Abass Baraou returns to the ring to defend his EBU European Super Welterweight Title against Macaulay McGowan at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on June 14, live on Channel 5, two months on from defeating Sam Eggington in Telford. 

Baraou is looking to continue his pursuit of global success as fans are set for a thrilling night of action, live and free on Channel 5.

Wasserman Boxing, in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitum head to Manchester for Extra Time, a night of championship boxing that fans won’t want to miss.

UNDERCARD

• Ryan Kelly and Gerome Warburton face off for the vacant Commonwealth Silver Middleweight Title.
• One of British boxing’s finest prospects Dan Toward, looks to continue his unbeaten start to his professional career.
• The exciting Ben Marksby is back for his first fight of 2024.

Naoya Inoue, universally recognized as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, has confirmed that he will be attending the 99th Boxing Writers Association of America awards dinner at the 583 Park Avenue venue, at 583 Park Ave, in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, June 6th, beginning at 6 p.m.

Inoue will receive the prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Award as the 2023 BWAA Fighter of the Year, making history as the first Japanese fighter to win one of boxing’s most prized historic honors, which dates back to Jack Dempsey in 1938. Amanda Serrano is the 2023 Female Fighter of the Year, earning that award for the second time in three years. Fights of the Year, Manager, Trainer, Broadcaster, Journalism, and Courage awards will also be presented.

The glittering evening in a landmark venue on Park Avenue will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, open bar, dinner, silent auction and a gift bag for every attendee. A very limited number of VIP tickets are available with premium seating and additional special gift.

Tables are quickly filling up and the BWAA awards dinner journal deadline is approaching. Attached are a seat reservation form, journal reservation form, a list of all honorees and a general information page.

Please go to the website at bwaa.org for further information. Feel free to contact Gina Andriolo directly with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, June 6th!

The fight for the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimum world super championship between champion Thamannon Niyomtrong and mandatory challenger Hasanboy Dusmatov has been called for auction by the Championships Committee of the organization for  Monday, May 27. 

The pioneer body sent the official communication to both teams, who are already aware of the bidding and all the related details through a press release. 

The bidding will be conducted by the committee’s director, Carlos Chavez, and will take place via zoom at 11:00 a.m. Houston local time. As is customary in this type of fights, the split will be 75% for the champion and 25% for the challenger, while the minimum amount to keep the rights to the fight will be US $ 80,000.00. 

The winner of the bidding and all the details of the process will be published through the official channels of the WBA once the auction is completed.

SAN DIEGO (May 14, 2024) — As Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) prepares to make history, he’s received overwhelming support from some of Mexico’s most revered boxing legends.

Canelo Alvarez, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Leo Santa Cruz, and Jorge “El Travieso” Arce have all extended their support to the 29-year-old fighting pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec, who will attempt to join this elite group of Mexican boxers who have captured world titles in four different weight divisions.

To watch the video featuring the Mexican legends, click HERE.

Navarrete will fight Ukrainian Olympian Denys Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO lightweight world title this Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

“It is an honor to have the backing of such esteemed champions who have inspired me to chase greatness,” said Navarrete. “Their words have motivated me to push harder and leave everything in the ring to achieve this milestone for my country and my fans.”

The support from these legends highlights the unity and camaraderie within the Mexican boxing community.

SAN DIEGO (May 14, 2024) — As Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) prepares to make history, he’s received overwhelming support from some of Mexico’s most revered boxing legends.

Canelo Alvarez, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Leo Santa Cruz, and Jorge “El Travieso” Arce have all extended their support to the 29-year-old fighting pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec, who will attempt to join this elite group of Mexican boxers who have captured world titles in four different weight divisions.

To watch the video featuring the Mexican legends, click HERE.

Navarrete will fight Ukrainian Olympian Denys Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO lightweight world title this Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

“It is an honor to have the backing of such esteemed champions who have inspired me to chase greatness,” said Navarrete. “Their words have motivated me to push harder and leave everything in the ring to achieve this milestone for my country and my fans.”

The support from these legends highlights the unity and camaraderie within the Mexican boxing community.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (May 14, 2024) — Heavyweight history will be made soon in The Kingdom.

WBC/Lineal champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) and WBO/IBF/WBA ruler Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) will battle for the undisputed heavyweight crown this Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The winner becomes the division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis accomplished that feat in 1999.

On Tuesday at Boulevard Riyadh City, the main event combatants and undercard fighters made their grand arrivals. The pageantry was befitting one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in modern memory, a long-simmering rivalry that will play out in four days.

Fury has been the lineal champion for nearly nine years and is coming off last October’s decision over Francis Ngannou in Riyadh. Usyk survived a tough challenge before knocking out Daniel Dubois in the ninth round last August in Poland. After a Fury cut suffered in sparring scuttled their original Feb. 17 fight date, the world’s top heavyweights are finally in the same location.

The Fury-Usyk card is available on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV in the United States beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. 

The pay-per-view undercard features a pair of world title fights. In the co-feature, cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia (24-0, 19 KOs) puts his Ring Magazine belt on the line against Mairis Breidis (28-2, 20 KOs), the man he dethroned for the IBF world title in July 2022. The vacant IBF world title will also be at stake in this highly anticipated rematch. 

The fighting pride of Wales, IBF junior lightweight world champion Joe Cordina (17-0, 9 KOs), defends his strap against Belfast native Anthony Cacace (21-1, 7 KOs).

At Tuesday’s grand arrivals, this is what Fury, Usyk, and Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum had to say. 

Tyson Fury

“It feels absolutely fantastic to be in the great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m feeling fantastic. I can’t wait to put a good show on. There’s so many people coming. It’s such an event. All the big stars are here. It’s going to be epic. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”

“If I was fighting an old dosser on Saturday night who had five fights and lost them all, it would be very important to me. Every fight I’ve ever had is important to me. Every little fight along the way was important to me. I believe that every left and right turn I’ve ever taken in my life, every time I’ve fallen over, and every time I’ve climbed up was all leading to this moment. It’s destiny.”

“I predict that somebody’s ‘0’ has got to go. And it’s going to be that team over there, unfortunately for them. Oleksandr Usyk is a great fighter. Olympic gold medalist, cruiserweight world champion, heavyweight world champion. But, unfortunately for him, he has to come against the great Tyson Fury in the era of me. I’m really looking forward to Saturday night.”

“Even if he had 20 million people screaming his name, they cannot fight for him on the night. And when there’s two men in there on the night, it’s going to be very daunting when he has the undertaker in the ring with him.”

Oleksandr Usyk

“I feel good. I’m very happy to be here. Saturday is a special day because I will have the opportunity to become undisputed for a second time. It’s great. It’s very good for me. It’s very important for my country. I like that.”

“I have a plan. It’s a better plan. And it’s a great plan.”

“I really appreciate the support from my fans and Ukrainian soldiers. I love my fans.”

Bob Arum

“Unfortunately, we don’t see enough of these events in boxing. The undisputed heavyweight championship of the world occurs so infrequently that it’s almost like a blue moon coming. And now, on Saturday night, we will have the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world here in Riyadh. And that means that after this fight, there is one ‘Baddest Man on the Planet,’ the undisputed heavyweight champion. That means everything in the sport of boxing. That means everything for fans who love boxing.”

Saturday, May 18

Top Rank on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View (12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT)
 

Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, 12 rounds, Undisputed Heavyweight World Title
 
Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis 2, 12 rounds, Vacant IBF and Opetaia’s Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Titles

Mark Chamberlain vs. Joshua Oluwaseun Wahab, 12 rounds, Vacant WBC Silver Lightweight Title

Sergey Kovalev vs. Robin Sirwan Safar, 10 rounds, Cruiserweight

Daniel Lapin vs. Octavio Pudivtr, 10 rounds, Vacant WBA Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title 

May 13, 2024 – OTX is coming to Texas! Making its debut in Houston, OTX7 will go down Friday, May 31 at Red Owl Boxing featuring some of Houston’s hometown kids. 

• Andreas Katzourakis (12-0, 10 KOs), OTX Tournament fighter, super welterweight

  • Katzourakis will step up in his first 10-round bout to take on Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov (20-2 12KOs) in a true Overtime Boxing 50/50 fight, in the first round of The OTX Tournament live on DAZN from Red Owl Boxing. 
  • Athens native, Andreas “Katz” Katzourakis is looking to become the first Greek World Champion since Anton Christoforidis in 1941. Katz began boxing full-time at the age of 15, after competing in martial arts with over 600 point fighting bouts to his name. Becoming a dominant amateur boxer in Greece, he is a 4x Greek national champion and has racked up a record of 25-1, 18 stoppages (18-0, 16 stoppages in his home country).  

• He moved to the US in 2018, briefly training with Abel Sanchez at the famed Summit Gym in Big Bear, CA before Sanchez retired from the sport. Katz then stepped into legendary trainer Ronnie Shields’ camp, sparred with Jermall Charlo’s, and impressed Shields immediately. 
• Katz now lives and trains in Houston, TX with Shields, who has coached many greats including Pernell Whittaker, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, David Tua, Vernon Forrest, and Jermall Charlo to name a few. Ronnie believes Katzourakis has the skill and desire to be his next great champion.
• Katz has built a very sizable support base in Houston through the Greek Orthodox church and the support of the Greek restaurant community. He’s also a high-level chess player and talented artist. 

• Giovanni Marquez (9-0, 5 KOs), OTX Fighter, Super lightweight,

  • Undefeated Houston-born and-raised, Giovanni Marquez will square off in an all-Texas showdown with San Antonio’s Jason “El Gallo” Limon (8-1-1 2KOs) over 8 rounds in the super lightweight division. The two have been jawing back and forth on social media (click here to watch), and the state of Texas is buzzing for these two to settle it in the ring on May 31. 
  • Gio was destined to be a boxing star. He grew up around boxing as his father, Raul Marquez, was a world champion. He fell in love with the sport and the rest is history. 
  • He did try other sports though. At just 12 years old, Gio was playing football, swimming, and soccer. While he loved football, he always sparring with his brothers and messing around in the gym, but it was his first amateur fight at 12 where it turned a corner. He realized boxing was his true passion. 
  • Gio also credits his grandfather for not just encouraging him to box, but always taking the time to practice and fake spar with him – something they still do today. 
  • He may have been a late bloomer to the national amateur stage, but he’s quickly making a name for himself. In 2021, he became the National Golden Glove Champion and won the Most Outstanding Fighter of the Tournament award. He’s also a Texas amateur Star, having won 14x state/regional tournament championships. 
  • Riding high off a thrilling victory at OTX 5, Gio is primed for a blockbuster showdown in Houston. This fight will be his third OTX fight night, the most of any other fighter thus far. 

OTX has continued to dominate in and outside the ring, doubling total viewership on social content and racking up hundreds of thousands of views on live streams. In just 10 months, OTX channels have generated over 3BN views on boxing content and ballooned over 500% in audience size, encompassing 3.3MM followers across all platforms. 

For the first time, as part of OTX’s partnership with DAZN, all fights will be available to watch on the DAZN app for free, and streamed on DAZN and Overtime’s social media channels. 

Visit https://otboxing.com for more info and tickets visit here. 

NEW YORK (May 14, 2024)-Split-T Management undefeated heavyweight Devon Young ventured into the Team Combat League (TCL) and registered two stoppage victories in the same night.

Young of Aiken, South Carolina and fighting for the Atlanta Attack took out Demek Edmonds and Fardi Pashazade of the Boston Butchers this past Saturday in Kissimmee, Florida.

Young, who is promoted by King’s Promotions, has an undefeated professional boxing record 4-0 with three knockouts.

Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Split-T Management undefeated junior lightweight Javier Zamarron won a six-round unanimous decision over Donnie Reeves.

Zamarron of Sheboygam, Wisconsin won by scores of 60-51 and 59-53 on two scorecards to raise his mark to 8-0.

Reeves of Hannibal, Missouri is 9-9.

Stephanie Piñeiro and William Ortiz have both signed co-promotional deals with Matchroom and Universal Promotions.

Piñeiro (6-0 2 KOs) in undefeated in the paid ranks and closing in on her first title action. ‘The Medicine’ still harbors ambitions of competing in the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer, echoing back to her amateur success where she won Central American gold in 2023 and bronze in 2018. The 33 year old also plays professional basketball in Puerto Rico, and has represented the Morovis Mountaineers in the BSNF league since 2009.

Ortiz (5-0 4 KOs) is one of the hottest young stars in Puerto Rico, and the 20 year old has banked four wins inside the distance from his five victories to date since turning pro in October 2022. “Willito” joined the paid ranks as a four-time Puerto Rican national champion and 2021 Pan Am games bronze medalist.

“As a woman in boxing, this is a great opportunity and I’m very excited about it. This catapults my professional career”, said Piñeiro. “From the first day, I signed with Universal Promotions, they promised me that many doors would open and with this, great opportunities would come.

“Now I am not only with the best promoter in Puerto Rico, Javier Bustillo, but I also going to work with the best promoter in the world. We are going to show the world that women’s boxing in Puerto Rico is a serious sports matter”.

“I am thankful and motivated for this opportunity to sign with the biggest promoter in the world!” said Ortiz. “This has always been one of my goals, to be able to showcase my level of talent locally and worldwide. I would also like to thank my family and my team for supporting and believing in me.”

“It’s an honor to fulfill this alliance with our friends at Matchroom Boxing,” said Javier Bustillo, President of Universal Promotions. “Stephanie Piñeiro and William Ortiz are an important part of an elite group of prospects who will go out and conquer not only the world but the world of boxing. This alliance with Matchroom Boxing is only the beginning of great things to come for the boxing sport in Puerto Rico.”

NEW YORK (May 14, 2024)-Split-T Management undefeated heavyweight Devon Young ventured into the Team Combat League (TCL) and registered two stoppage victories in the same night.

Young of Aiken, South Carolina and fighting for the Atlanta Attack took out Demek Edmonds and Fardi Pashazade of the Boston Butchers this past Saturday in Kissimmee, Florida.

Young, who is promoted by King’s Promotions, has an undefeated professional boxing record 4-0 with three knockouts.

Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Split-T Management undefeated junior lightweight Javier Zamarron won a six-round unanimous decision over Donnie Reeves.

Zamarron of Sheboygam, Wisconsin won by scores of 60-51 and 59-53 on two scorecards to raise his mark to 8-0.

Reeves of Hannibal, Missouri is 9-9.

Naoya Inoue, universally recognized as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, has confirmed that he will be attending the 99th Boxing Writers Association of America awards dinner at the 583 Park Avenue venue, at 583 Park Ave, in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, June 6th, beginning at 6 p.m.

Inoue will receive the prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Award as the 2023 BWAA Fighter of the Year, making history as the first Japanese fighter to win one of boxing’s most prized historic honors, which dates back to Jack Dempsey in 1938. Amanda Serrano is the 2023 Female Fighter of the Year, earning that award for the second time in three years. Fights of the Year, Manager, Trainer, Broadcaster, Journalism, and Courage awards will also be presented.

The glittering evening in a landmark venue on Park Avenue will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, open bar, dinner, silent auction and a gift bag for every attendee. A very limited number of VIP tickets are available with premium seating and additional special gift.

Tables are quickly filling up and the BWAA awards dinner journal deadline is approaching. Attached are a seat reservation form, journal reservation form, a list of all honorees and a general information page.

Please go to the website at bwaa.org for further information. Feel free to contact Gina Andriolo directly with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, June 6th!

ANAHEIM, CA – May 13, 2024 – Fanmio announces today that they will present a July Fourth Weekend blockbuster and give fans a crown jewel event on the holiday’s combat sports calendar by delivering the pro boxing showdown between Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal on a new date of Saturday, July 6 live from Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL” is set to provide July Fourth Weekend fireworks marking the first time two UFC superstars will go toe-to-toe in a pro boxing ring. Diaz vs. Masvidal will be the highlight of the July Fourth Weekend combat sports schedule and be supported by an exciting week of pre-fight events for fans and media alike.

“He won the first fight, but I’m back for more. So that’s what’s popping,” said Diaz. “This is a new fight and I’m here to win. That’s what it’s all about. I’ll fight anyone in any combat sport. We got a fight and we have to figure this all out on July 6.”

“Our new date July 6 gives me more time to train and do what I was going to do before, beat Nate’s ass,” said Masvidal. “Fighting on July Fourth Weekend is great for the fans. Lots of fireworks in and out of the ring. My shots will be just like them, blasting off in Nate’s face. I am going to destroy him that night, just you wait and see.”

“The new Saturday, July 6 date puts the event on a historical and patriotic weekend at Honda Center in Anaheim, California for all fight fans to enjoy during this great holiday,” said Fanmio CEO Solomon Engel. “Nate Diaz vs Jorge Masvidal 2 will be a very competitive and exciting sequel as both fighters are training hard in their camps to write a definitive next chapter in their rivalry. Fight fans will not be disappointed.”

Coming on the heels of July 4, and showcasing two great American fighters in Diaz and Masvidal, “LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL” promises to continue delivering the fireworks with a patriotic evening of boxing on July 6. 

Pre-sale tickets for the live event starting at only $55 (plus applicable fees and taxes) will be available TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 14 from 10:00 a.m. PT until 10:00 p.m. PT. Sign up for the pre-sale at Fanmio.com/Fight.

A limited number of VIP packages will also be available starting at $1,750. Packages, which include the best ringside seats, all-inclusive hospitality in the Honda Center’s exclusive Impact Club, the opportunity to step into the ring after the fight, VIP access to the weigh-in and more.

Public on-sale will begin Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT with tickets available through Ticketmaster.

Fanmio will present the event in association with Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing Promotions.

The 10-round 175-pound light heavyweight fight headlines a pay-per-view available now for pre-order at FANMIO.com/ppv and FANMIO.com/DiazVsMasvidal for $79.99. Fans can also purchase through the Fanmio App, which is available globally via smart televisions and mobile devices via Apple iOS and tvOS devices, Android Mobile, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, Vizio Smart TV, Google TV and Chromecast.

Throughout their storied careers, Diaz and Masvidal have accounted for three of the top 10 highest-selling pay-per-view events in UFC history, with over 10 million pay-per-view buys combined over their careers.

Their first meeting saw Masvidal take home the inaugural UFC BMF title belt, a Diaz inspired belt based on his constant assertion that the style he and Masvidal bring forward made them the “baddest” in the game. The bout ended prematurely in the eyes of many, as a cut over Diaz’s eyebrow resulted in a TKO for Masvidal. With the cut leading to an unsatisfying ending, July 6 marks an opportunity for these two warriors to finally battle it out to the finish.

**Fans who purchased tickets for the originally scheduled fight date will be issued a refund from their original point of purchase.

#         #         #

ABOUT “LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL”

Follow the conversation leading up to this unique boxing duel on all social media platforms with the hashtag #DiazMasvidal and through @Fanmio, @NateDiaz209 and @GamebredFighter on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to stay tuned for more exciting announcements leading up to July 6. 

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2024) – Toro Promotions, Inc., in association with Whitfield Haydon Boxing, returns June 15^th to the famed Emerald Queen Casino (EQC) in Tacoma, Washington, to showcase its powerful stable of professional boxers on the “EQC Fight Night” card.

Undefeated Austin Brooks (12-0, 5 KOs), fighting out of La Mesa (CA), defends his World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental super featherweight title for the first time, versus 2015 Armenian Olympian Aram “Warrior” Avagyan (11-1-2, 5 KOs) in an All-Toro 10-round main event.

Brooks, 28, captured his WBA Continental USA belt in his last fight, when he knocked out previously unbeaten (7-0) Jose Manuel Izaguirre in the seventh round this past February 10^th in Long Beach, California. Brooks, a southpaw, has fought only once at EQC, which ended in a six-round technical knockout of Anthony Chavez (11-3-1) on August 26, 2023.

Avagyan, now living in Burbank (CA), was a two-time bronze medalist in the European Championships as an amateur, in addition to representing his country at the 2016 Olympics. His most recent fight, after nearly three years of inactivity, was on April 12^th in Colorado, in which his opponent, Juan Santiago, was unable to continue after three rounds. 

Red-hot, power broker and 2020 Ukraine Olympian, Tsotne Rogava (7-0, 7 KOs), continues his accelerated march to a world heavyweight rating, when the 6’ 5”, 270-pounder takes on battle-tested Jon Bolden (10-13-1, 7 KOs), of Seattle, in the eight-round co-featured event. 

A champion kickboxer who has successfully transitioned to boxing, the Georgia-native and Ukraine-raised Rogava has won his last four fights via first-round stoppages, and he’s only fought a grand total of nine rounds in seven pro bouts to date. Rogava now resides in Marina del Rey (CA), and he is trained by Hall of Famer Joe Goossen.

Toro Promotions has an imposing group of gifted and large heavyweight, including Rogava, Dante Stone (16-1, 11 KOs), Alexander “The Great” Flores (19-4-1, 17 KOs) and another rising prospect, Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh (12-1, 10 KOs), who will also be in action on the June 15^th show.

Ibeh, who is a native of Nigeria who now resides in Phoenix, is a cousin of the retired, infamous heavyweight boxer Ike Ibeabuchi. The 6’ 4”, 300-pound Ibeh played football in college (Washburn U.) as well as professionally in the Canadian Football League.

Veteran mixed-martial-arts fighter Juan Torres (11-6-1, 4 KOs), the former Texas and ABF USA heavyweight champion, will challenge Ibeh in the eight-round Special Heavyweight Attraction.  

Undefeated Nicaraguan super featherweight prospect Nilo Guerrero (8-0, 1 KO), a 2016 Nicaragua Youth National Champion who lives in Coachella (CA), faces 60-fight veteran Diuhi “Elegante” Olguin in a six-round match. Guerrero, 23, skillfully uses his abnormal 6’ 1” height (and length) to a tremendous advantage thus far in the super featherweight division.  

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in four-rounders is Hoquiam (WA) super welterweight Nathan “Superman” Stolen (1-0, 1 KO), another MMA fighter who has fought in the highly respected Bellator, vs. Julio Munoz, Jr. (0-0-1), of Tucson, and Auburn (WA) lightweight Agustin Tovar (1-0) vs. Robert Jimenez (0-2), of Nampa, Idaho.

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale now for $70.00 and $45.00 and may be purchased online at https://emeraldqueen.com/boxing/ or by calling (253) 594-7777.  Tickets purchased at the Emerald Queen Shop are eligible for up to a 20-discount, plus no taxes or processing fees. Must be 21 years of age to attend. 

Doors open at 6 p.m. PT, first bout at 7 p.m. PT.

.Huntington, New York (May 12, 2024)—Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing Rockin’ Fights 47 delivered an exciting night of boxing at the Paramount in Huntington, Long Island.

Undefeated Junior Younan (20-0-1 12 KO’s) was very impressive in scoring a sensational, highlight reel knockout over veteran Ricardo Adrian Luna to capture the vacant WBA CONTINENTAL AMERICA GOLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Younan’s had the type of performance that is sure to put the Brooklyn NY prospect on the world map as he seeks to fight the top names in boxing after recently becoming a part of Joe DeGuardia‘s Star Boxing stable. The knockout came at 2:53 in the first round

Undefeated Ryan O’Rourke (11-0 3 KO’s) returned to the ring after an injury filled layoff and had to work very hard to take the unanimous decision against determined Polish Welterweight Michal Bulik. Scores were 59-55, 59-56 and 58-56.

Ronny Reyes and Yeuri Andujar engaged in an exciting 6 round battle in the Jr Lightweight division. The fighters went toe to toe for the entire 6 rounds, each taking a turn having his way. In the end, Andujar scored the upset majority decision over the previously undefeated Reyes by scores of 57-57, 58-56, and a seemingly outrageous score of 60-54 by judge John Basile, for Andujar.

The opening fight of the night was a thrillingly engaging and entertaining war between pro debuting John McDonagh and Tevin Terrance. The fight was sensational and worthy of a ‘club show 4 round fight of the year’ award. It is an example of the fights that have made Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights series one of the longest running and most successful shows in boxing. The fight was an all-out slugfest. The fittingly appropriate end result was a split draw, 39-37 for each fighter and 38-38 on the final scorecard in their Super Middleweight bout. Both were winners

Star Boxing once again delivered an electrifying evening that featured competitive bouts and thrilling outcomes!

Former WBO junior welterweight world champion Chris Algieri will be co-hosting the popular and exclusive live viewer chat, with award-winning combat sports journalist Kevin Iole and popular podcaster Dan Canobbio,  in real time, during PPV.COM‘s live stream of this Saturday’s, May 18 (2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT) World Heavyweight Championship boxing event headlined by the long-awaited showdown between undefeated world champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.  This will be the first time, since the Mike Tyson – Michael Spinks rumble in 1988, that undefeated heavyweight champions have battled for all the belts.  The victor will become the division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis 24 years ago.  The crystal-clear HD live stream, emanating from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be available to viewers in the U.S. and Canada.  Priced at $69.99, it can be ordered by clicking here: PPV.COM: Fury vs. Usyk.  Below, is Chris’ analysis of Fury vs. Usyk.  PPV.COM does not require a subscription.

CHRIS ALGIERI’S FURY vs. USYK PREVIEW ANALYSIS

“This is a tremendous fight with incredible historical significance.  There hasn’t been an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 2000.  Boxing’s World Heavyweight Champion has always and will always be recognized as the baddest man on the planet.

“That being said.  A win for Fury solidifies him as one of the greatest heavyweights of the modern era.  Potentially being the guy that no one in history could ever beat.  He is the biggest, most athletic heavyweight in history of the sport, 6’9 280 lbs, with athletic head movement, the heart of a lion, and competitive spirit unmatched to date is a recipe for an all time great. 

“A win by Usyk locks him in as the best cruiserweight of all time as well as one of the best heavyweights of current times.  It would be hard to argue, based on his accomplishments, to see it any other way — Olympic gold medalist, unified cruiserweight world champion, unified heavyweight world champion, undefeated.  What else is there to be done at that point?

“As different as these two men are from their appearance, to their styles, to the way they operate in every aspect of their lives, we have two men who share a commonality.  They are undefeated and here to make history!” 

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KEVIN IOLE

Kevin is a recipient of the Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism, the Boxing Writers Association of America’s highest honor.  He brings over 40 years of experience covering the sweet science for Yahoo! Sports and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  He now runs the hugely popular combat sports website KevinIole.com

DAN CANOBBIO AND CHRIS ALGIERI

Dan and Chris have moved their popular Inside Boxing Livepodcast to PPV.COM, where they produce two fresh episodes weekly, provide onsite coverage during major pay-per-view fight weeks, host their own weekly live chat every Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET, and join fight night live viewer chats.  For the latest episodes of Inside Boxing Live presented by PPV.COM, click here Inside Boxing Live – YouTube. 

About iNDEMAND and PPV.COM

iNDEMAND is an innovative partnership among three of the leading cable companies in the U.S.– Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications. iNDEMAND is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. iNDEMAND delivers great content to more than 60 million cable homes and has distribution deals with more than 90 companies.  In December 2021, iNDEMAND launched PPV.COM, an innovative streaming PPV service and the first of its kind to offer interactive fan engagement during live-action sports.  With the addition of PPV.COM, which does not require a subscription, to its existing cable PPV infrastructure, iNDEMAND has consolidated all forms of PPV distribution under one roof, making the company the only provider of turnkey PPV solutions for both industry partners and consumers.  For more information, go to indemand.com.

Vasiliy Lomacheno won the IBF Lightweigt title with an 11th round stoppage of former world champion George Kambosos Jr. in Perth, Australia

In round seven, Kambosos was cut around his right eye. Lomachenko beat down Kambosos and softened him up. In round 11, Lomachenko landed a hard left to the head while Kambosos was bending down that put Kambosos on the canvas. Kambosos was clearly done, and Lomachenko ended the fight by landed a crushing left to the body that put Kambosos down again and the fight was stopped just as the towel was being thrown in from Kambosos corner at 2:49.

Lomachenko is a champion again with a record of 18-3 with 12 knockouts. Kambosos falls to 21-3.

Lomachenko said, “It looked like a knockout today, not ‘No-Mas-Chenko.’ But, you know, we trained hard for this moment. I want to thank my opponent. He is a strong man and a true warrior.

“My plan was to adjust to my opponent. This is what I did during the fight. I knew I needed to finish strong. And in the last three rounds, I was trying to find his body.

I never ran around during my boxing career. I always take fights. Right now, I want to come back to my home, spend time with my family, and after I rest a little bit, we can talk about my future.”

Kambosos said, “He’s a true champion. He’s a legend of the sport. I give him the utmost respect. We knew what we are coming up against, and I tried my best. But it wasn’t enough today.

He’s one of the best fighters in history. So, I’m not ashamed. I wanted to finish the fight on my feet. I wanted to finish the rounds like I always do. But there’s no shame in losing to a man like Lomachenko.”

Johnson Decisions Hughes to Win Bantamweight Title

Cherneka Johnson won the WBA Bantamweight Title with a 10-round majority decision over previously undefeated Nina Hughes

Johnson landed 167 of 520. Hughes was 133 of 570.

Johnson of Australia won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95. and is now 16-2. Hughes of England is 6-1.

Guevara Decisions Andrew Moloney to Win Vacant Interim 115 lb. Title; Moloney Announces Retirement

Pedro Guevara won the vacant WBC Interim Bantamweight title with a split decision over Andrew Moloney.

In round 10, Moloney began to bleed from his hairline.

Guevara landed 177 of 661 punches. Moloney as 152 of 506.

The scorecards read 115-113 Guevara on two cards, 116-113 Moloney.

Guevara of Mexico is 42-4-1. Moloney of Australia is now 26-4. The bout capped a bad week for the Moloney twins as brother Jason lost his Bantamweight Title in Japan on Monday.

Right after the bout, Moloney announced his retirement by saying, “I am done with this sport, Fuck that.”

“I really want to come back here. It’s amazing here,” Guevara said. “I’d have no problem giving him a rematch.”

Moloney said, “I felt in total control. I did what I had to do in there tonight to get the win. I don’t want to make excuses, but I went into this fight with a torn biceps, so I couldn’t throw the left hook unless I needed to. I didn’t feel like I needed to throw it because I was in total control. “

LAS VEGAS (May 10, 2024) — Another chapter in Mexico’s historic saga of intra-national showdowns is set to unfold.
 
Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Sergio Chirino on Friday, June 21, inside BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Espinoza-Chirino will mark the 161st all-Mexican world title fight and the 20th at featherweight. 

The 10-round junior lightweight co-feature will see Andres “Savage” Cortes and Abraham “El Super” Nova collide in a high-stakes battle presented in association with Murphys Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotion. 
 
In a 10-round special attraction, unbeaten middleweights Troy Isley and Javier Martinez will reignite a fierce amateur rivalry.

Espinoza-Chirino, Cortes-Nova and Isley-Martinez headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ and Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 14, at 12 p.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com.
 
“From top to bottom, this is a truly great card that promises action, and we’re thrilled to be doing our first show at the beautiful Fontainebleau Las Vegas,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Espinoza can be Mexico’s next great champion, but he has a tough assignment in Chirino. Andres Cortes and Abraham Nova is a great grudge match, and the winner will be in great position to challenge for a world title.”
 
“Espinoza-Chirino is one of this year’s most anticipated fights, and we could not be prouder to host it at BleauLive Theater, a sports fan’s paradise where you will feel the intensity of every punch no matter where you’re seated,” says Fontainebleau Las Vegas Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Fedor Banuchi. “Espinoza-Chirino title bout underscores Fontainebleau’s 70-year legacy of delivering premier entertainment to our guests and solidifies our status as a top-tier destination for live events.”
 
Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) devoted over a decade to his pro career before capturing the WBO featherweight world title in a Fight of the Year contender against Robeisy Ramirez last December. Despite being knocked down in the fifth after taking an early lead, Espinoza rallied late and dropped Ramirez in the twelfth, nearly stopping him before the final bell. Espinoza earned a majority decision in a stunning upset. Standing at 6’1,” he is the tallest world champion in featherweight history, a division that has included Mexican greats such as Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera.
 
Espinoza said, “I’m excited to return to the ring. I’m training very hard like always. I know that I’ll be facing a Mexican compatriot who is coming to win. I will be ready to defend my title with a lot of grit and heart. And that’s what I’ll do in the ring, fight with a lot of heart and win my first title defense.” 

Chirino (22-1, 13 KOs) went 9-0 before an early loss to eventual world titleholder Mauricio Lara in August 2018. Since then, he has remained unbeaten, tallying wins in different parts of Mexico. Last year, he decisioned Ally Mwerangi and Sebastian Tinoco Chavez before making his 2024 debut in February by stopping Dennis Contreras with a body shot in the third round. The 29-year-old hopes to make history by becoming the first world champion to come from the Mexican state of Oaxaca.  
 
Chirino said, “We Mexicans are known for having a lot of heart. And whenever there are two of us in the ring, it’s a battle. I’m happy for the opportunity, but at the same time, I know I’ve earned it. I’m coming for that belt. I have a lot of experience. There will be a problem in the ring, and that problem is Espinoza. But I will solve that problem and take home the victory.”
 
Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) had an impressive amateur career spanning almost 200 fights, with notable wins against Frank Martin, Richardson Hitchins, and Nahir Albright. As a pro, he went 17-0 before entering a co-promotional agreement with Top Rank in early 2020. He suffered his first professional setback in June 2022 via a one-punch knockout against Ramirez at featherweight. Following the loss, Nova moved back to junior lightweight, notching victories over Adam Lopez and former world champion Jonathan Romero before a split decision loss in his first world title shot against O’Shaquie Foster in February.
 
Nova said, “We’ve been on a collision course for a long time. It was eventually going to happen. Andres has been nipping at my heels for a while, calling me out and running his mouth at press conferences. Well, on June 21 in Las Vegas, he’s going to get a taste of what he’s been craving. Be careful what you wish for. No Fear! No Doubt!”
 
Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs), a Las Vegas native, made his mark in July 2020 by overcoming a visit to the canvas to secure a decision victory against Alejandro Salinas at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. In 2021, he maintained his momentum by outpointing Eduardo Garza in May, knocking out former world title challenger Genesis Servania in the first round in August and vanquishing Mark Bernaldez in three rounds in November. The 26-year-old inked a deal with Top Rank the following March and has since gone 5-0 with three knockouts, including last July’s seventh-round stoppage win over Xavier Martinez and February’s fourth-round TKO against Bryan Chevalier.

“This is going to be a painful night for Abraham Nova. He thinks I’m his ticket to another title shot, but I am going to plant him on the canvas,” Cortes said. “I’m ready for a title shot, and nobody, especially not Nova, will stop me from achieving my dream.”
 
Isley (12-0, 5 KOs) kicked off his pro career in February 2021 and notched his first 10 wins before joining forces with 2023 Trainer of the Year Brian “BoMac” McIntyre. Since then, the Olympian has excelled, registering a dominant points verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez last November on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos bill before knocking out Marcos Hernandez in round seven in March. Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs), a five-time national champion, started his professional journey in July 2020. He only has one blemish, a split draw against Joeshon James. The Milwaukee native is coming off his most significant victory, an eight-round decision over Raul Salomon in February.

Isley and Martinez are familiar foes, having fought four times as amateurs. Isley bested Martinez in the finals of the 2016 and 2017 U.S. National Championships. Martinez responded with victories at the 2018 U.S. National Championships and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

“This isn’t the amateurs anymore,” Isley said. “Javier is going to see the difference in skill when we fight on June 21 in Las Vegas. He’s a tough fighter with a lot of heart, but that won’t be enough for him to win the fight.”
 
“This is the end of the rivalry. We fought some great battles as amateurs, and this one is the tiebreaker,” Martinez said.  “I’ve wanted this fight ever since I turned pro, and on June 21, I will show Troy that our last two amateur fights were not a fluke. I was the better fighter then, and I am the better fighter now.”
 
The undercard includes a pair of Las Vegas natives and the Top Rank debut of a fast-rising prodigy:
 
·      Bantamweight prospect Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) makes his second 2024 appearance in an eight-round tilt versus Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs). The Las Vegas native shined with an eight-round decision over Puerto Rican vet Edwin Rodriguez in March. Pedroza, after giving stiff tests to Gary Antonio Russell and Jason Moloney, bested three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren over six rounds in August 2022.
 
·      Junior lightweight southpaw DJ Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs), also a native of Las Vegas, will face Jose Antonio Meza (9-9, 2 KOs) in an eight-round contest. The 21-year-old earned two victories in 2023, dispatching Jesus Abel Ibarra in three rounds in March and decisioning Nikolai Buzolin across eight in July.
 
·      Junior bantamweight phenom Steven Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Top Rank debut in a six-rounder against Juan Pablo Meza (7-3, 2 KOs). The 13-time U.S. national amateur champion entered the professional ranks by stopping Jose Lopez in six in April.
 
·      Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs), a featherweight standout trained by Robert Garcia, takes on Conrado Martinez (9-1) in a six-rounder. Gonzalez returns after blasting out Joel Alberto Mora last month.
  

# # #

 
About BleauLive Theater
BleauLive Theater is the entertainment hub of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, customizable theater capable of hosting up to 3,800 guests. More information about Fontainebleau Las Vegas dining, events, entertainment, rooms and suites can be found at fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
 
About Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story, vertically integrated luxury resort. Rooted in the 70-year history of the iconic Fontainebleau brand, Fontainebleau Las Vegas brings a legacy of timeless elegance and unparalleled service to the Strip. Certified by the Green Building Initiative with three Green Globes, the resort’s thoughtful design allows guests to move effortlessly among 3,644 luxury hotel rooms and suites, 550,000 square feet of customizable meeting and convention space, 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a collection of world-class restaurants and shops, exquisite pools, vibrant nightlife, and vitality-enhancing spa and wellness offerings. Located at 2777 S. Las Vegas Blvd., adjacent to the acclaimed Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, Fontainebleau Las Vegas is created by Fontainebleau Development in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments.

LINCOLN, RI – CES Boxing returns to Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino tomorrow night for “The Brawl at Bally’s,” a scintillating 7-bout card featuring 2 championship fights.  

The action begins at 7pm EST and will also be streamed on Swerve Combat TV.  There is still time to purchase tickets at CESFights.com for what is sure to be an electrifying night of championship boxing.

In the main event, New Bedford, MA’s Wilson “ill Will” Mascarenhas (10-1, 4 KOs) clashes with Accra, Ghana’s Patrick “The Mallet” Okine (21-6-2, 18 KOs) for the WBC US Silver Super Lightweight title.  The co-main event features a battle of undefeated prospects as Gary “Batman” Balletto III (4-0, 2 KOs) collides with Laurent Humes (10-0, 10 KOs) for the NABF Jr. Light Heavyweight Championship.  Plus, “King” Kevin Walsh (12-0, 5 KOs) fights for the 3rd time this year and top prospect Iman Lee (9-0, 6 KOs) makes his CES Boxing debut.

Weights from Lincoln, Rhode Island:

• Wilson Mascarenhas 139 vs. Patrick Okine 140; for the WBC US Silver Super Lightweight Championship
• Gary Balletto III 175 vs. Laurent Humes 173; for the NABF Jr. Light Heavyweight Championship
• Kevin Walsh 143 vs. Tackie Annan 143; welterweights
• Iman Lee 130 vs. Luis Porozo 128; super featherweights
• James Maner 164 vs. Chaklit Ali-Redwood 163; super middleweights
• Robert Degaetano 151 vs. Abdalla Nagy 154; junior middleweights
• Raheem Davis 145 vs. Jaequez Jones 145; welterweights

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

LEONARDO RUBALCAVA    (138.3lbs) vs. ROBERTO NEVAREZ    (139.4lbs)

Jalisco, Mexico                            Aguascalientes, Mexico

Followed by

6 x 3 mins Lightweight contest

CRIZTEC BAZALDUA (136.5lbs)    vs.    LUIS FERNANDO RUIZ (134.4lbs)

Los Angeles, California                Tamaulipas, Mexico

Followed by

10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest

RANDY LEON (140.3lbs)    vs.    MISAEL CABRERA (139.8lbs)

Mexico City, Mexico            Sonora, Mexico

Followed by

10 x 2 mins WBA World Super-Bantamweight title

ERIKA CRUZ (121.1lbs)    vs.    NAZARENA ROMERO (121.5lbs)

Mexico City, Mexico            Cordoba, Argentina

Followed by

12 x 3 mins WBA Continental Latin America and WBC World Super-Featherweight title eliminator

EDUARDO HERNANDEZ (129.9lbs)    vs.    DANIEL LUGO (129.5lbs)

Mexico City, Mexico                        Sonora, Mexico

Jaron Ennis and Cody Crowley came face-to-face at a launch press conference today in Philadelphia – as tickets flew for the homecoming defense of Ennis at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday July 13, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS ARE ON GENERAL SALE NOW FROM TICKETMASTER.COM
Ennis fights at home for the first time as a World champion and the first time since November 2018, and fans flocked to snap up tickets for the next household name of the sport, with presale tickets selling out on Thursday and then the general sale tickets proving a huge hit.

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES:

Jaron Ennis

“He’s got to get in that ring and it’s going to get nasty. Keep talking and he’s going to get the worst beating of his life. I promise you that. We can make a bet or whatever. You’re in my city. It’s going to get nasty, man. 

“Look, I’m glad you accepted the fight. July 13 at the Wells Fargo Center. I’m very excited. It’s the first big fight here and it’s a blessing. I’m glad I’m going to be able to be here and put on a show. I want to look good and retain my belt in a beautiful, knockout fashion, in front of my friends, family and supporters.

“Listen, there’s really no pressure on me. I’ve been in this game since I was a baby. There’s no pressure. It’s normal for me. My brother has been at the top and I’ve seen all this stuff before. This is like being at home in my house right now. It’s natural for me and it’s normal. 

“On fight night, I can’t wait. He [Crowley] has got more pressure than me, I’ll tell you that right now. He’s going to have 20,000 fans against him and that’s way more pressure on him than me. For me being here, it will be like sitting at home with my feet up.  

“You know, he’s definitely a good fighter and a tough guy. But on July 13 it’s going to get nasty and I’m telling you that now. I’m going to put on a beautiful show and I’m going to look good. We’re going to do it in a knockout fashion. 

“My main focus right now is Cody Crowley. My eyes are on him. After this? Definitely undisputed, for sure. I want to go and collect all the rest of the belts, then go up to 154 and do the same thing there. 

“By the time I fight on July 13, it’s going to be a year. Everybody’s missed me. I’m the best. I’m the best at this game, I’m the most exciting in this game and the fans love to see knockouts, so of course they’re going to come out to see me. For sure. They’re going to come and see me put on a show, beat him up, beat him down, then get the knockout. 

“I want to thank Cody for coming out to fight. I appreciate that. But I’m sorry it had to be you. 

“You know my story and I can’t wait for this. Don’t miss it and make sure you tune in because on July 13, we’re going to put on that beautiful show. We back on tour, that P-I-A-C tour. Let’s get it, CBG! 

“July 13, we’re taking him to the church. Philly, you in?”

Cody Crowley

“I’ve been out of boxing for the last year after people on my team done stuff, so I’ve been totally out. I had people trying to negotiate on my behalf when I’ve been out. Then I tried to get back into boxing and then I had emergency double eye surgery. I just said I got my eyes taken from me and I’m still getting booed? This is kind of… hey, we don’t have to have a show on July 13! It takes two to tango and I am very, very excited to be here and I am very excited to fight Boots Ennis because I have wanted to fight him for a while. 

“I wasn’t even fighting, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of mental health. I didn’t even want to live for the past couple of years. Then my dad [passed away]. Just like everyone else in this room, when you have things happen to you it takes time to get over it. It takes time to heal yourself and come back and step up. 

“So, I went away and did what I had to do to try and heal myself. Then I had people who weren’t even on my team trying to negotiate for me. Like I said, I just wanted to reach out to you [Boots], DM you and say how can we just make this happen? 

“I want to fight for a World title and if I fight for a World title, there is one, two, three, four World titles, I want to fight the very best in the world. And I believe that at 147 right now that Jaron Ennis, you are that guy. So why would I want to fight anyone else? Out of respect to you Jaron, I love you. I hope you have the best sleep on the Friday night because on the Saturday, I want the best you to show up because I want to be there. The best me is going to show up. 

“There’s a lot of people who didn’t [step up] and it takes two to tango. You can’t even put on the gloves by yourself. You need your dad to put them on. 

“I had WBC opportunities, I had WBA and WBO opportunities, but I chose you. How comes World champions at 147 are moving up to 154? How comes former World champions won’t even fight him for a certain amount of money? It’s because he has got the crown. He’s the man right now. 

“Listen, this is a real-life Rocky Story. I’ve had my whole, entire life taken from me. I’m ready to die on July 13. He has a man in front of him who is ready to die. I’m serious. 

“The last time I was going for the IBF, I was going against the No.1 contender, and I went from No.6 after I beat him to No.14. So that tells you none of this s*** is real and it’s all f****** illusions. I don’t care about this IBF title. I don’t need the title. And I don’t need any of your guys’ acceptance. I’m whole in myself and I’m happy. I’m just proud of myself to be here. All the s*** that I’ve been through, I pulled on and I kept going. How many of you have stuff going on in your life and when you wake up you question whether you get up and keep going, or do I sit here pop a Coke and have a little potato chip? It’s much easier to do that and be comfy every day. But I’m a champion at heart. I’m a champion at life. I get up and I don’t quit. 

“I went through the back door to get here. There are gatekeepers and certain things you have to do to get to this level. I had my own promotional company, and I was my own promoter. I’ve done everything I had to do to get to this moment and I’m not going to let anyone steal my happiness or my joy. My heart is way too powerful for that. 

“I can’t wait. The second I get to walk out in front of all these people booing me, and in front of Jaron looking at me thinking he’s going to walk right through me, it’s going to be the most beautiful moment of my life where I get to actually show up the highest version of myself. I have to walk through that fire and every decision I have made in my life is going to show on July 13. 

“I’m pretty excited for this to happen and I’m pretty excited to become a champion of the world. I want to thank Jaron Ennis because in this fight, you are setting me free.

“I’m an honest guy and Jaron, you know I am coming to fight. So, it’s going to be an exciting time and I’m going to be right there for you so we can allow the best man to win. I’m going to put my heart down and I know he is going to do the same thing. That’s it. 

“For my dad, up in heaven, this one is for you. I love you.”

Matchroom Sport chairman, Eddie Hearn 

“What a great reception and what an incredible turnout. Before we get started for this incredible event on July 13, live on DAZN, judging by the pre-sale yesterday and judging by the general sale this morning I think we should make an official announcement that the Wells Fargo Center is now the home of Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. 

“It took me five years to sign this man. I remember the first meeting we had in Las Vegas it was during the Canelo-Daniel Jacobs fight week. Someone said to me we had a chance to get Boots Ennis. Now there’s a lot of people here and it’s no secret here that everybody has known for a very long time that this guy is the real deal. A year later, then six months later, I said to everyone stop wasting our time. But shout out to Shaun Palmer and Kevin Rooney that they kept trying. And recently, of course, we made the huge announcement that Jaron Ennis would be signing with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN. 

“Now, this was a massive announcement for us. The news and the ramifications it’s had in the world of boxing has been simply incredible. The numbers we saw from it and the excitement it generated with many saying, finally he is going to get let off leash and show the world how great he is. 

“But the most important thing to me was to bring him home to Philadelphia – and we made it happen. When you have a fighter as special as this and you have a city as great as this – and people don’t even understand the history of boxing in this city – how has he never even fought here before? 

“Well, now, it’s time for all of that to change. And on July 13, your champion, Philadelphia’s champion, will defend his IBF Welterweight World title against a mandatory challenger in Cody Crowley live on DAZN around the world.

“When I walked in the arena this morning, the first thing I said to myself was: “Wow. Wow. What a place.” And I looked out and in the middle of the arena was Jaron Ennis doing exactly the same thing.

“What a great thing for someone from this city, who has dedicated his whole life to the sport with his father Bozy and his family, who has lived the life and is a great ambassador for you all, to finally get his moment and fight here and fight in front of his people and his city on July 13. 

“But you know the great thing? And I shouldn’t really say this! But sometimes I go to a city and I tell a little bit of a ‘porky pie’ – that’s a ‘lie’ in the UK – and I might say something like: “Oh, this kid! He’s going to be a World champion. He could be a great, he could be this…” and that’s my job. But the difference is when you have a fighter like Jaron Ennis, I’m not even lying. So now the whole city can say not only are we bringing big-time, World championship boxing back to Philadelphia, we’re doing it with a young man who may the very best in the entire sport.

“Of course, he’s got to prove it and he’s got to prove it against a very, very tough and undefeated mandatory challenger, Cody Crowley – who, I’ve got to say, is just as excited as Jaron Ennis by the way. He came up to me earlier too with a huge smile on his face. He’s already run the Rocky Steps this morning and he said to me that this is his dream, and this is his time. He said he knows that this is the big homecoming. But, as he said on his Instagram earlier today, ‘I’m going to steal the hearts of Philadelphia’. Come on guys… I thought it was a nice line!

“Just a word or two before I start this press conference, but this fight is part of an unprecedented schedule live on DAZN.

“DAZN has absolutely become the global home of boxing. Last week we had Canelo against Munguia. A couple of weeks before we had Haney versus Garcia. Tomorrow night in Mexico we have a huge card with Rocky Hernandez and Erika Cruz defending her world title. And, of course, next week we have Fury against Usyk live on DAZN for the World Heavyweight Undisputed Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Joe Cordina and Jai Opetaia will be defending their world titles.

“Then we fly back to the UK for a huge, all-British domestic fight with Josh Taylor against Jack Catterall in Leeds before we head back out to Riyadh for a historic night with Dmitry Bivol and the 5-v-5. Then we are in Puerto Rico for another World Champion, Subriel Matias, defending his World title before we’re back to the UK for an incredible card in Birmingham. Then we’re in Phoenix for Bam against Estrada – what a fight. Then we have July 6, which we’ll announce shortly and on July 13 we will be here in Philadelphia. I cannot wait.

“It always takes two fighters to make fights to happen and I promise you there aren’t many fighters in the world who want to take on the challenge of fighting Jaron Ennis. Everything Cody has been through has brought him to this moment. I want to thank him for coming today and I want to thank him for accepting this fight. We look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia on fight week. 

“And, of course, the man who will fill this place up and bring big-time boxing back to this city, the reigning and defending IBF Welterweight World champion, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. 

“As I said, the pre-sale and general sale has been incredible. We’re already at 10-12,000 and we want to fill this place up. Spread the word, we’re bringing World championship boxing back to this great city and it will be live on DAZN.”

Bozy Ennis, father and trainer of Jaron Ennis

“The way you talking [to Anthony Girges, Cody Crowley’s manager], after they fight maybe me and you get the gloves on. We can go to my gym now. We’ll see. 

“Why didn’t you accept the challenge last year [for Crowley to face Boots]? We offered you $300,000 to fight him and he turned it down. He turned it down. What happened? I like you Cody, but he [Anthony] is talking that tough s*** so I will stop him. I’ll stop him.

“Cody, let me say one thing. They said you were trying to go for the WBC. But they made you take the IBF because you were the mandatory for the IBF. Understand this, we wanted to fight Crowley and we wanted to fight Spence. We didn’t ask nobody to take the title. We wanted him to fight us.  

“We appreciate Cody for taking this fight because so many other people turned Boots down. Even the top guys. We wanted Spence. We wanted Crawford. Virgil. All of them. We sent them to word. 

“I want to thank everyone for coming out, buying tickets and everything. I appreciate Cody and his team for taking the fight. He’s a good fighter. You can’t take anything away from him and I respect him. But you are going to see something different.

“Cody can fight. But you’ll see him [Boots] go to another level, which you saw in the last fight he went to another level when he’s in with someone who is real good. He might go to a different level this time too. It all depends on which version of Cody’s coming out.  

“One more thing. We fight all ways. You want to fight, we’ll fight. You want to box, we can box. We can do everything.”

Anthony Girges, manager of Cody Crowley

“He is more than ready. Nobody has seen this version of Cody Crowley. From everything, A-Z. From the management team to the training team to the resources. A-Z, nobody has even seen him. Boots shouldn’t even watch videos of him because he will be unrecognizable on fight night come July 13. 

“I see you already forgot the belt at home. Are you ready to lose it? Yeah. Bro, you got emailed that belt. You didn’t even win it. You’re not even a champion. Just so you know, we’ve had plenty of opportunities. But he’s been waiting for you. He’s here.

“Eddie, I’m really sorry that this is his [Boots] first fight under Matchroom. I apologize because I like you. He [Cody] is the real-life Rocky Story and he’s in your hometown. We didn’t turn anything down before. We are here. 

“Cody will be walking out of here on July 13 as the new World Champion. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

  •  Vasiliy Lomachenko 134.9 lbs. vs. George Kambosos Jr. 134.2 lbs
(Vacant IBF Lightweight World Title – 12 Rounds)
Referee: Katsuhiko Nakamura
Judges: Steve Gray, Michiaki Someya, and Benoit Roussel

   •  Nina Hughes 117.5 lbs vs. Cherneka Johnson 116.7 lbs
(Hughes’ WBA Bantamweight World Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Andrew Moloney 114.5 lbs vs. Pedro Guevara 114.9 lbs
 (Vacant WBC Interim Junior Bantamweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

op-ranked lightweight contender “Prince” Lucas Bahdi is on a mission to bring a world title to his hometown of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. That quest continues on June 1 at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre when he battles fellow world-ranked 135-pounder Juan Javier Carrasco, headlining an event aired live on DAZN globally, and in Argentina on TYC Sports.

Bahdi (15-0, 13 KOs) has separated himself from the pack in the Canadian boxing scene, emerging as one of the country’s true title hopefuls. A three-time national amateur champion, Bahdi has developed a reputation not just as a skillful technician, but as a true power puncher. Two fights ago, Bahdi entered the world rankings with a bloody stoppage victory over Jesus Amparan in his first appearance on DAZN. In his most recent outing, he knocked out Eliot Chavez in five rounds in Montreal, Quebec.

Over the last year or so, Bahdi has called out notable names such as former WBA 140-pound titleholder Rolly Romero, but his vision may be even more focused. Now ranked No. 12 by the IBF, ahead of names such as Andy Cruz and Angel Fierro, Bahdi finds himself in an IBF title picture that is becoming clearer by the week. On the same night he headlines in his hometown once again, Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos will fight for the vacant IBF title, giving Bahdi an obvious target down the road.

“Lucas Bahdi isn’t just Canada’s potential next world champion, he’s already one of the most marketable fighters in the country,” said promoter Lee Baxter. “There’s a reason he can headline in Niagara Falls, and there’s a reason the television cameras are starting to follow him. Lucas has the potential to bring not just gold back to Canada, but some truly massive events along with it.”

The 30-year old will battle Argentina’s Carrasco (20-1, 12 KOs), who is on a seven-year undefeated run after suffering the only loss of his career in 2017. Carrasco has enjoyed dominant run as the South American lightweight champion—in fact, all four of his defenses of the title have not gone the distance. As a result, he finds himself ranked No. 10 in the star-studded IBF rankings. With a wealth of experience fighting in 10 rounders, and additional pro-style experience battling the top amateurs in the world such as Arlen Lopez in the World Series of Boxing, Carrasco looks to spoil the Prince’s homecoming and the future plans that come with it.

“This is a legitimate Top-15 lightweight battle,” said Baxter. “This isn’t a situation where the hometown fighter has a cherry-picked opponent to make him look good. This is a fight against a Top-10 ranked opponent to see who takes the next step to mingle with the elite at the top of the division.”

In the co-feature, world-rated bantamweight Amanda Galle (9-0-1, 1 KO) will be back in action for the first time since capturing the IBO bantamweight title in December of last year. Galle dominated Niorkis Carreno to capture the title, and now is targeting the division’s top names, such as Dina Thorslund and Miyo Yoshida.

In the men’s super lightweight division, Steven Wilcox (10-1-1, 2 KOs) will be in action, looking to build back from his close decision defeat against world ranked Mathieu Germain for the IBF Inter-continental belt. Steven believes this will be his do or die moment to get back into contention.

The event was originally scheduled for May 11, however, ongoing issues regarding Canadian visas for foreign athletes plagued the organization of the event, as it has for promoters across the country.

“We wanted to be fair to all fighters involved, without the threat of clerical decisions cancelling a bout at the last minute, and decided that June 1 was the best date to ensure that everything was cleared and in order well in advance,” said promoter Lee Baxter. “There are new hurdles when it comes to putting on an international caliber boxing event in Canada, but we have the experience and reputation to still be able to bring the top-level fights fans want to this country.”

Live action will begin at 9 PM ET on DAZN globally and TYC Sports in Argentina.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking here. For VIP Booths, please email sales@leebaxterpromotions.com. Niagara Falls Convention Centre is located at 6815 Stanley Ave. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2G 3Y9

Follow us on our social media accounts for updates on our fighters and events.
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X – @LBPromotions_

PERTH, Western Australia (May 10, 2024) — The weather forecast called for showers, which moved the open workout indoors. But the sun stayed shining, and the fighters congregated at the intimate Big Rigs Boxing Gym in front of a standing-room-only audience.

The main event will see living legend Vasiliy Lomachenko battle Australia’s favorite son, George Kambosos Jr., for the vacant IBF lightweight world title on Sunday, May 12, at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

The event will be shown LIVE in prime time on Saturday, May 11 in the United States.

In a world championship special attraction, just before the main event, Great Britain’s WBA bantamweight world champion Nina Hughes (6-0, 2 KOs) makes her second world title defense against Australian former world champion Cherneka Johnson (15-2, 6 KOs).

The ESPN-televised broadcast kicks off with the return of Andrew Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs),who takes on Mexican former world champion Pedro Guevara (41-4-1, 22 KOs) for the vacant WBC Interim junior bantamweight championship.

Lomachenko-Kambosos, Hughes-Johnson and Moloney-Guevara will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

At the open workout, this is what the main event fighters had to say:

Vasiliy Lomachenko

“I feel great. Thank you for this atmosphere. I appreciate the Australian people. These are great fans. They understand boxing. This is why they’re here.”

“This is going to be a memorable fight. For him, it’s a war. For me, it’s a competition.”

“I have a goal. I need this title. My motivation is this title and to be world champion again.”George Kambosos Jr.

“I appreciate all the support. We have a big fight on Sunday. We are motivated. We are ready. It’s business time on Sunday.”

“The city is buzzing. There is a Kambosos fight going on. I am humbled to bring an event like this to Perth. We are coming to win this world title.”

“Sunday, Kambosos versus Loma. The biggest and the best, and we’re ready for war. I’m coming with everything I have.”

Saturday, May 11

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr., 12 rounds, Vacant IBF Lightweight World Title

Nina Hughes vs. Cherneka Johnson, 10 Rounds, Hughes’ WBA Bantamweight World Title

Andrew Moloney vs. Pedro Guevara, 12 Rounds, Vacant WBC Interim Junior Bantamweight World Title

Philadelphia (May 9, 2024) -Weights for Friday Night’s King’s Promotions card at Live! Casino Philadelphia.

Christian Carto 121 – Jesus Martinez 120.4 

Atif Oberlton 175.4 – Juan Barajas 172.2 

Nancy Franco 117.4 – Bree Howling 119.2 

Michaele Nogue 137 – Stephanie Han 134.8 

David Thomas 144 – Muhammad Robinson 143 

David Whitmire 146.4 – Breydon Glaude 148.6 

DeMarcus Layton 150.6 – Ibrahim Robinson 148

Promoter: King’s Promotions

Venue: L:ive! Casino Philadelphia  1st Bell: 7 PM ET 

Stream: BXNGTV.com

Tickets may be purchased at https://www.axs.com/events/536863/ring-wars-tickets?skin=livecasinohotelphiladelphia

Photo by Marc Abrams / King’s Promotions

ARLINGTON, TX – May 9, 2024 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that tickets for the professional boxing mega-event featuring The Problem Child, Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) vs. the Baddest Man on the Planet Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) and Matchroom’s undisputed super lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) vs. boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) will officially go on sale on Thursday, May 16 at 12pm ET on Seatgeek.com. Over 120,000 fans have signed up for presale access, a testament to the unprecedented global demand and excitement for the Paul vs. Tyson heavyweight mega-fight and Taylor vs. Serrano 2, the most-anticipated rematch in women’s boxing history, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, on Saturday July 20th live globally, exclusively on Netflix. Fans can sign up for advance presale access here. In tandem with general ticket on-sale, Most Valuable Promotions will present various VIP packages including a brand-new exclusive $2 million MVP Owner’s Experience.

VIP packages for Paul vs. Tyson will span four tiers, from the Contender Package, the Champion Package, Ringside VVIP Package, and the brand-new exclusive MVP Owner’s Experience. MVP has partnered with Elevate, a best-in-class sports and entertainment consulting firm, on selling the Owner’s Experience and the rest of these exclusive VIP packages.

The MVP Owner’s Experience package will offer unparalleled seats, access and amenities during fight week and on fight night. The $2 million Experience is anchored by two ringside apron seats (owner’s seats) that have never been offered in boxing before, four first row floor seats, and four second row floor seats for the event. The fight night Experience includes an exclusive stadium arrival experience, security and escort during the night, a pre-fight in locker room photo with each of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, gloves signed by both fighters, a private green room with a top shelf open bar and all-inclusive food menu, and a post-fight in-ring photo opportunity for the group. 

Ahead of Saturday, July 20, MVP Owner’s Experience ticket holders will be provided exclusive access, accommodations, transportation, and premium gifts, including VIP lounge access and front row tickets to all of fight week events and activations, beginning Wednesday, July 17th. This includes the opportunity to be on stage with fighters during the final Paul vs. Tyson weigh-ins on Friday, July 19th. All ten guests will receive a boxing glove autographed by Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

The MVP Owner’s Experience will also provide two-night luxury accommodations at the official fight hotel or similar luxury hotel option for 10 guests, featuring a penthouse suite for two, and four rooms to accommodate supplementary guests. Guests will additionally be provided with private luxury mini-coach transportation to and from events on Friday and Saturday.

Also available to ticket buyers looking for exclusive top-tier experiences will be the tiered Ringside VVIP Package, Champion Package, and Contender Package. Ringside VVIP ticket holders will be provided Row 1-2 floor seating on fight night. Access will include an expedited premium stadium entrance and private black car transportation for fight night, along with ringside club hospitality access with a top shelf open bar and all-inclusive food menu, meet and greet appearances from current and former boxing legends and celebrities, and a post-fight in-ring photo opportunity. Ahead of fight night, Ringside VVIP ticket holders will be provided exclusive VIP lounge access and VIP seating for Paul vs. Tyson fight week events and activations from Wednesday, July 17 through Friday, July 19, as well as 1 boxing glove autographed by Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. 

The Champion Package will include premium floor seat locations in row 2-4 on fight night, with a VIP parking pass and expedited premium stadium entrance, along with ringside club hospitality access with a top shelf open bar and all-inclusive food menu, meet and greet appearances from current and former boxing legends and celebrities, and a post-fight in-ring photo opportunity. Champion ticket holders will also be provided VIP lounge access and VIP seating for all Paul vs. Tyson fight week events and activations from Wednesday, July 17 through Friday, July 19.

The Contender Package will feature premium floor seat locations in rows 4-6, with a VIP parking pass and expedited premium stadium entrance. Guests will have access to the fighter walk lounge hospitality on fight night with a top shelf open bar and all-inclusive food menu. Contender ticket holders will be provided VIP lounge access and reserved seating at all Paul vs. Tyson fight week events and activations from Wednesday, July 17 through Friday, July 19.

“Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 represents a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon, spanning six generations of fans, that warrants ticketing options for every fan,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “To enhance the fan experience even further on Saturday, July 20, we have partnered with Elevate to provide a selection of VIP packages, including a first-ever MVP Owner’s Experience, providing the most expansive and exclusive access to the action throughout fight week and fight night. With over 120,000 presale signups, we anticipate that all tickets and VIP packages will sell out very quickly, and encourage fans to continue signing up for presale access at mostvaluablepromotions.com.” 

Next week, Paul, Tyson, Taylor, and Serrano will meet face-to-face to preview their highly-anticipated Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions mega-boxing event at two press conferences. The first will be held on Monday, May 13th at 5:30pm ET at the iconic Apollo Theater in New York City, hosted by renowned boxing journalist Ariel Helwani and the second will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm CT / 8:30pm ET at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas. Media can apply for credentials to attend the New York press conference here, and the Texas press conference here.

Additional information, including undercard bouts, will be announced at a later date. For the opportunity to sign up for presale tickets, click here.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

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

About Netflix

Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services, with 270 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

About Elevate

Elevate is a full-service consulting firm that inspires high-performing organizations to find their limits and push past them. With expertise in brand consulting, sales, strategy, data-driven insights, and talent optimization, Elevate gives its clients a competitive edge in the fight for people’s precious time and attention. Established in 2018, Elevate set out to help sports teams and leagues spark innovation and drive performance. In the years since, the world of sports has transformed, today standing at the convergence of media, entertainment, and consumer brands, with Elevate supporting some of the world’s most ambitious businesses across these sectors. Elevate’s proprietary technology, data sources, and software products give clients a 360-degree view of their customers, underpinning intelligent decision-making on marketing spend, growth strategy, and more. For more information, follow Elevate on X and Instagram @OneElevate_