UNCASVILLE, CT – Chordale “The Gift” Booker (22-1, 10 KOs) turned back an inspired challenge from Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-6-1, 12 KOs) at Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday night, winning a 10-round decision over the Wakefield native by scores of 99-91 (2) and 98-92.     

The bout served as the main event of “Winter Brawl 2024,” a 10-fight card that featured 3 WBC title fights, 7 supporting bouts and the ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational’ amateur showcase. The card was broadcast live on Swerve Combat TV.

Going into the bout, Booker was irked as Vendetti questioned whether Chordale had the grit and gas tank to win a war of attrition.  Booker swore that he would make a believer of ‘The Villain’ through the course of their 10-round contest, and he delivered on that promise.

Vendetti, a 33-year-old former world title challenger, was eager to pick up the WBC US Super Welterweight title that Booker won at Mohegan Sun Arena last April.  The title could only be won by ‘The Villain’ when Booker missed the super welterweight limit by one pound the day before. 

The volume punching Vendetti began the fight as usual, pressing Booker behind a frenetic pace.  For his part, Booker circled the ring attempting to counter ‘The Villain’ while staying off the ropes. 

Vendetti came in behind a low stance in round 2, and Booker took advantage of that with left uppercuts and right hooks to the head.  A left hand in round 3 opened a cut over Vendetti’s right eye.  The Wakefield resident briefly switched stances in round 4, looking to smother ‘The Gift’ and rough him up on the inside.  Booker looked for spots to counter in round 5, and the pugilists took turns teeing off on one another as the bell rang.

The Stamford native began to take control of the bout towards the end of round 7, pot shotting the stocky Vendetti.  True to his word, Booker seemed to be in full control of the pace of the fight by round 8, circling the ring, countering well and blocking most of Vendetti’s offense.  Booker dug to Vendetti’s body in round 9, causing ‘The Villain’ to double over in pain.  Chordale went in for the finish, launching a series of uppercuts to the head and lefts to the body.  The valiant Vendetti withstood the assault, soaking up the punishment and even pressing forward in round 10 as the fighters traded shots until the final bell.  Booker may have left the Mohegan Sun Arena without his coveted title, but he nevertheless proved to Vendetti and his hometown fans that he can not only survive under pressure, but win a war of attrition convincingly.

Ricky de los Santos (12-1, 3 KOs) scored the biggest victory of his 13-fight career in the co-feature, outworking New England rival Nathan Martinez (8-3, 2 KOs) to win the vacant WBC US Silver Super Featherweight championship.  The fight looked to be a 50/50 match up on paper, and the first round went according to script, with Ricky enjoying a reach advantage and Nathan countering well.  De los Santos began establishing his jab in round 2, and the Providence resident took over the contest in round 3 with his jab and occasional left hooks.  The 34-year-old added solid right hands in round 4, with Martinez trying his best to time and counter Ricky as the round came to an end.  De los Santos began breaking Martinez down in round 5, as the New Britain native went down from a questionable low blow and went as far as turning his back to de los Santos in round 6 citing a headbutt.  With his 4 daughters and his wife cheering him on ringside, de los Santos poured on the assault in round 7, outworking Martinez to claim the win.  After 8 rounds, the score cards read 79-73 and 78-74 (2x).  2024 is off to a great start for the 34-year-old, as his son was born in mid-January and he won the WBC title less than a month later.      

Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (16-0, 14 KOs) also picked up the first title of his professional career, winning a shut out 8-round decision over fellow southpaw Dormedes Potes (14-6-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBC US Silver Middleweight title.  The colorful Hogan established a body attack in round one before launching a straight left to the head that dropped his Colombian opponent.  The Boston native returned to the body assault in round 3 and dominated the middle rounds behind a stiff jab, effective feints and a balanced attack to the head and body.  A left to the body dropped Potes for a second time in round 7, but the tough Colombian beat the count and launched an uppercut that temporarily halted Hogan’s progress.  After the ringside doctor checked on Potes between rounds, the Colombian fighter came alive, launching his own body attack.  It was short lived, however, as ‘Frank the Tank’ reestablished control, landing long left hands as the bout came to a close.  Scores were 80-70 (3x) for the new champion. 

Lightweight prospect Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (16-0, 13 KOs) was extended the distance for the first time in 5 bouts, pounding out an 8-round unanimous decision over tough Texan D’Angelo Keyes (17-4, 11 KOs).  Paulino was sharper throughout the contest, landing hard left hooks and right hands.  ‘El Abusador’ dropped Keyes twice in round 3, first with a right to the head and later with a follow up flurry to the head and body.  Keyes bravely beat the count just as the round came to an end.  The doctor checked in on Keyes between rounds, and the game Texan was allowed to come out for more of the same in rounds 4 and 5.  Keyes enjoyed his best round in the 6th, landing flush right hands to Paulino’s head.  The shots had the 25-year-old in an unfamiliar position, as he was forced to back up for the first time in the fight.  In response, Paulino wisely chose to box in round 7.  A right hand bloodied Paulino’s nose in round 8, but the Dominican-born New Londoner had built up enough of a lead to win the bout comfortably.  Scores were 79-71 (3x) for the undefeated Paulino, who improved to 16-0 (13 KOs) while Keyes fell to 17-4 (11 KOs).         

In a compelling flyweight battle, Hartford’s Angel “Set it Off” Gonzalez outworked and outlasted a tough Christian Robles over 8 scintillating rounds.  The fighters engaged in a war of attrition from the opening bell, with Robles focusing on a body attack and Gonzalez responding to the head.    Gonzalez tipped the scales in his favor in round 6, when a big right hand to the top of the head dropped Robles for an 8-count.  The Wild Card fighter made it to his feet and composed himself, only to be staggered again moments later.  Gonzalez hurt Robles once more with a flurry in round 7, but the Californian was able to weather the storm.  The fighters ended the fight as they started, trading hard shots back and forth until the final bell.  Scores were 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 for Gonzalez, who improved to 13-0 (7 KOs), while Robles dropped to 8-2 (3 KOs).   

“King” Kevin Walsh (11-0, 5 KOs) wasted little time clinching his 11th win, dropping Puerto Rico’s Darrell Rivera (9-3-1, 7 KOs) with a tremendous counter right hand moments into their 6 round lightweight bout for a first-round stoppage.  Referee Ricky Gonzalez immediately waved off the contest as Rivera suffered his second consecutive knockout. 

Port Chester, NY’s Carlos “All In” Vanegas Nunez (7-1, 6 KOs) made a triumphant return to the win column, blitzing Jaden Webb (2-2, 2 KOs) with a ferocious body assault that dropped the Beebe, AR native early in round one.  The follow-up attack continued as soon as Webb beat the count, causing referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to mercifully halt the bout at 2:00 of the opening stanza.

Up and coming Polish prospect Slawomir Bohdziewicz improved to a perfect 3-0 (3 KOs), knocking out Boston’s Bruno Saraiva (0-2) at 1:35 of round 2.  Bohdziewicz came out swinging from the opening seconds of the bout, landing sharp left jabs and clubbing right hands to the roar of the Polish contingent.  The Stamford resident continued the assault in round 2, backing Saraiva to a corner with a one-two combination.  Saraiva fought his way out, but a follow up left to the body dropped him to his knees and he was unable to beat Referee David Fields’ 10-count. 

In the opening bout of the evening, James Maner (5-0, 2 KOs) used his reach and speed advantages to outbox Miguel Torres (2-1, 2 KOs) over 4 rounds in a middleweight bout.  Maner bled from his mouth from a head clash in round 2, but the 29-year-old remained composed under fire, staggering Torres with a counter right hook as the Dorchester native came forward.  Maner lost a point later in the round when he hit Torres after referee Arthur Mercante Jr. told the fighters to break.  Maner closed the fight strong, landing at will during the fourth and final round as his opponent followed him around the ring.  Scores were 39-36 3x for the Providence native. 

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENAMohegan Sun Arena, one of the busiest sports and entertainment venues in the world today, was awarded the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice award for “Best Casino with Live Entertainment in America“. In 2021, the 10,000-seat Arena also received its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its size in the world from Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently recognized among the top five venues in the United States, and also in 2021 was named “Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency during the pandemic.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been named the “World’s Best Casino Venue,” by Best of Hartford Magazine, and is a seven-time national award winner for “Arena of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music Awards and G2E Las Vegas. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

London, UK (February 3rd, 2024) – Unbeaten heavyweight rivals Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke collide in a ‘Bad Blood’ showdown for the British and Commonwealth Titles on Sunday, March 31st at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

Reigning champion Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) is on an incredible 16-fight KO streak, which has seen him steamroll his way through the domestic division. The 29-year-old from Ipswich looked at his devastating best last time out when dismantling David Adeleye on the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou undercard on October 28^th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bronze Medallist Clarke (8-0, 6 KOs) is just eight fights into his promising professional career. Last year, ‘Big Fraze’ banked ten valuable rounds against former world title challenger Mariusz Wach before retiring domestic rival David Allen in the sixth-round to continue his unbeaten run.

Wardley and Clarke have been on a collision course as both men look to establish themselves as the number one heavyweight in Britain. Their simmering rivalry reached boiling point following a cancelled purse bid last year.

Clarke was ordered as mandatory challenger for Wardley’s Lonsdale belt in April but was later withdrawn from purse bids. The fallout sparked a series of tense exchanges between the warring heavyweights and has added serious spite to their Bank Holiday Super Sunday showdown.

Fabio Wardley said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be headlining what will be a massive show at the iconic O2 Arena, I’ve fought there a lot before so it’s like a home away from home for me. As a seasoned former Olympian, Frazer Clarke is definitely the most well-schooled boxer I’ll have ever faced, but there’s some lessons you can’t learn in school… And I’ve got more than enough firepower in my arsenal to lay him flat on his back, just like all my other opponents.”

Frazer Clarke said: “Finally, the fight that I wanted and the fight that the British public wanted. The talking is over, it’s here. Headlining the O2 Arena for the British and Commonwealth Titles is something I’ve dreamed of. I’m ready to take out Fabio Wardley and bring the titles back to Burton upon Trent. There’s been a lot of back and forth but now we can settle it like men.”

“The Bad Blood needs to be settled,” said BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom. “We’re more committed than ever to making the biggest domestic fights for British fight fans and I’m excited for BOXXER to deliver a British heavyweight classic on March 31st at The O2. After the outrage last year, this fight has been one that has been really important to make, with fight fans desperate to see it. I’m really happy to deliver the opportunity to Frazer Clarke against Fabio Wardley who is a dangerous man and a great champion.”

Wardley vs Clarke will top an action-packed fight card in the capital with undercard fights to be announced soon.

Having faced off in the ring before Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez’s light heavyweight final eliminator, Wardley and Clarke will come face-to-face again at a launch press conference on Wednesday, February 7th in London.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Integritas Property Group and VOW Nutrition.

In a very competitive and high-stakes battle of undefeated light heavyweights, Joshua Buatsi won a 12-round unanimous decision over Dan Azeez at The Ovo Arena in London.

The fighters took turning taking rounds early as Azeez looked ti get inside and land power shots, while Buatsi was able to set up his power shots behind a long jab.

In round 11, Buatsi dropped Azeez with a right hand. At the end of the round, Azeez went down again when a left landed and Azeez went down on his front. In round 12, Buatsi rocked Azeez across the ring

Buatsi landed 228 of 841 punches. Azeez was 159 of 713.

Buatsi, 174 lbs of London won by scores of 117-109 and 116-112 twice and is now 18-0. Azeez, 172.3 lbs of London is now 20-1.

Adam Azim remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over Enock Poulsen

In round five, Azim put Poulson down with a left hand. Poulson complained of a right shoulder injury and the bout was stopped at 2:39.

Azim, 140 lbs of England is 11-0 with eight knockouts. Poulsen, 139.5 lbs of Denmark via Zambia is 14-1.

Ben Whittaker remained undefeated with a five-round beatdown of Khalid Graidia in a scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Whittaker dropped Graidia with a left hand.

In round five, Whittaker battered Graidia with nine unanswered hard blows and the fight was stopped at 1:57

Whittaker, 175 lbs is 6-0 with five knockouts. Graidia, 176 lbs is 10-14-5.

Caroline Dubois won a 10-round unanimous decision over Miranda Reyes in a lightweight bout.

Dubois, 134.5 lbs of London won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 9-0. Reyes, 134 lbs of Houston is 7-2-1.

Jeamie TKV won a six-round decision over Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko in a heavyweight bout.

TKV, 263 lbs of Tottenham, ENG won by a 58-55 score and is now 6-1. Dovbyshchenko, 255 lbs of Ukraine is 10-15-1.

In a battle of undefeated welterweights. Conor Benn took a 12-round unanimous decision over Peter Dobson at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Benn landed a lot of more of the telling shots in the fights, but Dobson was feisty and landed several solid right hands in the middle rounds. It was Benn’s work rate and effective punching that won him most of the rounds to the tune of 119-109 and 118-110 twice.

Benn landed 246 of 552 punches. Dobson was 146 of 505.

Benn, 150.6 lbs of Essex, ENG is now 23-0. Dobson, 150.6 lbs of Bronx, NY is 16-1.

Ammo Williams Stops Mbumba-Yassa in 7

World-ranked middleweight Austin Williams stopped Armel Mbumba-Yassa in a scheduled 10-round bout.

In round six, Williams hurt Mbumba-Yassa as he landed a body shot that sent hurt Mbumba-Yassa, Williams put him down with a barrage of punches in the corner. Williams continued the assault and hurt Mbumba-Yassa again in the round. In round seven, Mbumba-Yassa landed a perfect left that put Mbumba-Yassa straight down on his back under the bottom rope, and the fight was halted at 2:52

Williams, 159.8 lbs of Houston is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. Mbumba-Yassa, 159.8 lbs of Leverkusen, GER is 10-1.

Fisher Stops Bezus in One

Popular English heavyweight Johnny Fisher brought his act to Las Vegas and his adoring fans followed as he scored an opening round stoppage over Dmytro Bezus in a scheduled eight-round bout.

Fisher unleashed a vicious flurry of head shots that forced referee Robert Hoyle to stop the bout at 2:51.

Fisher, 242.8 lbs of Romford, ENG is 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Bezus, 270 lbs of Severodonesk, UKR is 10-2.

Coe Destroys Osuna in 2

Khalil Coe scored the biggest win of his career with a second round stoppage of Gerardo Osuna in a light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Coe dropped Osuna with a hard right to the body. Seconds later Coe dropped Osuna for a second time with the same body shot. Coe made it three knockdowns with a jab to the body and referee Allen Huggins stopped the bout at 1:14.

Coe, 175.8 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is 8-0-1 with six knockouts. Osuna, Baja California, MEX 20-1.

George Liddard remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Andrew Buchanan in a battle of undefeated middleweights.

Liddard, 162.4 lbs of Essex. ENG won by 60-54 scores and is now 6-0. Buchanan, 164.4 lbs of Hesperia, CA is 3-1-1.

Jimmy Sains remained perfect with a first round stoppage of Alejandro Avalos in a four-round middleweight fight.

In round one, Sains dropped Avalos with a right hand to the head. Sains finished things off by landing a booming right that put Avalos down and the fight was immediately stopped by referee Alan Huggins at 2:47

Sains, 165.4 lbs of Essex, ENG is 3-0 with three knockouts. Alvalos, 161.6 lbs of Sam Antonio is 1-3.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 2, 2024) —The Showman is ready to deliver a spectacle.

Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight world titles against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis steps up against former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. 
 
Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) captured the IBF lightweight world title in December 2019 via second-round knockout victory against Richard Commey. In October 2020, he beat Vasiliy Lomachenko to securing the WBA, WBO, and WBC Franchise titles, but lost them to George Kambosos Jr. by a stunning split decision 13 months later. He moved up to junior welterweight with a seventh-round TKO against Pedro Campa in August 2022 and defeated Sandor Martin via split decision that December. In his last fight, Lopez shocked the boxing world by defeating former undisputed champ Josh Taylor to earn the WBO and Ring Magazine titles. 

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) dropped a competitive 12-round decision to pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2022 before returning 11 months later to secure a 10-round decision over Antonio Moran in his junior welterweight debut.

Following a recent training session at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, this is what Lopez had to say:

“Before all of this and before I fought Josh Taylor, I used to take a break. I used to not really train so much. I used to not always be in the gym. But after I got everything back and became a two-division world champion, I started staying in the gym. My trainer, who is my father, always wanted me to stay in the gym. So, I started doing that last August. Since then, I’ve gotten faster. I’ve gotten much stronger. My I.Q. is much sharper. And it’s because I haven’t stopped training since August of last year. And I’m not going to stop. After I beat Jamaine Ortiz, then I will keep staying in the gym.”
 
“The end result is that ‘The Showman’ is returning. There will definitely be a knockout. It’s not going the distance. I’m not going to leave it in the judges’ hands at all. So, everyone tune in, and get your popcorn ready.”
 
“It’s been a long journey. And I know what it takes. I don’t want to be known as a fighter who knows how to get to the top but doesn’t know how to keep it. So, I want everyone to tune in so they can see how much I truly love the sport of boxing.”
 

Dainier Pero stopped Joe Jones in round two of their six round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Pero dropped Jones with a left to the body. Jones got up and but Pero drilled with a right to the side of the head and went down and was counted out at 1:36

Pero, 234.8 lbs of Cameguay, CUB is 6-0 with six knockouts. Jones, 216 lbs of Lynchburg, VA is 14-10.

Jasmine Artiga made quick work of former world titlist Nancy Franco by scoring a first round stoppage in a scheduled right round super flyweight bout.

Artiga came out fast in round one and dropped Franco with a huge barrage in the corner. Artiga landed about 17 unanswered punches and the bout was stopped at 1:19.

Artiga, 115.2 lbs of Tampa is 12-0-1 with six knockouts. Franco, 115.2 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 19-19-2

In a battle of fighters with perfect knockout records, Jorge Carlos won a four round unanimous decision over Quinterius Chappell in a junior welterweight bout.

Carlos, 139.6 lbs of Kansas City won by scores of 40-36 on all scorecards and is now 6-0. Chappell, 138.2 lbs of Atlanta is 3-1.

Alex Gueche remained undefeated with a stoppage over Osmar Rodriguez in a super flyweight bout.

Gueche, 115.8 lbs of Harbor City, CA is 4-0 with four knockouts. Ramirez, 114.2 lbs of Dan Luis Pustosi, MEX is 5-3.

Live on Before the Bell from 11am PT
 
4 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
Jimmy Sains (165.4lbs) vs.        Alejandro Avalos (161.6lbs)
Essex, England                          San Antonio, Texas
 
Followed by
 
6 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
George Liddard (162.4lbs)        vs. Andrew Buchanan (164.4lbs)
Essex, England                          Hesperia, California
 
Live on DAZN from 12pm PT
 
8 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight contest
Khalil Coe (175.8lbs)     vs.        Gerardo Osuna (175.2lbs)
Jersey City, New Jersey              Baja California, Mexico
 
Followed by
 
8 x 3 mins Heavyweight contest
Johnny Fisher (242.8lbs)           vs.        Dmytro Bezus (270lbs)
Romford, England                                 Severodonetsk, Ukraine
 
Followed by
 
10 x 3 mins WBA International Middleweight title
Austin Williams (159.8lbs)        vs.        Armel Mbumba-Yassa (159.8lbs)
Houston, Texas                                      Leverkusen, Germany
 
Followed by
 
12 x 3 mins Welterweight contest
Conor Benn (150.6lbs) vs.        Peter Dobson (150.6lbs)
Essex, England                          Bronx, New York

WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury has been forced to postpone his fight with unified Champion Oleksandr Usyk after sustaining a freak cut during a sparring session in Riyadh.

The cut, which opened above Fury’s right eye, required urgent medical attention and significant stitching, and will obviously require a period of recovery, scuppering any possibility of the fight with Usyk taking place on 17^th February in Saudi Arabia.

A spokesperson said: “Whilst this is still breaking news it is clearly a massive disappointment, after the work that has been done by so many people to finally deliver this historic event to the world. Once the Doctors have appraised Tyson’s eye, we will have a better idea of the period of recovery needed. Once known we will work diligently with all the stakeholders and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reschedule this fight as soon as possible and will of course keep everyone updated with developments.”

A disappointed Tyson Fury added: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition. I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed. I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

LONDON, UK (February 2, 2024) – Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez both made weight today ahead of Saturday’s hugely anticipated showdown between the unbeaten world ranked #1 and #2 light heavyweights at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS FROM LONDON

WBA World Light Heavyweight Title Final Eliminator and British & Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Championships – 12 Rounds

Joshua Buatsi – 12st 6lbs / 174lbs

Dan Azeez – 12st 4lbs 5oz / 172.3lbs

European Super Lightweight Championship – 12 Rounds

Adam Azim – 10st / 140lbs

Enock Poulsen – 9st 13lbs 5oz / 139.5lbs

Light Heavyweight Contest – 8 Rounds

Ben Whittaker – 12st 7lbs 5oz / 175.5lbs

Khalid Graidia – 12st 8lbs / 176lbs

IBO World Lightweight Championship – 10 (x2min) Rounds

Caroline Dubois – 9st 8lbs 5oz / 134.5lbs

Miranda Reyes – 9st 8lbs / 134lbs

Heavyweight Contest – 6 Rounds

Jeamie TKV – 18st 11lbs 5oz / 263lbs

Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko – 18st 3lbs / 255lbs

Bantamweight Contest – 6 (x2min) Rounds

Francesca Hennessy – 8st 10lbs 5oz / 125.5lbs

Lauren Belen Valdebenito – 8st 13lbs / 125lbs

A decade-long friendship will be put to one side when Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez meet in a mouth-watering clash at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on Saturday February 3rd. Although both fighters started their journey at the same South London amateur boxing club, two very different paths have set them on a collision course. Now in their prime, both men, ranked #1 and #2 in the world with the WBA, are ready to put it all on the line for bragging rights and a shot at world honours.

Watch live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 8.30pm with undercard action available on Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel from 6:30pm.

Eddie Hearn
 
“There’s no place like Las Vegas, and what an opportunity for so many fighters on this card on Saturday night. Conor Benn headlines against Peter Dobson; it was 34 years ago that his father Nigel Benn fought Iran Barkley on the strip, and this is the first time in the history of Matchroom that we have promoted a main event with a Brit headlining in Las Vegas. We’re excited to be broadcasting this fight at 10.30pm UK time for the main event, an early start here in the US with the first fight underway at 11am PT at the fantastic Chelsea venue inside the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.
 
“There are so many great opportunities for these young fighters to make their name here in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Young Brits Johnny Fisher, George Liddard and Jimmy Sains get an incredible opportunity to fight in Vegas early in their careers, while there’s four undefeated fighters going at it, two World ranked talents in Austin Williams and Khalil Coe in massive tests for their careers.”
 
Conor Benn – fights Peter Dobson over 12 rounds at Welterweight
 
“He fights because he has no choice, I fight because I love to fight, that’s the difference. If he was in my shoes, he wouldn’t be a fighter. I choose to do this; I live and breathe this. So, keep that energy, he’s been trolling for months, keep shaking. You will find out what green is on Saturday. I promise you. 
 
“I’m coming out there and I’m going to come straight to him. Meet him in the middle. We’ll have a shoot-out, no problem, the more I talk the more he shakes. I’m coming for the knockout. This luxury kid that lives a privileged life, I’m coming out there to wipe you out, I swear on my life. I’m going in to take your head off your shoulders. He’s mad delusional, I like his confidence, the loudest one if the weakest one in the room. 
 
“I’ve proven everything I’ve ever said. I’m going in there to absolutely destroy him, period. No nerves, just pure excitement. This is what I do, this isn’t talk, not trying to talk my way into a big fight, my record speaks for itself. Every time I’ve stepped up, I’ve proven myself and done what I set out to do, every single time. I plan on doing the same on Saturday, he’s talking a lot, other fighters have said I’m green, not ready, living off your dad’s name – but when I get in there, I prove them wrong. So I will do what I do and that’s get the knockout in absolutely devastating fashion. As soon as that bell goes, I’m launching a heavy right hand straight at his head, followed by a nasty left hook, and I might finish him off with another one-two if he’s not gone already. 
 
“I prepare for every fight like they are my World title, because they are, and I am to them. I always prepare diligently, I live the life, that’s the difference, I stay dedicated, I apply myself, I go above and beyond, every inch of the game I am. Him not living the life, you’ll see on Saturday.”  
 
Peter Dobson – fights Conor Benn over 12 rounds at Welterweight
 
“I’m ready to go and I’ve been ready to go. When I first met you (Eddie) I told you that I’m one of the best fighters in the world and you need to give me an opportunity. Everyone you have sent my way, I have said yes to, and here we are, two more days and I get to show you that everything I was saying was the truth. He’s so green, he thinks he’s going to take me out in the first round, that’s dumb. That’s what green fighters do. No-one he’s fought is better than me. They’re more known than me, but they’re not better than me. I’ve been overlooked my whole career, why do you think the last two Matchroom guys didn’t want to fight me? Because they did their homework. These guys obviously didn’t do their homework and he’s going to see. You will see why I can’t get fights, why promoters constantly tell me ‘This guy doesn’t want to fight you’. Do your homework. It’s been a long time coming, I’m an old land mine that’s been waiting to blow up for a long damn time.
 
“I feel like this is perfect alignment for me. It’s God’s plan. I’m supposed to be here on this stage, now I get to show the world that I should have been here a long time ago. I’m a dog, I came up the hard way in boxing. Conor’s father was a world champion, a millionaire, so he paved the way with his legacy and gave him the route that I want to give my son, the easy route where you don’t have to struggle. I couldn’t get fights, even with Matchroom I couldn’t. I came out of the mud; we’ve had different paths but when get in the ring it’s just me and him and we’ll see which path makes the better fighter. 
 
“If he comes out hard in the first round, he’s going to get knocked out in the first round. I don’t think you have seen me fight because of what you’ve said, I’m a dog, I’m from the Bronx. This is my life, I’m in the gym every day with no fight date, I put my life into this, I sacrifice so much, and he’s going to feel my pain and everything I’ve been through.”
 
Austin Williams – defends his WBA International Middleweight title against Armel Mbumba-Yassa over ten rounds
 
“I take this extremely seriously. He has a chance to skip the line, he’s been pro just as long as me, he’s got 10 fights, I’ve got 15, I’ve fought in real fights. At this point it’s not about emotion, it’s not about stars aligning or my opportunity or chance; it’s really mathematical. I have experiences in the ring that you can’t replace you can only go through it. The confidence I have from the experiences I went through in the ring, I’m just ready to show that there’s different levels to boxing. On Saturday we have the chance to show that you have a young, undefeated big puncher, but you’ll see the difference with the things we’ve done in the sport.
 
“There’s a ferocity to me that’s been honed, it’s animalistic, like a tiger after r they go to battle, to war so many times, they have to hunt and survive, then something switches where everyday I wake up and ready to fight. He’ll be energetic and coming hard at me, but I’ll just shut a lot of things down. People forget that I have been in the gym and training with some current greats like David Benavidez, Callum Smith, Christian Mbilli, so I am just ready to show levels, you’ll see the momentum shift and his demeanor change after the first 30 to 45 seconds of the fight, when he realizes what he’s in for on Saturday.”
 
Armel Mbumba-Yassa – challenges Austin Williams for his WBA International Middleweight title over ten rounds
 
“This is a life-changing chance for me, and I took it immediately. I’m ready, I was already training so it was perfect, on Saturday a new star is born. After this fight, everyone will say ‘wow’. I know Austin, I know he’s a very dangerous fighter. I fear nobody, I respect him, but I am afraid of nothing, he can come with all the emotions, but I am ready.”
 
Johnny Fisher – faces Dmytro Bezus over eight rounds at Heavyweight
 
“I’m very grateful to be on a show like this in Las Vegas. We spoke about fighting in America from the first few fights in my career that we wanted to fight over here, but the dream means nothing if I don’t put in a performance on Saturday. I’ve got a lot of respect for Bezus, I know he’s coming to win, but I sensed fear in him and I’m going to prey on that when I get in there.
 
“I’ve been over here four or five times before, I’m used to being in Vegas, I’ve been here for five weeks, and I was ready to fight when I got here. I came here early to acclimatize and sharpen my skills, I’ve been sparring with Michael Hunter and a lot of Cuban fighters, so it’s been a great experience and it’s only going to add to my game as I put it all on the line on Saturday. 
 
“When you fight in England people pay for their fight ticket and get on the train, but this time they are paying for flights and hotels on top of that, and it’s a lot of money. We’re very grateful to all the Essex fans coming over and it’s up to all of us to put on a show.”
 
Dmytro Bezus – faces Johnny Fisher over eight rounds at Heavyweight
 
“Thank you very much for the invitation to fight. Months ago, I could only dream about a fight in Las Vegas and now it’s a reality. Johnny is very strong, it’s a good experience and good fight. I always come to win, with my last fight against David Adeleye, as they say, shit happens, it’s time to come back and go again.”
 
Khalil Coe – takes on Gerardo Osuna over eight rounds at Light-Heavyweight
 
“Shit gets real. I’m going to prove who I am. I have a lot to show you, this guy is 20-0 – soon to be 20-1 – it’s inevitable. My preparation is so much better; from meal prep to the miles we run, to the communication, conversations with coach, the understanding that he has my back and I put the work in, and we are getting the results that we have been looking for. I’m looking forward to this, I’m expecting him to bring everything, I’ve been training for it. I’ve seen guys like this before, it’s nothing I cannot handle. I’ve been training with some of the roughest and toughest guys, that’s prepared me for this fight, so I am ready.”
 
Gerardo Osuna – takes on Khalil Coe over eight rounds at Light-Heavyweight
 
“I’m very grateful to Eddie Hearn and Matchroom for the opportunity. I want to raise the Mexican flag in this fight and honor my country and show what I am about. I’m very excited and proud of this moment and I am going to show what Mexican fighters can do.”
 
George Liddard – takes on Andrew Buchanan over six rounds at Middleweight
 
“This whole camp I’ve been preparing for another undefeated fighter on Saturday. It’s been great in America, sparring guys that are preparing for a World title in March, I’m just ready and excited, looking forward to doing the business and going to 6-0 on Saturday. Every time I go in there, I’m 100 per cent prepared. He’s undefeated so he is going to go in there to prove a point, it’s a big opportunity for him so he won’t want to lose. So, I will have to dig deep and work hard, and you’ll see a very good George Liddard and an explosive and vicious performance.”
 
Jimmy Sains – takes on Alejandro Avalos over four rounds at Middleweight
 
“I’ve been pinching myself a lot about fighting here, it’s just mental being here, it still hasn’t sunk in. I’ve had a great four weeks in LA and it’s mad that I’m now here in Las Vegas, and I am grateful for the opportunity. The first two fights I’ve had have just been bodies really as opponents there to make up the numbers, but on Saturday I’ve got a live opponent, and I am going to show the best Jimmy Sains. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in as a pro, and you will see the best of me on Saturday. The sparring I’ve had and the gyms I’ve been in over here, not many people can say that they’ve had that, so I feel very lucky, and I can’t wait for Saturday.”

HOUSTON, Texas – Feb. 1, 2024 – On the eve of Red Owl Boxing’s Box
Fest VII, all ten fighters on the five-fight card tipped the scales at
the Owl’s Nest in Houston ahead of their fights on Friday night, live
globally around the world on DAZN (10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT). The second
card of the new nine-fight series on DAZN will feature a main event
battle between Quashawn Toler (17-1, 12 KOs) and Vlad Panin (17-1, 10
KOs)  for the WBA Continental Welterweight Title.

In the co-main event of the evening, rising undefeated junior
welterweight prospect Breyon Graham (15-0, 13 KOs) will take on Wilfredo
Flores (10-1-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round fight at 140 pounds. Also
featured on the undercard is unbeaten light heavyweight Edel Gomez (8-0,
7 KOs) against James Weissman (5-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round scrap and the
undefeated super bantamweight Jose Camacho Torres (7-0, 3 KOs) facing
Luis Alberto Lopez (6-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round tilt at 122 pounds.
Rounding out the main card on DAZN, De Priest Josphe Johnson and Aaron
Mick will make their pro debuts against each other in a four-round fight
at middleweight.

The event streams live globally on DAZN [2] in more than 200 territories
and regions from the state-of-the-art “Owl’s Nest” in Houston. VIP
experience packages and general admission tickets are still available at
www.redowlboxing.com [3].

BOX FEST VII will feature multiple attractions including rising
prospects, gritty veterans and action-packed fights, beginning at 10
p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Subscribe at DAZN.com and download the app on any
connected device.

Official weights from Houston:

WBA Continental Welterweight Title Fight – 10 Rounds

Quashawn Toler – 145.8 lbs.

Vlad Panin – 147 lbs.
Junior Welterweight Fight – 8 Rounds

Breyon Gorham – 139.0 lbs.

Wilfredo Flores – 138.6 lbs.

Light Heavyweight Fight – 6 Rounds

Edel Gomez – 174.6 lbs.

James Weissman – 178.0 lbs.
Lightweight Fight – 6 Rounds

Jose Camacho Torres – 122.0 lbs.

Luis Alberto Lopez –  121.0 lbs
Middleweight Fight – 4 Rounds

De Priest Josphe Johnson – 158.8 lbs.

Aaron Mick – 161.0 lbs.

Red Owl Boxing’s Box Fest series is a breeding ground for boxing’s
future stars with each event featuring a pro debut, a fighter seeking
redemption from their first career defeat and a main event bout that
will crown a champion, catapulting their career to the next level. The
Box Fest series will take center stage on the first Friday of every
month.

Red Owl Boxing owns and operates the state-of-the-art sports performance
facility which features seating for more than 1,500 with a modern flare
that includes VIP experiences and unique ringside seating. The
“Owl’s Nest” is a full-service hospitality venue with high-end
sound, lighting and screens for a premier in-arena experience. The venue
is outfitted with cutting-edge production for seamless streaming and
television presentations.

For more information on Red Owl Boxing and to purchase tickets, visit
www.redowlboxing.com [3]. Fans can follow Red Owl Boxing on X [4],
Instagram [5] and YouTube [6].

ABOUT RED OWL BOXING

Red Owl Boxing is a media company that specializes in delivering
world-class events from its state-of-the-art sports facilities in the
United States and Canada. Red Owl Boxing aims to bring structure to
boxing’s middle class by highlighting tomorrow’s future stars and
contenders in action-packed fights. Red Owl Boxing launched in 2021 by
Canada-based entrepreneur Gabriel Fanous who owns and operates
cutting-edge event spaces in Houston, Texas, and Brampton, Ontario, both
of which provide premier event experiences and hospitality packages.

New York, NY (February 1, 2024) Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions has announced the addition of numerous top New York City fan favorites to the highly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day Weekend event on Friday, March 15 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden and broadcast live globally on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

The March 15 event is headlined by The Fastest Rising Star in Boxing, Undefeated ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (9-0, 7 KOs), of Cork, Ireland clashing with hard-hitting Kazak veteran Dauren Yeleussinov, (11-3-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled ten rounder for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Title.

The St. Patrick’s Day Weekend eventis presented as part of 360 Promotions’ nationally acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series. Tickets starting at $45 can be purchased at MSG.com.

“When we announced Callum’s return to the Mecca of Boxing I received a wealth of phone calls from many promoters, managers and fighters who wanted to be part of this event,” said Tom Loeffler. “We’re excited to add many of the most popular and talented New York City based fighters for what will be an outstanding night of entertainment on March 15.”

“Tickets are moving very well since they went on-sale last week and I strongly encourage fans to act quickly to ensure entry on fight night.”

Popular Irish light heavyweight Joe Ward, (10-1, 6 KOs), of Moate, Ireland will make his return to Madison Square Garden on the St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Event. He hits the ring following a second-round stoppage of Prince Oko Nartey on November 18, 2023 in Letterkenny, Ireland. This will be Ward’s fifth fight at Madison Square Garden including wins over Frederic Julan, Britton Norwood, and Tory Williams.

Irish super featherweight prospect Feargal McCrory, (15-0, 7 KOs), will also see action. Fighting on the Callum Walsh – Ismael Villarreal November 9 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden undercard, the Coalisland, Ireland native won a six round unanimous decision over Nikolai Buzolin.

‘The Albanian Bear’ Reshat Mati, (14-0, 8 KOs), will put his undefeated record on the line in a super lightweight contest. Fighting out of Staten Island, New York, the 25-year-old Mati returns to The Theater at Madison Square Garden ring following a ninth-round knockout of Dakota Linger on June 23, 2023. This will be his fifth fight inside the famed venue.

Also added is longtime Long Island fan favorite, super lightweight Cletus ‘The Hebrew Hammer Seldin, (27-1, 23 KOs). Most recently Seldin knocked out Patrick Okine on October 10, 2023 in the sixth round at Sony Hall in New York City. The all-action Seldin is currently on a six-bout winning streak with all victories coming by stoppage.

Additionally, super welterweight contender Brian Ceballo, (16-1, 8 KOs), returns on the March 15 event. The popular Puerto Rican native has won three fights in a row including a fourth-round stoppage of Kenneth McNeil on November 9, 2023 on the Callum Walsh – Ismael Villarreal undercard. The victory was his fourth fight at Madison Square Garden.

Rounding out the announcements, New York City Police Officer Nisa Rodriguez will make her professional debut in a four round women’s middleweight bout.

Additional information on these fights will be announced shortly.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (1 February 2024) – An unprecedented broadcast distribution deal for ‘Ring of Fire’, the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship fight between the WBC champion Tyson Fury and unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, has been set for fans worldwide.

In a groundbreaking agreement, the first Undisputed heavyweight title fight of the century will be available to fans on PPV across three major UK sports broadcasters: TNT Sports, DAZN, and Sky Sports.

Fury vs Usyk, which will be showcased as part of Riyadh Season, is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing and H.E. Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), wishes to ensure the event is available to as many fans as possible via the biggest platforms.

HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), said “Since our first Riyadh Season in 2019, the Season has developed a reputation for hosting the biggest events and they do not come much bigger than the undisputed heavyweight title fight. This is history in the making, a fight the world has waited for. Now it is a reality, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is excited to be hosting this era-defining fight. This will be a global spectacle and we will do everything to ensure that everyone has an experience that matches an event of this magnitude.”

Fury vs Usyk, ‘Ring of Fire’ will feature two further world championship fights at the Kingdom Arena, in Riyadh.

Australian cruiserweight sensation Jai Opetaia will face previous ruler of the division and champion of the World Boxing Super Series, Mairis Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) for the IBF world title in a world championship rematch.

The undefeated IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Joe Cordina (17-0, 9 KOs) will make a second defence of his title in all-British clash against when he takes on IBO World Champion Anthony Cacace (21-1, 7KOs).

Former light heavyweight king Sergey Kovalev (35-4-1, 29 KOs) will continue his run at cruiserweight by taking on the unbeaten Robin Sirwan Safar (16-0, 12 KOs) from Sweden. Also featuring is British heavyweight star of the future Moses Itauma (7-0, 5 KOs), the World Youth Amateur champion from 2022, along with cruiserweight and 2021 Olympian David Nyika (8-0, 7 KOs) from New Zealand

George Warren CEO of Queensberry said: “The Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World represents the absolute pinnacle of the sport. The eyes of the world will be on Riyadh on February 17 when Tyson Fury takes on Oleksandr Usyk. I am delighted that British fans will have this historical sporting moment brought to them by the UK’s three biggest sports broadcasters in TNT Sports, DAZN and Sky Sports.”

Shay Segev, CEO of, DAZN said: “It is an honour for DAZN to have been chosen by Riyadh Season again as their global broadcast and distribution partner for ‘Ring of Fire’. DAZN is the undisputed home of boxing, and for this fight, we will be offering a free month’s subscription in the UK & US alongside any PPV purchase allowing fans to enjoy an unmatched catalogue of fights this spring. We share Riyadh Season’s ambitions and look forward to what we can achieve together.”

Sky Sports Managing Director, Jonathan Licht, said: “Sky Sports is the undisputed home for sports fans, and with our long history of broadcasting the biggest bouts in boxing history, it’s only right we’re bringing the most anticipated fight in 25 years to our customers. With Fury v Usyk, as well as two further world championship fights on the card, it’s set to be a truly momentous occasion and we can’t wait to watch.”

Andrew Georgiou, President & MD Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland and WBD Sports Europe, said: “We are proud to have taken fans on every step of Tyson Fury’s incredible journey since his comeback fight in 2018. The next part of the story is a truly historic moment in sport as anticipation builds for the first Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship fight in almost 25 years.

“TNT Sports viewers will enjoy full fight week coverage featuring boxing’s leading presenter, Laura Woods, alongside a renowned line-up of boxing’s best experts, including Carl Frampton, Richie Woodhall, Steve Bunce all live from the fight.”

About Riyadh Season:

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of unique entertainment events, concerts, exhibitions and dining experiences. Riyadh Season 2023 commenced on Saturday, 28 October with a spectacular opening ceremony and the historic boxing match between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou, followed up by the ‘Day of Reckoning’ on December 23 featuring Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker as the headline fights.

NEW YORK (February 1, 2024) –World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Welterweight Champion Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs) kick started what is expected to be a challenging 2024 with a seventh-round knockout of Williams Andres Herrera (15-3, 6 KOs), which was streamed on DAZN live from Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The 25-year-old Donovan, who is ranked No. 13 in the world by the World Boxing Association(WBA), successfully defended his WBA belt for the first time, albeit by overcoming some adversity before his Argentinian opponent was stopped for the first time in his career.

“It was great to be back in Belfast,” Donovan said after the Herrera fight. “It was a tough fight against a very durable opponent. Good scrap, I got hit and it’s not every day you see me get hit.

I got a bit fatigued and hit with a couple of shots but dug deep and pulled out the win. It was good to get the rounds at this stage of my career and to be in with fighters who hit back. There’s still a lot for me to learn. It gets harder and these are the type fights I need going forward. There are different types of fighters that I need now. It’s important to go through the different stages of my career to be ready when I get into a 12-round world title fight. It’s boxing. I’m looking forward to big fights in 2024. I believe I can beat any fighter in the world if I’m on my A game. I have a great team and trust them to choose what’s next for me. They always have my back.”

Donovan is trained by former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who also co-manages Donovan with New York City-based lawyer Keith Sullivan.

“I’ve very happy with how he performed,” Lee commented, “considering it was a short training camp with Christmas in the middle of it. He had only found out about the fight in late December, so he only had four or five weeks. He stepped in and did a good job. Herrera came on strong around rounds five and six, but Paddy showed his character and got the stoppage in round seven. I was very pleased with that. He’s maturing and that was a very mature performance. He stepped up well and didn’t panic when it looked like Herrara was coming on strong. Paddy kept his composure and found the punch to get the stoppage.”

Donovan has several options on the table for 2024, which figures to be a critical year for the Irish welterweight sensation in terms of him developing into a legitimate world title challenger.

“We don’t have confirmation of when his next fight is,” Lee explained, “but if Katie Taylor is to fight in Dublin in May, which has been rumored, I’d like to have Paddy fight in another challenging fight. It would be nice to fight in Limerick to bring bigtime boxing back to Limerick. And then a big fight towards the end of the year. With that number of fights, he should be right on course, putting himself in as one of the top contenders in the welterweight division.”

“This fight showcased the depth of Paddy’s ability and tenacity,” Sullivan noted. “He looked great, stayed incredibly calm, and scored the knockout. You can’t ask a fighter for more than that. Moving forward, every option is on the table. We are planning an eventful year for Paddy.”

Donovan is using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity that provides mental health services throughout Ireland, Pieta House. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pieta Crisis Helpline, 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harm and also supports those bereaved through suicide. “If I can get somebody to call that number and change their life,” Donovan believes, “I think my deed is done on this earth.” 

?

INFORMATION:

X (formerly Twitter): @PaddyDonovan23

Instagram: @paddy_realdeal_donovan

Facebook: /PaddyRealDealDonovan

Conor Benn is planning to dominate Peter Dobson in their clash at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday February 3, live worldwide on DAZN – and put all of his rivals on notice that he is coming for all the smoke in 2024 and beyond.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW – the action in Las Vegas will begin at 11am PT/7pm UK, with the main event – Conor Benn vs. Peter Dobson – set to step through the ropes at approximately 2.30pm PT/10.30pm UK.

Benn (22-0 14 KOs) is back in action in his second straight fight in the States after he returned from a 17-month absence in Orlando in September with a ten-round points win over Rodolfo Orozco. ‘The Destroyer’ has signaled his intentions to deal with Dobson (16-0 9 KOs) in a ‘violent’ manner, and then wants to get straight back into action in April or May.

Some of the biggest names in the sport are in Benn’s crosshairs on both sides of the Atlantic, with Brit rivals Chris Eubank Jr, Kell Brook and Liam Smith eye-catching future foes, as are American powerhouse names Devin Haney and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. The first bridge to cross is dispatching the dangerous Dobson in emphatic fashion, and then Benn’s attention will turn to all the big names as the 27 year old looks to stake his World title claims.

“I’ve been on the tip of everyone’s tongue and heavily spoken about, talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words,” said Benn. “I’ve proven time and time again I am what I say I am. Whether it goes the distance or two rounds, every department I do what I say I am going to do. You want to get outboxed for ten rounds? No problem. You want to get beat up for ten rounds, 12 rounds? No problem. You want to get knocked out early? Come and try me. That’s what this fight is, a reminder that I am what I say I am. You will see progress, even with what’s gone on, you’ll see what I’ve learned and that I’ve been in the gym and stayed disciplined, where many would have fallen off. It’s hard to stay motivated when you are being taken off course, but I have stayed disciplined, and you will see that on Saturday.

“Hopefully after this fight, April or May, we’re aiming to get back out in the UK in a mega-fight that the British public deserve. That’s all that matters, everyone that’s rode with me, gone through the storm with me and felt my emotions, we feel it together. I’m blessed with the supporters I have and the love I get shown. The deserve it and I want to give them the fights they want, I was willing to go up to 160lbs to do that. Any Welterweight is not a concern for me, any top American fighter, anyone, no problem. 

“I don’t get involved in negotiations; I leave that to my team. This whole period, my team has just allowed me to stay disciplined and work in the gym. To stay dedicated and block out the noise of the multi-million-pound fights, the fights that have fallen through, the names like Devin Haney, Boots Ennis, Kell Brook, Chris Eubank Jr – I just stay dedicated to what I do. The money isn’t the motivating factor for me, winning is – I love winning, that’s what is important. If Chris didn’t want the fight, he didn’t want the fight, that’s that. I won’t lose sleep over it, I just kept saying ‘who’s next then?’ We keep moving, learning and developing. Chris isn’t at the front of my mind, I will stay the course and remind everyone why I am one of the most dangerous fighters at 147lbs.

“I’m 27 going on 40. I feel the last 18 months has aged me ten years. I’ve changed a lot. Things that used to worry me don’t worry me anymore. It’s true when they say that when you go through adversity, it gives you nothing but resilience and strength. Would I choose to go through it again? Probably not. Has it taught me a lot about who Conor Benn is as a man? It’s tested me, my character, what I stand for, what I believe in.

“I’m proud of the way I have handled it at such a young age, and still deal with being a dad, a husband, a son, a role model, it’s a lot. Some days I was dragging myself to the gym and it was hard, I was breaking down in the gym, saying ‘I don’t know if I can do this’. So, overcoming all of that, I’m proud of myself and I’m thankful, whatever God’s plan is, I’m trusting the process. There’s a lot of ups and downs but having a little girl on the way has softened me a little bit. My son is a blessing and when you look at my life, outside of boxing, it’s a blessing.

“It came from Bill Haney he said he would love the fight and I said no problem, we can do that fight, we can do it next. Devin has fired back with his nonsense talk; I didn’t mention his name and he wasn’t on my radar. But Bill was respectful, I like Bill and I like Devin, I don’t know why he was carrying on like that – but if he wants to come to England and to 147lbs, no problem. Think it’s going to be an easy touch? Come over. It’s not a problem to me. Let’s fight. We could have it in America, in England, in a phone box, anywhere.

“I’ve been calling for Boots. His Dad has come out and said, ‘he’s not even known in Philly man’, who wants to be known in Philly? There’s a whole global market, why would I want to be known in Philly? I’m a bigger name than him, probably in America and England. Is he a great fighter? Yes, a hell of a fighter. But don’t be claiming you don’t know who I am, and I do nothing for you. I was calling him out when I was top five. It’s weird. Remember I had no amateur experience, I’m not going to cry about it. I decapitated Samuel Vargas and Chris van Heerden better than Boots and Vergil Ortiz, so when you want to do your comparisons, there’s your measuring stick. I’m progressing quicker than anyone, so put some respect on it.”

Benn’s clash with Dobson tops the bill in Las Vegas, where the co-main event pits two exciting and unbeaten Middleweights against each other in the shape of Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (15-0 10 KOs) against Germany’s Armel Mbumba-Yassa (10-0 7 KOs) for the for the WBA International and IBF North American titles.

It’s a Brit-heavy card with Benn’s Tony Sims-trained stable mates George Liddard and Jimmy Sains – who faces Andrew Buchanan (3-0-1 2 KOs) and Ahmed Swedy (5-2 2 KOs) respectively, and popular unbeaten Heavyweight George Fisher (10-0 9 KOs) offers a first overseas away day for his loyal ‘Bull Army’ and takes on Ukraine’s Dmytro Bezus (10-1 5 KOs) over eight rounds, while Light-Heavyweight talent Khalil Coe (7-0-1 5KOs) enjoyed a fruitful 2023 takes on Mexican KO artist Gerardo Osuna (20-0 18 KOs) over eight rounds.

CORK, Ireland (February 1, 2024) – Rather than celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at home in Cork, Ireland, undefeated super middleweight prospect Tommy “The Governor” Hyde (7-0, 4 KOs) will instead be fighting 5,000 miles away, outside of San Francisco (CA) in Redwood City for his first title as a professional.

Hyde, 24, is matched against fellow Irishman Craig “BTL” McCarthy (10-1-1, 2 KOs), the reigning Boxing Union of Ireland Celtic super middleweight champion, in an eight-round bout for the vacant Celtic Nation Championship on a card presented by Westwood Promotions.

Now training in Santa Monica (CA), under the direction of head trainer Pedro Nemes, Hyde was selected as the 2023 Irish Prospect of the Year.

“I’m delighted to be fighting in San Francisco,” Hyde said, “especially on St. Patrick’s Weekend. “There are a lot of Irish living there, so it’s great to be giving them an all-Irish fight on such a big weekend. I fought in San Francisco as an amateur and I plan on fighting there more as a professional. This is a great opportunity for me to show the Irish what I’m about.”

A celebrated Irish amateur boxer, Hyde participated in more than 100 amateur matches, reached the quarterfinals of the prestigious World Junior Championships in 2015, in addition to capturing three Irish National Championships, three Celtic Cup titles and the 2019 Haringey Box Cup.

Hyde made his pro debut on December 1, 2022 in a scheduled six-round bout against Jiri Kroda, who was stopped in the third round of their fight in the United States, at The District in Sioux Falls, South. In his first full year of prizefighting, Hyde was placed on an accelerated route by his father and international matchmaker, Gary Hyde. As a pro, Tommy has also fought three times in Greater Boston, twice at home in Cork, and once in Waterford, Ireland.

“I’m really excited that Tommy will finally be fighting in San Francisco and on the best weekend of the year, St. Paddy’s Day,” Gary commented. “The Irish will come out in great numbers to support this all-Irish clash.

“We are planning to have five or six fights this year and keep improving Tommy’s ranking. These fights will be split between the United States and Ireland. Tommy has proven to be a huge draw wherever he fights.”

Irish eyes will be smiling’ in San Francisco for Tommy Hyde.

ABOUT NOWHERETOHYDE: Founded in 2007 by Gary Hyde in Cork, Ireland, NoWhere2Hyde offers full services for professional boxers around the world. Hyde has managed numerous world-class boxers during his career including world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux, Youri Kalenga, Nassam N’Dam and Simpiwe Vetyeaka. In addition to his son, Gary presently manages Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs).

INFORMATION:

Facebook: /nowhere2hyde, /tommyhyde

Twitter: @nowhere2hyde, @tommyhyde99

Instagram: @gary_nowhere2hyde, @tommyhyde1

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 1, 2024) — Jamaine Ortiz is ready to settle unfinished business on the biggest stage of his career.

Ortiz will challenge WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis steps up against former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. 

Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), from Worcester, Massachusetts, enters his first world championship opportunity riding a wave of momentum. At lightweight, he defeated top contender Nahir Albright and former world champion Jamel Herring in consecutive fights before dropping a competitive 12-round decision to pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2022. Almost 11 months after the Lomachenko defeat, he secured a 10-round decision over Antonio Moran.

Following a recent training session at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, this is what Ortiz had to say:

“I can do a lot of things in the ring that people haven’t seen yet. On February 8, people are going to see what I can do in there. When the opposition is better, I fight better, and I believe Teofimo Lopez is going to bring the best out of me. I’m going to show my skills and athleticism on fight night.”

“I think I’m more athletic and have more speed than Teofimo. I have a better jab and movement. I have a lot of advantages that will show when we fight.”

“I’m ready to be world champion. I didn’t want any more tune-up fights. I demanded the big fights, and this is a big fight. I’m here to build a legacy in the sport, and this is a legacy fight.”

“I feel great at 140 pounds. I don’t need to sacrifice as much as I did when I fought at lightweight. I’m going to feel a lot better in the ring, and that is going to show in my performance on February 8.”

HOUSTON, Texas – January 31, 2024 – Red Owl Boxing will present Box
Fest VII, a four-fight main card featuring a headline battle between
Quashawn Toler and Vlad Panin for the WBA Continental Welterweight
Title, live on Friday, Feb. 2 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. The event streams
live globally on DAZN [1] in more than 200 territories and regions from
the state-of-the-art “Owl’s Nest” in Houston. VIP experience
packages and general admission tickets are still available at
www.redowlboxing.com [2].

Ahead of Friday’s main event, Cincinnati’s Toler (17-1, 12 KOs) is
feeling confident as he steps up to face the most difficult opponent of
his eight-year professional career in his Red Owl Boxing debut.

“If I walk away with the WBA Continental Welterweight Title, that’s
just God answering my prayers,” said Toler. “It will show how hard I
have worked to get to the next level. I see my name being in the
world-ranking levels and then snatching a world title.”

The 31-year-old Toler has fought five of his last six fights in Colombia
with four impressive stoppage victories but he is looking forward to
returning to the United States to take on better competition.

“I feel focused heading into my fight on Friday,” said the 17-1
welterweight. “The experience of fighting in Colombia has been cool
but those guys weren’t on my level. It was good to keep me busy and
knock the rust off.”

Cincinnati has a strong lineage of world champions including
International Boxing Hall of Famer Aaron Pryor, and more recently world
title holders Adrien Broner and Robert Easter, Jr.

“Those guys paved the way for me and I can’t discredit the work they
did to represent Cincinnati,” added Toler. “It’s time for me to
capitalize on everything they did and to put my name in those history
books right alongside them. Broner and Easter are like brothers.”

He hopes to bring the title back to Cincinnati and become the next world
champion from the city in 2024. The mission starts Friday night from the
Owl’s Nest on Box Fest VII on DAZN.

“I am just trying to bring boxing back to my city,” stated Toler.
“One of my dreams is to sell out Heritage Bank Center and be the
hometown favorite. I want to be the face of my city and conquer the
world.”

BOX FEST VII will feature multiple attractions including rising
prospects, gritty veterans and action-packed fights, beginning at 10
p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Subscribe at DAZN.com and download the app on any
connected device.

Red Owl Boxing’s Box Fest series is a breeding ground for boxing’s
future stars with each event featuring a pro debut, a fighter seeking
redemption from their first career defeat and a main event bout that
will crown a champion, catapulting their career to the next level. The
Box Fest series will take center stage on the first Friday of every
month.

The undercard will include several standout Houston prospects such as
Breyon Gorham, Lazaro Diaz and Jose Camacho Torres. The full Box Fest
VII event card on February 2*:

        *

Quashawn Toler (17-1, 12 KOs) vs. Vlad Panin (17-1, 12 KOs) – Ten Rounds
at 147 lbs.
        *

Breyon Gorham (15-0, 13 KOs) vs. Wilfredo Flores (10-1-1, 5 KOs) – Eight
Rounds at 140 lbs.
        *

Edel Gomez (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. James Weissman (5-1, 4 KOs)  – Six Rounds at
175 lbs.
        *

Jose Camacho Torres (7-0, 3 KOs) vs. Luis Alberto Lopez (6-1, 3 KOs) –
Six Rounds at 122 lbs.
        *

De Priest Joseph Johnson (Pro Debut) vs. Aaron Mick (Pro Debut) – Four
Rounds at 160 lbs.
        *

Lazaro Diaz (2-0, 1 KO) vs. TBA – Four Rounds at 140 lbs.

*Card subject to change.
Red Owl Boxing owns and operates the state-of-the-art sports performance
facility which features seating for more than 1,500 with a modern flare
that includes VIP experiences and unique ringside seating. The
“Owl’s Nest” is a full-service hospitality venue with high-end
sound, lighting and screens for a premier in-arena experience. The venue
is outfitted with cutting-edge production for seamless streaming and
television presentations.

For more information on Red Owl Boxing and to purchase tickets, visit
www.redowlboxing.com [2]. Fans can follow Red Owl Boxing on X [3],
Instagram [4] and YouTube [5].

ABOUT RED OWL BOXING

Red Owl Boxing is a media company that specializes in delivering
world-class events from its state-of-the-art sports facilities in the
United States and Canada. Red Owl Boxing aims to bring structure to
boxing’s middle class by highlighting tomorrow’s future stars and
contenders in action-packed fights. Red Owl Boxing launched in 2021 by
Canada-based entrepreneur Gabriel Fanous who owns and operates
cutting-edge event spaces in Houston, Texas, and Brampton, Ontario, both
of which provide premier event experiences and hospitality packages.

LOS ANGELES – January 31, 2024 – Fighters competing on the stacked inaugural four-fight PBC Pay-Per-View available on Prime Video went face to face Wednesday in Los Angeles at a press conference to preview their respective matchups before they step into the ring on Saturday, March 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The press conference featured two-time world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and rising star and reigning world champion Tim Tszyu, who meet in the main event, plus 140-pound world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero and Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, who battle in the co-main event.

Also appearing at Wednesday’s event was Cuban star and WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, who defends his title against No. 1 rated mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa in a 12-round fight, and all-action super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and top contender Serhii Bohachuk, who square off for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World Championship in the pay-per-view opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Pre-sale tickets are available TODAY, Wednesday, January 31 until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com by using the code: PBC

Public on-sale begins TOMORROW, Thursday, February 1 at 10 a.m. PT with tickets available through AXS.com.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. The main event is promoted in association with No Limit Boxing.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from The Conga Room at L.A. Live:

KEITH THURMAN

“It’s been a long time coming. I’m looking forward to continuing my legacy with this fight March 30. Once again I get to kick off a major event. This is what boxing is all about. Action. World Class.

“He’s a slow-footed fighter with a Mexican style. I’ll meet him in the middle of the ring. He’s gonna go home crying.

“They say Tszyu comes from ‘down under’, well I am trying to put you under, mate. He might have watched the video on me, but he doesn’t know. He might have signed the contract, but he doesn’t know what he just did. Bitter for you, but sweet for me!

“Moving up in weight is just something that happens in boxing. I love the legacy at 147 pounds and I got what I could get out of that division.

“Every time I step into the ring, I’m living out my American dream. We all know the sacrifices we make, and those sacrifices make us who we are. They’re truly worth it. I’ve done a lot at 147 and I want to do great things at 154 pounds. You put me in the ring, and I’m gonna rise to the top.

“I’m just looking for great fights and great action. Tim Tszyu is filling that void right now and providing me with the fight I want. He’s trying to open up the gates to his new era, but it’s my job to close the door shut, right in his face.

“Nobody wants to shut the haters up like Keith Thurman. Get your tickets today and be in the building. It’s very simple, you’re gonna hear one sound only, and that’s boom, boom, boom.”

TIM TSZYU

“It’s an honor to be in this position. You only launch something like this once, and I want to launch it in spectacular fashion.

“I want him to bring this same energy to the fight, and not run around like a gazelle. Because I’m definitely knocking him out in under 12 rounds.

“I don’t care about the critics. I’m going to fight whoever I can. I’m John Wick and there’s a list of names that I’m trying to tick off. This is the takeover for me.

“My goal is for the Tszyu name to be the greatest boxing family that ever lived. We’ve made it this far and we’ll see how far we can go.

“I know what Keith is and I know what he’s done, but I think the time is done for him. Now it’s a different era and it’s the ‘Tim Tszyu Era’. I’m not just planning to beat Keith Thurman, I’m planning to make this a spectacle.

“It’s a blessing to be here. It’s been a long time in the process for me. As soon as my fight finished against Brian Mendoza, I needed the next one. It was months in the making and now we’ve got a great opponent in Keith Thurman. I was like a kid getting a present from Santa Claus when they told me this fight was made.

“I know what I possess and what I’m gonna bring. There aren’t any old-school fighters like me anymore. I’m willing to fight anyone and I do damage when I’m in the ring.”

ROLANDO ROMERO

“To be the first superstar on Prime Video, I have to knock Cruz out. That’s it. Has to be a knockout.

“Odds are just statistics and they’re making him the favorite because he’s had more wins since fighting Gervonta Davis than I have. I’ve been an underdog before and I’m gonna keep betting on ‘Rolly’.

“The other fighters at 140 pounds are irrelevant. I’m only focused on being a part of this huge show with a huge platform.

“I’m used to being in this position. I carried the promotion for my fight against Gervonta Davis. So this is nothing new to me.

“Chihuahua, poodle, I don’t know he kinda looks like a little fat pug right now. That’s self-explanatory. Tune into the fight March 30.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’ll let him talk right now, because he’s gonna be the one crying like a chihuahua when the fight is over.

“My goal is to shut ‘Rolly’ up and show the world that I am a true Mexican world champion. I’m bringing that belt back home.

“I’m thankful to everyone for making this fight possible. I can’t wait to put on a show in the ring on March 30.

“We’ve kept working time after time and fight after fight. That’s how we earned another world title opportunity.

“I feel like I’m ready for this challenge. I’m a proud Mexican fighter and I’m going to show what I can do on March 30.

“I’m dedicating this fight to my kids. This fight is all about my family. I’ve only gotten to where I am thanks to them and their support.

“I want the fans to be the true winners on this night. That’s why I want to go take the belt from ‘Rolly’ and give the fans what they want.”

ERISLANDY LARA

“I promise that I’m going to be ready for Zerafa and that everyone tuning in is going to see a great fight.

“I’m going to put pressure on my opponent. I’m coming full-throttle. The fans can expect me to make this a very difficult night for Zerafa. I’m trying to knock him out.

“I feel good and I feel strong. I don’t think I need to prove anything. I just have to showcase who I am. I don’t think I’m going to have much trouble showing that.

“I’ve gained so much experience in this sport and that’s allowed me to pick the right times to go for knockouts. Lately that’s what I’ve been able to get done.

“I know that I’ve got a young opponent in front of me who’s going to give it everything he has to win the world title. But I’ve got a lot to offer to stop him and you’re going to see it on March 30.

“I’m very comfortable training and living in Las Vegas and I know that’s going to help me be at my best when the bell rings.”

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

“Last time I came out I took my first loss, but we’ve been training hard waiting for this moment. I’m ready to do whatever I have to do to win this world title. Serhii and I know each other and I know we’re both here to give the fans a great fight.

“I don’t think I necessarily learned anything from the loss, but it was a reminder that you can’t mess around. I fell asleep for a second and I paid for it. I’ve had a year to regroup and now I have this opportunity to fight for this title. We’re gonna show up.

“Everyone that I fight is a big hitter. I only fight the best of the division. I’ll fight Tim Tszyu next. I want to be the best 154 in the world.

“Everybody keeps telling me there’s never been a brother and sister duo to be world champion at the same time. So if my and [IBF Flyweight World Champion] Gabriela can do it, it’d really be historic.”

SERHII BOHACHUK

“I have experience sparring Fundora and I know that this is a serious fight. This is the biggest fight of my career.

“This is my first title fight and it’s the fight of my life. I’m giving 100 percent. I know that I have to be my best. I’m going to be ready.

“I’ve learned a lot from mistakes that I might have made in past fights. It all makes me a better fighter today. That’s what I’ll bring into this fight.

“I’m going to show my fans and the whole boxing world a very strong performance when we get into the ring on March 30.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“We’ll be detailing the 2024 schedule in the coming weeks and we look forward to bringing the biggest and best fights to an extended audience with Prime Video.

“Keith is the former unified welterweight world champion and his only loss was a split decision to the legendary Manny Pacquiao. Although Keith is moving up in weight, Keith’s a big man and his whole amateur career was at 152 pounds.

“Tim Tszyu is a reigning, undefeated champion whose dream is about to come true when he headlines this massive pay-per-view event. I was there in 1995 when his father made his Las Vegas debut and won his first world title, and now Tim is a rising star who’s getting better and better with each fight. The winner of this main event will be considered the best 154 pounder in the world.

“They call this a co-main event, but you can take the word ‘co’ out of this fight. This is a main event in its own right with ‘Rolly’ defending his world title against the all-action Isaac Cruz.”

“We also have Erislandy Lara, the oldest reigning world champion, defending his title against his mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa, and then in the opening fight Sebastian Fundora against Serhii Bohachuk has ‘Fight Of The Year’ written all over it. You won’t want to miss any of this card and I look forward to seeing everyone here.”

#         #         #

For more information visit www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #ThurmanTszyu and #RollyPitbull, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions

LAS VEGAS (Jan 31, 2024) — U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis is eager for a world title opportunity, but first he’ll need to get past a two-division world champion.

Davis will take on Jose “Sniper” Pedraza in a 10-round lightweight battle on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Davis-Pedraza will serve as the co-feature to the junior welterweight showdown between WBO and Ring Magazine world champion Teofimo Lopez and Jamaine Ortiz. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. 

Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, has graduated from prospect to contender as he continues to make his case for a world title shot. The 24-year-old is coming off an active 2023 in which he stopped Anthony Yigit via ninth-round TKO in April and shut out Francesco Patera by 10-round decision in July. In October, he defeated Philadelphia-born contender Nahir Albright via majority decision that was later ruled a no contest. Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), a two-division world champion from Puerto Rico, returns to lightweight following a junior welterweight campaign that included tough fights against Jose Zepeda and Lindolfo Delgado.

Following a recent training session at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, this is what Davis had to say:

“I’m dialed in and focused. I’m pushing every day, training two or three times each day. Running, sparring, strength and conditioning. The work I’m putting in is starting to show.”

“I’m not counting down the days until the fight, I’m making these days count. This fight is only the beginning of how far I can go in my career.”

“This is a big fight for me and the only thing I can focus on. I bet Pedraza is doing the same thing. Fighting a guy like him, who has won multiple world titles, has made me lock in even more.”

“I give a lot of credit to Pedraza for taking this fight. He has fought a lot of former world champions with a ton of accolades and more fights and experience than me. Pedraza has been a main event fighter and will give me an opportunity to show everyone what I’m truly capable of doing. After I beat Pedraza, I become a main event fighter.”

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Lopez vs. Ortiz will be presented live this Thursday, February 8, at 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT, on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ from Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. This special Thursday night event precedes Super Bowl LVIII, which unfolds Sunday, February 11 at Allegiant Stadium. This marks the first time the championship will be hosted in Las Vegas and features a showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the main event, lineal junior welterweight champion, Teofimo Lopez, will defend his WBO and Ring Magazine titles against Jamaine Ortiz.

Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) moved up to junior welterweight in August 2022 with a seventh-round TKO against Pedro Campa and a split decision over Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin that December. In his latest display of exceptional skill, Lopez upset former undisputed champion Josh Taylor to capture the WBO and Ring Magazine titles last June. Competing in his first world title bout, Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), a seven-year pro from Worcester, Massachusetts, is coming off a one-sided points verdict win over Antonio Moran last September. In 2022, Ortiz won two out of three including a victory over former world champion Jamel “Semper Fi’ Herring before giving former pound-for-pound king Vasilily Lomachenko all he could handle across 12 rounds in a close decision loss.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis faces Puerto Rican former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza.

Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, has graduated from prospect to contender and is inching closer to a world title opportunity. He had a standout 2023, including a devastating ninth-round TKO over former world title challenger Anthony Yigit.

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), captured the WBO lightweight world title in August 2018. After losing the title in a unification showdown against Lomachenko, he moved up to 140 pounds. Pedraza returns to the lightweight division in hopes of another world title run.

Undercard action exclusively on ESPN+ begins at 6:25 p.m. ET/ 3:25 p.m. PT and features a wide range of up-and-coming talent.

Calling the action will be ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna. 

Ahead of the blockbuster Top Rank event on February 8, ESPN will air three new original programs:

Blood, Sweat & Tears: Lopez vs. Ortiz

Teofimo Lopez: Greatest Hits

Pressure: Keyshawn Davis

• Blood, Sweat & Tears: Lopez vs. Ortiz: a 30-minute all-access preview that will take fight fans inside both training camps ahead of the Jr. Welterweight World Championship main event.  Two-division world titlist and current WBO junior welterweight king Teofimo Lopez (19-1, 13 KO) defends his crown against Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KO).
• Teofimo Lopez: Greatest Hits: a 30-minute retrospective hosted by Crystina Poncher including the biggest fights and moments so far in Teofimo’s young career. Fight fans will get to re-live the highlight-reel knockouts that set Lopez on a fast track to superstardom, including the night Lopez won his first world championship at Madison Square Garden against Richard Commey, the moment he became a pound-for-pound force and unified world champion over Vasiliy Lomachenko, and his most recent masterclass against former undisputed champion Josh Taylor.
• Pressure: Keyshawn Davis: a 30-minute look back at the most recent outing for one of Top Rank’s brightest blue-chip prospects. The show features a fight-night peek behind the curtain at “The Businessman” from his October 14^th featured bout in the Lone Star State on the Janibek-Gualtieri undercard. Davis returns to action against former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KO).

 Original Programming (All Times ET)

ESPN.com: Bradley’s Breakdown ahead of the fight.

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

Lopez vs. Ortiz (All Times ET)

LONG BEACH, CA (January 31, 2024) – CBN Promotions proudly announces its collaboration with “ESPN Knockout” for their highly anticipated 8-show boxing series scheduled for 2024. This strategic partnership signifies a monumental step forward in delivering top-notch boxing content to fans across Latin America.

On February 10th, CBN Promotions’ boxing series will kick off 2024 with “Super Brawl Saturday” at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. In the 10-round super featherweight main event, Austin Brooks (11-0, 4 KOs), from La Mesa, CA, will square off against Julio Carrera (17-0-1, 13 KOs), from Sonora, MX, for the WBA Continental title.

Launched in 1989, ESPN’s pan-regional Latin America network has been a powerhouse in sports broadcasting, transmitting in Spanish, Portuguese, and English to 42 countries and territories. The network is currently available in over 20 million homes in the region. ESPN Knockout, a dynamic platform dedicated to the world of combat sports, will play a pivotal role in bringing the excitement of CBN Promotions’ boxing series to a vast and diverse audience.

“Partnering with ESPN Knockout is a significant breakthrough for CBN Promotions,” said Alex Camponovo, President of CBN Promotions. “It aligns perfectly with our vision of bringing high-quality boxing entertainment to a global audience. ESPN’s extensive reach and reputation make them the ideal platform to showcase our events.”

In addition to its main channel, ESPN Latin America operates several regional networks, including ESPN 2 (Mexico and the northern cone), ESPN+ (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay), ESPN+ Andina, and ESPN2 Caribbean, which serves English-speaking fans in the Caribbean. The network has continuously evolved, introducing ESPN HD in Brazil in April 2009, marking a milestone as the company’s first high-definition channel in the region.

“We look forward to showcasing the excitement and skill of these events on ESPN Knockout,” stated Rolando Nichols, President of Thunder Studios. “This partnership strengthens our commitment to delivering top-tier boxing content to our distinct audience in Latin America.”

The 8-round co-main event will showcase Tayden Beltran (7-0-1, 4 KOs), from Huntington Beach, CA, vs. Lyle McFarlane (2-3, 1 KO), in a lightweight bout.

“Super Brawl Saturday” will broadcast live on ESPN Knockout, FuboTV, and FightStars Network. For those that will miss the live action, CBN’s first event of the year will also air tape delayed on Fox Deportes and Estrella TV.

Doors open and the first bell for “Super Brawl Saturday” at 5:00 pm PT. Tickets priced $50, $75, $100, $150 (Plus applicable fees), are available for purchase now by calling 800-283-8699, by text at 702-591-1638, or online at www.cbnpromotions.com. Thunder Studios is located at 20434 S Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90810.

This event is sponsored by HUSTLER Casino – LA’s only luxury Casino. Tequila Mandala – 100% Agave Azul, and Shoe Palace, Community comes first.

NEW YORK (January 31, 2024) – Split-T Management super middleweight Christopher Pearson will be back in action TONIGHT when he takes on undefeated Trevor McCumby at The Whitesands Event Center.

Pearson of Selma, Texas by way of Dayton, Ohio is 17-3-1 with 12 knockouts. The 33 year-old is looking for a big win that will propel him back into super middleweight contention as he has already amassed wins over Arturo Crespin (10-2-1), Acacio Joao Ferreira (14-0-1), Steve Martinez (15-1), Said El Harrak (12-2-2), Janks Trotter (9-1-1), Joshua Okine (28-6-1) and world title challenger Yamaguchi Falcao (16-0). Pearson is coming off a draw with Derrick Webster on August 26th in Atlantic City.

McCumby, 31, is 27-0 with 21 knockouts. The Glendale, Arizona resident is on the fringe of a big opportunity and this will be his third bout at super middleweight as he is coming down from light heavyweight. McCumby has wins over Jason Smith (8-2-1), Rafael Valenzuela (8-2), Fabiano Pena (5-1-1), Brian Holsten (10-2), Dustin Echard (11-1) and his bout when stopped Rodolfo Ezequiel Martinez on June 24th in Phoenix.

Pearson and McCumby each weighed 167.6 lbs at Tuesday’s weigh-in.

The fight will be streamed live on Probox TV at 8 PM ET.

TOKYO, JAPAN – Wednesday, January 31 – Bigger, better and greater than ever before. Prizefighter is back and heading to Japan as a new, re-imagined world-class international tournament.

In partnership with Rakuten Ticket and Never Say Never (NSN), Matchroom today confirmed at a press conference in Tokyo that a blockbuster $1million battle will begin at the Nagoya Congress Center, Nagoya, on March 31 – live on Abema in Japan and DAZN worldwide (excluding Asia).

Last September, Rakuten Ticket, Inc. and NSN reached a landmark agreement with Matchroom, the world’s leading boxing promoter, to host a series of events in Japan to promote the growth of the sport. 

The three companies have committed to staging three major, world-class events per year over the next three years, featuring some of the best domestic and international fighters. 

And it all kicks off on March 31, with the first of three separate fight nights to determine the 2024 Prizefighter king in the Middleweight division. 

The opening event in the tournament will witness four bouts over 10 rounds – with a bumper $100k knockout bonus on offer, split between the fighters who successfully stop their opponent. As the tournament progresses, the latter bouts will be staged over 12-rounds.

The draw for the first night was made at the launch press conference today in Tokyo, with one quarter-final already determined as Japan’s all-action No.1 ranked Middleweight Riku Kunimoto (10-1, 4 KOs) defends his Japanese title against mandatory challenger Eiki Kani (8-3-3, 4 KOs) in the first quarter-final.

Wildcard British entry Mark Dickinson (6-0, 2 KOs) could await the winner in the last four, if the north-east native can stun France’s undefeated 2016 Olympian Anauel Ngamissengue (13-0, 8 KOs).

Ireland’s impressive Aaron McKenna (18-0, 9 KOs) will be out to establish his future world title challenger credentials with ’The Silencer’ signed up and looking to make a big noise in Japan. McKenna will face unbeaten, 23-year-old American-Puerto Rican JeovannyEstela (14-0, 5 KOs).

The UK’s reigning WBA Inter-Continental Middleweight champion Kieron Conway (20-3-1, 5 KOs) will be looking to stake his claim for success and faces a tough opponent in China’s AiniwaerYilixiati (19-1, 14 KOs) who completes a stellar line-up.

“This is a fantastic way to start our landmark three-year deal in Japan,” said Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith.

“Prizefighter was immensely popular with Boxing fans in years gone by – and they will love this new inception of the $1million series.

“With a $100k knockout prize pot per event, the fighters will be going all out. It promises to be a thrilling spectacle, filled with tough 50-50 fights, that will capture attention around the world.“

“We are truly excited to be a part of this historic moment, bringing world-class boxing to Japan in collaboration with Matchroom and NSN,” said Rakuten Ticket, Inc. President Joe Umemot. “This partnership reflects Rakuten’s commitment to diversifying the sporting landscape in the country. The $1 million Prizefighter series, featuring top middleweight contenders, will undoubtedly captivate fans not only in Japan but globally. 

“Our collaboration underscores Rakuten’s dedication to supporting and promoting diverse and thrilling sports events. Get ready for an unforgettable experience on March 31 as we witness boxing history being made at the Nagoya Congress Center.”

“This marks a groundbreaking moment as Matchroom introduces top-tier boxing to Japan for the first time,” said President and founder of NSN, Joel Borràs. “This one-of-a-kind event, featuring a $1million prize, will showcase the best Middleweights and captivate fans worldwide. 

“We’re thrilled to bring this historic spectacle to Japan. Matchroom’s global influence in promoting boxing adds immense significance to this occasion. Don’t miss the chance to witness history in the making, as fighters secure their legacies with this unprecedented million-dollar prize.”

The original and popular Prizefighter series, staged between 2008 and 2015, acted as a launchpad to the elite stage for the likes of former winners Rocky Fielding, Gavin Rees, Terry Flanagan, Martin Murray, Lee Haskins, Jono Carroll, Mike Perez, Ovill McKenzie and Audley Harrison, who all competed at world title level following their respective successes.

Now a new crop of exciting talent takes the stage to fight it out for No.1 status in this reimagined format that will undoubtedly propel the winner towards the greatest prizes in the sport.