AUDIO: Deontay Wilder Media Conference






VIDEO: Deontay Wilder Media Conference




SAUL SANCHEZ DISCUSSES TRAINING CAMP AHEAD OF BANTAMWEIGHT MATCHUP VS. JA’RICO O’QUINN ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

LAS VEGAS – September 22, 2021 – Exciting rising bantamweight prospect Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs) discusses his training camp ahead of his ShoBox: The New Generation debut in a 10-round main event against Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) this Friday, September 24, live on SHOWTIME (10:35 p.m. ET/PT) from the unique outdoor setting on Main Street in the Rose District of downtown Broken Arrow, Okla.

The co-main event pits undefeated featherweight prospects Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a 10-round bout and Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces the undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest that opens the telecast.

Here is what Sanchez had to say ahead of this Friday’s matchup against O’Quinn:

On recent training camp:

Sanchez: “My trainers Manny Robles and Edgar Jasso have been pushing me hard. A lot of tough sparring, a lot of working on fundamentals, and fine tuning, is what we’ve been working on. My body feels great and I’m going to give the fans a great fight. I’ll be all-action come this Friday.”

On his matchup with Ja’Rico O’Quinn:
Sanchez: “Like me, O’Quinn is coming off an impressive win against a fighter with a good record. Although he hasn’t fought since 2020, I know he’s been training hard like all fighters during the pandemic. He’s had a lot of time to prepare for this fight and I know he’s hungry, like me. We both have one loss, and someone is going to take a step backwards, and it isn’t going to be me.”

On what a win will do for his career:
Sanchez: “Winning this fight will get me one step closer to getting a world title shot. The time is now for me to perform at me very best. In addition, a victory will get me to bigger paydays. I want to be a fighter that everyone wants to see, so I must win, and win impressively.”

On making his ShoBox debut:
Sanchez: “I’m very grateful to my promoter Thompson Boxing for getting me this fight on SHOWTIME. It’s been a long time coming for me to get on this stage and I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity. A lot of champions fought on ShoBox and I want to be the next fighter to follow behind them and win a world title.”

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About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 84 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

For more information: visit www.sho.com/sports, www.mayweatherpromotions.com/events, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, and on Instagram @mayweatherpromotions, @showtimeboxing, #SinCityShowdown and #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.




Class of 2020 finally inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (September 22, 2021) – After delay after delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2020 was finally inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) this past Sunday afternoon at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

The 28-member Class of 2019 was honored at the ninth NYSBHOF induction dinner.

Living boxers inducted included three-time World light heavyweight title

challenger Jorge Ahumada (42-8-2, 22 KOs), of Woodside, Queens by way of Argentina; (1975-78) WBC super featherweight World Champion Alfredo “El Salsero” Escalera (53-14-3, 31 KOs), of New York City by way of Puerto Rico; WBC super featherweight World title challenger Freddie “The Pitbull” Liberatore (20-4-1, 11 KOs), of Bayside, Queens; WBC middleweight World Champion and four-time New York Golden Gloves winner Dennis “The Magician” Milton (16-5-1, 5 KOs), of Bronx; two-time New York Golden Gloves winner Lou Savarese (46-7, 38 KOs), of Greenwood Lake; and WBA super middleweight title World title challenger Merqui “El Corombo” Sosa (34-9-2, 27 KOs), of Brooklyn by way of the Dominican Republic.

Posthumous participants inducted are Brooklyn welterweight Soldier Bartfield (51-29-8, 33 KOs), who fought a reported 55 world champions; Bronx middleweight Steve Belloise (95-13-3, 59 KOs); NYSAC and World lightweight champion (1925) Jimmy Goodrich (85-34-21 (12 KOs), of Buffalo; World heavyweight title challenger Tami Mauriello (82-13-1, 60 KOs), of Bronx; WBA light middleweight World champion (1982-83) and four-consecutive New York Golden Gloves titlist Davey “Sensational” Moore (18-5, 14 KOs), of Bronx; and World lightweight champion Freddie “The Welsh Wizard” Welch (74-5-7, 34 KOs), of New York City by way of Wales.

Living non-participants now in NYSBHOF are Oneida judge Don Ackerman, Wantah, Long Island journalist/producer Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Buffalo manager Rick Glaser, Rockaway Beach journalist Jack Hirsch, Bronx boxing broadcaster Max Kellerman, Orangeburg judge Julie Lederman, Hyde Park referee Ron Lipton, and Staten Island/Catskill trainer Kevin Rooney.

Posthumous non-participant inductees are Brooklyn’s Ring Magazine editor Lester Bromberg, New York City sportswriter Dan Daniel, Ardsley ringside physician/NY Medical Director Dr. William Lathan, Brooklyn’s Gleason’s Gym founder Bobby Gleason, Sunnyside, Queens boxing writer Flash Gordan, Manhattan journalist A.J. Liebling, Long Island City’s NYSBHOF co-founder Tony Mazzarella and New York City manager Dan Morgan.

Each attending inductee received a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.

The 2020 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.

Hascup and famed ring announcer David Diamonte shared master of ceremony duties

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All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a sizable portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career. Numerous boxing dignitaries were in attendance, including World Champions Junior Jones, Lonnie Bradley, and Iran Barkley, as well as popular heavyweights Gerry Cooney and Renaldo Snipes.

The United States Marines Boxing Team were special guests. They led the Pledge of Allegiance and received a commemorative medal from the NYSBHOF.

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United States Marines Boxing Team

Duffy also announced that the famed Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn will display NYSBHOF memorabilia, including inductee plaques and pictures, thanks to NYSBHOF inductee Brice Silverglade.

INDUCTEES’ QUOTES & PICTURES

Jack Hirsch: “I’ve been up here a lot as a member of the Ring 8 Board of Directors and for Hall of Fame presentations. It’s different this year as a recipient and I’m grateful. I’m honored to be on the dais: “We are 2020 teammates and we’ll always be connected. This is such a great, great honor. I appreciated every single person out there.”

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(L-R) – Don Majeski & Jack Hirsch

Dennis Milton: “This is really a great please to be dais with this class to be honored with my equals and peers, and to be part of this event. I haven’t seen some of these guys in years like Lou (Savarese) and now I’m up here as an inductee. I’ve graduated to be put in the club. This is very special to me and the other fighters.”

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(L-R): John Reetz, Dennis Milton, and Iran Barkley

Bobby Cassidy, Jr.: “I want to thank the New York Boxing Hall of Fame for inducting me. I appreciate this honor. I wrote about all the guys up here. It was always great covering this sport. Thanks to by dad (NYSBHOF inductee Bobby Cassidy, Sr.). Not only did he instill a lot of boxing in me like hard work and dedication. It made me a better journalist. He exposed me to boxing. When I was around 8 or 9, he brought home The Ring (magazine). I never dreamed that ended up writing for Ring. I always wanted to cover boxing. I covered all sports, but the real stories always are the fighters.”

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(L-R) – Lonnie Bradley, Bobby Cassidy, Jr. and NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy

Marqui Sosa: “I’m not good at this. In the ring, I did my best. That’s it, I’m a fighter. I didn’t know how to box, I fought. I always gave 100-percent and did my best for my family.”

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(L-R) John Reetz, Merqui Sosa and Iran Barkley

Freddie Liberatore: “Boxing taught me things like mind can make or break you, and never give up when things don’t go as planned. I have so many great memories. I’ll never forget winning the 1988 Golden Gloves in the Fight of the Night, when I beat the 2-time defending champion. One of my fondest memories as a pro was defeating 2-time world champion Calvin Grove when he was ranked No. 2. I got the WBC World featherweight title shot, but it didn’t go my way. Here I am today with my wife, Lori, my high school sweetheart. I want to thank my family for recognizing all my accomplishments and memories.”

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(L-R) – Henry Hascup and Freddie Liberatore

Ron Lipton: “I want to thank the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, and everyone connected with this honor. I look around the room and see at least one person at every table I worked with going back to the sixties with through the commission. I’m very honored to be part of this induction class. Congratulations to everybody inducted. I trained so I could keep up with the boxers.”

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(L-R) Dave Diamonte, Randy Gordon, Ron Lipton, and Bob Duffy

Lou Savarese: “It’s a tough business! You’re in there, not to hurt, but not to get hurt. It’s a blood sport, tough sport. The first guy I ever sparred was Renaldo Snipes. He took it easy on me and showed me what to do. I’m living in Houston, but there isn’t good pizza. The first thing I did when I came to back New York (for the induction) was the cemetery (his parents) and get New York City pizza. I had about six slices.”

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(L-R) – John Silverman, Lou Savarese, and Gerry Cooney

Rick Glaser: “I’d like to thank everyone for being here. It’s an honor. Boxing has been very good to me. I love boxing and have passion for it. And I’ve succeeded at it, the sport of boxing and business. I fused the sport and business. I learned for 30 years from Mike Acri, Ron Katz, Bruce Trampler and Don Majeski. These four people helped me, inspired me. Boxing has characters. We’re family! It’s about the fighters; I never jumped in the ring. I will continue to do everything I can in boxing.”

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(L-R) – Randy Gordon and Rick Glaser

PHOTO GALLERY

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(L-R) – New York State Boxing Hall of Famer Teddy atlas accepting for Max Kellerman

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NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy

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(L-R) –Dave Diamonte, Ralph Petrillo, New York State Boxing HOF Melvina Lathan (accepting for her husband, the late Dr. William “Bill” Lathan) and Bob Duffy

NEW YORK STATE BOXING HALL OF FAME

CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and Arthur Mercante, Sr.

CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard and Don Dunphy.

CLASS OF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D’Amato, William Muldoon and Tom O’Rourke.

CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon, and Al Weill.

CLASS OF 2016: Aaron Davis, Charles Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, Edwin Viruet, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Kansas, Joe Lynch, Joe Miceli, Ed Brophy, Joe DeGuardia, Randy Gordon, Dennis Rappaport, Howie Albert, Freddie Brown, Howard Cosell, Ruby Goldstein, and Jimmy Jacobs.

CLASS OF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Doug Dewitt, “The Bronx Bomber” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan, and Dan Parker.

CLASS OF 2018: Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle, Jake Rodriguez, Terrence Alli, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Kid Chocolate, James J. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Billy Costello, Melio Bettina Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Charley Norkus, Dave Anderson, Pete Brodsky, Herb Goldman, Bobby Goodman, Melvina Lathan, Ron Scott Stevens, Johnnie Addie, Johnny Bos, Murray Goodman, Bert Randolph Sugar and Sam Taub.

CLASS OF 2019: Wilfredo Benitez, Dick DiVeronica, Rogelio Tuur, Davey Vasquez, Michael Olajide, Monte Barrett, Jimmy Carter, Al “Bummy” Davis, Marty Servo, Roland LaStarza, Paddy DeMarco, Sid Terris, Leach “The Fighting Dentist” Cross, Don King, John McKaie, Steve Albert, Arthur Mercante, Jr., Bob Jackson, Dewey Fragetta, Johnny LoBianco, Wayne Kelly, Harry Hill, Jimmy Cannon, and Joe Dwyer.

INFORMATION:

www.nyboxinghof.org




Split-T Management Signs 13-Time National Champion Trinidad Vargas

NEW YORK (September 22, 2021) – Split-T Management has announced the signing of amateur standout Trinidad Vargas.

Vargas, of Dallas, Texas, has an incredible amateur resume that culminated with a record of 198-12 and won 13 National Championships.

“I feel that signing with Split-T Management will open doors for me. I know they will do the job for me and I am comfortable with them,” said Vargas.

The 18-year-old Vargas started boxing at age 6 and had his first fight at age 8.

“My father was an amateur boxer and he was my backbone to the sport. He took me to a gym, and when he started teaching me the sport, I fell in love with it,” said Vargas

That spawned the aforementioned amateur career that saw him become a 6x Junior Golden Gloves National Champion, Silver Gloves National Champion; 2017 Junior Open Champion; 2017 Western Regional Champion; 2017 Eastern Regional Champion; 2018 USA Junior Boxer of the Year; 2018 Junior Olympics Champion for which he won the Male Boxer of the Tournament; 2018 Eastern Regional Champion and Western Regional Champion.

Vargas’ great-grandfather was a professional boxer. In his spare-time, Vargas has an interest in cars, in particular JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars. He lists Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao as his favorite fighters and is also a fan of Canelo Alvarez and Gervonta Davis.

He is trained by his father Nick Vargas and will debut as a super flyweight in the professional ranks.




“Fight Night on the Charles at Moseley’s III” FACT SHEET

WHAT: “Fight Night on the Charles at Moseley’s III” professional boxing

WHO: MAIN EVENT – LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)

Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs), Lawrence, MA

vs.

Danny “Venado” Flores (15-24-1, 8 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS (6)

James “The Slim Reaper” Perella (8-0, 6 KOs), Mansfield, MA

vs.

Isias Martin Cardona Gonzales (26-22, 18 KOs), Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS (4)

Eric “Gladiator” Goff (3-0, 2 KOs), Weymouth, MA

vs.

Carlos Galindo (Pro Debut), Woburn, MA by way of Peru

FEATHERWEIGHTS (4)

Troy Anderson, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), Dorchester, MA

vs.

Chakem Brooks (Pro Debut), Danville, VA

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)

Marcus Davidson (Pro Debut), Kansas City, KS

vs.

Austin Reed Ward (0-8), Garden City, KS

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)

Thomas O’Toole (Pro Debut), Galway, Ireland

vs.

Francisco Ariri Neto (1-14, 1 KO), Woburn, MA by way of Brazil

(card subject to change)


WHERE: Moseley’s On The Charles, Dedham, MA

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021

PROMOTER: Vertex Promotions

RING ANNOUNCER: John Vena

AMATEUR CARD: Saturday afternoon’s (2-5 p.m. ET.) 2021 New England Championships amateur show will require a separate admission ($20.00 general admission only) on sale at the door. Fifteen matches are scheduled featuring the top N.E. amateurs

TICKETS: Tickets are priced at $95.00 (row 1), $85.00 (2nd row), $65.00 (3rd row), $55.00 (general admission) and $45.00 (standing room). Contact any of the competing fighters to purchase tickets, limited availability at the door.

Doors will open at 7 pm. ET with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.




Connecticut-born Booker making the most of his second chance in the ring

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 22) – In a homecoming like no other, rising middleweight prospect Chordale Booker finally gets the long-awaited opportunity to fight in front of his hometown fans in the Nutmeg State.

Having established a successful run as one of boxing’s preeminent road warriors, the Stamford-born Booker (16-0, 7 KOs) makes his Connecticut debut Friday night in the co-main event of CES Boxing live on UFC FIGHT PASS® from the Connecticut Convention Center. Booker faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in an eight-round bout.

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live FIGHT PASS stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

For Booker, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime to feel the warmth of a hometown arena and the cheers of a supportive fan base for the first time as a professional, a well-deserved experience for the 30-year-old southpaw after spending his entire career fighting in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even Biloxi, Mississippi.

A late bloomer by boxing standards, Booker escaped a trouble past as a teenager and took up boxing at age of 18 as a form of “physical therapy,” allowing him to escape the demons that nearly sent him behind bars and refocus his energy on something more productive. He began training under the guidance of Connecticut native and former pro Ahmad Mickens, who remains in his corner to this day.

What started out as a hobby to keep him off the streets quickly became Booker’s passion. Booker relocated to Brooklyn to build his boxing career – and stay closer to his mother’s side of the family – and eventually launched a successful amateur career, one in which he finished 111-19 and earned a trip to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in addition to the following achievements:

2015 Elite National Champion
2015 Golden Gloves Champion
2015 Sugar Ray Robinson Most Outstanding Boxer
2015 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Amateur Boxer of The Year
2015 Fairfield County Sports Person of The Year
2014 USA Elite Men’s Silver Medalist
2013 USA Elite Men’s Bronze Medalist
2013 Northeast Regional Champion

Truthfully, there are too many accoladed to name. When Booker turned pro in 2016, the success continued; he raced out to an 8-0 start within two years and kept plugging away both in and out of the ring. He was the subject of a documentary that appeared at the New York Short Film Festival; he launched his own charity, the “Go The Distance Foundation” to help break down the barriers between at-risk youth and the police; and even began modeling in 2018 at the New York Fashion Week runway show for designer ACID NYC.

All the work outside the ring only made him stronger; he soon caught the attention of major networks, debuting on Showtime in 2017 with a win over unbeaten Malcolm McAllister.Since then, he’s become a stable on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) telecasts, defeated Ve Shawn Owens (9-1), Juan De Angel (21-9-1), Wale Omotoso (27-3), and most recently Sanny Duversonne (11-1-2) to keep his perfect record intact. An Achilles injury, and subsequent surgery, set him back in 2019, but the time off due to the COVID-19 pandemic also gave him the chance to recover without missing any major opportunities.

With 16 wins under his belt, the only thing missing has been a fight back in his home state on a worldwide platform, which is where CES Boxing and FIGHT PASS come into play. Booker will get the chance to showcase his talents in front of a new audience on Friday and continue to prove there’s always a second chance at life for those with the drive and commitment to succeed. The Homecoming King finally makes his long-awaited return.

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

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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.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

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.




CANELO ÁLVAREZ VS. CALEB PLANT LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (September 21, 2021) – Boxing’s consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Mexican superstar and unified WBA/WBC/WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Canelo Álvarez and undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant met for an intense stare down that turned into a scuffle Tuesday at a press conference previewing their historic and highly anticipated undisputed super middleweight championship showdown.

During an extended face-off that kicked off the event, the fighters exchanged words and threw glancing blows before their respective teams rushed the stage to separate the combatants, escalating a rivalry that will culminate on fight night in just over six weeks.

Canelo and Plant will battle on Saturday, November 6, live on SHOWTIME PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event, with the winner stamping his name in the history books as the first undisputed 168-pound world champion of the four-belt era.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. The event is promoted by Canelo Promotions and TGB Promotions and sponsored by Hennessy and Value.

Eddy Reynoso, Canelo’s trainer and manager, and Justin Gamber, Plant’s trainer, joined their fighters on stage at the event in Beverly Hills. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday:

CANELO ÁLVAREZ

“You are not on my level and you will see on November 6. You don’t want to fight now, I promise you.

“We come from nothing and we worked hard to be here. For somebody to lie and talk trash about us, that upset Eddy. It is what it is though. We just have to show everyone who we are on November 6.

“Caleb might be on the same level as Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith, but he’s not on my level. I respect that he isn’t here to back down. You can see from today that this is definitely going to be a good fight.

“I know what I need to do and I know a lot about him. He’s a good fighter but I know my skills. My experience is going to give me the edge in the fight. I have faced similar styles to Caleb’s against Floyd Mayweather, Erislandy Lara, Austin Trout and Saunders.

“He’s an insecure person and that’s why he came with a lot of excuses about lots of things. I don’t care about it though. I’m just going to do my best on November 6 and win the fight.

“To be undisputed is history for Mexico and for everyone on my team. To be the undisputed champion is just a great thing for my career.

On the on-stage scuffle: “You can say whatever to me, but not to my mom. I’m going to fight anyone who says something about my mom. And he swung first. I just pushed him. He swung first, and I do what I do. He crossed the line.

“It will be over in eight rounds or less. I’m going to knock out this guy. Easy.”

CALEB PLANT

“I know only one thing better than proving people right, and that’s proving people wrong. I’ve been doing that my whole life. As soon as I stepped on the stage, people started talking about what I can’t accomplish and what I can’t do. Where I come from, there is no boxing community. There was no other pro I could look to and say that if he can do it, then I can do it. All I had was my mind and my heart.

“I don’t do this to be famous or to get attention. When I first started, it was just me and my dad. No one thought I’d be standing here today. I can remember him and my grandfather scrounged up a little bit of money to open a little boxing gym. There was just one heavy bag hanging in the corner. But when you really want something, you don’t need all the fancy things. You just need your mind and your heart.

“I know that people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m winning on November 6. All those people who tell me that I can’t do something, you live believable lives and you do believable things. I promised myself that I was going to run this all the way to the top, with no problem crashing and burning along the way. I set out to live an unbelievable life and accomplish unbelievable things. Those people who doubt me are the very reason that I’m here.

“Miguel Cotto’s brother can make you do the chicken dance but I can’t? Okay. Mark my words, on November 6 you will hear the words, ‘And the new undisputed super middleweight champion,’ but you will also hear the words, ‘and still undefeated.’

“Being undisputed would mean a lot. I’ve sacrificed so much to this sport and I’ve been doing this a long time. All that work would come down to one moment. I want my name in those history books and that’s the only reason that I’m here.

On the on-stage scuffle: “We just had some normal back-and-forth banter up there and then whatever happened, happened. It’s none of my concern though. I’m focused and locked in on November 6.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer and Manager

“I think this is going to be a great fight, one where we unify the 168-pound division. As we do with every fight, we’re going to work hard in the gym. We’ve always worked hard in the gym.

“I’m a little upset by how things turned out today, but in the end we will settle things in the ring on November 6.

“The offensive language is what offended us the most. We are respectful people, and we move forward from this with our heads held up high. Now we are going to train well, win the fight and see what comes next after that.

“There are a lot of people who say things on social media but then they don’t show up. Some people want to take down a whole country and a great athlete that represents his country. They talk a lot of trash. You need to work hard though. You need to have guts to work as hard as we do.”

JUSTIN GAMBER, Plant’s Trainer

“I want to thank our whole team for believing in us and getting us this fight that we wanted and this opportunity to make history. It’s been blood sweat and tears, literally, to get here. It’s been a long journey. This fight is not about money, it’s about legacy.

“In 1996, when I was 15-years-old, my favorite fighter was the IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Roy Jones Jr. Every fan back then craved an undisputed champion at 168-pounds and now I train the IBF champion and we’re going to be fighting for all of the marbles.

“Tune in on November 6 and you will see the first undisputed super middleweight champion of the world and he’s from Tennessee. Anything that happened today at this press conference is going to drive us and give us more hunger.

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“It took a couple of tries, but here we are today with the undisputed super middleweight championship on November 6. It’s a real pleasure to be working with our network partners at SHOWTIME for this event. SHOWTIME has a long history of being involved in the sports’ biggest and most important events and that continues with this fight.

“It’s an honor to be working with the pound-for-pound king Canelo Álvarez, Eddy Reynoso and everyone with Canelo Promotions. I’m also thrilled to be back working with everyone on team Plant. I promoted Caleb’s pro debut in 2014 and it’s great to see him up here today in this position.

“Canelo holds three titles, while Caleb owns the fourth title in the 168-pound division. They’ll battle to become the first undisputed champ in the four-belt era. History will be made on November 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, SHOWTIME Sports

“2021 has been a phenomenal year for SHOWTIME Boxing. It’s one of our most prolific years in recent memory. SHOWTIME has delivered 17 live boxing events so far this year, with several more to come. Eight world championship fights, multiple world title unifications and now two fights for the undisputed title as a very good year for SHOWTIME becomes a great year for SHOWTIME. SHOWTIME is the home of big fights. It’s the most trusted and longest-tenured network in boxing. There is no other network making a more meaningful or more significant commitment to the sport of boxing. We are the home of boxing’s biggest and best fights.

“We are proud to welcome Canelo Álvarez back to SHOWTIME. We also welcome Caleb Plant for his SHOWTIME debut. It was almost nine years ago – September 15, 2012 – that Canelo made his debut on SHOWTIME in a thrilling fight against Josesito Lopez. Nine years is a long time. That was a very young Canelo Álvarez and a very young Eddy Reynoso. That started an impressive run of fights in which Canelo demonstrated his willingness, desire and demand to take the toughest fights available. Together back in 2013, we set a record at the time for the biggest pay-per-view of all time as we helped launch Canelo as boxing’s newest pay-per-view star. Now nine years later, we are proud to welcome him back for this mega fight.”

#

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @Canelo, @SweetHandsPlant, @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @Canelo, @CalebPlant, @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.




“Fight Night on the Charles at Moseley’s II” FACT SHEET

This Friday in Dedham, MA

WHAT: “Fight Night on the Charles at Moseley’s II” professional boxing

WHO: MAIN EVENT – LIGHTWEIGHTS (8)

RayJay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (13-0, 10 KOs), Albany, NY

vs.

Philip “The Hunter” Adyaka (7-15, 4 KOs), Saint Paul, MN by way of Uganda

CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)

Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan (7-0, 7 KOs), Weymouth, MA

vs.

Rakim Johnson (6-13-1, 5 KOs), Indianapolis, IN

HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)

Bryan Daniels (6-1, 4 KOs), Worcester, MA

vs.

Larry “Hit Man” Pryor (14-24, 8 KOs), Frederick, MD

MIDDLEWEIGHTS (4)

Anthony Conception (7-0-1, 6 KOs), Providence, RI

vs.

Lenwood “Mr. Composure” Dozier (10-26-3, 5 KOs), Belcamp, MD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (4)

Alex Rivera (1-0, 1 KO), Malden, MA

vs.

Tomi Archambault (1-13, 1 KO), Bismarck, ND

MIDDLEWEIGHTS (4)

Drew “Tomahawk” Dwelly (2-0-2, New Bedford, MA

vs.

David Rohn (0-8-1), Villa Park, IL

(card subject to change)


WHERE: Moseley’s On The Charles, Dedham, MA

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 24, 2021

PROMOTER: Vertex Promotions

RING ANNOUNCER: John Vena

AMATEUR CARD: Saturday afternoon’s (2-5 p.m. ET.) 2021 New England Championships amateur show will require a separate admission ($20.00 general admission only) on sale at the door. Fifteen matches are scheduled featuring the top N.E. amateurs

TICKETS: Tickets are priced at $95.00 (row 1), $85.00 (2nd row), $65.00 (3rd row), $55.00 (general admission) and $45.00 (standing room). Contact any of the competing fighters to purchase tickets, limited availability at the door.

Doors will open at 7 pm. ET with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.




Jordan White takes on Joe Perez in Headline Bout as Jeter Promotions Returns to Live Casino and Hotel Maryland on Saturday October 23rd in Hanover, Maryland

Hanover, Maryland (September 21, 2021)–On Saturday night, October 23rd, Jeter Promotions returns to Live Casino and Hotel Maryland in Hanover, Maryland with an outstanding night of boxing that will feature contenders, title bouts and top prospects.

Headlining the card will be super featherweight Jordan White battling Joe Perez in a fight scheduled for 10-rounds.

White of Washington, DC has a record of 11-1 with nine knockouts. The 24 year-old White is a six-year professional who has wins over two undefeated opponents in his last two bouts. He stopped Ronaldo Solis (4-0-1) on February 28, 2020. In his last bout, White made a big splash in his national television debut as he took out undefeated Misael Lopez (11-0) in the 6th round on March 10th in Uncasville, Connecticut. The bout was aired live on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME.

Perez, 31 years-old of San Diego is 15-5-2 with 10 Knockouts. Perez is a nine-year professional who has never been stopped in his 22-fight career.

In the eight-round co-feature, super middleweight Demond Nicholson will battle Victor Darocha.

Nicholson of Laurel, Maryland has a record of 23-4-1 with 20 big knockouts. The 28 year-old Nicholson is an eight-year professional who has amassed wins over German Perez (11-1-3), Joshua Okine (28-5-1) and Isaac Rodrigues (25-2).

Darocha of Miami, Florida, has a record of 9-5-1 with six knockouts. Darocha is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Mark Anderson September 20, 2019 in Miami.

In six-round bouts:

Brandon Chambers (5-0-1, 3 KOs) of Gwynn Oak, Maryland fights Blake Quintana (4-0, 1KO) in a battle of undefeated featherweight for the ABF Atlantic featherweight Title.

AJ Williams (4-1, 2 KOs) of Baltimore, Maryland fights Ricardo Becerril (2-9-1, 2 KOs) of Kinston, NC for the ABF super middleweight title.

Jaqeem Hutcherson (2-0) of Forestville, MD takes on Ernest Hall (3-1, 1 KO) of Baltimore in a super bantamweight contest.

Ebrima Jawara (4-1, 1 KO) of Germantown, MD tangles with Christian Otero (3-0, 2 KO) of New York City in a junior lightweight.

Junior Middleweight Joseph Veazey (4-0, 3 KOs) of Baltimore and welterweight Thyler Williams (5-0, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia will see action in separate fights against opponents to be announced.

The will be more bouts to be announced shortly.

Tickets for this great night of boxing are priced at $65-$150 and can be purchases AXS.COM

The Hall at Live Casino and Hotel in Hanover, Maryland is located at 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, Maryland 21076

ABOUT LIVE CASINO AND HOTEL IN HANOVER, MARYLAND

The dominant gaming destination in its region, and the most visited destination in Maryland, attracting over 18 million visitors annually. Located at the Arundel Mills Mall in the heart of the Baltimore-Washington Corridor, the project combines dynamic gaming, dining and entertainment with a world-class retail experience. The $550 million casino, which opened in June 2012, features the largest gaming floor of any casino in the country, with more than 200 live action table games, an industry-leading Poker Room, and two High Limit rooms. Its gaming amenities are complemented by a state-of-the-art live entertainment venue, and nationally-acclaimed restaurants such as Bobby’s Burger Palace, from celebrated chef Bobby Flay, The Cheesecake Factory and The Prime Rib. In 2018, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland was further enhanced by the opening of The Cordish Companies’ flagship Live! Hotel, a luxury 300-room hotel and convention center that has been awarded the Prestigious Four Diamond Rating From AAA. Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland has won dozens of awards for its best-in-class amenities and service.




LIVE VIDEO: Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant: Kick-Off Press Conference | SHOWTIME PPV




Donald Smith Takes on Elijah Pierce in Main Event on Saturday, October 9th at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (September 21, 2021)–It will be a battle of featherweight contenders when Donald Smith takes on Elijah Pierce in the eight-round featured bout of a great night of boxing on Saturday, October 9th at the 2300 Arena.

The show is promoted by RDR Promotions.

Smith of Philadelphia has a record of 12-1 with eight knockouts. The 28 year-old Smith is a five-year professional, won his first 10 bouts. In his last bout, Smith stopped Jonathan Leona Ramos on May 8th at the 2300 Arena.

Pierce of Midwest City, Oklahoma is 11-2 with 10 knockouts. Pierce, 24 years-old, is a five year pro who won his first seven bouts, which included wins over Candelario Rochin (4-0) and Divante Jones (9-1). He also stopped undefeated Irvin Gonzalez (9-0). Pierce has won two in a row, and in his last bout he beat Mike Fowler in two rounds on August 14th in Atlanta.

Seeing action in six-round bouts:

Isaiah Wise (9-2-2, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Dewayne Williams (3-3, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia in a super welterweight fight.

Nafear Charles (7-0-1, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia returns to his hometown and will fight an opponent to be announced in a lightweight tussle.

In Four-round fights:

Nicholas Sullivan (3-0, 1 KO) of Norfolk, VA battles Braulio Avila (3-11, 1 KO) of Mexico in a lightweight contest.

Temirlan Raimkulov (2-1-2) of Almaty, Kazakhstan fights Jahdon Ervin (1-0) of St. Clair, PA in a middleweight fight.

RDR Promotions fighter Rashan Adams of Philadelphia will make his long awaited and much anticipated pro debut against an opponent to be announced in a super featherweight bout.

In a battle of pro debuters, Rah’quand McDaniel takes on Soslan Alborov of Philadelphia in a super welterweight contest.

RDR Promotions fighter Raekwon Butler (3-0, 2 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY will fight an opponent to be named in a super lightweight bout.

Tickets for this great night of boxing are $150, $100, $75 and $250 for VIP Box and can be purchased by contacting rdrboxing@yahoo.com or https://2300arena.showare.com/ordertickets.asp?p=376&src=default




LIVE VIDEO: JOSHUA – USYK MEDIA WORKOUT




JOE SMITH JR. WORLD TITLE DEFENSE POSTPONED DUE TO POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST

New York, New York (September 21, 2021)

Star Boxing regrets to inform everyone that JOE SMITH JR.’s highly anticipated WBO World Championship defense will be postponed due to Smith Jr. testing positive for COVID-19. The fight, scheduled for October 30th, which was set to be officially announced this week and expected to sellout quickly, as we received numerous inquiries coming from fans looking to purchase tickets to the “Common Man’s” triumphant return to NY for his first title defense. A rescheduled fight date will be announced soon.

Joe Smith Jr. had this to say about the disappointing news, “I was in camp working hard. I am very disappointed that I won’t be able to defend my title in October due to having COVID. When I am better I will be back in the gym preparing to fight as soon as I can and put on a great show for all my fans.”

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say, “We are disappointed that we must postpone Joe Smith’s first world title defense in front of his dedicated New York fanbase.” DeGuardia continued, “Currently, our sole focus is to make sure that Joe is healthy and we wish him a speedy recovery. News on a rescheduled fight date will be announced soon.”




ANTHONY JOSHUA AND MATCHROOM SIGN NEW CAREER-LONG PROMOTIONAL DEAL

Unified Heavyweight Champion of the World Anthony Joshua OBE has signed a new career-long promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. 

The IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO ruler puts his crowns on the line against former Undisputed Cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London this Saturday September 25.

‘AJ’ turned professional with Matchroom Boxing in October 2013 after memorably capturing gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the Super-Heavyweight category and becoming an instant star in the UK. 

Quickly establishing himself as one of the most devastating punchers in the Heavyweight division with a series of brutal KO’s, Joshua picked up the vacant Commonwealth crown with another huge stoppage win over Gary Cornish in Greenwich. 

The O2 became a home fortress for Joshua and his next assignment came against old amateur foe Dillian Whyte in December 2015. The pair were involved in a heated build-up before AJ made it 15 KOs in a row against ‘The Body Snatcher’, claiming the prestigious British Title in the process. 

Joshua climbed the ranks until he was in a position to fight for his first World Title in April 2016 against IBF titleholder Charles Martin, who he quickly destroyed inside five minutes before making short work of American opponents Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina in his first two title defences.

Joshua’s breakthrough victory came when he produced the performance of a lifetime to claim the WBA Title against modern legend Wladimir Klitschko in an unforgettable battle in front of a post war record crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium in April 2017.

He went on to sell-out the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales twice, defending his belts against the tough Cameroonian Carlos Takam in October 2017 before unifying the division by taking Joseph Parker’s WBO belt in March 2018.

Joshua defended his World Titles with a devastating knockout of dangerous Russian Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium in September 2018 in what was the Olympic Champion’s fourth straight stadium fight in front of over 80,000 fans. 

In his quest for global domination, the British sensation signed to defend his World Titles against Brooklyn’s Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1 2019, but the Brooklyn native failed a series of drug tests leaving Joshua’s team searching for a replacement opponent for his big American debut.

Joshua’s quest to become the Undisputed Heavyweight king was temporarily halted in its tracks as late stand in opponent Andy Ruiz Jr floored him four times on route to a monumental seventh round stoppage win that shocked the world. 

After tasting defeat for the first time in his professional career, Joshua jumped into an immediate rematch with Ruiz Jr on neutral ground to reclaim his position at the number one Heavyweight on the planet. 

Ruiz and Joshua met again in a colossal ‘Clash on the Dunes’ in the historical town of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia, with the Watford man putting on a brilliant display of boxing to widely outpoint the Mexican to become a two-time Heavyweight World Champion.

Joshua returned home to take on his IBF Mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at The SSE Arena, Wembley a year later in December 2020 after their June meeting at the home of Tottenham Hotspur was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the first fight attended by a British crowd since the global pandemic began, Joshua dominated and then floored Pulev to score a brutal ninth-round knockout. The Bulgarian was down on three occasions, twice in the final round, before ‘AJ’ ended the fight with a vicious right hand. 

“We’ve built some great foundations over the years and I appreciate Matchroom – the company, the team, the family business,” said Joshua. “That’s kind of what drew me towards you guys as well, the integrity that the Hearns have when it comes to boxing and business. 

“I’ve felt comfortable during my years as a boxer and I always felt that the business outside of sport is harder than the actual fighting due to the history and some of the problems that some fighters have had. So, to be with Matchroom Sport has been a blessing for myself, my family and my team. 

“Outside of that, what Matchroom Sport have done is created an environment for boxing fans. The shows that we have managed to put on have been phenomenal. When I walk out to fight, I look around and I’m like, ‘mate, this is unbelievable’. 

“From where we began, to the middle of the journey, the foundations we have created are phenomenal and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. In my humble opinion, what better place to be than Matchroom Boxing? I have heard that my signature was hot property. I’m happy where I am. A handshake is good enough for me, but the signature solidifies it and I’m happy where my signature is. 

“Thank you to Eddie Hearn, Barry Hearn and the family, Frank Smith and all of the Matchroom staff, as well as Freddie Cunningham and the team at 258MGT.”

 “When AJ and I met in the Matchroom HQ 8 years ago, we had a vision and a dream that we shared together,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “There is something quite special about sharing a journey together from the professional debut to the day the gloves are hung up, but it takes a huge amount of belief and an unwavering loyalty. Over those 8 years, AJ has been the face of British boxing, inspiring a new generation and audience to the sport we love.

“This is the fourth and final promotional agreement we have signed together, and I am honoured that AJ has confirmed his future with Matchroom. Just like we did from the debut, myself and the great team at Matchroom will continue to work relentlessly for Anthony in the many chapters that remain. I also want to thank Frank Smith and the whole team at Matchroom along with Freddie Cunningham and 258 who we have had a seamless partnership with. Here is to an amazing night this Saturday and many more for us all to savour.”

“The partnership between Matchroom, Anthony and 258MGT has been fantastic since day one,” said 258MGT Managing Director Freddie Cunningham. “Together we have all worked hand in hand to break records and sell out iconic venues all over the world. Matchroom have been a key component in helping give Anthony the platform to hit the pinnacle of his sport and we are excited to embark on the next part of the journey and make more history together. The deal has been a while in the making so we are really pleased to have it signed and sealed before another huge fight on Saturday night.”




J RUSSELL PELTZ’ BOXING MEMOIR,THIRTY DOLLARS AND A CUT EYE,NOW ON SALE

PHILADELPHIA, PA — In 2019, J Russell Peltz celebrated 50 years as a boxing promoter. Beginning this week, 50 years of boxing stories from the Hall of Famer are revealed in Peltz’ memoir, Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye. The book is available for purchase via Peltz’ website (peltzboxing.com) and major book retailers.

The 404-page book chronicles Peltz’s first time watching fights on television at the age of 12 in 1959, to his first experience at a live boxing event at 14, and takes readers through his half century in the business. Peltz promoted over 1,000 boxing events, and more than 40 world championship fights.

Peltz’ savant-like ability to remember details of fights that took place half a century ago, what happened every round, every conversation, every travesty, and every scandal, makes Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye a must-read for boxing fans. A lifetime collector, Peltz saved every contract he ever signed, all the fight programs, posters, videos, along with the profit-and-loss statements from each promotion.

From his days directing the career of middleweight legend Bennie Briscoe, through his hot-and-cold relationship with ill-fated junior lightweight Tyrone Everett and the controversial title fight with Alfredo Escalera, the five bouts he promoted with Marvelous Marvin Hagler (including Hagler’s first two defeats), the matches he featured with Emile Griffith, Thomas Hearns and Aaron Pryor, his years with Joltin’ Jeff Chandler, the time his office building was fire-bombed, and through his silent interest in the career of Arturo Gatti–you don’t want to miss it. Peltz has promoted cards at every major venue in Philadelphia as well as nearly every casino in Atlantic City, and his business has taken him around the world, from Argentina to France, and from Italy to Beijing.

There are 60 photos in the book, many of which have never been published.

“The book contains it all,” said Peltz. “The facts, the figures, and the finances. Nothing was off limits. I’ve spoken with over 30 men who boxed for me. Some of them had nice things to say–others, not so much, but it’s all in there. I’m as proud of this book as I am of anything I’ve ever done in boxing.”

To celebrate the debut of Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye, Peltz will host a book launch party on Oct. 21 at 7 pm. at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. The event will be open to the public, and, in addition to signing copies of the book for those in attendance, Peltz will be screening some of the most memorable Philly-area fights from the past 50 years.

Readers can purchase the book at the book launch and at peltzboxing.com, or through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Readers who purchase the book via peltzboxing.com will have the opportunity to have the book inscribed.




Four Fighter Locker boxers in action this Thursday in Dominican Republic

BOSTON (September 21, 2021) — Four Dominican fighters managed by Ryan Roach’s Fighter Locker will be in action this Thursday at Teo Cruz Boxing Coliseum in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Two-time Olympian Leonel de los Santos (3-0, 3 KOs), pro-debuting light heavyweight Roki Berroa, super welterweight Orlando Perez (8-0, 6 KOs), and pro-debuting super welterweight Juan Solano are all slated to be fighting.

Santos takes on lightweight Andres “El Indomable” Zapata (9-10, 6 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

In 4-round matches, southpaw Solano meets Dioni Cadelaria Martinez (0-2) and Berroa faces pro-debuting Orlando Peralta Beltran, while Perez goes for his ninth consecutive win without a loss against Angelo “El Olmpico” Munoz (18-19, 11 KOs).

“This is a big moment for these fighters all fighting in their home city for the first time as professionals,” Roach said. “Leonel, Juan and Roki fought all over the world together, but this is their first time at home, so this is special to them. I will be traveling down to be with them and i am really looking forward to watching these guys display their talent. This is my first time to watch live professional boxing in the Dominican Republic and I’m excited to team up with Shaun Boxing for the event.”

INFORMATION:

WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com

FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker

TWITTER: @RoachRyan

INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER: Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.




DJ Zamora III Scores 2nd Round Knockout Remains Undefeated

LAS VEGAS, NV (September 21, 2021) – This past Sunday featherweight, “The War Machine” DJ Zamora III (5-0, 4 KOs), scored a second-round knockout on his off-TV PBC debut when dismantled, Richard Barnard (1-6-1) by way of a right hook to the body. The 4-round bout took place at the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California.

In the opening round, Zamora III, took his time to get an idea of what adjustments needed to be made before he went on the attack. In the second round, he stood in the middle of the ring and let his hands go, dropping Barnard with a straight left to the head. After Barnard, got up, Zamora III ended the bout when he landed a powerful body shot via a right hook, and the referee counted him out.

“It felt good to get a nice stoppage on a PBC card,” said Zamora III. “The goal was to come out to Bakersfield and make a statement, by getting a knockout. I’m still only 18-years old so I have a lot to learn in this sport, but I like the way my career is going. I’ll be right back in the gym awaiting my next fight, which I hope will be very soon. I took no punishment so I know I can get back in the ring right away.”

With another fight under his belt, Zamora III feels he’s getting more comfortable in the ring and believes he’s on the right track to become a force in the featherweight division.

“I know with more experience, I’ll be ready to fight anyone in this division,” continued Zamora III. “I’ve been sparring all the top guys in Las Vegas, and I spent a training camp with Ryan Garcia. My confidence is high, and I know I got what it takes to be a household name in this sport. I’m going to keep grinding and working hard to become a world champion one day, that’s the goal.”

“DJ showed a lot of maturity by taking his time in the first round to see what he was working with,” Bob Santos said. “He felt the power of Barnard and took care of business by getting the stoppage. He has a bright future and I’m happy with his performance.”




VIDEO: UFC 266 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1




Matt Conway notches 20 career win, Stops Rodolfo Puente in second round

MURRYSVILLE, Penn. (September 20, 2021) – Pittsburgh junior lightweight Matt “Sweet Child” Conway, the reigning IBA Intercontinental Junior Lightweight Champion, notched his 20th career victory in this past Saturday night’s “Murrysville Madness” non-title main event against dangerous Colombian puncher Rodolfo “El Tsunami” Puente (20-8-2, 16 KOs).

“Murrysville Madness,” presented by Gionta Management, was held at a nearly sold-out SportsZone Arena in Murrayville (PA).

This was our first time promoting at this venue and things went really well overall,” promoter Derek Gionta said. “We will come back here, hopefully, in the near future. This was our third show this year at two different venues and it’s great to remain consistent despite the difficult times we encountered earlier this year in regard to the pandemic. The plan is to keep moving forward and building up these guys.”

“There were a number of intriguing fights. Matt Conway had a monumental victory for his 20th win as a professional. He will be come back January 15th in a big fight on our show in Cheswick, PA.”

Conway (20-2, 9 KOs) positioned himself for an IBA World title fight in January, which Gionta will promote at The Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Cheswick, PA.

Against Puente, Conway overcame Puente’s early aggression, but after the opening round, the Colombian did little more than hold. A Conway left hook dropped Puente in the second round and that marked the end of the fight and show shortly after from a referee stoppage.

The co-feature was the “Fight of the Night.” Pittsburgh super middleweight Kiante Irving (9-0-1, 9 KOs), a 2018 National Golden Gloves Champion, and Antonio Louis Hernandez (5-11-3, 3 KOs), battled to an exciting 6-round split draw.

Irving won the first three rounds, primarily by using his stiff jab and landing solid rights to Hernandez’ body. Hernandez, however, owned the last three rounds, controlling the action and landing power shots that hurt Irving on multiple occasions. High drama filed the room as Irving proved a chin and heart to go along with his power. Hernandez, sporting a deceiving record and at just 22 years old, has time to turn the corner and make up for early struggles against high quality opposition. Both sides have expressed interest in a rematch.

Ohio lightweight Ryizeemmion “The Humble Beast” Ford (6-1, 4 KOs) dominated Carlos “Jaguar” Jimenez (1-3-1), of Mexico, setting the pace until he landed a hard right that buzzed Jimenez. A follow-up attack prompted the referee to halt the action midway through the opening round.

Pittsburgh super middleweight Eric Lomax kept rollin’, setting the pace and blasting out Jacob Ikaika Martin (1-1) with only 9-seconds left in the fourth and scheduled final round. Lomax passed the test in impressive fashion as he boxed well and fought with explosiveness in spurts.

Kyrgyzstan native Baszybek Baratov (5-1-2, 1 KO), who fights out of Monroeville (PA), defeated Buffalo featherweight debutant Joe Reed, winning a unanimous decision. Scores were 40-36 x 2 and 39-37. “Baz” was slippery on the defense, while picking shots from all angles while Reed stood conventional and had some success of his own at times.

Pittsburgh super lightweight and Matt Conway’s brother, “Maverick” Mike Conway (4-2-1, 1 KO), joined his bro in the winner’s circle, pitching a “shutout” 4-round decision versus Joshua Zimmerman (0-4). Conway worked his way inside to nullify Zimmerman’s height and length advantage and used a double hook several times.

In the first match of the evening, southpaw Paul Palombo won his pro debut when his opponent, middleweight Jabrandon Harris (0-7) of Texas was unable to continue after two rounds. Palombo boxed well out of his southpaw stance and turned it up after a quiet opening round and picked his shots nicely on the inside.

Complete results below:


OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS

Matt Conway (20-2, 9 KOs), Pittsburgh, PA

WTKO2 (1:39)

Rodolfo Puente (20-8-2, 16 KOs), Barramquilla, Colombia

CO-FEATURE – SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Kiante Irving (9-0-1, 9 KOs), Pittsburgh, PA

D6 (58-56, 56-58, 57-57)

Antonio Louis Hernandez (5-11-2, 4 KOs), Kansas City, KS

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Eric Lomax (4-0, 3 KOs), Pittsburgh, PA

WTKO4 (2:51)

Jacob Ibaika Martin (1-1, 1 KO), Tacoma, WA

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Paul Palombo (1-0, 1 KO), Buffalo, NY

WTKO2 (3:00)

Jabrandon Harris (0-7), Bryan, TX

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS

Mike Conway (4-2-1, 1 KO), Pittsburgh, PA

WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)

Joshua Zimmerman (0-4), Baltimore, MD

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Ryizeemmion Ford (6-1, 4 KOs), Alliance, OH

WTKO1 (2:01)

Carlos Jimenez (1-3-1 (0 KOs), Saltillo, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Baszybek Baratov (5-1-2, 1 KO), Monroeville, PA

WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 39-37)

Joe Reed (0-1, 0 KOs), Buffalo, NY





Irish light heavyweight Thomas O’Toole To make pro debut this Friday night in Boston area

BOSTON (September 18, 2021) – Irish amateur star Thomas O’Toole will make his long anticipated professional debut this Friday night on the “Fight Night at Mosley’s On The Charles II” card at Moseley’s on the Charles, located in the Boston suburb of Dedham, Massachusetts.

Vertex Promotions, which will promoted “Fight Night On The Charles II” on Friday night, Sept. 24, also presents “Fight Night On The Charles at Moseley’s III,” as well as the USA Boxing-sanctioned amateur card, 2021 New England Championships, Saturday afternoon, all at “Mosley’s On The Charles.”

The 23-year-old O’Toole captured top honors at the 2019 Irish Elite Championships. Last year, the Irish southpaw upset pre-tournament favorite Tony Browne in semifinals of the Irish Elite Championships, and he lost by split decision in the final to Emmet Brennan, who is representing Ireland in Tokyo at the Olympics.

O’Toole, who is matched against veteran Francisco Ariri Neto (1-14, 1 KO) in a 4-round bout, is following in the footsteps of Irish boxers who’ve traveled to the Boston area as a base for their professional careers, including WBO World Super Middleweight Champion Stevie “Celtic Warrior” Collins (36-3, 21 KOs – 1986-97), WBA World light middleweight title challenger Sean Mannion (42-14-1, 13 KOs) – 1979-93), and heavyweight Kevin “The Clones Colossus” McBride (35-10-1 (29 KOs) – 1992-2011), best known as the man who knocked “Iron” Mike Tyson into retirement.

“I can’t wait,” an excited O’Toole said about his pro debut. “I’ve been training all during the Covid pandemic and have stepped it up the last three months. I’ve heard back from friends and family that there is a lot of talk about me coming over. So, I’m going to make sure my name is mentioned with the likes of Collins, McBride and Mannion. The kid is going to bring fireworks!”

Undefeated ABF American West and NBA Continental champion, 23-year-old Albany (NY) welterweight RayJay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (13-0, 10 KOs) headlines Friday’s show in the 8-round lightweight match versus Uganda-native Philip “The Hunter” Adyaka (7-15, 4 KOs), who is fighting out of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Undefeated welterweight prospect Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan (7-0, 7 KOs) puts his perfect pro record on the line in a 6-round co-featured event versus Rakim Johnson (6-13-1, 5 KOs). Representing Weymouth, MA, Hogan is the reigning New Hampshire super welterweight champion, as well as a 2019 New England Golden Gloves gold medalist.

Two-time New England Golden Gloves champion Bryan Daniels, a Worcester, MA heavyweight, 2-time New England Golden Gloves champion, meets Larry “Hit Man” Pryor (14-24, 8 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

Providence (RI) middleweight Anthony Conception (7-0-1, 6 KOs) meets Lenwood “Mr. Composure” Dozier (10-26-3, 5 KOs) in a 6-rounder, while Malden, MA light heavyweight Alex Rivera (1-0, 1 KO) faces Tomi Archambault (1-13, 1 KO), in a 4-round bout.

Also slated to be in action in a 4-round fight is New Bedford, MA middleweight Drew “Tomahawk” Dwelly (2-2-0, 2 KOs) versus Lashawn Alcocks (1-10).

Saturday night’s card will be headlined by undefeated welterweight prospect Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs) of Lawrence (MA), in an 8-round bout against Danny “Venado” Flores (15-24-1, 8 KOs).

Cards are subject to change.

Tickets for both shows are on sale for $95.00 (row 1), $85.00 (2nd row), $65.00 (3rd row), $55.00 (general admission) and $45.00 (standing room). Contact any of the competing fighters to purchase tickets, limited availability at the door.

Doors will open at 7 pm. ET with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on both evenings.

Saturday afternoon’s (2-5 p.m. ET.) amateur show will require a separate admission ($20.00 general admission only) on sale at the door. Fifteen matches are scheduled featuring the top N.E. amateurs.




OCTOBER 9: EDGAR BERLANGA-MARCELO ESTEBAN COCERES & JULIAN WILLIAMS-VLADIMIR HERNANDEZ ADDED TO LOADED FURY VS. WILDER III CARD AT T-MOBILE ARENA

LAS VEGAS (September 20, 2021) — Brooklyn’s newest young knockout prodigy and a former unified world champion from Philadelphia will see action Saturday, Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in preliminary bouts before the highly anticipated heavyweight trilogy grudge match between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will fight former world title challenger Marcelo Esteban “El Terrible” Coceres in a scheduled 10-round showdown for the vacant NABO super middleweight belt, while Julian “J-Rock” Williams will face Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round junior middleweight bout in his first fight since losing his title belts.

Berlanga-Coceres and Williams-Hernandez will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1 and FOX Deportes, and simulcast on ESPN+. Preliminary bouts will stream live on the ESPN App and FOX Sports App starting at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

The all-heavyweight Fury vs. Wilder III ESPN+ and FOX Sports PPV bonanza begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba squaring off against fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” in the 10-round co-main event; the highly anticipated 12-round rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface”Kownacki; and the eight-round PPV opener featuring 21-year-old sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson versus Russian veteran Vladimir Tereshkin.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Berlanga (17-0, 16 KOs), the Brooklyn-bred puncher with Puerto Rican roots, became one of boxing’s most talked-about fighters by scoring first-round knockouts in his first 16 fights. The 2020 Prospect of the Year, he’s walked to the ring with mentor and multi-platinum hip hop artist Fat Joe and become a social media sensation with his highlight-reel stoppages. The knockout streak ended in April, as Berlanga knocked down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds and had to settle for a unanimous decision. Coceres (30-2-1, 16 KOs), from Argentina, challenged Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO super middleweight world title in November 2019 and was nearly level on the scorecards before being knocked out in the 11th round. He last fought in June, knocking out Nelson Nicolas Rosalez in the second round.

Berlanga said, “I am thrilled to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III card, and I am coming do what I always do, which is to steal the show and knock out my opponent in devastating fashion. Coceres is in for a rude awakening on October 9. Do not get up for a snack when I’m fighting. It’s going to be a short, brutal night. Count on it.”

“Berlanga can say what he wants about making it a short night or whatever. The biggest talkers are usually the most insecure,” said Coceres. “I know what I bring to the table. I’ve been in there with the better fighters, while he’s feasted on a diet of nobodies. In my mind, it won’t be an upset when I beat this kid. On October 9, it is man versus boy, and that boy is in for a rude awakening.”

Philadelphia’s Williams (27-2-1, 16 KOs) became a unified world champion at 154-pounds in May 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd in one of the year’s best fights, winning a close-quarters brawl by unanimous decision. The 31-year-old dropped the titles in his first defense, losing to Jeison Rosario in January 2020. Williams had been riding a five-fight winning streak going into the Rosario matchup, in which he added victories over former champion Ishe Smith and hard-hitting contender Nathaniel Gallimore to his ledger. He returns to action on Oct. 9 against the 32-year-old Hernandez (12-4, 6 KOs). Originally from Durango, Mexico, Hernandez now lives in Denver, Colorado, and most recently earned a decision victory over longtime contender Alfredo Angulo in August 2020.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete on this amazing card,” said Williams. “I’m excited to be getting back in the ring and starting my journey back to the very top of the division.”

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity to get back in the ring on October 9,” said Hernandez. “I expect Julian Williams to be prepared like I am to give the fans a great fight. I have been doing nothing but staying ready and training since my last fight. I promise that I’m going to bring the action when that bell rings.”

Preliminary bouts include a 10-round featherweight bout between two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (7-1, 4 KOs) and unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Orlando “Capu” Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs), heavyweight phenom Viktor Faust (7-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Mike Marshall (6-1, 4 KOs), the pro debut of former U.S. amateur star Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington in a four-round featherweight contest against an opponent to be named, and junior welterweight standout Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (11-1-1, 10 KOs) versus Victor Vazquez (11-5, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing@trboxing,  @TGBPromotions@TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.Facebook.com/trboxing.




CANELO ÁLVAREZ AND CALEB PLANT SET FOR HISTORIC UNDISPUTED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT LIVE ON SHOWTIME PPV SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

LAS VEGAS (September 20, 2021) – Boxing’s consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Mexican superstar and unified WBA/WBC/WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Canelo Álvarez will face undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant in a historic showdown on Saturday, November 6, live on SHOWTIME PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

Canelo, a four-division world champion, will look to capture undisputed status for the first time in his Hall of Fame-caliber career as he returns to SHOWTIME where he made his pay-per-view main event debut in September 2013. The unbeaten and supremely talented Plant attempts to earn a career-defining victory and keep his perfect record intact as he makes his fourth world title defense. The winner of the November 6 bout will stamp his name in the history books as the first undisputed 168-pound world champion of the four-belt era.

“This is the most highly anticipated fight of the year and rightfully so,’’ said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Canelo Álvarez has proven to be one of the best boxers in the sport today and he is seeking to become the first ever undisputed super middleweight champion. And Caleb Plant, who is a skilled technician in the ring and extremely confident in his abilities, wants to make history and not become a footnote. Both men will bring fire and determination into the ring and the eyes of the sports world will be focused on the action at MGM Grand on the evening of November 6.’’

“We are very happy to have been able to reach an agreement for this fight as we look to make history in becoming the first undisputed champion of Mexico or Latin America, and just the sixth man in the history of boxing,” said Canelo’s manager Eddy Reynoso. “We are going to train very hard, focus on growing the sport of boxing and plan to lift up the name of Mexico.”

“In one of our most prolific years to date, SHOWTIME has delivered 17 live boxing events in 2021 so far with several more to come. None more significant, however, than November 6,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to welcome Canelo Álvarez back to SHOWTIME, now as the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the sport’s biggest draw. We also welcome undefeated world champion Caleb Plant to the network as both men chase a historic, undisputed world title in the most anticipated fight of the year.”

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. The event is promoted by Canelo Promotions and TGB Promotions and sponsored by Hennessy and Value.

Having already captured world titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175-pounds, Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) has amassed a Hall of Fame resume at just 31-years-old. The fighting pride of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Canelo began his quest for the undisputed super middleweight championship in December 2020 by defeating then unbeaten Callum Smith to capture the WBA and WBC titles. Most recently, Canelo added the WBO belt via a stoppage victory over previously undefeated Billy Joe Saunders in May. November 6 will be Canelo’s first attempt at an undisputed title.

Under the guidance of Reynoso, his renowned coach, Canelo has faced and triumphed over a long list of elite fighters since turning pro at just 15-years-old in 2005. Shane Mosley, Gennadiy Golovkin, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto and Sergey Kovalev are among them. Canelo’s lone professional defeat came against undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather in September 2013.

“At the end of the day, this is what I want to do with my career, make history,” said Canelo. “These things, like becoming the first to be the unified champion at 168 pounds, is making history. To potentially be one of the few who holds this prestigious honor in any weight class makes me very happy. For my country, this would be a huge accomplishment. I want to be remembered as one of the greatest in the history of the sport.”

The 28-year-old Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) captured his world title and burst onto the 168-pound scene by defeating Jose Uzcategui in January 2019. Plant was the underdog coming into the Uzcategui fight. He quickly set the tone scoring two early knockdowns on his way to a clear unanimous decision victory. It was an emotional night for Plant, who had dedicated his championship win to the memory of his late daughter, Alia, who passed away in 2015.

A native of Ashland City, Tennessee, Plant now lives and trains in Las Vegas, guided by his trainer Justin Gamber, along with his father and co-trainer Richie Plant. Caleb has successfully defended his title three times, dominating Mike Lee to earn a third-round stoppage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in July 2019. He then earned a TKO victory over Vincent Feigenbutz in a homecoming bout in Nashville in 2020. Most recently, Plant bested former super middleweight world champion Caleb Truax, winning a unanimous decision in their January clash.

“On November 6, the world will witness boxing’s first ever crowned undisputed super middleweight champion,” said Plant. “When my hand is raised in victory, the world will know then, that I’m the new face of boxing. Everyone should order the PPV now and get their popcorn ready, because I’m about to put on a performance that will go down in history as one of the best ever. This man is in trouble.”

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About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.




THIS FRIDAY’S SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION EMANATING FROM A UNIQUE SETTING FOR BOXING, OUTDOORS IN DOWNTOWN BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA

(Broken Arrow, OK) As part of Showtime’s 20th anniversary season of ShoBox: The New Generation, this Friday, September 24, 2021, Salita Promotions will return to one of the most unique fight venues in the United States, outdoors in the City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s arts and entertainment district, for a live tripleheader broadcast featuring six prospects boasting combined records of 72-2-1.

Set in the middle of the scenic city’s town square, in the 10-round bantamweight main event bout, 26-year-old Detroit native Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) will face California’s 24-year-old Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs). The co-main event will pit undefeated featherweight prospects Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and in the opener, Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces the undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest.

The event will be Salita Promotions’ second attempt to stage a fight at the outdoor boxing hotbed. In August 2019, a Salita event featuring undefeated Uzbek Shohjahon Ergashev had to be moved to the nearby confines of the Central Park Community Center due to rain.

“I am thrilled that Showtime selected Broken Arrow for these boxing matches during ShoBox’s 20th anniversary,” said Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee. “I can’t think of a better place to showcase these amazing athletes than right here in the beautiful and award-winning Rose District. The atmosphere on Main St. is going to be like nothing we’ve seen before, and I’m excited that a global audience will get to see what we Broken Arrowans have known all along. The Rose District and our citizens are second to none when it comes to celebrating the arts and entertainment.”

Promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s hopeful this time the weather will cooperate and set the stage for an unforgettable setting for the fights Friday night.

“I am honored to promote the September 24 ShoBox in such a unique outside setting,” said Salita. “The City of Broken Arrow have been wonderful hosts and we are happy to be returning for this out-of-the-ordinary ShoBox event. The weather reports are favorable this time and we have a fantastic show lined up with crossroads fights, top to bottom.”

In the unlikely event of inclement weather, the show will once again relocate to Central Park Community Center at 1500 S. Main St.

O’Quinn vs. Sanchez – 10-Round Bantamweight Main Event Bout

Previously rated in the top-ten in the world by the WBO at 115 pounds, O’Quinn last fought at 118 pounds in a dominating unanimous decision over Oscar Vasquez in the 250th edition of ShoBox in January 2020. Ranked as the No. 1 amateur bantamweight in the country compiling a record of 130-18 before turning professional in 2015, O’Quinn boasts blazing-fast hands and an ability to throw effortless combinations. A fan favorite in his hometown of Detroit, he was busy in 2018 and 2019, winning three times in each year, with five of the six fights taking place in his home state of Michigan.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” said O’Quinn. “I can’t wait to show my talent to the world again. I don’t really know much about him, but he better learn all he can about me. Not that it will help him any. I’m going to win because there are levels to this and he is not on my level. That will be very apparent quickly. I’m a strong force in the bantamweight division. Training is going good but it’s hard. I train hard and fight easy.”

The 24-year-old Sanchez, who is ranked No. 8 by the WBA at 118 pounds, is riding a four-fight winning streak. His last time out, Sanchez made quick work of Frank Gonzalez, knocking him down three times en route to a first-round stoppage. The Pacoima, Calif. native scored an eighth-round stoppage of Brandon Benitez in an entertaining and all-action fight in his ShoBox debut in May 2019. He dropped his next fight, a split decision to Edwin Rodriguez, but rebounded with a unanimous decision over Victor Trejo Garcia to jumpstart his winning streak. Trained by Manny Robles, Sanchez is the younger brother of 19-1 professional featherweight Emilio Sanchez.

“This is the biggest fight of my career on the biggest stage of my career, and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass me by,” said Sanchez. “I’m going to show everyone watching on SHOWTIME that I belong with the big boys. O’Quinn is a good fighter but I’m going to give him his first loss. I’m at a point in my career where I need to make that turning point to a world title shot, and that time is now.”

Garnett vs. Nunez – 10-Round Super Featherweight Bout

Jayvon Garnett hails from the boxing talent-laden city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he first put on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of six. He had a stellar amateur career fighting over 110 times, developing his style and sharpening his skills in Ohio’s very competitive amateur boxing scene. The 26-year-old is coming off his career-best professional win, a unanimous decision over the once-beaten Jose Argel in June. Combining exceptional quickness and accuracy with a propensity for power, the 5’3” Garnett stopped five of his first six professional opponents. He has won his last four contests on the scorecards, all unanimously.

“It feels great to be fighting on SHOWTIME,” said Garnett. “I always dreamed of fighting on big platforms, but never dreamed it would be ShoBox for my first TV fight. I don’t know much about my opponent, but I will win this fight because I’m smarter. In the ring, I’m a boxer and a thinker, but I also have heavy punches. With this victory, I’m going to the next level up the ladder and getting closer to being in the world rankings.”

A decorated amateur in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata’s Luis Reynaldo Nunez started boxing at age eight and went on to win a number of national championships as a member of the Dominican national team, including gold in the 2016 Youth Championship. A fan-friendly pressure fighter with heavy hands, Nunez turned professional at 18, passing every test put in front of him in his native country. His unblemished resume includes a unanimous decision over then 20-3-1 Eliezer Aquino and a fourth-round KO over then once-beaten Giovanni Gutierrez.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be fighting on SHOWTIME,” said the 21-year-old Nunez, who will be fighting outside of the Dominican Republic for the first time. “My opponent is a good fighter but I am here to show him what happens against real competition. Thanks to my team for getting me this opportunity and I look forward to making a splash on national television.”

Guerrero vs. Eranosyan – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout

Fighting out of Houston, Texas, Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who will be making his third appearance on ShoBox, looking to improve his record to 2-1 on the prospect development series. He won a closely contested slugfest via majority decision over Jose Angulo in March 2020, but was upset by Abraham Montoya in February. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, the 23-year-old “Pork Chop” has sparred with the likes of world champions Mikey Garcia and Brandon Rios at the famed Garcia Boxing Academy in California.

“Training is going great,” said Guerrero. “I’ve been in shape for two months so now it’s just touching up basic stuff here and there with my technique. I know Eranosyan will be tough, so we’re going in with a strong mind knowing he can fight. I’m training hard because I will have to be more than ready. The guy will not be a walk in the park. But I have a different mentality now. The last fight, I went in with the mentality of ‘I can beat everybody.’ This one, I have to go in with a smart mind and actually box the guy and use all my skills.”

Ranked No. 9 by the WBA at 130 pounds, Eranosyan was a highly decorated Georgian amateur who has transitioned seamlessly into the paid ranks. The 27-year-old didn’t turn professional until August 2020, but has already fought nine times. Now based in Miami Beach, Fla., “Pitbull” owns two notable fourth-round KOs over the 32-4 Juan Carlos Pena, including in his last time out on August 13. Eranosyan will make his ShoBox debut as he fights for the seventh time in 2021, which also marks his first pro fight outside of Florida.

“I haven’t studied Guerrero too much, but I watched a couple fights and he’s a good fighter with very good punching power and very good stamina,” said Eranosyan. “I’m adding a lot of stamina training and working on my legs for this fight to be ready for him. I don’t know exactly what will happen, but simply I am the best in the division, so I will win.”

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

About ShoBox: The New Generation
This year, the critically acclaimed prospect developmental series, ShoBox: The New Generation, celebrates its 20th anniversary on the air as it continues to match top young talent tough. Since its inception in July 2001, the ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 84 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.




Well-traveled New England warriors Williams, Vendetti go toe-to-toe Friday in Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 20) – They’ve shared plenty of the same spaces through the years, whether in major arenas or in the cozier confines of local gyms ripping away at the heavy bag, yet, surprisingly their paths never crossed when it counted.

Until now.

In what may be one of the most intriguing New England fights of the year, regional rivals Jimmy Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, CT, and Greg Vendetti (22-4-1, 12 KOs) of Stoneham, MA, collide Friday night, September 24, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Super Welterweight Title live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Williams and Vendetti are two of New England’s most accomplished active fighters, making Friday’s championship showdown all the more important; in addition to the famed green and gold belt, bragging rights are also on the line.

Friday’s event also features the long-awaited Connecticut debut of Stamford’s own Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), a rising star in the middleweight division who faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in the eight-round co-main event. The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live FIGHT PASS stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

Williams and Vendetti have built strong followings in and out of New England through the years despite their careers traveling vastly different paths. Williams, 35, a former college football standout born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, began his career with 15 wins in his first 16 pro bouts, the only blemishes being a draw against Greg Jackson in 2013 and a controversial no contest against Issouf Kinda in 2017.

Along the way, the charismatic right-hander, who works as a truancy officer in West Haven, captured the WBC USNBC Welterweight Title, dominating CES stablemate and fellow New England boxer Nick DeLomba in 2017. Never one to back down from a challenge, Williams hit a rough patch between 2019 and 2020, punctuated by a devastating knockout loss to prospect Brandun Lee, but a solid performance in his comeback bout against Mexican challenger Esteban Villalba, albeit a loss, proved to be enough to lift Williams’ confidence and convince him to keep moving forward.

The decision to continue fighting was a wise one; in June, Williams scored one of the most – if not the most – impressive wins of his career, outworking former world champion and 38-fight vet Yuri Foreman to capture the UBO International Super Welterweight Title. The next challenge is Vendetti, 31, a hard-nosed, workman-like fighter whom Williams respects for his willingness to fight anyone, a characteristic both have shared throughout their careers.

“Greg is a true warrior and he comes to fight, just like myself,” Williams said. “This fight will bring out the best in me. It’s going to be a night to remember.”

Vendetti, a former plumber, is best described as a throwback fighter, one who charges his opponent from the opening bell and never lets up. In his first appearance with CES in 2017, Vendetti bullied the favored Khiary Gray to earn a majority decision win and capture the vacant New England Super Welterweight Title.

The win helped catapult Vendetti to the next level and the opportunities he kept coming. First, he cleaned up the 154-pound weight class in New England, toppling regional rivals Casey Streeter and Derek Silveira. A year later, he earned another big break on ESPN, upsetting favored Japanese standout Yoshihiro Kamegai. Vendetti continued to work hard, even after a loss to Michel Soro in 2018, and, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, got the call all fighters dream of – an offer to fight for a world title on national television.

In August of 2020, Vendetti faced one of the sport’s pound-for-pound top fighters, Erislandy Lara, for Lara’s WBA and IBO World Super Welterweight Titles. Vendetti lost the fight on the scorecards, but gained respect and notoriety for giving the highly-regarded Lara everything he could handle for 12 rounds, something few thought was possible. Even Vendetti himself said entering the fight, “When I hear the odds and I hear people’s opinions that I’m going to get killed … I would say the same thing if I were them.”

Furthermore, few could’ve predicted Vendetti would get the opportunity to face a fighter like Lara on that kind of stage when he finished a pedestrian 4-2-1 in his first seven fights, including a draw and a loss to journeyman Antonio Fernandes. To keep his composure, Vendetti continued to follow the advice of his longtime trainer Joe Ricciardi: “Work hard, and things can happen.” A lot has happened in the past eight years for Vendetti, and now he faces another New England rival on the road in his home state – just another day at the office. Simply put, Vendetti said, “My plan is to win.”

The undercard features seven more excited bouts, including the Nutmeg State debut of the 30-year-old southpaw Booker, who aims to improve his record to 17-0 following an impressive win in November against Sanny Duversonne. Booker has made a steady living on the road, upsetting Juan De Angel at the Barclays Center in 2019 live on FOX and four months later chopping down Wale Otomoso by a wide margin on FOX Sports 1.

Also on the card, undefeated super bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, who now fights out of Florida, returns to New England in a tough six-round matchup against Dominican Republic-born challenger Juan Gabriel Medina (12-7, 11 KOs).

Featherweight Nathan Martinez (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Britain returns from a two-year layoff to face Mexican challenger Francisco Dominguez (7-11-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout. Making his professional debut, Providence, RI, heavyweight and former college football standout Timothy Hatfield makes his professional debut in a four-round bout against Ohio’s Kaleb Slaughter (1-2-1).

Returning for the first time since 2019, New Haven super lightweight Carlos Perez (1-0) battles newcomer Tyriek Gainey of Paterson, NJ, in a four-round bout and Ramon Caraballo of New Britain makes his professional debut against Montreal’s Samuel Lajoie-Dery (1-0, 1 KO). Friday’s card also features the Connecticut debut of female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (0-1), a Columbia, CT, native, in a four-round bout against “Scary” Christina Barry (1-7) of Manitoba, Canada.

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on FacebookInstagramTwitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

–30–

 

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.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

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.




Montgomery outlasts Jumakhonov in a war

In an action packed war, Maliek Montgomery won a 10-round unanimous decision over Aleem Jumakhonov in a featherweight battle in Bakersfield, California.

The two banged away on the inside, landing heavy shots. Montgomery landed many more and some thudding shots that swelled the left eye of Jumakhonov.

Montgomery landed 339 of 973 punches; Jumakhonov was 185 of 864.

Montgomery, 126 lbs of Macon, GA won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 11-0. Jumakhonov, 125 lbs of Resada, CA is 9-4-2.

Juarez Decisions Lopez

Omar Juarez won a eight-round unanimous decision over Jairo Lopez in super lightweight fight.

In round five, Juarez landed a big right that sent Lopez to a knee.

Juarez landed 195 of 557 punches; Lopez was 103 of 466.

Juarez, 142 lbs of Brownsville, TX won by scores of 80-71, and 79-72 twice and is now 12-1. Lopez, 141 lbs of Nuvo Leon, MEX is 23-14.

Barrientes Decisions Torres

Angel Barrientes won a six-round unanimous decision over Victor Torres in a super bantamweight fight.

In round three, Barrientes began to bleed from the nose.

Barrientes landed 118 of 344 punches; Torres was 60 of 344.

Barrientes, 121.4 lbs of Las Vegas, NV won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 6-1. Torres, 121.6 lbs of Modesto, CA is 7-9-1.




COMPLETE RESULTS FOR BELLATOR MMA 266: DAVIS VS. ROMERO

#3-Phil Davis (23-6) defeated Yoel Romero (13-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-26)

Phil Davis had this to say following his win over Yoel Romero: “Six years ago, I was making my Bellator debut right here in San Jose, and I absolutely forgot –  it’s one of my biggest mistakes ever – I forgot to encourage one of my best friends, training partners, roommates at Penn State. He was in the hospital with cancer and I forgot to encourage him. He ended up losing his battle with cancer. Now, I want to rectify that moment by just saying that my mom and dad, who are tremendous and are everything that I wish a mom and dad could be, are just wonderful. Last September,  two weeks before my fight with Lyoto Machida, my mom calls me and tells me she has malignant breast cancer, so she had to go and get that taken care of. Exactly three days later my father told me he had aggressive prostate cancer. Then two weeks later I had to go and fight The Dragon. I really had to dig deep in a number of ways and I just want to say to my Mom and Dad – by God’s grace they’re still here, my mother’s in the crowd, my father’s at home staring at the tv crying – I love you guys and I cannot do this without you. You guys are amazing.”

#4-Neiman Gracie (11-2) defeated Mark Lemminger (12-4) via TKO (punches) at 1:27 of round one

Neiman Gracie made it clear who he wants next: “I don’t need to take people down to win fights anymore. I can do it all, but if I take you down, oh boy. I saw he was putting his head down so I come up with the uppercut. If you keep the fight standing, it’s the hospital. If you go to the ground, it’s the cemetery. There’s a couple guys I want to fight. I want to fight MVP. I’ve been calling this guy out forever and the fight never happens. They always have another excuse. I want my rematch with Jason Jackson… and I want Mr. Yaroslav Amosov,, I have the worst game for him and I believe I’ll be the one to give him his first loss.”

DeAnna Bennett (11-7-1) defeated #5-Alejandra Lara (9-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

DeAnna Bennett after her unanimous decision win: “I can’t describe to you how I’m feeling right now. This place means everything to me. I’m born and raised in the bay area… I’m so glad to be her fighting in this cage for Bellator with all of these fans here. My dad, he’s with me here…He always knew I was gonna fight here and get my hand raised in this building. I wanted that first round finish so bad, but Alejandra, she’s so tough, so tough. You can’t have a good fight with just one person. Both fighters have to be great fighters to put on a good show so half this victory belongs to her for coming into the cage and being a good opponent and being willing to put everything out there just like I did. I felt better in the standup than I did on the ground… honestly a lot of that has been working with my coach here Brian Wright (sp?) Here at Killer Bee. I owe this resurgence in my career to him because he’s really helped me become the fighter, become well-rounded. I’ve had a lot of coaches in the past who’ve been like, “if you don’t get a takedown, you’re not gonna win a fight” well, boom, looks like I just won a fight.“

Saul Rogers (15-4) defeated Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Following the win, Saul Rogers had this to say: “It felt amazing. I’ve been killing myself too long trying to cut down to 145 and now that I’ve moved up, I feel stronger, I feel more dominant. I’m always good at guillotines but tonight, none of those guillotines were even close – I wasn’t in danger. But the knee, he hit me with one clean and then the second got through not as clean and I just tried staying protected. But you as you seen in the fight, I had a big smile on my face. I love that sh*t, you know what I mean? I feel miles better. In other fights, after maybe around two and a half minutes, my hands gassing and I had nothing to carry on then. I controlled him for three rounds and I still feel good to go. Any of these fighters that are on the cusp and are still killing themselves, take it from me, move up, be healthier, be happier, have a longer career. It’s much better.”

Ben Parrish (5-1) defeated#8-Christian Edwards (5-1) via KO (punches) at 0:38 of round one

Ben Parrish after his shocking knockout of Christian Edwards: “It feels good to shut a lot of people up, man that’s all I will say. I told my boss, Casey, back home, I’ll knock him out with a left hook. What’d I say? Don’t get it twisted, everybody’ll find an excuse to throw salt on me – hey, that’s not luck, that’s preparation, baby. If I can’t do it with six months of training, beat him, nobody was gonna beat him.”

Preliminary Card: 

Alex Polizzi (9-1) defeated #7-Grant Neal (6-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Anthony Adams (9-2) defeated Khalid Murtazaliev (15-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bobby Seronio III (1-0) defeated Socrates Hernandez (0-1) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-26, 29-26)

Abraham Vaesau (6-3, 1 NC) defeated Albert Gonzales (2-3) via KO (punches) at 2:17 of round one

Shane Keefe (2-0) defeated Rhalan Gracie (0-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Edwin De Los Santos (1-0) defeated Jon Adams (0-2-1) via TKO (strikes) at 3:29 of round one

Jesse Delgado (1-0) defeated Joshua Dillon (1-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com




LIVE BOXING: Central Japan vs Western Japan Rookie of the Year Battle (Main)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRE2mKQ1mDs&list=WL&index=53



NO. 5 RANKED LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT JULIUS ANGLICKAS GETS CHANCE OF A LIFETIME AS THE GRAND PRIX ALTERNATE REPLACES “RUMBLE” JOHNSON IN BELLATOR MMA 268 MAIN EVENT CLASH AGAINST WORLD CHAMPION VADIM NEMKOV ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

LOS ANGELES – A previously announced BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Championship bout between Vadim Nemkov (14-2) and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has been cancelled following the news that “Rumble” has been forced to withdraw from the bout due to an undisclosed illness.

As a result, official BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix alternate Julius Anglickas (10-1) has been called upon to fill-in for Johnson in the semifinal bout and will now challenge defending champion Nemkov on Saturday, Oct. 16 in the main event of BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.

After earning the distinction of alternate in BELLATOR MMA’s Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix following a victory over Gregory Milliard at BELLATOR 257, the 30-year-old Lithuanian will now have the golden opportunity to showcase his skills on MMA’s biggest stage, win BELLATOR gold and move to the grand prix finals. Anglickas’ original opponent No. 10 ranked light heavyweight Karl Albrektsson (12-3) will now meet Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (18-6-1) during the preliminary card. Also, a bantamweight tilt between undefeated Jaylon Bates (3-0) and Raphael Montini de Lima (6-4, 1 NC) is official, along with a welterweight bout pitting Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-0) versus Jaleel Willis (15-2).

BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals will be telecast live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The preliminary portion of the docket will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The card features a second grand prix semifinal between current BELLATOR Heavyweight World Champion Ryan Bader (28-6) and No. 2 ranked 205-pounder Corey Anderson (15-5)

Undefeated since joining forces with the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2019, the Anglickas has emerged as the No. 5 ranked fighter in the promotion’s stacked 205-pound weight class. Holding a professional record of 10-1 and currently sporting a nine-fight winning streak that began in 2016, the 30-year-old powerhouse is now in the running for the million-dollar grand prix prize. Team Fedor’s Vadim Nemkov most recently went five hard rounds with former champion Phil Davis, earning a unanimous decision victory en route to punching his ticket to the semifinals. Nemkov has been perfect in BELLATOR to this point, winning all six of his contests including three knockouts and a submission.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR MMA events

Fri. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England

Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Nemkov vs. Anglickas // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ

Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia

Fri. Nov. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals Main Card:

SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT 

Light Heavyweight World Title Main Event: C-Vadim Nemkov (14-2) vs. #5-Julius Anglickas (10-1)

Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Bout: #1-Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) vs. #2-Corey Anderson (15-5)

Lightweight Bout: #3-Benson Henderson (28-10) vs. Brent Primus (10-2)

Featherweight Bout: Henry Corrales (18-6) vs. Vladyslav Parubchenko (16-2)

Preliminary Card:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Light Heavyweight Bout: #10-Karl Albrektsson (12-3) vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (18-6-1)

Bantamweight Bout: Erik Perez (20-8) vs. Brett Johns (17-3)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Sullivan Cauley (1-0) vs. Deon Clash (1-0)

Lightweight Bout: Nick Browne (11-1) vs. Bobby Lee (12-6)

Middleweight Bout: Javier Torres (11-5, 1 NC) vs. Gregory Milliard (12-6)

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Sumiko Inaba (2-0) vs. Randi Field (2-0)

Lightweight BoutLance Gibson Jr. (4-0) vs. Raymond Pina (9-4)

Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates (3-0) vs. Raphael Montini de Lima (6-4, 1 NC)

Welterweight Bout: Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-0) vs. Jaleel Willis (15-2)

Amateur Strawweight Bout: Maria Henderson (1-0) vs. Collette Santiago (0-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com




Valenzuela Decisions Berrio

Jose Valenzuela won a 10-round unanimous decision over Deiner Berrio in a lightweight bout in Bakersfield, California.

Valenzuela, 136.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 10-0. Berrio, 137.6 lbs of Colombia is 22-4-1.

Chance and De Jesus battle to majority draw

Rajon Chance and Elon De Jesus fought to a six-round majority draw in a super bantamweight fight.

In round four, De Jesus was deducted a point for hitting behind the head. In n round five, De Jesus dropped Chance with an uppercut.

Scores were 57-55 for Chance and 58-56 twice.

Chance, 124.6 lbs of East Orange, NJ is 5-0-1. De Jesus, 123.6 lbs of New Jersey is 3-0-1.

Medina Decisions Abdullah

Ahmed Medina won a four-round unanimous decision over Abdur Abdullah in a super featherweight bout.

Medina, 128 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 4-0. Abdullah, 130 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 4-5.