Las Vegas – UFC^® will return to ABC for a third time with a thrilling battle between top featherweight contenders that has championship implications on the line when No. 2 ranked Brian Ortega takes on No. 3 Yair Rodriguez.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: ORTEGA vs. RODRIGUEZ will take place Saturday, July 16 at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y. The main card will air live on ABC at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT and will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes. The prelims will kick off on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

UFC^® FIGHT NIGHT: ORTEGA vs. RODRIGUEZ tickets will go on sale Friday, June 3 at 10 a.m. ET and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, June 1 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 2 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Former featherweight title challenger Ortega (15-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) returns to the Octagon for the first time in almost a year. An elite grappler with knockout power, Ortega has impressed fans with highlight-reel finishes of Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson and Renato Moicano. He now intends to regain his momentum in the division by becoming the first person to submit Rodriguez.

Rodriguez (14-3, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) aims to secure his first shot at UFC gold with another showstopping performance. Considered a top prospect since he joined the UFC at 22 years old, Rodriguez has proven himself to be among the best fighters in the world with stoppages over BJ Penn, Chan Sung Jung and Andre Fili. He now plans to make a statement against Ortega and jump to the top of the rankings.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Elite flyweights No. 3 ranked Askar Askarov (14-1-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) and No. 6 Alex Perez (24-6, fighting out of Lemoore, Calif.) look to steal the show
• Top 15 bantamweights lock horns as No. 12 ranked Ricky Simon (19-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) faces undefeated No. 14 Jack Shore (16-0, fighting out of Abertillery, Wales, UK)
• Ranked women’s strawweight action sees No. 10 Michelle Waterson (18-9, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) match up with No. 11 Amanda Lemos (11-2-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil)
• Bill Algeo (15-6, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) and Billy Quarantillo (16-4, fighting out of Tampa, Fla.) meet in an exciting featherweight bout
• Welterweight strikers No. 13 ranked Li Jingliang (18-7, fighting out of Beijing, China) and Muslim Salikhov (18-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) collide
• No. 9 ranked flyweight Matt Schnell (15-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) returns to action against No. 12 Sumudaerji (16-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
• Dwight Grant (11-5, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) makes his UFC middleweight debut against Dustin Stoltzfus (13-4, fighting out of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)
• Herbert Burns (11-3, fighting out of Lantana, Fla. by way of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) competes at bantamweight for the first time against undefeated, highly regarded prospect Khusein Askhabov (23-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Grozny, Chechnya)
• A thrilling middleweight bout sees Punahele Soriano (8-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) take on Dalcha Lungiambula (11-4, fighting out of Cape Town, South Africa)
• No. 15 ranked light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby (17-5-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings against Da-un Jung (15-2-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea)

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About UBS Arena

UBS Arena?at Belmont Park?is?made for music and built for hockey. New York’s newest premier entertainment and sports venue and home of the New York Islanders is developed in partnership with Oak View Group, the New York Islanders, and Jeff Wilpon. The?state?of?the?art?arena opened in November 2021 and has welcomed top artists including Harry Styles, Sebastian Maniscalco, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, TWICE, Eagles and John Mayer. The venue will host more than 150 major events annually, while delivering an unmatched live entertainment experience including clear sightlines and premier acoustics. In an effort to build a greener future, UBS Arena intends on being carbon neutral for operations by 2024.

Located on the historic grounds of Belmont Park,?UBS Arena is located seven miles from JFK International Airport and is accessible via car and ride share at exits 26A, 26B, and 26D off the Cross Island Parkway.??For guests using the Long Island Rail Road, UBS Arena will be accessible to East and Westbound travelers at the Queens Village LIRR station, Eastbound travelers at the brand new Elmont-UBS Arena Station (accessible Westbound in Fall 2022), and via the Belmont Spur station, operating from Jamaica on event days. In addition to the Long Island Rail Road, the arena is also accessible via MTA Bus Routes Q2 and Q110 and the Nassau County Inter-Express N6 bus service.?

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers. 

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

About ESPN

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

NEW YORK (June 1, 2022) — Puerto Rican junior middleweight prospect Xander Zayas has been forced to withdraw from his June 11 bout with Ravshan Hudaynazarov at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden due to a non-COVID-19-related viral infection.

Zayas-Hudaynazarov was scheduled to be the co-feature to the 10-round super middleweight main event between Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga and two-time world title challenger Alexis Angulo.

The new co-feature will see Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (15-0, 10 KOs) battle countryman Luis “Popeye” Lebron (18-3-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder for the vacant WBO Latino title.

Zayas said, “I am sorry to announce that I was forced to pull out of my fight on June 11. I have done my best to get well, however, my condition got worse over the past few days. As much as I love this sport and wanted to put on a show at Madison Square Garden for the fans, my health comes first, and my team and I had to make the difficult decision to postpone this fight. I want to thank everyone for all the support and love. I will be back soon.”

Henry Lebron makes his ESPN-televised debut less than three months removed from a breakthrough performance on the Berlanga-Steve Rolls undercard. He knocked out the normally durable Josec Ruiz in seven rounds, graduating from prospect to emerging contender. Luis Lebron, no relation to Henry, is a nine-year pro who has never been knocked out. He has upset unbeaten prospects multiple times before, including a stoppage victory last year over Frank Diaz (9-0 at the time). He last fought March 12, losing a competitive decision to rising Puerto Rican star Christian Tapia.

MELBOURNE, Australia (June 1, 2022) – Hard to believe that a little more than six months ago, on November 27, 2021, George “Ferocious” Kambosos, Jr., (20-0, 10 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, a former sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao and underdog to everyone but himself, transformed from road warrior to unified world lightweight champion, scoring a shocking first-round knockdown en route to a split decision victory over Teófimo López, at Madison Square Garden, to collect his IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC Franchise and The Ring lightweight world titles.  On Saturday, June 4 (June 5 in Australia), Kambosos will take on his second consecutive undefeated world champion when he goes mano a mano with WBC world champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (27-0, 15 KOs), from Las Vegas, Nevada, for the undisputed lightweight championship at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.  It will be the first time Kambosos has fought on his home soil since 2017. 

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Ferocious Promotions, Top Rank, Devin Haney Promotions, Duco Events and TEG Sport, Kambosos vs. Haney will be broadcast to the U.S., at 9 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

“The reason Kambosos vs. Haney will be one of the biggest fights Australia has ever hosted is not just because George is a native son, but also because he chose to take the hard road — traveling the world to chase his dream of becoming world champion.  The fact that George chose to make his first defense against another undefeated world champion shows the confidence he has in himself and that he embodies the Australian and Greek spirit of being a warrior and a winner,” said Lou DiBella, Kambosos’ promoter.    

Before Kambosos returns to the ring this weekend, let’s look back, in his own words, at the journey he traveled to become one of the best stories in boxing:

·        JRE MMA Show #116 with George Kambosos • The Joe Rogan Experience (spotify.com)

·        Episode 207 – George Kambosos Jr. – Walking The Floor  

·        George Kambosos Jr. interview w/ Teddy Atlas – Teofimo Lopez Upset, Who’s Next & More – YouTube

·        George Kambosos Jr. Is A Gentleman | Barstool Bets

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT 
In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing.  Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters, such as Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Micky Ward, Deontay Wilder, and George Kambosos, among others. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in November 2003.  Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports.  While at HBO, DiBella created and established the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series, which featured some of the sport’s greatest fights.  He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”.  He also produced or executive produced numerous documentaries, such as Viva Baseball!, Magic Man, Maravilla, Larry Flynt for President, and Tapia.  The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants.  In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.  DiBella was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 and will be inducted in June 2022, as well as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

ABOUT TOP RANK
Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1973 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.  The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wembley Arena, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, and AT&T Stadium.  Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.

ABOUT DUCO EVENTS
Duco Events is one of Asia Pacific’s leading events management and sports promotion companies, responsible for delivering high profile sporting events such as The Battle of Brisbane – Manny Pacquiao vs Jeff Horn, the NRL Auckland Nines, the Brisbane Rugby Tens alongside numerous other innovative sports, corporate and entertainment events throughout New Zealand and Australia including Synthony – a breath-taking fusion of electronic dance music, live orchestra, DJ’s, vocalists and immersive visuals.

ABOUT VISIT VICTORIA
Visit Victoria is the State of Victoria’s primary tourism, business and major events company, leading the sector in creating, curating and communicating Victoria’s inspiring experiences to maximise visitation.  Established in July 2016, Visit Victoria brings the best of Tourism Victoria, Victorian Major Events Company and Melbourne Convention Bureau under one brand that capitalises on commercial opportunities in an increasingly competitive and dynamic global tourism market.  The team operates in a collaborative and agile environment that informs, connects and partners with industry and the Victorian State Government to amplify Victoria’s profile.

About TEG Sport
TEG Sport is owned by TEG, a leading global live entertainment, ticketing and technology business which operates worldwide out of seven country offices.  TEG also includes TEG Live, TEG Experiences, TEG Dainty, TEG MJR, TEG Van Egmond, Laneway Festival, Handsome Tours, TEG Rockefeller, Qudos Bank Arena, Ticketek, Ticketek Marketplace, Eventopia, Softix, TicketCharge, TicketWorld, Ticketek Singapore and Ovation.

Life is Better Live. Whether it’s Sport, Concerts, Musicals, Theatre or Exhibitions, nothing beats the live experience!  For more information www.teg.com.au.

MINNEAPOLIS – May 31, 2022 – Former unified super bantamweight world champion Danny Roman shared insight into his training camp and more as he nears his showdown to regain top billing against unified WBC and WBO 122-Pound World Champion Stephen Fulton Jr. taking place this Saturday, June 4 live on SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster. The Fulton vs. Roman fight is promoted in association with Thompson Boxing.

The Los Angeles-native Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) first became a champion in September 2017 when he traveled to Japan to stop Shun Kubo and capture the WBA belt. After three successful defenses, Roman added the IBF title in a 2019 action fight against then unbeaten T.J. Doheny. Following a narrow split-decision loss to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2020, Roman bounced back with dominating victories over Juan Carlos Payano in September 2020 and Ricardo Espinoza in May 2021.

Now, he will look to regain his unified status at 122-pounds against the fast-rising Fulton in a matchup of highly-skilled and aggressive combatants. Here is what Roman had to say ahead of Saturday’s showdown:

On his matchup with Stephen Fulton Jr.:

“I’m up against a very skilled fighter who doesn’t have many flaws, but every man has a weakness, and I’m going to exploit Fulton’s. I believe my style will be very difficult for him to adjust to. He’s never been in the ring with an experienced fighter like me. I know what needs to be done to be victorious in this fight. The world will see a greatly improved version of myself in this fight. I’ll be throwing a lot of punches till the final bell and I’m preparing to go the distance.”

On fighting for another world championship:

“I’ve worked my way back to this position with a lot of sacrifice, dedication and perseverance. These opportunities don’t come by for most fighters, so I’m grateful to my entire team for believing in me and sticking by my side. I’m fighting for two world titles, this time for the WBC and WBO belts, and best believe I’m going to leave everything in the ring.”

On his recent training camp:

“I’ve added some elite strength and conditioning to my weekly workouts for this camp and I feel stronger than ever. In addition, I’m super focused on my diet and eating correctly. I’ve paced myself perfectly in this camp, and I know on fight night I’ll be peaking.”

On fighting once again on SHOWTIME:

“I’ve never lost a fight on SHOWTIME, so it’s fair to say I relish the fact that I’m fighting on this network. Everyone knows that if you’ve fought on SHOWTIME, you’ve made it to the pinnacle of boxing. SHOWTIME is legendary for having shown some of the greatest fights in boxing history. I’m hoping my fight with Fulton lives up to the great fights of the past.”

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ABOUT FULTON VS. ROMAN
Fulton vs. Roman will see unified WBC and WBO 122-Pound World Champion Stephen Fulton Jr. battle former unified champion Danny Roman in a matchup between two of the sport’s most consistently crowd-pleasing fighters headlining action live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, June 4 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. taking on Kalvin Henderson in the co-main event.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #FultonRoman, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Dallas, Texas for the first time in almost four years, headlined by a thrilling women’s bantamweight championship rematch that will see Julianna Peña go for her first successful title defense against former titleholder and current women’s featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. The co-main event will feature the crowning of an interim flyweight champion when former titleholder Brandon Moreno runs it back with Kai Kara-France.

UFC^® 277: PENA vs. NUNES 2 takes place Saturday, July 30 at American Airlines Center in Dallas with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be seen on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the night’s action starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Early Prelims on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC^® 277: PENA vs. NUNES 2 tickets will go on sale Friday, June 3 at 10 a.m. CT and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, June 1 at 10 a.m. CT via the website ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 2 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Peña (12-4, fighting out of Chicago, Ill. by way of Spokane, Wash.) is coming off one of the most spectacular wins in MMA history, when she dethroned Nunes via submission late last year. The first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter, she has also delivered notable victories over Sara McMann, Nicco Montaño and Cat Zingano. Peña now hopes to finish Nunes a second time and continue building her legacy atop the women’s bantamweight division.

The greatest women’s fighter in combat sports history, Nunes (21-5, fighting out of Coral Springs, Fla. by way of Bahia, Brazil) intends to remind fans why she remained unbeaten for over six years. The only women’s UFC double-champion, she holds thrilling wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm. Nunes now plans to avenge her loss to Peña by delivering another show-stealing performance to reclaim the belt.

Moreno (19-6-2, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) is determined to take out Kara-France and secure a fourth encounter with current champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Throughout his UFC run, the former titleholder has also earned impressive wins against Bradon Royval, Jussier Formiga and Louis Smolka. Moreno now looks to secure the interim flyweight championship by once again defeating Kara-France.

Kara-France (24-9 1NC, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) expects to make the most of his first UFC title opporunity. Currently riding an impressive three-fight win streak, he has earned memorable victories over Askar Askarov, Cody Garbrandt and Rogério Bontorin. Kara-France now plans to even the score with Moreno and bring another UFC championship back to New Zealand.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Texas’ own and No. 5 ranked heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis (26-9 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) locks horns with surging No. 11 Sergei Pavlovich (15-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia)
• No. 4 ranked light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev (17-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) faces No. 5 Anthony Smith (36-16, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) in a bout with title implications
• Drew Dober (24-11 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo. by way of Omaha, Neb.) battles Rafael Alves (20-10, fighting out of Miami, Fla. by way of Para, Brazil) in an exciting lightweight matchup
• Ramiz Brahimaj (10-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of the Bronx, N.Y.) clashes with Michael Morales (13-0, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico) at welterweight
• Nicolae Negumereanu (12-1, fighting out of Brasov, Romania) takes on debuting Dana White’s Contender Series signee Ihor Potieria (20-2, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine) at light heavyweight
• Justin Tafa (5-3, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia) meets Don’Tale Mayes (9-4, fighting out of Louisville, Ken.) in a hard-hitting heavyweight bout
• No. 15 ranked lightweight contender Diego Ferreira (17-5, fighting out of Pharr, Texas by way of Careiro da Várzea, Amazonas, Brazil) looks to defend his spot in the rankings against Drakkar Klose (12-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz. by way of South Haven, Mich.)
• Ji Yeon Kim (9-5-2, fighting out of Incheon, South Korea) faces Mariya Agapova (10-3, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) in a flyweight bout

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About American Airlines Center

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation’s top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 5th busiest arena in the world in 2021.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers. 

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost. 

About ESPN

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

WHAT: Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing Promotions (RJJ Boxing) streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS

WHO: The Lineup

MAIN EVENT – WCBS “4-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT” – CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

VACANT WBC LATINO LIGHTEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)

Luis “Koreano” Torres (15-0, 9 KOs), Cuidad Obregón, Sonora, México

vs.

Diego “Cuchis” Andrade (14-6-2, 1 KO), Victoria Durango, Durango, México

CO-FEATURE – LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)*

Brayan “Zama” Zamarripa (10-1, 3 KOs), Ensenada, Baja California, México

vs.

Yasir Marmolijo Rojas (7-0-2, 5 KOs), León, Guanajuato, México

LIGHTWEIGHTS – (6)*

Marco Cota Moreno (6-0, 4 KOs), Empalme, Sonora, México

vs.

Juan Leonel “La Vitola” Ortega Resendez (4-2-1, 2 KOs), Mexicali, Baja California, México

LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)*

Pedro Peñuñuri Borgaro (2-0, 1 KO), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México

vs.

Héctor Ávila Lozano (1-0, 1 KO), El Fuerte, Sinaloa, México

(card subject to change)

*denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS

Promo Video
Click on above to watch promo video

WHERE: Palenque de la Expo in Obregón Sonora, México

WHEN: Thursday, June 2, 2022

PROMOTERS: RJJ Boxing Promotions, De La O Promotions, and World Cup Boxing Series

LIVE STREAM: Streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, boxing starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

BROADCASTERS: Beto Duran (blow-by-blow) and former world champion Oscar Valdez (color commentator)

RING ANNOUNCER: Emmanuel Morales

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /WorldCupBoxingSeries

Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial

Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @WorldCup_Boxing_Series, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®: UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

ONTARIO, CA (May 31, 2022) – After an impressive 2021, Thompson Boxing’s bantamweight contender, Saul “The Beast” Sanchez (18-1, 11 KOs), will make his 2022 debut as he headlines Thompson Boxing’s “Path To Glory” event on Friday, June 17th, 2022. Sanchez will face the highly touted amateur standout, Eros Correa (11-1, 8 KOs), of San Jose, California in a 10-round main event.

This event will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. Doors open at 6:30 pm PT with the first fight starting at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets are priced at $50, $75, and $100, are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900.

Sanchez, who had back-to-back first-round knockouts on the road against Frank Gonzalez (8-1, 4 KOs) and Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs), made headlines for such an impressive feat, especially his ShoBox knockout of O’Quinn which went viral. Now Sanchez once again is in tough and looking to make his climb at being in contention for a world title by the end of the year.

“I am thrilled to be fighting against such a dangerous opponent and to do it in Southern California is great,” said Sanchez, after completing a long workout. “I want to fight in a title eliminator this year, and I must beat the best available fighters in my division to do so. My friends, family, and supporters expect a lot from me, and I plan to live up to the potential they see in myself. This is going to be a great fight, and you won’t want to miss it.”

“This will be my first fight at bantamweight, and the those watching will see me fight at my most powerful weight class,” said Correa. “For my entire career, I’ve been fighting above my natural weight. I will be more explosive with every punch I throw. I’ve been envisioning fighting Sanchez for a long time and now the opportunity to beat him is here.”

In the 8-round co-feature, George “El Yuyu” Acosta (11-1, 1 KO), of Whittier, Calif., will face, Marlin “So Icey” Sims (8-1, 4 KOs) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a lightweight bout.

“This is a great test for myself at this point in my career and I am ready to make the most of it,” said Acosta. “I took a loss early in my career, and now I am ready to show the world what I have learned from that. My nutrition and training are on the next level. I am progressing and becoming a more complete fighter, so taking a fight like this will show the world what level I am at now.”

“We both have one loss so everyone can expect to see me leave everything in the ring,” stated Sims. “I’ll be letting my hands go as I know I’ll be fighting in his back yard, so I must win every round. If I get him hurt, I’m taking him out.”

This event will stream live for free on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and
YouTube pages. In addition, Fight fans will be able to watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new Mobile App downloadable on Apple and Google.

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

Welterweight Loui Lopez (10-1-1, 4 KOs), will fight an opponent to be named at a later date. (6-rounds)

Lightweight Pedro Valencia (9-0, 7 KOs) of Las Angeles, Calif. will face Mario Aguire (3-16-1, 2 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico. (6-rounds)

Middleweight “Knuckle” Nelson Oliva (2-0, 2 KOs), of Riverside, Calif, will face Antonio Duarte (2-3) of Tijuana, Mexico. (6-rounds)

Opening the card will be the pro debut of welterweight Anthony John Saldivar (pro debut) of Riverside, Calif., facing Genesis Wynn (1-1), of Denver, Colorado. (4-rounds)

Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

This event is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, which is transforming spaces into beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.

For more information, and regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on ThompsonBoxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @Thompsonboxing.

WBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION Trevor Bryan has labelled his forthcoming opponent Daniel Dubois as a quitter who will be out of his depth when he challenges for the title on June 11 over in Florida.

The unbeaten Bryan, however, does acknowledge the threat posed by the young knockout artist Dubois and admits it presents a significant threat to his 22-fight professional winning streak.

Trevor Bryan was talking to Dev Sahni for the Unibet Lowdown, click here to watch the full interview on YouTube.

“I fight like every fight is my last fight,” the New Yorker told Dev Sahni on the Unibet Lowdown. “I am gonna give my heart, my soul and every inch, every bit of strength I have in this coming up fight on June 11 because, even with the heavyweights, this career doesn’t last long. Every opportunity I do get with names like Daniel Dubois and fighters after this, you want to fight your hardest and show everybody you have the heart and show everybody your skills are going to carry you along.

“So yeah, I am treating this like it is my last fight,” added the 32-year-old, before making reference to Dubois’ sole professional setback against Joe Joyce at the end of 2020.

“Daniel Dubois is a strong fighter, he has fought some good guys, but I am on a different level. You saw that when he came up against some good opposition, he quit, gave up.

“You don’t quit, you don’t give up. I would rather go out on my shield. He is an okay guy but he is going in against a nightmare, I will be a nightmare for him and not the fight that he wants. Maybe he should have went back and tried to reverse the loss he had against Joe Joyce before he came to the champion.

“Now that he’s said he wants the champion, he begged for this fight and now he has it. He has it and now he has to pay for it. I’m not the type of fighter where you can step in the ring and think you can walk all over me. I am not heavyweight champ for no reason and on June 11 I’m gonna show everybody that I am a name that you are supposed to respect.

“I am that man who is going to be sticking around for a long time in this sport. I am taking over, so on June 11 you guys are going to see what Trevor Bryan, The Dream, is all about.”

Trevor Bryan v Daniel Dubois on June 11 for the WBA heavyweight championship will be shown live on BT Sport immediately after the Queensberry show from Telford earlier in the evening.

New York, New York (May 31, 2022) – Earlier this month, one of boxing’s most anticipated fights was formally announced for June 18, when Long Island’s “Common Man” and working class hero, WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion, JOE SMITH JR. (28-3 22KO’s) meets WBC and IBF World Light Heavyweight Champion, ARTUR BETERBIEV (17-0 17KO’s) in a three world title unification bout at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden LIVE on ESPN.

Star Boxing proudly announces two of its super welterweight prospects will be on the undercard in separate matches. Haitian Born, Long Island residing, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (Huntington, NY, 13-1 6KO’s) makes his return to the bright lights of MSG as he faces off with the United Kingdom’s ASINIA “DGOHST” BYFIELD (15-4-1 7KO’S) in what should be an exciting crossroads bout. Toussaint appeared on ESPN defeating Isiah Jones by unanimous decision in The Bubble, on the undercard of Joe Smith Jr.’s emphatic KO victory over Eleider Alvarez. Since then, Toussaint took on heralded contender Charles Conwell on Showtime, taking the #4 world rated super welterweight into deep water, before falling short. Most recently Toussaint scored a first round TKO victory at Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” in March.

Byfield is also no stranger to the bright lights as evidenced when he took #11 world rated super welterweight Ted Cheesman the distance at Copper Box Arena in London. Coming off a second round TKO win last week (May 22), Byfield will look to carry the momentum into the June 18 showdown against Toussaint. The two will meet at the Hulu Theater with the hope of victory, and bigger fight opportunities to come.

Wendy Toussaint had this to say about the fight, “I just want to say how excited I am to finally be fighting on my good friend’s undercard (Joe Smith Jr.). Asinia Byfield is a very good opponent, he has a lot of experience and a great record. By defeating him I will be right where I want to be in the junior middleweight division of boxing. I will not disappoint. I want to thank Star Boxing and my own team for this opportunity.” Toussaint-Byfield will be an 8-round bout.

In the other super welterweight bout, undefeated prospect, JAHYAE “GOLDEN CHILD” BROWN (Schenectady, NY 10-0 8KO’s) will face off with Ireland’s KEANE “THE ICEMAN” MCMAHON (Dublin, Ireland 7-2 4KO’s). Brown, who is an explosive, 22 year old standout, will be making his debut under the Star Boxing banner and hopes to make it one to remember. He defeated Dormedes Potes (then 12-2-1 9KO’s) to secure the ABF Super Welterweight Title in April 2021 and now looks to remain undefeated as he faces his toughest test to date against Keane McMahon.

McMahon is a six-time Irish National Champion. McMahon is coming off of an impressive first round KO victory in Germany, and will fulfill his lifelong dream of fighting at the “Mecca of Boxing”, NY’s Madison Square Garden. The Brown-McMahon fight is a six-round bout.

“We are on the big stage now!” said Jahyae Brown. “I just want to thank God, my coach and the rest of my team, Star Boxing, and Joe DeGuardia for giving me this opportunity. I am going to make a statement in front of the whole world!”

“We are pleased to secure these opportunities for our 154 lb. standouts in Wendy Toussaint and Jahyae Brown on one of, if not the most eagerly anticipated shows this year in boxing,” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “Joe Smith Jr. vs Artur Beterbiev will be a night to remember, and Wendy and Jahyae have the chance to showcase their abilities to the world.”

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JOE SMITH JR. ARCHIVES:

JOE SMITH JR. successfully defends his WBO World Title against Steve Geffrard

JOE SMITH JR: WBO WORLD CHAMP

Highlights

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 31, 2022): Undefeated, lightweight superstar Ryan Garcia (22-0, 18KOs) of Victorville, CA, will make his second appearance of the year, facing former two-time world champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (37-3-1, 26 KOs) of La Romana, DR. The 12-round lightweight fight will take place on Saturday, July 16 and will stream live worldwide, exclusively on DAZN.

“If there is any doubt I was hesitant to fight Fortuna a year ago, that will all be made clear after our fight,” said Ryan Garcia. “This was the fight I wanted and now it’s time. I am so grateful to my friends, family, and especially my fans for their support. I have never felt better, stronger, and more motivated. It’s time to silence all the doubters and it starts on July 16.”

“This is going to be a very exciting fight. I know it didn’t take place last year like originally announced but I hope that this time it will be real so that I can offer a good show to the public,” said Javier Fortuna. “I feel very happy with the work that I have been doing with my promoter, Sampson who has been trusting me since the beginning of my career. I will prepare 100% to win my fight. I trust my team now more than ever and have full confidence in my coach Belvin García, who I consider my family. Together, and with God on our side, I know we will hold up our hands high in victory on fight night.”

“It’s time to show the world Ryan Garcia as an elite level fighter,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO, Golden Boy. “This fight against Javier Fortuna will not only be a tough fight, it will show the world how talented he is.”

“What a month we have had on DAZN and what a fight this will be!” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN. “This is an absolute cracker featuring one of the brightest talents in the sport in Ryan Garcia against a two-time world champion in Javier Fortuna. You do not want to miss this on July 16th! Watch live and exclusively worldwide on DAZN.”

After a spectacular performance against top-ten lightweight contender Emmanuel Tagoe in April 2022, Ryan Garcia proved he still is a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division. Originally scheduled to face Fortuna in July 2021, Garcia was forced to bow out of the event due to mental health struggles. However, he has defeated almost every top contender via knockout, including a seventh-round stoppage of 2012 Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in 2021. His amazing undefeated career with 18 knock-outs inside the ring, including his spectacular shutout performance against Emmanuel Tagoe has earned him a spot as one of the lightweight divisions top stars of our time. Now, the 23-year-old, undefeated lightweight sensation is on a mission to prove he has what it takes to defeat the division’s elite.

Ranked in the top 10 of the lightweight division by ESPN.com, the WBC, and The Ring Magazine, Javier Fortuna is a dangerous lightweight contender with a lot to prove on July 16. The 33-year-old southpaw is a former two-time world champion who previously held the WBA Interim Featherweight World Championship and the WBA Super Featherweight World Championship. Fortuna was last seen in a spectacular first round stoppage of Rafael Hernandez in Santo Domingo, DR this past February and will be looking to have another spectacular performance when he faces Ryan Garcia on July 16.

Garcia vs. Fortuna is a 12-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Sampson Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, July 16 and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

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

THE BRITISH SUPER bantamweight champion Marc Leach has stated that he takes special satisfaction from knocking young unbeaten hopefuls off their TV perch.

After a career spent largely flying under the radar, the highly skilled Salford native made people sit up and take notice in October 2020 when he comfortably defeated the unbeaten 2016 Olympian Qais Ashfaq in what was billed a final eliminator for a shot at the Lonsdale belt.

Leach was subsequently forced into another final eliminator against Thomas Essomba in June 2021 before being put forward to do battle with the undefeated Londoner Chris Bourke at York Hall for the vacant title in March.

The big punching Bourke was viewed as the form horse going into the fight but Leach told anyone who would listen that he would be too elusive and technical for his TV-backed opponent.

Now Leach is set to defend his cherished title against another unbeaten fighter in Liam Davies in Telford on June 11 and reckons that inflicting a first defeat on a fancied fighter, who has been given all the advantages, makes winning all the more pleasing.

“Yeah, definitely,” said the 28-year-old with an 18-1-1 record. “Most of them are very sugar-coated, have had the easy fights and been on the big platforms. Whereas I have done it the hard way, fought for free, been out of pocket and not been on TV shows all the time.

“It is getting to the stage now where I’m fighting these up and coming prospects, or so they say. But there are more of me all around the world who haven’t got the opportunity.

“I’m just thankful and grateful that I’ve got this opportunity. I’m just gonna keep pushing on now and taking the ‘0’ of whoever is in my way.”

Marc Leach will defend his British super bantamweight title against Liam Davies on a big night of title action at the Telford International Centre on Saturday June 11, live on BT Sport. Tickets for the show are on sale now, available from Ticketmaster.co.uk.

MIAMI, FL (May 30, 2022)—Boxing promoter Don King continues to get ready for his Miami title fight card, “The Fight for Freedom and Peace” for the brave and courageous people of Ukraine on this Memorial Day.

“We have taken the time on this Memorial Day to thank those that have given their lives for our great country in our battle for freedom and peace,” said King.  “This is a very important day to honor those men and women and their families with our thoughts and prayers.   “I would also like to pass along my heartfelt condolences and prayers to those who lost their lives in Buffalo, NY in a racist massacre as well as to the 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, TX.  Our hearts and prayers go out to them and their families in this difficult time.”

King continues his fight for freedom and peace on Saturday, June 11 for the brave and courageous Ukranian people as he presents a night of title fights.  The fight card will begin at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3:30 p.m.) and the main event featuring the WBA Heavyweight Championship as Trevor Bryan (22-0, 15 KOs) defends his title against the number one contender Daniel DuBois (17-1, 16KOs).  The card will be held at the Casino Miami Jai-Alai and tickets are on sale for $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased online at https://playcasinomiami.com.   The card will also be presented on Pay-Per-View.

The other heavyweight title bout on the card will feature the NABA Gold Heavyweight title as champion DaCarree Scott (7-0, 6 KOs) from Decatur, GA will defend his belt against Jonathan Guidry (17-1-2, 5 KOs) from Dulac, LA. 

Guidry will be fighting with a heavy heart as popular fight manager/promoter Les Bonano passed away Sunday at the age of 79.  Guidry has dedicated the fight and his victory to a very dedicated Bonano.  Promoter King, who has worked with Bonano for many years, said Bonano will be honored with a 10-bell count a week from Saturday.

YOUNG BOXER OF the year Hamzah Sheeraz returns to the ring on July 16 at London’s Copper Box Arena on a night that includes a British title double featuring both Lennox Clarke and Nick Ball, live on BT Sport.

Sheeraz (15-0, 11 KOs) continues his quest at middleweight with a defence of his WBC International Silver title – won last time out via defeat of Jez Smith – against the Argentinean Francisco Emmanuel Torres (17-3-1, 5 KOs) over 10 rounds.

Birmingham’s Lennox Clarke (20-1-1, 8 KOs) makes a first defence of his British and Commonwealth middleweight titles against another big banger in Oldham’s Mark Heffron (27-2-1, 21 KOs) in what is certain to be a mighty collision, with the IBF Intercontinental championship belt also on the line.

Liverpool’s new star Nick Ball (15-0, 8 KOs) is bidding to add the British and Commonwealth featherweight belts to the WBC Silver title he won defeating Isaac Lowe at Wembley Stadium by taking on the unbeaten Scottish talent Nathaniel Collins (11-0, 5 KOs).

The exceptional young bantamweight star Dennis McCann (12-0, 6 KOs) makes the jump up to featherweight in a fight over 10 rounds for the vacant WBC International Silver title against James Beech jr (14-2, 2 KOs), a two-time British title challenger at super bantamweight.

Southampton snapper Ryan ‘The Piranha’ Garner (11-0, 6 KOs) is back in an eight-round fight against the Mexican Christian Lopez Torres (13-18-2, 11 KOs) ahead of a likely title challenge next time out, with new Queensberry recruit Pierce O’Leary (9-0, 5 KOs) from Dublin fighting over eight at super lightweight.

The stacked card also features young light heavyweight star Karol Itauma (7-0, 5 KOs) in his eighth professional assignment over six rounds, with rising super featherweight Masood Abdulah (4-0, 4 KOs) appearing over the same distance.

Super bantamweight Umar Khan (3-0) and super lightweight Sonny Liston Ali (3-0) will compete in six-round contests, with welterweights Khalid Ali (2-0, 1 KO) and Sean Noakes (1-0) appearing in four-rounders.

“This really is going to be an explosive night of boxing at the Copper Box,” said promoter Frank Warren. “The Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year Hamzah Sheeraz rightly gets to top the bill in his second fight at middleweight against an in-form Francisco Torres, who is unbeaten in his last 10 and fought at a good level. It is an ideal international test for Hamzah in a defence of his title.

“It doesn’t get much better than the two British title fights we are delivering. Lennox Clarke v Mark Heffron has got war written all over it and neither man is fond of taking a backward step and both carry huge power.

“Nick Ball is now a big noise in the featherweight division and he gets to fight for the British and Commonwealth titles against the highly-rated Nathaniel Collins, who has been attracting rave reviews for his recent performances. If Nick can add these two belts to his WBC Silver title he will not be far away from world title contention.

“Dennis McCann is another now taking significant steps forward and ‘The Menace’ is ready to jump up to featherweight and take on a real challenge in James Beech jr for the WBC International Silver belt.

“Ryan Garner is also on the cusp of fighting for titles and he will be looking to impress and show that he will be our super featherweight force, while I am also delighted to welcome another young fighter who means business in the formidable super lightweight Pierce O’Leary.”

Tickets for the show at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, 16 July are priced from £55 and go on sale at 11am tomorrow (Tuesday, 31 May) from SeeTickets.com.

Josh Kelly (10-1-1, 6 KOs) will look to put his name back amongst the division’s best as he makes his long-awaited return to the ring on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool as part of an action-packed night of free-to-air boxing live on Channel 5.

London had previously come calling for Kelly, and the Sunderland lad accepted willingly to get the capital rocking. However, after vigorous preparations, and through no fault of his own, his opponent pulled out of the fight at the last minute.

Kelly had snarled and bared his teeth all week, hungry to do the business and carrying a steely gaze throughout. All noteworthy deterrents to force his opponent into no-showing, which could be considered a wise move on the part of the opposing camp. Nevertheless, frustrating circumstances for Kelly that were left out of his hands.

“It’s never an ideal situation when you commit to the grind and graft for a whole camp for your opponent to pull the plug at the last minute,” said Kelly.

“It’s not the first, or last, time it will happen in boxing. My job is to prepare and be ready for whoever, whenever; I’ll be leaving no stone unturned come June 17.”

This is bad news for the rest of the division as an even more prepared Josh Kelly awaits them all. Besides having an extra camp under his belt, the opportunity to exert over 12 months of frustration will be something he is also relishing.

“No one wants to be inactive, but you can look at it in a completely different light and use the time to fill the gaps and make all your dangerous assets even more deadly,” he said.

“I can’t wait to give Liverpool, the United Kingdom, and the world the chance to see Josh Kelly at his best again.”

With the carrot having previously been dangled in front of him, Liverpool will be the destination that the former European Games Bronze medallist can finally explode back onto the scene.

“Nothing has changed, I said I was after world titles before and I’m still after them,” Kelly said.

“I’m ready to do whatever, and that starts with a dominant display live on Channel 5 in Liverpool. I can’t wait to give my fans, and all fans of the sport, a masterclass come fight night.”

Kalle Sauerland, Head Of Global Boxing at Wasserman said: “For Josh to stick his name straight back into the hat for this stacked Liverpool card emphasises his hunger and desire to be boxing again.

“Josh’s talent is assured in that ring, and the fighting city of Liverpool gets to host it. With over a million viewers on Channel 5 last time, the country will get the opportunity to witness a refreshed and ready ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly.”

Heavyweights collide as Nathan Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) takes on Tomas Salek (17-3, 13 KOs) as part of a huge night of free-to-air boxing on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena. ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly (10-1-1, 6 KOs) also features alongside an electric British Super Flyweight Title Eliminator between Liverpool’s Marcel Braithwaite (12-3) and Thomas Essomba (11-7-1, 4 KOs). This unbelievable card will also host the professional debut of Aaron Chalmers, former Team GB fighter Chloe Watson (2-0) against Fara El Bousairi  (5-2, 1 KO), the undefeated Paddy Lacey (2-0) , Mason ‘Nutty’ Cartwright (17-3, 7 KOs) and heavyweight giant ‘Magic’ Matty Harris (2-0, 1 KO). Promoted by Wasserman Boxing, live on Channel 5, in association with William Hill, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.

Tickets are available via https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/

Manchester, England – (30 May 2022) – Leading world heavyweight title contenders Hughie Fury and Michael Hunter will face off in a Final WBA World Title Eliminator on Saturday July 2nd at the AO Arena Manchester, live and exclusively on Sky Sports, with the winner securing a shot at the WBA World Title.

The WBA has ordered that the winner of Fury vs Hunter will go on to challenge the winner of the upcoming June 11 WBA World Heavyweight Title fight between defending world champion Trevor Bryan and British contender Daniel Dubois.

Manchester giant Fury and American dangerman Hunter will put everything on the line in this extremely competitive high-stakes crossroads fight. With the world title in sight for the victor, fireworks are guaranteed.

Fury (26-3-0, 15 KO’s), ranked at #4 in the WBA, is fired up for his clash with Hunter and he’s been focused on a second world shot since September 2017 when his challenge for the WBO World Title, at just 23-years-old, ended in a controversial points loss to Joe Parker.

Fury, managed by Mick Hennessy, was in top form last October in Newcastle when he forced rugged rival Christian Hammer to retire on his stool after five rounds. Until then Fury was at his best, landing accurate jabs and uppercuts and forcing Hammer’s first stoppage loss since his 2015 defeat by Hughie’s cousin Tyson Fury.

With Hammer also taking heavy punchers like Tony Yoka, Alexander Povetkin and Luis Ortiz the distance, the stoppage looks even more impressive on Fury’s record as he stakes his claim for a world title shot.

Fury, still just 27, is on an unbeaten three fight run with victories over Hammer, Mariusz Wach and Pavel Sour since his points loss to heavy hitter Povetkin in August 2019.

“I take the fights everyone avoids. Michael Hunter has fought the best and is up there with the best. These are the fights I want, to show who is the best fighter out there. I’m looking forward to this challenge. I believe I’m one of the best fighters in the world and this is another big fight to prove I stand with the top three in the world heavyweight division,” said Fury.

WBA #2 rated Hunter (20-1-2, 14 KO’s) has been swerved by many of the big names in the division and is targeting his first world heavyweight title shot after a points loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2017 for the WBO World Cruiserweight title. He will be aiming to cause a big upset in defeating Fury.

Known as the ‘Bounty’, Michael’s father Mike was a former fringe heavyweight contender in the 80s and 90s who fought some of the big names of the era including Buster Mathis Jr., Tyrell Biggs and Frans Botha.

He represented America in the London 2012 Olympics and turned pro shortly after starting out in the cruiserweight ranks and quickly put together an undefeated run before challenging Usyk.

To highlight the serious threat that Hunter presents to Fury, Hunter caused a massive upset on his last visit to Britain in October 2019 when he stopped the unbeaten prospect Martin Bakole in the 10th round of a thrilling fight, the referee intervening to wave the fight off when Bakole was defenceless under a flurry of heavy blows .

Since then Hunter has gone unbeaten in seven fights, including a December 2019 draw with Povetkin in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, which he believes should rightly have been a decision win in his favour.

“We’re excited to return to Manchester and the iconic AO Arena Manchester for a fight which has everything on the line. Hughie Fury has patiently built his way back to world title contention and has overcome big challenges along the way. This is another big test against one of the most avoided fighters in the division.” said BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom.

“Hughie is only just about to come into his prime and so if he can get past Michael then he puts himself unquestionably in the mix for world titles in the coming months and years. Michael will also believe this is the chance he is waiting for, and with such a big opportunity on the line for the winner, both fighters will be giving everything.’

Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development Adam Smith, said, “What a fabulous match up in the blue ribbon division as Hughie Fury has a serious heavyweight test against the excellent Michael Hunter – whose talent we know well on Sky! Can Hughie now emerge from the shadows to produce a career-best performance or will the classy and avoided American gatecrash the world scene?”

BOXXER: Fury v Hunter, headlines a stellar card presented by BOXXER in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

A ticket for the BOXXER event will grant access to AO Manchester Arena from 17:30 for the duration of the evening. Tickets will subsequently grant free access to the Hatton v Barrera show by Europa Concerts which will begin after BOXXER’s event has concluded.

To register for tickets go to Boxxer.com

MELBOURNE, Australia (May 30, 2022) — Six days before undefeated lightweight champions George Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney fight for the undisputed crown at Marvel Stadium, they came face-to-face for the first time. For more than five minutes, the two combatants  talked trash. They did not come to blows, but the mental warfare was in full effect.

Fight week kicked off in style with an opening press conference at Culture Kings in Downtown Melbourne.

Unified champion Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) and WBC king Haney (27-0, 15 KOs) are set to do battle in one of the biggest boxing matches in Australian history. The Down Under showdown will be broadcast live in the United States in prime time this Saturday (Sunday local time) on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

This is some of what Kambosos and Haney had to say during a manic Monday in Melbourne.George Kambosos Jr.

“This is amazing. This is what the sport is about, and I made this happen. I chose the biggest fights possible. I took out Teofimo Lopez. Obviously, this guy… I was prepared to fight Lomachenko. That was done. He couldn’t make it because of the {Ukraine} war. No problem, Devin, wanna step up? And he did, OK, but he was forced into this. He’s not my mandatory.”

“I could’ve fought anyone. I could’ve fought the garbageman outside if I wanted to, but I chose you. You’re not my mandatory. I picked you. You’re here, and everything is a go for Sunday.”

“I became more obsessed. I became champion and realized I loved this sport more than anything in the world. I’m very blessed to be here. I made this happen. If it wasn’t for me, this wouldn’t be happening today here, and bring it on.”

“It’s great to be back home. Five years of hard work. Everyone knows the story. I had to go through every bit of adversity. I had to earn my belts, earned them the hardest way. Not like this guy. He got given a present. I earned mine. I took the best out. It is great to be back home, great to have the support. I know that stadium will be buzzing with my support, but I just love to fight. Me and him in there, in that ring. It’s a great moment for Australian boxing, and I am very excited.”

Devin Haney

“The government would not have put up the money if it wasn’t against me. Me or Loma. And then Loma couldn’t fight, so then you had to pick me.”

“What was the point of even coming if you didn’t bring the belts? Aren’t we fighting for the belts? Didn’t the government put up the money for all the belts and didn’t the media come out because this is an undisputed fight between two champions? Why wouldn’t you bring the belts? Fu*king clown.”

“This means everything. It’s a dream come true of mine since I was a young kid. This is the biggest achievement of boxing. I can’t wait for June 5 to come.”

“There’s nothing he can do in the ring that’s better than me, and I will show it on fight night. I take nothing away from him. I think that he’s a good fighter, but I just think I’m on a whole different level.”

“This fight feels different for me. It’s something that I can really get up for. I just can’t wait.” 
  # # #

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT 
In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters, such as Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Micky Ward, Deontay Wilder, and George Kambosos, among others. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in November 2003. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. While at HBO, DiBella created and established the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series, which featured some of the sport’s greatest fights. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. He also produced or executive produced numerous documentaries, such as Viva Baseball!, Magic Man, Maravilla, Larry Flynt for President, and Tapia. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 and will be inducted in June 2022, as well as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

ABOUT TOP RANK
Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1973 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wembley Arena, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.

ABOUT VISIT VICTORIA
Visit Victoria is the State of Victoria’s primary tourism, business and major events company, leading the sector in creating, curating and communicating Victoria’s inspiring experiences to maximise visitation. Established in July 2016, Visit Victoria brings the best of Tourism Victoria, Victorian Major Events Company and Melbourne Convention Bureau under one brand that capitalises on commercial opportunities in an increasingly competitive and dynamic global tourism market. The team operates in a collaborative and agile environment that informs, connects and partners with industry and the Victorian State Government to amplify Victoria’s profile.

About TEG Sport
TEG Sport is owned by TEG, a leading global live entertainment, ticketing and technology business which operates worldwide out of seven country offices. TEG also includes TEG Live, TEG Experiences, TEG Dainty, TEG MJR, TEG Van Egmond, Laneway Festival, Handsome Tours, TEG Rockefeller, Qudos Bank Arena, Ticketek, Ticketek Marketplace, Eventopia, Softix, TicketCharge, TicketWorld, Ticketek Singapore and Ovation.

Life is Better Live. Whether it’s Sport, Concerts, Musicals, Theatre or Exhibitions, nothing beats the live experience! For more information www.teg.com.au.

Follow all of the action as Gervonta Davis defends his WBA Lightweight title against Rolando Romero. The action begins at 7 PM ET and will feature Erislandy Lara taking on Spike O’Sullivan for the WBA Middleweight title; as well as fights featuring Jesus Ramos taking Luke Santamaria and Eduardo Ramirez fighting Luis Melendez

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED; THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Left from Davis

ROUND 2 Hard right from Romero…Another…Straight left from Davis..Left..

ROUND 3 Left from Romero..Hard left..Counter left from Davis..Straight left..

ROUND 4 Good right  to body by Romero..Straight right..1-2 from Davis…

ROUND 5  Left from Davis…stright left from Davus,,,Another..Right from Romero…Left to body from Davis,,

ROUND 6 Straight left from Davis…HUGE COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES ROMERO..THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

ROUND 1 Left from Lara…

ROUND 2 Left from O’Sullivan…’

ROUND 3 Hard left to body by Lara…Good straight left…Right from O’Sullivan…Straight left from Lara

ROUND 4 Left to body from Lara…LEFT AND DOWN GOES O’SULLIVAN…

ROUND 5 Hard left from Lara…Right from O’Sullivan,,and another…Hook from Lara…Right from O’Sullivan

ROUND 6 Right from O’Sullivan…Body shot and hard left from Lara…Hook and uppercut from O’Sulliva..2 lefts from Lara

ROUND 7 Jab from Lara…2 body shots from O’Sullivan…Left from Lara..Hard left rocks O’Sullivan at the bell

ROUND 8  HARD LEFT ROCKS O’SULLIVAN…FIGHT OVER

Round 1: Ramos looks much bigger…Jab from Ramos…
Round 2: Left from Ramos…
Round 3: Left from Ramos backing Samtamaria up..Combination from Santamaria…Jab to the body..Hard left from Ramos…Trading body shots..Body shot from Ramos..Right hook…
Round 4 Uppercut from Ramos..Right Hook…Straight Left,,,
Round 5 Right from Santamaria..Right to body from Ramos…Left to body…Right to body
Round 6  Lefts from Ramos
Rounds 7 Jab and right hook
Round 8 Straight left…Right Hook from Ramos..Flicking Jab..Nice exchange
Round 9 Combination from Santamaria..Left to body from Ramos…Ramos working on the inside…Left to body
Round 10 Right hook from Ramos

98-92 and 97-93 twice for RAMOS

Round 1 Left from Ramirez…Right to body from Melendez…Uppercut and left
Round 2 Right from Melendez…
Round 3 Uppercut from Melendez…Left..Ramirez lands a left to the body..Left by Ramirez…Uppercut and combination from Melendez…Combination on ropes Ramirez..
Round 4 2 Uppercuts from Melendez..Body shot from Ramirez…Counter uppercut from Melendez…Right off the ropes..Straight left from Ramirez…
Round 5 Ramirez landing a combination on the ropes..Left…
Round 6 Right from Melendez..Left to the body..Ramirez lands a combination..
Round 7 Left from Ramirez..Straight left…another…Right from Melendez…Flicking Jab…Right hook from Ramirez…
Round 8 Jab from Melendez..Body shot from Ramirez..
Round 9 Right from Melendez..Left…Right from Ramirez at the bell
Round 10 Right and left from Melendez..Ramirez landing combination to the body…Jab from Melendez..Hook from Ramirez..Left rocks Ramirez

95-95; 96-94 and 98-92 RAMIREZ

Round 1: Jabs from Williams…Hard combination from Arias
Round 2  Big Right from Arias,,..Jab to Body from Arias..2 lefts to body
Round 3  Doctor Checking Williams before round..Hard right,,,
Round 4 Left hook by Arias..Right Hurts Williams…Right by Arias…Williams fires back…Arias working on the inside..Right over the top
Round 5 Left to body from Arias..Right to head…Left from Williams..Hard right and left hook from Arias..
Round 6  Good right from Williams..2 Rights from Arias..
Round 7 Combination from Arias…Right from Williams..
Round 9 Hard overhand right from Arias..
Round 10 Williams backpeddling…Arias lands a right..Right from Williams..Right from Arias..Head combination on the inside…Toe to toe action…

99-91 on all cards for Arias

BROOKLYN–It took one punch by Gervonta Davis to shut the mouth of Rolando Romero as Davis retained his WBA Lightweight title with a sixth round stoppage of Romero in front of a sold-out Barclays Center of 18,790.

The fight was a tactical first five-plus round with neither man averaging more than 20 punches per round.  

Finally in round six, Romero ran right into a perfect left to the face that had him sprawling into the ropes and down the canvas,  Romero got to his feet but was unsteady, and referee David Fields stopped the fight at 2:39.

Davis, 133.75 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 27-0 with 25 knockouts.  Romero, 134.25 lbs of Las Vegas is 14-1.

Gervonta Davis

“I want to thank God, first for this victory, second I want to thank Al Haymon, Mayweather Promotions, Showtime, we did it again in New York City baby. Thank you New York City.  I won my first belt here and it was great to come back to New York City and do it again.

“I was thinking as this interview was coming up and as much as I wanted to be cocky, but I want to thank Rolly. I want to thank his team. We settled it like men inside the ring. I wish him the best in the future.

“I knew it was all about selling the fight. I’m glad we didn’t fight the first time because I was so emotional. But I’m just grateful to be in this position and to be able to come out with the win. He was strong for sure but it was a couple shots that I was getting warmed up and he caught me and I was like, ‘I can’t sit with him just yet.’ I know when to take it to my opponents and when to chill out. There was someone in the crowd and they were telling me to press forward and I was like, not yet. I got to loose him up a little more.

“The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw it that hard. He just ran into it. He just ran into it. Something like when Pacquiao got caught. I didn’t even throw it that hard and he’s the one who ran into it, when he was talking that it was going to be me.

“I knew that I could get into his head, just from when we weighed in. I knew his goal was to move in front of me (on stage during the weigh in) so when he went in front of me he didn’t realize that the stand was coming to an end so I just tapped him and he fell.

“I’m here baby, whatever they want to do, I’m here. I want to send my condolences to Mr. Russell, he was someone who I came up with in the amateurs. I want to shout out the Russell brothers and send my condolences to them.”

Lara Stops O’Sullivan in eight; Retains Middleweight title

Erislandy Lara retained the WBA Middleweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Gary O’Sullivan.

In round four, Lara dropped O’Sullivan with a straight left.

In round eight, it was another straight left that rocked O’Sullivan and the fight was stopped.

Lara, 159.75 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 29-3-3 with 17 knockouts.  O’Sullivan, 159 lbs of Cork, IRE is 31-5.

Erislandy Lara

“This new style that I’m demonstrating is for all the boxers to show them how I can fight now, just being able to change up. He was a tough boxer, too.

“I’m a smart boxer, a slick boxer, that’s what I did tonight. I wait until he attacks and then I do what I have to do to win the fight.

“I saw the opening, he was leaving himself open and that’s when the left came in and knocked him down. I saw in the eighth round he didn’t have any more power and that’s when I stepped up and showed my power.

“I want to thank the fans that came to Brooklyn, Al Haymon and Luis De Cubas Jr. for setting up the big fights that I want to have for me. I’m still a force

Ramos Gets Family Revenge; Decisions Santanaria

Jesus Ramos avenged a loss that his uncle Abel had to Luke Santamaria, by winning a 10-round unanimous decision in a super welterweight bout.

Ramos landed 158 of 625 punches; Santamaria was 142 of 560.

Ramos, 153.5 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 19-0.  Santamaria, 154 lbs of Garden Grove, CA is now 13-3-1.

Jesús Ramos

“Yes of course (it was important to avenge the loss of my uncle). It wasn’t the way we wanted to win, but I think it takes two to tango and tonight I was the one who wanted to fight. I’m not really satisfied. I could have done a lot better but like I said, it takes two to tango and tonight Santamaria didn’t want to fight

“I could have pressed a little more, gone to the body a little more, he was kind of slippery in there, and I didn’t want to risk anything because he would counter so I was trying to stay composed and stay at my distance.

“I’m going to go back and watch the fight and grow. I went 10 rounds again and it’s going to help me mature a lot more.

“I want whoever they want to put in front of me. We’re going to keep going forward and take whatever fight my team thinks is best for me.

“I could improve on cutting off the ring a little and going to the body a little bit more. He was headbutting me and fighting a little dirty in there, so I didn’t want to get too careless.”

Luke Santamaría

“I thought it was closer than that. I thought we got the win. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. I moved up in weight. I thought he was going to be stronger than that. I thought we did enough to win the fight.

“The plan was to counter and slip his shots. I thought it was good enough to get the win but what happened happened and we can’t complain.

“We’re going to stay at 147. When you lose you dig a deep hole but we’ve dug ourselves out of the hole before and we’ll do it again. He never hurt me, never felt his power. I was good. I thought he was going to be tough. I’m just as tough as they come.

“The plan was to box him and to get him tired and it was working. I thought it worked.”

Ramirez Decisions Melendez

Eduardo Ramirez won a 10-round majority decision over Luis Melendez in a junior lightweight fight.

Ramirez landed 171 of 555 punches; Melendez was 193 of 659.

Ramirez, 130 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 27-2-4.

Eduardo Ramírez

“The first few rounds were even, but after that he only had his jab. I was able to hurt him. He tried to win going backwards and that’s no way to win.

“I want to fight for the world title next. I’m ready for any of the top fighters. I don’t shy away from tough challenges.”

Luis Meléndez

“I felt I won the fight. It’s part of the game. You just have to go back and keep training and just come back better.

“The last scorecard when they said it, I felt I won, without a doubt. My people know I won, the crowd knows I won, it definitely hurts when you travel here and you expect to win and it’s my first pay-per-view. Everybody at home was watching me. It is what it is. I just have to go back to the drawing board and get better. I’m still young. I felt I landed the crisper punches and out-boxed him. He never hurt me. Never.

“It felt great to hear the crowd cheering for me. It’s more of a Gervonta crowd, but they showed me love. It just comes with the territory. The judges didn’t think it was for me this time. It is what it is.”

Luis Arias won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Williams in a super welterweight fight.

Arias, 155.25 lbs of Boca Raton, FL won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 20-3-1.  Williams, 154 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 18-8-2.

Jalil Hackett remained undefeated by stopping Jose Belloso in round three of their four round welterweight bout.

The time was 2:13 for Hackett, 145 lbs of Washington, DC who is now 4-0 with three knockouts.  Belloso, 145.75 lbs of Carson, CA is 4-1.

Adrian Benton remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a super lightweight bout.

Benton, 129.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 7-0.  Meza, 130 lbs of Gomez Pueblo, MEX is 8-7.

Arnold Gonzalez won a six-round split decision over Tracey McGruder in a welterweight contest.

Gonzalez, 146.4 lbs of New York won on two cards 58-56, while McGruder took a card 59-57.

Gonzalez is 10-0.  McGruder, 148.4 lbs of Rochester, NY is 6-3.

Cattino Oliver won a four-round unanimous decision over Jahdon Lewis in a super bantamweight fight.

Oliver, 118.2 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 2-0.  Lewis, 118.2 lbs of North Augusta, SC is 2-2.

Julica Pavilus won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mia Ellis in a lightweight bout.

In round six, Pavilus dropped Ellis with a left hook.

Pavilius, 133.2 lbs of Port-a-Prince, HAI won by scores of 59-54, 58-55 and 57-56 and is now 3-5-1.  Ellis, 134 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 4-1.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to UFC APEX with a hard-hitting heavyweight contenders’ bout between No. 7 ranked Alexander Volkov and No. 8 Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Exciting featherweight contenders collide in the co-main event when No. 10 ranked Dan Ige faces undefeated No. 13 Movsar Evloev.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: VOLKOV vs. ROZENSTRUIK will take place Saturday, June 4 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream exclusively on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT and the main card at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT.

Decorated veteran Volkov (34-10, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) is looking for another dominant performance. Throughout his 13-year MMA career, he has netted spectacular knockout wins against Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Stefan Struve. Volkov now intends to put the heavyweight division on notice by finishing Rozenstruik in impressive fashion.

Seasoned kickboxer Rozenstruik (12-3, fighting out of Paramaribo, Suriname) has utilized his elite striking arsenal to remain a fixture in the heavyweight division’s Top 10. With knockouts in each of his UFC victories, he has delivered exciting wins over Junior Dos Santos, Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski. Rozenstruik now has his sights set on dispatching Volkov with a highlight-reel performance.

Gritty competitor Ige (15-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Haleiwa, Hawaii) looks to become the first fighter to beat Evloev and defend his spot on the 145-pound ladder. Throughout his UFC stint, he has delivered memorable wins against Edson Barboza, Gavin Tucker and Mirsad Bektic. Ige now hopes to steal the show with another highlight-reel finish.

Talented grappler Evloev (15-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) aims to continue his unbeaten run by securing the biggest win of his career. Since joining the UFC roster in 2019, he has earned notable victories over Hakeem Dawodu, Nik Lentz and SeungWoo Choi. Evloev now looks to enter the featherweight division’s Top 10 with another emphatic victory.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• The Ultimate Fighter Season 27 winner Michael Trizano (10-2, fighting out of Ramsey, N.J.) squares off with Lucas Almeida (13-1, fighting out of Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil) at featherweight
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Karine Silva (14-4, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) debuts against Poliana Botelho (8-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a flyweight bout
• Alonzo Menifield (11-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces UFC newcomer Askar Mozharov (25-7, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand by way of Odessa, Ukraine) in a light heavyweight matchup
• Felice Herrig (14-9, fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) rematches former women’s strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz (12-7, fighting out of Lodz, Poland)
• Joe Solecki (11-3, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) takes on Alex da Silva (21-3, fighting out of Balneario Camboriu, SC, Brazil) in an intriguing lightweight tilt
• Ode’ Osbourne (10-4 1NC, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) locks horns with Zarrukh Adashev (4-3, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan) at flyweight
• Niklas Stolze (12-5, fighting out of Magdeburg, Germany) moves down to lightweight to face Benoit Saint Denis (8-1 1NC, fighting out of Paris, France)
• Johnny Munoz (11-1, fighting out of Norco, Calif.) battles Tony Gravely (22-7, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) at bantamweight
• Jeff Molina (10-2, fighting out of Olathe, Kan.) aims to keep his momentum going when he takes on Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-6, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan) in a flyweight bout
• Rinat Fakhretdinov (20-2, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) debuts against Andreas Michailidis (13-5, fighting out of Athens, Greece) at welterweight
• Erin Blanchfield (8-1, fighting out of Elmwood Park, N.J.) and JJ Aldrich (11-4, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) meet in a clash of rising flyweight prospects

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 22.3 million subscribers.

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads). Subscribers to Hulu + Live TV also receive ESPN+ at no additional cost.

About ESPN

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