LONDON (March 7) – Underdog Alfredo Angulo is looking to draw on his time spent locked away in a detention centre to help push him to victory over Canelo Alvarez this weekend.

The man known as ‘El Perro’ spent over seven months in ICE Detention Center in El Centro, California having voluntarily checked in back in January 2012 due to an expired Visa.

At the time the light-middleweight star was expecting to stay no more than three days until the issue was sorted but ended up spending a large chunk of 2012 away from his family and boxing.

This ordeal helped toughen Angulo and he will be looking to draw on this uncertain period in his life to overcome Canelo on the biggest stage, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Saturday night, a place that not so long ago seemed a million miles away.

“There were a couple times when I was in the immigration detention centre that I wanted to quit,” said Angulo. “But my team of lawyers always motivated me, wouldn’t let me stay down for too long and kept telling me that justice would prevail and that I shouldn’t give up,” he said.

“I always dreamed of being a headliner on a major card, and here it is. I am so ready for Saturday.”

The man that stands in his way, Canelo, is a Mexican idol in his own right and when the pair clash live on BoxNation many expect a potential ‘Fight of the Year’ battle to be witnessed.

The 31-year-old Angulo is unfazed by the occasion and has promised to give fight fans the type of all-action affair they have grown to love and expect when he enters the ring.

“Style-wise, this is a great matchup for the fans and both of us. Fans are going to get a great fight. I’m ready to chase him or fight him like a true Mexican warrior. I plan to test him like he’s never been tested before,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone has ever hit Canelo as hard as I’m going to hit him. I’m totally relaxed and confident. Camp was amazing and I am in unbelievably great shape,” Angulo said.

The man that will be in Angulo’s corner for the fight is esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter who joined forces with the hard-hitting Mexican on his release in late 2012.

The pair quickly bonded and have created a father-son relationship, with Hunter predicting this weekend’s fight to be an extraordinary battle that will change the course of history for both men.

“This is going to be a remarkable night, I can sense that. I’ve had a couple of weeks to reflect on this fight. I know the motto has been ‘toe-to-toe’ but I just have this feeling that I don’t think both men are going to walk out that ring the same after Saturday night,” said Hunter.

“I just anticipate such a savage affair that it’s going to be taken out of my hands, out of coach Reynoso’s hands [Canelo’s trainer] and its pretty much going to be left up to both fighters,” he said.

The Hayward based trainer has also called on the men in charge to let both men fight it out, in an affair which will be a true test of heart and desire.

“I’m asking the officials and judges to just let them go because I can just sense this storm coming – just let them go. If Alfredo gets knocked down just let him get back up and go. If Canelo gets knocked down let him get back up and go,” he said.

“It’s going to be taken out of our hands. This is going to be a savage, savage affair. I’ve been anticipating this for the last couple of weeks and I can just feel it – it’s kind of bothering me.

“At the same time I hope that I can rise to the occasion and that my fighter can walk out of that ring intact with many future fights – and the same for Canelo and his team.

“But there’s just something about this fight, I really truly believe it’s going to exceed what we have probably ever seen before,” Hunter said.

Meanwhile, before the action kicks-off Stateside, BoxNation will also be showing rising star Paul Butler’s showdown with Argentine Oreste Nieva.

The duo clash for the vacant WBA Intercontinental bantamweight belt at the Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool, in a bill which also features Kevin Satchell against Isaac Quaye for the Commonwealth title and Ronnie Heffron taking on John Thain in a light-middleweight contest.

The British and Commonwealth super-flyweight champion, Butler, has his eyes on bigger prizes should he come through the challenge with Nieva, as he hopes to take on Stuart Hall in the near future for his IBF bantamweight world title.

“I would love that fight,” said Butler. “That’s what I’m working towards, getting my shot at the world title. I know that I have the style and ability to beat Hall. I’ve seen Hall at close quarters, I’ve sparred with him and the sessions have always been top class. I know if we meet it would be an instant classic – I’m sure about that,” he said.

“My aim is to get past Nieva on Saturday night and look impressive. It’s not an easy fight, and I’m sure like a lot of my fight’s it’s going to be really exciting. But when I come through that then we can start looking at taking on Hall or Martin Ward, depending on who wins their fight. I’m ready for whoever, because I know my time is coming,” said a confident Butler.

The action from Liverpool kicks off at 7pm this Saturday on BoxNation, with episode 2 of ‘All Access: Canelo vs. Angulo’ just before at 6.30pm.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

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Chicago, IL (March 7, 2014) Super middleweight contender Donovan “DA BOMB” George will not be fighting tonight, MARCH 7 in Chicago as was previously announced by his co-promoters, Chicago’s Hitz Boxing and Round 3 Productions.

George was to have made his highly anticipated return to battle in the main event at the Horseshoe Casino presented FIGHT NIGHT at The Belvedere in Elk Grove Village, however the action-packed card will still take place.

“It’s very frustrating that we were unable to find a suitable opponent for Donovan to fight on Friday night” said Bobby Hitz, President of Hitz Boxing. “We had five different boxers lined up each of whom would have provided for an exciting, fan friendly bout but unfortunately the Illinois State Athletic Commission refused to allow any of them to face Donovan, thereby robbing the fans of seeing a terrific fight.”

Added Hitz, “The commission’s actions seem to be arbitrary in this case and were not fully articulated to me this week. In my 25 years of promoting in Chicago this has truly been one of the most trying periods
in putting a fight together.”

George will return to action in the Chicago area on Friday, April 18 at the next Hitz Boxing/Round 3 Productions event at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.

“Donovan is the most popular fighter in Chicago and while this has been a tough week for him we’re confident that he will return to the ring in fine form on April 18 and ready to put on a spectacular performance” said Frank Mugnolo of Round 3 Productions.

ABOUT HITZ BOXING
Since its debut in 1991, Hitz Boxing has been the Midwest’s leading boxing promoter. Led by Bobby Hitz, who boasted a 21-4 record with 18 KO’s as a boxer, Hitz Boxing is the longest running boxing promoter in the Chicago area dating back to the bi-monthly boxing series the “Ramada Rumble,” held at the former Rosemont Ramada Inn.

The organization currently promotes the wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN and is the subject of the actuality show “Hitz Boxing,” a web series that has amassed over 5 million Internet views.

Over the years the organization has produced matches that have included some of the top names in boxing such as James Toney, Antonio Tarver, Montell Griffin, Iran Barkley, Andrew Golota and “Fast Fres Oquendo.

ABOUT ROUND 3 PRODUCTIONS
Round 3 Productions was formed in 2011 by lifelong Chicago resident Frank Mugnolo and has quickly become one of the premier boxing promotional firms in the United States.

Making their mark quickly, Round 3 Productions guided current #1 ranked light heavyweight contender Andrzej “The Polish Prince” Fonfara to his first world title (International Boxing Organization) in November 2012.

While continuing to retain a substantial financial interest in Fonfara, Round 3 Productions has teamed with Chicago’s Hitz Boxing to sign perennial super middleweight contender Donovan “Da Bomb” George to an exclusive promotional contract with more signings of Chicago’s finest to come.

From the packed houses at the UIC Pavilion to the unprecedented pro boxing event at U.S. Cellular Field, Home of the Chicago White Sox on August 16, 2013, Round 3 Productions has become a proven leader in the sport of boxing.

Canelo Alvarez 155 – Alfredo Angulo 154.5
Leo Santa Cruz 122 – Cristian Mijares 122
(WBC Super Bantamweight Title)
Jorge Linares 134.5 – Nihito Arakawa 134.5
Ricardo Alvarez 135 – Sergio Thompson 135

March 7, 2014 – Fight fans eager for a unique inside look at the highly anticipated April 12th HBO Pay-Per-View® world welterweight championship rematch between undefeated 147-pound title-holder Timothy Bradley Jr. and the world renowned Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao should mark their calendars to catch an all-new edition of “Face Off,” starring the two prizefighters. “Face Off With Max Kellerman: Pacquiao/Bradley 2” debuts Saturday, March 22 at 11:45 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Moderated by Max Kellerman, “Face Off” is an insightful and often gripping interview session in which the two fighters square off and answer Kellerman’s questions. The fighters also get the chance to address each other and their fans in this engaging format.

A “Pacquiao/Bradley 2” extended version of “Face Off” is set to air multiple times on HBO and HBO2 (schedule below). “Face Off” will also be available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing as well as various other new media platforms that distribute the program.

HBO air times include: March 22 (11:45 p.m.), 25 (8:15 a.m. & 3:15 p.m.), 29 (12:30 a.m.), 30 (12:30 p.m.) and April 1 (2:00 a.m.), 2 (7:45 p.m.), 5 (2:15 p.m.), 7 (8:15 p.m.), 9 (9:15 a.m.), 11 (6:30 p.m.) & 12 (10:30 a.m.).

HBO2 air times include: March 23 (10:30 a.m.), 27 (1:00 p.m.,6:15 p.m.) 30 (1:05 a.m.) and April 1 (11:40 a.m.), 4 (10:30 a.m.), 10 (9:45 p.m.), 11 (12:30 a.m. & 2:15 a.m.) & 12 (4:30 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

“Face Off With Max Kellerman: Pacquiao/Bradley 2” kicks-off four consecutive weeks of original programming and features surrounding the first mega-fight of 2014. It culminates when Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 takes place Saturday, April 12 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

Bout #
BLUE CORNER

RED CORNER
1
Roy Navarro
Chicago, IL
4-1, 3 KO
147
Welterweights
4 Rounds
Dustin “The Prosecutor” Guillemin
North Platte, NE
3-7, 1 KO
147
2
Nick Asberry
Waukegan, IL
3-0, 2 KOs
239
Heavyweights
4 Rounds
Raymundo Lopez
Holland, MI
4-7, 2 KOs
239
3
Danny “The Machine” Morales
Joliet, IL
Pro-Debut
174.5
Light Heavyweights
4 Rounds
Norman McGinn
Battle Creek, MI
0-1
170
4
Joey “The Celtic Predator” Hefferle
Carpentersville, IL
1-0, 1 KO
142
Lightweights
4 Rounds
Michael “The Indiana Boy” Pickett
Mishawaka, IN
1-6
144
5
Eddie Ramirez
Aurora, IL
2-0, 2 KOs
141
Light Welterweight
4 Rounds
De Marcus “Let Me Find Out” Rogers
Nashville, TN
3-1
141

ivermead, Reading, on March 15.

The 21-year-old Reading man competes in his third professional contest on the undercard to the first set of MaxiNutrition Knockout quarter-finals, live on Channel 5.

“I can’t wait to box in Reading next weekend,” Ricky said.

“I am a Reading boy and I have sold a lot of tickets so the atmosphere promises to be fantastic.

“I am looking forward to doing my thing.”

The 25-year-old super featherweight, O’Brien, competes on the undercard to English light heavyweight champion, Bob Ajisafe and former British, Commonwealth and European champion, Dean Francis, as they clash for the British light heavyweight title and a place in the next round of the MaxiNutrition Knockout.

Also scheduled to fight on the show is Leon Senior, as he faces former Commonwealth title challenger Tony Hill over 10 rounds, in the second quarter final of the MaxiNutrition Knockout for the Southern Area light heavyweight belt.

Former British light welterweight champion and European title challenger Lenny Daws will also be in action, along with former Irish lightweight champion Peter McDonagh, Reading’s own Tamuka Mucha, Thomas Jarvis and Slough’s John Brennan.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7, 2014) – Washington, D.C. is known as a city where history is made. On Saturday, April 19, another historic event will take place in the nation’s capital when IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins faces WBA World Champion Beibut Shumenov in an attempt, at 49-years-old, to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles. The DC Armory, the site of several championship boxing matches in the last year, will host the return of the future Hall of Famer to the capital for the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the West Coast).

In the co-main event, popular undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin defends his title for the third time when he meets WBO European titleholder and former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Lukas Konecny. Quillin has been one of boxing’s most exciting competitors over the last few years; scoring 11 knockdowns in his last three title fight wins. In Konecny, he will be in the ring with a crafty and experienced veteran, a former Olympian who has never been stopped.
Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale today at 10 a.m. ET are available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.

“It’s no secret that my one of my biggest goals has been to unify the titles and getting to do that in a city where I have a lot of history is the best-case scenario,” said Hopkins, who defended his middleweight title with a seventh-round technical knockout of Robert Allen in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 6, 1999. “I’m coming back to break another record by unifying the title and I’m looking to get my first knockout since I fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. I know Shumenov is tough, but I’m tougher and I’m not going to let him make a name for himself by being the one to stop me.”

The legendary Hopkins made his first attempt at a world title in Washington, D.C. in 1993 when he lost to Roy Jones Jr. at RFK Stadium, just steps away from the DC Armory. A year later, he faced Segundo Mercado in neighboring Landover, Md. and won the IBF middleweight world title, which he held for over a decade.

“I am very excited that the fight is going to happen against one of the greatest fighters ever,” said Shumenov. “I am going to do everything possible and impossible to get the victory.”

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and defend my title once again,” said Quillin. “I’m excited to be fighting in front of the great fans in D.C. and I will give them a show on April 19. Konecny is an experienced challenger, and you can’t overlook anyone with 50 wins, but I’m going home with the title, and I’ll be looking for another knockout.”

“I have a lot more experience than Quillin and the fans will see that on April 19,” said Konecy. “This is my first fight in the U.S. and I don’t plan on going home without that belt. Every fighter dreams of fighting for and winning a world championship, and I am thankful for the chance to do that against Peter Quillin.”

“The fans in D.C. have been enthusiastic and supportive of the sport whenever we’ve brought an event there, and I know they will love this championship doubleheader,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Bernard Hopkins continues to amaze everyone with his performances in the ring, but when he faces Shumenov, he’ll have to pull out all his veteran tricks to keep his amazing streak going. This may be the toughest test he’s faced at light heavyweight.”

“Coming off of a very successful fight card in January, we are pleased to welcome back Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME to the historic DC Armory,” said Erik A. Moses, managing director of Events DC’s Sports and Entertainment Division, which manages the DC Armory and RFK Stadium. “D.C. is a great fight town, and hosting a fight of this caliber will certainly add to the rich history of professional boxing in the nation’s capital. It’s great to see the DC Armory come alive again with big-time boxing, and we look forward to continuing this tradition.”

Boxing’s elder statesman, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KOs) continues to achieve remarkable goals in the world of boxing-and has done just that since turning pro in 1988. But he has amazed even more with his exploits over the last few years, as he twice became the oldest man to win a major world championship in the ring. Now 49-years-old, the pride of Philadelphia, Pa., had one of his best years yet in 2013, defeating Tavoris Cloud in March to win the IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship, and then successfully defending his title in October with an exciting win over Karo Murat. On April 19, the future Hall of Famer returns in an attempt to unify the 175-pound title. Additionally, as a partner in Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins has undertaken out-of-the ring promotional duties that further solidify him as one of the most recognized and revered figures in the sport.

A native of Shymkent, Kazakhstan who now fights out of Las Vegas, 30-year-old Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs) made his way to the top of the light heavyweight division with lightning-fast speed, winning his IBA title against Byron Mitchell in 2009, in just his eighth professional fight before adding the WBA title by defeating Gabriel Campillo two fights later in 2010. Since then, Shumenov, a 2004 Olympian for Kazakhstan, has successfully defended his title five times, defeating Vyacheslav Uzelkov, William Joppy, Danny Santiago, Enrique Ornelas and Tamas Kovacs. But this April, Shumenov gets his opportunity to make a name for himself in the history books if he can defeat Bernard Hopkins.

Proudly wearing the championship belt of the division Hopkins once ruled, New York’s
Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs) has gotten his reign atop the 160-pound division off to a rousing start with a decision win over Hassan N’Dam for the WBO crown in October of 2012, then going on to successful defenses twice with stoppages of Fernando Guerrero and Gabriel Rosado. Now ready to take on the challenge of Konecny, the 30-year-old boxer-puncher–who also owns wins over Winky Wright, Craig McEwan, Jesse Brinkley and Fernando Zuniga-is eager to begin his 2014 campaign with another knockout victory.

A five-time National Champion for the Czech Republic who also represented his nation in the 2000 Olympics, 35-year-old Lukas Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs) will make his United States debut on April 19 after years of fighting Europe’s best. Konecny plans on making it a memorable visit as he challenges for the WBO Middleweight World Championship. A former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion, Konecny made a permanent move to 160 pounds in 2013, and after winning the WBO European Title with a win over Karim Achour and successfully defending it by defeating Moez Fhima, he put himself in line for world title honors against Quillin.

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, IBA and WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19, at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com and follow on Twitter at @THEREALBHOP, @KIDCHOCOLATE and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #HopkinsShumenov and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

London (7 March) Tamuka Mucha feels “privileged” to box in front of his home fans at Rivermead, Reading, on March 15.

The 21-year-old Reading man competes in his eighth professional contest on the undercard to the first set of MaxiNutrition Knockout quarter-finals, live on Channel 5.

“I am privileged to box on another big undercard,” Mucha said.

“I think Terrestrial TV is so important to engage the casual fans and Channel 5 is a huge part of that.”

The welterweight, Mucha, competes on the undercard to English light heavyweight champion, Bob Ajisafe and former British, Commonwealth and European champion, Dean Francis, as they clash for the British light heavyweight title and a place in the next round of the MaxiNutrition Knockout.

Also scheduled to fight on the show is Leon Senior, as he faces former Commonwealth title challenger Tony Hill over 10 rounds, in the second quarter final of the MaxiNutrition Knockout for the Southern Area light heavyweight belt.

Former British light welterweight champion and European title challenger Lenny Daws will also be in action, along with former Irish lightweight champion Peter McDonagh, Reading’s own Ricky O’Brien, Thomas Jarvis and Slough’s John Brennan.

Accreditation

March 15th

For fight accreditation for March 15th please email: Leeb@hennessysports.com for an application form.

Applications need to be submitted on or before Friday 7th March 2014. You will be notified of your accreditation status by close of business (5.30pm) on Monday 10th March 2014 via Email.

March 22nd

For fight accreditation for March 22nd please email: Leeb@hennessysports.com for an application form.

Applications need to be submitted on or before Friday 14th March 2014. You will be notified of your accreditation status by close of business (5.30pm) on Monday 17th March 2014 via Email.

Ticket Information

March 15th

Unreserved tickets for March 15th are priced at £35, with ringside seating priced from £75 and are available to purchase from today by calling:

Sanigar Events box office: 0117 949 66 99.

March 22nd

Unreserved tickets for March 22nd are priced at £35, with ringside seating priced at £100 and are available to purchase by calling 0114 223 3777.

THE RULES

The fighters have been seeded and drawn into four quarter-finals.

One side of the draw holds the coveted British and Southern Area light heavyweight titles and the other holds the prestigious English light heavyweight title.

Channel 5 will broadcast the quarter-finals in two programmes, each featuring two live contests, the first at Rivermead, Reading, on March 15th and the second on March 22nd, live from Ponds Forge Arena, Sheffield.

The winners of each quarter-final will then be drawn to meet in two semi-finals, competing over 10 x 3 minute rounds for the English title and 12 x 3 minute rounds for the British, which will be shown live in programme three.

The final will be contended over 12 x 3 minute rounds, as the British champion and English champion from either side of the tournament battle it out in programme four to become the MaxiNutrition Knockout champion and claim the Lord Lonsdale belt.

All contests will be under British Boxing Board of Control supervision, with a referee and three scoring judges.

If any boxer pulls out due to injury, they will be replaced by one of the losers from the previous round, chosen on a points scoring system.

If one of the finalists pulls out, the highest scoring semi-final loser will take his place. If both losers scored the same in the semis, there will be a count-back to the quarter-finals.

If the scores are still level, the name will be drawn.

The event will be completed over a maximum of six months and the contests will be over ten and the full 12 championship rounds.

Each of the four live events will be supported by a quality undercard, to ensure maximum entertainment for the event spectators and, where necessary, for the TV audience.

FIRST SET OF QUARTER FINALS

RIVERMEAD, READING, MARCH 15
LIVE ON CHANNEL 5

BOB AJISAFE VS DEAN FRANCIS
British Light Heavyweight title

LEON SENIOR VS TONY HILL
Southern Area Light Heavyweight Title

SECOND SET OF QUARTER FINALS

PONDS FORGE ARENA, SHEFFIELD, MARCH 22
LIVE ON CHANNEL 5

DANNY MCINTOSH VS TRAVIS DICKINSON
English Light Heavyweight Title

MATTY CLARKSON VS LEE DUNCAN
English Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator

PLUS

KID GALAHAD VS SERGIO PRADO
Vacant European Super Bantamweight Title

SEMI FINALS

Venue & Date: TBC – 10th May
LIVE ON CHANNEL 5

1

BOB AJISAFE OR DEAN FRANCIS

VS

LEON SENIOR OR TONY HILL
British Light Heavyweight title

2

DANNY MCINTOSH OR TRAVIS DICKINSON

VS

MATTY CLARKSON OR LEE DUNCAN
English Light Heavyweight title

THE FINAL

Venue & Date: TBC – 27 September
LIVE ON CHANNEL 5

WINNER OF SEMI FINAL 1

VS

WINNER OF SEMI FINAL 2
British Light Heavyweight title
MaxiNutrition Knockout Champion

FOLLOW US ON ON TWITTER @HENNESSYSPORTS

Martin Murray is targeting a November showdown with hard-hitting middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin after signing a lucrative seven-figure, three-fight deal with Africa’s largest promoter, Golden Gloves.

The 31-year-old from St Helens in the UK split with Ricky Hatton last month after a frustrating year that saw him fight just once after his narrow defeat to Sergio Martinez in Argentina last April.

Murray (26-1-1) will fight in June, November and next February in Monte Carlo and also hopes to have a warm-up bout in Germany on April 5 on the undercard of Juergen Braehmer’s WBA light-heavyweight title defence against Enzo Maccarinelli.

“I’m made up,” said Murray, who is ranked No 1 by the WBA and No 6 by the IBF. “It’s great knowing I’m getting with someone who is going to give me some direction in my career.

“The purses are really good and they’re willing to invest in me. The money is amazing, I can’t believe it’s true. We’re hoping to fight Golovkin in November so it’s a good deal all round.”

Murray is confident he can still earn a third shot at top honours.

He drew with Felix Sturm in 2011 but has struggled for momentum since.

Murray laboured to a points win in a rematch with Sergey Khomitsky last December and was due to face Australian Jarrod Fletcher in February for the regular WBA belt with Golovkin being promoted to “Super” champion.

But the WBA ruled against the move and Murray withdrew from his fight due to a hand injury.

“I’ve never been with someone who’s given me solid dates,” he added. “I was fed up with getting myself ready only for fights to get cancelled. When the fights did come round, like the one in December, I was so fed up it’s no wonder I performed like I did.

“I was making myself believe something would happen but I had three press conferences for fights that didn’t happen. We’re hoping for a decent opponent in June but it’s about me getting back firing on all cylinders.

“The promoter is working towards lots of different routes and getting me sanctioned by the different organisations so it should end in a title shot.

“The deal secures my future and the future of my wife and kids which has always been the most important thing for me.

“I’ve been that frustrated that if I wasn’t in the mix for big fights, I would have jacked it in. I’ve not been in tough fights and I only turned pro when I was 25. I’m looking forward to continuing the hard work I’ve been putting in.”

Murray was offered a rematch with Sturm but the money on offer was substantially lower than the purse he received for the first fight.

With no suitable offer on the table, Murray exercised his right to leave Hatton.

“The only fight I’ve knocked back was immediately after the Martinez fight when they offered me Chavez in Mexico but I needed an operation on my elbow,” he said. “I accepted the fight two months later but Top Rank refused it.”

Golden Gloves’ Rodney Berman, meanwhile, welcomed Murray to the team, having secured his signature despite the interest of a number of rival promoters.

“We at Golden Gloves are delighted to welcome Martin into our Golden Gloves family,” he said. “Being a huge Murray fan we are committed to taking him to another world title opportunity. He will debut for us in June at a venue to be finalised in Monte Carlo and will then be kept active pending a mammoth show in Monte Carlo in November.

“We will move heaven and& earth to ensure that Martin gets the world title opportunity in November he so richly deserves. We are delighted with the signing and are now looking to sign one or two more leading European fighters and are in talks with their management.”

It’s another big live double header exclusively on BoxNation this Saturday night!

From 7pm we’re in Merseyside where local hero Paul Butler steps up to bantamweight as he eyes a summer showdown with IBF World Champion Stuart Hall. The Ellesmere Port hitman faces highly-rated Argentine Oreste Nieva with the Vacant WBA Intercontinental Bantamweight title on the line on a bill which also features Kevin Satchell defending his Commonwealth crown against Isaac Quaye and a tasty domestic duel between Ronnie Heffron and John Thain.

Then, from 2am, we’re headed to the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, where Saul “Canelo” Alvarez looks to bounce back from his first career loss to Floyd Mayweather against Mexican rival Alfredo Angulo. Three world title fights make up a super-stacked undercard, including WBC Super-Bantamweight champ Leo Santa Cruz defending against Cristian Mijares as the winner of Frampton v Cazares lies in wait, while Omar Figueroa risks the WBC World Lightweight title against Ricardo Alvarez and Carlos Molina puts his IBF World Light-Middleweight title on the line against Jermall Charlo.

LAS VEGAS (March 6, 2014) – The fighters and their camps stayed classy and soft-spoken yet confident during Thursday’s final press conference for “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” taking place this Saturday, March 8, live on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from MGM Grand Garden Arena.

In Saturday’s 12-round super welterweight main event, popular Mexican boxing superstar and former world champion Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) faces game and aggressive, upset-minded countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs).

Exciting, unbeaten two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his 122-pound belt against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) in the co-main event. In other PPV matches, former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) takes on offensive-minded Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight scrap and IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) is scheduled to defend his 154-pound crown against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs).

Molina is facing some legal obstacles, however, and as of late Thursday, his fight with Charlo was in jeopardy of being cancelled.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions and the emcee at the final press conference streamed live at sports.sho.com, alluded to the uncertainty of Molina-Charlo and announced that, if necessary, it would be replaced with a 135-pound matchup between Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), an older brother of Canelo, and Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs).

“There are some issues which Carlos Molina is facing related to some outstanding warrants,” Schaefer said. “His legal team and his promoter are currently working on trying to sort these issues out and have him ready, hopefully, for the weigh-in and ultimately for the fight. I know that Molina wants to fight and I know he has a team behind him which is going to do whatever it can to get him here in time.”

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters, their camps and executives said at Thursday’s final press conference at The Hollywood Theatre inside the MGM Grand:

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“There isn’t much more to say – I’m ready to go. Boxing is about style and I think with his [Angulo’s] style and my style it will be a war. We are going to give you a war. I always say talk is cheap so we’ll see what happens on Saturday night.

“It is a big responsibility to headline on pay-per-view. It shows the end result of everything I’ve done in the gym.

“I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to get the victory.

“Angulo is a very dangerous opponent. He doesn’t mind getting hit as long as he can hit back. It’s a fight that can change in one punch on either side.

“I’m calm and tranquil because that’s part of the preparation for this fight.

“I know I’m strong, I know what I have to do. I will follow my game plan and come out with the win.

“Angulo keeps coming forward, breaks you down and keeps coming. It’ll be challenging to get a knockout against a guy like Angulo, but you can’t blame me for trying.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager:
“At this point, there is not much to say except that all of us in Canelo’s camp are ready. Both fighters are ready to fight. Saturday, the world will see a great fight between two Mexican warriors.”

EDDIE REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer:
“We’ve had a great 10-week camp. It’s always tough to be away from our families, but this is our job. We are well aware that Angulo is a dangerous puncher who can change everything with one punch. That being said, we’re ready for him, whether he wants to stand or to box. Canelo also has a punch. On Saturday, Canelo is going to give his fans a great victory.”

ALFREDO ANGULO:
“I want to thank everybody – Golden Boy Promotions, SHOWTIME, MGM Grand, all those working on this event, my team – for this opportunity and for their faith in me. I’m ready.

“I’ve been working very hard for this fight, and I could not be in better condition.

“Between Canelo and me, this is going to be a great fight, a really, really great fight.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Angulo’s Trainer:
“This is going to be a remarkable night. It’s going to be a savage affair. I sense a storm coming. There’s something about this fight that has me thinking, anticipating that it is going to exceed everything we’ve been expecting and be something we’ve never seen before.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“This is my first time on pay-per-view and to be the co-main event is very exciting. Thanks to everyone who got me to this place.

“I just feel 100 percent ready. I know Mijares is a great fighter. I watched him fight when I was growing up and getting my career started so I know this is going to be the hardest fight of my career. But that’s why we trained really hard – to give a great fight to all the fans and to make the fight of the night.

“It’s going to be really hard [to be the fight of the night] because Canelo and Angulo are great fighters so we’re going to have to work really hard to beat them. But we’ll try our best and give our fans a great fight.”

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“I don’t have much to say. The fight is almost upon us. Like Leo, I can guarantee that his is going to be a war on Saturday night. It’s almost time. I just want to make weight. I’m definitely ready to fight.”

JERMALL CHARLO:
“I’m 17-0, 23-years-old and fighting on the big stage at MGM. I definitely feel I belong with Canelo and all of the other young fighters. I’ve been on weight for a month.

“Obviously, I want the fight to happen. If it doesn’t, I will fall short of my goal. I know I’m ready, my team is ready, and the city of Houston is ready for me to bring home that world title. I’m going to continue to train and think like it is happening.

“I’m sure I will be very, very disappointed if it doesn’t [happen]. When I was first told that something was up with Molina, I thought they were playing with me, figuring here I am, on the eve of being on boxing’s biggest stage, there’s no way we don’t fight. But it was not a joke.

“If we don’t fight, I’m just going to work that much harder.”

JORGE LINARES:
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity. This is going to be an important fight and it’s going to be a very, very tough fight. Obviously, my opponent is a very tough fighter. It’s a big stage on pay-per-view so I’m ready for this. It’s going to be a tough challenge but that’s what it’s all about.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I have prepared myself very well for this fight. I thank Golden Boy Promotions for giving me this opportunity, just like they did last year. I may not have the most experienced record on this card, but I can assure you that I will give 100 percent of myself for this. I’m looking forward to a great fight the day after tomorrow.”

RICARDO ALVAREZ:
“My fight with WBC Lightweight Champion [Omar Figueroa Jr.] fell out, but I’m still here, I’m still ready to fight. We all know accidents happen in boxing, but I’m happy to be here on this big stage. I’m here and I’m ready to fight.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“There seems to be a shift going on. More and more fighters, trainers and media members are starting to say, ‘You know what, I’m changing my opinion. I think Angulo is going to knock Canelo out.’ And I think it is this kind of sentiment that shows you what we want to do – we want to put on great fights. Of course, each guy wants to win and they know how important it is for them, their fans and Mexico. Both Canelo and Angulo don’t need any extra motivation. They know it’s a very dangerous fight.

“Talking about warriors and TOE TO TOE action, it doesn’t get any better than the fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Cristian Mijares. Leo is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing and Mijares is a former world champ who wants the belt back. Neither fighter is afraid of anyone.

“If I could watch Nihito Arakawa every day I would. He is the definition of a modern-day gladiator. He fights with hearts, guys and he is everything a fighter should be. We’re all looking forward to watching him and Linares in what should be a war.

“We believe Ricardo Alvarez is ready to fight for a world title. He has to do a little detour because of the injury to Omar Figueroa Jr., but he’s facing an extremely tough fighter in Sergio Thompson.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vic President General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports:
“Over the last year, SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME PPV have become the premier destination for big-time boxing. SHOWTIME has given boxing fans more live fights, more replays of classic fights and more total hours of boxing programming – and we’ve done it with state of the art technology like the 4K cameras and super slo-mo replays and social media integrations, things our competitors aren’t doing. We are committing more resources to boxing programming than anyone else in the sport today – and the viewers have responded enthusiastically, as our audience share has increased by leaps and bounds.

“Our success has been the result of two key factors: (1) We work with first-class partners such as Golden Boy Promotions and the MGM Grand and (2) is the quality of our fights. We put on great fights, competitive fights and this card is a great example. It’s an entire card of pay-per-view-action fighters that is guaranteed excitement.”
# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

Rustam Nugaev vs. Marvin Quintero
Will weight in tomorrow morning

Roman Morales 118.5 vs.Khabir Suleymanov 119
Dusty Harrison 147 vs. Michael Balasi 147
Alejandro Luna 137 vs. Sergio Rivera 140
Kenneth Sims Jr. 139 vs. Cory Muldrew 141
Eduardo Martinez 124 vs. Juan Urbina 119.5
Mario Barrios 125.5 vs. Kellly Lionell 126
Franscisco Santana 148 vs. Jorge Pimentel 149
Aaron Garcia 131 vs. Thomas Herrera 133

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization announced that UFC FIGHT PASS™, the UFC’s new digital subscription service, is now available around the world.

Following a hugely successful initial launch in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in December, fans in 178 countries and territories across the globe will now be able to enjoy UFC FIGHT PASS’s unbeatable combination of live fights, original programming and unlimited access to the world’s biggest mixed martial arts fight library.

UFC Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik said: “UFC FIGHT PASS is now available across the globe, in 178 countries and territories in total, and we are very excited that fans around the world can get UFC FIGHT PASS in time for all the great action this weekend.

“First, live from London on Saturday, we have a stacked card from the famed O2 Arena headlined by the world’s No.1 light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson risking his UFC title shot against the most devastating puncher in the division, the unbeaten Jimi Manuwa.

“Then, from 10pm ET/7pm PT on Sunday night, we have the premiere of the most eagerly-awaited season of The Ultimate Fighter® ever, featuring bitter rivals Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen. There’s never been a better time to check out UFC FIGHT PASS.”

UFC FIGHT PASS is available right now, with a free seven day trial, in the following countries and territories:

USA, Canada, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Australia, East Timor, Fiji, Kiribati,Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Falkland Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Greenland, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Vatican City, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFCFightPass.com or more information.

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S. which includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

IBF Jr. Middleweight champion Carlos is in a Las Vegas jail due to some outstanding warrants that is putting his title defense with Jermall Charlo in jeopardy that is scheduled for this Saturday in Las Vegas according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“We’re still working on getting him out of jail,” Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules told ESPN.com on Thursday after Molina was a no show at the final news conference. “There is an immigration hold on him and we’re trying to figure everything out. I’m doing my best. Carlos just said, ‘Get me out, I want to fight.'”

Molina, 30, of Chicago, was arrested in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning on an outstanding warrant from 2007 in Wisconsin because he failed to register as a sex offender. But even after the warrant was taken care of Thursday and Molina had been granted bail, his release was denied when Las Vegas police learned that he was also wanted by immigration officials.

“In 2001, when he was 18 years old — and I’m just learning all this this week — he got arrested for statutory rape. She was 16 or 15, two teenagers,” Margules, who is also an attorney, said. “Not knowing how it would impact his life at all, he pled guilty to time served in Appleton, Wis., and did three years probation and never registered as a sex offender. That was what the warrant was for. I worked it out.

“We spoke to Wisconsin and we agreed on a $10,000 bond. We had a bond hearing (Thursday morning in Las Vegas). I posted the bond. He was supposed to be out by 10 or 11 and be at the press conference. Then we found out there was an immigration hold.”

“I thought he was a citizen. He was a permanent resident,” Margules said.

“I’m working on it. Do I think I’m getting him out? I have no idea,” he said. “I thought I was getting him out (Thursday) morning. I’m trying to get to the bottom of what the actual issue is. The first time I heard the word ‘immigration’ was when he was bailing out of jail.”

“It’s a lot frustrating. It’s part of the struggle but I’m here to fight,” Charlo said. “I’m in shape. I had an awesome training camp. I’m ready for whatever Carlos Molina brings or if he don’t bring it, I’m ready to get back in camp and get another fight.

“Stuff happens. My hopes up are. I really feel like the fight is gonna happen. I’m here waiting. I’m anticipating that I’ll fight. I’m gonna weigh in (on Friday) and I’m gonna be on point. If we don’t fight, I’ll take a rest and I’ll get back in camp.”

This Saturday (March 8th) former cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gomez (53-3) will be back in action in Kecskemet (Hungary) when he faces Ivica Bacurin (17-4-1) for the vacant WBO International championship on the undercard of Zsolt Erdei’s (33-1) last pro fight against Shalva Jomardashvili (36-6-2).

When you look at Gomez these days, you may get the impression that we are back in the year 2000. Back then – about 15 years ago – “The Black Panther” ruled the cruiserweight division and literally blew away every opponent that crossed his way. In 2001, Gomez moved up to heavyweight because he felt that he could make more money playing with the big boys. After losing to Vitali Klitschko in his only world heavyweight title fight in 2009 it looked like Gomez might retire before he decided to turn back the clock.
“At a certain point I felt that I still had it in me. There was this fire which just never stopped burning”, says Gomez. “At the same time I saw the cruiserweight division – my old kingdom – and felt that it could use some fresh, old blood.” When he turned 40 last summer, “The Black Panther” went back to the gym and worked harder than ever for his last chance. He returned with two easy wins last November before reuniting with his former world champion coach Fritz Sdunek.
“I felt great when I was back at 200 lbs. but there was still something missing until I started working with Fritz again”, adds Gomez. “He was the missing link. We have a great chemistry and I am sure that I will become world champion again with Fritz in my corner.”
By winning the WBO International Championship, “The Black Panther” is hoping to move up in the WBO rankings to chase world champion Marco Huck. “Huck is the best cruiserweight fighter in the world at the moment – until he will face me”, states Gomez. “He is a very active champion and I know that he never backs down from a challenge so I hope he hears me when I say: The Black Panther is hungry! I’m hunting you, champ. And I will not stop until I got your belt!”

Atlantic City, NJ: Over the past week or two the boxing world has been consumed with the verbal sparring match happening in the media between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) and Adonis Stevenson. But before any Kovalev-Stevenson match can take place “Krusher” will face-off against undefeated challenger Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) for the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship on March 29th at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ and live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Agnew has been flying under the radar, so few people know how deeply the sport of boxing runs in his veins. His uncle, Chicago’s own “Mighty” Mike Evans (38-11-1, 27 KOs), started taking Cedric to the gym with him when he was just eight years old. Agnew spent the majority of his childhood in Chicago working out with his pro-boxer uncle. His youngest brother, Frankie, is also a fighter, coming off a Chicago Golden Gloves Championship and contemplating a professional career.

Cedric had a stellar amateur career, winning 110 of his 120 bouts. During his amateur career he won gold medals at the 2003 United States National Junior Olympics, the 2003 Sweden Cup for Under-19’s, the 2004 Chicago Golden Gloves, the 2004 United States Under-19 Championships, the 2006 Chicago Golden Gloves and won a silver medal at the 2004 National Golden Gloves. He also defeated current WBA Champion Beibut Shumenov.

According to Cedric’s promoter, Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions, he was not looking to sign another fighter when he first heard about Cedric. He received a call from legendary boxing trainer Sam Colonna, who has worked with such names as Andrew Golota, Angel Manfredy, Angel Hernandez and Vaughn Bean, and told Garrett he needed to come look at Cedric. According to Garrett, “Sam Colonna told me that Cedric is the most talented fighter to come out of Chicago in over 30 years. When Sam said that, I needed to listen so I signed him.”

Cedric turned pro in 2007 at the age of 20 and has not lost a fight since. He is no stranger to big fights. Agnew defeated Rayco Saunders via unanimous decision on May 1, 2008 (just one year after his professional debut) to take the vacant WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight title. Three years later, on November 3, 2011, he knocked out Daniel Judah in the sixth round to take the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) Light Heavyweight title. Finally, on April 12, 2013 he defeated Yusaf Mack via unanimous decision for the USBA light heavyweight title. According to Agnew, “My win over Yusaf was one of the biggest of my career thus far.”

“L.O.W.” is a student of the sport. According to Garrett, Agnew watches almost every fight but especially the fights in the light heavyweight division. He has studied Kovalev extensively and feels he is ready for this fight. Malcolm said, “He believes he is right there with Kovalev. He plans to win the fight. We are hoping for a big upset and he has the ability to upset him. Hopefully the public will enjoy the fight.” And Agnew believes he has what it takes to defeat Kovalev, he said, “My brain and the way I think will be my biggest advantage in the ring. I’m a very smart fighter. I’m just looking to fight my fight, that’s all”

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew
When Garrett approached Agnew about the possibility of a fight between him and Kovalev, Agnew did not hesitate. Garrett said, “I have learned when you have to convince a fighter to take a fight you are already in trouble. I was encouraged when Cedric took the fight without an ounce of hesitation. He wants this fight and he knows he’s ready.”

And Agnew is not bothered by the Kovalev-Stevenson hype; he said, “I try not to listen to the media. I’m just focusing on what I need to do come March 29th.” Malcolm is hoping the hype will work to their advantage and that the media is not the only one overlooking Agnew, “I think all the media attention about Kovalev-Stevenson is great and I hope Kovalev is overlooking Cedric like everyone else and it will work to our advantage. This is a fight Cedric wanted. He knows he’s been overlooked – out of the limelight under the radar – but when the bell rings, we will all know.”
About March 29th:

March 29th features the light heavyweight world title showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, (23-0-1, 21KOs) and Cedric Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) from the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic, City, NJ. The main event and the co-feature (to be announced soon) will be broadcast live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 PM ET/PT. The event is presented by Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or via phone (800) 736-1420. Fans can also contact Main Events for tickets at (973) 200-7050. Ticket prices are $26, $51, $77 and $152. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

For fight updates go to www.mainevents.com, www.CaesarsAC.com, www.BoardwalkHall.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/CaesarsAtlanticCity, www.facebook.com/BoardwalkHall or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Main_Events, https://twitter.com/CaesarsAC, https://twitter.com/BoardwalkHall and https://twitter.com/HBOboxing.

About Caesars Entertainment:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Media):

MAIN EVENTS: Ellen Haley- 973-903-6715, ehaley@mainevents.com
HBO: Kevin Flaherty – 212-512-5052, Kevin.Flaherty@hbo.com
CAESARS: Jerry Eisenband, jeisenband@harrahs.com
BOARDWALK HALL: Zack Lloyd, zlloyd@global-spectrum.com

Bethlehem, PA: Philadelphia native Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (14-0-0, 7 KOs) is scheduled to face Chazz McDowell (6-4-1, 1 KO) of Hartford, CT on the March 15th undercard of the NBCSN Fight Night bout between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov in an eight round lightweight match-up.

The 28 year old Dargan is coming off an impressive win on November 16, 2013 against Michael “Lefty” Brooks in the co-feature of the special afternoon edition of Fight Night on NBC when he defeated Brooks via unanimous decision in ten rounds. Brooks was also undefeated heading into the fight at Turning Stone but the better the opponent, the better Dargan performs. He said, “My last fight against Brooks wasn’t my toughest win. It was actually one of my easiest wins. The better caliber fighter, the better my performance.”

Dargan v. Gil
Photo Credits Rich Graessle/Main Events
In Dargan’s undefeated professional career all but one of his wins came by unanimous decision or knockout. He has had only one judge go against him – in a split decision on February 23, 2013 against Ramesis Gil in Huntington, NY. Dynamite is also no stranger to the big fights. In his impressive amateur career he won the 2004 and 2005 United States Amateur Light welterweight titles. According to Dynamite “The tournament that I was most proud of winning in the amateurs was winning the Pan Am Games Gold Medal in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2007.”

On March 15th Dargan will take on a very tough Chazz McDowell. McDowell, 24, has never been knocked out in his short career. According to Main Events’ matchmaker and VP of Operations Jolene Mizzone, “Chazz McDowell is a guy who has never been stopped before. Usually, when I am trying to secure someone to fight Dargan, I go through about ten guys who accept then back out after they look into Dargan. This time Chad was the second guy I went to and he accepted right away. He is a rugged guy who is not going to quit. He is going to get in there and test Dynamite.” McDowell had this to say about Dargan, “Karl Dargan is nice at what he does but I am coming to do my thang!”

When asked about McDowell, Dargan said, “I never heard of Chazz McDowell. I never saw him fight and I never looked at any film on him. My trainer Brother Naazim does that and he comes up with a strategy and my job is to execute the strategy. I know he is not at my level but I don’t underestimate any of my opponents. I respect them all to a certain level.”

About March 15th:

The March 15th edition of NBCSN Fight Night at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem features the twelve-round heavyweight match-up between Tomasz “Goral” Adamek and Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov for the IBF North American Heavyweight Title and IBF #2 Position Eliminator. The co-feature is a ten round light heavyweight match-up between Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba and Denis “The Pirate/Drago’s Son” Grachev. Doors open at 6:00 PM ET. The co-feature and main event will be broadcast live on NBCSN Fight Night at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Tickets start at $55 and are available through TicketMaster.com (key word: Peltz Boxing). The card is presented by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, Ziggy Promotions, and Pushka Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

NBC Sports Live Extra:

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on March 15th.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

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Tacoma, WA (March 6th, 2014) – Four fights into his boxing comeback under the Halquist Productions banner, #6 Ranked WBO Jr. Welterweight, Zahir Raheem (35-3, 21 KOs), is ready to step up to the highest tier and grab the respect that he’s vastly fought for throughout his dramatic career. Fighting with a pre-existing hand injury in his NABO title fight with Bayan Jargal on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights in January, Raheem, although victorious, was unable to display the KO power he had shown in his previous three fights. Now, with his hand fully healed, Raheem is primed to make a huge statement in the junior welterweight division and is once again positioned to step back in the ring and face anyone in the weight class.

“Zahir’s record speaks for itself,” said promoter, Brian Halquist. “Only losing seven times throughout his entire boxing career including the amateurs; he is a pure winner. Now riding a six fight win streak and ranked sixth in the world, Zahir is ready to step up and show the world what he’s capable of.”

The hand injury that affected Raheem’s Friday Night Fights performance against Bayan Jargal came two weeks before the fight during a sparring session. Pre-fight X-Rays showed that the right hand had indeed been broken, but knowing that this wasn’t an opportunity he could miss along with the Friday Night Fights main event already in trouble due to the Arash Usmanee injury, Zahir knew it was best to fight with the injured hand. While the pain was manageable pre-fight, the hand was severely aggravated only a couple of minutes into the fight, effectively forcing Zahir to fight one handed for ten rounds.

Dedicating his life to the sport of boxing, including going an astonishing 213-4 in the amateurs and earning a spot on the 1996 U.S. Olympic boxing team headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr., Raheem is ready to take on the best fighters in the world. After giving boxing his all throughout his 17 year career, Raheem is once again ready for the biggest spotlight that Boxing has to offer and couldn’t be more excited.

“First and foremost I cannot change things I have no control over,” said Raheem. “I say that because I find myself focusing on being a more exciting fighter. I have no control over my injury that happened during the Jargal fight. All I could do was figure out how to win with one hand. My focus and determination is to win a world title and have fans and networks begging me not to retire when that time comes.”

Raheem’s shining moment came in 2005 when he outclassed Erik Morales in a victory that earned Raheem Ring Magazine’s Upset of the Year award and the opportunity to fight Acelino Freitas for WBO’s vacant lightweight title. The Freitas fight resulted in a heart breaking defeat for Raheem, losing by a very controversial split decision victory.

Following the frustrating loss to Freitas, the business side of boxing made it nearly impossible to match Zahir with a fighter of his caliber. Raheem’s name was established and everyone else knew that he deserved to fight the top lightweight contenders available. After a dispute with his promoter and a handful of less than desirable fights later, Raheem decided to step away from the public eye and focus on what he needed to do to get back in spotlight.

Raheem’s attorney, Gregory Bloom of ChaseLawyers stated, “Although Zahir took some time off, he never stopped looking and preparing for the right opportunity. Brian Halquist has done a great job in helping Zahir get back into title contention, and Zahir Raheem is ready to take on anyone at 140lbs and is ready to fight for a world title.”

Raheem has maintained excellent fighting shape, training out of his King Raheem’s Boxing and Cross-Training gym in Atlanta, GA. Having gone 4-0 with 3 KO’s and a new NABO title around his waist in his stellar comeback, Raheem is back in the spotlight and ready to continue his journey as a legit contender in the junior welterweight division.

NUTLEY, NJ (MARCH 6, 2014)–On Friday night, April 4th at the Parsippany P.A.L., GH3 Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions will present a night of action packed boxing that will feature some of the best prospects and rising contenders in the country.

In the eight-round main event will be undefeated Middleweight sensation Antoine “Action” Douglas taking on former world title challenger Luca Messi.

Douglas of Burke, Virginia has a record of 12-0 with 7 knockouts and is coming off his most high profile victory when he scored a 8 round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Marquis Davis on January 17th in Memphis, Tentnessee. The bout was televised live on Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation.

It was the 2nd consecutive victory over an undefeated opponent as he scored a 3rd round stoppage over Colby Courter (4-0) on December 4, 2013 in New York.

Messi of Bergamo, Italy has a record of 37-9-1 with 13 knockouts,

He has competed for and held many titles throughout Europe which included the WBU Intercontinental Welterweight title, The WBA Interim Intercontinental Welterweight title when he stopped previously undefeated Laszlo Buranyi (10-0) in seven rounds. He also captured the Italian Jr. Middleweight title.

He lost his only world title opportunity when he dropped a 12 round unanimous decision to WBA Super Welterweight champion Alejandro Garcia on August 13, 2005 in Chicago. Messi is coming off a 6 round decision over Kristian Camino on February 1st in Bergamo, Italy.

In an eight round co-feature, undefeated Jr. Lightweight Wanzell Ellison will be in action when he takes on an opponent to be named.

Ellison of Newark, NJ is 10-0-1 with 5 knockouts and is coming off a 6 round unanimous decision over Esteban Villalba on January 31st in West Orange, New Jersey.

Also appearing on the card in six round bouts will be, Welterweight Anthony “Juice” Young (9-0, 4 KO’s) of Atlantic City & Jerry Odom (8-0, 8 KO’s) of Bowie, Maryland.

Fighters that will see action in 4 round bouts: Welterweight Anthony Gangemi (4-2, 3 KO’s) of Mine Hill, NJ; Lightweight Rickey Edwards (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ and Heavyweight Tyrell Wright (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Jersey City, NJ.

Tickets for this great evening of boxing are $100 for VIP Ringside, $75 for Ringside and $40 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling 1-866-612-4191.

The 1st bell is at 7 pm with the doors opening at 6 pm.

The Parsippany P.A.L is located at 33 Baldwin Road in Parsippany, NJ.

INDIO, Calif. (March. 5, 2014) – The big men of boxing are on their way to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. on Thursday, April 3 when Golden Boy Live! airs “Night Of The Heavyweights,”a tripleheader of hard-hitting heavyweight action on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes. In the 10-round main event, unbeaten Cuban star Luis Ortiz looks to continue his race towards a world title fight against an opponent to be announced shortly.

Plus, Vallejo, California’s Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington risks his perfect professional record in the 10-round co-main event against Houston’ Skipp “Strictly Business” Scott and 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale goes for 10 straight wins when he takes on veteran standout Nagy Aguilera.

Currently ranked number two in the world by the WBA, 34-year-old southpaw Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (20-0, 17 KOs) graduated from the legendary Cuban amateur boxing program with nearly 350 wins and numerous titles. When he turned professional in his adopted home state of Florida in 2010, he set his sights on gold of a different sort; a heavyweight world championship. Thus far, Ortiz has been unstoppable with five of his last six wins coming by knockout and has made it clear that he will take out anyone in his way on the road to the title.

With six of his professional wins taking place at Fantasy Springs, 31-year-old Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (11-0, 8 KOs) has clearly found a home away from home in the Indio venue. A former standout football player at USC, Washington discovered a new athletic life in the boxing ring and he has continued to impress with his poise and power. In January, he halted Arron Lyons in five rounds and on April 3, he steps up to face Skipp Scott.

After losing his first professional bout in 2006, Houston’s Skipp Scott (16-1, 10 KOs) hasn’t lost since earning his nickname “Strictly Business.” A staple on the Texas and Louisiana fight circuit, the 35-year-old Scott scored the biggest win of his career in January of 2013 when he defeated Kertson Manswell for the WBF Intercontinental title. Now the six-foot-eight inch Scott is hungry for more and he is ready to let the fists fly against Washington.
Undefeated since turning professional after the 2012 London Olympic Games, Alhambra’s Dominic Breazeale (9-0, 9 KOs) has yet to let any opponent go the distance and he has no intention of starting now. After fighting six times in 2013, Breazeale kicked 2014 off to a great start with a third-round stoppage over Homer Fonseca in January at Fantasy Springs. On April 3, the 28-year-old will see if he can defeat a crafty and experienced foe in Nagy Aguilera.

A native of Santo Domingo who now makes his home in the state of New York, 27-year-old Nagy Aguilera (19-7, 13 KOs) has a wealth of experience. A veteran of fights against boxing greats and former World Champions Antonio Tarver, Samuel Peter, Chris Arreola and Tomasz Adamek, Aguilera has won three of his last four fights, which is a hot streak he will take with him into the ring against Breazeale.

“Night Of The Heavyweights” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, will go on sale Friday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. PT at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @breazealeboxing, and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @Swanson_Comm. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on Twitter at @FOXSports @FOXSports1 and @FOXSportsPR.

DEL MAR, CA (March 6, 2014) – Paco Presents in association with A&T Gym, Don Chargin, Golden Boy Promotions and San Diego-based Barron Entertainment, is happy to announce the second edition of its popular boxing series titled “Ringside at Del Mar” taking place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on April 11, 2014.

The 8-round main event will feature the return of former world title challenger, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (26-1, 14 KOs), as he faces an opponent to be announced in the Lightweight division. Gesta, who resides in San Diego, by way of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines, is eager to get back in the ring since his last fight in December of 2012, a world title bout against Miguel Vasquez on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV.

“The time is now for me to get back in the ring and show the world that I can still compete at the championship level,” said Gesta. “Although I don’t know who my opponent is at the moment, I’m ready for anyone they put in front of me. I’ve had time to reflect on my loss to Miguel Vasquez, which was a great learning experience, and vow to come back stronger than ever.”

“San Diego is my second home so I’m excited to be making my ring return at the Del Mar Fairgrounds where all my family and friends can come see me fight. I want to thank all the promoters who help put this fight card together. “No Mercy” is back!” Gesta concluded.

“Every card has been great since we started the Ringside at Del Mar boxing series mid last year, but this one is shaping up to be the strongest card to date.” Andy Perez president of A&T GYM said. “The response from the San Diego fans has been overwhelming. We have great passion to grow the series and bring world class fights while showcasing the sports best rising talent to a legendary venue that is the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The Del Mar Fairgrounds offers a first-rate environment, where you can bring the entire family to enjoy a great night of boxing.”

“This is a new beginning, a new team, and a new Mercito Gesta. A loss does not end a career, in fact that is where fighters become champions!” said
Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz. “If he can put together a few good victories, he’ll be right back in the mix to challenge any of the current lightweight world champions. Jorge Marron and I are working together to get an opponent for Mercito and you can expect an announcement on Gesta’s rival as well as the complete undercard in the near future.”

Undercard To Be Announced Shortly

Tickets for “Ringside at Del Mar” priced $25 (General Admission) $45, $50 and $60 are on sale now and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster, at www.RingsideatDelMar.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000, in person at the Del Mar Fairgrounds ticket office, or by calling (858) 755-1161. Select VIP table seating is available at $75. Tickets may also be purchased at the door the night of the event, based on availability. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended. Parking is only $10. The “Ringside at Del Mar” live boxing event is sponsored in part by 7UP, Joel Diaz Training Camp, and El Latino Newspaper.

The Del Mar Fairgrounds are located at 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard in Del Mar, Calif. Doors open at 7:00pm. The evenings first of seven bouts is scheduled for 8:00pm. We’ll see you Ringside at Del Mar!

(San Diego, CA) – Gary Shaw Productions in association with Cohen Promotions and All-In Entertainment present ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” this Friday, March 7th, at the Pala Resort and Casino in Pala, CA. Featured on the card will be super featherweight Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia (13-3-2, 4KOs) of Vista, CA. Garcia will be fighting in his backyard for the first time in years and he is more than excited at the possibility.

“I am ready to put on a show, I’ve been working hard and I want to show everybody who Aaron Garcia is,” the father of two said during a public work out held yesterday at the Pacific Training Center in Birdrock.

Aaron “Gavilan” Garcia (13-3-2, 4KOs) of Vista. Photo: All-In Entertainment

For more on the public workout, please click HERE

Doors will open at 5PM and the first bout will start promptly at 5:30PM. The live ESPN Friday Night Fights telecast will start at 6:00PM.

Tickets are still available by contacting PALACASINO.COM

LONDON (March 6) – Canelo Alvarez is using the story of ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali to help inspire him to make his own boxing history starting this weekend.

The cinnamon haired superstar will be going toe-to-toe with countryman Alfredo Angulo as they lay their Mexican machismo on the line in front of a packed crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend.

It is a significant fight for both men, particularly the 23-year-old Canelo, who will be under close scrutiny to see what effect his first defeat last September against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather has had on him.

Hotly tipped as the man to take over the throne of Mayweather, Canelo was soundly beaten over twelve rounds but is refusing to let that setback stop him from following in the footsteps of his idol Ali and becoming one of history’s very best.

“I consider myself a person with a strong mindset and that’s how I moved on from the loss against Mayweather. I always train to win, like everybody else and unfortunately last September that was not the case,” Canelo recalled.

“I’m training to make history and to be one of the best in boxing history. One defeat is not everything. The biggest boxers in history have been defeated. For instance, Muhammad Ali was defeated and he came back and made history.

“So, here I am, making history, moving forward. I fight to make boxing history. That is why I fight,” said Canelo.

The former WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine light-middleweight world champion has jumped right back in at the deep end and refused to take an easier comeback fight than the one the hardened Angulo presents.

Having knocked out 18 opponents in his 22 wins, the 31-year-old Angulo has earned a reputation as one of boxing’s most exciting and dangerous fighters.

Canelo is under no illusions, however, and knows he will need to be on top of his game to tame the man known as ‘El Perro’ – ‘The Dog’.

“Angulo presents a difficult challenge because he’s a fighter who can punch and take a great punch. I know I have to prepare and establish my game plan early. But you know how it can be with game plans. Sometimes, once a fight starts, you have to do what you have to do to win and that’s what I am going to do on Saturday,” Canelo said.

“Obviously a knockout would be beautiful; that’s what the fans like, an impressive knockout. But I never go into a fight looking for a knockout. If it comes, it comes.

“Everyone says Angulo is the stronger guy, but I think I’m the strongest,” said a confident Canelo.

A fan favourite himself, inside and outside the ring, Canelo is keen to build on his budding reputation having broken pay-per-view records in his last fight with Mayweather.

The attractive eye-catching style of Angulo was one of the main reasons that Canelo opted to take the fight in a bill that has quite aptly been dubbed ‘Toe-To-Toe’ due to the exciting all-action affair many are expecting.

“Of course that was very important [the style of Angulo]. What the fans want to see is attractive fights, very good fights, and that was a big reason for doing this fight,” said Canelo.

“It’s a very, very different style [to Mayweather]. So the whole camp has been different, the sparring partners have been different. But it’s a style that’s going to be attractive and it’s going to make for a very good fight,” he said.

BoxNation viewers can see the premiere of episode two ‘All Access: Canelo vs. Angulo’ this Saturday at 6.30pm. Before live boxing action from Liverpool where rising bantamweight star Paul Butler faces tough Argentine Oreste Nieva for the vacant WBA intercontinental title.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky, at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Heavyweight contender Odlanier Solis arrived in Istanbul (Turkey). The 2004 Olympic gold medalist will face US veteran Tony “Tiger” Thompson on March 22nd in Tekirdag. It is the clash of two former Klitschko foes: In March 2011 Solis lost to then WBC champion Vitali Klitschko in Cologne (Germany) due to a knee injury; Thompson had already two shots at Vitali’s younger brother Wladimir in 2008 and 2012 but lost both fights.

“The winner of this bout will get another shot at the world title”, says promoter Ahmet Oner. “With Vitali in retirement and Wladimir facing stiffs like Alex Leapai it’s about time to bring back some action to the heavyweight scene. Both guys have a lot to win but even more to lose. So I am sure that it will be a hell of a fight.”

Solis hit Istanbul yesterday with Miami based physician Osvaldo Nordelo to wrap up his training camp in Turkey. Tomorrow the team expects head coach Manny Masson who will be in Solis’ corner for the Thompson fight. “Solis and Masson have been a very good team before. Manny was one of Solis’ first coaches when he came to Germany in 2007. They have a good chemistry and I am sure that they will have the right game plan to beat Thompson”, states Oner. “Solis loves Turkey. He loves the people and the hospitality. He is in great shape already and we gave him the best possible conditions over here to finalize his training camp. He will do one more week of sparring and then just focus on the fight.”

NEW YORK: (March 6, 2014) Former world champion Joshua
“The Grand Master” Clottey will head to Newcastle, Australia on
APRIL 2 to clash with former two time WBA Champion and local favorite Anthony “the man” Mundine in a twelve round junior middleweight clash, it was confirmed today by Joe DeGuardia, Founder and President of Star Boxing.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for Joshua, and we are glad that after extended negotiations with Brendan Bourke from BOXA Promotions this fight is officially on.” said DeGuardia. “He’s been training since his last victory in September looking for a big fight and Mundine presents a high risk/high reward type of fight. A win over Mundine will put him right back on track for a major fight in the United States.”

“As a promoter we take pride in consistently providing our fighters with the best opportunities as we’ve also done most recently with world champion Demetrius Andrade, Chris Algieri and Delvin Rodriguez among others.”

Sporting a record of 37-4-0 (22KO’s), Clottey comes off a ten-round shutout decision over Los Angeles based veteran Dashon Johnson on September 14, 2013 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York as part of Star Boxing’s acclaimed , “Rockin’ Fights” series.

“I am now fighting at my best weight, 154 pounds, and Anthony Mundine is one stop on my road to the world championship” stated Clottey.

With an outstanding fourteen-year career that includes wins over former world champions Zab Judah and Diego Corrales, Clottey is perhaps best known to New York City area boxing fans for his war for the ages with Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto on June 13, 2009 at Madison Square Garden.

Fighting in front of a capacity crowd of over 20,000 boxing fans, Clottey bloodied the WBO Welterweight Champion and although valiantly battled throughout, the judges awarded Cotto a split decision by the slimmest of margins.

The 38-year-old Mundine, 46-5-0 (27KO’s), had an uneven 2013, losing an IBF World Title shot to fellow countryman Daniel Geale while also defeating boxing legend Shane Mosley via seventh round stoppage.

Most recently, the Sydney, Australia resident won a ten round unanimous decision over Gunnar Jackson on January 29th.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook at Star Boxing.

Tyron Zeuge is ready for his first homecoming as a champion. On March 29, the Berlin-native is going to support the WBO Cruiserweight World Championship between Marco Huck and Mirko Larghetti at the Velodrom in Berlin, Germany. The 21-year-old’s premiere title defense of his WBO Youth Belt will come against same-aged and unbeaten Gheorghe Sabau of Romania.

Zeuge secured his first title in the pro ranks on January 25 in Stuttgart, Germany – just minutes before Huck beat Firat Arslan in their rematch. “That was an awesome feeling to fight in front of about 10,000 people. However, I was just nervous walking to the ring,” says the prodigy of Karsten Roewer. Afterwards, he kept his cool. “I blanked out the fans in attendance as the first bell rang to be absolutely focused and it worked.”

The challenge now is to verify this result on March 29. Zeuge already discussed the style and strengths of Sabau with his coach Roewer. “My next opponent is southpaw and has a temporizing style being a counter-puncher. In the upcoming weeks, my trainer will give me the exact strategy to be victorious against Sabau.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland has a high opinion of Zeuge: “Tyron is one of the biggest talents at super middleweight. I am proud to present his first title defense in his hometown.”

However, defending the WBO Youth Title is just a stepping-stone according to the ambitious Zeuge: “I want to become a world champion.”

Tickets are available at www.eventim.de. All previously purchased tickets for the boxing event at the Velodrom Berlin on March 29 remain valid.