Canelo Alvarez met the media at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX today, the stadium he’ll face Billy Joe Saunders in a blockbuster unification fight on Saturday night (May 8), live worldwide on DAZN and distributed by TV Azteca in Mexico and Latin America.

LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN ON SALE AT SEATGEEK.COM

Alvarez (55-1-2 37 KOs) and Saunders (33-0 14 KOs) lock horns at the home of the Dallas Cowboys for the WBC, WBA Super and WBO titles on Cinco De Mayo weekend, and the Mexican told reporters he is laser focused on the task ahead against the unbeaten Brit.

“He thinks he’ll give me a boxing lesson?,” said Alvarez. “We’ll see. I am not the same guy I was five or six years ago. I have experience, I am a more mature fighter. So he can say whatever he wants, on Saturday night, he is in a different level of fight. I hope that I don’t need the judges on the night.

“We have always been open about what are short and long term plans have been. I want to unify the 168lb division, and Caleb Plant would be next in line to secure that short term goal if successful against Billy Joe Saunders

“The goal is to be undisputed at 168lbs and then we’ll see. I think I could stay at Super-Middleweight until the end of my career. I think I have about seven years left until I retire, but I’m listening to my body and when it tells me to quit, I’ll quit

“Nothing frustrates me, I am just focused on winning on Saturday. He has to fight me on Saturday, that has to happen, it’s not a problem.

“I don’t care about anything; I am just going to go in there and do my job. Saunders has come up with other excuses, he’s had plenty of excuses, but I am just going to go in there and do what I have to do.”

“We have faced everyone, lefties, righties, champions, former champions, so to us this is nothing new,” added trainer Eddy Reynoso.

Alvarez and Saunders clash on a huge night of action in Texas with a stacked undercard in support of the mammoth main event, with Elwin Soto (18-1 12 KOs) defending his WBO World Light-Flyweight title against Katsunari Takayama (32-8 12 KOs).

Kieron Conway (16-1-1 3 KOs) defends his WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight title against Souleymane Cissokho (12-0 8 KOs), Eddy Reynoso trained Cuban Heavyweight Frank Sanchez (17-0 13 KOs) meets Nagy Aguilera (21-10 14 KOs), Mexican-American talent Marc Castro (2-0 2 KOs) fights on his third Canelo undercard, Castro’s old amateur foe Keyshawn Davis (2-0 2 KOs) faces Jose Antonio Meza (6-4 1 KO) over six rounds and it’s a family affair on the night with Keyshawn’s brother Kelvin Davis (1-0 1 KO) fights for the second time in the paid ranks, with Mexican Welterweight Christian Alan Gomez Duran (19-2-1 17 KOs) celebrating Cinco De Mayo weekend over eight rounds against an opponent to be named soon.

(May 4, 2021) — Former WBO junior middleweight world champion Liam “Beefy” Smith is set to enter enemy territory. Smith, from Liverpool, England, will battle undefeated Russian contender Magomed Kurbanov for the vacant WBO International junior middleweight title Friday at KRK Uralets in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Smith-Kurbanov will headline a scheduled five-fight card streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.
 
Smith (29-2-1, 16 KOs) held the WBO junior middleweight world title from 2015-2016 before losing to Canelo Alvarez via ninth-round stoppage. He is 6-1 since the Alvarez fight, including two wins over current middleweight contender Liam Williams. Smith is riding a three-bout winning streak since his latest world title challenge, a game 2018 decision loss to Jaime Munguia. Kurbanov (21-0, 13 KOs) is a six-year pro who has held the WBO International junior middleweight title twice before. His most notable victory came in November 2019, when he outlasted longtime contender Diego Chaves over 12 rounds. Kurbanov went 3-0 in 2020, including a decision win over Ismail Iliev.
 
In other streaming action on ESPN+:

• Welterweight contender Eduard Skavynskyi (13-0, 7 KOs), who was born in Ukraine and now resides in Yekaterinburg, will fight former world title challenger Joel Julio (39-5, 33 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
   
• In a 10-round showdown for the vacant WBO European junior featherweight belt, Evgenii Liashkov (8-1, 2 KOs) will go for his ninth consecutive victory against Mukhammad Shekhov (8-0-1, 3 KOs), a one-time amateur standout for his native Uzbekistan.
   
• Enriko Gogokhia (12-0, 7 KOs), a former professional kickboxing standout from the nation of Georgia, will look to extend his knockout streak to five against Gustavo David Vittori (24-7-1, 12 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight contest.
   
• Southpaw boxer-puncher Zafar Parpiev (9-2, 2 KOs), who is coming off a December knockout win over the previously undefeated Turat Osmonov, will fight Filipino veteran Alphoe Dagayloan (14-4-6, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior bantamweight.
   

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Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

NATHAN GORMAN is sweating on Joe Joyce helping him achieve his British Heavyweight title dream.

Joyce who holds the British championship is hoping to fight Oleksandr Usyk or another of the world’s top Heavyweights in his next fight.

He is unlikely to vacate his domestic crown until then. When he does relinquish Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) is likely to be in line for a second crack at the title.

Gorman, 24, suffered his only professional defeat when he challenged Daniel Dubois for the vacant crown in July 2019.

Frank Warren insisted that the Nantwich man would bounce back from that setback and Gorman has won two on the spin since, repaying his promoter’s faith.

Last October he outpointed Richard Lartey and in March produced one of his most impressive performances stopping Pavel Sour inside two rounds – a win that included FIVE knockdowns.

“I had four days off after my last fight,  got back into the gym and I’m training hard for my next fight,” said Gorman who hopes to return in late June or July on a Queensberry show.

“I’d like to box for the British title, but it all depends what Joe Joyce is doing with the belt.

“If Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fight, I’d imagine Joe will fight Oleksandr Usyk and vacate the British title.

“I’m guessing that Fabio Wardley and myself would be the most likely candidates to box for it.

“I returned after the long layoff since losing to Daniel and beat Richard Lartey, but since then I have been the most determined ever in my career.”

Gorman split amicably with trainer Ricky Hatton after the Dubois setback because he was finding the 110 mile round trip to Manchester difficult, especially with a young family.

He is now with his old amateur trainer Nathan Clarke and says he is also reaping the benefits from punishing strength and conditioning sessions.

“I have only been doing this type of training for about eight months and it’s really tough. I am still getting used to it.

“I never even took a protein shake before I started strength and conditioning. I am new to this, and it all adds to my performances.

“I am going to weigh about 18-10 going forward. I am never going to be a boxer who is ripped to death, but I am going to put some physique in there.

“You get one go at this and I have to make the most. Right now, I am really pleased with everything and a happy fighter is a dangerous one.”

New York, NY (May 4, 2021) DiBella Entertainment has signed touted bantamweight prospect and former amateur star Mikiah Kreps (1-0, 1KO), of Niagara Falls, NY, to an exclusive promotional agreement.

The 24-year-old Kreps will make her debut under the DiBella Entertainment banner on Friday, May 14, against fellow undefeated prospect Alex Love (3-0, 2 KOs), of Brighton, CO, in an eight-round bantamweight clash on the stacked, first installment of Broadway Boxing Presents: Ladies Fight. Held at the Embassy Suites Nashville SE, in Murfreesboro, TN, the event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, starting at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT.

Tables for the event, priced at $800 and $600 (for a group of 10), and limited General Admission tickets for $35, are on sale now at MurfreesboroBoxing.EventBrite.com. The Embassy Suites Nashville SE is located at 1200 Conference Center Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30pm CDT, with the first bell at 7:00pm CDT.

Kreps is trained by her mother, Deborah Kreps, and managed by WBO lightweight world champion Jamel Herring along with Jerry Casarez, of First to Fight Management.

“I’m extremely blessed to be in this position and ready to showcase my talent to the world,” said Kreps. “Thank you to my managers, Jerry Casarez and Jamel Herring, for believing in me and thank you to Lou DiBella for giving me the opportunity. I will continue to work hard and be the best I can be, as we work toward our goal of becoming a world champion.”

“Mikiah was a very accomplished amateur fighter and has all the attributes to become a world champion,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “She’s very popular in the upstate New York area and our team will work with Jamel and Jerry to expand her popularity as we help to provide the biggest opportunities for her career.”

“I just want to thank Lou DiBella and the entire DiBella Entertainment family for giving Mikiah a great platform to truly showcase her talents in front of the world,” said Jamel Herring. “I’ve known Lou for years and, as a fellow Long Islander, he’s been a standup guy. I’m happy to work alongside him while guiding Mikiah toward a world title on the big stage.”

Continued Jerry Casarez, “I’m excited about Mikiah’s future and want to thank Lou DiBella and his staff for believing in her and signing her to a promotional deal. I’m confident that she’s on the fast track to a world title and has the right team behind her in order to make history.”

Following a stellar amateur career, Kreps made her highly anticipated professional debut with a second-round stoppage of Noely Ramiro on October 30, 2020, in Tijuana, Mexico.

Competing as an amateur, Kreps won gold at the 2018 Elite National Championships, the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier and 2014 National Golden Gloves, silver at the 2017 Elite National Championships and 2016 and 2017 National Golden Gloves, and bronze at the 2019 World Championships, 2018 Western Elite Qualifier and 2015 National PAL tournament.

Kreps vs. Love will serve as the co-feature on May 14 to the lightweight main event between former world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy (22-1, 4 KOs) and top contender Jessica Camara (7-2), of Montreal, Canada.
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MIAMI – May 4, 2021 – Boxeo Telemundo, the #1 boxing program among Hispanics and longest-running sports show in Spanish-language television, debuts its spring season with a WBA Fedecentro Jr. Lightweight title bout featuring up-and-coming prospects Gadwin “El Abayarde” Rosa facing George “El Yuyu” Acosta, live on Friday, May 7 at 12 a.m. ET/ 11 p.m. CT from Osceola Heritage Park Events Center on Telemundo, TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

Gadwin Rosa (11-1 9 Kos), from Puerto Rico but now residing in Florida, will be making his Telemundo debut as he aims to capture his first regional title. In his last outing, Rosa defeated Danny Flores by knock out in the 2nd round. George Acosta (11-1 1 KO) is looking to stay active this year as he steps back in the ring after a shutout performance last month, where he was victorious, winning a unanimous decision against Edgar “Pito Lupillo” Ramirez.

Boxeo Telemundo’s season debut will also present a special four-round bout of undefeated Super Bantamweights as Pedro Salome (2-0-1) of Los Angeles, California faces undefeated Hector Bayanilla (2-0) of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Boxeo Telemundo’s spring season will feature three consecutive weeks of live match coverage coupled with fight analysis and discussions about the latest boxing and MMA news stories. The season wraps up with a final episode highlighting the best-of season look-backs, never-seen undercards, and news and segments from the world of boxing and MMA.

Throughout the season, host Karim Mendiburu will be joined by Jorge Calvo and Andres Bermudez as the core play-by-play and commentator team. The show will also feature a rotation of renowned boxing contributors including Claudia Trejos, Maria del Mar Torres, and Omar Amador, along with boxing world champions and MMA stars as special guests.

Leading to the season premiere, Mendiburu and Trejos will be in Dallas starting today to provide extensive news and information coverage around the Canelo Alvarez vs. Billy Jose Saunders bout. Coverage and special reports will air on TYM all week while Zona Mixta will feature the latest on fight night.

On the digital front, Boxeo Telemundo: Entre las Cuerdas, hosted by Mendiburu with contributors as special guests, continues tonight at 7 p.m. ET on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, with special coverage around Canelo and Saunders’ arrival to Dallas;  and Boxeo Telemundo Plus is back this Friday, giving fans the opportunity to connect with the Boxeo Telemundo’s experts via livestream each Friday night before Boxeo Telemundo goes on air, highlighting the latest around the live bouts and what’s coming, including all around Canelo and Saunder. The livestream is available at via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

CARSON, CALIF. (May 4, 2021) – Undefeated super bantamweight champions will meet for 122-pound supremacy when Luis Nery makes the first defense of his WBC world title against Brandon “Heartbreaker” Figueroa in the headline attraction of a three-fight card live on SHOWTIME Saturday, May 15 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will see former unified super bantamweight champion Danny Roman take on hard-hitting Ricardo Espinoza Franco in the 10-round co-main event, plus in the telecast opener undefeated super featherweight contender Xavier Martinez squares off against former world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight Title Eliminator.

Nery vs. Figueroa will see the powerful two-division champion Nery pursue a signature win at super bantamweight, while the rising Figueroa looks to use his all-action style to earn a career-best victory and announce his presence amongst the sport’s elite. The winner of this fight will be in line to face WBO 122-pound champion Stephen Fulton later this year in a unification showdown.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Martinez vs. Burgos is promoted in association with Mayweather Promotions.

“The super bantamweight division is one of boxing’s most intriguing, and this showdown between Nery and Figueroa will be a huge step towards declaring the king of the weight class,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “These two undefeated 122-pound champions will leave it all in the ring in front of the passionate Southern California fight fans on May 15. With two Mexican-warriors going toe-to-toe, this is a main event that you won’t want to miss a second of.”

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.

The Tijuana, Mexico native Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) became a two-division world champion in September as he won a wide unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Aaron Alameda to capture his WBC crown. The 26-year-old had held an 11-fight knockout streak entering that 122-pound title fight, establishing himself as a premier knockout artist at bantamweight during a run that included stoppages of former champions McJoe Arroyo and Juan Carlos Payano. Nery first became champion in 2017, when he went to Japan and stopped Shinsuke Yamanaka in his home country to capture the WBC bantamweight world title.

“This is one of the biggest fights of my career,” said Nery. “I am going to win this fight in spectacular fashion. I’m training hard every day to make sure I get the win on May 15. This is my time to make history for Mexico.”

The 24-year-old Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) returns to the ring after his most recent outing saw him stop Damien Vazquez in round 10 of their September 2020 clash. Figueroa applied his all-action style scoring knockouts over veteran contenders Moises Flores and Oscar Escandon to move his way up the 122-pound rankings. He captured the WBA’s interim super bantamweight title by stopping Yonfrez Parejo in April 2019, before eventually being elevated to “regular” champion. Figueroa has trained for this career-defining bout in Southern California, alongside his brother and former world champion Omar Figueroa.

“Training camp out here in California with Joel Diaz has been amazing,” said Figueroa. “I’m in tremendous shape and I’ll be ready to go on May 15. This is really one of the best training camps of my career. I know Nery is a tough fighter, maybe my toughest test to date. I’m 24 now, so it’s time for me to start fighting these world class fighters and prove to myself that I belong in there with the best fighters. I know Stephen Fulton is lined up for the winner of this fight, but I’m preparing 110% for Nery. I know he’s not just any fighter, so I’m doing everything I can to come away with the win on May 15.”

Ranked in the top five by all four sanctioning bodies at super bantamweight, Roman (27-3-1, 10 KOs) will look to continue on his path back toward another world title when he steps in the ring on May 15. The 30-year-old from Los Angeles most recently won an exciting 12-round unanimous decision over former champion Juan Carlos Payano last September. Roman first became world champion in 2017, when he stopped Shun Kubo for the WBA title. Roman would go on to unify titles by beating TJ Doheny for his IBF strap in 2019, before losing a narrow split decision to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in January 2020.

“I’m delighted to be fighting once again and can’t wait to step into the ring May 15 on SHOWTIME,” said Roman. “Ricardo Espinoza is a very tough fighter with a lot of heart. I know this fight is going to be another war and I’m fully prepared to go to battle. I’ve stayed in shape since my last fight, so fans can expect to see me throw a lot of punches. I’m going to make this fight a classic Mexican showdown.”

The 23-year-old Espinoza (25-3, 21 KOs) has fought professionally since 2015 and has won 15 of his last 16 fights heading into May 15. Fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico, Espinoza dropped a bantamweight interim title fight to current world champion John Riel Casimero in 2019 via a 12th round knockout in a fight that was virtually tied on the cards. Espinoza bounced back with two straight victories, including his most recent triumph, a unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Brandon Valdes last August.

“I’m training as hard as I ever have for this opportunity on May 15,” said Espinoza. “I feel strong and prepared for anything Roman is going to throw at me. I know that he’s an accomplished fighter, but I have all of the tools to be victorious and win an exciting fight that the fans are going to love.”

A Mayweather Promotions prospect from Sacramento, Calif., Martínez (15-0, 11 KOs) has trained for this fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 23-year-old earned a career-best victory in his last outing, defeating veteran contender Claudio Marrero by unanimous decision in October on SHOWTIME. Previously, Martínez added three stoppage victories to his record in 2019 to run up a seven-fight knockout streak heading into the Marrero fight.

“I’ve felt great in camp and have already been preparing hard for this opponent,” said Martinez. “My last fight was an incredible experience. The biggest thing it taught me is just because you’re winning, don’t fall asleep at the wheel. That’s the same mentality I’m taking into this fight. I proved in my last fight that I can box and can hang with the best in the sport. This is a side many haven’t seen because I’ve been decapitating my previous opponents. The world is going to see how much versatility I carry in my skill set. May 15 is another day in the office, and it’s time to work!”

The Tijuana, Mexico native Burgos (34-4-2, 21 KOs) has faced an impressive resume of top fighters throughout his extensive career, dropping world title bouts to Mikey Garcia and Hozumi Hasegawa, in addition to a draw in a 130-pound title tilt against Roman Martinez. The 33-year-old ended up on the short end of decisions in challenges of unbeaten champion Devin Haney in 2018 and undefeated Hector Tanajara in January 2020. Most recently, he won a unanimous decision over Juan Ramon Bernal in March 2020.

“This is another opportunity for me to show that I have a lot left to give in the ring,” says Burgos. “Martínez doesn’t have a strong chin, as everyone saw when he got dropped twice by Claudio Marrero in his last fight. I’ve been training hard and waiting for an opportunity like this. Fans can expect an explosive performance on May 15.”

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® delivers another action-packed card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a flyweight battle of strawweight contenders as No. 6 ranked Marina Rodriguez takes on No. 9 Michelle Waterson. The co-main event will feature an exciting welterweight bout between talented strikers, as Donald Cerrone squares off with Alex Morono.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: RODRIGUEZ vs. WATERSON will take place Saturday, May 8 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish) at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil signee Rodriguez (13-1-2, fighting out of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) has wasted little time securing herself as a potential title challenger since joining the UFC roster in 2018. During this time, she has delivered exciting wins over Amanda Ribas, Tecia Torres and Jessica Aguilar. Rodriguez now has her sight set on securing the biggest win of her career in her first UFC main event opportunity.

Perennial contender Waterson (18-8, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) looks to kick off her 2021 campaign by building on the momentum of her thrilling Fight of the Night win over Angela Hill last year. A former Invicta FC champion, she also holds notable victories against Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Jessica Penne and Paige VanZant. Waterson now hopes to make a statement by stopping Rodriguez’s momentum with another show-stealing performance.

Cerrone (36-15 2NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) makes his record-tying 37^th Octagon appearance. The owner of most wins (23) and tied for most finishes (16) in UFC history, Cerrone has earned epic stoppages against Matt Brown, Rick Story and Edson Barboza. Cerrone now aims to deliver another vintage “Cowboy” performance to further etch his name in the record books.

Morono (18-7 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) steps in on short notice looking to secure the biggest win of his 11-year career. A diverse striker and grappler, he has delivered memorable victories against Max Griffin, Song Kenan, Zak Ottow and Josh Burkman. Morono is now gunning to turn heads in his first UFC co-main event opportunity by finishing a legend.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Phil Hawes (10-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) takes on Kyle Daukaus (10-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) in a middleweight battle between Dana White’s Contender Series veterans
• In an exciting clash of welterweight contenders, No. 9 ranked Neil Magny (24-9, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) squares off with No. 10 Geoff Neal (13-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• No. 12 ranked lightweight contender Diego Ferreira (17-3, fighting out of Pharr, Texas) locks horns with returning No. 14 Gregor Gillespie (13-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.)
• Heavyweight finishers collide when Maurice Greene (9-6, fighting out of St. Cloud, Minn.) meets Marcos Rogerio de Lima (17-8-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• No. 11 ranked women’s strawweight contender Amanda Ribas (10-2, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) takes on No. 12 Angela Hill (13-9, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Ben Rothwell (38-13, fighting out of Kenosha, Wisc.) faces Philipe Lins (14-5, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) in an intriguing heavyweight bout
• Ludovit Klein (17-2, fighting out of Nove Zamky, Slovakia) goes for his ninth consecutive win when he meets The Ultimate Fighter season 27 winner Mike Trizano (9-1, fighting out of Ramsey, N.J.) in a featherweight bout
• Christian Aguilera (14-7, fighting out of Brea, Calif.) battles UFC newcomer Carlston Harris (15-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a welterweight contest
• Ryan Benoit (10-7, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) meets Zarrukh Adashev (3-3, New York, N.Y. by way of Samarkand, Uzbekistan) at flyweight
• Junyong Park (12-4, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) squares off with undefeated Tafon Nchukwi (5-0, fighting out of Temple Hills, Md. by way of Bamenda, Cameroon) in a clash of middleweight prospects

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 155 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to approximately 900M TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 70 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

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ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

About ESPN

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

CAOIMHIN AGYARKO INSISTS his clock has now stopped when it comes to time-wasters calling him out on social media and then not being prepared to back up their bravado.

The powerful middleweight recently engaged in some Twitter beef with former Love Island contestant and outspoken Birmingham prospect Idris Virgo.

The solution to the squabble, as far as Agyarko is concerned, was simple. Fix up a fight date and get it on.

This appears to be the point where the Twitter thread reached a conclusion.

“It was last year some time that he called me out on Twitter,” reported Agyarko on the history of his exchanges with Virgo, 9-0-1. “It has gone back and forth since then and he asked for a ridiculous amount of money to fight me and then he commented on one of my videos not long ago, saying I had no power, considering I am eight fights with five KOs and he is 10 fights with one.

“And if you look at the opposition we have both faced, I have definitely gone in with tougher fighters, so I don’t know where he gets that from. He has been calling me out, but he is not going to take the fight as we have already offered it to him and he has turned it down.

“So I am not focused on him at all anymore,” added the Belfast boy, who is booked in for a first title challenge in June.

“I understand why he is doing it. I am not one to call people out because I let my boxing do the talking and I’ve got the backing from Frank Warren and my amateur pedigree with all the experience. I don’t need to go on social media and hype myself up.

“He is someone who doesn’t have that. He has come in off the back of Love Island, a TV reality show and people know him from there. He is trying to use that to make his name bigger in the boxing world and I respect that.

“But I am the wrong person to do this with. If I say anything I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk as well. He is not one of these people, he just talks the talk.

“I’ve no time for people like that. Listen, if you’re gonna call me out, then be prepared to fight. It is the same with another middleweight called Mick Hall, who also called me out before Christmas and then didn’t want it.

“If I do any talking I will definitely back it up.

“I will ignore it from now on, although it does keep me entertained in camp sometimes and gives me something to do. I don’t like wasting my time with people though, if you are serious about a fight, then let’s fight. I have no problem with that.”

Joshua Buatsi continues his push for a World Title fight when he faces Daniel Blenda Dos Santos, a fellow unbeaten contender, for the WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title at the AO, Arena Manchester on Saturday May 15, live on Sky Sports in the UK andon DAZN in the US and more than 200 countries and territories.

The explosive 178lbs contender, one of Britain’s hottest talents, stopped Marko Calic in October to continue his destructive rise up the rankings and has since travelled to America to team up with new trainer Virgil Hunter, who guided the career of pound-for-pound star Andre Ward. 

France’s Dos Santos is undefeated in 15 fights, with eight of his wins coming inside the distance, and the 30-year-old from Pont-Sainte-Maxence has been more active than Buatsi in recent months, fighting twice in 2021 and earning a first round stoppage last time out. 

“I’ve got an unbeaten opponent, that makes him ambitious,” said Buatsi. “Obviously it’s the first fight under Virgil, so it’s should be interesting. I’m looking forward to showing what I’ve been working on with Virgil. He’s going to want to hold onto his undefeated record, as I am. When that’s at stake you really dig deep.

“It’s mainly the style that I like. Each of his fighters translate it differently. The public haven’t seen how good I can be, or I will be. I want to unlock the potential that I have got. This addition to the team will 100 per cent bring the best out of me.”

Buatsi vs. Dos Santos is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester, Terri Harper (11-0-1, 6 KOs) attempts to add Hyun-Mi Choi’s (18-0-1, 4 KOs) WBA belt to her WBC and IBO World Titles as she battles for supremacy at 130lbs, there is also a triple-header of European Title fights with Gamal Yafai (18-1, 10 KOs) defending his Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time against Jason Cunningham (28-6, 6 KOs), Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 18 KOs) defending his Cruiserweight crown against Romania’s Alexandru Jur (19-4, 7 KOs) and Lerrone Richards (14-0, 3 KOs) taking on Italy’s Giovanni De Carolis (28-9-1, 13 KOs) for the vacant Super-Middleweight strap, Dalton Smith (7-0, 6 KOs) also takes on Lee Appleyard (16-5-1, 5 KOs) for the vacant English Super-Lightweight Title after their February clash fell through at short notice.

LOS ANGELES (May 3, 2021) —– Triller today announced it has opened a website for anyone who pirated the April 17 Triller Fight Club event to pay the original $49.99 PPV price before June 1st, after which the company will be pursuing individuals for the maximum civil penalty of $150,000 per illegal stream. The payment site is https://www.fite.tv/page/041721piracysettlement/.

On the FITE.tv payment page, Triller has embedded an agreement that upon paying the $49.99 fee it will release and agree not to pursue the user for the $150,000 civil penalty that it would be entitled to against each and any individual who pirated the PPV event. 

“VPN firewalls all have to comply and turn over the actual IP addresses of each person who stole the fight in discovery,” said Matt St. Claire, Head of Piracy for Triller. “We will be able to identify each and every person, VPN or not, as each stream has a unique fingerprint embedded in the content. Triller will pursue the full $150,000 penalty per person per instance for anyone who doesn’t do the right thing and pay before the deadline.”

Triller filed legal action on April 23 in U.S. District Court of Central California against the owners of the H3Podcast website for piracy of the April 17 event and a dozen other sites that restreamed and profited from as many as hundreds of thousands of users each. More than two million illegal streams of the event occurred for the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren boxing match.

In the case of H3Podcast, Triller added the site to its legal action after the site’s owner admitted on his own podcast that he pirated and shared the Paul vs. Askren fight. The legal action could result in civil fines up to $150,000 per illegal stream, as well as potentially $250,000 in criminal fines and up to 5 years in jail. The fines are calculated at $150,000 per instance, so for H3 and other sites who rebroadcast the event to many people, the damages are large.

“We are taking this position because it is outright theft,” St. Claire added. “It is no different than walking into a store and stealing a video game off the shelf. In the case of the offending sites, it’s worse, because they also then resold it to many people, illegally profiting from work they do not own.”

Violation of federal anti-piracy laws for protected works automatically carries up to a $150,000 civil penalty, as well as up to a $250,000 criminal penalty and up to 5 years in jail per instance.

“We encourage anyone who pirated the event to visit the site before June 1, pay their $49.99 and receive a full and complete release from Triller to avoid further action,” said St. Claire.

London, UK (3 May 2021) Proud Brit Sam Eggington has vowed to end the run of high-profile Mexican victories on these shores this year when he faces ‘King’ Carlos Molina for the Vacant WBC Middleweight Championship on Saturday 22nd May at the Coventry Skydome Arena, exclusively live and free on Channel 5.

Battle-hardened Eggington, 27, has seen Josh Warrington halted in nine rounds by Mauricio Lara; Robbie Davis Jr’s points loss to Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela and the latest on Saturday night with James Tennyson blitzed in the opening round by Jovanni Straffon.

The Birmingham star has not yet experienced trading leather with a Mexican fighter in his 37-fight career and knows that he’s up against it and in a real acid test for his first one against the fearsome Molina, 37, a former IBF World Super-Welterweight Champion.

From Patzcuaro, Michoacán de Ocampo, Molina has never been stopped in his 18-year and 50-fight career that has seen him mix it with some of the best and hardest punchers around the division, including Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (twice), Mike Alvarado, Erislandy Lara, Kermit Cintron, James Kirkland, Ishe Smith, Cory Spinks and Cornelius Bundrage, that validates his danger.

Although the warning signs are there, former British, Commonwealth, European and International Champion Eggington is ready for a toe-to-toe war with the teak tough Molina and put a stop to the run of Brits falling to the marauding Mexicans.

“They say you haven’t been in a fight until you’ve been in with a Mexican fighter. They are renowned for their extreme toughness and they have some of the greatest champions in the sport’s history, I’m mindful of that and it is a warning to me to not underestimate Molina,” Said Eggington.

“I’ve seen what Lara did to Warrington, Valenzuela’s win over Davis Jr. and just on Saturday night what Straffon did to Tennyson, I’d be a fool not to realise and prepare for what is in front of me against Molina, but I’m preparing for a trench war if need be against him. There’s no way he will be leaving the UK with my scalp and the WBC Silver title. This will be a war and he’d better be ready for what I’m prepared to go through to win,”

“Whilst the Mexicans have been running rampant over here this year, that will come to a stop against Molina on May 22nd. I know that Chavez, Alvarado, Lara, Kirkland and Bundrage couldn’t stop him, but it will be a real statement of where I’m at if I can be the first. I know that everything is on the line with this fight, if I lose then I won’t get the World title shot that I’m so close to which is why I must win and it will be in devastating style.”

Presented by Hennessy Sports in association with William Hill, Infinitum, Numan, Everlast and King Carlos Promotions, Eggington v Molina will headline the exciting nine-fight card exclusively live and free-to-air across the UK and Ireland on Channel 5.

Main event features Birmingham warrior Sam Eggington (29-7-0, 17 KO’s) against Mexico’s hard-as-nails Carlos Molina (37-11-2, 12 KO’s) for the Vacant WBC Silver Middleweight Championship. Chief support features a cracking showdown between Birmingham’s Kaisee Benjamin (11-1-1, 2 KO’s) and Dumbarton’s Martin Harkin (13-1-0, 5 KO’s) in an Eliminator for the British Welterweight Championship (Subject to BBBofC approval).

Also on the card, Coventry sensation River Wilson-Bent (8-0-0, 4 KO’s) makes the first defence of his Midlands Area Middleweight title against Derby’s George Farrell (5-0-0, 1 KO). Former British Light-Heavyweight Champion Shakan Pitters (14-1-0, 4 KO’s) has his first back against Bradford’s Jermaine Springer (7-2-0, 1 KO) in an eight-rounder since losing his title to Craig Richards last December. County Monaghan super-lightweight dynamo Stephen ‘The Hitman’ McKenna (7-0-0, 7 KO’s) features in a six-rounder, but the undefeated red-hot 24-year-old prospect has not needed to go the distance yet with all his fights ending inside. Birmingham middleweight bombshell Idris ‘The Bodybreaker’ Virgo (9-0-1, 1 KO) goes in over six-rounds. Sevenoaks all-action super-welterweight Michael Hennessy Jr. (5-1-1) is in a six-rounder against Warminster’s Paul Cummings. Irish super-welterweight ace Brett McGinty (1-0) follows up his thrilling pro debut last December when he features in a four-rounder against Birmingham’s Josh Hodgins. Brighton heavyweight talent Tommy Welch (1-0-0, 1 KO), son of the former British, Commonwealth and World Heavyweight title challenger Scott, follow’s up his explosive debut last December when he stopped Matt Gordon in the second round and features in a four-round contest.

For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports

ANGELES, CA (May 3, 2021) – Thompson Boxing Promotions’ super featherweight prospect, George “El YuYu” Acosta (11-1, 1 KO), is scheduled to make his televised debut against Gadwin Rosa (11-1, 9 KOs), on Friday May 7, 2021. On the line will be the WBA Regular World Title. The 10-round bout, promoted by All Star Boxing, will air live on Telemundo. Check your local listing for programing.

Acosta, who is training with coach Jeff Flotree at the Maywood Boxing Gym in Southern California, gives his thoughts on his matchup with Rosa, training camp, fighting in his first 10-round bout, and more.

On his recent training camp:

“I’m in great shape as I just fought in April, so training camp has just continued on from my last fight. I’ve been sparring with a lot of good fighters and my coach Jeff Flotree has been pushing me to my limit. This will be my first 10-rounder and I’m confident I can go the distance if I have too.

On his matchup with Gadwin Roas:

“Rosa and I are at a crossroad in our careers. We both need to win to take everything to the next level. I know he has a lot of power, so I’ll be looking to counter all his power punches. I believe I have the superior boxing skills to come out on top. This will be a very difficult fight, but I’m convinced I’ll be victorious.”

On fighting for the WBA Regular World Title:

“It’s this type of opportunity that a fighter always dreams of when we first start boxing. I’ve been waiting for a big fight and now its here. I going to take full advantage of this moment. I want to thank my promoter Thompson Boxing for always having my back. Kenny and Alex a great people and it will be a special moment to bring home this belt for them.”

On making his televised debut on Telemundo:

“Telemundo has been a staple network for boxing, giving us fighters a platform to showcase our talent to the masses for many years. The fans will see me at my best and I’m looking forward to a great night of boxing. This is my time to shine.”

According to various reports, Lightweight contender Felix Verdejo turned himself into FBI after the body of 27 year-old Keishla Rodriguez was found.

A criminal complaint filed by the FBI accuses Verdejo of punching Rodriguez in the face and injecting her with a syringe filled with an unidentified substance bought at a public housing complex. It alleges that he then bound her arms and feet with wire and tied a heavy block to her before throwing her off a bridge at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

The complaint states that Verdejo then shot at Rodriguez’s body as he stood on the bridge. The complaint says a witness it did not identify helped Verdejo kidnap and kill Rodriguez.

The formal charges have not been announced as of this writing.

Rodriguez was allegedly pregnant with Verdejo’s child. The mother of Rodriguez stated that her daughter was about to see Verdejo, who coming over to see the results of the pregnancy test.

“I told her, be careful, because he had already threatened her” and told her not to have the baby, mentioning his career and family, Kelia Ortiz said.

Follow all the action as former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. Battles Chris Arreola in a Heavyweight showdown. Also on the card is Sebastian Fundora battles Jorge Cota; Abel Ramos fights Omar Figueroa Jr. and Jesus Ramos takes on Javier Molina on the Pay-Per-View Portion

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Round 1: Good right from Arreola…Hard right from Ruiz..Combination..
Round 2 Good combination from Ruiz….RIGHT AND DOWN GOES RUIZ..Hard right from Arreola
Round 3 Big right from Arreola…Hard left…left from Arreola…Good hook..Right drives Arreola back…Uppercut from Ruiz..Right from Arreola
Round 4 Left hook and right from Ruiz…Right hand and hook
Round 5  Arreola lands a right.  3 Hooks from Ruiz..Left hook
Round 6 Combination from Ruiz Pop’s Arreola’s head back..Hook..3 punch combination..Hard combination…Good body shot..Hard jab…Blood from Bridge of Arreola’s nose
Round 7 Stiff Jab from Ruiz…Left hook..Good jab to the body
Round 8 Good hook from Ruiz…Arreola looks like he could have hurt his shoulder
Round 9 Hard body  from Arreola…Combination from Ruiz…hard right to the body
Round 10  Big Hook from Ruiz…Good right to the body…Right to the body..hard jab to the body..
Round 11 Uppercut from Ruiz…Hard hook…Arreola shoulder hurt again..Cuffing right from Ruiz….Good right
Round 12 Jab from Ruiz…3 punch combination..Right…Big hook and right hand…Body shot..

117-110, 118-109 TWICE FOR ANDY RUIZ JR.

Round 1:

[/su_table]

Round 1: Hard left from Lara..another…Quick left..HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES LAMANNA….FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Jab from Avelar; Right Hook from Ramirez…jab

Round 2 Nice counter from Avelar; Good Counter from Ramirez…Jab..left.3 shots…2 counters from Avelar..Good left from Ramirez..

Round 3 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES AVELAR…HARD RIGHT ROCKS AVELAR…FIGHT OVER

Former Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. had to shake off an early knockdown, but righted himself to win a 12-round unanimous decision over Chris Arreola in front of a restricted sellout of 3,940 fans at The Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

In round two, it was Arreola who landed a chopping right that sent former champ, Ruiz down to a knee. That was the high-point for Arreola as Ruiz was able to get in a rhythm and land hard three-punch combinations throughout that were mostly of the Jab/:eft-hook/Right Hand variety, Arreola seemed like he would be dangerous, but that was thwarted as in round eight, Arreola seemed to hurt his left shoulder after absorbing a right from Ruiz Ruiz was methodical down the stretch and boxed his way to a 118-110, 118-110 and 117-109 victory.

Ruiz landed 161 of 626 punches; Arreola was 109 of 521.

Ruiz, 256 lbs of Imperial, CA is 34-2. Arreola, 228.6 lbs of Los Angeles is 38-7-1.

ANDY RUIZ JR. “Chris is a veteran and a hard puncher. We did what we had to do tonight. We got the victory that we wanted. I was at my lowest point and now I have to climb the ladder again. I’m thankful for the victory and I’m ready to move on to the next.
“He got me with a good clean right hand in the second round. I was too overconfident and dropped my hand a bit. Hats off to him. We just kept pushing and pushing. I switched up and started focusing on counterpunching and working the body.

“I felt a little rust and I know other fighters can relate to that. If he wants to run it back, we’ll run it back with him.”

“I just have to get back to work. I learned a lot about throwing different combinations in training, but the rust showed in the ring. Arreola was very good tonight.
“When you go down, you just have to climb back up. That’s exactly what I did. I got dropped, but I got up and got the victory. 
“I could have done a lot more. I couldn’t really find my distance, but some of that was Arreola doing a good job. I could have kept my hands up better, but I just need to get back in the gym and stay busy. 
“I got a little overconfident in the early rounds. The most important thing was that we came back and got the victory. 
“I’m going to stick around this weight, but I’m going to tighten everything up. I faced a strong veteran who knew exactly what he was doing. 
“A fight against Luis Ortiz would be an exciting matchup. I have to get back to training so I can keep feeling better in the ring. I’m actually happy to get the 12 rounds in.”

CHRIS ARREOLA“I respect the judges, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He might have won, but don’t tell me I only won two or three rounds. 
“I got hit in the shoulder and it kinda threw it off. It wasn’t a big deal though. It’s a part of boxing. I didn’t take too much punishment. I’m ready to run it back with Andy.”

“A lot of punches he threw were hitting my gloves. He never put me in danger. It’s dejecting to not get the respect from the judges that I feel I deserve.

“There’s no moral victory. I came here to beat Andy. He might have beat me, but I felt like he won seven rounds at the most.

“I give me and Joe a lot of credit. We trained hard for this fight. I did everything I had to do in the gym.

“I was a better fighter than Andy Ruiz expected. This version of Ruiz would knock Joshua out, but I was in great condition and ready for everything he had to offer.

“I absolutely hurt him, but Andy is a dangerous fighter. I didn’t want to get hit with a suckerpunch like Anthony Joshua.

Ramos stops Figueroa After 6

Abel Ramos dominated and beat up Omar Figueroa Jr as the fight was stopped after round six of their scheduled 12-round welterweight bout.

Ramos landed a plethora of hard shots on an awkward style of Figueroa, who would be holding his glove up on the side of face, Ramos started breaking down Figueroa in round five, as Figueroa was developing a mouse under his right eye. In round six, Ramos dominated Figueroa by landing hard thudding shots to the head of body. Figueroa was spitting up blood and the fight was stopped in the corner.

Ramos, 146.6 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is 27-4-2 with 21 knockouts. Figueroa, 146.4 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 28-2-1.

ABEL RAMOS“Omar is a very tricky fighter. He has an awkward defense and it was hard to catch him clean at first, but the fight overall went as planned.
“I trained so hard for this fight. I knew my career was on the line. I knew I needed a win and I knew Omar would bring a good fight. I’m glad to be back on the winning side and I’m ready to take on the best of the division.
“We trained to attack the body. Our plan from the beginning was to pressure him. We wanted to score points to the body. I could hear him groaning and I knew once I hurt him bad, that the fight was over. 
“I missed the feeling of the crowd cheering. My adrenaline was through the roof. They give you excitement and we missed that in boxing.”

Fundora Stops Cota in 4!

6’7″ Sebastian Fundora continues to be one of boxing’s most exciting and unique performer as he stopped Jorge Cota in round four of their scheduled 12-round junior middleweight fight.

The two stood toe-to-toe for the whole fight as they were winging and whaling shots on one another. In round two, Cota was cut on his nose. Fundora continued to lay a beating on a game Cota, who kept trying to fight back and land an ois fhccasional overhand shot. In round four, Fundora hurt Cota with chopping lefts and body shots. Cota was staggered but he was getting caught and the fight was stopped at 2:35.

Fundora, 152.8 lbs of Coachella, CA is 17-0-1 with 12 knockouts. Cota, 153.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is now 30-5.

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA“I’m extremely grateful to fight in front of the fans tonight. It was fun to hear the cheers, the boos and everything. I’m honored to be in this position.
“It was a good trading fight. We were hitting each other, but my punches were doing more damage and that’s why the referee stepped in. I think he could have been stopped earlier in the round. I just kept fighting until the end.
“I saw his leg wobble in the first round, but he took it and kept coming. The second time I saw it, I knew I had to go for the kill.
“My message to the rest of the division is that we’re here. If youre ready for war, we’re ready to take it. Bring it on.”

Ramos decisions Molina

Jesus Ramos remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Javier Molina in a welterweight bout.

Ramos was cut over his right eye in round six. In round seven, Molina was deducted a point for hitting behind the head.

Ramos landed 135 of 579 punches; Molina was 77 of 413.

Ramos, 150 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 99-90 twice and 97-92 and is now 16-0. Molina, 149.2 lbs of Norwalk, CA is 22-4.

JESUS RAMOS“It was my second time going the distance and that’s what we wanted. We love knockouts, but we’re glad at this point in my career that I got the experience. I thank Molina for taking the fight, he’s a great fighter. 
“I might have been looking for a knockout too much in the early rounds. I got used to it and I settled down and I felt like I was breaking him down little by little. He was trying to survive a little bit, so it made it harder to get the knockout. 
“I learned a lot today. I’m going to keep building on that. I feel like I have a lot of momentum. It was a big step up for me and I feel like I showed a lot. I showed I have good conditioning and good movement along with my power. 
“My father told me to invite him to come to me. We were pressuring him to start. My dad had me change it up. He came in a little bit, but then he backed off. That’s how I tried to counteract his movement.”

Lara Knocks Out LaManna in 1; Wins Middleweight Title

Erislandy Lara won the WBA Middleweight title with a devastating 1st round knockout of Thomas LaManna.

Lara landed a huge left to the head that put LaManna on his back and the fight was stopped at 1:30.

Lara, 159.4 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 28-3-3 with 16 knockouts. LaManna, 159 lbs of Millville, NJ is 30-5-1.

ERISLANDY LARA – KO1 at 1:20
“He said at the press conference that he was going to knock me out, but he ran right into that punch. Maybe he was overthinking it all along. 

“I felt strong and sharp tonight at middleweight, but I still want all of the big fights at 154-pounds too. I want the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Carlos Castano unification fight. (WBC Middleweight Champion) Jermall Charlo is like family, we worked in the same gym for years, but this is a sport and I’d welcome the challenge.

“I feel great physically. I’m going to keep doing this until my body tells me I can’t do it anymore. I don’t feel like I’ve taken a lot of punishment in my career and I know I have at least another three years of my prime left.”

Ramirez Stops Avelar in 3; retains Interim Featherweight title

Eduardo Ramirez retained the WBA Interim Featherweight title with a third round stoppage over Isaac Avelar.

In round three, Ramirez dropped Avelar with a perfect right hook. Ramirez finished the fight woth another huge hook that rocked Avelar and the fight was called off at 1:16.

Ramirez, 125.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 25-2-3 with 12 knockouts. Avelar, 125 lbs of Mexico is 17-3.

“I am beyond happy right now. I’m just elated and moved by having been able to fulfill the promise I made to my baby boy Eduardo Ramirez Jr. He just turned two years old and I wasn’t able to be there to give him a hug for his birthday, but I had promised him that I would bring the title back home to him as a gift, and that is exactly what I’m doing now. 
“You have to have a stone-cold mindset, and that’s what we had to finish Avelar off. We were able to connect the right combinations to finish the fight off exactly how we wanted.

“This was a perfect coronation. To be honest, I would now like to have the chance to fight against Leo Santa Cruz. I previously fought against Miguel Flores, who barely lasted 4-5 rounds against me, but Leo couldn’t knock him out. This convincing knockout should be my ticket to have that opportunity”. 

Adrian Granados and Jose Sanchez battled to a eight-round draw in a welt welterweight contest.

Granados took a card 77-75, while two cards were even at 76-76.

Granados, 146.6 lbs of Mexico City is 21-8-3. Sanchez, 146.2 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 11-1-1.

Carlos Negron won a eight-round unanimous decision over Scott Alexander in a heavyweight bout.

Negron, 238. lbs of Villaba, PR won by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 and is now 23-3. Alexander, 235 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 16-4-2.

Anthony Garnica remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Jesse Bassie i a featherweight fight.

In round one, Garnica dropped Bazzi with a right hand.

Garnica, 125.2 lbs of San Francisco, CA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 6-0. Bassie, 126.4 lbs of Deerborn, MI is 1-2.

Fernando Molina won a six-round unanimous decision over Prisco Marquez in a lightweight bout.

Molina landed 116 of 358 punches; Marquez was 44 of 264.

Molina, 133.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX won by 60-53 scores on all cards and is now 6-0. Marquez, 135 lbs of Liberal, KS is 4-3-1.

Former Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker survived a opening seconds knockdown to comeback and win s 12-round split decision over Derek Chisora at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Chisora floored Parker in the opening 10 seconds when he landed an overhand right to the top of the head. The fight had some good back and forth moments and some sloppy moments, but it was an entertaining scrap that saw each have some good moments throughout the fight.

Chisora landed 245 of 613 punches; Parker was 181 of 593.

Parker, 241,2 lbs of Auckland, NZ won by scores of 116-111 and 115-113. Chisora took a card 115-113.

Parker is 29-2. Chisora, 250.8 lbs of Finchley, ENG is 32-11.

“I am feeling it,” Parker told Matchroom. “Derek landed a lot of shots on me. I’ll probably feel it more tomorrow. The plan was to come out and box smartly and stay focused. I got caught right at the beginning. I think it was round the back of the head, I didn’t see it.

“The plan was to box and move and be smart. With the guidance of Andy I was able to box. We didn’t have the longest time together. I know I needed a lot of work. I need to keep learning from Andy and practicing the things we work on in the gym. 

“It was a tough fight and I got caught right at the beginning. I just had to dig deep and stay focused and follow the plan that we had in place. Swayed off a bit, but Derek is a very tough opponent. He came forward, put pressure on me from the beginning. Threw big bombs and landed a lot. 

“The boxing skills won me some rounds towards the end. It was a very close fight. I thought it could go either way, and I’m very thankful and blessed to get the win today. He brought the smoke. If you want to feel it, jump in the ring with him. 

“It’s very achievable [World Title fight]. I just have to get back to the training. There’s a lot of things I have to work on. I had a good plan in place. There’s still a lot I can show, I just have to keep working with Andy, and more camps ahead. We could do it next fight.”

Taylor wins narrow decision over Jonas; Retains Undisputed Lightweight Title

.Katie Taylor retained her undisputed lightweight world titles with a close unanimous decision over Natasha Jonas in a battle of Olympians.

Taylor, 134.8 lbs of Bray, IRE won by scores of 96-94 and 96-95 twice and is now 18-0. Jonas, 134.7 lbs of Liverpool, UK is 9-2.

“Again, it was probably a bit too exciting for my liking,” Taylor told Matchroom. “It was definitely a toe to toe battle in there. I thought I was a bit flat early on, but I dug deep to win the championship rounds. I definitely showed the heart of a champion in there and that’s what won me the fight in the end.

“She showed everything it takes to win a World Title in her last two performances. Tonight was a brilliant showcase for women’s boxing and boxing overall. Every time we fought as amateurs it was that type of fight as well. I’d prepared for a hard ten-round battle tonight and that’s exactly what it was.

“Eddie was saying that fight would have brought the PPV sales up a small bit. That’s obviously a great start. I feel sorry for the main event coming out after that fight. It was a thrilling fight. I’m just delighted to come out of it with the belts and still undefeated. 18-0, onwards and upwards. This is what I’m in the sport for, I want to be involved in the biggest fights. There’s plenty of those fights out there for me.”

Eubank Jr. Decisions Morrison

Chris Eubank Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marcus Morrison in a middleweight bout.

Eubank, 161.9 lbs of Brighton, ENG won by scores of 98-92 on all cards, and is now 30-2. Morrison, 161.8 lbs of Hattersley, ENG is 23-4.

“My last fight lasted two rounds, so really it’s been two years since I had a twelve-round fight,” Eubank Jr told Matchroom. “There was definitely some ring rust, and there was definitely some getting back into the swing of things. I had him hurt bad in the second round. I backed off. I wanted him to recover so that I could be seen again. 

“I’m back on TV, I’m back fighting, this is my home. This is my life; this is what I do. I wanted to go the distance and get those rounds in. I’m happy with the performance. I followed instruction; he was telling me to do things in the corner and I went out there and did it. That’s kind of alien to me. Usually most of my career has been dependent on what I want to do, my instincts and my reaction. But now we have a head coach in Roy Jones Jr and I full trust him. I’m happy to be paired with him.

“This is the beginning of a long and great journey for me. I want to be very active this year, I want to fight at least twice more. This is a good start. Full credit to Marcus. I’ve hit guys with shots like that and they’ve gone. He kept coming. A lot of respect for Marcus. There’s a lot of World Champions in the Middleweight division. There’s a lot of big names out there for me to go and fight. Golovkin is the end goal, and anyone with a World Title. I’m coming, they’re all on the radar.”

Bivol Defends Light Heavyweight Title with Decision over Richards

Dmitry Bivol defended the WBA Light Heavyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Craig Rchards.

Bivol was 234 of 609 punches; Richards was just 76 of 756 punches.

Bivol, 174.2 lbs of Saint Petersburg, RUS won by score of 118-110, 115-114 and 115-113 and is now 18-0. Richards, 174.6 lbs of Crystal Palace, ENG is 16-2-1.

“I’m not happy but I’m okay,” Bivol told Matchroom. “It was a long rest for me and I went into the ring after one and a half years. It’s fine. My opponent was a good fighter, really good. He’s smart and he thinks. He was thinking for the whole fight.

“It’s okay. I was feeling that I’d won. I gave him a couple of rounds for recovery. I landed more clean punches. I respect him and I respected him before the fight. I think he can make problems for all fighters because of his style.

“He moved a lot. Fighters who move a lot and have good speed are really hard. He is a good fighter, but I have more weapons in my arsenal. I’m glad I have had another defence. Of course, I want unification fights. I still want them. I haven’t had a chance to fight for another belt, this is why I defend my belt.

“I’d like to fight for another belt, it would be a good challenge for me. I believe I can become the Undisputed World Champion one day, this is why I train, that’s why I have a good team. I believe one day I will be if I train hard. Thanks to everyone who supports me and watched this fight.”

Straffon stops Tennyson in 1st

Jovanni Straffon stopped James Tennyson in round one of a scheduled 12-round lightweight battle.

Straffon landed a booming right that put Tennyson on the canvas. Tennyson got to his feet but he was butchered against the ropes, and the fight was stopped at 2:10.

Straffon, 133.2 lbs of Mexico City is now 24-3 with 17 knockouts. Tennyson, ,134.7 lbs of Belfast, NI is 28-4.

“I dreamed about this several years ago,” Straffon told Matchroom. “I know I was up against everything. I knew he was a very strong fighter. He called himself ‘The Assassin’, but he was assassinated. He punches hard, but nothing punches harder than life.

“It has been a very good year for Mexican boxing. There has been lots of surprises and upsets. I’m not really surprised about what happened. I have been well prepared for a year. I knew I was the big underdog but now I’m the winner.

“I would really like the opportunity to work with Eddie Hearn. I would like to thank my manager and promoter. I hope some really good things are coming my way. I believe I just won an opportunity to get some of the tough and big names out there. Don’t give up on anything, always keep on dreaming because dreams do come true.”

Scott Fitzgerald stopped Gregory Trenel in round three of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

In round three, Fitzgerald landed a barrage of punches on the ropes, and the fight was stopped by referee Steve Gray at 2:43

Fitzgerald, 169.4 lbs of Preston, ENG is 15-0 with 10 knockouts.  Trenel, 166.2 lbs of Dainville, FRA is 13-7-2.

Johnny Fisher stopped Phil Williams in round three of a scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

Fisher dominated and the fight was stopped at 1:40 of round three.

Fisher, 254.7 lbs of Romford, ENG is 2-o with two knockouts. Williams, 268.7

“I thought it was brilliant to get out on such short notice,” Fisher told Matchroom. “Credit to Sam Jones and Eddie Hearn for getting the fight there for me. Phil Williams is an awkward and tough opponent; he’s only been stopped four or five times in 30 bouts. Awkward fight, but I got him out of there and I showed I could go three rounds and keep a high pace.

“I’m trying to find the balance between having that killer instinct and sitting behind my boxing. Sometimes in there you probably get caught between the two. As I progress, I’ll be able to use that killer instinct more effectively. It was an awkward fight, but I showed that I’ve got the strength and the power to stop people. I stopped him in the third round. We’ll go against for the next one as soon as we can. 

“If you stay ready, you’ll get opportunities, especially at Matchroom and with S-JAM Boxing. I showed I can turn up and get the job done. I’m very grounded. I played rugby for a long time. That teaches you a lot of discipline. I’ve got family and a support network who believe in me. They always tell me the truth as well, and I’ll always be truthful about my own performances.

“It’s all systems go, ready for the next one. I’ve got to get that jab off, because in the gym it’s coming off lovely. When you get under them lights, you can have a bit of eagerness. I’ve only had four amateur senior fights and I’ve got a long way to go in the professional ranks.”

Campbell Hatton won a four-round decision Levi Dunn in a lightweight fight..

Hatton, 135.9 lbs of Manchester, ENG won by a 40-36 score and is now 2-0. Dunn, 134.5 lbs of Prestwich, ENG is 0-5.

“I could tell during the whole build up that I’d be a lot better in this fight,” Hatton told Matchroom. “I’ve just been so much more relaxed. It’s night and day. I’ve not watched it back yet, but I think I did show a lot smarter boxing and a bit more composure. 

“There’s still room for improvement but I’m buzzing with it. I’ve not had probably 10% of what I had to do last time. I’m grateful for it. I think I was hurting him a bit more this time. In a spar, it isn’t about taking them out is it. He was doing a lot of holding. He’s a tough kid and he’s done the job that he was here to do. I think I would have got him out of there if there was a bit less holding.

“My heroes have boxed here, so it’s a box ticked for me. It was weird walking down the ramp with no crowd. I can’t wait to do it again here when it’s packed. It’s not new to me now, I’ve got a bit more used to it. I’ll be straight back in the gym ready to go again. It’s all learning, and by keeping busy, I think I’ll be flying soon.”