup.

ESPN will begin live coverage beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

“We are happy to be promoting what promises to be a strong night of boxing at Mohegan Sun on April 17th,” said promoter Lou DiBella. “Ryan ‘The Polish Prince’ Kielczweski has just entered the top-10 of the world rankings and continues his quest toward a world title against a very dangerous Danny Aquino in the co-feature. Our main event features elite middleweight prospect Sergey Derevyanchenko, as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his countryman and stable-mate Ievgen Khytrov in making a statement to the middleweight division on April 17th, after only four professional fights, when he challenges gritty veteran Elvin Ayala. Ayala is the hometown fighter and has a huge advantage in professional experience, having fought for a world title. On April 17th, the boxing world will find out exactly who Sergey is.”

“Once again, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights is delivering entertaining boxing with a couple of exciting prospects who are ready to break out in Derevyanchenko and Kielczweski,” said Brian Kweder, ESPN Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions. “I’m especially looking forward to seeing ‘The Polish Prince’ [Kielczweski] for the third time in three years on our program.”

“We are happy to have another great night of fights in our building, a building that was built on great boxing events,” said Mohegan Sun’s Sr. Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Thomas Cantone.

Derevyanchenko was an outstanding amateur, compiling an astonishing 390-20 record. He represented his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympics and won a bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships. Derevyanchenko also competed in the World Series of Boxing, where he posted a 23-1 overall record and was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. Derevyanchenko’s rise up the world rankings is expected to be meteoric and anything less than a world championship would be a disappointment. In Ayala, Derevyanchenko meets easily his toughest opponent to date. Ayala is coming off a career-best showing, having won a unanimous decision over Aaron Mitchell (27-1-1) to put his career back on track. A win over the fast-rising Ukrainian will thrust Ayala, who anticipates having a raucous hometown crowd on hand, back into the world ratings as he looks to secure another shot at a world title.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be headlining this card and appearing for the first time on the ESPN network and I want to thank my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. for this opportunity,” said Derevyanchenko. “Ayala is a very tough and experienced opponent. He challenged Arthur Abraham for his title, going 12 hard rounds. He is coming off a very good win in his most recent fight and I know he will be coming to win in front of his hometown fans come April 17. I am looking to make a statement in this fight though. I am going to show the world that I am one of the best 160-pounders in all of boxing and I belong at the elite level of this division.”

“On April 17th, I will be victorious. I am training like never before and I am ready to put on the performance of a lifetime. I have suffered losses in my career but never defeat. God knows this and I know this and now it is time for the world to know it, beginning with Sergey Derevyanchenko,” said Ayala.

Hailing from nearby Quincy, Mass., the bout on April 17th will be the third showing for the exciting and charismatic Kielczweski on the ESPN network. In his ESPN debut in 2013, Kielczweski scored a highlight-reel one-punch knockout over previously undefeated knockout artist Miguel Soto (11-0, 11KO’s). The knockout was so astonishing that it made that day’s “ESPN Top 10 Plays of the Day”. Kielczweski followed up that performance a year later with a dominant and exciting eight-round unanimous decision over once-beaten Ramsey Luna (12-1). Now Kielczweski is looking to make it a perfect 3-0 on the network and push himself closer to securing his first world-title opportunity when he meets his crosstown rival Aquino.

“This will be my third appearance on the ESPN network, and I am planning on making it my best performance yet,” said Kielczweski. “This is a huge opportunity for me to show the boxing world that I am one of the best 126-pounders in the division and that I am ready for a crack at a world title in the near future. Danny is a tough kid, and his only losses are to eventual world-title challengers, so I know that he is going to give it his all come April 17. That being said, I am going to be 100-percent mentally and physically ready to put on the best performance of my career, and keep my undefeated record intact.”

Aquino and Kielczweski have history together, as Aquino holds an amateur victory over the former National Golden Gloves runner-up Kielczweski. The Mexican-native, who moved to Meriden, CT, as a youth, is a relentless come-forward brawler, with power in both hands. Aquino holds three victories over previously undefeated opponents, and his losses have been via close decisions against eventual world title challenger and once-beaten Yoandris Salinas (20-1-2, 13KO’s) and Norberto Jimenez, who just fought for the WBA world super flyweight title in December of last year, holding defending champion Kohei Kono to a 12-round draw. A win over the top-10 rated Kielczweski will propel Aquino into the world-ratings and force the loaded featherweight division to take notice.

“I want to thank my promoters New Legend Boxing and DiBella Entertainment for this opportunity to showcase my skills on national TV. A win over Kielczweski will propel me into the world rankings and bring me a major step closer to fighting for a world title,” said Aquino.

Additional bouts on the card will be announced shortly.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $70 and $30 (subject to additional fees). Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.mohegansun.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Mohegan Sun Arena also ranked in the top 10 Arena’s in the world for 2014, regardless of size. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

NEW YORK (March 16, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® will present the Sky Sports telecast of the IBF Welterweight World Championship between defending champion and hometown favorite Kell Brook and No. 1 challenger Jo Jo Dan on Saturday, March 28, live on SHOWTIME at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT from the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England.

Later that evening, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), WBC Featherweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs), of Mexico City, will defend his 126-pound belt against quick-fisted southpaw Gary Russell Jr. (25-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. In the co-feature, from The Pearl at Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas, undefeated world-ranked contender Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs), of Houston, faces experienced 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., in a 10-round super welterweight showdown.

SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL Brook vs. Dan will replay immediately following the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.

Brook’s upcoming title defense, promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, will be a raucous homecoming for the popular Brit, who last fought in Sheffield in October 2013. Billed as “Unbreakable” in the U.K., the event is also Brook’s comeback fight after getting attacked while on vacation last September.”

“March 28 will be an emotional night for Kell and the team. I remember being by his bedside in September in a Spanish hospital after that horrific knife attack, it looked like his career was over, Aid Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sports. “He has shown incredible physical and mental strength and looks better than ever in camp. Fans on Showtime will get to see in my opinion the best 147 pounder in the World light up a 10,000 sell out arena on March 28—don’t miss it!”

Brook (33-0, 22 KOs) of Sheffield, England, will be making his first start and initial defense of the 147-pound title he took from previously undefeated Shawn Porter via a 12-round majority decision last Aug. 16 in Carson, Calif., on SHOWTIME. In an impressive performance in his long-awaited shot at a world championship, Brook, 28, won clearly on two of the scorecards (117-111, 116-112) while the third judge had it even (114-114).

“After everything that’s happened over the last six months, it feels incredible knowing I will be defending my World title in Sheffield,” said Brook. “I’m not looking past JoJo I know he will bring the heat but I want to get this mandatory defence done and then target those mega-fights that are out there in the division. I know he feels he worked so hard to get into the mandatory position just like I did, but I will be working twice as hard to keep the belt that I earned. After May 2nd, there will only be two champions in the division—myself and Floyd or Manny. I want to unify this division in style. I’m coming for them all.”

Dan (34-2, 18 KOs), of Quebec, Canada, has won five in a row and eight of his last nine. The 33-year-old earned the crack at the crown with a 12-round split decision over Kevin Bizier in an elimination bout last Dec. 19 on SHOWTIME. Dan also won a split decision over the then-unbeaten Bizier on Nov. 30, 2013.

A native of Romania, the crowd-pleasing Dan, whose full name is Ionut Dan Ion, has lived and trained in Montreal since his pro debut in April 2004. The only blemishes on the southpaw’s record are a pair of close, controversial decision losses to then-undefeated contender Selcuk Aydin –the first in 2010 and the second in 2011– both in Aydin’s native Turkey.

“Kell has not fought anyone like me,” Dan said. “I believe in myself and I don’t think he can bring anything I can’t deal with on fight night. I saw his last fight where he won the world title and it was a great performance, but I just let my team study him in depth and come up with a winning strategy.

“I have waited a long time to get a world title shot so I am determined to take advantage of this opportunity. My prediction for the fight is simple –Jo Jo Dan becomes the new IBF Welterweight World champion.”

# # #

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 16, 2015) – This past Friday night at the “Battle on the Mainland” card which took place at the Charles Doyle Convention Center in Texas City, TX, Light-Heavyweight bomber, Medzhidm “B-52” Bektemirov (15-0, 12 KOs) overpowered James Johnson (28-45-4, 17 KOs), stopping the veteran in the 1st round of their scheduled 6-round bout. A
plethora of powerful body blows by B-52 let to a big straight right hand that landed flush on the head of Johnson which led to the bout being stopped.

Co-promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions, B-52 is on a mission to take over the Light Heavyweight division. With tremendous power in both hands and great footwork, Bektemirov believes in his ability to become a world champion one day.

“With each fight I’m getting better,” said B-52, “I’m blessed to have power in both of my hands so I can knock you out with either one. Ronnie Shields, who is one of the best trainers in boxing, has me working on moving my head and defense. Gary Shaw and Lou Savarese have promised to keep me busy so I’m going to get back in the gym as soon as possible to start perfecting my craft. I can’t wait to get back in the ring and start dropping bombs, B-52 style.”

“Lou and I are very excited about B-52 and his ability to knockout opponents with either hand,” Gary Shaw said. “We want to get him back in the ring as soon as possible. I believe we have the next Sergey Kovalev and with a few more wins, Bektemirov will be knocking on the door of everyone in the top ten of all sanctioning organizations.

“I keep telling everyone this kid can go.” stated Lou Savarese. “B-52 possesses that raw power that you look for in a fighter. He’s knocking people out with right hooks, left hooks, uppercuts, you name it he’s doing it. Ronnie Shields is working on his defense so he’ll become the full package. Bektemirov will be back in the ring soon.”

Former lightweight title holder Juan Diaz tore his rotator cuff in his left shoulder and had to pull out of his May 1 title bout with Takahiro Ao that was set to take place at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas and according to Dan Rafael of espn,.com, Raymundo Beltran will replace Diaz.

“Juan was sparring with a southpaw and he threw the shot and winced in pain,” said Diaz manager Brian Caldwell. “He kept going for the rest of the round but when he came back to the corner he said he hurt his shoulder.

“We did conditioning work the next day and the shoulder was still giving him problems, so he went to the doctor the next day. He ended up seeing three doctors and all three concluded that, after looking at the MRI, he needs surgery. They said his rotator cuff is attached by a thread so it was inevitable that he would have had a complete tear if he continued to use it without getting surgery.”

“I feel bad for Juan because of the effort and time he has put into his comeback. Everything was on track for him to get another world title,” said Carl Moretti, vice president of Diaz promoter Top Rank. “He had really put in the work to get back to the level of being able to fight for a world title again.”

Said Caldwell, “Juan is pretty bummed out but he’s really optimistic. His thoughts are, ‘Let’s have the surgery and recover and get back on track.’ He is definitely not giving up the dream of getting another world title.

“So he’ll be out for about six months. It’s too bad because the fight [with Ao] was a winnable fight. Tell Beltran and Ao that in six to eight months we’re coming for that title.”

Toka Kahn Clary won an 8-round unanimous decision over Edwin Solis in a Super Featherweight bout.

Clary, 127 lbs of Providence, RI won by scores of 78-64 twice and 78-73 and is now 15-0. Solis, 127 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 6-3-3.

Jonathan Barros scored a 6th round stoppage over Sergio Gonzalez in a scheduled 10 round Super Featherweight bout at Club Sportivo Las Parejas, Las Parejas in Santa Fe, Argentina

Barros registered a knockdown in round one, two and six. aIn round six Barros landed a huge flurry and Gonzalez corner threw in the towel at 35 seconds of round six.

Barros, 129 3/4 lbs is now 39-4-4 wuth 22 knockouts. Gonzalez, 129 3/4 lbs is now 27-18-4

Mateo Veron won a 6-round unanimous decision over Guillermo Suarez in a Middleweight bout.

Veron was administered a standing eight count in the first round but came back to win by scores of 57.5 – 56.5, 58-55.5 and 59-57.5.

Veron, 157 lbs is 20-15-2. Suarez, 158 1/2 lbs is 17-4.

Former world champion Fernando Montiel won a 10 round unanimous decision over Rogelio Doliguez in a Featherweight bout at Auditorio Municipal Fausto Gutiérrez Moreno in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

Montiel scored two knockdowns in round one and another in the next round. Doliguez was also deducted a point in round seven from a headbutt.

Montiel, 126 lbs won by scores of 99-88 on all cards and is now 54-4-2. Doliguez, 126 lbs is now 19-3-2.

Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Melendez in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Sanchez, 122 lbs won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 20-3-1. Melendez, 122 1/2 lbs is now 41-10-1.

Sergey Kovalev retained the IBF/WBA/WBO Light Heavyweight titles with an exciting 8th round stoppage over former champion Jean Pascal at Bell Centre in Montreal.

After Pascal landed two hard right hands in round three, Kovalev landed a big left hook that rocked Pascal. At the end of the round, Kovalev landed a huge right that slumped Pascal in between the ropes for a knockdown. It was the first time Pascal has been down as a pro.

In round eight, Kovalev rocked Pascal with a right hand but the two became tangled up and Kovalev tripped to the canvas. While referee Luis Pabon was tending to Kovalev, Pascal wobbled into the corner. When the fight resumed, Kovalev drilled Pascal with two hard right hands and the fight was stopped at 1:03.

Kovalev, 174 1/2 lbs of Russia is now 27-0-1 with 24 knockouts. Pascal, 175 lbs of Montreal is now 29-3-1.

Vyacheslav Glazkov won a controversial unanimous decision over Steve Cunningham in an IBF Heavyweight elimination bout.

Cunningham threw and and landed more punches but somehow the judges saw Glazkov as the winner by scores of 116-112 twice and 115-113.

Glazkov, 219 1/2 lbs of Ukraine is now 20-0-1. Cunningham, 209 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 28-7.

Isaac Chilemba won a 10-round unanimous decision over Vasily Lepikhin in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Chilemba, 175 lbs of South Africa won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 24-1-1. Lepikhin, 175 lbs of Russia is now 17-1.

WESTBURY, N.Y. (March. 14, 2015) – Talented unbeaten middleweight Antoine Douglas made an impressive 2015 debut thoroughly outboxing previously unbeaten Thomas LaManna before finishing him by TKO at 2:44 of the sixth-round in the main event of a night of knockouts on ShoBox: The New Generation Friday from The Space at Westbury in Westbury, N.Y.

Douglas (17-0-1, 10 KOs), of Washington, D.C., controlled the bout from the opening bell and was the more active and accurate fighter, throwing 127 total punches to LaManna’s 73. LaManna (16-1, 7 KOs), of Millville, N.J., was tough and tried to counter, but wasn’t experienced enough to land anything meaningful against the skilled Washingtonian. Douglas employed a diverse and ferocious attack of uppercuts, hooks and jabs knocking LaManna down twice before scoring the knockout in an exciting win.

“I put the work in at the gym and that made it easy. It took me longer than I thought it would, but I got the job done,” said Douglas. “I thought I hurt him early in the fight now and then. I just wanted to keep the ball rolling from here.”

“He’s a good fighter, fast and strong. He’s everything I thought he would be. It was a learning experience for me,” said LaManna. “He caught me with a good shot. The first knockdown wasn’t a knockdown. The last one, I was off balance, but he caught me with a good shot. He was the better man tonight.”

“The last time Douglas fought on ShoBox, it was a very unsatisfying fight because he was held to a draw and he faded late. This time, he took control the first 30 seconds of the first round, won every round, and then, just as you thought that the only thing that he needed to do was put an exclamation point on the performance, that’s what he did by scoring three knockdowns in the sixth,” said Boxing Historian and SHOWTIME Analyst Steve Farhood. “Douglas took down a fighter that had never been down before. This was a very impressive performance that reestablished him as a top 160-pound American prospect.”

In the co-feature of a thrilling quadrupleheader, unbeaten southpaw Ismael “El Tigre” Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs), of El Tigre, Venezuela, scored his 13th consecutive victory earning the NABO Lightweight Title with a TKO over determined Issouf “Volcano” Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs), of Bronx, N.Y. The stoppage happened just three seconds deep in the sixth after Kinda appeared to have problems with his vision.

Barroso dominated from the early rounds despite a nasty cut above his right eye in the third and another below his left eye in the fourth, both from accidental heabutts from Kinda.

“I fight better when I’m worried. I had to get worried I would lose so I knew I had to fight my best,” said Barroso. “The cuts bothered me a little but I had a job to do. I thank God everything went well once I started to fight the way I fight.”

Kinda was rushed to the hospital with a possible orbital fracture. This is the second time he has experienced vision problems in his last three fights.

Skilled Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (13-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs), of Washington D.C., avenged his lone loss with a first-round TKO against formerly unbeaten Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (8-1-1, 1 ND, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Ariz., in a super middleweight rematch.

Odom delivered his 12th knockout in 13 fights at 2:47 of the first by throwing solid jabs and strong connecting power shots. Hernandez attempted to counterpunch, but he was quickly finished by the talented Odom.

“I told you he couldn’t beat me. He caught me at a bad moment in the first fight,” said Odom. “I did it like my idol Roy Jones did it. After I hit him, I saw him smile, so I knew I hurt him. I did to him this time what I was on the way to doing in the first fight.”

Although it was clear that Hernandez was hurt, he challenged the referee call.

“I don’t know how the referee sleeps at night. He made a huge mistake,” said Hernández. “I was dominating. As soon as he landed a punch, they stopped the fight. I want a third fight. The world saw and will demand a rubber match.”

In the opening bout of the telecast, San Antonio’s Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (10-0, 5 KOs) kept his record unblemished by delivering a second-round TKO at 1:42 with a strong left hook over fellow countryman Pablo “El Zankudo Letal” Cruz (11-1, 3 KOs) in a battle of Lone Star State super bantamweights.

“I hurt my left hand in the first round, but I knocked him out with the same punch a round later. I’m looking forward to fighting on SHOWTIME again,” said Lopez.

# # #

The event was promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions in association with David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions and sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino & Westbury Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram Dealership & Maxim Group.

LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2015) – Last night 50-year old WBC #16 heavyweight contender, “Bronco” Billy Wright (47-4, 38 KOs), annihilated Gilberto Matheus Domingos (22-3, 20 KOs), stopping the Brazilian with a devastating body blow at the 1:15 mark of round one. The10-round main event took place on the RJJ Boxing Promotions at the We Ko Pa Casino in Fort McDowell, Arizona.

With the victory, “Bronco” Billy retained his WBC LATIN AMERICAN and FECARBOX titles while extending his winning streak to 18, 14 of which came by way of knockout in consecutive bouts .

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to defend my WBC belts here in the United States as it’s been a long time since I fought here.” said Bronco Billy Wright. “Mauricio Sulaiman has been a man of his word, moving me up the rankings as I continue to win fights. Right now I’m a #16, looking to crack the top 15 with this victory. Against Domingos, I wanted to make a statement and end the fight early with a knockout. The plan was to go in and land as many powerful body shots as possible. It worked and I came out on top. I’m going to keep marching up the WBC rankings with the goal getting a big fight against any of top contenders. The problem is, none of these guys want to fight me. I’m ready to take on all comers ahead of me.”

In addition, Bronco Billy recorded his 29th first round knockout. One of his goal is to break the heavyweight record for 1st round knockouts held by Shannon Briggs which stands at 35.

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 13th, 2015) – Efficient and tactical in his approach, 14-time Bellator vet Rick Hawn performed with surgeon-like precision Friday in the main event of “CES MMA XXVIII” at Twin River Casino while fan-favorite Luis Felix stole the show.

Hawn (20-4) boxed circles around challenger Derek Loffer (9-3) to earn a lopsided, 30-27, unanimous decision on all three scorecards, and Felix, the Providence, R.I., native fighting for the third time on AXS TV, dazzled the crowd with a first-round knockout win over Cincinnati’s Reggie Merriweather in the co-feature.

A former U.S. Olympian and four-time national judo champion, Hawn circled the cage effectively and continuously peppered Loffer, frustrating the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native in a relatively effortless win. Hawn scored a takedown late in the second round and wore down Loffer with short elbows and fists to the ribcage. The third round was more of the same, slick boxing and flawless footwork for Hawn, who won his second consecutive fight and sixth in his last eight tries.

Felix (13-8, 5 KOs) turned back the clock to 2014 with his knockout win over Merriweather (6-6), stopping his opponent at the 4:29 mark of the opening round.

Reminiscent of the head kick that knocked Drew Fickett cold in March of 2014, Felix clipped Merriweather with a similar blow late in the opening round. The kick didn’t quite finish the fight, but it was the beginning of the end for Merriweather as Felix quickly closed in with a series of rights and lefts before referee Kevin Mulhall mercifully stopped the fight. Since losing to Julian Lane in August in his AXS TV debut, Felix has now won back-to-back fights on network television.

Also on the main card, Selden, N.Y., featherweight Brian Kelleher (12-7) silenced the pro-Andre Soukhamthath (8-3) crowd, easily defeating the Woonsocket, R.I. (Boca Raton, Fla.), fan-favorite by unanimous decision, 30-27, on all three scorecards.

The two were originally supposed to fight in January, but Soukhamthath withdrew due to an illness. Kelleher dominated Friday’s fight, nearly submitting Soukhamthath several times with guillotine and rear-naked chokes. Even though Soukhamthath broke free from all of Kelleher’s submission, he spent the majority of the fight in defense mode, never really getting a chance to let his hands with the exception of a brief flurry at the end of the second.

Kelleher picked up right where he left off in the third, taking Soukhamthath to the canvas early and dominating the ground and pound to earn a convincing win in his CES MMA debut.

Submission specialist Roger Carroll (16-11, 15 submissions) added another one to his resume, forcing fan-favorite Todd Chattelle (12-12) of Pawtucket, R.I., to tap out via Peruvian necktie at the 2:25 mark of the second round.

Fighting on AXS TV for the fifth time, Carroll had trouble against the taller Chattelle in the opening round, unable to work his way to the inside as Chattelle kept him at bay with a combination of leg kicks and jabs. Once he got Chattelle to the canvas in the second, Carroll went to work, submitting the 12-time CES MMA vet and earning the 15th submission victory of his career.

Chattelle, the first-ever CES MMA champion and the most prolific fighter in the promotion’s history with 12 appearances, announced his retirement shortly after the fight, ending an eight-year professional career that began in 2007.

Boston native Kyle Bochniak (5-0, 2 KOs) kicked off the main card on AXS TV with a bang, knocking out Dominic Warr (5-5) with an overhand right at the 1:49 mark of the opening round. Warr and Bochniak exchanged blows for the first minute, mixing in leg kicks and jabs, until Bochniak clipped Warr with a hard right that sent the Alston, Mass., native crashing to the canvas. Mulhall immediately stopped the bout before Bochniak could inflict more damage.

Hard-hitting Joey Gomez (6-0, 6 KOs) of Hollis, N.H., followed with another highlight-reel knockout, keeping his perfect record and KO streak intact with a victory over Cambridge, Mass., bantamweight Kin Moy (6-2). A potential Fight of the Night candidate, this highly-anticipated showdown ended at the 1:30 mark with Moy feigned a jab and got knocked out with an overhand right, the sixth first-round knockout of Gomez’s career.

Heavyweight Tyler King (9-2) of Norwood, Mass., fighting on just 10 days’ notice, upended Syracuse, N.Y., vet Mike Mucitelli (7-3) by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. Despite early takedowns by Mucitelli in the opening round, King controlled the pace of the fight, specifically on the ground, where he dominated with the ground and pound to wear down the smaller Mucitelli.

Lightweight Jay Bakanowski stole the show on the preliminary card, knocking out Lewis Corapi in the second round of their scheduled three-round bout.

The Medfod, Mass., native Corapi (6-2) entered Friday with six wins in seven pro bouts and dominated the majority of the fight, peppering Bakanowski (3-1, 2 KOs) with kicks to the midsection and straight rights upstairs, but Bakanowski turned the tables midway through the second round with a left hook to the jaw. Corapi crumbled to the canvas and Bakanowski immediately followed with a series of hammerfists to earn the surprising stoppage from referee Kevin MacDonald at the 2:25 mark, the biggest win of the Northborough, Mass., native’s career.

The Bakanowski-Corapi bout was the fourth and final fight of the preliminary card before the start of the live AXS TV broadcast beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

Flyweight Jesse Gutierrez (1-0) of Norwood, Mass., impressed in the opening preliminary bout, submitting Chad Kelly (3-2) of Gardner, Mass., at the 4:58 mark of the opening round via triangle choke. Making his professional debut, Gutierrez dominated the bout, peppering Kelly with kicks to the liver and using his boxing skills to land crisp combinations. Gutierrez locked in the triangle choke in the closing seconds and forced Kelly to submit right before the bell.

Also making her pro debut, female bantamweight Sarah Payant (1-0) of West Springfield, Mass., scored an improbable victory with just seven seconds remaining when he she forced fellow debut Janice Meyer (0-1) of Cortland, N.Y., via triangle choke. Meyer dominated the second round and the majority of the third with effective ground and pound and appeared to be ahead on the scorecards with time winding down, but Payant locked in the triangle and Meyer couldn’t break free before submitting at the 4:53 mark.

Boston featherweight James Grant Murrin (3-0) remained unbeaten with the first submission win of his career, forcing fellow Bostonian Lionel Young (6-15) to tap via rear-naked choke at the 2:25 mark of the third and final round.

Ricardo Rodriguez scored a 7th round stoppage over Jonathan Vidal in a scheduled 10-round Bantamweight bout at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida.

Rodriguez scored a knockdown in round five and continued to pressure and land on Vidal until the bout was stopped at 3:00 of round seven.

Rodriguez, 118 lbs of Mexico is now 11-2 with 4 knockouts. Vidal, 118 lbs of Puerto Rico is now 18-4.

Daniel Rosario scored a 3rd round stoppage over Alphonso Black in a scheduled 6-round Super Welterweight bout

Black dropped Rosario in round one from a right hand. Rosario came back to rock Black at the end of round two. Rosario ended things after a huge flurry on the ropes had Black on the ropes and the bout was stopped at 2:56 of round two.

Rosario, 152 3/4 lbs is now 10-1 with 9 knockouts. Black, 151 lbs is 8-2-1.

Sergey Lipinets stopped veteran Cosme Rivera in round nine of their scheduled 10-round Super Lightweight bout.

Lipinets dropped Rivera with a booming right hand and the bout was stopped at 2:59 of round nine.

Lipinets, 139 3/4 lbs is 6-0 with 5 knockouts. Rivera, 139 1/4 lbs is 37-20-3.

Andre Berto scored a 6th round stoppage over Josesito Lopez in a scheduled 12-round Welterweight bout.

Berto scored a knockdown in round six from a hard right hand. Bert finished the fight a moment later when he jumped on Lopez and landed a flurry that sent Lopez down for a second time and the fight was immediately stopped at 1:03 of round six. Lopez boxed well and was ahead on all three judges scorecards.

Berto, 146 lbs of Winter Haven, FL is 30-3. Lopez, 146 1/4 lbs of Riverside, CA is 33-7.

Chris Arreola won an entertaining 8-round unanimous decision in a Heavyweight bout over Curtis Harper

Arreola dropped Harper in round one with a hard three-punch combo.

Arreola, 262.3 lbs won by scores of 78-73, 77-74 and 76-75 and is now 36-4. Harper, 265.2 lbs of Jacksonville, FLA is 12-4.

Shawn Porter stopped late replacement Erick Bone in round five of a scheduled 10-round Welterweight bout.

It was a tough and close fight for the first four rounds until Porter blooded the nose of Bone and preceded to drop Bone three times in round five. The final blow coming from a left hook that sent Bone down for referee Jack Reiss’s 10 count at 2:30 of round five.

Porter, 146.7 lbs of Akron, OH is 25-1-1 with 16 knockouts. Bone, 149 lbs of Ecuador is 16-2.

ADAM ETCHES says he’ll do what Martin Murray and Frank Buglioni couldn’t and stop Sergey Khomitsky.

In a career spanning 16 years, the Belarusian has only failed to hear the final bell three times, with middleweight superstar Gennady Golovkin being the only man to legitimately take him out.

Khomitsky’s other stoppages come due to a retirement against Avtandil Khurtsidze and a mix up concerning loose tape on his gloves during his fight with former two-time world champion Robert Stieglitz.

But Etches believes he has dynamite in his fists and can add to the visitor to his long line of knockout victims.

“He’s not coming to make the numbers up and just get through the fight, he’s coming to win and I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Adam, 18-0 (15 KOs), said.

“I’m expecting to stop him. A lot of people probably think I’ll win on points or there’ll be an upset, but I think I hit hard enough to get him out of there eventually.

“I never go into a fight expecting to go 12 rounds. I want to take them out as soon as possible and this is no different. Obviously he’s not going to keel over easily and I have to be fit enough to go the distance if needed, but I do think I can stop him.

“My ultimate goal is to be a world champion and to get there you’ve got to be beating this kind of opponent.

“Everyone knows Khomitsky’s tough and he’s stopped Buglioni and drew with Nick Blackwell, but I believe I’m better than they are and I’m one of the top middleweights in Britain.”

Etches v Khomitsky features on a huge night of boxing in Sheffield as Kell Brook defends his IBF welterweight title against Romania’s Jo Jo Dan and Gavin McDonnell continues his fairy tale story challenging Ukrainian Oleksander Yegorov for the vacant European super-bantamweight title.

Frankie Gavin makes his Sky Sports return as he prepares for his crunch clash with Chris van Heerden on May 9 in Birmingham and former world bantamweight king Anselmo Moreno makes his UK debut against Wales’ Robbie Turley. Kal Yafai continues his march towards a world title and GB Podium squad member Charlie Edwards fights for the second time in the paid ranks on the bill.

Tickets are on sale priced £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 available from the Motorpoint Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk. VIP tickets at £250 are exclusively available from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com.

LOS ANGELES – (March 13, 2015) – Befitting the unprecedented nature of this mega-fight, a bout that is expected to be the richest in boxing history, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were given the royal treatment Wednesday at a gala press conference at Nokia Theatre at LA Live.

A glitzy, Hollywood-style red carpet—comparable to that of Hollywood’s biggest award shows—was rolled out to welcome the fighters and afford access to more than 700 credentialed media members from around the world. Among the formidable press core were dozens of television and radio crews and literally hundreds of newspaper columnists, boxing writers, and news, entertainment and sports reporters. Even the Goodyear Blimp flew above to mark the occasion as the top-two fighters of this generation, Mayweather and Pacquiao, went face-to-face for the first time prior to their epic welterweight world championship unification bout Saturday, May 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., the pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

Here are what participants from Wednesday’s press conference had to say:

Floyd Mayweather
“This fight could’ve happened a long time ago, but it’s the right time now. It’s an unbelievable matchup and I know the fans can’t wait for this. The timing is right and the timing is now.

“We finally made it happen. Everything is about timing.

“There was no resentment towards (former promoter) Bob Arum, I was just happy to become my own boss after years of working hard and dedicating myself to boxing and also learning the business side of it. With time, I eventually had to become my own boss. There are no hard feelings towards Bob Arum at all.

“It’s always good to see the best fight the best, that’s what’s so intriguing about this matchup.
“I think that us meeting after the Miami Heat basketball game, meeting one-on-one, I feel that that is the reason why this fight happened.

“It really came down to my team and his team sitting down and communicating, getting on the same page basically.

“There is no sense of relief that the fight is made. My focus is just on living my daily life and focusing on what I have to do. I can’t live my life for anyone else.

“We have faced all the top guys in this sport and have beaten all the top guys. After this fight, which I believe I will be victorious, then we will move on to another guy.

“May 2 we have a tough task ahead of me. Manny Pacquaio is a good fighter, but last time I checked I faced eight southpaws and won eight times, so I am not worried.

“You best believe that I will be in top shape and be the best Floyd Mayweather I can possibly be.

“It’s always great to get back to the great city of Las Vegas. Lights, camera, action. The MGM Grand is the best hotel on earth. It was always my goal to be fighting there. The first time I went there for a fight was when I was 17, I saw James Toney and Roy Jones.

“I have had an unbelievable career. It all started with my father. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am today. When you put all the pieces to the puzzle together, I just feel like I’m the center piece. Every day when I think about my career I don’t regret anything. We will go down in history as some of the best fighters, the fighting Mayweathers.

“I hope the fight meets the hype. All we can do as fighters is go out there and perform and do what we do best.

“I have nothing to prove on May 2. I know about my skills, I know what I can do and I know what I bring to the sport of boxing. I am truly blessed to have broken all the records in boxing. Right now I don’t see any particular fighter breaking any of my records.

“I think that styles make fights, and I think that our two different styles make for an exciting fight.

“Any fighter is dangerous. When I face different opponents, I can figure a guy out instantly. I know what he does well and what he doesn’t do well. My job is to find out what he does do well.

“If a fighter lost before, losing is in the back of his mind. For me, all I’ve done in my career is win, so winning is always in my mind.

“How much money I’m making really isn’t my focus. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for all the writers and media outlets. I am thankful for each person, whether it was a good story or bad story. For 19 years, you guys kept me relevant. As far as the money persona, it really has reinvented itself. I was ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ and then I come back as Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. It’s all about reinventing yourself. I want to continue making smart investments so my grandkids are OK.

“ I always have the remedy to do what I have to do to come out on top.

“I’m pretty sure my father has a great game plan so we can go out there and do what we do best. Our game plan is to be smart, be first, take our time and get the job done.

“I think that Manny Pacquaio is a very interesting fighter. For him to get to where he is now, it’s obvious that he has had to do something right.

“No one should have been waiting until I became 47-0 to bet on me, they should’ve been betting on me from the beginning.”

Manny Pacquiao:
“I am so happy that this fight has been made, and I know that boxing fans feel the same way.

“In Miami we talked about the fight and I understood that I was the B side and he was the A side.

“I believe that this fight has been well worth the wait. More people are familiar with us as fighters, even people who aren’t fans of boxing know about this fight.

“All the Filipino people are going to watch this fight.

“Training camp is going well. We are very happy. I am updating my training each day on my Instagram.

“I like being the underdog going into a fight. It has been a while since I’ve been one. This time around it gives me much more motivation and I am determined to prove that I can win.

“This fight is very important to me and in boxing history. We don’t want to leave a question mark in the mind of boxing fans. Boxing fans have been eager to see this fight for five years. They have been asking me the same question and it is finally happening.

“I keep fighting because boxing is my passion, I love boxing. I have been able to help my family through boxing.

“The Filipino people are very excited for this fight and I can’t wait to bring a victory to the country.
“I don’t want to judge, but I am very confident about this fight. I was more worried about my fights against [Oscar] De La Hoya, [Antonio] Margarito and [Miguel] Cotto, than I am with fighting Floyd Mayweather.

“Pleasing the fans is the most important thing to me; I want to make them happy. I get emotional sometimes in the ring because I just want to make them happy.

“I don’t get discouraged anymore with a loss in boxing. It is a part of the game and I have taken the losses and have made myself a better fighter. It’s about building yourself up and turning yourself into a better fighter.

“I will win May 2.”

Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions:
“We are very excited to making history today by officially announcing the biggest fight in the history of boxing and one of the biggest events in the history of sports.

“I would like to recognize the role that Floyd and Manny had in making this fight. The meeting that they had in Miami was a major milestone and I would personally like to thank Floyd for making it happen.

“Over the years Floyd has made the MGM Grand his home and they have gone above and beyond to ensure the highest quality for every Floyd event. This will be Floyd’s 11th consecutive fight at the MGM Grand and the 14th time that he will have fought there in his career.

“Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a tremendous fight between two great champions and two great men. May 2 will be a spectacle unlike anything that Las Vegas has ever seen before.”

Bob Arum, Founder and CEO of Top Rank:
“It started when Les Moonves [chairman of CBS] came to my house. He visited me on a couple of occasions to tell me that he wanted to make this fight happen. He wanted me to go to Manny [Pacquiao] and discuss with him the purse that would be acceptable.

“We had frequent dialogue. I felt confident that it was going to happen because Moonves would do whatever he could to make this happen.

“It wasn’t until the basketball game in Miami where Manny was convinced that Floyd wanted the fight.

“It was probably the most difficult fight to make that I’ve been a part of. It took five years to make.

“One thing is clear; it’s the biggest fight of this century.

“I have no animosity with Floyd Mayweather. Floyd has always remained a good friend; I have nothing whatsoever bad to say about Floyd as a person.

“I love Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach. When Manny wins on May 2, which I’m sure he will, I will have a great deal of satisfaction for the both of them. They will have done the work to make it happen.

“Floyd’s style is really fit to fight a right-handed fighter. The southpaws that he has fought have given him problems and he has risen above, but the southpaws he fought in the past aren’t Manny Pacquiao.

“This fight is going to bring tremendous revenue to all of Las Vegas. I would’ve been put in a terrible position if I would’ve tried to move this fight out of Las Vegas, as I am a resident. Truly, the fight belongs in Las Vegas. Thousands and thousands of people will pour into Las Vegas just to be a part of the scene. This will be the biggest event in the history of Las Vegas.”

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s Trainer:
“I think that Floyd had a better chance of beating Manny Pacquiao five years ago than he does now. Floyd’s legs are more shot now and he has slowed down quite a bit. I think we can take advantage of that.

“Floyd says that he wants to exchange with fighters more now to make it a more exciting fight, but I think that isn’t true. He doesn’t care about the fans at all and the only reason he has to exchange more is because his legs won’t take him out of the fight.

“If Floyd has to exchange with Manny Pacquiao I think that’s good for us and that’s why I think we’re going to win this fight.

“I think that this fight will change the game of boxing.

“Manny called me up and told me that he can’t train in the Philippines because it’s too crazy with all the fans there, he can’t focus.

“I have a rule in training camp this time that if you aren’t being productive in the gym for training, then you can’t be around. The strategy of this fight is very important and different from past fights. We can’t have any spies in the gym; we are just working on the game plan and focusing on what Floyd is doing. I know how Floyd sets up people and makes them walk into shots.

“Manny is very motivated for this fight. You have to take Floyd out of his confidence zone. Manny knows how to beat him. We will make the right move before we attack him.

“I wanted to have some young, upcoming fighters as sparring partners for Manny. There are young fighters from Chicago, Massachusetts and Finland who are coming in to spar with Manny. Their styles are perfect fits for Manny. They may get knocked out and sent home, but we’ll see. I have all the sparring partners lined up.
“Our game plan is to win every round. If we get the knockout, then that’s just a bonus. Floyd will dip into Manny’s power. That’s the mistake that someone will make against a southpaw. We have to win the first round and take Floyd out of his comfort zone.”

Richard Sturm, President Entertainment & Sports MGM Resorts International:
“We are thrilled that this fight has come to fruition and that it will be held at MGM Grand. The resort is home to the biggest names in sports and entertainment and on May 2 we will host one of the greatest fights the sport will have ever seen.

“Over the years, both Floyd and Manny have treated fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena and those watching on PPV to a thrilling fight experience. While their previous fights have been extremely exciting, we believe there is nothing that can compare to the spectacle these two champions will deliver on May 2.”

Ken Hershman, President HBO Sports:
“Over the next few months, the fans, pundits and writers will break down every aspect of this fight.

“I would like to look back and appreciate how we got here. It was 2001 when a young kid out of the Philippines named Manny Pacquaio made his HBO debut. Coincidentally, the headliner of the fight was Floyd Mayweather. Floyd made his HBO debut in 1997 and since then he has fought on HBO or HBO PPV 26 times.

“While these two have never shared a card again before May 2, they’ve each gone on to have Hall of Fame careers and have become the two biggest fighters of their generation. Floyd has headlined nine HBO PPV events and Manny 17 HBO PPV events. Those 26 events have compiled over 21 million PPV buys and over a billion dollars in revenue.

“On May 2, these two superstars will participate in what we all know will be the single largest boxing event of all time.

“We are proud to one again be making history on May 2 with Mayweather and Pacquiao.”

Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports:
“When Floyd Mayweather signed his historic deal with SHOWTIME two years ago, he promised us two things: one, he would be fighting more often and; two, each of the six fights under his deal would be the biggest events possible against the best opponents possible. Fast forward two years, and Floyd has kept every word of his promises.

“Now for just the second time in five fights with SHOWTIME, Floyd is fighting an opponent that many people thought he’d never fight. SHOWTIME PPV and Floyd set a PPV record with the first event in September 2013 and we look forward to another record-breaking performance on May 2.

“SHOWTIME has been involved in some of the biggest PPV events in history including Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002 and Mayweather vs. Canelo [Alvarez] in 2013. But neither of those events have generated the type of excitement and anticipation in media attention that matches the hysteria that this fight has already generated.

“This is the reason that all of us at SHOWTIME and CBS are so proud to be bringing this fight together. Excited, proud, thrilled, those are some of the countless adjectives to describe our feelings about this event, but surprised is not one of them. As soon as we closed our deal with Floyd in 2013, the Pacquiao fight was a top priority both for Floyd and for us.

“Whenever it was time to discuss a Mayweather opponent, Manny Pacquiao was always high on Floyd’s list.

“As the CEO of CBS and a longtime boxing fan, Leslie Moonves was the driving force behind this deal and the primary reason why this fight was made.

“We know that Floyd is the consensus number one fighter in the sport, we know that Floyd is the most talked about athlete in all of sports and together with Floyd Mayweather, SHOWTIME has become the number one PPV distributer in television. We look forward to breaking more records and making more history on May 2.”

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For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (March 13) – Golden Boy Promotions today announced the full card for an exciting March 20 return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. where former world title contender Alfonso Gomez (24-6-2, 12 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico will take on Japan’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (25-2-1, 22 KOs) in an exciting 10-round super welterweight bout. Airing live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes, Kamegai vs. Gomez is part of the fan-favorite Golden Boy Live! series. In addition to the stacked card, Golden Boy Promotions Partner and future boxing Hall of Famer, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins will be in attendance to meet and greet with fans at the Special Events Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Southern California native Ronny Rios (23-1, 10 KOs) will take on Guadalajara’s Sergio “El Frio” Frias (16-4-2, 8 KOs) in the co-main event 10-round featherweight bout, and former Irish national championship fighter Jamie “The Nuisance” Kavanagh (17-1-1, 8 KOs) is set for an eight-round televised lightweight match against power puncher Miguel Zamudio (29-6-1, 17 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico.

Fighting for airtime, Irish and European championship fighter Jason Quigley (4-0, 4 KOs), fresh off of his March 6 victory at the premiere of LA FIGHT CLUB, will face an opponent yet to be named in a six-round middleweight television swing bout.

In the non-televised undercard, Los Angeles-based Rafael Gramajo (1-1-1, 1 KO) will face an opponent yet to be named in a four-round featherweight bout. Starting off the night for the March 20 card, Albert “Baby Dynamite” Herrera (9-10-1, 5 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. will fight in a six-round welterweight brawl against relative newcomer Jose Marrufo (4-2-2) of Phoenix, AZ.

In addition, the undefeated Abraham Lopez (17-0, 12 KOs) will take on Mexico’s Juan Carlos “El Pez” Martinez (20-15-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout on March 20 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Sergio “El Frio” Frias is rising featherweight who has established a successful career in his native country. In 2014, Frias stayed busy taking on three tough fighters Albert Pacheco, Manuel Avila and Claudio Hurtado. Fighting in the U.S. for the second time in is career, Frias is looking to establish a fan base when he faces Ronny Rios on March 20.

The young yet seasoned fighter Miguel Zamudio of Los Mochis, Mexico, will make his sixth U.S. professional appearance on the undercard of Kamegai vs. Gomez. Zamudio will work to keep his 2015 winning streak going on March 20 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino when he faces the less experienced but fierce Irish champion Kavanagh.

Hailing from Balleybofey in County Danegal, Ireland, the 22-year-old Jason Quigley had an outstanding amateur career becoming the first Irish fighter to win a Silver medal at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013. He started his professional career in 2014 and quickly garnered attention by ending each fight via knockout against Howard Reece, Fernando Najera, and Greg McCoy. Quigley continued his wins-by-knockout streak by taking down Lanny Dardar less than two minutes into the first round at the March 6 debut of LA FIGHT CLUB..
Hailing from the Westside Boxing Club, Rafael Gramajo will have the fourth professional fight of his career on March 20. Gramajo, a Garden City, Kansas native, who now makes his home in Los Angeles, will make his California debut at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

In his first fight of 2015, Jose Marrufo of Phoenix, AZ will face off against local favorite Albert “Baby Dynamite” Herrera. Marrufo will seek to get the win after settling for a draw in his last match to claim the vacant WBC U.S. National Boxing Championship welterweight title. Motivated by a thirst for victory, Marrufo will make a war in the ring on March 20 that will not disappoint.

Kamegai vs. Gomez is a 10-round super welterweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the ?rst bell rings at 6:00 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, priced at $25, $35, and $45, are on sale now and available for purchase from the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

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For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @FOXSports, @FOXSports1, @FOXDeportes and, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing.