Popular Bantamweight Christian Carto Back in Action Against Ernesto Sebastian Franzolini on Friday, April 29th at The 2300 Arena
Philadelphia, PA (April4, 2022)–Popular Philadelphia bantamweight Christian Carto will headline a King’s Promotions event on Friday night, April 29th when he takes on Ernesto Sebastian Franzolini in an eight-round bout at The 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.
Carto of Philadelphia is 18-1 with 12 knockouts. The 25 year-old Carto is a six-year professional. Carto, who brings a large and enthusiastic fan base, has wins over Alonso Melendez (14-1) and James Smith (12-1). In his last bout, Carto returned to the ring after a two-and-a-half year hiatus with a first round stoppage over Yeison Vargas on September 10, 2021 at The 2300 Arena.
Franzolini of Buenos Aires, Argentina is 14-12-2 with one knockout. The 33 year-old is a 10-year veteran, and is a former Argentina Super Bantamweight champion. Franzolini has two in a row, with the most recent outing being a unanimous decision win over Sergio Estrela on November 6, 2021 in Buenos Aires. Franzolini will be making his United States debut.
In an eight-round bout, undefeated welterweight Paul Kroll returns to action as he takes on Marklin Bailey.
Kroll, a former United States Olympic Trials champion is 9-0-1 with six knockouts. The 26 year-old Kroll is a six-year professional and has defeated the likes of Shinard Bunch (2-0), Lucas Santamaria (11-1-1) and Mark Dawson (9-0-1). Kroll is coming off a draw with Marquis Taylor (12-1-1) on February 18th in Orlando, Florida. That bout was part of a ShoBox: The New Generation card that was televised live on SHOWTIME.
Bailey of Durham, North Carolina, has a record of 7-7 with four knockouts. The 27 year-old Bailey is also a six-year professional who has wins over Vinny Denierio (1-0) and his last bout when he took a six-round split decision over Kristopher Kyle Harrell (8-1-1) on November 20, 2021 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Bailey has also fought top prospects Alberto Palmetta, Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Xander Zayas.
In six-round bouts:
Junior Welterweight Quadir Albright (5-0, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on Gonzlo Carlos Dallera (10-15).
Lightweight Julian Gonzalez (5-0, 5 KOs), welterweight James Martin (7-3) of Philadelphia and junior welterweight Malik Warren (6-0, 5 KOs) of Baltimore will see action against opponents to be named.
Also in a six-round bantamweight contest, Jeremy Adorno (6-0, 2 KOs) of Allentown, PA will fight John Vera (5-8, 3 KOs) of Miami.
In a four-round welterweight fight, Thanjhae Teasley (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on a n opponent to be named.
Tickets for this terrific evening of boxing are $55, $75, $100 and $150 and can be purchased by Clicking: https://2300arena.showare.com/orderticketsvenue.asp?p=408
Williams dominates Luckey in Hartford to keep perfect record intact
Hartford, CT (April 3) – The homecoming king put on a royal performance Saturday at the Connecticut Convention Center.
Headlining a long day of amateur and professional boxing in front his hometown fans for the first time, unbeaten Hartford super lightweight Mykquan Williams (17-0-1) earned his eighth career knockout win by defeating New Jersey’s Tyrone Luckey (15-17-4) via fifth-round stoppage.
The event, promoted by CES Boxing, featured four pro bouts with Williams closing the show in style with his first knockout victory since 2018. Luckey fought hard, but Williams dominated the bout and controlled the pace throughout, saving his best performance for the fifth round, where a visibly fatigued Luckey had trouble warding off the body shots. Luckey’s corner threw in the towel between rounds, resulting in a victory at the 3-minute mark of the fifth round.
The co-main was as good as advertised as Springfield, MA, featherweight Josh Orta (9-0) eked out 57-57, 59-55, 58-56 majority decision win over tough Puerto Rican challenger Jayron Santiago (8-9-1) to keep his perfect record intact.
The action was intense through all six rounds as both fighters stood toe-to-toe unafraid to exchange. Orta did his best work to the body, but also opened a cut under Santiago’s left eye at the end of the fourth that, while not high enough above the eye to deter Santiago, was enough of a distraction to allow Orta to close out the final two rounds.
Judge Glen Feldman scored it even, but Robin Hayes (59-55) and Peter Hary (58-56) scored in favor of Orta.
Springfield welterweight Jalen Renaud (8-0) also remained unbeaten with a hard-fought 58-56, 59-54, 59-54 unanimous decision win over Philadelphia’s Evincii Dixon (10-29-2).
Renaud boxed circles around Dixon for the first three rounds, working his left jab to set up the straight right while Dixon spent most of his time covering up and looking for an opportunity to counter.
Midway through the fight, Renaud began working the body more consistently and withstood whatever late flurries Dixon had in the gas tank. The end result was a clean sweep that wasn’t as close as it appeared on the cards.
In the opening bout, Hartford bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (9-0) kept his perfect record intact with a decisive, yet competitive, 59-55, 60-54, 60-54 unanimous decision win over 46-fight veteran Ira Terry (27-20) of Memphis.
Gonzalez controlled the pace of the fight and was the aggressor throughout, but Terry kept pressing forward, forcing Gonzalez to use his speed and footwork to stay out of harm’s way. Gonzalez did his best work during the intense, up-close exchanges, working the body effectively and mixing in short uppercuts to momentarily stop Terry’s progress. Gonzalez is now 9-0 and now 2-0 in his hometown, where he also won in September.
Visit CESFights.com for more information. Updates on CES Boxing can also be found on Facebook in addition to Instagram and Twitter by following @CESBoxing.
INFORMATION
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.
Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast’s most ideal location for trade shows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion demanding a dramatic riverfront setting. Overlooking the Connecticut River, the Center is situated in the heart of downtown Hartford’s Front Street District – a rapidly expanding entertainment hub teeming with new restaurants, bistros and entertainment venues. Limitlessly functional and endlessly customizable, the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The Center combines ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches, creating the ideal backdrop for any event.
DELEON DESTROYS HERRERA IN TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE RING AT DETROIT BRAWL IN DEARBORN, MI
Detroit’s undefeated lightweight Erick DeLeon (20-0-1, 12 KOs) made a highly impressive return to the ring tonight (April 2, 2022) against Barranquilla, Colombia’s Hevinson Herrera (27-20-1, 21 KOs).
Fighting in the main event of Salita Promotions’ Detroit Brawl event in the Lincoln Ballroom of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, MI, DeLeon took about a minute to size up the South American before moving in with a blistering two-fisted assault that left Herrera down for the count at 2:48 of round one.
In front of a huge crowd of his supporters, the popular DeLeon, a three-time National Golden Gloves Champion, showed why he has been labeled a potential star since his amateur days by demolishing the seasoned Herrera, who just last year was able to pull of the upset against then 19-1 Courtney Jackson.
“It felt amazing,” said DeLeon, post-fight. “I’m so happy and blessed. Thank you to all my people who came out. I really appreciate all the love and support. This if for you guys. I wasn’t surprised it ended so quickly. I have been working hard and I was ready for this moment. When I connected with that left hand, I knew it was only going to get worse for him.
In a battle of undefeated 175-lb sluggers, WBC #9, IBF #15, WBO #14 light heavyweight Ali Izmailov (8-0, 6 KOs) showed why he’s a world contender in just seven fights with a brutal hammering of Iquique, Chile’s Abraham Tebes (now 7-1, 3 KOs). The pulverizing fists of Izmailov turned the South American’s face to a swollen mask as the rounds progressed. The wild-swinging Tebes tried hard, but Izmailov is in another league and headed for a world-championship fight in the near future. The official verdict was a TKO 4, as Tebes rightly decided to stay on his stool before the round began. Trainer John David Jackson has Izmailov looking like a potential future star.
Las Vegas via Nahariya, Israel, super flyweight David Alaverdian (6-0, 5 KOs) made his United States fighting debut a successful one over Kecskemet, Hungary’s Jeno Tonte (9-10, 8 KOs). A perfectly timed left hook dropped Tonte in round two and the follow-up barrage ended matters. Alaverdian appears to be the real thing. His matrix-like performance had 18-fight veteran Tonte struggling to land a shot while his own shots elicited “oohs” and “ahhs” from the large crowd. Referee Gerard White called off the slaughter at 1:15.
Undefeated Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Joshua “Double J” Pagan (now 2-0, 2 KO) ended his schedule-for-four lightweight about against winless Calvin Glover (0-5) of Chicago at 1:36 of the first round. A wicked left hook to the body left the hapless Glover gasping for breath as the full count was reached. So strong was the fight-ending shot that Glover was still needing assistance to walk several minutes after the fight.
In an eight-round middleweight showdown, undefeated Timur Kerefov (13-0, 7 KOs) made quick work of once-promising veteran Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (21-10-2, 9 KOs), knocking him out at 2:02 of round two with a thunderbolt left hand. Not regarded as a one-punch fighter, the former amateur star Kerefov uncorked the perfect shot that made Pendarvis take a knee and complain about his eye as referee Frank Garza reached the count of 10.
An eight-round heavyweight showdown to open the show broke out into an old-fashioned slugfest between heavyweight prospect and current WBC USNBC Silver Heavyweight Champion Brandon Moore (11-0, 7 KOs) and clever veteran Curtis Harper (13-7, 9 KOs).
The undefeated Moore suffered a serious cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt in round two and the blood streaming down his face seemed to energize Harper into becoming more aggressive. What followed was an entertaining back-and-forth battle with Moore landing more often with more accurate shots and Harper landing enough right-hands to keep things very interesting throughout. Harper lost a point for hitting on the break in round four that he protested vehemently.
In the end, the blood-soaked Moore came away with a hard-fought unanimous decision by “wider than the action” scores of 79-72 80-71 and 80-71. ABOUT THE FORD COMMUNITY & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:
The mission of the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department is to help fulfill the social, educational and recreational needs of children, adults and families by providing quality programs and activities in clean and well-maintained facilities and to achieve this through exemplary customer service. For more information, visit their OFFICIAL SITE.
ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS:
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
MARSHALL FLATTENS HERMANS IN THIRD TO SET UP BIGGEST FIGHT IN HISTORY OF WOMEN’S BOXING
Newcastle, England – (April 2, 2022) – WBO middleweight champion Savannah ‘The Silent Assassin’ Marshall (12-0, 10 KOs) headlined the Utilita Arena, Newcastle on Saturday night in knockout fashion against Femke Hermans (12-4, 5 KOs) setting up the biggest fight in women’s boxing history against the WBC, IBF & WBA middleweight champion Claressa Shields (12-0, 2 KOS).
Marshall proved successful on her third defence as she stalked Hermans throughout the early rounds and calculated her opponent in the process. At the death of the third round Marshall detonated a powerful left hook that knocked Hermans out cold, sending a message to her arch-nemesis ringside.
The Hartlepool fighter trained and mentored by Peter Fury holds the reputation as the most ferocious puncher in women’s boxing and she more than lived up to the hype with her 10th knockout of her professional career.
However, Hermans proved to be no pushover in the build-up to the fight, a former world champion who has fought Shields and taken her 12 rounds, losing respectively in the process.
Many would have been taking this fight as a direct comparison to how Shields and Marshall fared against Hermans. The anticipated fight against Shields next has all boxing fans chomping at the bit, Marshall remains the only fighter to have beaten Shields when she beat her in the amateurs in 2012.
Marshall is considered to be the biggest female puncher on the planet and maybe all time, she becomes the only fighter to have stopped Hermans and the fight against Shields will be one of the biggest fights of the year.
In chief support, ‘The Albanian King’ Florian Marku (11-0-1, 7 KOs) successfully defended his IBF International Welterweight title in his toughest test to date against the former British and Commonwealth titlist Chris Jenkins (23-5-3, 8 KOs).
Lasting just four rounds, the fiery Albanian landed a big right hand that rocked Jenkins heavily with the referee stepping in soon after.
Marku did seem to struggle at times with Jenkins and was often outboxed, Jenkins established his jab early in the fight and relied on the punch to disrupt Marku’s flow throughout the length of the fight.
The victory establishes itself as the best in Marku’s relatively short career with a fight against fellow BOXXER fighter Chris Kongo (13-1, 7 KOs) just around the corner.
Zak Chelli (11-1-1, 6 KOs) returned to boxing duties for the first time in a year with a hard-earned stoppage over late opponent Jack Kilgannon (11-1, 3 KOs) in the sixth round, handing him his first defeat in the process.
A clash of heads occurred in the sixth round with Chelli coming off worse with a huge cut on the hairline, the cut appeared to annoy Chelli, and he unleashed a ferocious overhead right knocking Kilgannon out towards the end of the round.
The super middleweight is no stranger to performing under the BOXXER banner as he won the super middleweight BOXXER tournament in 2020. The 24-year-old will take the momentum of the victory into the rest of year which he will be hoping will see himself challenging for titles.
British boxings latest breakout star Brad Rea (13-0, 5 KOs) added another victory to his journey with BOXXER, defeating a testing opponent in Lukas Ndafoluma (20-5, 10 KOs) on points.
After his emphatic first round stoppage last time out against Craig McCarthy (8-1-1, 2 KOs), Rea took his time in this fight and gained valuable rounds in the process. The referee scored the eight-round bout 78-73 in Rea’s favour.
At the end of the fourth round, Rea switched to the southpaw stance and landed a perfectly timed left cross to counter Ndafoluma’s attack and drop him to the canvas. The punch woke the Newcastle crowd and certainly changed the balance of the fight.
Considered a step up for the 24-year-old from Manchester, the WBA African middleweight champion Ndafoluma proved a worthy opponent and allowed Rea to learn from a different style of opponent.
Hailing from a boxing family, Luke Cope (4-0, 0 KOs) was victorious in his return to the ring beating journeyman Lee Connelly (8-73-6, 0 KOs) over four rounds by unanimous decision, 39-37.
The 24-year-old last fought in March 2019 but due to the pandemic the young super lightweights career suffered. Cope and his team will be hoping for a bright 2022 with lots of activity inside the ring.
Following last October’s upset defeat to Kirstie Bavington (5-2-2, 2 KOs), Newcastle’s own April Hunter (5-1, 0 KOs) returned to winning ways with a 60-54 unanimous decision victory against Ester Konecna (1-15-1, 0 KOs) in the very same arena she lost her unbeaten record.
Switching camps to join forces with Peter Fury and Savannah Marshall, Hunter will be looking to build on this victory and continue her young career in the right direction.
Undefeated British cruiserweight Michael Webster (7-0, 5 KOs) gained his fifth consecutive stoppage victory with an impressive 3rd round stoppage against Erdogan Kadrija (17-5, 11 KOs).
After an up and down fight week with his previous opponent pulling out, Webster was matched with the travelling German Kadrija who boasted an impressive record going into the fight.
The 27-year-old from Middlesbrough must look forward to the next stage in his career as a step-up fight should be next. The heavy-handed cruiserweight has the potential to be a problem in what is one of Britain’s most improved divisions in recent years.
Georgia ‘Geo’ O’Connor (2-0, 0 KOs) continued her young professional career with BOXXER as she defeated Erica Alvarez (2-6, 0 KOs) via a unanimous decision over six rounds.
Formerly with Team GB and a five-time national champion as an amateur, Geo used her boxing ability to convincingly beat the Argentine earlier on the undercard.
Hosea Stewart (2-0, 0 KOs) faced the well-seasoned heavyweight journeyman Phil Williams (4-35-1, 1 KOs) earlier in the night at the Utilita Arena. Stewart, the 24-year-old, took the four scheduled rounds to defeat Williams but made sure he did so with a convincing unanimous decision that the referee scored 40-36.
Matty Harris (2-0, 1 KOs) made easy work of his second professional fight as the young heavyweight crushed Mait Metsis (0-5) in the first round with a beautifully timed right uppercut, that will be remembered as the most brutal knockout of the night.
BOXXER SIGNS OLYMPIC MEDALLISTS LAUREN PRICE MBE AND KARRISS ARTINGSTALL TO EXCLUSIVE LONG-TERM PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENT
Newcastle, England – April 2, 2022 – Having reached the pinnacle of amateur boxing success, Olympic heroines Lauren Price MBE and Karriss Artingstall will now enter the professional ranks under the BOXXER banner, it was announced today.
With fellow Olympians Claressa Shields, Caroline Dubois and Tasha Jonas in attendance, Price and Artingstall were unveiled as the newest signings to the roster today at a press conference held in Newcastle’s Utilita Arena prior to tonight’s BOXXER event, which is headlined by WBO World Middleweight Champion Savannah Marshall.
The signing of Price and Artingstall to exclusive long-term promotional agreements confirms BOXXER as the home of the world’s strongest stable of professional female boxers and Sky Sports as the biggest platform for the women’s side of the sport.
Born and raised in Wales, Price was an outstanding athlete from a young age and achieved success across several sports before deciding to focus exclusively on boxing. She played professional football for several years with Cardiff City and also captained the Welsh Under-19 national team.
Her 2014 decision to dedicate herself entirely to boxing met with immediate reward at the 2014 Commonwealth Games when she became the first Welshwoman ever to win a boxing medal at the games. Her 2014 bronze medal was surpassed four years later when she won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, followed by a gold at the 2019 World Championships.
The crowning glory of her amateur career came at the 2020 Summer Olympics, when she won a gold medal for Great Britain in the middleweight division. In recognition of her incredible achievements, Price was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours list.
Macclesfield’s Artingstall – a gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery – also medalled at the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning bronze in the highly competitive women’s featherweight division after a close loss in the semi-finals.
A year prior, she won two medals for England, taking silver in the 2019 European Championships and bronze in the World Championships, those medals joining a haul which also includes gold medals from the 2018 Elite Championships and the 2012 and 2013 Junior Championships.
Adding to the historic nature of their individual achievements, Price and Artingstall – who are partners outside the training room – made history together as the first same-sex couple to win Olympic medals in boxing and now make history again as the first such couple to sign with a major professional boxing promotion.
“I’m really delighted to sign with BOXXER as Ben Shalom seems to be stamping his authority as a promoter in the boxing scene, especially on the female side of things,” said Price.
“As an amateur I ticked every box, winning consecutive golds at the Commonwealth Games, Europeans, Worlds and Olympics. Sky Sports is a massive platform with all the ingredients to turn someone like myself into a superstar so I can’t wait to get the show on the road and aim for those world titles!”
Artingstall commented, “I think I’ve 100% made the right decision in teaming up with BOXXER as I push forward into the pro ranks. BOXXER and Ben Shalom are doing wonders for the sport right now and I can’t wait to see where this journey goes.”
“I’ve achieved more than most in the amateurs and I’m more than ready to work my way up to world titles on the biggest and best platform of them all, Sky Sports Boxing.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom remarked, “We are proud and excited to welcome two athletes who have achieved such incredible things and we look forward to achieving more incredible things together as Lauren Price and Karriss Artingstall set out with BOXXER and Sky Sports on their quests for professional honours.”
“This is one of the most exciting announcements yet in the flourishing Sky/Boxxer partnership. We have been massively pushing for this key double signing and we believe we have struck gold here,” said Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development.
“Lauren brought that ultimate medal back from Tokyo while Karriss brought home Bronze. They have the highest of skills and power and they ooze charisma. We will do everything we can to give them the biggest of platforms to become major stars.
“The signing of Lauren and Karriss – joining the likes of Savannah, Claressa, Tasha and Caroline on Sky surely means we have the leading female stable globally. Ben Shalom and I couldn’t be more happy with the brightest of futures for our fabulous women!”
Erick DeLeon Takes on Hevinson Herrera TONIGHT in Detroit
New York, NY (April 2, 2022)- Undefeated Erick DeLeon is back in action when he takes on veteran Hevinson Herrera in a eight-round welterweight bout at The Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Detroit.
DeLeon, 30 years-old, and is managed by Split-T Management is 19-0-1 with 11 knockouts.
The 10 year-professional has racked up wins over Fidel Navarrete (8-1-2), Jose Salinas (10-2-1), Daulis Prescott (31-4), Adrian Yung (25-2) and his last outing when he stopped Jose Gallegos in seven rounds on March 23, 2019 in Costa Mesa, California.
Herrera, 37 of Barranquilla, Colombia is 27-19-1 with 22 knockouts. A17 year-veteran, Herrera has been in with many top contenders, has wins over Evaristo Valdes (3-0) and Courtney Jackson (23-1). Herrera has won two in a row which started with the win over Jackson. He followed that up with a second round stoppage over Gustavo Sandoval on September 10, 2021 in Colombia.
DeLeon weighed 148.6 lbs. Herrera was 143.8 lbs.
DeLeon is promoted by Salita Promotions.
LIVE VIDEO: EDUARDO SUGAR NUNEZ VS ADRIAN PACHECHO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wegSqU7jbMk
Sandor Martin Decisions Jose Felix
Sandor Martin followed up his big upset win over Mikey Garcia with a 10-round unanimous decision over Felix in a junior welterweight bout in Spain.
Martin of Barcelona, Spain won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 40-2. Felix of Los Mochis, MEX is 39-6-1.
Carmona Holds on and Decisions Cordova
Samuel Carmona remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Joel Cordova in a super flyweight bout.
After being rocked hard in round eight, Carmona landed a perfect straight left that put Cordova on the seat of his pants. In round 10, Carmona was bleeding from his nose and left eye.
Carmona won by score4s of 97-93, 96-93 and 96-94 and is now 7-0. Cordova of Ciudad, MEX is 13-6-2.
Obregon Decisions Lomotey
Jhon Jader Obregon won a eight-round unanimous decision over Kyle Lomotey in a fight featuring undefeated middleweights.
In round five, Lomotey was deducted a point for leading with his head. In the same round, Lometey’s left eye began to close.
Obregun of Bilbao, SPA won by scores of 80-71, 78-73 and 77-73 and is now 10-0. Lomotey of Leigh, ENG is 10-1.
Guanini Decisions Levi
Former world champion Jorgelina Guanini won an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Stevi Levi in a super bantamweight bout.
Levi had blood from her nose.
Guanini of Buenos Airies, ARG won by scores of 80-73, 79-73 and 79-75 and is now 10-4-1. Levi of England is 5-1.
Bolotniks Decisions Sep
Ricards Bolotniks won an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Hrvoje Sep in a lightweight heavyweight bout.
Bolotniks of Latvia won by scores of 78-75 twice and 77-75 and is now 19-6-1. Sep is now 11-1
MARSHALL ON WEIGHT FOR WBO WORLD TITLE DEFENCE IN NEWCASTLE
Newcastle, England – (April 2, 2022) – Tempers boiled over at today’s BOXXER Newcastle: Marshall vs Hermans official weigh-ins today when Florian Marku, the defending IBF International Welterweight Champion, faced off with challenger Chris Jenkins.
Marku had strong but inaudible words for Jenkins, prompting Jenkins to sarcastically blow him a kiss in response. This incensed the Albanian champion; he grabbed Jenkins by the throat, forcing security to intervene quickly and separate the two enraged fighters.
All fighters made weight at the first attempt today, including WBO World Middleweight Champion Savannah Marshall, who defends her title against former champion Femke Hermans in the headline bout of tomorrow night’s event, live on Sky Sports.
Below please find today’s official weights and the running order for tomorrow night’s event:
FIGHT #1: 17:00
6×3 Mins Welterweight Contest
Michael Likalu 11st 3lb 8oz (157 v Carl Turney 11st 2lb (156lb)
FACEBOOK SKY SPORTS BOXING LIVE STREAM: 17.30 (approx)
FIGHT #2
4×3 Mins Heavyweight Contest
Matty Harris 18st 8lb (260lb) v Matt Metsis 16st 8lb (232lb)
FIGHT #3
4×3 Mins Heavyweight Contest
Hosea Stewart 24st 8lb (344lb) v Phil Williams 18st 1lb (253lb)
WBO INTERNATIONAL SUPER middleweight champion Zach Parker, along with his promoter Frank Warren and manager Neil Marsh, convened at the BT Sport Studios for the opening press conference ahead of his challenge for the WBO Interim world title against the unbeaten two-weight world champion Demetrius Andrade on May 21.
Pride Park Stadium, the home of Derby County Football Club will play host to the spectacular event.
Andrade, who is awaiting a passport renewal, joined proceedings over Zoom and below is a selection of key quotes from the media gathering.
Photos from the press conference can be downloaded here.
Frank Warren “On a number of fronts it was important to win the purse bid for this fight. It is for the Interim title so for the winner there is Canelo – who is the current champion – fighting next at light heavyweight. Is he going to stay at that weight where the winner of this will get a shot at him because the mandatory will be due. If he gives up the title the winner of this Interim title will be installed as champion.
“From the perspective of Zach I was determined to win the purse bid and give him every opportunity I can because he is with us and is a joy to work with. He has been No.1 with the WBO for quite a while now and is only 27 years of age. He is not only fighting in his hometown, he is fighting at Pride Park, home of his local football club. The reason we are putting it on there is because I want the fans in Derby to get behind him and I am a big believer in trying to get every advantage you can for your fighter.
“Demetrius is a two-weight, three-time world champion who is moving up to super middleweight, while I feel Zach is bordering on being a light heavyweight. He is very underestimated in my opinion as a boxer. We know he can punch and I hope the advantages we have secured will translate to a win for him on the night against a real good quality fighter in Demetrius, who we all respect.”
Zach Parker “This is the biggest fight of my career and I am going to take it with both hands. He is a two-weight world champion but he is getting on a bit now and I just think it is my time because I am up and coming.
“I want to say thanks to Frank Warren and all my team for getting behind me and getting this in Derby, especially at my football club at Pride Park. I am just looking forward to the fight now.
“I think everything is going in my favour, Obviously I am young, it is happening in my backyard and the reaction from the crowd has been huge. It will favour me and I will show it on fight night.
“He is coming up a weight and I just think I am too big and too strong. You’ve seen in other fights he’s been hurt. When I land I won’t let up and I will get him out of there.”
Demetrius Andrade “I can’t wait to get over to England and I believe Frank Warren is going to do a great job getting the Derby fans and my fans as well into the stadium. It will be a great fight, I can’t wait to showcase my skills and talent and put on a great performance.
“I am excited to be coming over because I am a world champ who has travelled all over the world and been in the lion’s den plenty of times. Who am I to say I am the best if I can’t go to someone’s back yard and give him an arse-whooping. That is just how it is. Anybody else who lost a purse bid might have pulled out and gone a different route, but that is not me and Zach is going to get the opportunity to have the biggest fight of his life.
“It is a great opportunity for him, for me, and the best will move on and forward. This is the fight game so anyone I get in the ring with I am going to lay hands on and bash up. I look at Zach as a young kid trying to make a name for himself and he is going to bring his A-game and the best performance of his life against me.
“Hopefully he brings out the best in me and we have a great performance.”
Neil Marsh “Me and Zach have been together for six years now and it has been tough getting here. He’d be a much bigger name now if the previous people had promoted him correctly and 14-15 months ago we were looking for a promoter who could take us all the way to the top. We didn’t speak to any other promoter because it was Frank Warren who we wanted to lead us into this next chapter.
“You only need to look at Frank’s history to know why we signed with him. He honoured his word and got us the development fights and collectively as a team we believe Zach is ready to go. We are not underestimating Demetrius, who is avoided in the US and I think people could have done a better job for him, hence why he has entered into this agreement with Zach Parker.
“Boxing is about timing and this kid here deserves every bit of spotlight he is going to get. The kid is a beast and, because people haven’t seen him on the big stage enough, there is a question mark over him. Let’s be honest, Demetrius’ passport has expired because he didn’t expect to be coming to England. No disrespect, but I think he has got greedy and they are all thinking about Canelo money.
“He is going to come to Derby and meet Zach Parker, who is not Liam Williams or Brian Rose. This is a real ding-dong of a fight and my man is going to come out on top.”
Tickets for Parker v Andrade start from £55 and are available exclusively from dcfc.co.uk with £10 from every ticket sold going to DCFC to help the club through the current financial hardship.
Secure your place to support Zach and the club on a not-to-be-missed night at the Pride Park Stadium!
A full undercard will be announced in due course.
Please Note: This event is subject to contract and licence approval.
LIVE BOXING: Emiliano Marsili vs Frank Urquaiaga
Weights from Rosemont, Illinois
Chicago, IL.-Weights for Friday Night’s Hitz Boxing card at The Dome at The Ballpark in Rosemont, Il
Jimmy Quiter 170.5 – Miraday Lubanzadio 170 Joe Ward 174 – Oscar Riojas 172 Daniel Buenaventura 135 – Yamin Muhammad 133.5 Dawid Bosak 164.5 – Turner Williams 172 Jorge Perez 133.5 – Don Stewart 133.5 Deontae Pettigrew 291 – Kaleb Slaughter 256 Sarah French 146 – Deborah Willies 147 Javier Rivera 115 – TBA
Promoter: Hitz Boxing: Venue: The Dome at The Ballpark in Rosemont, Illinois 1st Bell: 7:30 PM Central; 8:30 PM ET Stream: BXNGTV.com
Photo by Tom Barnes / Hitz Boxing
Tickets Begin at $50 and can be purchased at the following:
GERMAN STARS RADOVAN AND HAMMER HEADLINE WASSERMAN BOXING AND PROBELLUM FIGHT NIGHT IN COLOGNE ON APRIL 30
Two of Germany’s biggest boxing stars, the world ranked Denis Radovan (15-0-1, 7 KOs) and former two-weight World Champion Christina Hammer (27-1, 13 KOs) will headline a huge night of action at the Sartory-Saal in Cologne on Saturday April 30 promoted by Wasserman Boxing and Probellum.
Radovan, who sits at #4 in the IBF World Middleweight rankings, can continue his push for world glory when he fights for the first time in his hometown of Cologne. The 29-year-old returns following a successful defence of his IBF European Title against British challenger Brian Rose on December 3, 2021.
“To finally get the chance to fight in front of my home fans in Cologne will be a great honour. Thank you to my promoter Wasserman Boxing for making this possible,” said Radovan. “I will be well prepared to defend my title in front of lots of spectators at the Sartory-Saal on April 30.”
Hammer is one of the most successful female boxers of all time. The 31-year-old from Dortmund held the WBO World Middleweight Title for an incredible nine-years, while also claiming the WBC World Middleweight and WBO World Super Middleweight belts during her reign. Returning to action after a TKO win over Daniele Bastieri, who dislocated her shoulder in the first round of their contest, ‘Lady Hammer’ has her sights set on recapturing world honours.
“I’m excited to get back in the ring,” said Hammer. “I hope for a little longer this time after my opponent injured herself very early in my last fight. I need the challenge and activity to get closer to my goal of a fighting for the World Title again. I’m looking forward to boxing in Cologne, which is not far from my hometown so my fans from Dortmund will certainly be there to support me.”
“Together with our partners we have set out to rejuvenate German boxing and this is already our third event within five months,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland. “We have a deep connection to Cologne, the Sauerland Event boxing stable was founded here in 2000, and now we’re excited to be back bringing a world class fight night to the city with local hero Denis Radovan as the main event.”
Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum, adds: “This is the latest in a series of high-profile events we have been staging with Wasserman Boxing in Germany. With Denis Radovan and Christina Hammer we already have two fantastic athletes in action and with more exciting names to follow, this promises to be the best event yet. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Wasserman and to continue to deliver spectacular events for the German market.”
Tickets for Wasserman Boxing and Probellum fight night in Cologne on April 30 are on sale now and available via www.wassermanboxing.com.
Kambosos and Haney Battle for It All, June 4, Live on ESPN
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MELBOURNE, Australia (March 31, 2022) — The Emperor, and his new belts, are coming home.
Australia’s “Ferocious” George Kambosos Jr., the WBO/WBA/IBF/WBC Franchise/Ring Magazine lightweight world champion, will battle WBC world champion Devin “The Dream” Haney for Melbourne Supremacy and the undisputed championship Saturday, June 4, at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. Kambosos-Haney will be broadcast in prime time, live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+.
Kambosos, who was born and raised in Sydney, returns to the friendly Down Under confines for the most significant boxing match in Australian history. Event organizers hope to break the Australian attendance record of 51,026 set by the 2017 Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn super fight in Brisbane. Kambosos is of Greek descent, and Melbourne has the world’s largest Greek population outside of Greece.
Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Ferocious Promotions, Top Rank, Devin Haney Promotions, Duco Events and TEG Sport, undercard bouts and ticketing details will be announced shortly. Devin Haney Promotions recently entered into a multi-fight co-promotional pact with DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank.
Kambosos said, “After five years of chasing championship glory abroad and fighting in enemy territory, I return home to defend what I have conquered in the boxing world, my world lightweight titles. Everything I have put my mind to and manifested has come true with my relentless hard work, dedication and discipline to the sport I love. I have always said I would become world champion the hard way, fighting abroad and then bring back a mega stadium fight to make my world title defense. On June 4 at the amazing 60,000+ seat Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, I get to do just that at home in Australia’s biggest boxing event ever, when I defend my IBF, WBO, WBA, WBC Franchise and Ring Magazine lightweight world titles against Devin Haney, who will be putting up his version of his WBC title. I am very excited and hungry to continue building my legacy, and I will be victorious by any means necessary on June 4 when Haney steps up into the lion’s den of Marvel Stadium against this Aussie Greek lion. I will take not only his belt but put a serious dent in his young career.”
“The Emperor, George Kambosos, is a different breed. He sought out the challenge of Vasiliy Lomachenko to give the people of Australia the biggest event possible. When duty to country made ‘Loma’ unavailable, George demanded the biggest event possible and greatest challenge in Devin Haney,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “June 4 will be epic. Credit goes to George for his unprecedented drive to greatness and to Devin Haney for being a man of his word and accepting the final lightweight unification for boxing fans worldwide. Great appreciation to the Victorian Government for their patience and unwavering commitment to bringing this mega event to Marvel Stadium in the beautiful city of Melbourne. As George is proud of his Greek ancestry and Australian roots, Melbourne, which has a large and vibrant Greek community, is the perfect city for this Spartan warrior to defend his belts. Melbourne has hosted the Olympics, is home to the Australian Open, among other huge events, and Kambosos-Haney will rock Marvel Stadium.”
“Since 2017, when George and I began working together, he had expressed his desire to fight overseas in order to accomplish his goal of winning the lightweight world title,” said Peter Kahn, Kambosos’ manager. “He said he would bring the belt, in this case, belts, back to Australia and pack a stadium for his first defense. Five years later, that is exactly what he is doing on June 4 when he faces Devin Haney for the undisputed lightweight championship of the world in Melbourne, Australia.”
Haney said, “First and foremost, I’d like to give all praise to Allah. Without him, none of this is possible. Secondly, I’d like to thank my father and trainer, Bill Haney, who is my rock, and my team and family for their support and countless sacrifices throughout this journey. Thank you to Lou DiBella, Bob Arum and ESPN for giving us this huge platform and the opportunity of a lifetime. I’d also like to give a special thanks to the Victorian Government and officials for hosting this event. I began my career fighting in small bars in Mexico. Now I’m on the cusp of greatness showcasing my skills on the world’s stage fighting for lightweight supremacy. I didn’t come this far to only come this far. Come June 4, I claim my place in history and add to my legacy! Undisputed lightweight king… I’m coming for all the belts!
“Traveling more than 8,000 miles to Melbourne is nothing compared to the journey Team Haney has been on since Devin turned pro nearly seven years ago at a pool hall in Tijuana, Mexico,” Bill Haney said. “I always knew Devin was destined for greatness. On June 4, he will show the Australian people, along with all the boxing fans around the world, that he is the best lightweight in the world. Devin is the most avoided fighter in the division. For Kambosos to step up and face the challenge is commendable. Foolish, but commendable. History will soon be made.”
“We are ecstatic to be bringing the undisputed lightweight championship to the beautiful city of Melbourne,” said Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank. “George Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney demanded this fight, and it will be a historic night of boxing that will capture the attention of fans from around the world.”
“A matchup of this magnitude is destined to become the largest boxing event in Australian history, and Melbourne is undoubtedly the perfect host city with a rich history of delivering world class and globally recognized sporting event,” said David Higgins, Founder and Managing Director of Duco Events. “With the undisputed world championship of the lightweight division on the line, Melbourne will witness an epic battle of two incredible sportsmen at the peak of their powers.”
“This will be the biggest boxing contest of the year and will bring thousands of fans to Melbourne,” said Jaala Pulford, Victoria’s Minister for Employment.
Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) turned pro in 2013 and fought his first 13 bouts in Australia before embarking on a road warrior existence. He earned his shot at the lightweight title with an October 2020 victory over British former world champion Lee Selby in London. Thirteen months later, he traveled to New York City and stunned 10-to-1 favorite Teofimo Lopez by split decision in a 12-round barnburner to become the unified lightweight champion. Kambosos knocked down Lopez in the opening round, survived a 10th-round knockdown, and then came back with a furious late charge in the championship rounds to cement the victory. Kambosos won ESPN.com Upset of the Year honors for his effort, catapulted up the pound-for-pound rankings, and became an instant superstar in Australia. Rather than take a tune-up title defense, Kambosos insisted on bringing a mega-event to his homeland. He had a dream, and he turned to a 23-year-old prodigy to bring ultimate clarity to the lightweight division.
Haney (27-0, 15 KOs), a Las Vegas resident who won seven national titles as an amateur, was pegged for superstardom upon turning pro less than a month after his 17th birthday in December 2015. He made his U.S. debut in April 2016 on the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley III undercard in Las Vegas. Before he hit the legal U.S. drinking age, Haney ascended the ranks with one-sided victories over veteran contenders Mason Menard, Juan Carlos Burgos, and Antonio Moran. His knockout over Moran was picked as the ESPN.com 2019 Knockout of the Year. Haney won the WBC Interim lightweight title over Zaur Abdullaev in September 2019 and was soon elevated to full champion status. He has defended the green belt four times and has toppled former world champions in his last three outings. In 2021, Haney authored the two signature wins of his career as a Las Vegas headliner. He outboxed three-weight kingpin Jorge Linares over 12 rounds in May and followed that up with a clear points victory over former junior lightweight champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. in December.
CORPORATE HOSPITALITY PACKAGES INCLUDING RINGSIDE SEATS
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!
DALLAS (March 31, 2022) – Unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr., a Desoto, Texas-native, declared that he is “on point” physically during a media workout in Dallas on Thursday ahead of his 147-pound title unification clash against WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugas taking place Saturday, April 16 live on SHOWTIME PPV in a Premier Boxing Champions event from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Responding to a statement made Wednesday by Ugas’ trainer Ismael Salas that he was a “different” fighter in his first fight back after a 2019 car accident, Spence smiled and said he was now in better shape physically and mentally and that Ugas’ trainer would soon see.
Just the 12th unification fight in the rich history of the welterweight division, Spence vs. Ugas will join other classic unification matchups at the weight class such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns I and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. Spence will look to add a third welterweight championship belt to his resume when he returns to fight at AT&T Stadium in front of his hometown fans for the third time.
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.
Spence held his media workout at World Class Boxing Gym alongside his longtime trainer Derrick James. The workout streamed live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and can be watched in its entirety HERE. Ugas hosted a live streamed media workout on Wednesday in Las Vegas, which can be watched HERE.
Here is what Spence and James had to say Thursday:
ERROL SPENCE JR.
“I’m feeling good and I’m ready to go. This layoff was easier for me after the injury than the one after the accident because it was a lot less stress on my body. Mentally I was also prepared for what I was going to go through. I had been back in training before camp started for this fight so I’m ready.
“Even half of me would beat most of these guys at the top level. I feel great now and I’m 100%. Physically I’m on point and everything feels real regular. If Ugas’ trainer (Ismael Salas) thinks I’m a different fighter now, we’ll see in two and half weeks how different I am.
“Training camp has been great. I’ve had great sparring partners and we’ve been focused. I got a nutritionist and it’s made the weight cut much easier for me.
“I have everything in my arsenal. Whatever Ugas brings to the table, I’m ready for it. I’m going to dictate the pace and control everything. I’m making him fight my fight.
“From what I’ve seen, Ugas is very physical and very tough. He was waving Shawn Porter forward, so you know he has that fighter spirit inside of him.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of work and I’m not worried about my eye at all. It actually feels stronger than the other one. I’m just making sure that I’m 100% on point with everything.
“I’m not looking to say anything to the rest of the division. I’m going to send my message with my performance. When I have three belts, everyone is going to know what that means.
“I watched the Ugas vs. Manny Pacquiao fight live but I haven’t watched it since then. I thought the way that fight went was more because of Pacquiao being a shell of himself.
“I’ve been looking forward to this fight since I had to drop out of the Pacquiao bout. I knew I would be fighting the winner, and now I’ve got Ugas in front of me. He’s a tough champion who’s been through a lot in his life.
“I can’t sit back and fight a tune-up fight right now. I want to go straight in with the sharks. Ugas is going to push me to another level and that’s what I want. I knew that if I was fighting a tune-up I could sneak snacks in at night and stuff like that. I’m fighting someone on my level.
“Ugas is living the ‘American Dream’ and he wants to keep living the ‘American Dream’. His challenge is beating me and I want his belt.
“Those Mexican fans are a huge part of Texas and I love fighting in front of them. I’m planning on giving them the kind of amazing fight they love.”
DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer
“Camp has been great. Errol’s working hard and looking strong. We’ve had some very quick, very sharp and physical sparring partners. They’re keeping him on his toes and when he isn’t coming 100%, they’ll let him know it.
“I think the only difference with Errol between the Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia fights was the strategy and fight style he was using. Errol is doing great. We haven’t even thought about the eye. It’s not an issue.
“Errol has known this fight was coming for a long time, so he’s been training for months and months and has been prepared mentally.
“I never think about a matchup with a trainer but I’m excited to be up against a great trainer. He took down Manny Pacquiao so we’re going to be 100% ready.
“To be able to have Errol fight at AT&T Stadium is amazing because it just shows his progression and maturation as a fighter. For a young fighter like Errol, it’s a dream come true. We can’t wait.
“Other than the fight, that ring walk at AT&T Stadium is the best part of the fight. To go out there and be embraced by the fans like that, it’s crazy. It’s going to be a special moment on April 16.
“You’re going to see Errol in his top form in this fight. He’s coming to handle business. We’re not taking Ugas for granted at all. He’s very smart and has a great corner. We’re going to go skill for skill. There’s a true prize to be attained in this one.”
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. UGAS Spence vs. Ugas will see WBC and IBF world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas square off in a welterweight title unification clash that headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and 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.
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.
LIVE VIDEO: KAMBOSOS JR. – HANEY PRESS CONFERENCE
Saturday: Yuliahn Luna-Mayeli Flores Bantamweight World Title Bout Headlines Mexico Fight Night Streaming LIVE on ESPN+
(March 31, 2022) — WBC female bantamweight world champion Yuliahn “Cobrita” Luna will make her first world title defense against undefeated contender Mayeli Flores this Saturday, April 2 at BUAP Arena in Puebla, Mexico.
Luna-Flores and select undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Luna (22-3-1, 4 KOs) had a brief run as IBF junior featherweight world champion from 2014-2015 and ultimately settled at bantamweight, where she received a shot at long-reigning champion Mariana Juarez in October 2020. She defeated Juarez in dominant fashion and then notched a pair of one-sided wins in non-title bouts in 2021. Flores (8-0-1, 3 KOs) has won four straight bouts since the lone draw on her ledger.
In undercard action on ESPN+: Lightweight contender Oscar Duarte (21-1-1, 16 KOs), who is riding a string of six straight knockouts since a split decision loss to Adrian Estrella, will fight Argentina native Fernando Cancino (11-9-1, 3 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Cancino, a seven-year pro, has never been knocked out.
In an eight-round junior featherweight bout, Mexico City-born knockout artist Bryan Mercado (20-1, 15 KOs) makes his 2022 debut versus Pedro Tut (21-1, 6 KOs), winner of 16 straight fights.
The ESPN+ stream will begin with a six-round featherweight tilt, as 21-year-old phenom Edgar Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against Agustin Perez (6-3-1, 3 KOs). 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 21.3 million subscribers. ?? 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).
VIDEO: ALL ACCESS: Spence vs. Ugas | Ep. 1 Teaser | SATURDAY at 9:30PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eewFcbyU1eY
O’QUINN’S READY FOR DETROIT RETURN
Lee Baxter Promotions is proud to announce our next event, ‘Broadway Boxing’ in association with DiBella Entertainment and Day 1 Records, on April 15 at the Garden Theater, Detroit. Next Generation will be streamed live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass®, starting at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT. Headlining the event is heavyweights Mike Balogum (18-0 14 KO’s) and Ahmed Hefny (13-2 5 KO’s). The co-feature for Next Generation is an 8 round bantamweight matchup between Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-1-1 8 KO’s) and Jobert Alvarez (20-2-2 7 KO’s).
“I love the challenge of going into a new territory, especially one with such deep roots in boxing like Detroit, who better to do it with then Lou DiBella” said President Lee Baxter. On April 15, boxing fans in attendance, and those watching on UFC Fight Pass®, will get to see a pair of undefeated heavyweight prospects Mike Balogun and Michael Pirotton-Bamogo, as well as the talented super featherweight Joshafat Ortiz and popular, local prospects. “I am excited to work with Lee Baxter to help bring Broadway Boxing to Detroit, a great city with a passionate fan base, famous for its deep boxing history and home to the legendary Kronk Gym,” said International Boxing Hall-of-Famer and President of DiBella Entertainment, Lou DiBella.
Detroit’s very own, Ja’Rico O’Quinn, is back in action and looking to get back to winning ways after his first professional defeat back in September 2021. The highly rated and decorated amateur is looking to give an impressive performance as he co-features the event and boxes in Detroit for the first time since February 2019. O’Quinn is the former WBO International Flyweight Champion and is hoping for a win against Jobert Alvarez to boost him up the rankings.
Filipino boxer Jobert Alvarez is unbeaten in his last 6 fights holding a record of 22-2 and wants to continue his unbeaten streak against O’Quinn. Alvarez, who hails from Manile, Phillipines, is ready to give the fans a fight to remember. His most notable win is the current WBO world light flyweight champion Jonathan Gonzalez
Also on the card will be
Joshafat Ortiz (9-0 5 KO’s) vs Derrick Murray (15-4-1 5 KO’s) Michael Pirotton (5-0 2 KO’s) vs Jonathan Gruber (3-0 2 KO’s) Sean Brewer (2-0 1 KO) vs TBA
Tickets for the ‘Next Generation’ at the Garden Theater start at $65 and are out NOW. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite HERE. The doors open at 6:30pm ET, with the first match starting at 7:00pm ET. The address for the Garden Theater is 3929 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201.
For those who are unable to attend the event, join us on the UFC Fight Pass to watch what is promising to be a great night of boxing.
ERICKSON LUBIN TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
LAS VEGAS (March 31, 2022) – Top super welterweight contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin will look to “rewrite history” and move one step closer to becoming a world champion when he faces undefeated Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora in their eagerly-anticipated showdown for the WBC Super Welterweight Interim Title on Saturday, April 9 live on SHOWTIME in a Premier Boxing Champions event from the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton.
Lubin shared insights into his training camp and previewed his upcoming matchup with Fundora, which represents another chance for the Floridian to move towards a second title opportunity after a 2017 defeat to Jermell Charlo.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.
Since that loss, Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) has put together an impressive six-bout winning streak, most recently knocking out former unified 154-pound champion Jeison Rosario in June. Now, Lubin will face literally his tallest test in Fundora, a rising contender who stands at 6-foot-6 while possessing strong boxing skills and a willingness to mix it up on the inside.
Here is what Lubin had to say about training camp, Fundora and more:
On his camp in Las Vegas:
“This is the next step in my career to secure my shot at the title, so I took my training to the next level. I moved my whole camp to Las Vegas, to avoid all distractions. This is a career-defining moment for me, and a chance for me to rewrite history after my first world title fight. I want to be a world champion and to do that, I must sacrifice some of my comforts. My trainer Kevin Cunningham has also made some major additions to my training regimen and the hard work will be on display when I step in the ring.”
On his matchup with Fundora:
“I think he’s a very tough challenge for anybody in the division. He comes to fight and is always in tremendous shape. Fundora is tall and rangy but likes to fight in close quarters, which should make for a fan friendly and exciting fight. I’m in the best shape of my life and I know he’s going to be at his best for this fight. On April 9, I will not be denied.”
On fighting for the WBC Super Welterweight Interim Title:
“I have worked hard, taken on tough opponents, and climbed back to where I once was, and the WBC noticed what I did. By doing that, I am now able to take the next step to fulfill my dream when I started – which is becoming a world champion. Nothing in boxing is given to any fighter, and to become a world champion I must face one of the best emerging fighters in boxing. I’m ready!”
On fighting In Las Vegas on SHOWTIME:
“Fighting on a premier network like SHOWTIME, in the fight capital of the world, is a dream come true. I grew up watching fights on SHOWTIME on Saturday night and now a new generation of young fighters will see me in that position. If ever I need motivation, thinking about this situation gives me all the motivation I need. I won’t say I made it, but it truly shows me that with hard work, anything is possible.”
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ABOUT LUBIN VS. FUNDORA Lubin vs. Fundora will see top super welterweight contenders Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora square off for the WBC Super Welterweight Interim Title headlining action live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, April 9 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features former super welterweight world champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison taking on highly regarded contender Sergio Garcia in the 10-round co-main event, plus unbeaten super welterweight Kevin Salgado battling Bryant Perrella in the 10-round telecast opener.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #LubinFundora, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.
About Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a reimagined and re-conceptualized casino resort. The property is part of Curio Collection by Hilton and has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award in its first year of operation. The integrated resort intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture and features three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 Chambers and suites; the 60,000 sq. ft. Mohegan Sun Casino, operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment; a five-acre desert pool oasis including Élia Beach Club and a multi-functional event lawn; live music and entertainment theater with 4,500 capacity operated by AEG Presents; 24 Oxford showroom accommodating 650 guests; an exclusive portfolio of twelve food and beverage venues including Todd English’s Olives, Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, the legendary Nobu, Michael Morton and David Morton’s ONE Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House from restauranteur Nick Mathers, Casa Calavera by global hospitality company TAO Group, the sports entertainment, daylife and nightlife venue Money, Baby! from Justin Massei and Mikis Troyan of Clive Collective, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars including The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The property is owned by JC Hospitality, LLC, in partnership with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development. The off-Strip playground is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit www.virginhotelslv.com.
About Virgin Hotels Virgin Hotels is a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service and a personalized hotel experience inspired by the innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for over 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music, design, and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. The current portfolio includes five hotels—Virgin Hotels Chicago, Virgin Hotels Dallas, and Virgin Hotels Nashville, all voted in the top ten Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards in 2021, and newly opened Virgin Hotels New Orleans and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Locations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and New York City are scheduled to debut in 2022, followed by Miami in 2025. In addition, Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel, conversions, and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, Seattle, London, and more.
About Curio Collection by Hilton Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of more than 115 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts in nearly 30 countries and territories. Curio Collection properties offer guests authentic, curated experiences through distinctly local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors. Experience a positive stay at Curio Collection by Hilton by booking at curiocollection.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Curio Collection by Hilton at newsroom.hilton.com/curio, and follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
LIVE VIDEO: ERROL SPENCE JR. MEDIA WORKOUT
SAVANNAH MARSHALL STARES DOWN WITH FEMKE HERMANS AT ST JAMES PARK, HOME OF NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
Savannah Marshall says she has “tunnel vision” going into this Saturday’s defence of her WBO World Middleweight Title defence against Femke Hermans, the former WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion.
Marshall headlines the BOXXER card taking place at Newcastle Utilita Arena, live on Sky Sports, knowing that a win will set up a showdown with bitter rival Claressa Shields, an encounter which would be the biggest fight in the history of women’s boxing.
The defending champion is immune to distraction however and is not looking past this Saturday’s bout against the hard-hitting Hermans.
SAVANNAH MARSHALL
“I’ve got tunnel vision when it comes to who I’m fighting. I know I can’t overlook Femke. This is definitely my toughest fight to date. She’s a former world champion, she’s only ever been beaten by world champions so I’m expecting a tough fight.”
“Everyone keeps asking how I can focus on Femke when everyone is talking about Claressa. But the thing is, everyone’s been talking about Claressa for the past four years. She’s always been creeping about in the background for me, this is nothing new.
“[A win on Saturday means there is] nothing stopping setting up a massive fight between me and Claressa in the summer.”
FEMKE HERMANS
“I’m in very good shape, I’ve had a great training camp, everything has fallen together in the last month and I am ready to kick some ass on Saturday.”
“I’m going to do everything I can on Saturday. For me it’s a big chance to get back at the highest level after some difficult years. I’m going to give everything on Saturday so I can take the belt home so I can be the WBO champion in two different weight classes.”
STAR BOXING TAKES OVER CARNESECCA ARENAAT ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY FOR BOROUGH BOXINGSATURDAY, MAY 7, 2022
Queens, New York (March 31, 2022) – Boxing in the borough’s may never be the same. Star Boxing is excited to bring professional boxing to the famous Carnesecca Arena at St. John’s Univeristy in Queens, New York on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
“We are excited to partner with the prestigious St. John’s University in bringing professional boxing to Carnesecca Arena for the first time on May 7th” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “The Queens boxing culture represents a no nonsense, bite down mentality which will be showcased in the ring come May 7. Be sure to grab your tickets now for what will be a thrilling night of fights!”
“St. John’s University is excited to work with Star Boxing to bring boxing to historic Carnesecca Arena this May,” said SCOTT LEMPERLE, Executive Director, Conference & Auxiliary Services at St. John’s university.
Tickets for “Borough Boxing” are on sale NOW and can be purchased by clicking HERE. The fight card will be announced soon. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET and fists will fly at around 7:30 PM ET. “Borough Boxing” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing on May 7, 2022 at Carnesecca Arena at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Bouts subject to change
FIGHT NIGHT TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! BUY TICKETS HERE! TICKETS START AT JUST $50 FIGHT NIGHT: SATURDAY, MAY 7 AT CARNESECCA ARENA IN QUEENS, NY
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!
VIDEO: Marshall vs Hermans & Marku vs Jenkins | Press Conference
Tahmir Smalls Takes on Jorge Martin Garcia on Saturday, April 23rd at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA PA (MARCH 31, 2022)–On the heels of promoting a sure-fire “Fight of the Year”, RDR Promotions will be right at the 2300 Arena on Saturday night April 23rd.
In the main event, undefeated welterweight Tahmir Smalls of Philadelphia takes on veteran Jorge Martin Garcia in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.
Smalls is 7-0 with four knockouts. The 22 year-old is a three-year professional and is coming off a first-round stoppage over Seth Basler on February 19th in Melrose, Massachusetts.
Garcia, 37 years-old of Buenos Aires, Argentina is 13-8-1 with three knockouts. He 16 year-professional who is coming off a defeat to Jeovannis Berraza on October 29, 2021.
In the six-round co-feature, Jabril Noble (3-0, 2 KOs) takes on Nasir Mickens (2-1, 1 KO) in a battle of Philadelphia-based super featherweights.
Noble, 22, has been impressive in disposing of his first three foes, and is coming off an opening round stoppage over Joseph Santana on February 26th at The 2300 Arena.
Mickens, 26, is coming off a decision loss to Jordon Murphy on February 24th in Philadelphia.
A massive undercard has been assembled, and in six-round bouts:
Edgar Joe Cortes (9-6-1, 1 KO) of Millville, New Jersey takes on Gorwar Karyah (2-2,2 KOs) of Philadelphia in a super bantamweight fight.
Larry Fryers (11-5, 4 KOs) of Yonkers, New York fights Raekwon Butler (5-2, 3 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York in a super lightweight fight.
Isaiah Johnson (4-0, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named.
Erick TylerTucker (7-0, 7 KOS) of Los Angeles fights Kieron Hooks (3-2-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a super middleweight bout.
In four round Bouts:
Angel Pizarro (4-1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a featherweight bout.
Brendan O’Callaghan (2-1,1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a middleweight fight.
Leonidas Sopranidis (1-1, 1 KO) of Kilkis, Greece takes on an opponent to be named in a welterweight bout.
Boimah Karmo (2-0-1) of Sharon Hill, PA squabbles with Joshua Zimmerman (0-8) of Baltimore in a welterweight bout.
Devin Tomko (7-2, 3 KOs) of Toronto takes on an opponent to be named in a super middleweight fight.
Denzel Fudd (0-2) Barrington, New Jersey scraps with Soslan Alborov (0-1) of Philadelphia in a super welterweight fight.
Anthony Young (0-4) of Philadelphia will fight Raheim Cooke (0-2) of Philadelphia in a welterweight contest.
Tickets are $55, $75 and $100 and can be purchased by clicking:
KILGANNON STEPS IN TO FACE CHELLI IN NEWCASTLE ON SATURDAY
Newcastle, England – 31 March 2022 – Undefeated Jack ‘The Cannon’ Kilgannon will now face rival Zak Chelli this Saturday night at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle in a battle of the super-middleweight prospects on the undercard of Savannah Marshall’s WBO World Middleweight title defence against Femke Herman, live on Sky Sports.
Oldham’s Kilgannon (11-0, 3 KO’s) replaces Diego Costa, who was announced yesterday but was unable to make the required weight safely at short notice, and it pits two fiercely proud, up-and-coming talents who are willing to face each other on the rise in their careers.
To his credit Former Southern Area Champion Chelli (10-1-1, 5 KO’s) is not phased by the late change and wants to get on with the job and deal with whatever is put in front of him to prove that he’s the real deal.
Fulham’s Chelli said, “I’m ready no matter what. I believe a boxer has to be prepared to face anybody at any time. I’m fit and ready and I’ll deal with whatever Kilgannon brings to me in the ring on the night. He’s unbeaten, like Costa was, Kilgannon’s ‘O’ will have to go instead.”
Former Central Area Champion Kilgannon, known as Jacky Boy, was already in training for a fight this Saturday in Wigan and jumped at the opportunity for a bigger fight
Kilgannon said, “I weighed up the risk versus the reward and this was too big an opportunity to turn down. I was in training for a fight in Wigan so I’m fit and ready to fight and then the offer came in to my manager. I’m a big and tall middleweight so super-middle is comfortable for me. It’s a huge opportunity live on Sky Sports to make my name by beating Chelli, who’s good but not outstanding. We’re coming to win.”
YORDENIS UGÁS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
LAS VEGAS (March 30, 2022) – WBA Welterweight World Champion Yordenis Ugás showed off his skills at a media workout in Las Vegas on Wednesday, as he nears his 147-pound title unification clash against WBC and IBF champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. taking place Saturday, April 16 live on SHOWTIME PPV in a Premier Boxing Champions event from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Just the 12th unification fight in the rich history of the welterweight division, Spence vs. Ugás will join other classic unification matchups at the weight class such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns I and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. Ugás earned this opportunity in his most recent fight, successfully defending his title against future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao in August 2021.
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.
Ugás hosted media at the Salas Boxing Academy along with his trainer Ismael Salas, in an event that was live streamed on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and that can be watched in its entirety HERE. Spence will work out tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT in a live streaming event that will be available HERE.
Here is what Ugás and Salas had to say Wednesday:
YORDENIS UGÁS
“I’m very thankful for everyone who has supported me. I’m extremely ready for this fight and to give the fans a great show on April 16. This has been a fantastic training camp and I can’t wait.
“I’m happy to be fighting in Spence’s backyard, because they have great fans down there in Texas. It just adds extra motivation.
“We’ve had a great training camp here in Las Vegas with Ismael Salas. We always make sure that the hard work pays off. We’re going to be bringing our best into the ring.
“I was out of the ring for a long time, but when I came back and gave Jamal James the first loss of his career, I knew that I would be coming for big things. Everything changed for me that night and it’s all led up to this.
“The Pacquiao fight was a great night for me. After that fight my life changed in even more ways. But I’ve always kept myself humble. I showed everyone who the WBA champion was. I have my eye on continuing to make history.
“Being an underdog means nothing to me. I was the underdog against Pacquiao and now again against Spence. I’ve always been the underdog and it doesn’t faze me.
“It’s an honor to be in the ring with Errol Spence Jr. We’re fighting for three belts, but even more important is fighting for honor and respect.
“Fans can expect me to fight like a warrior. I’m going to take all of my hard work into the ring on April 16.”
ISMAEL SALAS, Ugás’ Trainer
“I watched Errol Spence fight Shawn Porter and then I watched Errol Spence fight Danny Garcia, after Spence had his accident. It was not the same Errol Spence Jr. I do believe he lost something between the Porter and Garcia fights.
“Training camp has been great. We’ve had a long camp and now we’re in the period where Ugás is starting to make the adjustments that he’ll need to be ready for what Spence brings.
“I want to face the best Errol Spence Jr., because I want the fans to get a great show. This is one of the biggest fights of the year. If he’s in top condition, then Ugás is going to be ready to give him a hell of a fight.
“Yordenis came to us with three losses and since then we’ve been beating undefeated guys and going step by step up to this point of facing top fighters. Manny Pacquiao was the biggest fight of his career and Ugás beat him clearly. That was the same Pacquiao who had beat Keith Thurman in his previous fight.
“We need to absorb the punching power of Spence. Everyone knows he’s a front-footed fighter who throws bombs from start to finish. It’s no secret that we need to use Spence’s aggressiveness and make it work in our favor.
“It’s been a process for Ugás to get back to this point. He had to regain his confidence when he first joined our gym. We had to make a transition from the Cuban style and make him more aggressive. Yordenis Ugás is a master of the middle distance. He knows how to make you miss and make you pay.”
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. UGAS Spence vs. Ugas will see WBC and IBF world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugas square off in a welterweight title unification clash that headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and 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.
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.
BALOGUN AND JOS ORTIZ HEADLINE DBE’S BROADWAY BOXING IN MOTOR CITY?FRIDAY, APRIL 15, LIVE ON UFC FIGHT PASS®
New York, NY (March 30, 2022) DiBella Entertainment’s acclaimed Broadway Boxing series makes its debut in the Motor City on Friday, April 15, at Garden Theater in Detroit. The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Lee Baxter Promotions, presented by Nissan of Queens, will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, starting at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT.
“I am excited to work with Lee Baxter to help bring Broadway Boxing to Detroit, a great city with a passionate fan base, famous for its deep boxing history and home to the legendary Kronk Gym,” said International Boxing Hall-of-Famer and President of DiBella Entertainment, Lou DiBella. “On April 15, boxing fans in attendance, and those watching on UFC Fight Pass®, will get to see undefeated heavyweight contender Mike Balogun, Manny Robles-trained Michael Pirotton-Bamogo, as well as rising super featherweight Joshafat Ortiz and popular, local prospects.”
Tickets, which start at $65.00, are on sale now through Eventbrite HERE. The Garden Theater is located at 3929 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30pm ET, with the first bell at 7:00pm ET.
Heavyweight knockout artist Mike Balogun (18-0, 14 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, MD, headlines the event facing Ahmed Hefny (13-2, 5 KOs), of Queens, NY, in an eight-round contest. On December 2, 2021, Balogun scored an impressive first-round knockout against previously undefeated Trey Lippe Morrison, the son of former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison. The athletic Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the legendary Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. In his last bout, Hefny lost a close, split decision to unbeaten Dacarree Scott in January.
In the co-feature, popular Detroit bantamweight Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-1-1, 8 KOs) takes on Filipino Jobert Alvarez (20-2-2, 7 KOs), of Renton, WA, in an eight-round encounter. He will be looking to rebound from his first defeat last September that aired on Showtime’s ShoBox series. O’Quinn previously held the WBO International super flyweight title and was a USA National champion as an amateur. Making his second appearance in the United States, Alvarez is a former WBC Continental Americas and WBO NABO titlist.
Unbeaten Joshafat Ortiz (9-0, 5 KOs), of Reading, PA, battles Derrick Murray (15-4, 5 KOs), of Saint Louis, MO, in an eight-round super featherweight clash. Ortiz was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, but moved to the US at age four. He was first introduced to boxing as a child, as his father, uncle and brother were all amateur fighters. Ortiz compiled an amateur record of 42-7, and was a three-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion. He recently traveled to Dominican Republic to knock out Erickson Vargas in two rounds on March 12. Murray is coming off of a win against previously unbeaten Angel Flores in January.
Heavyweight prospect Michael Pirotton-Bamogo (5-0, 2 KOs), of Liege, Belgium, will make his US debut against fellow undefeated Jonathan Gruber (3-0, 2 KOs), of Fall River, MA, in a six-round bout. Pirotton-Bamogo, whose mother was born in the West African nation of Burkina Faso and father born in Belgium, now trains out of Southern California under the renowned Manny Robles. He took to boxing at the age of 18 and had a short amateur career with 15 fights, which included a 2018 tournament victory in France as part of the Belgian National Team.
Featherweight Sean Brewer (2-0, 1 KO), of Henderson, NV, will participate in a four-round bout on the untelevised undercard.
Further information on this event will be announced shortly.
Social Media DiBella Entertainment Instagram: @DiBellaEnt Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment
FULL CARD ANNOUNCED FOR SATURDAY’S DETROIT BRAWL IN DEARBORN, MI
(Wednesday, March 30, 2022) The full card has been announced for this Saturday night’s (April 2) Detroit Brawl event in the Lincoln Ballroom of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, MI.
Presented by Salita Promotions, five fights are scheduled in support of the eight-round main event, featuring the return of Detroit’s undefeated lightweight Erick De Leon (19-0-1, 11 KOs) taking on hard-nosed Mexico City veteran Juan Jose “Piquet” Martinez (28-11, 20 KOs).
In the main supporting bouts will be undefeated former amateur star and professional middleweight Timur Kerefov (12-0, 6 KOs) taking on veteran Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis (21-9-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round showdown.
WBC #9, IBF #15, WBO #14 light heavyweight Ali Izmailov (7-0, 5 KOs) will face Iquique, Chile’s Abraham Tebes (7-0, 3 KOs) in an exciting 10-round battle of undefeated 175-lb sluggers.
In a special showcase bout, Las Vegas via Nahariya, Israel, super flyweight David Alaverdian (5-0, 4 KOs) will make his United States fighting debut in a six-rounder against Kecskemet, Hungary’s Jeno Tonte (9-9, 8 KOs).
Undefeated Grand Rapids, Michigan-based lightweight star Joshua “Double J” Pagan (1-0, 1 KO) is slated for battle against pro debuting Virginian Jude Hammad in a four-round special attraction.
Also scheduled for action is current WBC USNBC Silver Heavyweight Champion Brandon Moore (11-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round heavyweight showdown against Curtis Harper (13-7, 9 KOs).
“On April 2, we will see another star-studded card featuring some of boxings hottest prospects and contenders from Detroit, The State of Michigan and around the world and they are all fighting in competitive matchups,” said event promoter Dmitriy Salita. “Detroit is again becoming one of the hubs of professional boxing, which means a platform for homegrown talent and a place for the development of boxing’s best.”
Tickets for “Detroit Brawl” start at $40 and can be purchased by clicking HERE. PLEASE NOTE: Tickets ordered online will be placed in will call at the box office for pick-up. A limited quantity of VIP tickets is also available by calling 313.529.7604. ABOUT THE FORD COMMUNITY & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:
The mission of the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department is to help fulfill the social, educational and recreational needs of children, adults and families by providing quality programs and activities in clean and well-maintained facilities and to achieve this through exemplary customer service. For more information, visit their OFFICIAL SITE.
ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS:
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.