Kash Farooq is promising to bring something different to the table when he finally makes his highly anticipated Matchroom debut against Mexico’s Martin Tecuapetla at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday October 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all of its nine markets including the U.S.

The Pakistan-born Glasgow-based talent won the British Bantamweight Title in his home city in September 2018, blitzing Jamie Wilson inside the first three minutes to claim the prestigious Lord Lonsdale Challenge Belt.

Three successful defences followed before 24-year-old Farooq took on his toughest challenge yet in the form of fellow Scot Lee McGregor, losing a contentious split decision after a pulsating 12 rounder.

Despite suffering his first professional defeat, Farooq’s stock grew and he believes having the time off to reflect and work on improvements will leave him in good stead moving forward.

“I’ve kept myself active and busy during this period,” said Farooq. “Whether it’s running or doing circuits in a park, anything to keep myself active. I was hoping to box maybe three times this year but it’s just one of those things, I am just grateful to be back in the ring.

“Having the break off has helped me. I’ve come back fitter, stronger and healthier so it has been good. I have taken a step back and worked on a few things, slowing things down and working on punches and technique. When you have a fight date sometimes you forget about working on the other things which is what I’ve been able to do.”

Looking to get himself back in the picture for titles, Farooq is confident he is on the perfect platform to do so, and that the future of Scottish boxing will be bolstered with his eye-catching performance on the huge Usyk-Chisora bill.

“All I want to do is continue to improve,” added Farooq. “I’ve had great sparring in preparation for this fight. This is the next stage of my career, it’s time to go to the next level. I’m looking forward to making my Matchroom debut in this next chapter.

“Theres a good few Scottish fighters at the moment, all with good TV contracts, and I believe any of them could be topping a bill at The Hydro soon. I’m good friends with Hannah Rankin and I will be cheering her on this weekend. She came up the hard way like me without any amateur background, it’s a tough fight against Marshall but she is more than capable of winning it.

“I think everyone can expect a fan-friendly style with a lot of head movement. I’m bringing something different, that’s what people can expect!”

Farooq vs. Tecuapetla is part of a huge night of action topped by Oleksandr Usyk’s (17-0, 13 KOs) Heavyweight showdown with Derek Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs), Lee Selby (28-2, 9 KOs) and George Kambosos Jr (18-0, 10 KOs) meet in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Lightweight World Title, Heavyweight fan favourite Dave Allen (18-5-2, 15 KOs) returns against America’s KO artist Christopher Lovejoy (19-0, 19 KOs), Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on Glasgow’s Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Middleweight World Title, Belfast’s Tommy McCarthy (16-2, 8 KOs) meets Belgium’s Bilal Laggoune (25-1-2, 14 KOs) for the vacant European Cruiserweight Title and Amy Timlin (4-0) faces off with Carly Skelly (3-0) for the vacant Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title.

ORANGE, CA (October 26, 2020) – Thompson Boxing Promotions had some unforeseen changes occur to its next edition of 3.2.1 Boxing but will still feature three exciting-and-compelling bouts.

The free stream will air live on Sunday, November 1st, 2020, on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. 3.2.1. Boxing will take place at the Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, CA, and will start at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET.

Originally the main event was set to be Michael “The West Texas Warrior” Dutchover (14-1, 10 KOs), of Midland, TX, taking on Manuel “La Tormenta” Mendez (16-7-3, 11 KOs), but an outside of the ring accident has removed Mendez from the bout.

The new 8-round main event will be a battle of undefeated lightweights as Israel “Bad Ways” Mercado (8-0, 7 KOs), faces Mike Sanchez (6-0-1, 2 KOs), of Colton, Ca, in a bout in which someone’s “O” must go.

Mercado, who defeated Adrian Valdovinos (6-1-1, 5 KOs) in the Top Rank Summer Series, is looking to make a statement in this upcoming bout.

“I have worked my whole life to be showcased in a main event and now the opportunity is here,” said Mercado. “I have been training very hard and I am extremely focused on winning this bout and win impressively. As always, I’ll be gunning for a knockout. It’s go time!”

Sanchez, an undefeated southpaw, received a draw against Eric Mondragon (3-0-1, 2 KOs) in his last bout, but defeated Diego Elizondo, in Elizondo’s hometown of Reno, Nevada, last year.

“I am ready to let my hands go and put on a good show for Thompson Boxing,” said Sanchez. “People will talking about me after this fight. I haven’t had any easy fights and the road that I have been on has prepared me for my battle with Mercado.”

In the 6-round co-feature, welterweight Esteban “Stone Hands” Munoz (2-1, 2 KO), of San Bernardino, CA, takes on McArio DelCastillo (0-3), of Santa Monica, Ca.

Originally, Richard “Cool Breeze” Brewart Jr. (7-0, 3 KO) was set to face Louis Hernandez (8-0-1, 6 KOs), but Brewart was removed from the card due to an illness unrelated to COVID-19.

The opening bout will be a four-round super bantamweight fight as Szel Martinez (pro debut) will face Lazaro Vargas (pro debut) of Indio, CA, in a fight that promises to be explosive.

“Unforeseen events prevented us from having Michael on our main event, but we’re still putting together a solid card,” said promoter Ken Thompson. “Israel Mercado vs. Mike Sanchez promises to be and all-action battle, and the other two bouts will be great opportunities for the young fighters to showcase themselves.”

“We are ready for another installment of our 3.2.1 Boxing series,” said Alex Camponovo, Thompson Boxing’s general manager and creator of 3.2.1 Boxing. “We had to work hard to get this card put together, but we have a solid show with a tremendous main event. I expect everyone tuning in will be happy with the action inside the ring.”

Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer, while Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

3.2.1 Boxing is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3; and Makita, rule the outdoors.

For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #321Boxing and #ThompsonBoxing.

Please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

NEW YORK (October 26, 2020) – Ryan “Cowboy” Karl is determined to take full advantage of the opportunity in front of him as he prepares to battle unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event this Saturday, October 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“I’m not content just fighting for a title, I’ll be happy when I win the title,” said Karl. “This is everything that I’ve been working my whole life for. This moment is a huge opportunity for me. A lot of fighters never get this chance.”

The Milano, Texas native enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak, with all of those victories coming by stoppage. This run has come after Karl’s two losses came in a span of four fights from 2017 to 2018, an experience that provided valuable lessons for the 28-year-old.

“I learned to listen better to my corner,” said Karl. “I also learned to not take fights when you’re injured and not fully healed, as well as to not overlook people. I thought that I was so good that I could beat a good fighter when I was less than 100%. So, I’ve learned to not take my health for granted and that you have to be healthy enough to spar and prepare the right way.”

Karl’s winning streak was kicked off by him avenging one of his losses, as he scored a fifth-round knockout over Kevin Watts after suffering that same result in their first matchup. Most recently, Karl triumphed over Bergman Aguilar last November.

“I’ve always believed that I’d be a world champion,” said Karl. “We’ve had setbacks with injuries and other obstacles, but I’ve never doubted myself or thought that I couldn’t do it. I’m lucky to have strong family support as well, which has helped me keep the faith.”

In Karl’s corner is his longtime coach, the renowned Ronnie Shields, who has guided Karl throughout his pro career and during this training camp in the midst of a pandemic. Karl has been sparring with unbeaten Kent Cruz in preparation and has also been buoyed by being able to still be with his family during camp.

“Training camp is going great and we’re very happy with our progress,” said Karl. “It’s definitely different with my coaches wearing masks in the gym and being as cautious as we can be. But the fact that I’m still able to see my wife and my sons is great. My oldest son Jace is six and he’s doing online learning from home at the moment. And then I have a one-year-old son named Jack as well. So it’s great to be around them and my wife who’s due to have our daughter in December.

Karl and San Antonio’s Barrios are very familiar with each other dating back to their days competing in the same amateur tournaments in Texas. Despite their proximity, it was only in recent years, as Barrios moved up in weight, that Karl began to see him as a possible future opponent.

“Early on I didn’t think we’d ever fight because he was so small, but then I saw that he was moving up and I started thinking that he was tall enough that we might see him down the road,” said Karl. “I didn’t know him very well in the amateurs because he was a lot younger than me. Around the time that I turned pro I was 22 and Mario was only 18 then. He was just a lot smaller and younger than me.

“Mario has done a great job as a pro. His managers have built him up and gotten the right fights for him, fighting a lot of smaller guys. He has good power and he’s a good boxer. He does a lot of things well. I think that I’ll be his biggest opponent to date, but he’s handled his previous opponents well so far.”

The “Cowboy” has become known for his come forward style, one that he believes will create a memorable fight for the fans and end with him amongst the sport’s 140-pound elite on October 31.

“I’m not the type of fighter to go in there and wait a bunch of rounds to come on,” said Karl. “Everybody knows that I like to fight. I’m anticipating an exciting, competitive fight. This one definitely won’t be boring. I expect us to throw lots of punches and I’m in great shape, so that plays to my strengths.

“A win against Barrios puts me right there at the top with Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez. So hopefully this will get me a chance at them and revitalize my career for the biggest and best fights.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heráldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

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

NEW YORK (OCTOBER 26, 2020)– This past Friday night, Split-T Management’s Diego Pacheco remained undefeated by knocking out Juan Antonio Mendez in round two of a scheduled six-round super middleweight fight in Mexico City.

In round two, Pacheco dropped Mendez with a sweet uppercut and the fight was stopped immediately at 2:02,

Pacheco, 167.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Mendez, 164.9 lbs of Mexico City is 12-3-2.

On the same card that was streamed live on DAZN, junior lightweight Otha Jones III fought to a disputed split-draw with undefeated Kevin Montiel.

Each fighter won a scorecard 58-56, while a 3rd card read even at 57-57.

Jones, who was a 21-time amateur National Champion, continues to show the willingness to fight take on top competition, and took on the undefeated Montiel as an opponent on just two days notice.

Jones, 130 lbs of Toledo, OH is 5-0-1. Montiel, 130 lbs of Mexico is 6-0-1.

Both Pacheco and Jones are promoted by Matchroom Boxing.

Los Angeles, CA (October 26, 2020) Undefeated Knockout Artist Serhii ‘El Flaco’ Bohachuk, (18-0, 18 KOs), fighting on Friday, September 25 posted huge viewership numbers defending his WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Title on Grupo SIPSE TV with his sixth round knockout of Alejandro Davila, (21-2-2, 8 KOs), broadcast from the network’s studios ‘behind closed doors’ in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Said Mario Abraham of local promoter Max Boxing, “Bohachuk vs. Davila garnered one of the highest rated shows in the history of Grupo SIPSE TV. We are very happy with this high rating and look forward to Bohachuk coming back in the future.”

Bohachuk is promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and Ural Boxing Promotions in addition to being trained by the renowned Manny Robles at his Legends Boxing Academy in Norwalk, CA.  The super welterweight power puncher is rated #8 by the IBF and #9 by the WBC.

“Serhii was very busy before the fight doing a wealth of publicity, particularly with the Mexican press. Fight fans in Mexico were very excited to see him fight and he entertained them with a dominant performance, stopping Davila in the sixth round,” said Tom Loeffler of 360 Promotions. “We look forward to Serhii fighting again soon and bringing him back to Mexico in the future.”

New York, NY (10/26/20) – The IMPACT Network, in conjunction with SMH Group, will present IMPACT Championship Boxing brought to you by T&K Boxing Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, featuring an exciting women’s world title fight between Kali Reis and Kandi Wyatt. The event takes place on Friday, November 6, from the St. Petersburg Clearwater Marriott, in St. Petersburg, FL, and will premiere on IMPACT Network, Saturday, November 7, at 10:30pm ET.

In the main event, Kali “KO Mequinonoag” Reis (16-7-1, 5 KOs), of Providence, RI, will meet Kandi “Krush” Wyatt (10-1, 3 KOs), of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in a 10-round clash with the vacant WBA world female super lightweight title on the line. The winner of this high stakes battle could be in line for unification matches against IBF champion Mary McGee or WBO champion Christina Linardatou.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with T&K Boxing Promotions and Steven Marcano to bring an exciting night of championship boxing to IMPACT Network’s wide-ranging audience,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Former world champion Kali Reis will take on highly skilled Canadian Kandi Wyatt for a vacant super lightweight world title and heavyweight slugger Elvis Garcia collides with Dell Long. Boxing fans will also get to see a pair of rising stars in action, including unbeaten Puerto Rican lightweight contender Victor Padilla and Sin City heavyweight Jeremiah Milton. The Reis-Wyatt title fight joins a string of significant female championship fights worldwide. I’m thrilled to have found a home for it on IMPACT Network.”

“We are pleased to be back on November 6 for the live event, which will air November 7, at 10:30pm ET, to IMPACT’s 90 million homes via basic cable,” stated Steven Marcano, of the SMH Group, the programming partner with Impact Media Group. “After discussing with the IMPACT executive team, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Royal Jackson and Terry Arnold, we all agreed that we wanted to work with Lou DiBella, who is now a Hall-of-Famer, and he’s brought us a terrific event featuring a female world title fight worthy of IMPACT Network. We were supposed to do another event with Lou earlier this year, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19. IMPACT plans to have a 24-show calendar for 2021 and plans many more shows with DiBella Entertainment. IMPACT Boxing is also excited to welcome boxing great Antonio Tarver, who will call the action from ringside, along with Curran Bhatia and ringside reporter and boxing insider Zach Hirsch.”

“T&K Boxing Promotions is happy to announce that we are working together with DiBella Entertainment on our November 6 event, known locally as ‘All or Nothing’, and we are thrilled that it will be broadcast on IMPACT Network,” said Jesus Escalera, President of T&K Boxing Promotions. “We were all set to present a great show featuring local talent and then Lou DiBella approached us with an opportunity to televise it. Lou also provided us with a tremendous women’s world championship main event, along with other up-and-coming prospects for the undercard. It will be a special night for us, as it is part of the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame’s induction weekend. The Class of 2020 will be in attendance.”

Reis is a former WBC middleweight world champion. Her nickname, “KO Mequinonoag”, which means “many feathers, many talents”, represents her Native American heritage, of which she is part Cherokee, Nipmuc, and Seaconke Wampanoag. In one of women’s boxing’s biggest events, Reis challenged then-undisputed welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus in 2018. It was the first women’s bout telecast by HBO World Championship Boxing in its 45-year history. Remarkably, the fight averaged 904,000 viewers, the second highest rating by the network for boxing during that year. Reis has rebounded with three wins in a row.

Wyatt, promoted by Michael Short’s Dekada Promotions, is a former world title challenger, having faced Linardatou for the WBO world female super lightweight title in March 2019. She was a highly accomplished amateur, before her 2014 pro debut, becoming a 10-time Provincial champion, six-time National champion and four-time Ringside World Tournament champion.

Rising lightweight Victor Padilla (8-0, 7 KOs) will be featured in a six-round bout. Trained by Rashiem Jefferson and managed by Carlos Rosario, the heavy-handed Padilla has stopped six of his opponents inside the opening round. Born in Puerto Rico, now living in Berlin, NJ, Padilla turned professional in December 2016, following a stellar amateur career that included three National championships, ending with a record of 90-7.

Elvis Garcia (8-0, 5 KOs) will clash with Dell Long (7-6-2, 4 KOs), of Artie, WV, in an attractive six-round heavyweight bout. Born in Mexico, now living in Indio, CA, trained by Joel Diaz, Garcia returns to the ring following a victory against Hugo Trujillo. He also recently gained invaluable experience working as the “secret weapon sparring partner” that promoter Eddie Hearn referred to with regard to Anthony Joshua’s preparation for his rematch against Andy Ruiz last year. Prior to turning pro, Garcia was an outstanding amateur with a record of 85-10, 42 KOs. After winning gold at the Washington State Golden Gloves, as well as a silver and two bronze medals at USA National Tournaments, Garcia moved to Tijuana, Mexico, where he won the Mexican National Championships and the Mexican Golden Gloves Tournament twice. Long is coming off of an unexpected upset win against Don Haynesworth (16-4-1) on August 29, and he also owns a knockout victory against 13-1 Travis Clark.

Heavyweight prospect Jeremiah Milton (1-0, 1 KO), originally from Tulsa, OK, now based in Las Vegas, NV, will compete in a four-round bout against Robert Brothers, of Titusville, FL. Milton’s pro debut on August 20 lasted just 75 seconds, ending with a knockout of Dennis Vance Jr. As an amateur, Milton was a super heavyweight silver medalist at the 2019 US Olympic Trials. In preparation for his pro debut, Milton sparred with Luis Ortiz, Joe Joyce and Guido Vianello.

UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov says he wants to see former Undisputed Cruiserweight World Champion Oleksandr Usyk take on WBC Heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury.

Dana White hailed Russia’s Nurmagomedov as the ‘GOAT’ and pound-for-pound best after he sensationally retired following his second-round stoppage of Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi.

The undefeated Lightweight World Champion is a long-time fan of boxing, and was even spotted ringside for Anthony Joshua’s huge rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia last year, but it is Ukraine’s Usyk he wants to see share the ring with ‘The Gypsy King’, not ‘AJ’.

When asked for his assessment of the sport, prior to Vasiliy Lomachenko’s loss to Teofimo Lopez in Las Vegas, Khabib told reporters: “Right now, I think three guys. Oleksandr Usyk, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Canelo Alvarez.

“Oh sorry, Tyson Fury too. Four guys. It’s very hard [to decide] who is the best.

“I really want to see Usyk vs Fury. It’s gonna be a very good fight. He [Usyk] has very good skill and technique, Tyson Fury too.

“He is not like other Heavyweights, more technique, his footwork is very good, his conditioning is very good, I really wanna watch Usyk against Fury.”

Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) sits as WBO Mandatory Challenger to Joshua, but must first deal with an in-form Derek Chisora at The SSE Arena Wembley on Saturday, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in all of its nine markets including the U.S.

Usyk vs. Chisora tops a huge night of action, Lee Selby (28-2, 9 KOs) and George Kambosos Jr (18-0, 10 KOs) meet in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Lightweight World Title, Heavyweight fan favourite Dave Allen (18-5-2, 15 KOs) returns against America’s KO artist Christopher Lovejoy (19-0, 19 KOs), Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on Glasgow’s Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Middleweight World Title, Belfast’s Tommy McCarthy (16-2, 8 KOs) meets Belgium’s Bilal Laggoune (25-1-2, 14 KOs) for the vacant European Cruiserweight Title and Amy Timlin (4-0) faces off with Carly Skelly (3-0) for the vacant Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title.

Tommy McCarthy believes that winning the EBU European Cruiserweight Title against Bilal Laggoune at The SSE Arena, Wembley this Saturday October 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office and onDAZN in all of its nine markets including the US, will put him him in line for a dream World Title shot. 

The Belfast man (16-2, 8 KOs) edged past Italy’s Fabio Turchi last October to land the WBC International Cruiserweight Title on away soil and believes his European Title shot against Belgium’s Laggoune has come at the perfect time. 

“I’ve been training for a long time and I’ve had a great camp,” said McCarthy. “We’ve had good notice for this fight. I feel like he’s made for me. To win this belt will open even more doors for me. The WBC Title opened doors; this will put me in the rankings with all of the governing bodies. Anyone who has come before me and won the EBU Title has usually gone on to fight for a World Title after. I’m looking at this as a World Title eliminator. 

“This will probably be the biggest show of the year. It’s live on pay-per-view and topped by two massive names in Oleksandr Uyk and Derek Chisora. For me the plan is to shine on this show, all eyes will be on me. It will boost my profile and I could become a household name within boxing. It will catapult me to stardom.”

McCarthy’s career took a huge blow in March 2019 when he was stopped in four rounds by Walworth’s big-punching British Cruiserweight Champion Richard Riakporhe at the East of England Arena in Peterborough, but the 29-year-old believes that loss was the making of him as a fighter. 

“Even when I was at the bottom, I always knew it would turn good because I have the talent,” said McCarthy. “I had a terrible loss, an embarrassing loss, and I had to pick myself up from being at an all-time low. After I sat down and did some soul-searching, I phoned Mark my manager and I said, ‘look, that’s never happening again, so let’s get a fight as soon as possible’.

“It doesn’t feel surreal or anything because I always had faith that it was going to end up this way. I believe that everything happens for a reason. When I was a kid I wanted to become Ireland’s first black World Champion. My main life-long goal is to become a World Champion. If the history comes with it, it just makes it sweeter.”

McCarthy vs. Laggoune is part of a huge night of action topped by Oleksandr Usyk’s (17-0, 13 KOs) Heavyweight showdown with Derek Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs), Lee Selby (28-2, 9 KOs) and George Kambosos Jr (18-0, 10 KOs) meet in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Lightweight World Title, Heavyweight fan favourite Dave Allen (18-5-2, 15 KOs) returns against America’s KO artist Christopher Lovejoy (19-0, 19 KOs), Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on Glasgow’s Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Middleweight World Title, Kash Farooq (13-1, 6 KOs) makes his Matchroom debut against Martin Tecuapetla (15-2-4, 10 KOs) and Amy Timlin (4-0) faces off with Carly Skelly (3-0) for the vacant Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title.

(October 26, 2020) — November’s most anticipated fight now has an exclusive UK broadcast home.
 
Premier Sports and Top Rank have announced that pound-for-pound king Terence “Bud” Crawford’s WBO welterweight world title defense against Sheffield’s Kell Brook — Saturday, November 14 in the United States — will air live on Premier Sports 1, with coverage starting at 12.30 a.m. Sunday morning.
 
The Crawford-Brook telecast will also include the highly anticipated rematch between WBA super flyweight world champion Joshua Franco and former world champion Andrew Moloney. Franco upset Moloney via unanimous decision June 23 to capture the world title.
 
Premier Sports 1 is available in HD via Sky (412 & 429), Virgin TV (551 & 552) and online via the Premier Player available on app and desktop. New subscribers to Premier Sports can easily sign up via the website – www.premiersports.com.
 
Richard Sweeney, CEO of Premier Sports said, “We are delighted to partner with Top Rank and broadcast this massively anticipated fight next month. There is huge interest in this event from fans in the UK, and we’re pleased to make it live and exclusive to Premier Sports customers.”
 
Brook said,“I am delighted to announce that my fans across the UK will be able to watch me fight Terence Crawford for the welterweight world title LIVE on Premier Sports.
 
“It’s bonfire season, and I’m going to be bringing the fireworks, so make sure you subscribe and tune in to watch me become two-time world champion, baby!”
 
Added Bob Arum, Top Rank Chairman, “I commend Premier Sports for stepping up to broadcast Crawford-Brook. Terence is a generational talent, and I strongly believe Kell has the skills to give him a tremendous challenge. The UK boxing fans deserved an outlet to watch this fight, and thanks to Premier Sports, they will have an opportunity to do so.”
 
About Premier Sports
Formed in 2009, Premier Sports is currently broadcasting in the UK and Republic of Ireland with live and exclusive rights to the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Guinness PRO14, Scottish Cup and Betfred Cup, GAA, NHL, NASCAR and also operate BoxNation, a dedicated boxing channel. Many of these rights are available in both territories with some exclusive to each region.

Sergey Lipinets and Custio Clayton battled to a 12-round majority draw in an IBF Interim Welterweight World title bout at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The fight was a close battle that saw Lipinets try to press the action, while Clayton countered effectively by showing a strong jab and counter attack. Clayton showed his mettle in the later rounds and he threw and landed more punches.

Lipinets landed 175 of 610 punches; Clayton was 247 of 687.

In the end, Clayton won a card 115-113, while two cards were even at 114-114.

Lipinets, 147 lbs of Kazakhstan is 16-1-1. Clayton, 147 lbs of Dartmouth, CAN is 18-0-1.

Sergey Lipinets

“I thought I won the fight, but Clayton is a good fighter. He was stronger than I thought he’d be. I haven’t fought in a year and it shows. I need to get my rhythm back in a couple of fights before I face the top level fighters.

“For the interim title, I’ll be ready for a rematch with Clayton.

“The guy didn’t do anything and he was running. I threw more punches and I connected on more punches.”

Custio Clayton

“I thought I did enough to win the fight. It was a close fight, but I landed the cleaner shots.

“At the end of the day, you can’t knock the judges’ decision, but I thought that I landed the cleaner shots and won. He came forward a lot, but he wasn’t landing as much. I probably could have pushed more a little earlier, but at the same time, I knew he was strong. I thought I stayed patient and poised. I could have put combinations together quicker, but overall I thought I fought a smart fight and pulled it off.

“I showed the world that I’m not just a guy from Canada. I proved I’m a good fighter. People will have to respect me a little bit more. If Lipinets wants the rematch for the interim title, we should be able to make that happen.”

Martinez survives Two Knockdowns; Decisions Marrero

Xavier Martinez was able to withstand two knockdowns, and win a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Claudio Marrero in a super featherweight bout.

Martinez controlled the 1st seven-plus rounds.

In round eight, Marrero dropped Martinez with a short right hook. Seconds later, it was a hard flurry of about six punches that put Martinez down for a 2nd time. A mouse started to form under the right eye of Marrero. In round 10, Marrero began to swell around his right eye.

Martinez landed 128 of 579 punches; Marrero was 161 of 625

Martinez was able to bank enough rounds down the stretch, and win by scores of 115-111 and 114-112 twice.

Martinez, 130 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 16-0. Marrero, 130.75 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 24-5.

Xavier Martínez 

“To be honest, it was weird when I got knocked down. I just said, ‘Let’s get back up.’ Losing wasn’t on my mind. I just thought I have to get up. I’m not happy I went down but it’s all an experience. A lot of guys wouldn’t have fought Claudio. He was tough. But I rose to the occasion and I proved something to myself.

“Not every win is going to be pretty and a knockout, but if you can pull yourself out of tough situations it proves what type of fighter you are.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk. I told [trainer] Ray [Woods] I might hit this guy a couple of times and he might not drop. It’s all part of the experience.”

Claudio Marrero

“I feel like it was a bad decision. I don’t think the judges took into account all the hard work I did in the ring. I wouldn’t do anything different if I fought him again. I would fight the same way. I fought smart and I put pressure on him.

“He hits hard, but I recovered quickly. I felt like I won the fight.”

Matias Stops Hawkins in 7!!

Subriel Matias stopped previously undefeated Malik Hawkins in round seven of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.

Matias applied immense pressure throughout the fight that had Hawkins going back.

In round six, Matias landed a left hook to the head that sent Hawkins to a knee. The right eye of Hawkins started to swell and the fight was stopped one-second into round seven.

Matias, 139.5 lbs of Fajardo, PR is 16-1 with all 16 coming via stoppage. Hawkins, 140 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 18-1.

Subriel Matías

“The biggest difference between this fight and my last loss was the way I trained in the gym. I didn’t train as much as I should have (for the last fight). Malik didn’t have the power to hurt me. In the first round, I knew that. And that’s when I kept moving forward and starting hurting him in the body. And that’s what I kept doing, just going to the body.

“I’ll fight anyone. Whoever they put in front of me. I want a title eliminator, and then I want to fight for a world title.”

Malik Hawkins

“He was doing a bunch of dirty things in the fight. I’m not going to sit here and cry over spilled milk. He was the better man tonight. I’m back in the gym.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov proved once again his dominance by submitting top-ranked contender Justin Gaethje in round two to retain his UFC Lightweight title in Abu Dhabi.

After a fast-paced 1st round, Nurmagomedov scored a takedown and applied a triangle choke that made Gaethje tap at 1:34 of round two.

Nurmagomedov, 155 lbs of Dagostan, RUS is 29-0 with 12 submission wins. Gaethje, 155 lbs of Denver, CO is 22-3.

After the fight, Khabib announced his retirement

Whittaker Decisions Cannonier

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker may have solidified another title shot with a unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier.

Whittaker sealed up the fight by landing a big shot that hurt and dropped Cannonier. Cannonier was adept with leg kicks, while Whittaker landed more strikes to the tune of 74-46 with one knockout.

Whittaker, 186 lbs of Sydney, AUS won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 23-5. Cannonier, 185 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 13-5.

Volkoff stops Harris in 2

Alexander Volkoff stopped Walt Harris in the 2nd round of their heavyweight fight.

Volkoff landed a kick to the stomach the hurt Harris. Volkoff followed up with some hard punches on the injured Harris and the bout was stopped at 1:15.

Volkoff, 265 lbs of Moscow, RUS is 32-8 with 21 knockouts. Harris, 254 lbs of Birmingham, AL is 13-9-1.

Hawes Destroys Malkoun in 18 Seconds

Phil Hawes destroyed Jacob Malkoun in 18 seconds of their middleweight bout.

Hawes landed a huge right that rocked and hurt Malkoun. Hawes landed three more punches as Malkoun fell to the canvas, and the fight was stopped as Hawes landed another shot on the ground.

Hawes, 186 lbs of North Bergen, NJ is 9-2 with seven knockouts. Malkoun, 186 lbs of Sydney, AUS is 4-1.

Murphy submits Shakirova in 2

Lauren Murphy chokes out Liliyan Shakirova in round two of their flyweight bout.

Murphy got a takedown in round two, and moments later got the back of Shakirova and applied a rear-naked choke that made Shakirova tap at 3:31.

Murphy, 126 lbs of Houston, TX 14-4 with her 1st submission. Shakirova, 126 lbs of Uzbekistan is 8-2.

Ankalaev stops Cutelaba in 1st in Rematch

Magomed Ankalaev knocked out Ion Cutelaba in the opening round of their light heavyweight bout.

Ankalaev knocked Cutelaba down with a huge left. Ankalaev landed nine flush Ground and Pound Strikes and the bout was called at 4:19.

Ankalaev, 205.5 lbs of Russia is 14-1 with nine knockouts, Cutelaba, 205.5 lbs of Moldova is 15-6-1.

Follow all the action LIVE as Khabib Nurmagomedov defends the UFC Lightweight Title against Justin Gaethje

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Round 1 Big right from Khabib..Counter from Gaethje..Jab from Khabib..Leg Kick from Gaethje..Right..Body kick from Khabib..Knee…Left….Body Kick..Body shot and left hook From Gaethje..Right over the top..Counter left,,Takedown by Khabib..Khabib has an armbar

Round 2 Leg Kick from Khabib..Left from Gaethje..Leg Kick..Takedown by Khabib…Triangle Choke…GAETHJE TAPS

Round 1 Leg kick by Whittaker..Leg Kick by Cannonier drops Whittaker..He gets up…Upper body kick by Whittaker..Nice Jab..2 kicks by Cannonier..Counter by Whittaker…Combination…High Kick..

Round 2 Double jab from Whittaker…Counter right from Cannonier..Swelling around right eye of Cannnier..Right..Straight for Whittaker..Double jab–right hand

Round 3 1-2 then a big kick rocks Cannonier…Cannonier is down…Taking shots on the ground…Body shot from Cannonier..Right hurts Whittaker..

Round 1 Body shot from Harris…Head punch..Straight from Volkoff..Jab..big Left…Right from Harris..Nice right..Right hurts Harris.

Round 2 Volkoff LANDS A KICK TO THE BODY..HE HIS HURT…VOLKOFF LANDS SOME SOLID SHOTS AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 HAWES LANDS A HUGE RIGHT THAT KNOCKS MALKOUN DOWN AND THE FIGHT IS OVER IN LESS THEN 20 SECONDS

Round 1 Shakirova lands a right..Spinning back fist..Good counter right from Murphy..Right from Shakirova…Elbows from Murphy..2 Kicks to the body from Shakirova

Round 2 Combination from Murphy..Takedown….Murphy gets the CHOKE AND SHAKIROVA TAPS

Round 1 Front Kick by Ankalaev..Right Hook..Over hand right by Cutelaba..Ankalaev lands a knee…STRAIGHT LEFT KNOCKS DOWN CUTELABA….HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES CUTELABA..9 HUGE GROUND AND POUND STRIKES AND FIGHT IS OVER

Dave Allen will fight Christopher Lovejoy on the undercard of the blockbuster Heavyweight clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Derek Chisora at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday October 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all of its nine markets including the U.S.

Fan favourite Allen was due to make his ring return against Christian Hammer before the German was forced out after testing positive for COVID-19 now meets undefeated Christopher Lovejoy whose 100% KO record from his 19 professional bouts see him ranked in the top 15 with the WBA.

2019 held mixed fortunes for Allen, who has now linked up with trainer Jamie Moore, with ‘The White Rhino’ looking to end Lovejoy’s unbeaten run in style.

“I’m looking forward to this fight with Chris,” said Allen. “He’s positioned 15th with the WBA and I’d love to take that World ranking. He’s a big, strong man and just look at his record – He’s done what’s been asked of him in those 19 fights. There’s not much footage of him, so I don’t know really know what I’m preparing for which adds to the intrigue but I’m going in there to do a number on him.”

“I finally made it here to the U.K!” said Lovejoy. “I’m here to shock the world and show what Chris Lovejoy is really about. Dave will end up number 20 on my record. I’ve travelled a long way so I just hope he shows up!”

“This is fascinating,” added promoter Eddie Hearn. “Here we have this giant in Christopher Lovejoy that has amassed 19 wins with 19 KOs against limited opposition and has somehow found himself in the world top 15. The truth is, he might be an absolute beast or he may get found out but for Dave Allen it’s a huge opportunity. There will be plenty of eyeballs on this fight and if Dave can get the win he will force himself into the World rankings and land a major fight in 2021. I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen but I’m excited to find out!”

Allen vs. Lovejoy lands of huge night of action which sees former Undisputed Cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk and Derek Chisora meet in a thrilling Heavyweight clash, Lee Selby and George KambososJr square off in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Lightweight World Title, Savannah Marshall and Hannah Rankin collide for the WBO Middleweight crown, Belfast’s Tommy McCarthy fights Belgium’s Bilal Laggoune for the European Cruiserweight Title and Amy Timlin faces off with Carly Skelly for the Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title.

Belmar Preciado knocked out Roldolfo Hernandez in 19 seconds of their 10-round super bantamweight fight at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Preciado landed a left hook to the body that sent Hernandez down for the 10-count.

Preciado, 122 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 21-3-1 with 14 knockouts. Hernandez, 122 lbs is 30-10-1.

Otar Eranosyan stopped Emilano Martin Garcia in the 4th and final round of their lightweight bout.

In round two, Eranosyan dropped Garcia.

In round three, it was a right hand that put Garcia down for a 2nd time. In round four, Eranosyan scored a 3rd knockdown. The bout was finally stopped after Garcia ate another hard flurry at 1:34 of round four.

Eranosyan, 132 lbs is 3-0 with two knockouts. Garcia, 134 lbs is 16-6-1.

Bryan Polaco needed just 44 seconds to take out an overmatched Ryan Favela in a scheduled four-round super welterweight bout,

Polaco landed a hard 1-2 on Favela, who looked like he had very little experience in the ring.

Polaco, 154 lbs is 4-0 with with three knockouts. Favela, 154 lbs was making his pro debut,

Juan Francisco Estrada retained the WBC Super Flyweight title with an 11th round stoppage over Carlos Cuadras in a sensational fight that took place in Mexico City, Mexico.

The fight was a rematch of a contest that saw Estrada win a unanimous decision over Cuadras in 2017.

In round three, Cuadras landed a huge left hook that put Estrada down.

In round 10, Cuadras started to bleed over his right eye. In round 11, Estrada dropped Cuadras with a left hook. Later in the round, Cuadras was absorbing massive body shots, and then hit the deck from another flurry of punches. The two continued to bomb away at close quarters until the referee determined that Cuadras took too many blows at 2:22.

Estrada, 114.5 lbs of Sonora, MX will now most likely rematch Roman Gonzalez as his record is now 41-3 with 28 knockouts. Cuadras, 114.5 lbs of Sinaloa, MX is 39-4-1.

Chocolatito Decisions Israel Gonzalez; Retains Super Flyweight Title

Roman Gonzalez defended the WBA Super Flyweight title by pounding out a 12-round unanimous decision over Israel Gonzalez.

Roman Gonzalez was dominant as he got going in the 3rd round and never let up as he Israel had no answers to the volume punching of Chocolatito.

Roman Gonzalez, 114 lbs of Managua, NIC won by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 117-111 to raise his Hall of Fame mark to 50-2. Israel Gonzalez, 114 lbs of Los Cabos, MEX is 25-4.

Martinez stops Calleros in 2 To Retain Flyweight Title

Julio Cesar Martinez retained the WBC Flyweight title with a 2nd round beatdown of Moises Calleros.

In round one, Martinez dropped Calleros with a left hook. In round two, Martinez landed a barrage of punches that included several crushing shots to the jaw, and Calleros was stopped on the ropes at 2:42.

Martinez, 111 lbs of Mexico City is 17-1-1 with 13 knockouts. Calleros, who was a late replacement came in over the 112 lbs weight-limit at 117.4 lbs, and the Monterrey, Mexico native is 34-10-1.

Diego Pacheco remained undefeated by knocking out Juan Antonio Mendez in round two of a scheduled six-round super middleweight.

In round two, Pacheco dropped Mendez with a sweet uppercut and the fight was stopped immediately at 2:02,

Pacheco, 167.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Mendez, 164.9 lbs of Mexico City is 12-3-2.

Austin Williams stopped Esau Herrera in round five of a scheduled six-round middleweight bout.

Williams was in tough until he landed a hard left that rocked Herrera, and the fight was stopped at 1:36.

Williams, 160 lbs of Houston is now 6-0 with five knockouts. Herrera, 157.6 lbs of Mexico City is 19-12-1.

Otha Jones III and Kevin Montiel fought to a six-round split-draw in a super featherweight contest featuring undefeated fighters.

Scores were 58-56 each way an 57-57.

Jones, 130 lbs of Toledo, OH is 5-0-1. Montiel, 130 lbs of Mexico is 6-0-1.

Julio Cesar Martinez has set his sights on unification battles in 2021 before moving to Super-Flyweight as the WBC World Flyweight king meets Moises Calleros tonight at TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City, Mexico, live on DAZN.

Martinez (16-1 12 KOs) fights for the second time as WBC king following his first defense against Welshman Jay Harris in Dallas in February having won the vacant strap with a ninth round KO in a thrilling shootout with former champion Cristofer Rosales in December.

Calleros (33-9-1 17 KOs) failed to make weight for the battle so cannot win the strap, but Martinez is still looking to impress and reignite the momentum he had going following his World title wins.

The 25 year old is eyeing battles with IBF champion Moruti Mthalane and WBA ruler Artem Dalakian in unification battles but admits that the lure of big showdowns with tonight’s fellow World title defenders Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez could see him move to Super-Flyweight later in 2021.

“I would like to go up against Mthalane,” said Martinez. “There’s him, there’s Dalakian. Honestly, I will go up against anyone, anywhere. I’m ready to have my hand raised first thanks to God, because we’re going in with everything other than fear. We won’t disappoint, it will a great fight.

“I want to stay here a little while to get two or three more belts. But I want the biggest fights, so I’d want El Gallo Estrada and Chocolatito, big fights. But whatever comes. Maybe I have six more months and I’ll move up to Super-Flyweight before they run away from me.

“More than anything, I’m very happy and very excited to be fighting in my homeland. I’m just happy that, after my fight, I can go be with my family, with my wife, with my kids. 

“I spent my whole training camp at the Centro Ceremonial Otomi. I’ve always said that I prepare with everything other than fear. I don’t train at 100 per cent. I train at 1000 per cent with my training Mauricio Aceves. We fight with whoever, wherever and we always give 100 per cent.

“We’re really happy that Eddy Reynoso and the rest of the guys have accepted us into that group. In that stable you have guys like Canelo, Andy Ruiz Jr, Ryan Garcia, Oscar Valdez ‘El Pantera’ Luiz Nery, they’re really all great friends. It’s really great motivation, anything is possible and we’re going into this fight with everything and for the fights to come, thank God.

“It’s a really good fight tonight. He’s a guy that moves a lot and who brings it all in the ring. But we know we’re also going to leave it all in the ring. And like I always say against whomever and wherever, we always give it our all.”

Martinez’s clash with Calleros is part of a huge fight night in Mexico City, topped by a triple header of mouthwatering World title action.

Juan Francisco Estrada (40-3 27 KOs) defends his WBC World Super-Flyweight title in a rematch with Carlos Cuadras (39-3-1 27 KOs) and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (49-2 41 KOs) defends his WBA World Super-Flyweight strap against Israel Gonzalez (25-3 11 KOs) – with Estrada and Chocolatito on a collision course for a rematch should they both emerge victorious.

Three of Eddie Hearn’s young tyros make their return to action on the bill, with Diego Pacheco (9-0 7 KOs) boxing for the tenth time in the paid ranks, Austin Williams (5-0 4 KOs) making a second foray outside the States in his sixth pro fight and Otha Jones III (5-0 2 KOs) also boxing for the sixth time as a pro.