?Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Bensalem to fight in front of his family and friends in a four-round super featherweight bout on Friday, May 13th at Parx Casino®. I had the pleasure to talk with Jordon Murphy and hear his thoughts on fighting in front of his hometown fans in his last fight at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philly on February 24th. Jordan’s career is still young, and he does not take for granted the fact that he gets to fight in front of his friends and family at this stage of his career.

JORDON MURPHY Q&A

What are your thoughts on your last fight?

“My thoughts were that it was something new. We expected him to come out wild and everything but being in the ring is something different than watching videos it was a new experience it was a tough fight fighting someone that is wild and non-stop like him, it was a tough fight but we got through it and I wasn’t that impressed with my performance but as long as we got the job done that all that counts and you will be seeing something different for the next fight.”

Did you enjoy fighting at home for your last fight?

“I loved it and I always said that would my dream to fight in front of my family and friends and to do it in my second fight was an amazing experience. I couldn’t ask for more it was wonderful having my family and friends out there it is a different atmosphere than my first fight in Florida so having everyone so close to me in my life around to see that peak like not even a peak on that ladder I have been climbing for years now and to finally be that point to perform in front of them was amazing”

Do you feel this fight is different than your last fight since this one is in your hometown while the last fight was in South Philly?

“Not really we go into every fight doing what we worked on in camp so what we are doing will be the same thing it’s all about just getting used to it being around the crowd and having this arena around you that’s the only difference is the arena the ring and it is different people but we don’t pay attention to that in the ring we just noting different we go in there and do the same stuff we have been working on getting the job done.”

Do you enjoy the pressure of fighting at home?

“I don’t mind the pressure for me I feel like it is not the same for others like my dad for my last two fights when we were backstage, he asked are you nervous? And I said no it’s a dream come true I’m happy to be in the place that I’m at right now at the point where I finally reached my first goal of being a professional boxer and have all there are different experiences, I don’t feel this nervous pressure. I like the crowd that’s why my nickname is jiggy all that stuff excites me. It’s no pressure I like working out I like going to the gym I love boxing and like I love this, and this is my life and what I was raised to do. I’m so used to the pressure I have been on national stages multiple times throughout my career I have had pressure since I was eight years old like being in front of Floyd Mayweather and people the pressure was always on me but now as a pro its something I have gotten used to.”

What are some skills that you want to improve on for this fight?

“In this camp well they fight with Nasir I had a shoulder injury for a little bit and he kind of pulled my arm a little bit in the second round and I wasn’t able to consistently throw that jab like I would have liked to. That is something we are working on to improve this camp is to build that shoulder strength up. we already got what we needed to be done for the shoulder. So we are back to normal and the main focus for this camp is building that jab and getting back to where it used to be and we didn’t even know I had an injury until we got late into camp. So we had to do what we had to we had to fight through the pain and that’s exactly what we did.”

If you have one message for the fans what would it be?

“To my fans and family lie, I appreciate every little thing you guys do for me just clicking the like button on my Instagram is more than enough I’m just blessed to have you around I don’t need anything in return from everyone this is my work I don’t expect anything from everybody I’m going to work regardless but to have my friends and family supporting me as much as they do is more than I could ever ask for and I am truly blessed to have everyone in my corner and on my side supporting mine toward this whole thing ad I promise at the end of all this there will be a return for you all.”

The live boxing event, which is produced by Joe Hand Promotions, will feature a six-round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA going up against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) fighting out of Fairfield, ME.

2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the year” Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs) out of Trenton, NJ will look to continue his 17-fight undefeated streak when he competes in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA.

(April 11, 2022) One of the most respectful and personable fighters in boxing, brand new WBC Interim Super Welterweight Champion, Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora, wishes to send his warmest wishes for a quick recovery to brave challenger Erickson “Hammer” Lubin.

In an instant boxing classic, the two 154-lb fighters waged a thrilling, back-and-forth war of attrition Saturday (April 9, 2022) night in The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, as California’s Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs) and Florida’s Lubin (now 24-2, 17 KOs) took turns hitting the deck: Lubin was down in round two and Fundora was down in round seven.

Eventually, however, the work rate and inside fighting skills, especially the uppercut, of the 6’ 6” Fundora were able to mash the face of the much shorter Lubin and inflict severe facial swelling and damage. Despite their man being ahead on all three scorecards, Lubin’s corner indicated he had taken enough damage after round nine and requested a stoppage, giving the popular Fundora a career-defining victory in a nationally televised main event.

“That was a very tough fight. I loved it,” said a happy Fundora. “I want to let Erickson Lubin know I respect his heart and toughness very much. I went into the fight thinking Lubin’s chin was suspect, but he took everything I could throw at him and still kept coming. I give him major respect and I hope he heals up quickly. He’s a very brave fighter. Get well soon and let’s do it again!”

The eldest Fundora, father/trainer Freddy, says he’s also extremely happy with his son’s exciting triumph and impressed with Lubin’s toughness.

“I’m very happy we were able to get the win; we needed to win to get into the bigger fights,” said Fundora. “That was a terrific fight between two future champions. Neither fighter has anything to be ashamed of. They are both true warriors.”

So severe was the damage to Lubin’s distorted face that false internet rumors and conspiracies have already begun surrounding Fundora’s gloves and conditioning. Fundora averaged 78 punches thrown and 28 landed, per round, while the less-active Lubin averaged 41 punches thrown and 17 landed per round.

“It’s all not true,” Freddy Fundora continued. “Erickson Lubin had a representative and The State of Nevada Commission Inspector were both in the room for Sebastian’s hand wrapping and to inspect the gloves. We didn’t even send anyone to Lubin’s room we trust their integrity and the Nevada Commission so much. As far as his work rate in that fight, that’s his dedication. Sebastian trained like he was possessed for this fight. He took it up a level with everything, power, speed and punch rate. That’s what champions do. The Nevada Athletic Commission takes blood and urine after a title fight, so very shortly, any talk of PED use will be proven false when Sebastian comes back all clean.”

Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, the Uruguayan talent scout known for finding unknown diamonds like Manny Pacquiao, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and current super middleweight king David Benavidez in obscure gyms around the world, says Fundora’s victory changes the trajectory of the 24-year-old southpaw’s career.

?A star is born!” said the happy Lewkowicz. “The Towering Inferno is going straight to the top. The fans love how he fights. He doesn’t back down ever. And everybody likes Sebastian away from the ring. Such a nice family. But, inside the ring, Sebastian Fundora can’t be beaten at 154 lbs. My hat is off to Erickson Lubin, but Sebastian Fundora is going to clean out the division.”

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About Sampson Boxing

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America. Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, ESPN+, DAZN, VS., FOX, Fox Sports and several international networks. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.

Conor Benn has warned South Africa’s Chris van Heerden that he needs to be prepared for “a whole lot of firepower” when they clash over 12 rounds for the WBA Continental Welterweight Title at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday April 16, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

‘The Destroyer’ (20-0, 13 KOs) secured a stunning knockout win over former World Champion Chris Algieri last time out in December, taking out the American with a brutal right hand in the fourth round of their top of the bill clash at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

Reflecting on his showreel knockout Benn said: “It was the most dramatic finish of my career for sure. It was great that I was able to put in that performance. I just went in there with such confidence. Being confident in the ring… you display it in your defence mechanisms, trust in your reflexes, trust in your power.  

“Having my dad ringside and seeing the raw emotion from him was probably the most rewarding thing out of the whole eight-week camp. Even during the fight and the feeling after the fight. Watching that video back was, me watching someone so genuinely happy for me. Nothing but happiness for his son. That for me is so warming. It made me so emotional watching it.”

The 25-year-old Essex native is yet to come up against a southpaw boxer in his 20 fights to date and is relishing the challenge of locking horns with former IBO 147lbs Champion van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) – a seasoned veteran who has only been stopped by Errol Spence Jr in 32 professional fights. 

“Every fighter I fight now moving forward is going to be more experienced, but it means nothing to me,” said Benn. “Who they’ve fought and what they’ve done in their career doesn’t matter because they haven’t fought me. I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of. I believe in my work ethic and I believe in my team. I believe in my mindset and I believe in my physical attributes. I believe in my power and I believe in my boxing ability. Bring me whoever, I’m confident in what I can do.”

‘The Heat’ hasn’t held back with his pre-fight trash talk, labelling Benn an “emotional, angry fighter” who relies solely on his power. Benn is determined to prove his doubters wrong once again and has promised to earn van Heerden’s respect as he aims to take another step towards a World Title shot in the thriving Welterweight division.

“van Heerden is a good fighter, he’s a tricky fighter, he’s a tough fighter. He’s a come forward southpaw and a former World Champion. He’s been in there with the best. First southpaw opponent – they’re definitely hard work that’s for sure. You have to think a lot more. You have to demonstrate a lot more skill. You can’t just go in there with the same approach as you would with an orthodox fighter. 

“He’s wanted this fight for a while. He told me he needed this fight for himself, needed it for closure. We’ve made the fight happen. Hopefully he comes prepared, which I believe he will. He said he doesn’t rate my boxing ability. If you don’t respect me then I’ll make you respect me. Chris van Heerden needs to be ready for a whole lot of firepower. He needs to be ready for someone who fights like he’s got everything to lose.”

Benn vs. van Heerden tops a huge night of action in Manchester, Bournemouth’s European Cruiserweight Champion Chris Billam-Smith (14-1, 10 KOs) rematch Belfast’s former champion Tommy McCarthy (18-3, 9 KOs) following their epic back and forth battle at the Matchroom HQ last summer, WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Champion Alycia Baumgardner (11-1, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of her World Titles against Edith Matthysse (17-11-1, 1 KOs) following her shock win over Terri Harper last November, Little Lever’s Jack Cullen (20-3-1, 9 KOs) aims to bounce back from his stoppage loss to Kevin Lele Sadjo in December when he meets Vladimir Belujsky (12-3-1, 8 KOs) over eight rounds, Hyde Lightweight prospect Campbell Hatton (6-0, 2 KOs) quickly returns to action against Lee Glover (11-9, 3 KOs) over six rounds, hard hitting Cruiserweight talent Jordan Thompson (12-0, 10 KOs) clashes with Mariano Angel Gudino (14-5, 9 KOs) over eight rounds, Alnwick Welterweight Cyrus Pattinson (3-0, 1 KO) hopes to make it two wins from two fights in 2022 when he takes on Alexey Tukhtarov (5-28-6, 3 KOs) over eight rounds, Liverpool Light-Heavyweight Thomas Whittaker-Hart (6-0, 3 KOs) faces Ben Ridings (5-1) over six rounds, Salford Super-Lightweight Luke Evans (11-0, 1 KO) locks horns with Miguel Cesario Antin (19-10, 8 KOs) over six rounds while James Metcalfe warms up for his European Middleweight Title fight with a six round contest against Evgenii Vazem (9-26, 4 KOs).

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 11, 2022) – Super bantamweight prospect, Darren “The Gift” Cunningham (15-1, 8 KOS), is set for his next bout as he will take on Angel Antonio Contreras (11-6-2, 6 KOs), on April 29, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Celebrity Theater, on a card promoted by Iron Boy Promotions.

“I am excited as I feel better than ever, and I am ready to put the division on notice with a performance that will get me mentioned amongst all the emerging fighters at super bantamweight,” said Cunningham. “My opponent faced a world title contender at featherweight in his last bout and has a lot of experience. That is what I need at this point to become a world title contender. I am fighting a bigger man who has been battle tested, I’m ready.”

Cunningham is no stranger to the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona, as he knocked out Ernesto Guerrero in one round in February of this year. This will Cunningham’s third fight in the last six months. He believes that his recent activity has helped him get sharp at this point in his career.”

“I love fighting in Phoenix at the Celebrity Theater where the fans are really loud” said Cunningham reflecting on his last fight. “Many thought my last fight was the best fight of my career. All I can say is staying busy, and fighting routinely, has made me a better fighter. I can’t wait to have another great performance in April!”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 11, 2022) — World Cup Boxing Series (WCBS), co-founded by CEO Terry Hollan and promoter/matchmaker Guy Taylor, today announced it has signed a multi-fight deal with beIN SPORTS to be featured on the network’s free English and Spanish-language streaming and over-the-air channels – beIN SPORTS XTRA and beIN SPORTS XTRA en Español – beginning Friday, June 3rd, live from Obregon, Sonora Mexico.

Combat sports fans will be able to catch all the World Cup Boxing Series action live nationwide on beIN SPORTS XTRA and beIN SPORTS XTRA en Español. The channels are available on major streaming services in the U.S. and Canada including The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, fuboTV, and XUMO TV and additionally in the U.S. on YouTube TV, Pluto TV, Fanatiz, Vizio, and Canela TV as well as over-the-air stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas – Fort Worth, Houston, San Jose – San Francisco – Oakland, Atlanta, Miami – Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Hartford, Columbus, Las Vegas, and Austin, among others. For a full list of providers, visit beINSPORTSXTRA.com.

“Our goal with beIN SPORTS goes far beyond providing monthly boxing content,” Taylor said. , “We want to create a global brand with state-of-the-art technology, updated graphic packages and artwork, top of the line production, enhanced lighting, fan engagement during the event, social media platforms and LIVE online gaming. We look forward to a great 2022-23 season of World Cup Boxing Series on beIN SPORTS XTRA and beIN SPORTS XTRA Español beginning this June 3rd.

“beIN SPORTS is excited to add World Cup Boxing Series to its growing roster of combat sports programming,” commented Antonio Briceño, Managing Director for beIN SPORTS North America. “We believe in putting our fans first and making live world-class sports programming easily available to fans in the U.S. and Canada via beIN SPORTS XTRA and beIN SPORTS XTRA en Español.”

For more information about beIN SPORTS North America, visit www.beINSPORTS.com and www.beINSPORTSXTRA.com. Follow us on Instagram @beINSPORTSUSA, Twitter at @beINSPORTSUSA and/or @ESbeINSPORTS and like us on Facebook beIN SPORTS USA for breaking news and real-time updates.

INFORMATION:

Facebook: /WorldCupBoxingSeries

Instagram: @World_Cup_Boxing_Series

Schenectady, NY (April 11, 2022) — Championship boxing was in the limelight in Schenectady at Rivers Casino Saturday night, as SIMONE “TYSON” FEDERICI (now, 19-2-1 8KO’s) unified the WBC CA and NABA Gold Cruiserweight Titles outpointing Pittsburgh’s, LYUBOMYR “DEMOLITION MAN” PINCHUK (now, 14-3-1 8KO’s) in an absolutely thrilling main event.

The opening round had the packed crowd on their feet as Federici and Pinchuk came out swinging, looking to establish their respective game plans. Federici began to find success working on the inside, putting efficient punches together with quality speed forcing Pinchuk to work off the back foot. Pinchuk would respond with combinations to the body, attempting to utilize the jab to keep the Italian tank, Federici, at a distance. As the battle of wills continued an accidental clash of heads with a minute left in the fourth round caused a gash over the eye of Federici. Knowing what was on the line both fighters maintained an impressive work rate over the 10-rounds, however it seemed to be Federici’s ability to bully his way inside that would make the difference. The judges saw it in favor of Federici by unanimous decision, who successfully defended his WBC CA title, and became the new NABA Gold Champion (99-91, 97-93 2x).

In 8 rounds of action, Ireland’s, “SUPERFLY” TONY BROWNE (now, 5-1) was successful in his US debut against the tough LEANDRO “APOLLO” SILVA (now, 3-6 2KO’s). Silva came out of the gate looking to control the action, while Browne effectively countered his aggression. In the 5th round, Silva buzzed Browne with an overhand right, but Browne was able to shake it off and power on. Silva kept coming forward trying to find a way in, but Browne continued to successfully work from the outside. Browne would take home the unanimous decision in his US debut (77-75, 78-76, 79-75)

Also making his US debut, 22 year old Irish product, “THE SILENT ASSASIN” RYAN O’ROURKE (now, 8-1 1KO) defeated Frenchman, FAYCAL REZKALLAH (now, 6-2-1 1KO) over 6 rounds. The Schenectady crowd was “oohing” and “ahing” as O’Rourke was landing from impressive angles. While O’Rourke controlled the pace of the fight, Rezkallah had his moments, waiting for O’Rourke to take a beat, before returning the favor in the form of multi punch combinations. O’Rourke’s early work to the body paid dividends in rounds five and six, hurting Rezkallah. The fight would find the final bell, and Ryan O’Rourke would earn the clean sweep on the cards for the unanimous decision victory (60-54 3x).

In the opening bout of the evening MICHELLE COOK (now, 2-3-2) and LIZ TUANI (now, 1-7) impressed in a competitive battle. Tuani came out swinging with force, but Cook was able to weather the storm. Late in the 3rd round, Cook found a home for her right hand knocking Tuani on her heels. At the close of the fight, Cook would get the nod by unanimous decision (39-37 X3)

“The fans came out early and stayed late for a thrilling night of fights at Rivers Casino,” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “Federici and Pinchuk put on one hell of a show, and left it all in the ring – both should be proud. Congratulations to Simone on the victory, and Tony Browne and Ryan O’Rourke for shining in their US debuts.”

Simone Federici shows off his new belts

Browne (R) lands on Silva (L)

O’Rourke (R) shuts out Rezkallah (L)

Team Federici celebrates

About Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady: Located at the picturesque Mohawk Harbor near the heart of downtown Schenectady, Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady features 1,050 slots, 67 live table games and a 16-table poker room and a live, in-casino luxury sportsbook lounge. The casino offers five distinctive restaurants—among them are Dukes Chophouse, Flipt, Johnny’s To-Go and Mian. Rivers features a multipurpose Event Center space, a lively entertainment lounge—Van Slyck’s, live music performances, free parking and daily promotions and giveaways. The Landing Hotel is a 165-room, six-story boutique hotel with riverfront views located adjacent to the Event Center. Rivers, which opened in 2017, employs approximately 1,200 team members and has been voted a great place to work in Schenectady. Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady is owned and operated by Rush Street Gaming and its affiliates. For more information, visit RiversCasino.com/Schenectady.

RockinFights.

STAR BOXING ARCHIVES:
Rockin’ Fights 41: Oleh Dovhun vs Geram Eloyan – NABA Title (Highlights)
OLEH DOVHUN defended his NABA title for the first time against Belgium Bruiser GERAM ELOYAN in the main event at Rockin’ Fights 41!
Rockin’ Fights 35: Tyrone “Pretty Boy” James vs Ray Oliveira Jr.
TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES left his mark on “Rockin’ Fights” 35 with a vicious TKO victory over RAY OLIVEIRA JR. to remain undefeated!

QUINCY, Mass. (April 11, 2022) – The first professional boxing event in Bridgewater (MA) will be held Saturday night, May 7th, when Granite Chin Promotions presents its third promotional event of 2022, “Hometown Royalty,” at Bridgewater Veterans Club in Bridgewater, Massachusetts (85 Cottage St.).

“Hometown Royalty” is presented by Granite Chin in association with Cappiello Boxing Promotions and Shearns Boxing Promotions.

“I’m excited to be bringing professional boxing to Bridgewater for the first time ever,” Granite Chin president Chris Traietti said. “I was shocked when I found out that this would be the first for the town. It’s going to be a great show and I want to thank Rich Cappiello and Chuck Shearns for their help in making it happen. We are going to pack the Vets hall with amazing boxing fans who have helped Granite Chin grow expeditiously over the last couple of years. This will be the first of many to come to Bridgewater.”

Some of the best and most popular boxers from the South Shore area of the Bay State will be showcased in an intimate setting.

New England Welterweight Champion Mike “Bad Man” Ohan (14-1, 8 KOs), of Holbrook, is dropping down to junior welterweight in the 8-round main event to face Jose “El Chino” Aubel (8-9, 7 KOs), of Argentina.

Quincy lightweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (30-6, 11 KOs) is matched against another Argentinian, Mario Lozano (18-5-1, 9 KOs), in the 8-round co-featured event. A 2008 National Golden Gloves silver medalist, as well as a 2-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, The 32-year-old Ryan K. has been world rated during his 14-year professional career.

Brockton welterweight David Ribeiro will make his long-awaited pro debut in a 4-round fight versus an opponent to be determined. Ribeiro was a celebrated amateur having won gold medals at the 2020 New England Golden Gloves, 2019 King of the Ring, and the regional Mike Tyson Tournament.

Undefeated New Bedford light heavyweight Edet Mkpanam (6-0, 5 KOs), a 2018 New England Golden Gloves runner-up, throws down with Scott “Bombz” Lampert (2-4, 2 KOs) in a 6-round match.

Fall River (MA) welterweight Damon Towns (4-0, 3 KOs) faces Robert Bricks (0-9) in a 4-rounder.

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale, $60.00 standing room and $40.00 floor seats, and available for purchase at www.TicketRiver.com (Search: Hometown Royalty).

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

Twitter: @Granite_Chin

ATLANTA, GA – Jolene Mizzone, among the most experienced and well-respected matchmakers in professional boxing for a quarter of a century, announced the launch of newly created company Fighters First Management, offering a fresh approach to athlete representation for today’s generation of talent.

Mizzone, who will lead Fighters First as President of Boxing Operations, honed her skills as Vice President/Matchmaker for Main Events, building great fighters and working with multiple world champions, including Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Sergey Kovalev, and Tomaz Adamek.

First Matchmaker to Manager Career Shift

Mizzone is the first mainstream matchmaker and promoter to shift her career in boxing into athlete management. Known for her direct, ‘the truth hurts’ style, Mizzone has always been protective of athletic talent and will continue to fight for them using her unique combination of experience and insights.
“I want to educate fighters as much as possible on the business aspects of boxing,” said Mizzone. “I plan to work hand in hand with our fighters and their teams. As their manager, I’m also an educator. I can give them the tools they need to make smarter long-term decisions about their careers so they can flourish and live well after giving their all to the sport we love.”

“I bring something to the table no other manager brings to boxing today. Being a former promoter and matchmaker, I understand the secret language of matchups and deals. Most of this is kept from the fighters, not always in a malicious way, but never to their long-term benefit. This changes today with Fighters First Management.”

Fighter Signings Anticipated Summer 2022

Mizzone says she will start announcing newly signed fighters by summer 2022.
“The kind of fighters we are looking for are all different types, young up and coming boxers or boxers who may already be established looking for guidance. One thing I know I can do is move a fighter to a championship bout, as long as they keep winning and listening to advice,” said Mizzone.

The new venture is owned by Georgia-based entrepreneur David Basha, owner of Carriage Auto Group with seven locations in the southeastern U.S. Basha, age 62, sought top talent to run his new organization and made Mizzone his first hire.

“Boxing has been a passion of mine for the past 40 years. I have always desired to have a company that represented boxers and protected them in business. To do that, I knew I would need the perfect person to lead the charge, and Jolene is that perfect person,” said Basha.

Mizzone says she learned about the business during her work with Main Events and expressed her gratitude to Hall of Fame promoter Kathy Duva for the opportunity leading to her new venture.

Fighters First will operate as a full-service management company with the fighters’ long-term best interests true to its name and central to all decisions. Fighters First pledges a greater percentage of the purse to its athletes while also educating them on their business and financial future to protect them during and long after their careers in the ring have concluded.

Follow Fighters First Management on social media:
Instagram – @FightersFirstMgmt
Facebook – @FightersFirstMgmt
Twitter – @Fighters1st
TikTok – @Fighters1st

Here is some key information for next week’s blockbuster welterweight title unification clash that will see WBC and IBF World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA World Champion Yordenis Ugas headline an explosive night of boxing on both SHOWTIME PPV^® and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

SHOWTIME PPV BEGINS AT 9 pm ET/6 PT: The four-fight telecast features exciting lightweight contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz taking on veteran former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 10-round co-main event. The lineup also includes unbeaten Jose Valenzuela battling former world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in a 10-round lightweight fight, plus unbeaten Cody Crowley faces veteran contender Josesito Lopez in a 10-round duel of all-action welterweights that kicks off the telecast.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING AT 7 PM ET/4 PM PT: Preceding the Spence-Ugas SHOWTIME PPV telecast, welterweight titleholder Radzhab Butaev and top contender Eimantas Stanionis face off in a special SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast airing live on SHOWTIME^® and the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel. The two unbeaten rising talents both have their eyes on a future world championship opportunity in the red hot 147-pound division. The telecast also features unbeaten knockout artist and future star Brandun Lee taking on Zachary Ochoa in a super lightweight bout. Named Ring Magazine’s Prospect of the Year in 2021, the fan-friendly Lee looks to extend his KO streak to 16 consecutive fights.

ON THE CALL: The most trusted and experienced team in combat sports will be on the pay-per-view call. Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer will host the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will handle blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME telecast team – Emmy^® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna will serve as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP). On the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins calls the action from ringside with veteran combat sports reporter Brian Campbell and Marquez serving as expert analysts.

SPECIAL WEIGH-IN SHOW ON FRIDAY: A quartet of top SHOWTIME Sports talent will share their thoughts and views on Saturday’s fights during Friday’s weigh-in that will be live-streamed via the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube page at youtube.com/c/SHOSports. MORNING KOMBAT hosts Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell join former world champion Raul Marquez and ex-NBA great and ALL THE SMOKE podcast host Stephen Jackson to break down the fights. 

HOW TO GET THE SHOWTIME PPV: The four-fight pay-per-view event is available for purchase and live streaming in the U.S. at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME app. The event is also available on major cable, satellite, and telco television providers throughout the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $74.99 (SRP). In Canada, viewers can access the event via traditional distributors as well as digitally on PlayStation and FITE.tv.

SHOWTIME FREE TRIAL OFFER: SHOWTIME will offer a free 30-day trial beginning the day of the big fight, April 16. Consumers can try SHOWTIME free for 30 days, then pay just $3.99 per month for the first four months. The offer runs through May 17. Go to SHOWTIME.com for more information.

TICKETS: Tickets for the April 16 live event at AT&T Stadium, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Man Down Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

EMMY AWARD-WINNING ALL ACCESS: Fans can now catch up on ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. UGAS Episode One, which is available in its entirety now on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel. Click HERE to watch. Episode Two premiered last Saturday, April 9. To watch click HERE. ALL ACCESS EPILOGUE premieres Saturday, April 23.

ALL ACCESS GARNERS ANOTHER EMMY NOMINATION: ALL ACCESS: CANELO VS. PLANT, which premiered in 2021 prior to the Canelo vs. Plant SHOWTIME PPV event, was nominated last week for the 2021 Sports EMMY Award for outstanding writing. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony in May. Various editions of the ALL ACCESS series have been nominated 11 times over the years, winning five EMMY Awards thus far.

FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceUgas, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing and @PremierBoxing, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing and @PremierBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

New York, NY (April 11, 2022)-Giovani Santillan was almost flawless in stopping Jeovannis Barraza in round seven of their 10-round welterweight bout.

The bout took place this past Saturday from The Hanger in Costa Mesa, California and was televised live on ESPN.

Santillan, who is managed by Split-T Management, landed power punches from the outset and was on-top of Berraza from the beginning, Santillan started beating up and breaking down Barraza until the bout was stopped at 33 seconds of round seven.

Santillan, 147.4 lbs of San Diego, CA is now 29-0 with 16 knockouts. Barraza, 148.6 lbs of Barranquilla, COL 25-3.

The win solidified Santillan’s spot in bigger stakes fight against any of the top welterweights

Santillan said, “I am humbled by the support of my hometown, San Diego. Once again, they came out in force. They motivate me to do my best every time out there.

“I am going to keep working to earn a welterweight world title shot. I have a great team behind me, and when the time comes, I’ll be ready.”

Santillan is co-promoted by Top Rank and Thompson Boxing.

Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images

In what was a sure-fire Fight of the Year candidate. Sebastian Fundora outlasted Erickson Lubin after round nine of their junior middleweight bout at The Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas,

In round two, Fundora dropped Lubin with a left uppercut.

In round seven, Fundora battered Lubin with flush uppercuts that opened up a cut around the right eye of Lubin. Lubin came storming back and rocked Fundora with a vicious combination and sent him to the canvas. That brutal round paved the way as the two slugged it out until round nine, when Fundora landed several more vicious uppercuts. When Lubin went back to the corner, Lubin’s face was swelled to where it was starting to disfigure and Lubin’s trainer Kevin Cunningham pulled the plug on the fight.

Fundora, 152.8 lbs of Cochella, CA is now 19-0-1 with 13 knockouts. Lubin, 153.2 lbs of West Palm Beach, FL is 24-2.

“I think this was probably my best performance ever,” said Fundora. “It was a back-and-forth fight. He really brought his hammer but I decided to bring my drill. The uppercut was landing like no other. The uppercut is my lucky punch. I’m here in Vegas, so I feel a little lucky, and that’s my lucky punch. It lands most of the time with everybody. Southpaw. Right hand. It doesn’t matter. Once I find that, I feel like the job’s done.”

“I got hit with a good punch and I didn’t feel like I needed to get hit again so I took a knee to get a little breather in and I recovered,” said Fundora. “I intentionally took a knee. I knew I had to take a knee because if I kept getting hit like that it wouldn’t be smart for me and I wouldn’t be able to recollect myself.”

“I think it was a good decision for Kevin Cunningham to stop the fight,” said Fundora. “His face shifted from round one to round nine. It completely morphed and there was a lot of blood coming out. He’s a tough fighter. He was in the game the whole time but there’s no need to get hurt that much.”

“I see Charlo winning the fight against Castaño,” said Fundora. “I feel like he’ll be too strong for Castaño the second time. If Castaño wins, that’s great too. I just want to go after all of them. This is the interim belt so I want the world champion title. I want the real deal.”

Harrison Decisions Garcia

Former world champion Tony Harrison won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sergio Garcia in a junior middleweight contest.

Harrison landed 197 of 491 punches; Garcia was 103 of 592.

Harrison, 153,4 lbs of Detroit, MI won by scores of 100-90 twice and 98-92 and is now 29-3-1. Garcia, 152.6 lbs of Spain is 33-2.

“I pitched a shutout against a guy who just fought a guy that’s in the main event right now,” said Harrison. “Muscles are the way in the street, but skills pay the bills.”

“All I needed to do was land one good punch, but I didn’t,” said Garcia. “Harrison fought his fight and was very smart with his jab and his elusiveness, major credit to him.”

“He was swinging for the fences,” said Harrison. “When he was missing shots, all I heard was ‘whoosh!’. I felt it. I was trying to throw a few more counter shots in between. My composure was everything.”

“I can put on a show all I want, but the bottom line is that I need wins and I have two losses in a row instead,” said Garcia. “Reality is that I’m not at a championship level yet, but I’ll keep fighting.”

“The first thing I’m going to do, I haven’t seen my kids in six months,” said Harrison. “I want to see my kids. My step two, I have a gym called Superbad Fitness. Every time it rains, it pours in the inside of my gym. My job is to find guys that can donate to our non-profit to save about a hundred kids that work out in my gym every day. That’s step number two for me. Step number three for me, I’m going to take a vacation.”

Salgado and Perrella fight to a draw

Bryant Perrella and Kevin Salgado fought to a 10-round split draw in a junior middleweight fight.

In round seven, Perrella started swelling under his left eye.

Perrella landed 98 of 503 punches; Salgado was 68 of 375.

Perrella won a card 97-93; Salgado took a card 96-94 and a third call was 95-95.

Salgado, 154.2 lbs of Nicolas Romero, MEX is 14-0-1. Perrella, 153.4 lbs of Pensacola, FL is 17-3-2. This is Perrella’s second consecutive draw.

“I thought my game plan and execution was great,” said Perrella. “I boxed smart. I broke him down. I’m not going to run from him. He was just winging big shots any time I would step in just trying to knock me out with one punch. I kept the jab in his face. Jabs to the body. Left hands. I hurt him. Everything was going great and it looked like I was sweeping all the rounds.”

“I was shocked by the decision,” said Perrella, who fought to a draw against Tony Harrison in his last outing prior to Saturday night. “Two draws in a row. I put my all into this and I get robbed at the end of the day. It’s a tough pill to swallow. I easily out boxed him. He barely landed any punches. I don’t know what more I can do. I did my best. It is what it is.”

“I felt like I won,” said Salgado. “All Perrella did was run around and away from me. Maybe if I had pressured a bit more, that last judge would have leaned more in my favor. Perrella kept throwing his jab but almost never connected. I think that tonight was definitely a positive step in the right direction towards becoming the next Mexican star in the United States, and I look forward to pleasing the fans with more Mexican-style fights in the future”

Las Vegas ­– UFC^® today announced that the classic 2016 fight between featherweights Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ as a part of the class of 2022. The 2022 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires^®, will take place during the 10^th Annual UFC International Fight Week^Ô this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“The fight between Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi is one of the greatest fights of all time,” said UFC President Dana White. “This fight was an absolute war for all three rounds and both guys left everything they had inside the Octagon, it was crazy! This fight was an incredible display of heart, endurance and determination and it was so good, it was named the 2016 Fight of the Year. Congratulations to Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi on a fight that will always be remembered as one of the best ever!”

As one of the featured main card bouts of UFC^® 206: HOLLOWAY vs. PETTIS, which took place on December 10, 2016, at Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Swanson and Choi entered the event on winning streaks of two and 12, respectively.

Swanson entered the Octagon^® ranked #4 in the division with a 23-7 record that included victories over current UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier and former Shooto welterweight champion Tatsuya Kawajiri.

Choi, who was ranked #11 in the division, entered the fight having won all three of his previous UFC fights and possessed an impressive overall record of 14-1 that included wins over former Pancrase lightweight champion Shoji Maruyama and former Shooto welterweight champion Mitsuhiro Ishida.

At the beginning of the fight, Swanson and Choi quickly advanced to the center of the Octagon, with Choi striking first with a straight right before clinching and administering multiple knees. On the break, Choi tripped Swanson using his left leg, causing Swanson to slide into in a standing guillotine. With the standing guillotine in place, Choi administered three more knees that created heavy swelling over Swanson’s right eye.

Swanson recovered quickly and began to take control of the fight by dictating the pace and striking first during each exchange, as both athletes would trade flurries of punches, knees and leg kicks throughout the remainder of the first round.

Swanson raced to the center of the Octagon at the beginning of round two, resuming his role as the aggressor and applying consistent pressure with the focus of forcing Choi to fight off of his back foot from a defensive position. This was an in-fight adjustment made by his corner in between rounds, as his team felt that Choi could not maintain an offensive attack from this position.

With 3:55 left in the second, Swanson connected on a barrage of punches and body kicks, driving Choi to the fence and briefly to the ground in an attempt to withstand the continuous shots coming from Swanson.

At the end of the exchange, Choi caught Swanson with a right hook, stunning him and sending him down to one knee. Swanson quickly stood up, but had not fully recovered, so he retreated to the fence and covered up as Choi unleashed his own set of punches, attempting to finish Swanson on his feet. Dazed, but still active on his feet, Swanson survived by using jabs and straight kicks to push Choi outside of striking distance in an attempt to allow himself to recover and survive the attack.

From a clinched position, Swanson took advantage and took Choi down with a judo throw, then immediately moved into a mounted position for the first takedown of the fight. With 2:55 remaining in the second, Swanson took Choi’s back and attempted to secure both hooks, but Choi was able to scramble and evade Swanson’s submission attempt, with Swanson still maintaining full guard position.

Known for his strong ground attack as a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Swanson controlled the action in both half and full guard until letting Choi stand up and resume trading punches. Both athletes swung for the fences with each punch, with Swanson connecting on a rarely used cartwheel kick, which stunned Choi and brought the sold-out crowd of more than 18,000 fans to their feet and into a frenzy of excitement.

Swanson, in control of the round, began to swing wildly, fighting with a more relaxed style with hands down as opposed to the more technical Choi, whose counterpunches rocked Swanson during each exchange. Swanson closed the final 45 seconds of the round by connecting on numerous punches and a spinning backfist that sent Choi to the fence and almost knocked him out on his feet. Both athletes connected with punches to end the round, neither giving an inch.

The non-stop pace continued in round three, with both Swanson and Choi exchanging punches and body kicks in the center of the Octagon. Choi successfully executed a takedown of Swanson with 3:50 left in the round, but Swanson quickly countered to gain top position. After trading punches and elbows on the canvas, Swanson would stand and allow Choi to do the same with 2:55 remaining. Swanson immediately took control of the pace with a barrage of punches that stunned Choi on the fence, before taking Choi back to the canvas via hip toss with 2:32 remaining. Swanson applied pressure via headlock but stood back up with Choi with 2:00 minutes left in the fight.

The slugfest continued for the final minutes of the third round, with Swanson connecting on a Superman punch with 15 seconds left that nearly sent Choi to the ground. Swanson completed one more takedown of Choi before the end of the round, concluding the fight in top position. At the end of the fight, both athletes received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Swanson won the bout via unanimous decision, earning a headlining spot in his next bout against Artem Lobov at UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: SWANSON vs. LOBOV, which took place four months later on April 22, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee.

During the event, Swanson and Choi landed a combined 188 significant strikes, the most for a featherweight fight in 2016. Swanson landed 111 of the 188 significant strikes, which also set a high mark as the most by a featherweight in a single bout in 2016. The fight won the Fight of the Night performance award and would be acknowledged by ESPN and the Fighters Only Magazine World MMA Awards as “2016 Fight of the Year.”

Swanson has continued to flourish inside the Octagon, having won three of his last four fights, and he most recently defeated veteran Darren Elkins. He currently holds the record for most post-fight bonuses in UFC featherweight history with nine. Choi would lose his next two fights against Jeremy Stephens and Charles Jourdain, before retiring at the end of 2019 with a 14-4 record. Each of Choi’s final five bouts earned a post-fight bonus.

To view the fight on UFC FIGHT PASS for free, please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/video/47681

To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFC.com/HOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

Mikaela Mayer remained perfect as she dominated and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jennifer Han at The Hanger in Costa Mesa, California.

Mayer landed 192 of 586 punches; Han was 63 of 384.

In round four, Han was bleeding from the nose. Mayer pushed the action and was never challenged as she won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91.

Mayer 129.8 lbs of Los Angeles is 17-0. Han, 128.8 lbs of El Paso, TX is 18-5-1.

Mayer said, “I feel like I did a lot of good things in there. Her movement, I think, is what she does best and it throws you off. She gets her spacing in a little bit, so I had to throw her off and stay behind the jab. Coach Al {Mitchell} reminded me to stay behind the jab, set the right hand up. She would duck sometimes and make me miss. I started to go to the body. All in all, she’s a tough, durable girl. That’s why we chose her for this fight. We knew she would push me, but I feel like I did well.
 
“I wanted to get the stoppage I feel like I hurt her in the eighth round, almost finished her. This is another reason why I’m advocating for three-minute rounds.
 
“I’ve been pretty clear that I want to go undisputed at 130. {Alycia} Baumgardner and {Hyun Mi} Choi, I’ve been calling them out. I want {either} fight, but if they’re not going to give me that fight in a timely fashion, I’m game to go up and challenge the winner of {Amanda} Serrano versus Katie Taylor.”

Santillan Dominates; Stops Barraza in 7

Santillan landed power punches from the outset and was on-top of Berraza from the beginning, Santillan started beating up and breaking down Barraza until the bout was stopped at 33 seconds of round seven.

Giovani Santillan was almost flawless in stopping Jeovannis Barraza in round seven of their 10-round welterweight bout.

Santillan, 147.4 lbs of San Diego, CA is now 29-0 with 16 knockouts. Barraza, 148.6 lbs of Barranquilla, COL 25-3.

Santillan said, “I am humbled by the support of my hometown, San Diego. Once again, they came out in force. They motivate me to do my best every time out there.

“I am going to keep working to earn a welterweight world title shot. I have a great team behind me, and when the time comes, I’ll be ready.”

Andrew Moloney Stops Mendoza in 8th

Andrew Moloney stopped Gilberto Mendoza in the eighth and final round of their junior bantamweight fight.

Mendoza was cut on his face in round five. In round eight, the pressure was starting to take its toll on Mendoza and Moloney landed two hard shots and the fight was stopped at 2:29.

Moloney, 115.8 lbs of Melbourne, AUS is 23-2 with 15 knockouts. Mendoza, 113.4 lbs of Modesto, CA is 19-12-3.

Floyd Diaz stopped Blake Quintana in round four of their six-round junior featherweight bout.

In round four, Diaz caught Quintana with a perfect right to the soler plexus that put him to a knee for the 10-count at 43 seconds.

Diaz, 122 lbs of Las Vegas is 4-0 with one knockout. Quintana, 120.6 lbs of Kenney, NEB is 4-2.

Duke Ragan remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Diuhl Olguin in a featherweight bout.

Ragan, 126.6 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 5-0. Olguin, 125.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 15-22-5.

Jason Moloney won a 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Javier Pedroza in a bantamweight bout.

Moloney, 119.4 lbs of Melbourne, AUS won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 23-2. Pedroza, 119.8.8 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 17-11-2.

2021 U.S. Olympian, Ginny Fuchs made a successful pro debut with a fourth round stoppage over Randee Lynn Morales in a flyweight bout.

In round one, Fuchs dropped Morales with a combination that was punctuated with a straight left. In round three, Morales began to swelll around her left eye. Fuchs was dominant and the bout was stopped in round four after Fuchs landed a big uppercut at 24 seconds.

Fuchs, 109.8 lbs of Houston, TX is 1-0 with one knockout. Morales, 110.6 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 4-4.

Luis Alberto Lopez stopped Raul Chirino in round four of a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Lopez dropped Chirino in round two, twice in round four, and ended it with a body shot at 1:08 of round four.

Lopez, 128 lbs of Mexicali. MEX is 25-2 with 14 knockouts. Chirino, 128.8 lbs of Miami, FL is 19-14.

Ryan Garcia came back from a 160month layoff to drop and take a 12-round unanimous decision over Emmanuel Tagoe at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

In round two, Garcia dropped Tagoe in with an uppercut. Garcia was able to control the ring as he used his size to hurt Tagoe several more times that had the Ghanaian holding on several more times.

Garcia landed 165 of 599 punches; Tagoe was 90 of 391.

Garcia, 138.8 lbs of Victorville, CA won by scores of 119-108 twice and 118-109 and is now 22-0. Tagoe, 138.2 lbs of Accra, GHA is 32-2.

“He was making it difficult for me to end it,” said Ryan Garcia. “He was crafty with the holding, and I was trying to get him off me, and he was moving a lot; it was a new experience. I think I have to cut the ring off better with a guy who will keep moving all 12 rounds. I made sure to get him in the body a lot and used my left hook to hurt him. I have a lot of love for San Antonio. It was great that after a year and a half layoff, I was received by such a great crowd. It’s a blessing. I wanted to knock him out, but he was very crafty. At the moment, I could feel like I hurt him, but he really can take a punch.”

“First of all I want to thank my team,” said Emmanuel Tagoe. “I know the reason why I lost. I didn’t throw my right arm. He came forward but I couldn’t get any points from pushing. I think I’m going to go home and sit down with my team. Ryan Garcia is a good boxer.”

Shane Mosley Jr. Decisions Gabriel Rosado

Shane Mosley Jr. scored the biggest win of his career by winning a 10-round majority decision over former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a super middleweight fight.

Mosey landed 172 of 600 punches; Rosado was 124 of 517.

Mosley dominated the action, and rocked Rosado several times as he took the cards by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95.

Mosley, 167 lbs of Pomona, CA is 18-4. Rosado, 167.8 lbs of Philadelphia 26-15-1.

“They know who I am now,” said Shane Mosley, Jr. “Gabriel is a great champ. We have to see what’s available. Right now 168 is tied up. Canelo has all the belts. Unless he vacates or fights someone else. I mean who’s going to turn down Canelo. I moved to 168 for the opportunity.”

Marlen Esparza Unifies Flyweight Titles

Marlen Esparza retained her WBC and captured the WBA Flyweight title with a tough 10-round unanimous decision over Nakoka Fujioka.

Esparza landed 120 of 436 punches; Fujioka was 107 of 418.

Esparza, 111.4 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 100-90 twice and 97-93 to go to 12-1. The 100-90 scores were much wider then the fight was as Fujioka won several rounds clearly. Fujioka, 111.6 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is 19-3-1.

“I thought it was a really good performance considering how hard she brings it,” said Marlen Esparza. “She’s a very seasoned fighter, she’s a world champion. I’m proud we did everything we practiced, me and my couch James Cooper. We really executed well and we expected it to go that way. You don’t know what a world champion can bring. We had to be patient and see what she had to bring to the table. It wasn’t tough because of the punches but more because she was smothering. I’m really just grateful I could have this experience not only for womens’ boxing but for my fans and really solidify the division. I really want the next two belts. ‘La Bonita’ from Argentina is the one I want, but I have to let my team decide what’s next. I’m happy for the future.”

Hovhannisyan stops Aguero in 2

Azat Havhannisyan stopped Dagoberto Aguero in round two of a scheduled 10-round featherweight fight,

In round two, Aguero came shot out of a cannon, but Hovhannisyan was able to drop Aguero with a hard right. Aguero was hurt and was sent to the canvas again with a huge flurry. With Aguero on rubbery legs, Hovhannisyan rocked Aguero several more times until the fight was stopped at 1:11.

Hovhannisyan, 124.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 21-3 with 17 knockouts. Aguero, 122.8 lbs of San Cristobal, DR is 15-2.

“I was planning on escalating the fight as it went on,” said Azat Hovhannisyan. “That was just the second round pace. I was warming up. When I landed the first body shot I knew I was going to hurt him.”

The scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout between Patrick Teixeira and Paul Valenzuela ended bizarrely as the fight was waved off in round two after Teixeira hit Valenzuela in the back of the head twice and Teixeira was disqualified.

The two punches looked to barely hit the head, yet Valenzuela reacted like the punches landed very hard and he could not continue.

Valenzuela, 168.4 lbs of Santa Rosalia, MEX is 27-11. Teixeira, 162.4 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 31-3.

In a battle of undefeated featherweights, Katsuma Akitsugi won a a eight-round unanimous decision over Gregory Morales.

Akitsugi, 125.4 lbs of Hollywood, CA won by scores of 80-2 twice and 78-74 and is 9-0. Morales, 125.8 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 13-1.

“I want to thank my trainer and my sponsor,” said Katsuma Akitsugi. “ I’ve been through a lot and they helped me be more focused. I’m always training hard, no days off. So when they call me I don’t lose my opportunity.” 

Tristan Kalkreuth scored a spectacular second-round stoppage over former world title challenger Santander Silgado in a six-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Kalkreuth landed a booming right that sent Silgado down on his back for the 10-count at

Kalkreuth, 219.4 lbs of Duncanville, TX is 9-1 with seven knockouts. Silgado, 242 lbs of Panama City, PAN is 30-12.

“I’m very blessed to be here and be back where I am,” said Tristan Kalkreuth. “It’s a lot of emotions right now. I felt good. I was anxious and a little nervous. I’ve been out of the ring for 8 months. I was curious to see how my arm would feel. I went in and threw a right hand, it felt 100.

George Rincon remained undefeated with a10-round unanimous decision over Alejandro Frias in a welterweight bout.

In round two, Rincon scored a knockdown.

In round eight Rincon was cut on his forehead from a head butt. Frias was deducted a point for that.

Rincon, 138.4 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 96-91 twice and 98-89, and is now 13-0. Frias, 141 lbs of Tepic, MX is 13-6-2.

“That was obviously my toughest fight to date,” said George Rincon. He was a very rugged fighter, I knew that coming into the fight. But this experience is only going to make me better. I was able to identify things that I still have to work on.” 

Hector Valdez Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Moncada in a super bantamweight fight.

In round three, Valdez was cut on his hairline.

In round five, Valdez was credited with a knockdown after landing a left hook that put Moncada on the canvas. In round six, Moncada was bleeding over his left eye.

Valdez, 121 lbs of Dallas, TX won by scores of 80-71, 79-72 and 78-73 and is now 15-0. Moncada, 121.8 lbs of Mexico City is 15-6-2.

“I feel really rusty,” said Hector Valdez Jr. “ I think I could’ve taken him out if I trained more. It’s the first fight in over a year. I hurt him but he was really crafty to get in and hit him. There were punches there but as soon as I threw them he would move a little and they would go off course.”

Santos Ortega remained undefeated with a second-round stoppage over Jesus Martinez in a scheduled six-round featherweight bout

In Round two, Martinez was cut over his right eye. Seconds later, Ortega landed a hard combination in the corner the sent Martinez down. Martinez tried to get up but was counted out.

Ortega, 125.8 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 7-0 with three knockouts. Martinez, 124.4 lbs of Hollywood, FL is 30-16-1.

“This is probably the best and strongest I’ve ever felt,” said Santos Ortega. “I was praying everything went good. He was waiting for that overhand and I was too. I knew I had him hurt with a right hand and I just went in. I knew he was done, I felt it.  

Gennadiy Golovkin unified his IBF and won the WBA Middleweight titles with a ninth round stoppage over Ryota Murata in Tokyo, Japan.

Murata started fast and was able to Golovkin over the first four-rounds. Golovkin started it on in round six, as he started his patterned pressure with hard power shots. Golovkin, who celebrated his 40th birthday yesterday looked spry and young as the fight progressed. In that round six, Golovkin landed a hard right that knocked the mouthpiece of Murata out. That seemed to let the air out of Murata as Golovkin began to dominate the fight. Golovkin was all over Murata and hurt him several times in in the pivotal ninth round and landed a hard right that put Murata on the canvas just as the towel was thrown in.

Golovkin now is set up to face Canelo Alvarez in a trilogy fight in September.

Golovkin of Kazakhstan is 42-1-1 with 37 knockouts. Murata of Japan is 16-3.

Nakatani Defends Flyweight Title with stoppage over Yamauchi

Junto Nakatani defended his WBO Flyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage over Ryoya Yamauchi.

Nakatani dominated the action, and in round eight, landed a big barrage of punches that led to a battering on the ropes, and the fight was stopped.

Nakatani is now 23-0 with 18 knockouts. Yamauchi is 8-2.

Yoshino Defeats Ito by Technical Decision

Shuichiro Yoshino won a technical decision over former world champion Masayuki Ito in a lightweight bout.

In round two, Ito began to bleed from his nose.

In round eight, Ito was cut underneath his left eye. In round 10, the doctor looked at the cut. In round 11, the two banged heads which caused more damage around the left eye of Ito and they went to the scorecards.

Yoshiro got the decision by scores of 107 twice and 106-103, and is now 15-0. Ito is 27-4-1.

Follow all the action as Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murtata in a IBF/WBA Middleweight Title Elimination bout.  The card begins at 5:10 am ET and 6:10 PM in Tokyo with an undercard that will feature the WBO Flyweight bout between Junto Nakatani and Ryota Yamauchi

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Round 4: Body shot from Golovkin.  Good left hook..Uppercut

ROUND 6 Hard right from Golovkin knocks the mouthpiece out..Good right…2 hard jabs…Good counter right

ROUND 7 Good lft hook from Golovkin…Uppercut..Big left hook…Good right from Murata

ROUND 8 Jab from Golovkin…Hard rights and lefts…Big right from Murata…Good right…Left hook from Golovkin

ROUND 9 Big Right hurts Murata..Hard flurry…Murata looks done…Muata lands a left…HARD RIGHT DOWN GOES MURATA…TOWEL COMES IN FIGHT OVER

Round 4 Good body work from Nakatani…2 hard lefts and an uppercut

ROUND 5 Good combination from Yamauchi..Good left hook…Left hook to the body..Flurry on inside from Nakatani

ROUND 6 Double left and 1-2 from Nakatani..Left hook to body from Yamauchi…

ROUND 7 Big left from Nakatani…  Another hard left

ROUND 8 Good right from Yamauchi…left hook…BIG BARRAGE FROM NAKATANI..YAMAUCHI IS HURT AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Yoshino lands a jab..Ito lands a right to the body..Right from Yoshino…Jab from Ito..Left hook to the body from Yoshino
Round 2 Jab from Yoshino..Good overhand right and uppercut..Chopping right on the inside..Blood from nose of Ito..Hard body shots from Yoshino…2 Rights..Good right from Ito..Good 3 punch combination..Uppercut on inside from Yoshino
Round 3 Hard right from Yoshino..Left hook from Ito..Right..Right from Yoshino..Quick combination from Ito…Right..Body shot from Yoshino
Round 4 Left hook from Yoshino..Good rights from each guy..Counter from Ito..Jab from Yoshino..Left hook to body…Good right from Ito
Round 5 Hard right from Yoshino..Good body work…Chopping right…Ito lands 2 uppercuts..Right from Yoshino..Hard right..Big left hook..Hard right
Round 6 Ito working on the inside…Nice right..Right and uppercut..Right..Uppercut…Good body shot from Yoshino..Another..Right from Ito…Good action…hard right from Ito
Round 7 Trading hard shots..Good body work from Yoshino…
Round 8 Good right from Yoshino on the inside…Combination from Ito..Good jab from Yoshino and a left hook..Ito cut underneath his left eye
Round 9 Ito lands a left hook and right hand..Good right and jab..Trading rights…Hard right from Yoshino
Round 10 Uppercut on Inside from Ito..Doctor looking at Ito’s cut..Good left hook from Yoshino..Right from Ito…
Round 11 Good right from both fighters..Lead right from Yoshino and a good body shot..Headbutt and another cut on Ito’s left eye,  THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…GOES TO SCORE CARDS

YOSHINO WINS 107-102 twice and 106-103

TIJUANA, Mexico (April 8, 2022): Mexican contender Damian “Samurai” Sosa (20-1, 11 KOs) defended his WBO Latino Super Welterweight Championship with an impressive knockout victory against Jesus “Ingeniero” Vega (22-3-1, 13 KOs) of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico in the main event of a Toscano Boxing Promotions show Friday night at Zonkeys Auditorium in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico and live on FITE.TV Pay-Per-View.

Sosa ended the bout at 1:35 of the third round and once again demonstrated his desire to have a world title opportunity in the near future.

“It was a good fight,” said Damian Sosa. “I think I had control of the entire fight. In the second round, he landed a hard shot on me, but aside from that I felt I had control of the entire bout and that I was doing what my corner was telling me to do.”

“I think we all dream of one day being able to fight for a world title. I prepare myself every day for that. I know that the opportunity will present itself one day because I will look for it. I’ll continue growing and waiting for that opportunity.”

In the co-main event, Pedro Bernal (9-1-2, 3 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico scored an upset unanimous decision victory over Manuel Jaimes (12-1, 10 KOS) of Stockton, California to capture the WBC Youth Lightweight Title. After eight rounds of action, the judges scored the fight 77-76, 77-76 and 77-75 in favor of the new champion.

Carlos Garcia (10-0, 8 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico scored a brutal first-round knockout victory against David Rangel (13-11, 9 KOs) of Cintalapa, Chiapas, Mexico in a scheduled six-round middleweight bout. Garcia ended the bout at 55 seconds of the opening round.

Jose Luis Vazquez (7-0, 2 KOs) of Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico scored a split decision win against Omar Martinez (4-3, 3 KOs) of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico after six rounds of battle in the lightweight division. One judge scored the fight 58-56 for Martinez, but two others had it 58-56 and 58-57 in Vazquez’s favor.

Gabriel Muratalla (7-0, 4 KOs) of Fontana, Calif. scored a knockout win over Jose Giovanny Pinedo (4-4, 1 KO) of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico in a scheduled six-round super bantamweight clash. Muratalla ended matters at 2:58 of the first round.

Arturo Cortez (6-1-1, 5 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico defeated Carlos Alberto Ocampo (9-4-4, 6 KOs) of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico via second-round technical knockout. The official time of the stoppage was 2:54 of the aforementioned round.

Cristian Cruz (17-6, 7 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico scored a fourth-round technical knockout against Daniel Acosta (9-5, 6 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in a scheduled six-rounder in the lightweight division.

Carlos Flores (23-1, 13 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico captured the WBA Fedecaribe Featherweight Title with a unanimous decision win against Jesus Rendon (15-12, 9 KOs) of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico. Flores won with scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.

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Sosa vs. Vega was a scheduled 10-round battle for the WBO Latino Super Welterweight Championship presented by Toscano Boxing Promotions. The event took place on Friday, April 8 at Zonkeys Auditorium in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico and was streamed live on Pay-Per-View via FITE.TV.

About Toscano Boxing Promotions
Toscano Boxing Promotions is a promoter based out of Stockton, California and founded by Jorge Toscano in 2018. The company has hosted events both in the United States and in Mexico, including the 2021 battle between Anderson Silva and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. The Toscano Boxing stable includes rising stars Damian Sosa, Manuel Jaimes, Jose Alvarado, Jose Carrillo and more.