LIVE BOXING: Garcia – Campbell Undercard Fights

Ryan Garcia scored the biggest win of his career as he survived a hard 2nd round knockdown and come back and stopped former world title challenger Luke Campbell and win the WBC Interim Lightweight championship at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
In round two, Campbell shockingly landed a perfect straight left to the jaw that sent Garcia to the canvas for the 1st time in his career. Garcia was able to steady himself and win the balance of the rounds.
In round seven, Garcia landed a vicious left to the body that sent Campbell down on all fours for the 10-count at 1:38.
Garcia, 135 lbs of Victorville, CA is now 21-0 with 18 knockouts. Campbell, 135 lbs of Hull, ENG is 20-4.
“My performance definitely showed a lot of people who I really am,” said Ryan Garcia. “Going into this fight I wanted to show people that you are not what people call you. You are what you choose to be. I chose to be a champion tonight. I didn’t let anything stop me from being a champion tonight. Even when he dropped me, I knew that couldn’t stop me from being champion.”
“I got too excited in the moment. I felt I could just walk him down, but he ended up cracking me. So, I had to adjust and calm down. I knew that I could beat him. I had to show that I was a warrior. I was a little dizzy with the knockdown, but I wasn’t worried. He’s not used to going forward, so I just knew I had to cover up.”
“He never fights coming forward, so I knew he would back up throughout the fight. I’m naturally a counterpuncher. But today I showed that I can be aggressive, go forward and take it to somebody. I showed I can take it to somebody and knock them out. God told me that it would end with a body shot, and that’s what happened. I want to thank God.”
On The Future:
“I want to be a man of my word. I want Gervonta “Tank” Davis. I am ready. People are worried about that one. I want Tank Davis. I would also fight Devin Haney, too.”
Luke:
“He’s very heavy handed. Even when I was blocking the shots, I could feel them. That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming on, and I was moving back, and when you move back my body relaxed a little bit and that’s the exact time he hit me.”
He did so well to get up from the shot in the second round! I felt that through my arm and knew it was a beauty but all credit to him, he got up and show he’s got real heart.
It was a great fight and I knew I was right in the fight and thought I was having a good round in the seventh, but that was just a fantastic body shot. I was ready to attack again and he just timed the punch perfectly, I wanted to beat the count but just couldn’t, you just have to hold your hands up and say it was a great shot from a very talented fighter who is going to go a long way.
OSCAR QUOTE:
“This is the kind of fight where superstars are made. Down on the mat early for the first time in his career, Ryan got up, rallied, broke down his man and got the knockout. Everyone in the lightweight division should consider themselves on notice. 2021 will be the year of Ryan García.”
Gutierrez drops Alvarado 3 times; Wins 130 lb. Title
Roger Gutierrez won the WBA Super Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Rene Alvarado
In round three, Gutierrez landed a hard uppercut that sent Alvarado to the canvas. Moments later, Gutierrez landed a big straight right that put Alvarado down a 2nd time. In round five, Gutierrez started to bleed over his left eyebrow.
Alvarado fought himself back in the fight, but Gutierrez may have sewed the fight up with a big left hook that sent Alvarado down for a 3rd time in the final round.
Alvarado landed 162 of 643 punches; Gutierrez landed 222 of 673.
Gutierrez, 129 lbs of Maricalbo, VEN won by scores of 114-113 on all cards, and is now 25-3-1. Alvarado, 129.4 lbs of Managua, NIC is 32-9.
The fight was a rematch of a fight that Alvarado stopped Gutierrez
Alvarado stops Kriel in 10; Retains Light Flyweight Title
Felix Alvarado defended his IBF Light Flyweight Title with a 10th round stoppage over former 105 pound champion Deejay Kriel.
In round two, Alvarado landed a big left hook that sent Kriel to the deck. In round four, it was almost the exact same scenario as Alvarado landed a hige left hook that put Kriel down again.
Kriel showed signs of coming back, but his punches were not enough to keep Kriel off of him. In round 10, Alvarado landed a series of punches that forced the referee stoppage at 1:39.
Alvarado, 107.4 lbs of Managua, NIC is 36-2 with 31 knockouts. Kriel, 107.4 lbs of Gautang, SA is 16-2-1.
“I knew this would be a tough fight,” said Felix Alvarado. “He was a mandatory challenger and a former world champion, so I knew it would be tough. I got a bit tired, but that was because of his experience. I also dropped him with a hook, and I didn’t even expect for a punch like that to land. But rather than keep looking for that punch, I kept pushing him to the ropes to wear him down. I’m very happy to obtain this win because it is a dream come true for the Alvarado brothers to fight on such a big card together. I want any of the other world champions so I can show who is the best in the division.”
Curiel stops Agaton in 2
Raul Curiel remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over late-replacement Ramses Agaton in a scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.
In round one, Curiel landed a hard left hook to the body that sent Agaton to the canvas. Curiel continued the onslaught in the 2nd round as Curiel landed a huge right and hand, and the towel was thrown in from Agaton’s corner at
Curiel, 153.2 lbs of Tamauilpas, MEX is 9-0 with seven knockouts. Agaton, 156.4 lbs of Mexico is 22-13-3.
“I felt really good and strong,” said Raul Curiel. “I felt that my opponent was a bit heavy. But I’m happy that I was able to deliver a great performance. I’m ready for any opponent that they bring to me at welterweight.”
Sean Garcia Decisons Marquez
Ryan Garcia’s brother Sean Garcia remained undefeated with a four-round majority decision over Rene Marquez in a lightweight bout.
Garcia landed 48 of 161 punches; Marquez was 30 of 185.
Garcia, 134.2 lbs of Victorville, CA won by scores of 39-37 twice and 38-38 and is now 6-0. Marquez, 134.4 lbs of Scottsbluff, NE is 5-6.
“There were so many things going as we went into this fight,” said Sean Garcia. “I was a bit nervous. I came off of a year-and-half layoff. I had to find my distance. It was also hard to land shots on him because of his unorthodox style. Now, I just have to keep training hard and learn from my mistakes.”
Alex Rincon remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Sergio Gonzalez in a middleweight fight.
Rincon, 155.4 lbs of Dallas won by scores of 60-54 scores and is now 8-0. Gonzalez, 155.8 lbs of Mexico is 6-8-1.
WBC//WBO Super Middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn won a eight-round unanimous decision over Ashleigh Curry in a non-title cruiserweight bout.
Dezurn, 171,4 lbs of Baltimore MD won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 7-1. Curry, 176.2 bs of Saint Joseph, MO is 8-14-4.
Asa Stevens made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over veteran Fancisco Bonilla in a bantamweight bout.
Stevens, 118.6 lbs of Waianae, HI won by scores of 39-37 on all cards and is now 1-0. Bonilla, 118 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 6-9-3.
Tristan Kalkreuth stopped Jorge Martinez in the opening round of ther four round cruiserweight bout.
Kalkreuth landed a hard right that dropped Martinez and the fight was over 50 seconds.
Kalkreuth, 194.3 lbs of Duncanville, TX is 7-0 with five knockouts. Martinez, 198.4 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 4-6.

Follow all the action as Ryan Campbell and Luke Campbell battle for the WBC Interim Lightweight Title. The action begins at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT / 8 PM in the UK with an undercard that will feature two world title bouts that will see the Alvarado brothers defending their titles.
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| 12 ROUNDS–WBC INTERIM LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE–RYAN GARCIA (20-0, 17 KOS VS LUKE CAMPBELL (20-3, 16 KOS) | |||||||||||||
| ROUND | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| GARCIA* | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | KO | 57 | |||||
| CAMPBELL | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 56 | ||||||
Round 1: Jab to body from Garcia..Left to body from Campbell..Straight right from Garcia..Right hand..Bidy shot from Campbell..Right hook
Round 2 Hard flurry from Garcia…HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES GARCIA..
Round 3 Left to body from Garcia…Flurry..
Round 4 Good body shot from Campbell..Left to body…Hard right from Garcia..Right hand..Left from Campbell..
Round 5 right on inside for Campbell..Straight left…Lead right from Garcia..Nice Flurry…Big left at the bell hurts Campbell
Round 6 Garcia landing big flurries…Right from Campbell..Uppercut from Garcia
Round 7 Nice right from Garcia…Right hook to the head…BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES CAMPBELL FIGHT OVER
| 12 ROUNDS–WBA SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE–RENE ALVARADO (32-8, 21 KOS) VS ROGER GUTIERREZ (24-3-1, 20 KOS) | |||||||||||||
| ROUND | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| ALVARADO | 10 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 113 |
| GUTIERREZ | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 114 |
Round 1 Straight right from Alvarado.. Body shot…2 Huge rights from Gutierrez Buckles Alvarado
Round 2 Counter right from Alvarado…Uppercut and straight right from Gutierrez..Uppercut..
Round 3 HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES ALVARADO…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALVARADO…Uppercut stuns Alvarado…Left and right from Alvarado..Right…
Round 4
Round 5 Straight right from Alvarado and another..Blood from left eyebrow of Gutierrez…Body combo from Alvarado..Overhand right..
Round 6 Doctor looking at Gutierrez eye…Running jab from Alvarado..Seeping left hook…
Round 7 Uppercut from Alvarado…Nice counter left
Round 8 Right from Alvarado
Round 9
Round 10 Jab from Alvarado…
Round 11 Combination from Gutierrez
Round 12 LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES ALVARADO
113-112 ON ALL CARDS FOR GUTIERREZ
| 12 ROUNDS–IBF LIGHT FLYWEIGHT TITLE–FELIX ALVARADO (35-2, 30 KOS) VS DEEJAY KRIEL (16-1-1, 8 KOS) | |||||||||||||
| ROUND | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| ALVARADO* | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | TKO | 88 | ||
| KRIEL | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 81 | |||
Round 1: Alvarado being aggressive..2 uppercuts..Right uppercut
Round 2 BIG LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES KRIEL…Big over hand right..Right..Huge right
Round 3 Right from Alvarado
Round 4 BIG LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES KRIEL..Nice left hook from Kriel..3 uppercuts and left hook from Alvarado…Right from Kriel..Combination
Round 5 Left hook from Alvarado..
Round 6 Jab from Alvarado…Grazing right…Left hook…Shoeshine from Kriel…
Round 7 Left hook from Kriel…Nice uppercut…combination..
Round 8 Combination from Kriel…Right…Left hook from Alvarado…Uppercut..Body shot from Kriel…Nice jab
Round 9 Uppercut from Alvarado…Jab to body…Right Hand…Hard shots snaps Kriel’s head back
Round 10 Big overhand right from Alvarado…Body shot…COMBINATION ON THE ROPES, KRIEL TAKING PUNISHMENT AND FIGHT IS STOPPED
| 8 Rounds–Middleweights–Raul Curiel (8-0, 6 KOs) vs Ramses Agaton (22-12-3, 12 KOs) | |||||||||||||
| ROUND | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| Curiel* | 10 | TKO | 10 | ||||||||||
| Agaton | 8 | 8 | |||||||||||
Round 1 LEFT HOOK BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES AGATON.
Round 2 Huge right from Curiel…TOWEL THROWN IN FROM AGATON’S CORNER
| 4-Rounds–Lightweights–Sean Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) vs Rene Marquez (5-5, 2 KOs) | |||||||||||||
| ROUND | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| Garcia* | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 38 | ||||||||
| Marquez | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 38 | ||||||||
Round 1 Counter right from Garcia..Right hook
Round 2 Left to body and right from Garcia..Good right from Marquez..Garcia starting to turn up pace
Round 3 Flurry from Garcia…Body combination
Round 4 Right hook from Garcia..Nice right from Marquez…Good body shot from Marquez
39-37 TWICE AND 38-38 FOR GARCIA
LAS VEGAS, NV (January 1, 2021) – Undefeated 17-year-old rising star, DJ “War Machine” Zamora lll (3-0, 2 KOs) spent the past month in training camp with WBC Silver Lightweight Champion, Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs), as Garcia’s preps for his biggest test when he faces Olympic Gold medalist Luke Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs), on January 2, 2021.
“It was an honor to be in camp with Ryan Garcia,” said Zamora III. “Ryan is fast, explosive and his power is the real deal. Out of all the fighters I’ve sparred he ranks at the top when it comes to speed and power. Eddie Reynoso is doing a great job with Ryan. I learned a lot being in camp with them. Ryan was very helpful in and out the ring, teaching me tricks and trades of the fight game at the higher level.”
Zamora III gave his thoughts on what he expects Ryan Garcia will do to Luke Campbell when they meet this Saturday night, live on DAZN.
“In my opinion, I think Ryan Garcia is going to knockout Luke Campbell within eight rounds,” continued Zamora. “I believe Ryan will break him down in the early rounds, then he will stop Campbell with a body shot.”
Going into 2021, Zamora III will take a tremendous amount of confidence and momentum with him as he will be making his U.S.A. debut at some point during the year.
“After being in camp with Ryan García, I feel more confident with my skills going into 2021,” Zamora concluded. “I now know what it’s like to be in the ring with one of the best in the world, and have learned what I need to do, to be one of the very best myself. This type of experience is going to take my boxing to the next level. This is going to be my year, and I’ll looking to be extremely active once I turn eighteen and make my U.S.A. debut.”

DALLAS, TEXAS (Dec. 31, 2020): Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) and Luke Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) hosted their final press conference today in Dallas, Texas ahead of their 12-round showdown for the interim WBC Lightweight Championship. They were joined by undercard fighters from the event including world champions Rene Alvarado (32-8, 21 KOs) and Felix Alvarado (35-2, 30 KOs) and many others.
The fight will take place on Jan. 2, 2021 at American Airlines Center in Dallas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., Mexico and the UK.
Below is what today’s main event participants had to say at the press conference:
RYAN GARCIA, WBC SILVER LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“I wanted this fight after Francisco Fonseca. When it was offered to me for the interim title, I thought that my dream was finally coming true. I’ve always said he is a good fighter. I never said he wasn’t a good fighter. But I just know that with my skills and my training, I will be victorious.”
“My fights haven’t gone long because I don’t let them. If it happens to go that way, then I’m ready for 12 rounds. If he’s tough and he can take a shot, then I’m ready for that. They can say all they want about me not being able to go 12 rounds. I’ve trained to go 1000 rounds. I expect this to be a great fight. I expect this to be a great war.”
LUKE CAMPBELL, FORMER WORLD TITLE CHALLENGER:
“I’m confident because I want to prove that I am the best in the division. From what I have seen, he is good. He is fast. He’s got good skills. But I believe in myself. My strategy is to win by any means possible, and I’m going to be the best version of myself.”
“Tune in Saturday night. I’ve come to fight. This is going to be a fantastic fight. We are two of the best lightweights in the world, and it will be a fantastic battle.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY:
“I see what I’ve always seen in Ryan: an incredibly gifted, wildly charismatic fighter who never takes his foot of the gas in training or in the ring on fight night. I also see a fighter with an incredible appreciation of and admiration for the sport. When he’s not fighting or training, he’s watching film or going to other fights. The kid eats, sleeps and breaths boxing. At the same time, at a really young age, Ryan has an understanding of marketing that only a handful of fighters ever truly achieve.”
“We live in an era when fans can feel closer to their heroes than ever before through the development of social media. Ryan engages with those fans and has grown a following that is close to unrivaled in the sport. You put all these things in a package, and what you end up with is a fighter who is primed to crossover and become an international superstar.”
Garcia vs. Campbell is a 12-round fight for the interim WBC Lightweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle,” “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts,” and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Better Parts, Better Prices…everyday! The fight will take place on Jan. 2, 2021 at American Airlines Center in Dallas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories, including the U.S., Mexico and the UK. Doors for the event open at 1:00 p.m. CST. The first streamed fight begins at 2:00 p.m. CST / 8:00 p.m. GMT. Main event: 5:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 p.m. GMT.
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #GarciaCampbell
Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/GarciaCampbell into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.
Having always been too small to compete on even terms with boxing’s giants, Saginaw, Michigan’s Robert Simms says he welcomes the WBC’s new Bridgerweight division (200-224 pounds) and would happily face #1-rated Oscar Rivas or any another world-rated contender for its inaugural belt.
A slick technician with good speed and punching power in the mold of all-time-great Michigan fighter James Toney, Simms (10-3, 3 KOs) has used his surprising athleticism and ring smarts to sit in the pocket and conserve energy, yet seldom get hit flush against full-sized heavyweights. But the 5? 11? Simms, currently ranked the #20 contender in the new weight class, says he’ll be a dangerous handful for anyone under 225 lbs, especially the Montreal-based Colombian Rivas.
“Let’s do it. I would beat him,” said Simms. “He’s just another standard heavyweight, nothing special and he’s really stiff as a fighter. I believe that with my skills I would be able to pick him apart. It’s my dream to win a WBC belt.”
It’s not that Simms didn’t have any success at heavyweight. In June of last year at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, a 227-lb Simms took away the undefeated 0 of local favorite Colby Madison with a clear-cut unanimous decision.
A latecomer to the sport at age 24, Simms says he took fights out of shape and way above his most effective weight class “just to see what he could do.” But having recently gotten engaged, the father of five says he’s re-dedicated himself to the sport. In his most recent ring appearance, in October of last year, Simms looked like a different fighter. Coming in at just 198 lbs., Simms utilized his speed and strong technical skills to score a unanimous decision over fellow Michigander Demetrius Banks.
“The height of a heavyweight never bothered me,” continued Simms. “It was the weight that would wear me down. I’ll have stamina all day long at this lower weight class. There’s nobody in this division with my footwork and skills and accuracy.”
“This is the weight class for Robert Simms,” said his promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “He’s been floating around cruiserweight and heavyweight division all of his career and he’s beaten and come close to beating some very good fighters. I believe Robert has the skills and now the size and strength to be a force in the bridgerweight division.”
About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YouTube Channel for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
Fort Lauderdale, FL (December 29, 2020) -WBA Interim Super Middleweight champion David O. Morrell Jr. beat up Mike Gavronski on his way to a 3rd round stoppage in a scheduled 10-round bout at The Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The fight was the main event of card that was seen live on FOX.
Morrell is promoted by Warriors Boxing Promotions and Ural Promotions.
At the end of round one, Morrell landed a big combination that was punctuated by a straight left that sent Gavronski down to the canvas. Morrell continued to batter Gavronski with some hard uppercuts and straight lefts. Finally in round three, Morrell landed another blasting left uppercut that forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the bout at 2:45.
Morrell, 170 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 4-0 with three knockouts. Gavronski, 167.4 lbs of Bellevue, WA is 26-4-1.
“The first time I saw a video of David Morrell fighting, he was 17 years old
and competing against the 2 time gold medal winner De La Cruz. Having worked
with 23 worlds champions including Roberto Duran, I knew David was going to
be a great one. He continues to show why he is already capable of competing
with the very best in the world.” Quote from Warriors COO Luis DeCubas, Sr.
Even though the fight took place at 170 lbs., Morrell Jr. will remain the WBA Interim Super Middleweight World champion.
Morrell, who only accepted the fight on December 4th, did not want to pass up an opportunity to headline on a major network. Morell – Gavronski was scheduled as the main event. Morrell and his team had informed event organizers that there was a possibility that the fight would need to take place above the 168-pound limit, as he was not in training camp, and had only three weeks to prepare. A new agreement for an 170-pound bout was consented to by all sides.
Morrell will continue to campaign in the hotly contested super middleweight division, he will look to fight any of the top contenders.
Former Team GB Heavyweight standout Solomon Dacres has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and will make his highly anticipated professional debut in early 2021.
The 6ft 5ins 27-year-old, who is managed by Adam Morallee and Sam Jones of S-JAM Boxing, has been a regular sparring partner of Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua, and shared sparring with Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois ahead of their November clash.
In an impressive stint in the amateurs, Birmingham’s Dacres won a gold medal in the 2017 National Championships, before joining the Team GB squad in April 2017 and representing the British Lionhearts in the World Series of Boxing during a three-year spell in Sheffield.
Trained by Max McCracken alongside former WBA Super-Flyweight World Champion Kal Yafai and newly crowned European Super-Bantamweight Champion Gamal Yafai, ‘The Real Deal’ plans on using his explosive power and strength to make a mark in the thriving domestic Heavyweight scene.
“I turned over with my management team S-JAM Boxing and we were looking at getting a deal with the biggest promoter,” said Dacres. “Matchroom provide the biggest platform and the best networks to perform on and progress on. I’m really looking forward to working with the number one promoter out there.
“Being on the Team GB squad, I’ve sparred with Anthony Joshua for a number of years. It was regular sparring while he was in camp and I was training in Sheffield. It brought me on massively and improved me as a fighter. We’ve both been progressing over the years.
“That’s the level I’m looking to get to. I’ve seen the level that a Heavyweight World Champion performs at. With the same hard work and dedication that ‘AJ’ has displayed throughout his career, I’m confident I can reach those levels too.
“Sky Sports and DAZN viewers can expect to see a very explosive style from me. I’ve got fast hands for a Heavyweight and a lot of strength and power. I’d say that I’ve got a fan friendly style. I’m going to bring excitement.
“Next year I’m looking to settle myself into the professional ranks and get a few fights under my belt. I want to make a statement with some eye-catching performances on Sky Sports and DAZN. The ultimate goal is to become a Heavyweight World Champion.”
“I’m delighted to welcome another Heavyweight signing to the team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Solomon has all the grounding through his GB podium squad experience and WSB experience and is ready to attack the domestic scene. It has been many years since the Midlands have produced a Heavyweight star and with the hope of crowds returning later in 2021, I expect Solly to be a popular draw as he begins his professional campaign.”
Adam Moralee commented: “All the promoters we spoke to about Sol were aware of his quality from Team GB and he needed no introduction. Sol is now in the hands of the people that have guided the career of one of the best Heavyweights ever to come out of Team GB and we are very excited about the journey ahead with Matchroom.”
You can follow Dacres’ journey on Twitter: @solomonDacres and Instagram: solomondacres

(December 28, 2020) —WBC/IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev has been forced to postpone his title defense against Adam Deines — scheduled for Jan. 30 at VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia — after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Beterbiev and Deines were originally scheduled to fight Oct. 23, but Beterbiev suffered a rib injury in training. Information about the rescheduled Beterbiev-Deines showdown will be announced in due course.
Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs), the only current world champion with a 100 percent knockout rate, has not fought since his knockout victory over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019 to unify world titles.

Chester, PA (December 28, 2020) – Undefeated bantamweight prospect Dylan Price kicks off the New Year in a headlining role as he rematches veteran Samuel Gutierrez in a six-round bout on Saturday, January 16tth at Elevations Event Center (51 9th Street) in Chester, Pa.
The event is promoted by RDR Promotions. RDR Promotions is the only promotion to stage an event during the Covid-19 Shutdown. This will be the 3rd show promoted by RDR Promotions and 2nd during the Covid-19 Restriction Period. RDR ran a successful event on November 7th at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
Price of Sicklerville, New Jersey. has a record of 11-0 with eight knockouts, and he took an eight-round unanimous decision over Gutierrez on July 27, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The 22 year-old is a four year professional who is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Jose Rodriguez on November 7th in Philadelphia.
Gutierrez of Mexico has a record of 16-28-6 with six knockouts.
At 32 years old, Gutierrez has been a pro for for 14 years and has wins over Ruben Montoya (10-0-1), Moises Calleros (20-5-1), Montoya (12-2-1) & Juan Leija (11-1-1). Gutierrez is coming off a loss to undefeated Joahnys Argilagos on October 17th in Miami.
In the six-round co-feature, junior welterweight Shinard Bunch takes on Dieumerci Nzau in a junior welterweight bout.
Bunch of Trenton, NJ, has a record of 10-1 with nine knockouts.
The 21 year-old is a two year pro, who has been very active as he has amassed 11 fights in a 19 month span. Bunch is coming off a 1st round stoppage over Christian Danilo Guido on November 7th in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Nzau of Silver Spring, Maryland has a record of 11-13 with eight knockouts.
Nzau, 32 years-old is a 12-year professional is coming off a decision loss to Daiyann Butt on November 7th in Philadelphia.
Also in a six-round bout, Nafear Charles (5-0, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a lightweight bout.
In four-round bouts, Tahmir Smalls (2-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia fights David Veras Pena (0-3-1) of Annapolis, MD in a welterweight contest.
Jerrod Miner (1-11-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Edgar Joe Cortes (6-6-1) of Vineland, NJ in a bantamweight fight.
More fights will be announced shortly.
A very limited amount of tickets can be purchased for $150 for Stage Seating; $125 for Ringside and $100 for General, and can be purchased at rricereview@yahoo.com or from fighters on the card
All Covid 19 Protocols will be enforced including wearing a Mask at all times and ID is required.

WBA Interim Super Middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. beat up Mike Gavronski on his way to a 3rd round stoppage in a scheduled 10-round bout at The Shrine Event Center in Los Angeles.
At the end of round one, Morrell landed a big combination that was punctuated by a straight left that sent Gavronski down to the canvas. Morrell continued to batter Gavronski with some hard uppercuts and straight lefts. Finally in round three, Morrell landed another blasting left uppercut that forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the bout at 2:45.
Morrell, 170 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 4-0 with three knockouts. Gavronski, 167.4 lbs of Bellevue, WA is 26-4-1.
Montiel Stops Kirkland in 1
Juan Macias Montiel stopped James Kirkland in the opening round of their ten round middleweight bout,
In the first 30 seconds, Montiel landed a left hook to the temple that sent Kirkland down. Montiel landed two hard uppercuts and a left that dropped Kirkland for a 2nd tine. Two more hard uppercuts later sent Kirkland down again and the fight was stopped at 1:56.
Montiel, 161.4 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 25-4-2 with 22 knockouts. Kirkland, 162 lbs of Austin, TX is 34-3.
Ramos Stops Nelson After 4
Jesus Ramos remained undefeated with stoppage victory over Naim Nelson after round four of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout,
In round three, Ramos landed a left followed by a right to the body that put Nelson on the canvas. In round four, Ramos landed a wicked right hook that sent Nelson slumping into the ropes for a knockdown. Nelson was cut under his left eye. The fight was halted by the corner following the frame.
Ramos, 144.4 lbs of Case Grande, AZ is 14-0 with 13 knockouts. Nelson, 143.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 14-5.
Travon Lawson scored an upset 4th round stoppage over Angel Barrientes in a scheduled six-round super bantamweight bout.
Barrientes took the 1st three rounds until Lawson landed several big right hands that sent Barrientes down. Barrientes was unsteady as he got up, and the fight was stopped at 55 seconds.
Lawson, 122 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is 4-0 with three knockouts. Barrientes, 123.4 lbs of Las Vegas is 4-1.
Alantez Fox won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marcos Hernandez in a super middleweight bout.
In round four, Fox was cut on the inside of the bridge of his nose.
Fox landed 123 of 524 punches; Hernandez was 93 of 330.
Fox, 167.2 lbs of Forestville, MD won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, and is now 27-2-1. Hernandez, 166.6 lbs of Fresno, CA is 14-4-1.
Chavez Barrientes remained undefeated by stopping Paul Carroll after round three of their scheduled four-round super bantamweight bout.
In round three, Barrientes dropped Carroll with a fight hand. The fight was halted by Carroll’s corner following the round.
Barrientes, 123.8 lbs of Las Vegas is 5-0 with four knockouts. Carroll, 122.4 lbs of Columbia, SC is 4-2.
Radzhab Butaev stopped Terry Chatwood in a scheduled eight-round battle of undefeated welterweights.
In round three, Butaev landed a crushing left hook to the body that sent Chatwood down to the canvas rolling around in pain for the 10-count at 1:01.
Butaev, 149.6 lbs of Russia is 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Chatwood, 148.6 lbs of Arkansas is 9-1-1.
LOS ANGELES (December 23, 2020) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Chávez Barrientes previewed his upcoming matchup against Paul Carroll before their super bantamweight showdown this Saturday, December 26 on FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The FS1 PBC Fight Night telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and precedes the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT which is headlined by unbeaten interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. challenging Mike Gavronski in a 12-round duel.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
Here is what Barrientes (4-0, 3 KOs) had to say about his upcoming matchup and more:
On his recent training in Las Vegas, with his father and trainer Richard Barrientes:
“There is no place like Las Vegas when it comes to training. I’m constantly sparring top level fighters, because all the best talent in the sport comes to Vegas to train. My dad puts me in with a lot of good world class guys. All my sparring is with some of the best fighters in boxing. Training camp has been fantastic to say the least.”
On his matchup with Paul Carroll:
“We didn’t have much time to do research on Carroll because he was a last minute opponent. After looking at his record it shows that he has a lot of power because he’s knocked out everyone he’s beaten. I’m sure he’s going to want to slug it out so I’m preparing to go to war. I’ll be ready to fire back and counter anything he brings into this fight.”
On making his second televised appearance on FS1:
“Because I’m only 18-years old, I feel like I’m in the best possible position as opposed to other fighters my age. I’m with the best boxing organization, PBC, and fighting on the great FOX Sports networks. I’m going to take more risks in this fight and show the world why I deserve to be fighting on national television. I’m going to be more aggressive in this fight and give the fans something to talk about.”
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

LOS ANGELES (December 23, 2020) – Super middleweight contenders Marcos “Madman” Hernandez and Alantez Fox will meet in a 10-round showdown headlining FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features undefeated super bantamweight prospect Chavez Barrientes dueling Paul Carroll in a four or six-round special feature, plus unbeaten Radzhab Butaev faces fellow unbeaten Terry Chatwood in a welterweight fight to kick off the telecast.
FS1 PBC Fight Night precedes the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. challenging Mike Gavronski in a 12-round duel.
The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.
Fighting out of Fresno, California, Hernandez (14-3-1, 3 KOs) has faced excellent competition in his career, battling a litany of tough fellow rising contenders. The 27-year-old Hernandez has twice faced former unified super welterweight champion Jeison Rosario, fighting to a draw in their first meeting before losing the rematch. He most recently lost a decision to Kevin Newman in November 2019, a rematch of a fight Hernandez won in 2017. He has taken down then unbeaten fighters in Newman and Thomas Hill in 2016.
The 28-year-old Fox (26-2-1, 12 KOs) was unbeaten in his first 23 fights, moving his way up the middleweight division until dropping a 2017 battle by decision to unbeaten champion Demetrius Andrade. Fighting out of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Fox rebounded with three-straight victories before losing in the U.K. to Liam Williams in December 2019. Most recently, Fox debuted at the full super middleweight limit against Habib Ahmed in a fight that was ruled a no-contest in August.
Barrientes (4-0, 3 KOs) and his twin brother and fellow prospect Ángel were born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and moved to Las Vegas when they were two-years-old. Barrientes and his brother were first introduced to the sport by their father Richard at an early age, with their interest and skill eventually prompting him to open his own gym. Barrientes’ U.S. debut came on the same show as his brother in October as he won a decision over Ivan Varela.
The South Carolina-native Carroll (4-1, 4 KOs) enters this fight with three-straight stoppage victories, having most recently won by TKO over Jayvonne O’Neal in February following two knockouts in 2019. Carroll turned pro in June 2017 with a knockout of Shaquille Harris.
A prolific amateur in his native Khasavyurt, Russia, Butaev (12-0, 9 KOs) now fights out of Brooklyn. The 27-year-old turned pro in 2016 and quickly began moving up the rankings, beating veterans Lanardo Tyner and Silverio Ortiz in 2019. Butaev’s last outing saw him drop a close decision for a vacant WBA welterweight title to Alexander Besputin, which was eventually ruled a no contest after Besputin tested positive for performance enhancers.
Chatwood (9-0-1, 5 KOs) added two victories to his ledger in 2019, stopping James Blake Franklin in April before defeating Juan Ocura in August. The Little Rock, Arkansas native returns to action looking to keep his unbeaten record intact since turning pro in 2016. Chatwood has won seven consecutive fights since a split-draw in 2016.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
Undefeated WBA Super and Ring Magazine Light-Flyweight World Champion Hiroto Kyoguchi has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
The Japanese star (14-0, 9 KOs), who is managed by Eddy Reynoso, won the IBF 105lbs World Title by outpointing Jose Argumendo in July 2017, before making two defences of the Title against Carlos Buitrago and Vince Paras.
27-year-old Kyoguchi was crowned a two-weight World Champion when he stopped Hekkie Budler in ten rounds in December 2018 to earn the WBA and Ring Magazine Light-Flyweight belts, and has since made two successful defences against Tanawat Nakoon and Tetsuya Hisada.
“I am confident that I will give it my all and show honour in this sport as a proud Japanese World Champion,” said Kyoguchi. “I’m ready!”
“I’m delighted to welcome two division World Champion and Ring Magazine king Hiroto Kyoguchi to the Matchroom Boxing team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “As we continue our global expansion we welcome our first Japanese World Champion to Matchroom and look forward to our first show there in 2021. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with him and his manager Eddy Reynoso.”
“It is an honour to work with the best promoter in the world in Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing,” said Eddy Reynoso of No Boxing No Life management. “Thanks also to Hiroto Kyoguchi for having the confidence to let me represent him. We look forward to a big future together.”

December 23, 2020–TONIGHT!!! on fubo Sports Network, fights that feature former two-division world champion Ricky Hatton plus recent International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Andre Ward will be streamed on Classic Fight Night.
The bouts on tonight’s the show will be Hatton’s sensational performance against Jose Luis Castillo in a much anticipated bout that took place on June 23, 2007. Also on the show will be the June 10, 2000 fight between Hatton and Gilbert Quiros.
Ward, who just last week was named to the 2021 International Boxing Hall of Fame class, will have his April 29, 2006 bout against Andy Kolle showcased on the show. The fight was the 9th fight of Ward’s career.
The show begins at 8 PM ET.
About fubo Sports Network
Available on 75 million devices, fubo Sports Network is the live, free-to-consumer TV network featuring sports stories on and off the field. Launched by live TV streaming platform fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO) in September 2019, fubo Sports Network airs live sports, award-winning original programming and partner content from CampusLore, FanDuel, Stadium, The Players Tribune, USA TODAY and VSiN, among others. Stream for free on LG Channels, News on Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Channels and XUMO or as part of fuboTV’s base subscription package of 100+ sports, news and entertainment channels.
For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing
This Thursday, December 24, at 1:30 pm ET (10:30 am PT), Salita Promotions will livestream a 19-fight afternoon matinee of international boxing on their popular YOUTUBE CHANNEL, free of charge from the Soviet Wings Sport Palace in Moscow, Russia.
The marathon boxing event, presented by Shamo Boxing in association with Salita Promotions, will feature a rugged 10-round battle for the WBA Asia Middleweight Championship between Saint Petersburg southpaw Evgeny Terentyev (16-3-0, 8 KOs) and Ukrainian veteran Viktor Plotnikov (33-9, 15 KOs) in the main-event.
In just his fourth fight, super middleweight prospect Pavel Siliyagin (4-0-0, 2 KOs) from Novosibirsk, Russia, will face 54-fight veteran Siarhei Khamitski (32-19-2, 14 KOs) from Minsk, Belarus, in the co-main event, scheduled for 10 rounds.
WBO #7 and IBF #8 bantamweight Nikolai Potapov (21-2-1, 11 KOs), of Podolsk, Russia, now residing Brooklyn, will return to the ring to take on Ukrainian contender Oleksandr Hryshchuk (16-2-1, 6 KOs) of Bilytske, Ukraine.
Just three fights into his pro career, Ruza, Russia’s undefeated Valery Oganisyan (3-0, 2 KOs) will take on capable Gelendzhik, Russia, veteran Dmitry Mikhaylenko (23-7, 10 KOs) for the Russian Super Lightweight Championship.
And in a special attraction, a definite prospect to watch, 2016 Olympic Gold Medallist Hasanboy Dusmatov (1-0, 1 KO) from Andijan, Uzbekistan, will face Russia’s Mirzamuhammad Mutalibov (1-2) from Novokuznetsk.
“I am honored to bring one of the last fight cards of the year to our worldwide YOUTUBE CHANNEL audience,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. The show is going to showcase world-class fighters from every level of the developmental landscape – from Olympic Gold Medalist Hasanboy to one of the best bantamweights in the world, Nikolai Potapov.”
Calling the action in English for the above five featured fights will be Canada’s Corey Erdman, a commentary veteran for ESPN, NBC, CBS, SpikeTV, BoxNation, DAZN and SNY, as well as UFC Fight Pass’ recurring series Broadway Boxing. Erdman is also a lead columnist for Boxing Scene, and a regular combat sports contributor to VICE.
“I’m excited to be a part of delivering the holiday gift of live boxing to everyone this year,” said Erdman. “It’s great to see Nikolai Potapov back in action, and perhaps becoming a factor in the bantamweight division. Fans who follow amateur boxing are obviously excited to see Hasanboy Dusmatov’s second pro fight as well. With his pedigree, I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re talking about him in the world title picture.”
The livestream is part of Salita Promotions’ ever-expanding YOUTUBE CHANNEL, that already offers thousands of hours of past fights from many of the biggest names in boxing, free of charge, and attracts more than 5 million monthly views with 138,000 subscribers and hundreds of thousands of daily viewers.
About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.
Check the Salita Promotions YouTube Channel for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.
New York, NY (12/22/20) – DiBella Entertainment (DBE) has signed undefeated Mexican American junior lightweight prospect Misael Lopez (11-0, 5 KOs) to an exclusive promotional agreement.
“I first saw Misael fight on one of my ShoBox undercards and was very impressed with how he handled the pressure as the underdog to come out victorious,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I am friendly with his managers, Jerry Casarez and world champion Jamel Herring, who came to me with this opportunity, and I am happy to work with them and Lyle Green. Lopez is a great young talent with a bright future…and he’s willing to accept real fights to prove it.”
“I’m very blessed for this opportunity,” said Lopez. “I’m excited to work with a great promoter like Lou DiBella and am ready for what’s coming ahead.”
“Jamel Herring and I are thrilled to have our fighter sign with Lou DiBella,” said Jerry Casarez, of First To Fight Management. “Lou is a Hall-of-Fame promoter, who has worked with the biggest names in the sport, so I know the future is very promising for Misael Lopez.”
“We are very excited to have Misael as part of our team,” said Lyle Green, of Sheer Sports. “Misael is outstanding inside the ring and out. He is destined for greatness and we are looking forward to assisting him in his career.”
Lopez burst onto the national boxing stage when he upset unbeaten favorite James Wilkins on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series via unanimous decision, on September 21, 2018, in Shawnee, OK. The versatile boxer-puncher controlled the action of the fast-paced eight-round affair, combating Wilkins’ pressure with a higher volume of punches and deft footwork.
He has since added two more victories to his record. Lopez’s most recent bout, on October 4, 2019, which he won via six-round unanimous decision against Nestor Robledo, was later overturned to a ‘No Contest’ after his post-fight drug test came back positive for marijuana.
“Misael suffered a career setback when his last win was changed to a ‘No Contest’ after he tested positive for weed. I think he’s learned his lesson, but I’m not going to blackball somebody because he smoked a joint,” said DiBella.
Born in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, Lopez moved with his family to the United States at the age of two, growing up in Denver, CO. Seeing his son bullied, Misael’s father, Ebenezer, who had an amateur boxing career and worked as a sparring partner for local, prominent fighters, decided to teach his son how to box so he could defend himself. Developing an affinity for the sweet science, a 10-year-old Lopez had his first amateur bout in 2006. Over the next 10 years, the athletic Lopez excelled at boxing and soccer, participating in high level competitions for both sports. As a boxer, Lopez compiled an amateur record of 50-5, winning gold medals at the 2008 Ringside World Championships, 2010 Colorado State Silver Gloves Tournament, Colorado State Golden Gloves Tournament twice in 2009 and 2015, and the 2015 Gene Lewis Invitational Tournament. Still trained by his father out of House of Pain Boxing Gym, in Aurora, CO, Lopez turned professional on May 21, 2016, and is now co-managed by First To Fight Management and Sheer Sports.
LOS ANGELES (December 22, 2020) – Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. shared insights into his training camp and previewed his upcoming showdown against Mike Gavronski that headlines FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
“Training for this fight has gone really well,” said Morrell. “I’ve been training in Minneapolis with my head trainer Sankara Frazier and my second trainer Adonis Frazier. For my last fight, I had no sparring because of all the restrictions with the pandemic. This time around has been different and I have gotten sparring. I’ve had Maidel Sando helping me with sparring and things have been going great in camp.”
The 22-year-old Morrell won his interim title in just his third professional fighter after arriving stateside from Cuba and turning pro in 2019. Morrell won the belt by defeating then unbeaten Lennox Allen via unanimous decision in PBC’s first fight on FOX after the pandemic this August. Despite that experience fighting during the pandemic, Morrell is not relying on it heading into Saturday, while taking lessons from his time in the ring instead.
“I don’t feel like my experience in ‘the bubble’ is an advantage, because I believe that I can adapt to any situation,” said Morrell. “I just want everything to go right once I step into the ring. That’s what I’m focused on.
“Against Allen I learned to control the timing and rhythm of the fight. I also learned to be calmer and more patient in the ring. Now I feel like I can go 12 rounds with anybody and still feel fresh. I think I know when to slow it down, as well as when to pick up the action and turn the heat up. I’m more confident knowing that I can go a full fight.”
Morrell’s rapid rise since turning pro will now see him take center stage as the primetime main event on FOX. Despite the speedy ascent, Morrell doesn’t feel any added pressure from the headlining position.
“I show out whenever it’s a big stage, so there’s no pressure,” said Morrell. “I’m just excited and can’t wait for the fans to see me back in action. I’m like anybody else that wants to be a champion and number one, I’m at my best in front of a big audience.
“Like any other athlete with big ambitions, I just want to prove that I’m the best. I want people to be happy to see me win and I have a strong desire to be the best in the world.”
In Gavronski, Morrell will face another opponent who laps him in pro experience, as the 34-year-old Gavronski has faced a slew of veteran contenders, including former title challenger Jesse Hart. Despite Gavronski having 10 times the number of pro fights as his opponent, Morrell still believes he is the one with more to prove.
“From what I’ve seen of him, Gavronski has fought some good fighters with good qualities,” said Morrell. “I think he’ll come in confident knowing that I’m only 22-years-old and have only three professional fights. But I’ll prove to him, and everyone else doubting me, that I’m here for a reason. He’s going to come to win, but so will I. Whoever’s best will emerge victorious.”
The super middleweight division is stacked with stars such as Canelo Alvarez, Caleb Plant and David Benavidez, giving Morrell no shortage of potential big fights in his future. For Morrell, he plans to continue to improve and be prepared when the opportunity comes to face the division’s best.
“The super middleweight division is one of the best in boxing,” said Morrell. “The titleholders right now deserve their recognition. They’ve become champions for a reason. But I’m going to be ready for them when I’m given the opportunity. It’s my job to be ready when that time comes.”
With a chance to close out the year in style on Saturday, Morrell is relishing in that opportunity and the promise of what 2021 could bring both inside and outside of the ring.
“My first goal is to close out 2020 by making weight on Friday,” said Morrell. “My second goal is to get the win on Saturday in spectacular fashion. In 2021, I’ll be thankful to God to continue waking up every day. I want more fights in 2021 though, so one or two months into the new year, I want to get back in the ring. And then all of the projects that my team and my promoter have lined up, I want us to achieve our dreams. Hopefully I’ll be able to bring the rest of my family that’s back in Cuba to the U.S. and have them here with me for it.”
ABOUT MORRELL VS. GAVRONSKI
Morrell vs. Gavronski will see Interim WBA Super Middleweight Champion David O. Morrell Jr. face Mike Gavronski in the 12-round main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, December 26 from Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will feature the return of renowned knockout artist James Kirkland dueling hard-hitting Juan Macías Montiel in the 10-round middleweight co-main event while unbeaten young rising star Jesús Ramos battles Naim Nelson in a 10-round super lightweight bout that will kick off the broadcast.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.