GALVESTON, Texas (November 30, 2020) — There is a Texas showdown coming December 18th called the “Battle of Rio Grande,” in which undefeated, former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (40-0, 26 KOs) challenges North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light heavyweight Alfonso “El Tigre” Lopez (32-3, 25 KOs), live on pay per view from Galveston Island Convention Center in Galveston, Texas.

“Battle of Rio Grande” will be available for live viewing on digital, cable and satellite, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, on pay per view for a suggested retail price of only $24.99. FITE will stream worldwide on the FITE mobile apps, all major OTT apps and website (www.FITE.tv), and Integrated Sports Media will distribute throughout North America via DirecTV, iN Demand, and DISH in the United States, as well as in Canada on Shaw and SaskTel.

The main event fighters, Ramirez and Lopez, are co-promoters of “Battle of Rio Grande” under their promotional company names, respectively, Zurdo Promotions and El Tigre Promotions.

Ramirez, 29, became the first Mexican super middleweight champion of the world in 2016 with a 12-round unanimous decision over World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Arthur Abraham (44-4). The multi-gifted southpaw “Zurdo” (means left-handed in English) from Mazatlán, Mexico, went on to make five successful title defences, including three against unbeaten challengers Jesse Hart (25-0), Habif Ahmed (25-0-1), and Roamer Alexis Angulo (23-0).

Ramirez moved up to light heavyweight for his last fight a year ago, when he stopped 29-6-1 Tommy Karpency in four rounds, after which Ramirez became a promotional free agent. “Battle of Rio Grande” is his first event as a promoter.

“Promoting is not an easy job,” Ramirez said, “but I have good people behind me. They’ve got my back and we work very well together. I was world champion and now I’m a promoter; I see the big picture. I don’t want to be fighting forever. I started my own promotional company so that when I retire, I will have a good life after boxing. There’s no stress on me as a promoter, the stress is on my team.”

The 6′ 3″ Ramirez is a physical specimen who can dunk a basketball and could easily have been a pro athlete in a different sport like football. He follows business trends and by opening his own promotional company, he’s taking advantages of the new era of boxing, in which he plans to aid fellow boxers, particularly Mexicans, by giving them a larger platform to display their skills.

Working with his opponent in terms of promoting “Battle of Rio Grande” is a sign of two fighters taking control of their careers, as well as being completely independent rather than under a promoter, although Lopez has been promoting in Texas for several years.

“We’ll work together but, in the ring, he wants my 40-0 Ramirez noted. “I know he’s been training a lot, so he’s going to be faster and stronger, which is good for me because I like fighting good fighters. Everybody wants to take my record, but I’m training (in Santa Monica, CA) like the champion I am to give fans a good fight. He’s going to bring everything he has into the ring. I expect a good fight. It’s a big opportunity for him. I am fully focused on him because I want the opportunity to be world champion again.”

Lopez will be riding a 10-fight win streak into the ring Dec. 18th versus Ramirez in the 12-round main event. His most recent fight was 13 months ago, when he won a 10-round decision over 19-9-1 Denis Grachev in Lopez’ first defense of the NABF title he captured in his previous fight with a fourth-round stoppage of 21-3 Alex Theran.

Ramirez isn’t looking past Lopez for future fights against world light heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev (WBC & IBF) Dmitry Bivol (WBA), because he knows and respects Lopez. The media and public, in general, underappreciated Lopez and some have taken cheap shots at him in social media.

“Maybe a little but it’s not a big deal,” Lopez responded to being asked if he was undervalued. “I’ve always said that in this business, everybody has the opportunity to be seen. Gilberto’s beaten quality guys and he’s a world champion. I’ve promoted myself, mostly in Texas, and I’m well respected within the industry. If they really want to see who Gilberto is fighting, tune in, and then make decisions at the end of the fight and maybe they’ll change their mind. Otherwise, they should keep their opinions to themselves instead of reading about me on social media or matching up who we’ve fought.”

Ramirez has a marquee name, and he represents a career-changing opportunity for Lopez, who has captured four titles, including the NABF crown he’ll be defending. Plus, “El Tigre” holds victories over solid opponents other than Grachev and Theran, such as Dyah Davis and Rubin Williams, and in 2011 Lopez extended Kelly Pavlik the distance in a loss by way of a 10-round majority decision.

Lopez isn’t fighting Ramirez simply for a payday, to the contrary. “Nobody walks into the ring thinking they’re just happy to be there,” Lopez explained. “This fight will establish me as a world-class fighter. I feel that the winner will be the best in our division and the guys walking around with their belts should fight the winner. Gilberto is a great fighter who has a lot of experience as a world champion. He has physical attributes that him difficult to fight. He’s strong and always in great condition. I need to be intelligent, able to read him, and in great shape.

“The fight will be about adjustments. We’ve both been in this game a long time and at this high level of boxing, you need to be smart and strategic, but both of us being Mexican, it could turn into a brawl at any time. People will see why nobody wants to fight either of us. I’m excited and I know he is, too. Boxing fans don’t want to miss it!”

World-rated heavyweight Michael “The Bounty” Hunter will face veteran Chauncy “Hillyard Hammer” Welliver (57-13-5, 23 KOs), the former World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas champion, in the 10-round co-featured event.

Card subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $65.00, $135.00, $250.00 and $400.00 for VIP are on sale and available to purchase at www.zurdopromotions.events.com.

INFORMATION:
Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com
Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions, @eltigrepromotions, @bedefsports
Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez, MichaelHunterII, @Fitetv, @IntegratedPPV

(November 30, 2020) — Two MTK Global Golden Contract winners will be crowned this Wednesday, Dec. 2, when the 10-round light heavyweight and featherweight finals are contested at Production Park Studios in Wakefield, England.
 
In the main event, WBO European featherweight champion and former world title challenger Jazza Dickens will fight longtime British featherweight champion Ryan Walsh. The co-feature will see WBO European light heavyweight champion Ricards Bolotniks look to extend his winning streak to seven against 2016 German Olympian Serge Michel.
 
Dickens-Walsh and Bolotniks-Michel will headline an action-packed card live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
 
Dickens (29-3, 11 KOs), who challenged Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA super bantamweight world title in 2016, has won seven consecutive fights and edged Leigh Wood by majority decision Feb. 21 in the semifinals. Walsh (26-2-2, 12 KOs) is unbeaten in six bouts since dropping a split decision to Dennis Ceylan in 2016 for the vacant European featherweight title. He last fought on the same card as Dickens-Wood and knocked down Tyrone McCullagh twice en route to a unanimous decision victory.
 
Bolotniks (17-5-1, 7 KOs), from Riga, Latvia, punched his berth in the light heavyweight championship match Sept. 26 with a clear points win over Hosea Burton in front of his hometown fans. He opened his Golden Contract run with a stunning first-round knockout over Steven Ward. Michel (11-1, 8 KOs), winner of three straight, knocked down Liam Conroy three times before knocking him out in the fourth round of their semifinal bout Sept. 30.

In other streaming action:

• In a 10-round junior welterweight battle of unbeatens, Harlem Eubank (10-0, 3 KOs) will fight Daniel “Danny Darko” Egbunike (6-0, 3 KOs).
   
• British amateur standout Adam Azim, who won 10 national titles, will make his professional debut in a six-round lightweight contest against Ed Harrison (2-4).
   
• Belfast native James McGivern (1-0), who won an Irish National Championship last year as an amateur, will take on Jordan Ellison (11-30-2, 1 KO) in a six-round lightweight tilt.
   
• Middleweight prospect Fearghus Quinn (1-0), who won his professional debut Aug. 26, will return to action against Scott James (6-6-1) in a six-rounder.

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing andtwitter.com/ESPNRingside; IG: @espnringside.
 
About ESPN+
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Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 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.

NEW YORK (November 30, 2020)–Split-T Management is proud to announce the signing of undefeated junior welterweight John Bauza.

Bauza of North Bergen, New Jersey by way of San Juan, Puerto Rico has an unblemished professional record of 14-0 with five knockouts.

“I have followed John Bauza since the amateurs, and I always have been impressed. He won the best fighter award at the best tournament I ever went to beating out the likes of Ryan Garcia, Tiger Johnson, Marc Castro, Otha Jones, Keyshawn Davis and so many more top fighters. I believe that he has the opportunity to be as big a star in New York as he already is in Puerto Rico, and he is on the path to a world title,” said David McWater of Split-T Management.

“I am excited to sign with Split-T Management because they have a lot of great fighters, and I see what they have done with them in terms of advancing their careers. I was looking for somebody to bring me to another level, and Split-T Management is just the company that will do that for me,” said Bauza.

“I want to keep training hard. Now that I have good management, I can see that my dreams can come true, and that is to be a world champion.”

The 22 year-old began boxing at the age of nine went he walked into a gym and loved the sport immediately. “My dad did not like it at first, but I was good at it and stuck with it,” Said Bauza.

That started a heralded amateur career that saw Bauza rack up an impressive record of 178-8. Bauza captured many tournament victories which included the USA Junior Olympic Qualifier, Diamond Gloves, Regional Golden Gloves and Ringside World Championships.

Bauza turned professional on April 23, 2016 with a 1st round stoppage over over LeRoy Padilla in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Bauza, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has continuously stepped up his competition. He is coming off a eight-round unanimous decision over Larry Fryers (11-2) on June 30th in Las Vegas.

Bauza lists going to the beach and watching documentaries on boxing as his hobbies.

Bauza is promoted by Top Rank.

Legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought to a draw in their exhibition bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Tyson looked to land power shots while Jones fought mostly on the outside. There was a lot of clinching, and neither man was ever in serious danger throughout the fight which consisted of eight-two minute rounds.

Tyson landed 67 of 193 punches. Jones was 37 of 236.

Jake Paul destroys Nate Robinson in 2

Youtube star Jake Paul destroyed former NBA Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson in round two of their scheduled six-round cruiderweight fight.

Paul drilled Robinson with a booming right that sent him hard to the canvas. Seconds later, Paul landed a perfect combination that sent Robinson out cold and the fight was stopped.

Paul, 189 lbs is 2-0 with two knockouts. Robinson is 0-1.

Jack decisions McKernan

Former world champion Badou Jack pounded away and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Blake McKernan in a cruiserweight bout.

Jack landed 203 of 520 punches; McKernan was 92 of 471.

Jack, 188 3/4 lbs won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 23-3-2. McKernan, 186 3/4 lbs is 13-1.

Ortiz Stops Segawa in 7

Jamaine Ortiz remained undefeated by stopping Sulaiman Segawa in round seven of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Ortiz dropped Segawa with a body shot. Segawa tried to fight on but the e fight was stopped at 2:50.

Ortiz, 133 1/2 lbs is now 14-0 with eight knockouts. Segawa, 131 3/4 lbs is 13-3-1.

Edward Vazquez remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Irvin Gonzalez in a featherweight bout.

Vazquez, 125 1/4 lbs won two cards 77-75. Gonzalez won a scorecard 77-75.

Vazquez is 9-0. Gonzalez is 14-3.

In a highly anticipated heavyweight battle of undefeated fighters, Joe Joyce scored a 10th round stoppage over Daniel Dubois at The Church House, Westminster in London, England.

It was a highly competitive and high quality scrap with DuBois getting the better early as he landed some hard right hands that Joyce showed a terrific chin by walking right through him. Joyce was very effective with his jab.

In round five, the effectiveness of the jabs showed as the left eye of Dubois began to swell. Dubois was still able to get in some good shots, but towards the end of the ninth round, you could feel the tide beginning to turn towards Joyce.

The eye of Dubois was getting worse and worse, and finally in round ten, Joyce landed another hard jab, that made Dubois first paw at his left eye and then take two steps back to take a knee and basically submitted as he watched the referee count to 10 and the fight was over at 36 seconds.

Joyce, 258 lbs of Puttney, London is 12-0 with 11 knockouts. Dubois, 244.6 lbs of Greenwich, London is 15-1.

Sheeraz stops Pitto in 10th

Hamzah Sheeraz won stopped Guido Nicolas Pitto in the 10th and final round of their super welterweight bout.

Sheeraz rocked Pitto with a hard right. That set up a nine punch flurry and then three hard punches later, the fight was stopped at 1:11.

Sheeraz, 153.9 lbs of East London is 12-0 with eight knockouts. Pitto, 152.9 lbs of Barcelona, SPA is 26-8-2.

Number-one ranked junior welterweight Jack Catterall tuned up for a world title opportunity by winning a 10-round decision over Abderrazak Houya.

In round six, Catterall dropped Houya with a perfectly timed counter-left. In round nine, Catterall sent Houya down again with a hard left.

Catterall, 143.3 lbs won by a 99-90 score and is now 26-0. Houya, 141.9 lbs is 14-3.

David Adeleye stopped Danny Whitaker in round two of their scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Adeleye landed a right that dropped Whitaker. Seconds later, Whitaker was sent to the canvas for a 2nd time, and the fight was stopped at 2:09.

Adeleye, 219.4 lbs of London is 4-0 with all wins coming early. Whitaker, 260.1 lbs is 4-2.

Jack Massey won an eight-round decision over Mohammad Ali Bayat in a cruiserweight bout.

In round eight, Massey was cut over the right eye.

Massey, 201.6 lbs of Manchester, UK won by a 79-74 score and is now 17-1. Bayat, 200.7 lbs of Dubai i 16-2-1.

Daniel Jacobs won a split-decision over Gabriel Rosado in a lackluster super middleweight fight at the Seminole Hard Rock Resort in Hollywood, Florida.

Nether guy stood out in the contest where in many of the rounds there punches in the mid-20’s and very few moments of action.

Both guys landed 78 punches with Rosado throwing 549 to 339 of Jacobs.

In the end, Jacobs squeaked it out by winning two cards of 115-113 and Rosado took a card 115-113.

Jacobs, 167.7 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 37-3. Rosado, 168 lbs of Philadelphia is 25-13.

Yeleussinov stops Indongo in 2

Daniyar Yeleussinov stopped former unified champion Julius Indongo in round two of a scheduled 10-round welterweight fight

In round one, Yeleussinov landed a perfect left counter that dropped Yeleussinov. In round two, Yeleussinov landed a perfect left that sent Indongo to the canvas for a 2nd time and the fight was stopped at 1:24.

Yeleussinov, 146.6 lbs of Breezino, KAZ is 10-0 with six knockouts. Indongo, 146.2 lbs of Windhoek, NAM is 23-3.

Nikita Ababiy remained undefeated by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Brandon Maddox in a middleweight contest.

Ababiy landed 83 of 311 punches; Maddox was 62 of 321.

Ababiy, 162.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 59-55 on all cards and is now 10-0. Maddox, 162 lbs of Detroit, MI is 7-4-1.

Mahammadrasul Majidov stopped Sahret Delgado in round three of their scheduled eight-round bout featuring undefeated heavyweights.

Majidov dominated the action and landed a huge right right that hurt Delgado badly and the fight was stopped at 47 seconds.

Majidov, 232.6 lbs of Baku, AZE is now 3-0 with three knockouts. Delgado, 291 lbs of Humacao, PR is 8-1.

Emmanuel Tagoe won a 10-round majority decision over Mason Menard in a lightweight bout.

In round four, Menard was cut over his right eye.

Tagoe landed 135 of 467 punches; Menard was 126 of 554.

Tagoe, 134 lbs of Accra, GHA won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95 and is now 32-1. Menard, 134.8 lbs of Rayne, LA is 36-5.

Los Angeles, CA (Nov. 27, 2020) – Three of CES Boxing’s rising stars are primed and ready to chase championship glory tomorrow night on one of the most highly-anticipated nights in the sport’s recent history.

With pound-for-pound legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. set to face one another Saturday at The Staples Center for the WBC Frontline Title, Worcester, MA natives Jamaine Ortiz, and Irvin Gonzalez Jr., and Italian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano each aim for titles of their own on the undercard of a star-studded pay-per-view extravaganza.

The festivities, presented by Triller and Tyson’s Legends Only League, begin at 5 pm ET with a free hour of live boxing before the start of the pay-per-view main card at 6. You can stream the entire event for $49.99 via FITE.tv or through the Triller app.

Gonzalez’s showdown with undefeated featherweight prospect Edward Vazquez of Fort Worth, TX, for the vacant WBC USNBC title will be featured in the free 5 o’clock hour while Ortiz’s highly-anticipated battle against Maryland’s Sulaiman Segawa for the USNBC Silver lightweight crown airs during the pay-per-view portion of the card beginning at 6. Also on Saturday, Cusumano fights for the vacant USNBC heavyweight title against hard-hitting Greg Corbin of Dallas.

Friday’s official weigh-in kicked off the pre-fight festivities, highlighted by the long-awaited faceoff between the 54-year-old Tyson and the 51-year-old Jones, two larger-than-life talents finally going toe-to-toe decades after dominating the sport during the rise of the pay-per-view era.

The Tyson-Jones bout is an eight-round exhibition for the newly-created Frontline title, leading an action-packed pay-per-view card that also features YouTube sensation and unbeaten pro Jake Paul facing former NBA star and three-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Nate Robinson and former two-time world champion Badou Jack battling unbeaten California native Blake McKernan in an 8-round bout.

Complete weigh-in results are listed below. Visit CESBoxing.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING.
WEIGH-IN RESULTS
Mike Tyson, 220.4Roy Jones Jr., 210
Jamaine Ortiz, 133.5Sulaiman Segawa, 131.8
Irvin Gonzalez, 124.4Edward Vazquez, 125.4
Juiseppe Cusumano, 224.5Greg Corbin, 291.8
Jake Paul, 189Nate Robinson, 181
Badou Jack, 188.9Blake McKernan, 186.8
INFORMATION
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.

Mike Tyson’s Legends Only League is a sports league created and owned by Mike Tyson and Eros Innovations. The Legends Only League is a next-generation sports venture that provides full support and infrastructure to the world’s greatest athletes, bringing the best of the best back to the ring, onto the court, and back on the field. The league will span live sporting events including tennis, basketball, boxing, and more in addition to creating consumer products, live events, premium content, and full-service management for the greatest sports stars the globe has ever known.

Eros Innovations is a global venture creation group led by Sophie Watts that invests in and creates globally recognized businesses for celebrities across premium content, consumer products and live experiences.Owners of Eros Innovations include Eros Investments, a media and tech investment holding company whose affiliate companies include Eros Now, India’s leading OOT platform with 186 million registered users.

Triller is an entertainment platform built for creators. The app allows users to create music videos, skits, and lip-syncing videos containing background music. Launched in 2015 by co-founders David Leiberman and Sammy Rubin, Triller uses an AI-based video editing tool that automatically adds effects like overlays, fast or slow motion, and basic text to videos. Triller has more than 65 million active users and has been downloaded over 250 million times worldwide. It also boasts some big names among its users, like Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, and others. Triller is owned by Proxima Media, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group with other investors like Snoop Dog, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and The Weeknd.

Daniel Jacobs has vowed to make Gabe Rosado eat his words when they settle their grudge in a Super-Middleweight showdown tonight at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN at 8pm ET.
 
Jacobs (36-3 30 KOs) is plotting a route to landing World honors at 168lbs to become a two-weight World ruler, but tonight, his mission is not just to send a warning to the Super-Middleweight division, but to silence Rosado (25-12-1 14 KOs).
 
The ‘Miracle Man’ is a two-time king at 160lbs but dipped his toe into the Super-Middleweight pond when he forced Julio Cesar Chavez Jr to quit on his stool after five rounds in December. His second bout at the new weight pits the Brooklyn ace against Philly’s Rosado, and Jacobs says ‘King’ Gabe will pay for years of disrespect and trash talk.
 
“This is more personal than the other fights I’ve had,” said Jacobs. “I’ve boxed when me and the other guy don’t see eye to eye, but that wasn’t a personal thing; this is a personal thing. This guy has come out in public and said some really nasty stuff about me, this is settling a debt.
 
“Gabe is one of those guys that’s got under my skin with some of the things he’s said. He’s gone public and said I am a fake person when I was broadcasting, I am a fake Andre Ward, and I don’t deserve to be where I am at. I know that it’s sheer hard work and sacrifice to get to where I am, and I am still putting in that work to be one of the best in the world.
 
“His career didn’t pan out the way I think he wanted it to, and with me being his peer and coming up in the amateurs and then professionally together, it hurts him. So, him wanting to steal the shine and kind of, say things to get under my skin so he can be in these kinds of fights, it worked. He’s getting what he wants, but I don’t think he understands what he’s in for.
 
“He says all these crazy things, I’m on a high-horse, but I’ve earned this. I’ve put in the work – from a 15 year old kid to a 33 year old man, I’ve done everything necessary to put myself in this position.
 
“He has a good ‘Rocky’ story to him, and I respect it, I don’t understand why he doesn’t respect where I come, because I come from the realest of the real, Brownsville, New York – never ran, never will. So, for me to not be respected, with all I’ve gone through to be where I am at, it’s time to show you, and you are going to be forced to respect me.
 
“In the perfect scenario, I would love to KO Gabe Rosado. I don’t want to do it in a brutal way where he gets hurt, I want us both to continue to have good careers, prizefight, make the most money for our families and ride off into the sunset. But as a competitor, I want to be able to create as much damage as I can, so he knows his words, he’s eating them – period.”
 
Jacobs and Rosado clash on a big night of action in Florida, where Kazakh Olympic gold medal man Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0 5 KOs) steps up in class for his first title fight against former unified World Super-Lightweight champion Julius Indongo (23-2 12 KOs) with the vacant IBF Intercontinental Welterweight strap on the line.
 
Nikita Ababiy (9-0 6 KOs) fights for the tenth time in the paid ranks against Brandon Maddox (7-3-1 5 KOs), three-time World amateur king Mahammadrasul Majidov aims for a third KO win in the paid ranks against unbeaten Puerto Rican Sahret Delgado (8-0 7 KOs) and the night kicks off at 8pm ET with Lightweight contender Emmanuel Tagoe (31-1 15 KOs) takes on Mason Menard (36-4 25 KOs).

Former Olympic Gold medal winner Tony Yoka won a 10-round unanimous decision over Christian Hammer at H-Arena in Nantes, France.

In round two, Hammer was cut over the right eye. Yoka boxed well in this uneventful fight, but he was consistent from range.

Yoka is 9-0. Hammer is 25-7.

Viktor Faust went the distance for the 1st time in his career, yet still won an easy six-round unanimous decision over Kamil Sokolowski in a heavyweight bout.

In round three, Faust dropped Sokolowski with a hard combination that was culminated by a left hook to the side of the head.

In round four, Sokolowski was cut in the bridge of his nose.

Faust of the Ukraine is now 5-0. Sokolowski is 10-20-2.

Gokcek Decisions Bechelaghem after Decision is reversed

Volkan Gokcek remained undefeated with a decision win over Aboubeker Bechelaghem in a weltwewight.

Bechelaghem was originally announced the winner, but after he left the ring, Gokcek had his hand raised as the scores were read wrong. Gokcek won by sores of 59-55 and 58-56; Bechelaghem won by a 58-56 score. Gokcek, the fighter from Turkey is now 5-0. Bechelaghem is 12-12-2.

Mossely decisions Gongora

Estelle Mossely, who who like her husband Tony Yoka, was a former Olympic Gold Medal winner, won an eight-round unanimous decisions over Emma Gongora in a lightweight bout.

In round two, Gongora was cut over her left eye. Replays showed it came from an elbow by Mossely

Mossely is now 8-0. Gongora, who took the bout on three days notice is now 0-2.

London-based Albanian Welterweight sensation Florian Marku has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

The decorated former MMA fighter turned professional in December 2018 and has won all seven of his contests in impressive fashion, with five of those wins coming inside the distance. Trained by Don Charles and managed by S-JAM Boxing, Marku hasn’t been shy in calling out the top Welterweights in the UK, with Conor Benn and Chris Kongo sitting at the top of his hit list. 

Boasting a huge following, the 28-year-old southpaw sold out London’s iconic 1200-seater York Hall single-handed for his UK debut in March 2019 before luring over 800 fans to The O2 for his fourth round KO of Tommy Broadbent in July,  and the 5’ 8” dangerman hopes to welcome his growing army of fans back to arenas across the UK in 2021. 

‘Albanian King’ was last seen making short work of Muma Mweemba last month, flooring the Sheffield-based fighter twice before ending proceedings in the opening round with a brutal left hook that sent his opponent crashing into the ropes. Possessing lethal KO power in both hands, Marku is determined to shake up the domestic 147lbs division before targeting World honours. 

“I am very excited to join Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing,” said Marku. “This is where the big boys play, and I will show I am the most dangerous Welterweight in the country. The Albanian king is coming.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Florian to the team,” said Matchroom Sport Managing Director Eddie Hearn. “He has an astonishing and loyal fan base that are one of the most fanatical I have seen in boxing and a fan friendly style that is going to light up arenas and front rooms all over the country. I’m looking forward to plenty of fun with Florian and S-JAM, stay tuned for some exciting announcements.”

Sam Jones of S-JAM Boxing said: “Myself and Adam Moralleeare delighted to be teaming up with Matchroom Boxing again. We believe Florian can become World Champion and we know Eddie and Matchroom are the ones to deliver it for him. We are looking forward to some huge nights ahead.”

You can follow Florian’s journey on Twitter: @FlorianMarku92 and Instagram: florianmarku

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its series of events in Las Vegas with an intriguing middleweight bout that will see No. 4 ranked contender Jack Hermansson take on surging Kevin Holland. Also, former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux faces undefeated Jamahal Hill.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN: HERMANSSON vs. HOLLAND will take place Saturday, December 5 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire event will air on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes (in English and Spanish), and be simulcast on ESPN+.  The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT and the prelims at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

Hermansson (21-5, fighting out of Oslo, Norway) hopes to make the most of his third UFC main event by stopping Holland’s momentum in highlight-reel fashion. Known for his devastating ground-and-pound, Hermansson has netted memorable victories against Kelvin Gastelum, Jacare Souza, David Branch and Thales Leites. Hermansson is now poised to defend his spot in the middleweight top five with another vintage performance.

Holland (20-5, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) looks to enter his name in the record books as only the third modern-era UFC athlete to win five bouts in a calendar year—joining Roger Huerta and Neil Magny. The talented striker and grappler has so far bested Charlie Ontiveros, Darren Stewart, Joaquin Buckley and Anthony Hernandez in 2020. Holland now aims for the biggest win of his career to crack the middleweight rankings.

Saint Preux (25-14, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.), who is among the most entertaining finishers in MMA, looks to build off the momentum of his recent KO victory against Alonzo Menifield. Throughout his UFC run, Saint Preux has earned impressive stoppage wins over Tyson Pedro, Corey Anderson and Shogun Rua. He now has his sights set on another show-stealing performance to once again tie Glover Teixeira for most light heavyweight finishes.

Hill (7-0 1NC, fighting out of Grand Rapids, Mich.) aims to remain unbeaten as he continues his ascent up the light heavyweight ladder. Since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series with a TKO victory over Alexander Poppeck last year, Hill secured a spectacular win against Darko Stosic. Hill now looks to shine in his first UFC co-main event by taking out a seasoned veteran for the most important win of his career.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 15 ranked women’s flyweight contender Montana De La Rosa (11-6, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) faces Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil alum Taila Santos (16-1, fighting out of Jaraguá do Sul, SC, Brazil)
• Undefeated light heavyweight Roman Dolidze (7-0, fighting out of Batumi, Georgia) hopes to continue his winning ways against John Allan (13-5 1NC, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)
• Lightweight veteran Matt Wiman (16-9, fighting out of Portland, Ore.) aims to hand Jordan Leavitt (7-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) his first professional loss
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Jimmy Flick (15-5, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) debuts against Cody Durden (11-2-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• Nate Landwehr (14-3, fighting out of Clarksville, Tenn.) meets Movsar Evloev (13-0, fighting out of Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia) in a clash of featherweight hopefuls
• Ilia Topuria (9-0, fighting out of Alicante, Spain) hopes to remain unbeaten when he faces Damon Jackson (18-3-1 1NC, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) in a featherweight bout
• Entertaining bantamweights collide when Louis Smolka (16-7, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) takes on Jose Quinonez (9-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
• Gian Villante (17-12, fighting out of Bellmore, N.Y.) goes for his first UFC heavyweight win when he locks horns with Jake Collier (11-5, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.)
• Gabriel Benitez (21-9, fighting out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico) faces Justin Jaynes (15-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in an action-packed featherweight contest

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

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UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 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 nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 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 and Instagram: @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 10.3 million subscribers.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 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.

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.

Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce is a fight that has captured the British public’s imagination with fans and pundits alike calling it the biggest all-British Heavyweight fight in many years.

UK fans will be watching exclusively live on BT Sport 1 HD tomorrow night at 7.30pm but the fight has also caught the attention of a global audience and Queensberry can confirm that over 100 countries will broadcast the fight this weekend.

Joining BT Sport 1 HD in taking this momentous event into peoples homes will be ESPN+ in the United States, amongst others. 

For a full list of broadcast partners please see the below:

BT SPORT 1 HD – UK and Ireland

ESPN + – USA

ESPN KNOCKOUT – Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Venezuela, Panama, Mexico

SABC – South Africa

RMC – France

FOX SPORT – Australia

MATCH TV – Russia

POLSAT – Poland

FITE – Germany, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

VIASAT – Sweden, Finland, Denmark

TSN DIRECT – Canada

S SPORT – Turkey

MTEL – Bulgaria

ADJARASPORT – Georgia

PRAGOSPORT – Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia

EUROSPORT – Spain, Portugal, India, Andorra

ONESPORT – Philippines

FLOW SPORTS – Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Cacos

WOWOW – Japan

CCTV5 – China

SPARK SPORT – New Zealand

AT LAST, Dubois vs Joyce is finally happening. It is a fight that has captured the public imagination and it goes down this Saturday night live on BT Sport 1 HD from 7.30pm.

Ahead of another huge night of boxing on BT Sport tomorrow, the competitors today weighed-in and faced off inside the fighter bubble hotel.

Photos from todays weigh-in can be found here, and the running order and weights can be found below.

Fight #1
Mitchell Barton (18st 6lb 2oz)
vs
Matt Gordon (17st 13lb 1oz)

Fight #2
Joshua Frankham (10st 9lb 2oz)
vs
Matt Hall (10st 8lb 6oz)

Fight #3
Louie Lynn (9st even)
vs
Paul Holt (9st 3lb 2oz)

Fight #4
Jack Massey (14st 5lb 6oz)
vs
Mohammad Ali Bayat (14st 4lb 7oz)

Fight #5
David Adeleye (15st 9lb 4oz)
vs
Danny Whitaker (18st 8lb 12oz)

Fight #6
Jack Catterall (10st 3lb 3oz)
vs 
Abderrazak Houya (10st 1lb 10oz)

Fight #7
Hamzah Sheeraz (10st 13lb 9oz)
vs
Guido Nicolas Pitto (10st 12lb 10oz)

Fight #8
Daniel Dubois (17st 6lb 6oz)
vs
Joe Joyce (18st 6lb 14oz)

AT LAST: DUBOIS vs JOYCE IS LIVE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7.30pm ON BT SPORT 1 HD

LIVE ON DAZN FROM 8PM ET
 
10 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
 
Emmanuel Tagoe (134lbs)    vs.     Mason Menard (134.8lbs)
Accra, Ghana                                   Rayne, Louisiana
31-1 (15 KOs)                                     36-4 (25 KOs)
 
Followed by
 
6 x 3 mins Heavyweight contest
 
Mahammadrasul Majidov (232.6lbs)     vs.     Sahret Delgado (291lbs)
Baku, Azerbaijan                                      Humacao, Puerto Rico
2-0 (2 KOs)                                               8-0 (7 KOs)
 
Followed by
 
8 x 3 mins Middleweight contest (at 162lbs)
 
Nikita Ababiy (162.2lbs)       vs.     Brandon Maddox (162lbs)
Brooklyn, New York                        Detroit, Michigan
9-0 (6 KOs)                             7-3-1 (5 KOs)
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins Vacant IBF Intercontinental Welterweight title
 
Daniyar Yeleussinov (146.6lbs)     vs.     Julius Indongo (146.2lbs)
Berezino, Kazakhstan                               Windhoek, Namibia
9-0 (5 KOs)                                      23-2 (12 KOs)
 
Followed by
 
12 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight contest
 
Daniel Jacobs (167.7lbs)       vs.     Gabe Rosado (168lbs)
Brooklyn, New York                        Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
36-3 (30 KOs)                                  25-12 (14 KOs)

Daniel Jacobs – Brooklyn, New York – 36-3, 30 KOs – fights Gabe Rosado at Super-Middleweight
 
“I don’t agree with him, I think I beat him in every category, and I will show that on Friday night, plain and simple. My goal for taking this fight is to make him eat his words – there’s levels to this game and I’ll show I’m beyond this guy.
 
“There’s no easy fights in boxing, he’s a top 15 guy, I would say he’s a gatekeeper, but he’s a tough gatekeeper, he doesn’t lay down and if he goes down, he gets back up. A durable guy like Gabe serves as a great show, and the respect that I give every opponent is to prepare at 100 per cent to give my very best.
 
“We’ve had similar opponents and look at my performances versus his against the same opposition. My resume and skillset speak volumes, take nothing away from Gabe but it is what it is, and I will show him.
 
“I can’t predict what is going to happen, but I can train my best to be prepared to go in the ring for the best Gabe Rosado we’ve ever seen. He understands that this is his last opportunity, and let’s be clear, I am giving him this chance, he hasn’t earned it, he talked his way into this fight.
 
“The main goal is to get a KO; you don’t want to be in there longer than you have to be. We get paid for 12 rounds but if it ends early, you go home and enjoy the rest of the night. My plan is to go in there and execute, but what that execution looks like, we shall see.
 
“You are going to see a more improved and enhanced Daniel Jacobs. It’s my second fight at Super-Middleweight, I had a great camp, I am very comfortable at 168lbs and I am looking forward to putting in a stellar performance on Friday night. I get the chance to shut this man’s mouth once and for all.
 
“For me, this is an opportunity to shut a man’s mouth that has been speaking bad about me over the past few years. We both know the things he’s said, the hate that he’s been giving me and the jealousy that resides in his heart.”
 
Gabe Rosado – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 25-12-1, 14 KOs – fights Daniel Jacobs at Super-Middleweight
 
“My self-belief and confidence, knowing I am willing to do whatever it takes, and I don’t think that he has that in him. There’s nothing he brings to the table that I haven’t seen already. I’m experienced I have a great team and had a great camp, so I am locked in.
 
“There’s only one Gabe Rosado and I am relevant because I am authentic, and the fans relate to me. I am not here because the promoters or networks are pushing me, I am here because the fans want to see Gabe Rosado.
 
“Freddie Roach brings the best out of me. We had a great camp, he’s so knowledgeable and old school – straight down to business. Maybe in the past I was probably dictating too much of my camp, how the pace went and things like that, but Freddie is the boss. Whatever he says, I do.
 
“The fight will be whatever it will be. At this level we will both make adjustments and whatever type of fight it is, it will be at a high level, because this is a must-win situation.
 
“The competition he fought coming up was no big deal, no disrespect to those guys. When he had to step up, two times against Canelo and GGG, he fell short. I came up fighting the top guys, I had to learn on the job, he was groomed to be where he’s at, it’s different. But when he stepped up, he lost. It’s going to be a war on Friday, I promise you.”
 
Daniyar Yeleussinov – Berezino, Kazakhstan, 9-0 5 KOs, fights Julius Indongo for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental Welterweight title.
 
“Trash talk doesn’t bother me. I am a tough guy, I have a great amateur background and I am fast and strong, I will show my speed, skills and power on Friday night, this is not easy work. Maybe for me it will be, I know he’s an experienced fighter with power and he’s a strong guy, but I think I am better than him. I feel great and I think that this is my time and my night.
 
“This is the right time to fight him, it’s a good fight and my first for a title against a former unified World champion. I respect him a lot, but I want to show beautiful boxing on Friday night.”
 
Julius Indongo – Windhoek, Namibia, 23-2 12 KOs, fights Daniyar Yeleussinov for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental Welterweight title.
 
“Everything has been good in Alabama, I feel good. My conditioning has improved since moving to America and feel fresh and young. This is easy work on Friday night. I feel great inside myself. My body doesn’t want to go to 140lbs anymore, so I realized I had to go to 147lbs, I feel that being there is going to work. I don’t predict fights, but I can tell you that actions speak louder than words.”
 
Nikita Ababiy – Brooklyn, New York, 9-0 6 KOs, fights Brandon Maddox over six rounds.
 
“I gave myself 5/10 for my last fight, we had some complications with COVID-19 and the bubble and stuff like that, this is the second time around for me, we came really prepared and it’s the norm now.
 
“I don’t watch my opponents, I let my trainers do that, I am getting ready for title fights in the years ahead and you will see on Friday night, I am maturing but I will show fireworks, I just want to excite people so tune in live on DAZN.”
 
Brandon Maddox – Detroit, Michigan, 7-3-1 5 KOs, fights Nikita Ababiy over six rounds.
 
“I did some research; I know he’s a decent fighter. When they called me for the fight, I was game for it, I need a fight like this to be relevant so let’s go.
 
“I have all styles, I can adjust, I will stand right in front of him and see what he’s got.”
 
Mahammadrasul Majidov – Baku, Azerbaijan, 2-0 2 KOs, fights Sahret Delgado over eight rounds.
 
“My English is not great sorry! The president of Azerbaijan told me to stay in amateur boxing, but after 2016 in Rio I wanted to be professional. Everything is good, I’m happy and back after one year and I am ready.
 
“I remember my fight with AJ, he’s a very good boxer, but I have good experience and I think I could repeat my win over him.
 
“Sahret is not a bad fighter but I will show you how good I am on fight night.”
 
Sahret Delgado – Humacao, Puerto Rico, 8-0 7 KOs, Mahammadrasul Majidov fights over eight rounds.
 
“I had management problems which is why I had three years out of the ring. I know he has international pedigree but so do I, I fought international fighters all around the world, so the amateur background doesn’t matter.”
 
Emmanuel Tagoe – Accra, Ghana, 31-1 15 KOs, fights Mason Menard over ten rounds.
 
“I want to thank my team, my coach watches my opponents, not me, I don’t waste my time. My coach teaches me everything. People don’t know me yet but after this fight, everyone will know me.
 
“I lost my first fight but I was not a boxer then. I didn’t have any amateur fights, I just went straight into being a professional. I think I am better than a lot of guys at 135lbs, god gave me boxing and I know I can beat everyone in the division.”
 
Mason Menard – Rayne, Louisiana, 36-4 25 KOs, fights Emmanuel Tagoe over ten rounds.
 
“The nickname was given to me early on in my career. When I was a kid people called me Mighty and for my second pro fight, the MC said ‘I’ve got something special for you, wait ’til I announce you’. And he’s the one that called me ‘Rock Hard Mighty Mason Menard’, I loved it and I’ve been rolling with it ever since.
 
“I’ve seen plenty of video of him and I expect a fun entertaining fight between the two of us on Friday night.”