NEW YORK, NY (March 19, 2013) — Live world championship boxing continues its EPIX run in April and May with two more exciting events featuring the kings of the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight champion NATHAN CLEVERLY defends his title against No. 1 contender ROBIN KRASNIQI on Saturday, April 20, at London’s Wembley Arena. The following month, World Heavyweight Champion WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, making his fourth consecutive appearance on EPIX, defends his WBO/International Boxing Federation (IBF)/World Boxing Association (WBA)/International Boxing Organization (IBO)/The Ring world titles against undefeated Top-10 contender FRANCESCO PIANETA on Saturday, May 4, at the SAP-Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Both fights will be televised live to the U.S. exclusively on EPIX, the premium entertainment network. EPIX will stream the fights live on EpixHD.com and on the EPIX app on Xbox consoles and Roku players as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 151-5-1 (92 KOs) — a winning percentage of 96% and a victory by knockout ratio of 61%.

“We’re excited to present another strong slate of compelling world championship battles,” said Travis Pomposello, Chief Creative Officer for EPIX Sports. “The Cleverly-Krasniqi and Klitschko-Pianeta title rumbles are competitive fights with marquee value that our viewers want to see and have come to expect from EPIX.”

Cleverly (25-0, 12 KOs), of Caerphilly, Wales, was British Commonwealth and European light heavyweight champion before he ascended the throne as world champion. After winning the WBO interim light heavyweight title in 2010, winning a close but unanimous decision over Nadjib Mohammedi, he was elevated to world champion a few months later where he has since successfully defended the WBO title four times since 2011 against opponents who had a combined record of 81-6-2 when he battled them. In Cleverly’s last fight, which took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 11, he blasted out Shawn Hawk in the eighth round.

Krasniqi (39-2, 15 KOs), a native of Serbia who fights out of Munich, Germany, is riding a seven-year, 38-bout winning streak. Only once has Krasniqi ever fought outside Germany — in Prague, Czech Republic in 2010. He enters this fight having won his last four fights by knockout. Those victories also earned him the WBO European and WBO International light heavyweight crowns as well and his WBO mandatory challenger position.

Klitschko (59-3, 50 KOs), of Kiev, Ukraine, is a two-time world heavyweight champion. Klitschko began his first title reign in 2000 when he captured the WBO heavyweight title via a unanimous decision over defending champion Chris Byrd. Byrd suffered two knockdowns in that battle. Klitschko’s two-year title reign included five successful defenses – all by knockout – before losing the belt to Corrie Sanders in 2003. Klitschko returned to the world championship throne in 2006, this time as IBF champion, when he dethroned Chris Byrd in a title rematch. This victory was even more emphatic than the first one with Klitschko stopping Byrd in the seventh round. Since that fight, Klitschko has taken on and defeated all comers while unifying the title with victories over WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov, and WBA champion David Haye. He enters this fight riding a nine-year, 16-bout winning streak. Last year he successfully defended his titles three times — a fourth-round knockout of former two-time world champion Jean Marc Mormeck on March 3, and a sixth-round stoppage of mandatory challenger Tony Thompson on July 7. He finished the year with a 12-round unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Mariusz Wach on November 10. All three title defenses were televised live to the U.S. by EPIX.

Pianeta (28-0-1, 15 KOs), is a native of Italy who fights out of Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. An eight-year professional, Pianeta, 28, is an inspiring story having survived a bout of testicular cancer. After surgery in late 2009, the 6’5 southpaw returned to the ring one year later, knocking out Mike Middleton in the first round. His resume boasts a one-year reign as the European Union heavyweight champion, which included three successful title defenses, and victories over former heavyweight champion Oliver McCall and four-time heavyweight title challenger Frans Botha. In his last fight on November 16, Pianeta knocked out Nelson Dario Dominguez (14-1-1) in the first round. He is currently world-rated No. 8 by the WBO.

About EPIX

EPIX® is the newest premium entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic library titles, plus original films, comedy, music and sports events on TV, on demand, online and on devices. Launched October 2009 as the first multiplatform premium network with online accessibility for subscribers through EpixHD.com, EPIX pioneered the development and proliferation of TV Everywhere for American consumers. EPIX was the first premium network to launch on Xbox 360®consoles, first on Android™ tablets and phones, first on Roku® players and soon to be the first to launch on PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. EPIX is available to authenticated subscribers on hundreds of devices including Apple® iPads®, iPhones®, Kindle Fire tablets, Samsung® Smart TVs and Blu-ray™ players and more. Today EPIX remains the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up from new Hollywood hits to original programs on all platforms and provides more movies than any other premium network.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), available to over 30 million homes nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EpixHD.com. Follow EPIX Sports on Twitter @EPIXsports and on Facebook www.facebook.com/EPIXsports.

NEW YORK – Heavyweight import Tyson Fury, 20-0, 14 KOs, invades New York City on April 20th in the afternoon show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Fury hopes to bring the “Luck of the Irish” with him when he takes on former two-time world champion Steve Cunningham, 25-5, 12 KOs, in a 12-round IBF heavyweight elimination fight. The winner of the bout, which will be broadcast live 4PM ET in the states on network television by NBC, earns the #2 spot in the IBF rankings, and stays on course for a shot at champion Wladimir Klitschko. The event will be Fury’s American debut.

Fury, who is of Irish heritage and was named after boxing great Mike Tyson, is no fighting leprechaun. In fact, at 6′ 9″, he is quite the opposite, and should prove to be a tall task for Cunningham to topple. The battle-tested “USS” Cunningham has been in the ring with top quality foes, all over the world. However, he’s never faced a hard-punching giant like Fury.

Cunningham moved up from the cruiserweight division last year, and has looked good as a heavyweight thus far, but this fight should determine whether or not he can handle one of the gloved giants that so dominate the heavyweight division these days.

Fury is a fighting machine with heavy hands and size advantages enough to make any Cunningham fan very nervous. Fury was the first to defeat Londoner Dereck Chisora, and added tough guy Vinnie Maddalone to his list of victims last year. In his most recent outing, Fury beat well-rounded former title challenger Kevin Johnson over 12 rounds to bring his winning streak to an even 20 straight.

Fury is on a roll but along with advantages in height and weight, he’ll need to bring his “A” game and a bit of that Irish fortune to the Garden if he wants to add USS Steve to his win column. Bookmakers in England have the odds even. The battle should be everything fans look for in a high-profile international heavyweight contest – especially if it’s anything like the press conference to announce the fight.

When the fighters came together for the first time last week, emotions flared on the dais, and Fury made it clear he would make a memorable American debut on April 20th. “I’m a man on a mission,” Fury said. “I mean business. Your heavyweight run is coming to an end. I’m going to retire you Steve.”

Cunningham mostly stayed in control, saying he doesn’t like it when fighters do their talking outside of the ring. “The guys who talk a lot? They’re chumps,” Cunningham said.

We’ll find out who is correct at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in about one month.

APRIL 20TH FIGHT INFO:
April 20th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York features a 12-round heavyweight battle between Tyson Fury and Steve Cunningham in the main event. Curtis Stevens will take on Derrick Findley in the 8-round middleweight co-feature. Six additional bouts are planned for the undercard. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 4PM ET on NBC as a special 2 hour afternoon presentation of NBC Sports Fight Night. The card is presented by Hennessy Sports and Main Events.

The main event is an official IBF Heavyweight Voluntary Eliminator fight for the #2 position. The winner must meet #1 or the leading available contender to establish the mandatory challenger for Heavyweight King Wladimir Klitschko.

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $100, $250 and $500. Tickets are available at the Madison Square Garden box office, through Ticketmaster 866-858-0008 and at ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices include a $5 Facility Surcharge. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to a Ticketmaster Surcharge. Wheelchairs, companion seats, aisle seats and Assistive Listening Devices are available 212-465-6035.

Now most promoters cry wolf telling fans that they better buy their tickets early before the shows sells out, but for the Thursday, April 11th Fight Club OC show, promoter Roy Englebrecht really does means it!

With a big seven bout show set, and with seven of the 14 fighters coming from Orange County, these local fighters have purchased a ton of tickets up front, so that only approximately 100 tickets remain for the April 11th show.

Local Area Fighters Set For Battle
Fight Club OC – The Hangar April 11th

Tustin’s Paul Velarde (right) pictured above
And this is a show you won’t want to miss, as it will have something for everyone. The return of Tustin’s Paul Velarde in the featured bout, is a must see. Fullerton’s MMA star Curtis Millender who thrilled the February crowd with his skill and power in his pro debut win is back facing Dana Point’s tough Blake Belshe….Sunny Hills High grad and youth boxing trainer at La Habra Boxing Club Nadja Ropac will make her pro debut facing SF’s Laura Deanovic….Santa Ana’s Jesus Gutierrez will be going for his first win….Samoan-American and Golden Gloves champion Malanga D’Hue will be making his cruiserweight pro debut….and OC trainer Beto Ibarra, who debuted at the Battle In The Ballroom a few years back, will make his ring return.

Fullerton’s Curtis Millender (pictured above left) from Feb 28th Fight Club OC

Golden Gloves Champion
Malanga D’Hue (pictured above)
Makes his Pro Debut April 11th at Fight Club OC

Tickets are only $50 and can be purchased online at www.fightcluboc.com, and also check out the website for the entire April 11th Fight Card.

Remember the great Pre Fight Dinner Special at Newport Rib Company, where you get a three course meal for only $20.

Newport Rib Company is located at 2196 Harbor Blvd. Costa Mesa 92626

On Saturday, March 23rd, boxing will finally return to the beautiful Sunset Station for the first time in almost ten years. The platform is only fitting when one considers the years of experience both camps will bring to the ring this weekend.

In opposite corners, two legendary figures within the San Antonio boxing community will embark in a pugilistic chess match. Jose Angel Lopez, who has been dubbed the trainer of champions by many in the Alamo City, will go head to head with San Antonio Hall of Fame inductee Tony Ayala Sr. in the main event of the evening.

In Lopez’s corner, representing the iconic Angel’s Boxing Club will be slick boxer/puncher Rashad Ganaway. In Ayala’s corner, effective aggressor Justo Vallecillo will attempt to impose his will and further delay Ganaway’s ambitions of world championship glory.

The style match-up is a splendid one; the matador versus the relentless bull. The Lightweight combatants will come into the ring with two widely respected boxing figures, who boast a combined knowledge and experience in the sweet science that exceeds seventy years.

Both Lopez and Ayala have a reputation of demanding perfection from their entire stable of amateur and professional fighters. The San Antonio boxing faithful will have the opportunity to discover which trainer’s protégé will reign supreme and take the next step towards boxing super stardom.

The two lifelong trainers have previously taken hard working fighters to the championship level with Robert “El Pikin” Quiroga and John Michael Johnson respectively. Will Jose Angel Lopez and Tony Ayala Sr. be successful in eventually producing championship gold once again?

Be a part of history as the city of San Antonio celebrates the careers of two legendary fight trainers, Jose Angel Lopez and Tony Ayala Sr., during the Final Press Conference and Luncheon this Wednesday at 2PM, as we kick-off our official countdown to Saturday, March 23rd, “The Quest: Ganaway vs. Vallecillo”!!

The two devoted boxing proponents have been mentoring young men and women in the Alamo City for the past 4 decades, and their undying commitment to the local boxing community is unrivaled.

The luncheon will begin at 2:00PM, with the press conference ceremony starting approximately at 2:30PM. The event will commence at the appropriately named Legends Sports Bar, 1305 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, Ph: (210) 674-0627

Fighters competing on the talent enriched March 23rd bout sheet will be present for interviews and photo opportunities.

Tickets for “The Quest: Ganaway vs. Vallecillo” will be on sale at tomorrow’s press event and start as low as $20. Tickets are also available by calling 210-771-2732, 210-325-0140, or 210-589-7654!!

Legend versus Legend…Prospect versus Prospect…The Quest begins on March 23rd!

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization will be hosting a casting call for the next US edition of its long-running reality series, The Ultimate Fighter®, on Monday April 15, 2013, in Las Vegas. For the first time ever in the history of the series, Season 18 will feature male and female bantamweight (135lbs) fighters.

All TUF™ 18 candidates must be at least 21 years old, have the legal ability to live & work in the United States, and have a minimum of three professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights – holding a winning record (with verifiable records). Applications, which should be completed and brought to the tryouts, can be found online at http://www.ufc.com/TUF18. Tryout details are provided below:

Where:

Palace Station Hotel, 2411 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89102

Tryouts will be held in the Grand Ballroom

When:

Monday April 15, 2013*

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. PT

Fighters will be required to grapple & hit pads. Please bring appropriate gear.

*Applicants will be notified at the end of the tryouts if they have been selected to continue on in the casting process. If selected, applicants must be prepared to stay in Las Vegas until April 19.

The Ultimate Fighter, which debuted in 2005, has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters and has produced past champions such as Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, Michael Bisping and Matt Serra. Bantamweights were most recently featured on The Ultimate Fighter 14, where John Dodson emerged as season winner.

TUF 18 is expected to debut in the fall of 2013.

Tickets for season 17’s The Ultimate Fighter® Finale are on-sale now. To purchase tickets to the April 13th event at Mandalay Bay Events Center, or for more information, visit the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

Catch all new episodes of this season of The Ultimate Fighter at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

###

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel

Tacoma, WA (March 18th, 2013) – After two years, fight fans all around the world will get their chance to once again witness Zahir “King” Raheem (31-3-0, 18 KO’s) back in the ring in pursuit of a world title. Raheem is scheduled to fight on Saturday, March 23rd at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA where northwest boxing fans will get the first look at the superstar when he takes on Toppenish’s Santos Pakau (28-7-2, 11 KO’s) in the Main Event of Battle at the Boat 91.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to fight for Halquist Productions and I look forward to a very successful journey, “said Raheem about his much anticipated comeback to boxing.

Boxing enthusiasts throughout the world remember a crucial day in 2005 when lightweight champion, Erik Morales, took on the rising Zahir Raheem. The fight was intended to be a warm up fight for Morales before his scheduled super fight rematch against Manny Pacquiao. Raheem didn’t have the same plan in mind. He stepped into the ring determined to let the world know he was ready for a title shot. He did just that. With the vacant WBC International lightweight title on the line, Raheem battled through 12 rounds with Morales and controlled the entire fight. The judges awarded Raheem with the unanimous decision. Ring Magazine named the fight “Upset of the Year” and Raheem was suddenly on his way to what appeared to be stardom.

No one would step up to fight the crafty boxer out of Philadelphia until seven months later when Raheem finally got a shot at the vacant WBO lightweight title against Acelino Freitas. Raheem knew that it was a must win in order to prove his win over Morales was no fluke. The fight went 12 rounds. One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Raheem. The other two judges disagreed, scoring closely for Freitas. Raheem would lose the fight via a heartbreaking split decision. After defeating Morales and barely losing to Freitas it was almost impossible for Raheem to find a quality opponent. An opponent he knew he deserved. Raheem was left to face easy wins again, ultimately taking away the challenge that feeds fighters. His last fight would come in August of 2010 where he KO’d Roberto Valenzuela in the 2nd round.

Now signed with Halquist Productions, Raheem has been given a new hope to his dream of becoming a world champion. The first step in the process will come in the main event of Battle at the Boat 91 this Saturday when he will step into the ring against Santos Pakau at the Emerald Queen Casino.

In the Semi-Main event of Battle at the Boat 91, Vancouver’s Virgil Green (5-1-0) is set to face Dave Petryk (3-3-1) out of British Columbia. Green is replacing the originally scheduled Marcelino Pineda who was injured while training last week. Green trains out of the Fisticuffs gym with head coach, Leonard Gabriel, and reigns as the current Northwest Jr. Welterweight Champion.

The action packed undercard is filled with local talent:

Julian Dutkel (debut) vs. Calvin Medley (debut)

Zachary Cooper (1-0-0) vs. Josh Solis (debut)

Antonio Neal (debut) vs. Juan Carlos Rodriguez (1-1-0)

Ricardo Moldonado (debut) vs. Dex Montenegro (1-1-1)

With the long term promotional contract signed with Halquist Productions, fans throughout the Northwest will get a chance to see Raheem work his way to another world title fight throughout 2013 at future Battle at the Boat events. The Battle at the Boat series continues to be the longest running boxing series at any Tribal casino throughout the United States. Halquist Productions has promoted fights that have been televised on every major sports network including ESPN, ESPN 2, HBO, and Showtime. For more information about Battle at the Boat 91 and all other Halquist Production events, please visit www.halqusitproductions.com

PHILADELPHIA (March 18, 2013)— Banner Promotions congratulates Ruslan Provodnikov for a great fight and living up to all of our expectations last Saturday night when he took on WBO Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on HBO World Championship Boxing.

The bout, which took place in Carson, California, was a thrilling battle for Provodnikov as he rocked and hurt the undefeated champion repeatedly and was controversially denied knockdowns in each of the first two rounds and was able to send Bradley to the canvas late in the twelfth round for which Bradley barely beat referee Pat Russell’s count.

The “Fight of the Year candidate” produced many toe to toe exchanges that brought the crowd at the Home Depot Center to the edge of their seats throughout the contest.

“Ruslan became a big star on Saturday night”, said Arthur Pelullo, CEO of Banner Promotions. There were a lot of critics when this fight was made. That it was a mismatch and Ruslan didn’t belong in the ring with Bradley. I told everybody that they had no idea what this kid is made of. Yet HBO, to their credit, held steadfast and went forward with the fight. We thank them for that.”

“When Bob Arum saw Ruslan in the gym as the chief sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao for the Pacquiao-Bradley fight, he called me to tell me that this kid is something special. He knew that Ruslan had a future on HBO.”

“Ruslan established himself as one of the major players in both the Jr. Welterweight and Welterweight divisions. I started receiving calls and text messages as early as the 2nd round and all the major networks have already called with projected fights for Ruslan”.

“Ruslan has many options for future big fights. We will be able to map out what he will do with his team led by his manager Vadim Kornilov in the near future”.

“Once again, we want to thank Ruslan for such a great performance and continuing to give boxing fans a thrilling show every time he enters the ring.”

There can only be one winner, and that is Arthur Abraham (36-3, 28 KOs).
That is at least the opinion of the WBO Champion himself and his team. The
world title fight between Abraham and Robert Stieglitz (43-3, 24 KOs) is
just around the corner and unsurprisingly both camps are convinced that they
have the edge over their opposition. At today’s press conference in
Magdeburg, Germany, the protagonists of the world title bout as well as
their coaches and the WBO´s current number one at heavyweight, Robert
Helenius (18-0, 11 KOs), gave their statements ahead of Saturday night.
These are the best quotes:

Arthur Abraham, WBO Super-Middleweight Champion: I am very excited to be
fighting in the city of Magdeburg. My first fight here was when Sven Ottke
retired and the atmosphere was amazing. The crowd was even doing the Mexican
wave which you normally only get during soccer games. I have never seen
anything like that outside of Magdeburg. I can only say one thing about the
fight. We won the first fight and consequently took the world championship.
Now it´s time for the rematch and we have a clear goal. We have to destroy
him and we will do everything we can to reach our goal which showed during
our preparations. We have a lot of respect for our opponents but once we
step into the ring I have to destroy him, no question.

Robert Stieglitz, challenger: Those are some big words. We will see what
happens come March 23. I am in great shape and want to take revenge. There
is a reason why I was the world champion for more than two years and I want
the crown back. It was a close decision (the first fight). I am excited to
be fighting in Magdeburg. The fans will help me to take revenge and I am
looking forward to that.

Ulli Wegner, coach of Abraham: I don’t really have to tell you what I want
to happen come Saturday. We will leave the ring as the winner. We have to be
that confident as Arthur is the reigning world champion. It will be a great
fight and in my opinion the first couple of rounds and the reaction of the
crowd could be decisive. May the best man win, and it is not a surprise that
as a coach I have faith in my guy. We did everything we could to get Arthur
into shape and we will give it our all.

Dirk Dzemski, coach of Stieglitz: Robert´s preparation has been great. I am
convinced that this will be an exciting fight, maybe even a war. I hope that
the home fans will be right behind Robert and keep pushing him throughout
the bout. I also hope that he will not make the same mistakes again. We have
been working on them for a long time. He has a good game plan and tactics
which will surprise you.

Robert Helenius, WBO #1 heavyweight: I am really looking forward to
Saturday. My opponent is great and therefore it will be a great fight. My
sparring partners have all been good and I will just do my thing. I will
keep him at distance with my jab and then get him with a hard right.

Wilfried Sauerand: I have to say that we always had great events here in
Magdeburg. I am not surprised at all that it will be a sellout crowd on
Saturday. The people here have a great knowledge of the sport and they know
when there is good boxing on display. I hope that Arthur will be as
successful here as Sven Ottke was and that the fight on Saturday will have
the same quality as their first one in Berlin.

Kalle Sauerland: I said before the first fight that it will turn out to be a
war, and that was exactly what happened. I don’t expect the rematch to be
any different. We are confident and believe that we will again turn out to
be the winners.

Tickets for the big fight night at the GETEC-Arena in Magdeburg, Germany can
be purchased at www.boxen.com as well as www.sesboxing.de and
www.eventim.de.

Robert Stieglitz (43-3, 24 KOs) feels very confident. The 31-year-old super middleweight will face off with Arthur Abraham (36-3, 28 KOs) in a world championship rematch on March 23rd. Stieglitz is hoping to avenge his loss on points back in August of last year when the pair meets up for a second time in Magdeburg, Germany. But according to Stieglitz himself, their next fight will be a whole different story and he will ensure that the WBO title finds its way back to Magdeburg.

Abraham-Stieglitz II will be televised live ringside to the U.S. from GTEC Arena in Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany on This Saturday! March 23, beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT, exclusively on EPIX, the premium entertainment service. EPIX will stream the fights live on EpixHD.com and on the EPIX app on Xbox consoles and Roku players as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans.

You lost your WBO Title against Arthur Abraham on August 25. Now you had some time to reflect on the fight. What are your thoughts?

Robert Stieglitz: I’m not the kind of person to look back and dwell on the past – I always have my sights on what lies ahead. Of course, I have mixed feelings when I reflect the happenings of that night. Although I did lose on points and consequently my title, I do believe that it was a great fight in front of a huge crowd at the o2 World in Berlin. The fans were ecstatic – hence, the big interest in the rematch. The important thing to me is that I only loaned him my title and now I want it back.

Many experts said that Abraham could only beat you by knockout. How surprised were you when he won the fight via unanimous decision?

Robert Stieglitz: First of all, I have to admit that he did better over the whole twelve rounds from a boxing point of view. However, he did not manage to knock me out and improve his KO ratio. Secondly, the cuts I suffered in rounds four and five had a big impact on my performance for the duration of the bout. I wasn’t able to pressure him as much as I wanted to and make life difficult for him towards the end of the fight. So no, I wasn’t surprised by the result. I was mostly annoyed by my own performance and the cuts.

What kind of mistakes have you discovered from your first clash with Abraham?
Did you change anything during your preparation this time round?

Robert Stieglitz: You will always have to deal with setbacks. Then it is important to sit down and find out what went wrong. You shouldn’t make the same mistakes twice. My coach Dirk Dzemski and I have been analyzing the fight. But I won’t get into too much detail about what I will do differently this time. Everyone knows, even Arthur himself, that I win fights with my technical ability, agility and work rate.

The rematch with Abraham is just around the corner. How satisfied are you with your progress?

Robert Stieglitz: Everything is going according to plan. I have gotten through a successful operation on my hand and won a buildup fight within three rounds in Barcelona in January. We have also been to training camp in the Bavarian Forest during February. We have been running through the snow and added some new elements to my training. My fitness coach Alfred Segerer has come up with a program specified to my needs. Therefore, it is all good.

Would you say that it is easier to prepare for Abraham as you have already stood inside the ring with him?

Robert Stieglitz: Yes, I believe it is, as I now know what Arthur Abraham looks like when he is in good shape. It makes it easier to adjust to his style. Of course, it is the same for him. Although I have to say that he hasn’t seen the best of Robert Stieglitz yet.

The first fight between the two of you took place in Abraham’s hometown of Berlin. Would you say that he had an advantage and do you have the advantage now that the rematch will be held in your own backyard, Magdeburg?

Robert Stieglitz: I don’t think that you can call it an advantage. What matters is that I traveled to Berlin as the world champion and now he is coming to my home as the current champion. He even said himself that he will be entering “The Lion´s Den“. That takes a lot of courage and we both have been given credit for that. I believe that the atmosphere will be even more electrifying in Magdeburg than it was in Berlin. We will see how he handles that.

How important is this fight for the future of your career? Is it an all or nothing situation for you as well as for Abraham?

Robert Stieglitz: Both of us were asked this question before our first fight and now everybody is excited about the rematch. There is no point in discussing if this is all or nothing for us. We should be happy about the fact that Germany currently has two world-class super-middleweights who will fight it out for a world championship. Both of us have the ability to get back to the top even if we should lose.

What is your prediction for March 23?

Robert Stieglitz: The winner and world champion will be Robert Stieglitz. I will take the borrowed WBO Title back to the city of Magdeburg, back to my promoter SES.

What happens if you should actually win? Will we witness Abraham vs.
Stieglitz III or are you aiming for a unification bout against the winner of Kessler vs. Froch II?

Robert Stieglitz: I don’t believe that it would be appropriate to discuss the future at this point of time. That is a topic for after March 23.

About EPIX

EPIX® is the newest premium entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic library titles, plus original films, comedy, music and sports events on TV, on demand, online and on devices. Launched October 2009 as the first multiplatform premium network with online accessibility for subscribers through EpixHD.com, EPIX pioneered the development and proliferation of TV Everywhere for American consumers. EPIX was the first premium network to launch on Xbox 360®consoles, first on Android™ tablets and phones, first on Roku® players and soon to be the first to launch on PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. EPIX is available to authenticated subscribers on hundreds of devices including Apple® iPads®, iPhones®, Kindle Fire tablets, Samsung® Smart TVs and Blu-ray™ players and more. Today EPIX remains the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up from new Hollywood hits to original programs on all platforms and provides more movies than any other premium network.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), available to over 30 million homes nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EpixHD.com. Follow EPIX Sports on Twitter @EPIXsports and on Facebook www.facebook.com/EPIXsports.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a shakeup in the boxing industry as HBO has cut ties with Golden Boy Promotions.

“I’m hardly surprised. I cannot be surprised, and I am not surprised,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “The president of HBO Sports did not have any conversations with me since last November or December about anything. It is clear that in the aftermath of the biggest names in the sport, Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez, leaving HBO for Showtime that HBO is obviously upset at [Mayweather adviser] Al Haymon and me, and this is their way of getting back at us.

“I think it’s an ill-advised strategy because the only ones that are getting hurt are the HBO subscribers, which were used to seeing the best fighters on HBO. That will obviously no longer be the case. Having said that, I wish HBO well. They’re a terrific company, and life goes on. For us, it’s business as usual.”

“In order to achieve our goal of the best fighters in the most compelling matchups we’ve decided to focus our efforts and resources on those strategic relationships where we better share common goals and business philosophies,” said head of HBO Sports Ken Hershman said in a statement given to ESPN.com.

“I see [HBO is] drinking the Top Rank Kool-Aid, and the only thing I can say is, ‘Beware, you’re drinking at your own risk,'” Schaefer said.

“HBO decided they want to go in a different direction, and I respect their decision and I wish them well,” he said, “but I saw this coming last September with the Canelo situation.”

HOUSTON. (March 17, 2013) – After working together for four fights and nearly two years, head trainer Ronnie Shields is confident that undefeated, United States Boxing Association (USBA) super middleweight champion Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs) is now a complete fighter as he heads to Monaco for the “Monte Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” at Casino de Monte-Carlo.

Rodriguez takes on unbeaten 2008 Argentina Olympian Ezequiel “El Olimpico” Maderna (19-0, 13 KOs) in the opening round of four-fighter tournament. Rodriguez vs. Maderna is half of a historic four-man tournament, also matching two-time, two division world champion Zsolt Erdei (33-0, 18 KOs) and Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KOs) in a light heavyweight bout. The championship final of the “Super Four” will showcase the two winners at a catch-weight of 171 ½ lbs., worth $1,000,000 (60-40 split), on July 13 in Monaco.

The “Monte Carlo Million Dollar Super 4” is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 p.m. ET – 12:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH and Avail-TVN in the United States and in Canada via Bell TV for a suggest retail price of only $24.95. In addition, the event will be available via on-line Pay Per

View at: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing

/Gennady_Golovkin_vs_Nobuhiro_Ishida/1896.

Rodriguez was an unbalanced, almost defenseless brawler when Shields first started training the Dominican Republic native. An all-out attack mode but Shields taught Rodriguez how to work off his jab, stay balanced, and develop his defensive skills. Those particular traits blossomed in Rodriguez’ convincing win against Donovan George by 10-round decision, but his punches weren’t as powerful as they had been when he brawled. In his last fight, however, Rodriguez’ power returned as he battered Jason Escalera en route to an eighth-round knockout.

Now, Shields contends, his prize student is the complete package. “As Edwin matures,” Shields explained from training camp in Houston, “the better he gets in the ring. He’s seen all styles of sparring and everything has come together for him. There is no style he hasn’t mastered. Without a doubt, Edwin is there as a complete fighter.”

Rodriguez is knocking on the door of a world title shot. He is the No. 3-rated super middleweight in the world in the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF), as well as ranked No. 12 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 10 by The Ring Magazine. Capturing the “Super Four” tournament most certainly will earn him an opportunity to challenge one of the 168-pound world champions.

View promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0pqvjNVciE

Maderna, a 2008 Argentina Olympian, is ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 13 by the IBF. He will be fighting outside of his native Argentina for the first time as a professional.

“He is a tall, slender kid with a great amateur background, highlighted by him competing in the 2008 Olympics,” Shields spoke about Maderna. “When I’ve looked at him fight, I see him throwing punches as he comes forward, but he’s not nearly as effective going backwards. He’s never fought outside of Argentina and has never fought anybody like with Edwin. Maderna is a good fighter but Edwin has a little too much for this kid. He is a European-type fighter who drops his hands a little when he’s confident. He doesn’t seem like a big puncher. If Edwin establishes his jab, it’ll be a long night for Maderna, who is a different fighter than anybody Edwin’s fought since I’ve been with him.”

Shields isn’t concerned that Rodriguez will be looking past Maderna to the Erdei-Grachev winner in the “Super Four” championship final and its $600,000 champion’s purse.

“Edwin can’t get to the final unless he beats Maderna,” Shields concluded, “which is why this fight is so important for Edwin. He knows and understands this. Edwin has never been a problem looking past anybody.”

Las Vegas, Nevada – In a move set to make history, The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced Saturday evening that it will feature women as coaches on the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter®, its long-running reality series. Newly minted UFC bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, will coach opposite the winner, and eventual title contender, of a fight between Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano set for The Ultimate Fighter Finale on April 13 in Las Vegas, Nev.

UFC President Dana White’s announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvgCiOHHhX8

Earlier this year, the UFC announced Rousey as the first-ever female fighter signed to the organization. She cemented her position as UFC champion and baddest woman on the planet with an impressive win against Liz Carmouche at UFC® 157 in Anaheim, Calif.

On April 13, former Strikeforce bantamweight women’s champion Miesha Tate will square-off against highly touted, undefeated contender Cat Zingano in the second women’s bout in UFC history. The winner will ultimately join Rousey as coach to the newest class of bantamweights – living and training together – vying for the title of The Ultimate Fighter and a six–figure contract with the UFC.

Tryouts for season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter will take place on Monday, April 15 in Las Vegas, Nev. All TUF™ 18 candidates must be at least 21 years old, have the legal ability to live & work in the United States, and have a minimum of three professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights – holding a winning record (with verifiable records).

Tryout details will be released on Monday, March 18. TUF 18 is expected to debut in the fall of 2013.

Meanwhile, tickets for season 17’s The Ultimate Fighter® Finale are on-sale now. To purchase tickets to the April 13th event at Mandalay Bay Events Center, or for more information, visit the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.

Catch all new episodes of this season of The Ultimate Fighter 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

###

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

Cuban 2004 Olympic gold medalist and former WBC world heavyweight title challenger Odlanier Solis (18-1, 12 KOs) arrived in Berlin, Germany, this morning where he will face unbeaten Norwegian powerhouse Leif Larsen (17-0, 14 KOs) at Universal Hall this Friday (March 22nd) on a card broadcasted live on Eurosport.

“It’s important for Solis to get back into the ring”, says promoter Ahmet Oner. “He only fought once last year. We got to keep him active, At the same time it doesn’t help if he just beats tomato cans and journey man. So I am very happy that we could get the fight with Larsen done. We discussed this fight last year already. Larsen said that Solis would duck him. I’m glad that Solis has a chance to prove that he is not ducking anybody. He is the best heavyweight fighter in the world and will be world champion very soon.”
“La Sombra” was mandatory challenger for WBC titlist Vitali Klitschko in March 2011 but lost due to a serious knee injury he suffered in the first round of the championship bout. Now he wants to get back into the title race by defending his IBF Intercontinental championship which he won by easily outboxing hard-hitting German Konstantin Airich in May 2012.
In the co-feature, Turkish welterweight star Selcuk Aydin (23-2, 17 KOs) returns to Germany after losing his last two bouts in the United States against Robert Guerrero and Jesus Soto Karass. To get back on the winning track, Aydin will drop down to junior welterweight and face Italian veteran and long-time European champion Giuseppe Lauri (53-11, 31 KOs).
“Both Solis and Aydin are elite fighters”, says Oner. “I am proud to bring these two international stars back to Germany on the same card. And both guys will be in tough fights against quality opponents. This will be a huge show on Eurosport.”
Oner, Aydin and Solis will hold a press conference on Tuesday, March 19th, at noon at Best Western Hotel MAO in Berlin. The show at Universal Hall starts at 7pm German time on Friday, March 22nd. The live broadcast on Eurosport starts at 9pm German time.

Is Robert Helenius (18-0, 11 KOs) back to his best? March 23 is a big night
for boxing fans all over the world. Current WBO Super-Middleweight Champion
Arthur Abraham (36-3, 28 KOs) and Robert Stieglitz (43-3, 24 KOs) will meet
for the second time within seven months after Abraham took Stieglitz´s title
away from him back on August 25. But the fans at the GETEC-Arena in
Magdeburg, Germany, have another treat to look forward too, cause what would
be a fight night without a matchup between some real heavyweights? Robert
Helenius takes on Britain’s Michael Sprott (37-19, 17 KOs) in only his
second fight after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an injury.

However, Helenius will certainly have to be in great shape to fend off the
challenge of the very experienced Sprott. The Berkshire born fighter proved
his class during his win over Helenius´ Team Sauerland stable mate Edmund
Gerber, who at the time was IBF´s number five ranked boxer. Therefore
Helenius knows that it won’t be a walk in the park on March 23. “I was
present in Nuremberg when he beat Gerber,” said Helenius. “Sprott is
technically gifted, so I will have to make use of my height and reach
advantage. My jab could make the difference.”

Tickets for the big fight night at the GETEC-Arena in Magdeburg, Germany can
be purchased at www.boxen.com, www.sesboxing.de and www.eventim.de.

LOWELL, Mass. (March 16, 2013) – Hometown favorite “Irish” Joey McCreedy celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in style, winning an eight-round majority decision over Canadian-invader Michael “Flash” Walchuk in tonight’s “CFC Fight Night” main event, presented by Chicago Fight Clubs Promotions, at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.

McCreedy (14-6-2, 6 KOs), who picked-up the vacant UBF US-Northeast light heavyweight title, hurt Walchuk (9-9, 2 KOs) in the opening round with a powerful overhand right, but McCreedy suffered a cut over his right eye in the second, and worked his way through the remainder of the fight for a hard-earned victory.

McCreedy captured the vacant UBF US-Northeast light heavyweight title.

“This was a 360-degree turn from my last fight in Lowell,” McCreedy said after the fight. “I credit my training camp, my head trainer Dicky Eklund, strength coach…my whole team, including my promoter, manager, dad, mom and girlfriend.

“I thought I had him out in the first round. I hurt him but loaded up with right hands after that for a few rounds. Dicky settled me down, though, and I started throwing combinations.”

World title challenger Osumanu Adama (21-3, 15 KOs) won a 10-round split decision (97-93, 96-94, 94-96) over veteran Grady “Bad Boy” Brewer (30-15, 16 KOs). Because Adama weighed in one-half pound over the limit, he was ineligible to win the WBC Continental Americas, IBO Intercontinental and UBF Inter-Continental middleweight championships. Adama is rated No. 11 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Former world champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris (30-9-2, 19 KOs) snapped an eight-fight unbeaten streak (0-6-1, 1 NC), dating back to 2008, with an eight-round decision over Shakha Moore (11-19-3, 2 KOs).

A knockdown in the final round was the difference as Maine middleweight Russell Lamour (3-0, 1 KO), who overcame a trip to the canvas in the fourth round, kept his undefeated record intact with a close but unanimous six-round decision over Eddie “Thunder” Caminero (7-8, 7 KOs).

Iraq War veteran, cruiserweight Chris Traietti (11-3, 7 KOs), floored Tyler Seever (13-13-1, 11 KOs) twice in the fifth round, finishing him off in the sixth with two more knockdowns, before the fight was stopped by referee Paul Casey.

Chicago heavyweight Boban Simic (2-0, 2 KOs) dropped Boston’s pro-debuting Tyler King twice with powerful left hooks prior to referee Eddie Claudio halting the action with nine-seconds remaining in the second round.

New Haven bantamweight Josh Crespo (1-1-1, 1 KO) won his first professional fight when Lowell’s pro-debuting Mike Martin failed to answer the bell for the third round.

Official Results

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Boban Simic (2-0, 2 KOs), Chicago, IL

WTKO2 (2:51)

Tyler King (0-1), Boston, MA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Joey McCreedy (14-6-2, 6 KOs), Lowell, MA

WDEC (78-74, 77-75, 76-67)

Michael Walchuk (9-9, 2 KOs), Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

(McCreedy won UBF US-Northeast title)

Chris Traietti (11-3, 7 KOs), Quincy, MA

WTKO6 (1:50)

Tyler Seever (13-13-1, 11 KOs), Saint Joseph, MO

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Osumanu Adama (21-3, 15 KOs), Joliet, IL

WDEC10 (97-93, 96-94, 94-96)

Grady Brewer (30-15, 16 KOs), Lawton, OK

Russell Lamour (3-0, 1 KO), Portland, ME

WDEC6 (57-55, 57-55, 57-56)

Eddie Caminero (7-8, 7 KOs), Lawrence, MA

WELTERWEIGHTS

Vivian Harris (30-9-2, 19 KOs), Brooklyn, NY

WDEC8 (80-72, 78-74, 77-75)

Shakka Moore (11-19-3, 2 KOs), Norwalk, CT

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Josh Crespo (1-1-1, 1 KO), New Haven, CT

WTHO2 (3:00)

ABOUT TSONGAS CENTER AT UMASS LOWELL:

Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is a Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) managed facility. Global spectrum is the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Ovation Foods Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

Former world title challenger Roberto Marroquin scored a third round stoppage over Antonio Escalante in a scheduled ten round Super Featherweight bout in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

Marroquin sent Escalante to the canvas with a right hand in the third frame and the fight was stopped at the forty-eight second mark.

Marroquin, 128 1/4 lbs of Dallas, TX is now 23-2 with 16 knockouts. Escalante, 128 3/4 lbs of El Paso, TX is now 28-6.

Alex Saucedo remained perfect by scoring a second round stoppage over Norman Allen in a scheduled six round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Saucedo scored a knockdown in round two from a huge right that was followed by a left hook that sent Allen down and when he got to his feet the referee ruled him unable to continue u at 1:40 of round two

Saucedo, 149 lbs of Oklahoma City, OK is now 8-0 with six knockouts. Allen, 149 1/2 lbs of Laurel, MD is now 6-8.

Tony Lopez scored a four round unanimous decision over Manuel Rubalcava in a Super Bantamweight contest

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Lopez of Fort Worth, TX and is now 3-0. Rubalcava, 122 lbs of Laredo, TX is now 1-3.

Follow all the action live from Ringside at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California as Timothy Bradley defends the WBO Welterweight championship against rugged Russian Ruslan Provodnikov. The action begins at 10:15 est / 7:15 pm pac with a battle of undefeated Welterweight Jesse Vargas and Wale Omotoso

12 ROUNDS–WBO WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–TIMOTHY BRADLEY (29-0, 12 KO’S) VS RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV (22-1, 15 KO’S)

Round 1 Right from Bradley…quick combo..A war breaks out…Bradley down but ruled a slip…Bradley is hurt...10-9 Provodnikov

Round 2 Hard combo from Bradley..Brasdley eats a hige right..toe to toe…Huge shots by Ruslan..Bradley badly wobbled../..20-18 Provodnikov

Round 3 Hard combo by Bradley..JAB..good combo..Hard combo..29-28 Bradley

Round 4 Big counter right from RP…Big right to body from Bradley…3 punch combo…2 bigs lefts and a right from RP…3 punch combo from Bradley…Big right..right from Ruslan..right…38-38

Round 5 3 jabss from Bradley..Big right and left..This is a war with Bradley landing ripping combos…48-47 Bradley

Round 6 Bradley lands a right to the head…right and left..combos…combis hurts Bradley… unbelievable action to end the round...57-57

Round 7 Good overhand right from RP..67-66 RP

Round 8 Bradley jabbing and moving..short right from Provodnikov…3 punch combo from Bradley...76-76

Round 9 hard 1-2 from Bradley..Bradley boxing well..ripping right..Bradley hitting RP with everything ..great chin from RP...86-85 Bradley

Round 10 Bradley boxing but missing..RP lands a hard right..Jab from Bradley…over hnd right from RP…left from RP drives Bradley back…95-95

Round 11 Hard jab from RP..left inside..RO lands 3 hard shots..hard righ..;eft,,,105-104 RP

Round 12 toe to toe action..BIG COMBO DROPS BRADLEY…115-112 RP

115-112, 115-112 and 114-113 FOR WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION TIMOTHY BRADLEY

10 ROUNDS–WELTERWEIGHTS–JESSE VARGAS (21-0, 9 KO’S) VS WALE OMOTOSO (23-0, 19 KO’S)

Round 1 Good action ..Right from Omotoso…right over the top…Jab from Vargas…Left..Right from Omotoso..god right…10-9 Omotoso

Round 2 Good right from Omotoso…Jab from Vargas..Combo from Omotoso on the ropes…Vargas jabbing..LEFT TO THE BODY AND RULED A KNOCKDOWN FOR OMOTOSO…Jab from Vargas..left hook…trading right hands..20-17 Omotoso

Round 3 Omotoso gets in a right..Vargas lands a jab..Left from Omotoso..right..ight drives Omotoso to the ropes …30-26 Omotoso

Round 4 Vargas gets in a jab..Vargas lands a combo…great Acton in the corner..39-36 Omotoso

Round 5 Omotoso lands a ;eft…Vargas fire back with a right…Big right rocks Omotoso..hes hurt…Vargas laying it on…Omotoso showing a great chin…big round for Vargas…48-46 Omotoso

Round 6 Omotoso gets in a hard left…Vargas jabs to the body…Good jab from Omotoso..58-55 Omotoso

Round 7 Jab from Omotoso..Left from Vargas…Vargas gets in a overhand right..Vargas flurries..left…Good left hook..67-65 Omotoso

Round 8 Right from Vargas…overhand right..inside right..right from Omotoso…76-75 Omotoso

Round 9 Left from Omotoso…Right from Vargas..Uppercut from Vargas..85-85

Round 10 Omotoso lands a 1-2…overhand right…uppercut…counter uppercut..Vargas lands a 1-2…left..95-94 Omotoso

97-92, 96-93, 96-93 FOR VARGAS

MAIN EVENT – UBF US-NORTHEAST LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (8)

Joey McCreedy (13-6-2, 6 KOs), Lowell, MA 173 lbs.

Michael Walchuk (9-8, 2 KOs), Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 173 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – WBC CONTINENTAL AMERICAS, IBO INTERNATIONAL & UBF INTER-CONTINENTAL MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS (10)

Osumanu Adama (20-3, 15 KOs), Joliet, IL 160 1/2 lbs.*

Grady Brewer (30-14, 16 KOs), Lawton, OK 158 1/2 lbs.

(*Adama weigh-in 1/2 pound over the limit and cannot win any of the titles, Brewer is eligible to win the three titles)

WELTERWEIGHTS (6)

Vivian Harris (29-9-2, 19 KOs), Brooklyn, NY 146 lbs.

Shakka Moore (11-8-3, 2 KOs), Norwalk, CT 146 1/2 lbs.

CRUISERWEIGHTS (6)

Chris Traietti (10-3, 6 KOs), Quincy, MA 184 1/2 lbs.

Tyler Seever (13-12-1, 11 KOs), Saint Joseph, MO 174 1/2 lbs.

MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)

Eddie Caminero (7-7, 7 KOs), Lawrence, MA 155 lbs.

Russell Lamour (2-0, 1 KO), Portland, ME 160 lbs.

HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)

Boban Simic (1-0, 1 KO), Chicago, IL 228 1/2 lbs.

Tyler King (pro debut), Boston, MA tomorrow weigh in

(All Fights & Fighters subject to change)

WHAT: “CFC Fight Night”

WHEN: Saturday, March 16, 2013

WHERE: Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA

PROMOTER: Chicago Fight Clubs Promotion

TICKETS: $42.00, $77.00 (floor) and $102.00 (ringside) and may be purchased online at the www.TsongasCenter.com; by phone at 866.722.8780; or at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell Box Office.

INFORMATION: www.cfcpromotion.com, www.TsongasCenter.com, www.irishjoemccreedy.com or on Facebook/CFC Promotions LLC for additional information.

DOORS OPEN:

7:00 p.m. ET FIRST BOUT: 8:00 p.m. ET

AIRING LIVE ONlINE AT GO FIGHT LIVE TV
FOR $9.99 STARTING AT 8 PM ET

ABOUT TSONGAS CENTER AT UMASS LOWELL:

Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is a Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) managed facility. Global spectrum is the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Ovation Foods Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

Montreal, Friday, March 15, 2013 – InterBox and Group Yvon Michel (GYM) are extremely proud to confirm that the highly anticipated duel between Lucian Bute (31-1-0 24 KO) and Jean Pascal (27-2-1 16 KO) is now signed, sealed and delivered! This huge clash will take place on Saturday, May 25th with details such as the venue and American TV yet to be finalized.

“This fight will mark an historic moment for boxing in Canada. Emotions will be high and the memories will be engraved in the collective memory forever,” declares the president of GYM, Yvon Michel.

“This is the fight that everyone has been waiting for, even the casual fan. It was an honor to help finalize it”, states the president of InterBox, Jean Bedard. “All parties were anxious to reach an agreement and now boxing fans across the World can expect a spectacular show on May 25th,” concludes Jean Bedard.

All others details will be communicated to the public shortly including the first “face to face” between Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal as well as information regarding ticket sales.

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (March 15, 2013) – Newly crowned International Boxing Federation (IBF) super featherweight titlist Argenis “The Thunderstorm” Mendez (21-2, 11 KOs) has given his promoter, Acquinity Sports, its first world champion.

Last Saturday night in Costa Mesa (Calif.), Mendez became an instant star by registering a sensational Knockout of the Year caliber victory over defending IBF champion Juan Carlos Salgado (26-2-1, 16 KOs) on HBO Latino.

Mendez, a 2004 Dominican Republic Olympian now living in Miami, dropped Salgado in the opening round and finished off his Mexican opponent in the fourth. The two had fought eight months ago in Mexico, in which Salgado won a controversial 12-round decision by scores of 114-112, 114-112, and 115-110.

Mendez, who has risen to No. 2 in The Ring Magazine ratings, was the mandatory challenger and the 26-yearold promised that he wasn’t going to leave the outcome of this fight in the hands of the judges again.

“We were confident in what he was going to do,” Mendez’ promoter Henry Rivalta (Acquinity Sports) said. “He knew Salgado’s weaknesses going into the fight. He never recovered from the first-round knockdown. Mendez is a great athlete. You should see him play basketball. I think the difference for Argenis this fight was him working so hard and well with trainer, Lee Beard, and the relationship he now has with his promotional team. The kid was on the shelf after losing to Salgado. I saw a lot of talent in this kid and bought his promotional contract.”

(L-R) Mendez unloads on Salgado

Acquinity Sports has been in business only a little more than a year. Mendez becoming its first world champion is testament to the hands-on, supportive philosophy it has with all its boxers, as well as a sure sign that Acquinity Sports is a rising player making a name for itself as a full-service boxing operations company. Rivalta is quick to note that Mendez’ accomplishment is just the beginning for Acquinity Sports.

“This was very important for Acquinity Sports,” Rivalta spoke about the significance of Mendez becoming the company’s first world champion. “This is a major step-up for us, legitimacy, and we have a lot of other great kids in our stable like (WBA #2 featherweight) Claudio ‘The Matrix” Marrero (14-0, 11 KOs), who fights WBA champion Nicholas Walters on May 11, (WBA #6 bantamweight) Juan Carlos Payno (12-0, 6 KOs), (super bantamweight) Alexei Collado (15-0, 14 KOs), and newly signed Hylon Williams, Jr. (16-1, 3 KOs), who is dropping down to 126 pounds and I predict will be world champion. And the list goes on for us.

“For me, personally, Mendez’ win was significant. I’ve been promoting since 2005 and he is the first world champion I’ve developed. I’m very happy. He is going to fight two or three more times at 130 before moving up to 135 to take on the likes of (Adrian) Broner or (Ricky) Burns. Mendez and Juan Manual Lopez – Dominican vs. Puerto Rican – would be a big TV fight, and so would a fight against (Yuriorkis) Gamboa. We welcome the best.”

And the new world champ….Argenis Mendez

The action has just heated-up for Acquinity Sports. In addition to the aforementioned WBA title fight featuring Marrero, hard-hitting Cuban light heavyweight Umberto “The Don” Savigne (10-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 5 by the WBA, takes on undefeated Brazilian slugger Jackson Junior (14-0, 13 KOs) on the March 19th ESPN Friday Night Fights card at Turning Stone Casino (Verona, NY); WBA #4 Dominque “3D” Dolton (13-0, 7 KOs) faces Roberto Garcia (31-3, 21 KOs) for the Interim WBA junior middleweight championship, and on Mar. 30 two-division world champion, WBA #5 Joan “Little Tyson” Guzman (33-1-1, 20 KOs), meets Vincente “El Loco” Mosquera (32-2-1, 17 KOs) for the Interim WBA super lightweight title.

“”We’re busy the next few months,” Rivalta added. “All of our hard work is paying off. We’re not Golden Boy or Top Rank, yet, but we’re getting our guys in big fights as we go forward.”

Go online to www.AquinitySports.com for additional information about Mendez or his stable-mates. Follow Acquinity Sports on Twitter @AcquinitySports, or friend is at Facebook.com/AcquinitySports.

Orlando Cruz inched closer to a world title shot with a sixth round stoppage over Aalan Martinez in a scheduled ten round Featherweight bout in Kissimmee, Florida

Cruz dropped Martinez in round one from a short right hook. Cruz dropped Martinez in round four and in round five from a hard uppercut. Cruz scored his fourth and final knockdown in round six from a hard straight left hand and Martinez was down for the ten count.

Cruz, 126 1/2 lbs maybe in line to take on Mikey Garcia and is now 20-2-1 with 10 knockouts. Martinez, 126 lbs is now 14-2-1.

Luis Olivares scored a second round stoppage over Victor Vegas in a scheduled four round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Olivares scored two knockdowns with the finisher coming from a body shot and the bout was waved off at 1:07 of round one.

Olivares, 140 1/2 lbs is 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Vega, 141 1/4 lbs is now 0-2

Elvir Muriqi 174.3 – Paul Vasquez 174.3
Patrick Farrell 215.2 – John Lennox 227.5
Vinny O’Brien 145.2 – Anthony Smith 146
Anthony Young 145.9 – Ronnie Jordan 141
Ricky Edwards 135.9 – Moses Molina 132.7
Danny Gonzalez 143.5 – Carlos Nieves 145.5
Glenford Nickey Jr. 133.7 – Anolan Rigal 129.8

Venue: Birchwood Manor
Promoters: GH3 Promotions / Greg Cohen Promotions
1st bell : 7:30 pm est

Kermit Cintron won a world title at welterweight. Take away two suspicious losses to the disgraced cheater Antonio Margarito and he’s never lost as a welterweight. He has almost insurmountable physical gifts of height and superior strength as a welterweight.

And so, after losing three of four in a disastrous 18-month stretch, what’s he going to do to get his career back on track?

He’s going back to welterweight.

“I feel that it’s always been my weight,” explained the former champion. “I took my last couple fights at I54 lbs. because they were good opportunities, but you know I was always a better fighter at 147. I didn’t gain the weight of a true 154 pounder. I went up to 153 lbs. on fight night, while the guys I was fighting went up to 170 to 175 lbs. I feel that 147-lbs is where I belong. I’m already on weight and I have a week left. It was never a problem to make welterweight.”

“EL Asesino” Cintron (33-5-1, 28 KOs) will face Chicago attraction Adrian “EL Tigre” Granados (11-2-1, 7 KOs) in the ESPN Friday Night Fights televised 10-round co-main event presented by 8 Count Productions, Round 3 Productions and Warriors Boxing on Friday, March 22, 2013 at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion.

In the main event, Windy City favorite Donovan “Da Bomb” George will battle former world title challenger David “The Destroyer” Lopez of Nogales, Mexico in a 10-round middleweight bout

Cintron says he did a lot of soul-searching after his last fight, a TKO5 loss to Canelo Alvarez in November 2011.

“I didn’t want to think about boxing after the Canelo fight. I just wanted to go home and spend time with my kids. My family is important to me and I think that going away for camps eight or nine weeks at a time was getting to me. I was focusing too much on what my kids were doing, wondering if they were ok. After a while, my kids started asking when I’m fighting again? They said ‘we want to see you on TV.’ My kids still want me fight, so here I am.”

Cintron, from Reading, Pennsylvania, says he decided to go back to what got him to the lofty heights of boxing despite a very minimal amateur career.

“I’m training at home around family and Milton Santiago is my new trainer. I’ve known him since I was eight years old. If I wanted to come back, the only person I had in mind to train me was Milton. He’s the true coach that brought me to the gym when I was in school. So I’m going back to my roots, back to basics, and that’s what I did. We’ve been working together the past six months. I have my own boxing gym called the Kermit Cintron Boxing Gym in Reading, Pennsylvania where Milton trains me. On the days I need to spar, I go to Philly and get some good sparring in.”

Cintron says reports of his decline as a fighter and tumble from the ranks of serious contender are irresponsible.

“That’s how the media is. All they do is a lot of talking. I really ignore those comments from people. I’m not a shot fighter. I had a rough year, that’s it. You’ll see. I have lots left. I have dedicated myself to the sport once again. I’m feeling great and I’ve improved. You guys will see.

Having signed with a new promoter, Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing, Cintron says he’s rejuvenated and eager to get back where he belongs: as a top 147-lb fighter.

“I just want to fight. I’m excited to come back after 16 months off. I’m excited and rejuvenated and ready to go.”

###

Presented by 8 Count Productions, Round 3 Productions, Warriors Boxing and Blue Wave Boxing, advance tickets to ESPN Friday Night Fights are priced at $150, $100, $50 and $30 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 ), the 8 Count Productions Offices, 312-226-5800 or the UIC Pavilion Box Office, 312-413-5740.

Doors will open on the night of the event at 7pm CT with the first bout scheduled for 8:00pm CT.

The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine on the campus of the University of Illinois-Chicago.

A full undercard featuring many of Chicago’s best prospects and fan favorites will be announced shortly for this event.

You are heading into the biggest fight of your life with a ton of implications associated to the fight, how have you prepared mentally and what are your thoughts, concerns, and hopes heading into the fight with Orlando Cruz?

Aalan Martinez: I’m confident in my abilities because I know there is no possible way that my opponent has outworked me. You win a fight in the gym and if that is true then I’ve already done everything it takes to win this fight. The only time a fighter has concerns is when he knows deep down he hasn’t done enough to prepare, but I have no concerns. I hope Cruz doesn’t underestimate me because that will be a huge mistake.

Orlando Cruz has a ton of world experience and he is ranked very high, what kind of experience will you bring into the fight and how does your knowledge stack up?

Aalan Martinez: Well, don’t forget I have some world experience myself and I’ve fought some really tough opponents in my career. The difference between me and Cruz as far as knowledge and experience goes is I’ve learned from every single one of my fights and I’ve worked hard to improve, especially from my loss. I’m not the same fighter since my last loss, I’m not even the same fighter since my last win. This fight will come down to who wants it more and nobody wants it more than I do.

That’s interesting, what things did you learn from your loss and how can it help you in your upcoming bout?

Aalan Martinez: My only loss was to Evgeny Gradovich and he just beat Billy Dib for a lightweight title. Everyone knows how good Gradovich is now, but I’ve known he was a great fighter because I got firsthand experience. I learned that I must keep working from beginning to end and I have to maintain a smart but active pace. Against Cruz I know I’ll have to find the perfect combination of patience and aggressiveness.

So are you prepared to go 12 rounds even though you’ve never fought past 7 or are you banking on keeping your knockout streak going?

Aalan Martinez: I’m in shape to go 24 rounds. There are things that a fighter gets out of the experience of going 12 rounds, sure, but it can only help you, not hurt you. The only way it can hurt you is if you have only ever prepared for 8 rounds and then you go up to 12, but if you make it a point to keep your body in 12 round shape then you are as prepared as you can be. I don’t go out there looking to end the fight early; I just take advantage of what my opponents give me. I have the power to end the fight at any moment.

What would a win do for your career and what kind of opponents will you be looking for if you defeat the highly ranked Cruz?

Aalan Martinez: That’s a question for my team, I’m as confident in Boxing 360 as I am in myself. My job is to go in there and handle my business in the ring against Cruz; as long as I do my job then Mario can do his and he can only be effective if I am successful. I’m not going to look past Cruz because that is the true test, but I would think this fight would put me in a good position considering Cruz is so highly ranked, as you mentioned.

Aalan Martinez is promoted by Boxing 360. For more information on Martinez please visit www.boxing360.com.

Promoter Hani Darwish of The Darwish Brothers wishes to thank everyone involved in making his Saturday, March 9, MMA event such a tremendous success.

Entitled EFC “Relentless”, and held in the Xanadu Theater at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the large, boisterous crowd were treated to an exciting showcase of many of the New Jersey area’s brightest new fighting stars.

“First I want to thank all the fans who came out and bought tickets. Without you we would not be in business,” said Darwish. “I also want to thank the tremendous staff at Trump Taj Mahal for their support in putting the event together.”

Darwish also wishes to thank all the fighters who made it such an unforgettable evening, especially his Welterweight Champion, Fabian “The Baby Face Killer” Rosario (7-0) who successfully defended his belt by a hard-fought but well-deserved unanimous decision against Danny “Massacre” Massa. “I also want to thank Danny Massa for putting up such a great challenge and making it such an exciting fight.”

In the fight of the night, Barat Jan was able to outlast a determined Joseph Curcio. Back and forth went the two warriors with momentum swinging first one way, then the other. Some well-placed haymakers and a bit better conditioning made the difference for Jan, as he won by an exciting but close decision.

“I also want to thank all my sponsors and my own Team EFC staff for their excellent work: my brother Wally Darwish, Suzan Dee, Michael McEnerney, Gabe Fonseca, Miguel Camacho, Ashure Elbanna, Andre Courtemanche, as well as my wife and kids and all the young Darwish’s who help out at all my events. Thanks also to Mike Straka, Mike Constantino, Matt Carafiello and UFC fighter Jim Miller for their work on the broadcast, Dean Stone for his superb ring announcing, and all the coaches and fight camps who participated. And lastly Nick Lembo and all the NJ State Officials for doing such a well-organized job of officiating.

EFC will return later this year on May 18, August 24 and November 30. Further details TBA.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS (March 15, 2013) – The Texas Three-Step is over for popular, unbeaten Mexican superstar and WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who completed their highly successful three-city, two-day press tour in Texas on Thursday.

To infer that the three press conferences, all open to the public, were smashing successes would be an understatement.

Fans lined up around the building to get into the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas, to watch the press conference late Thursday afternoon, the final stop of the press tour. Nearly 1,000 of them had assembled in the room by the time Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya stepped to the dais to begin the proceedings.

Earlier Thursday, more than 500 fans flooded the food court at PlazAmericas Mall in Houston for the press conference. On Wednesday, the tour began in the fight’s host city of San Antonio, at the fight’s venue, the Alamodome, where approximately 1,500 fans attended.

At each location, the boxers obliged the adoring fans with autographs and posed with them for pictures.

In an eagerly anticipated matchup of talented, exciting, unbeaten boxers, Canelo (41-0-1, 30 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will take on Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s), of Las Cruces, N.M., in a 154-pound world title unification fight on Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome in San Antonio live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT).

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale and available for purchase at the Alamodome box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Canelo vs. Trout is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and the fight is presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T.

Below are quotes from the boxers, members of their teams and executives, including De La Hoya, Texas boxing legend and former Two-Time World Champion Jessie James Leija and Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, Stephen Espinoza, among others, from the three press conferences:

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC Super Welterweight World Champion

“I’m very humbled by the attendance (at the press conferences). I get goose bumps when I get up here with everyone cheering. I want to thank you for your support. I’ll be prepared as always. We’ll be ready. Texas has a great vibe. The people here have a great vibe and that definitely helps me. It’s a pleasure to fight at the Alamodome. This place has so much history. I fight for my people. They’re my inspiration. I carry a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, because I carry the hopes and dreams of my people. I’m undefeated and my record is thanks to my people, who support me every step of the way.

“I’m very happy to be in Texas. This is the very first time I’m fighting here and I can already tell I like it. I like San Antonio because it has so much history and so many boxing fans. I want to thank all my fans for supporting me. On April 20, if God provides, the crowd will be on my side.

“We are working hard. My team and I are focused 100 percent on my opponent. I have great respect for Austin Trout and what he has been able to achieve. This fight is a complicated one. He’s not only tough but a lefty and he also knows how to keeps his guard with his left. He’s a very intelligent fighter, young, skilled and tough. It’s not going to be an easy task to beat him, but we’re working hard and getting ready. I respect Trout outside of the ring, but once he’s in the ring, that’s a whole different thing.

“This fight for me is personal. I know Trout beat my brother. I was there that day and that made me feel helpless. Now I’ll get the chance to avenge his loss and bring him up to the ring with me when I win.

“Like in life, in sports, there are critics and skeptics. There’s always going to be someone criticizing you. To fight Trout is not going to quiet down criticism against me, but I honestly don’t mind it. I think all criticism is constructive.

“My daughter motivates me to be better and not to fail.

“I’m ready to fight Floyd Mayweather when he’s ready to fight me.”

AUSTIN TROUT, WBA Super Welterweight World Champion

“I was born in El Paso, Texas. This is where I’m from. I’ve been around Latinos all my life and I can say I feel like one of you. Boxing is never going to be dead when there are fans like this (in Texas). It’s a sport that is 200 years old, but when you have a fight like this you know it is alive and well. Mark my words, on April 20, Texas will win.

“I want to thank the fans. The fans demanded this fight and made it happen. I believe that Canelo is a great champion. I have to thank him for making this happen. I want to thank the Lord, because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Him.

“I’m a fast, hungry champion. I don’t believe that Canelo is the second coming of Oscar De La Hoya. I do believe that I’m the better fighter. If I didn’t think I could be victorious, I wouldn’t be risking my life and limb to face this man. I wouldn’t be risking my undefeated record and my belt if I didn’t believe in myself. I’ll be victorious and I’ll go home as the unified champion.

“Someone’s ‘0’ has got to go. It sure as hell isn’t going to be mine and I’m sure he is saying the same thing. That’s the formula for a great fight. (Hip-hop artist) Drake said it best, ‘Started from the bottom, now we’re here. Started from the bottom, now my whole team’s here.’

“I know that Canelo is a hungry champion. I’m not just hungry. I’m starving. I’m ready for April 20.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“I was in San Antonio a few months ago and told Jesse James Leija and Mike Battah that we would be back. So standing here, bringing you a big mega-fight featuring Canelo Alvarez against Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout really is a dream come true for Golden Boy Promotions and I.

“These types of fights normally take place in Las Vegas and are normally shown on pay-per-view. However, we had to bring this fight in particular to San Antonio because of the fans. It’s not on pay-per-view. It’s on SHOWTIME.

“We have over 10,000 tickets that are going to be on sale at 10 dollars each. We want to make this a historical event, but that won’t happen without the fans. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible.

“This is an opportunity for Canelo to show everyone in boxing that he is the real deal. He’s not only a champion, but can stage his own show, pull in his own fans and draw his own great ratings.

“Boxing gives hope and strength to a lot of people. Boxing is a sport that can reach and impact people. This fight is showing the world that boxing is alive and well. Boxing is strong and we have the future right here with Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout.

“When they show Canelo’s fights in Mexico, his ratings are through the roof. He is a superstar in Mexico. Fans believe in him and are 100 percent behind him because they want to see the next Mexican fighter that is going to give them the strength to move forward.

“Canelo is a hard worker and he wants to be put to the test of fighting the very best.

“This fight is no joke and that is the beauty of it. We don’t know who is going to win. This is the type of fight that we should be putting on.

“How many times have you seen two fighters that are undefeated, two fighters that are champions risk it all? You seldom see that, but on April 20, you get to see two fighters that will risk it all to unify their belts.

“Golden Boy wants to show the world that boxing doesn’t have to be in Vegas alone. Boxing will be where the fans are. That’s why we are bringing this world championship to Texas.”

JESSE JAMES LEIJA, Former World Champion and Texas Boxing Legend

“(To San Antonio fans) We brought the big fight here, now we need your help. Bring grandpa, grandma, the wife, the girlfriend, everyone. We need everyone here. We want people to say, ‘Vegas who?’ We don’t need Vegas, we need San Antonio, but we can’t do that without your support.

“I told Oscar De La Hoya to bring a fight to Texas or we’re going to get back in the ring for a rematch.

“Raul Martinez will be on the card. He will be our next world champion.

“Houston is only two-and-half-hours from San Antonio. We have a great undercard, but nothing is going to surpass Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout fighting in this championship mega-fight.

“We want to keep bringing fights to Texas. It’s great for the economy. It’s great for the sport of boxing.

“Oscar De La Hoya knows that the best boxing fans are in Texas. Boxing is on the upswing. It’s the best sport in the world and that’s because of fans like you.”

MIKE BATTAH, President of Leija and Battah Promotions

“Oscar is giving us a great opportunity to put on a fight where the real fight fans are located. We’re bringing this fight to San Antonio because we pushed to have it in Texas.

“I want to thank the new fans that have come out to our fights and I want to thank the existing fans that will show Canelo and Trout what Texas is all about because we’re fight fans.

“I’d like to thank the amateur program that has supported us throughout our fights, so we can show those amateurs what it is like to be a pro one day.

“This is where fight fans are and this is the grassroots of Texas. This wouldn’t have been possible without the fans and we know you are going to come and support these great champions on April 20.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports

“At SHOWTIME, our goal is to bring boxing fans the best fighters and the biggest fights. That’s what April 20 is going to be. We’re bringing the biggest young stars and the biggest young champions to the fans on our network.

“On September 15 (2012), Canelo fought on SHOWTIME and set all-time ratings records. In December, Austin Trout faced Miguel Cotto in a fight no one thought he could win. He not only won, but that fight also set a new SHOWTIME ratings record. I know April 20 will be another record-breaking event.

“Champions are often too afraid to take tough fights. These two are stepping up to the plate and for that, they should be rewarded.”

“We had Jesse James Leija on our network for some of his biggest fights and we are proud to be working with him again.

“The last time we had a fight on our network in Texas it featured Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. and we couldn’t be happier to be back for a fight of this size.

“We are approaching the biggest and best run of fights on SHOWTIME in the history of the network. On April 20 we have Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout. On April 27, we have Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah and on May 4 on SHOWTIME PPV we have Floyd Mayweather facing Robert Guerrero in a mega-fight.”

JULIAN CASTRO, Mayor of San Antonio

“San Antonio has a rich and proud boxing history. Who could forget in 1993 when (Julio Cesar) Chavez fought (Pernell) Whitaker and other great names such as (James) Leija and (Robert) Quiroga?

“Watching our great Jesse James Leija fight bout after bout was great for this city and we are thrilled he has continued to bring boxing to this city.

“San Antonio is proud to play host to another great match featuring to two great boxers in their prime – Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout.”

MIKE SAWAYA, Alamodome Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Director

“Oscar De La Hoya told me he was going to bring an event to this building that would fill up the venue. This is a boxing town, but it is also a town that loves different types of entertainment, all different sports and we are looking forward to hosting this great event. Buy those tickets and we’ll see you in April.”

ED GONZALEZ, Mayor Pro Tem of Houston

“Houston is the fourth largest city in the country and the largest city in Texas. I’m so proud to be hosting this event today here in our city.

“There are 50 boxing gyms in Houston with young kids learning the sport. Houston is a boxing city.

“We are so thrilled to have Oscar De La Hoya, Jesse James Leija and the fighters here today. Thank you for coming and inviting all of these fans to be here and experience boxing at its finest.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Co-Manager

“I’ve been in the boxing business for many years and I’ve never seen so many boxing fans together. Texas has amazed me. The boxing fans were amazing.

“Be ready, Texas. On April 20, two undefeated world champions are going to step into the ring, but only one of them will step out as true unified champion and that is going to be our Canelo. We have two missions to accomplish on April 20…the first is to take Trout’s belt home with us and the second is to fill up the entire Alamodome.

“We ask that everyone come out to support this great Mexican champion (Canelo) on April 20.”

BOB SPAGNOLA, Austin Trout’s Manager

“We’re thrilled to be here. I knew there would be a big crowd here in San Antonio because this is a boxing town. There are boxing people here.

“The respect that these fighters are getting and the respect they are giving each other is commendable. In a sport where fighters are forced to talk (badly) about each other, these two champions are showing each other amazing amounts of respect.

“There are a lot of great boxing people in Houston. There are a lot of people that give tirelessly to youth for them to learn this sport.

“We can’t say enough about these two fighters. A lot of great fights don’t get made for one reason or another and we’re thrilled that Canelo has given Austin this opportunity.”

GREG ALVAREZ, Assistant Boxing Administrator for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

“Texas is so proud to be able to host an event of this caliber. I want to thank the people for being such great boxing fans. I also want to thank SHOWTIME for being part of this great boxing event. This is the top fight that we have in Texas and we cannot wait for April 20.’’

For information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/leijabattahPR, www.twitter.com/CaneloOficial, www.twitter.com/NoDoubtTrout, www.twitter.com/Alamodome and www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #CaneloTrout or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOsport.