NEW YORK – October 13, 2020 – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) undercard previewed their respective showdowns during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they meet in the ring on Saturday, October 31 from the Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The event featured unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl, who meet in the co-main event, plus former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez, who square off in in a 10-round showdown, and lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno, who battle in an IBF title eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

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

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I’m super amped for this type of fight. Ryan and I have known each other forever and we know the style that the other person will bring to the ring. For the fans at Alamodome and watching on pay-per-view, they’re in for a great fight.

“I couldn’t be happier to be in one of the first fights with a crowd since the pandemic. Having my first defense be in my hometown of San Antonio is huge. The feedback I’ve been getting so far from my fans has been incredible. Onfight night that we’ll both have our fan bases there for an exceptional night of boxing.

“I know that come fight night I’ll be facing the best version of Ryan Karl that we’ve seen. He’s training the same way and expecting that from me. So it’s going to be an action-packed fight and the fans will not be disappointed.

“I don’t feel any pressure fighting at home. Every time I fight at home, the energy has been unreal. If anything, it’s more motivating.

“We’ve watched my fight against Batyr Akhmedov a couple times. I’m a warrior and I showed that in the fight. We made all the changes we needed to in this camp and I’m going to show them on October 31.

“I’m very proud of the Akhmedov fight. Every great fighter has had close fights like that. It was a learning experience.

“I know the route that Karl has had throughout his career and I know he’s taking this opportunity and coming 100% ready. I’m planning to keep the world title in San Antonio, so it’s going to be a great battle.”

RYAN KARL

“This fight is going to be a big deal. It’s really surreal, to an extent. We’re very excited and working really hard and putting in the work. It couldn’t be better that it is taking place in Texas with fans. It’s going to be a big Texas showdown.

“I’ve definitely evolved as a fighter. I’ve trained harder than I ever have before. Ronnie [Shields] has talked to me about staying calm and getting ready for the moment and what it means to be in a world title fight. It’s about just staying focused and handling business. We have to remember we are there for business and nothing else. This is no pleasure but all work, no play. And he’s keeping me focused on those things and getting me in the best shape of my life.

“I’ve known Mario forever so as far as knowing each other and styles, we’re familiar. But we’ve never been in the ring with each other so we are really just guessing what we are going to do in there. As far as how we’ll come out and fight, we really won’t know until we are in there with each other.

“I expect it to be a fan-friendly fight. A true Texas fight. As far as how it’s going to play out, I really don’t know. People make adjustments in the ring. I expect us both to come to win and do so at all costs and just make it a very, very fan-friendly fight.

“I don’t really feel any pressure for this fight at all. It really doesn’t make any difference to me that we are fighting in San Antonio, or not. It’s nice to be fighting in Texas because I’m a Texan and I’d like to fight here and never have to leave. But I don’t feel any pressure at all. I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. There’s nobody else in the ring but me and him so it doesn’t really matter in the end.”

REGIS PROGRAIS

“I’m very excited for my first fight as part of the PBC stable. I’ve been wanting to come over to this side for a long time and it’s finally happening. When something bad happens, something good usually happens off of that so this is perfect. I’m in Katy, Texas, which is a two-hour drive from San Antonio, is a big fight town. Plus, this is the first fight back where we’re having fans. Everything is working out perfectly and I’m so excited to be on such a big card and to get back in the ring.

“I still feel like I’m the best in the world at 140 pounds. In the Josh Taylor fight, I went over there to England, fought in front of over 20,000 people who were all against me and I still feel like I won the fight. I won’t say they robbed me because that’s not what happened, but I still feel like I won the fight. I feel like I’m the best in the division and I need to keep proving it. This is another step for me.

“My next move depends on what’s offered to me. But first off, I have a tough fight in front of me. I’m focused on Juan Heraldez. There are a lot of things on the table for me after this, but I have to get past him first. I do yearn to be a champion at 140 pounds again before I move up to welterweight. That is the plan. But the landscape of boxing changes so much that it’s so hard to predict. You never know what’s going to happen.

“There are a lot of people out there right now for me to fight. Adrien Broner, Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez. Me and Josh Taylor are definitely going to fight each other again. No matter what, we have to fight. The fight was too close and it was too much of a big deal out there in the U.K. for that not to happen again. I definitely want to fight Ramirez. I feel like he’s ducked me for a little while. And the Broner fight could definitely be a huge fight. All of those names are who I’m looking for. But it’s one step at a time and it’s Juan Heraldez next.

“The Taylor fight definitely showed me that there are things I need to improve on. Going into that fight, I questioned myself if I could fight 12 hard rounds. I had only gone 12 rounds against Terry Flanagan but that was a boxing lesson, not 12 hard rounds. I fought 12 hard, hard rounds against Taylor so it was kind of a question in my head before that. Now I know that I can do it. Josh Taylor is a very big puncher and I took his punches like it was nothing. As far as things I need to work on, I guess we’ll see. But I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been in training camp since before the pandemic started. I had a lot of fights that didn’t happen so I’ve been working that whole time, working on different things and busting my ass. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get to the top spot at 140 pounds.”

JUAN HERALDEZ

“In my last fight against Argenis Mendez I learned that I have to really control of the fight. I can’t let there be 50-50 rounds and leave it in the judges’ hands. I have to take as much control as I can over the fight.

“On paper Prograis has a good resume, but when it comes to skills in the ring, it’s a totally different thing. People can say what they want, but skills pay the bills.

“I’ve only watched a couple of rounds against Josh Taylor because that was a fight against a southpaw. I don’t think I can take much from that. I’m a totally different fighter.

“I just believe in my skills and ability. Whether it’s my footwork, speed or overall ability, I don’t believe that he does anything better than me. He had his time at the top of the division, but now it’s my time. It’s my time to shine.

“After this fight I think the whole division is going to fear me. I think it’s going to be hard to find me a fight after I’m through with Regis.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“[Magdaleno] is definitely a good fighter and has a lot of experience, but me and my team are ready to take advantage of the experience we have and to use it for our purposes to be able to prevail in this fight.

“The fact that this will be the first big fight with fans in the stands in the United States just fills me with happiness. It motivates me even more to do my best at the Alamodome on October 31.

“The Mexican fans know what I’m all about. We will now head over to the United States and show the American fans what Isaac Cruz is capable of. I know I can be a contender with the likes of Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and [Vasiliy] Lomachenko and show people that there is another Mexican fighter that can be a contender and make noise in this division.

“I’m prepared for his experience. It’s going to be a great fight from the start, but as the rounds go on, he will start to realize the fighter I am and the power that I’m capable of.”

DIEGO MAGDALENO

“This is my second fight with my trainer, Bones Adams. It’s a family affair. Boxing is family to me. Going into every fight, being a mature old man that they are calling me nowadays, it feels good because I know where my priorities are. My last win over Austin Dulay was huge because my last team that I had was pretty much saying that I was old, that I was washed up and done. I didn’t like that idea. I went back and rejuvenated my whole team. Rejuvenation over here is Bones Adams.

“You’re never too old to get better and we’re here to serve beatdowns to the young guys. My last opponent was 24 years old coming over to face an old man, and I proved the world wrong. Now everybody is believing again in ‘2FUEGO’. I’m going to start this show off with some fire. They have me opening the show on a stacked card and I’m going to get in there and give it my all.

“I’m surrounded by people who want me to progress. If I believe in myself, I want my team to believe in me and I felt that my old team didn’t believe in me. That’s why you saw what happened in that Teofimo Lopez fight. I’ve learned from my mistakes and moving forward I have positive gym vibes. I have a great coach who has been in the ring with me and knows me personally. I definitely made a huge change and look what I did against Dulay, a guy with vicious knockout power. Numbers and strategies can say one thing, but at the end of the day, when we get in the ring, it’s up to me to prove everyone wrong like I did in my last fight.

“I will be the first fight back with a crowd and I think that favors me. I fight off other people’s energy and you guys will all see that on October 31.”

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 Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

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/.

The biggest boxing event of the fall airs live on ESPN, this Saturday, October 17 when WBC Franchise/WBA/WBO world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF kingpin Teofimo Lopez, clash in a lightweight unification showdown live from the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  Live coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action on ESPN, ESPN Deportes (in Spanish) and ESPN+ (English and Spanish).  

The 10-round junior welterweight co-main features former world title challenger Alex Saucedo against unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza Jr. In the eight-round ESPN-televised opener, super middleweight knockout sensation Edgar Berlanga tests his perfect record against veteran Lanell Bellows. Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) has won all 14 of his professional fights by first-round stoppage.  

Fight week and fight night programming will feature ESPN’s boxing commentator team, including veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore for ringside commentary, alongside former two-division world champion and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, and future Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley on the analysis. The onsite location desk team will feature ESPN’s boxing reporter Bernardo Osuna and ESPN’s boxing insider Mark Kriegel.   

Throughout fightweek, ESPN will present extensive coverage across multiple platforms.  Lead up coverage includes:  

• SportsCenter (Fri-Sat.): Joe Tessitore to host segments for ESPN’s flagship news and information program from Las Vegas.
• LIVE – Lomachenko vs. Lopez Final Press Conference:Wed at 8 p.m. ET, on ESPN2.
• LIVE – Lomachenko vs. Lopez Official Weigh-In:Fri at 5 p.m. ET. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
• Max on Boxing(Fri at 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2): ESPN’s boxing series hosted by Max Kellerman will air immediately following the weigh-in.
• Blood, Sweat and Tears: a two-part, behind-the-scenes look at the fighters’ camps will re-air across ESPN networks throughout the week. Full schedule.
• ESPN+ Fight Library:  ESPN+ offers fans the chance to get ready for Saturday’s showdown by looking back at a host of fights from both fighters, available on demand. The collection includes 10 fights from Lomachenko’s journey to Saturday, including his “No-Mas-Chenko” defeat of Nicholas Walters, his KO defeat of Anthony Crolla and his most recent victory over Luke Campbell, among others. Additionally, fans can watch Lopez’s 2019 victory over Masayoshi Nakatani, with his recent knockout defeats of Richard Commey, Edis Tatli, Diego Magdaleno and Mason Menard available later this week as well.  

ESPN.com

• The remarkable KO streak of super middleweight Edgar Berlanga
• How former UFC fighter Clay Collard became a boxing phenomenon in 2020
• What’s it like to fight Lomachenko? Former foes tell us about their time in the ring with the boxing icon
• Wednesday: How did we get here? A look at the timeline that’s led us to Lomachenko-Lopez
• Scouting report from Timothy Bradley on both fighters (streaming on ESPN+)
• Thursday: Ringside seat previewing the bout
• Friday: Expert Picks (streaming on ESPN+)
• Mark Kriegel on Lomachenko-Lopez and what’s a stake for both fighters

ESPNDeportes.com will feature pre-and-post fight features, videos, daily reports, stats, as well as real-time fight score and analysis.

As lead up to the fight, ESPN debuted a cinematic-styled promo featuring the track “Prizefighter” by Blame My Youth. 

Schedule of Live Lomachenko vs. Lopez Content on ESPN Platforms (HERE for full schedule for Lomachenko vs. Lopez) 

Main Card, Undercards and Early Undercards (All times ET)

LAS VEGAS (October 13, 2020) — If Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda lives up to his nickname this Saturday night (Oct. 17) in Las Vegas, the San Antonio fighter will derail the fast track Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas has been placed.

Vargas vs. Castaneda will be streamed live on ESPN+, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT start, in a 10-round, junior welterweight showdown taking place on the high-profile Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez title unification card in “The Bubble” at MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center.

“I’m stoked to be on one of the biggest cards of the year,” Castaneda said. “Lomachenko is one of my all-time favorites and it’s an honor fighting on his card.”

“We’d like to thank, Bob Arum, Top Rank, MGM Grand and ESPN for giving us this tremendous opportunity,” commented Castaneda’s promoter, Keith Veltre, CEO/co-founder of Roy Jones. Jr. Boxing Promotions. “Arum said Vargas can graduate to contender with a win over Castaneda, but Kendo is more than capable of upsetting a hot prospect like Vargas, and a victory will get him back on the right track. Remember, he was rated in the top 15 prior to his last two fights, and Vargas hasn’t fought anybody on the same level as Kendo.”

The 26-year-old Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs), a former North American Boxing Association (NABA) super lightweight champion, is coming off a pair of highly competitive losses against Jose Zepeda (31-2), by way of a 10-round unanimous loss, and a 10-round majority decision setback to Yomar Alamo (17-0-1) for the North American Boxing Organization super lightweight title.

Vargas (17-1, 9 KOs), a Puerto Rico native living in Brooklyn (NY), has been super hyped since he was an amateur, thus, his nickname, “The Prodigy.” The 22-year-old southpaw is riding an 11-fight win streak. His only loss was in 2016 to Samuel Santana, when Vargas was disqualified in the third round, following the advice of the ring physician, after Vargas hit Santana when the latter’s back was turned.

“I’ve heard nothing but great things about my opponent,” Castaneda added, “so I’m expecting a great challenge. It’s going to be a tremendous showdown, Puerto Rico versus Mexico.

“I have been training tremendously hard during this pandemic, keeping to myself and working heard with Regis Prograis at his camp in Houston.”

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com
Facebook: /KeithVeltre, /KendoTremendoCastaneda
Twitter: @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @KendoTremendo
Instagram:
@KeithVeltre, @KendoTremendo, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Conor Benn faces the toughest test of his career on Saturday November 21 when he clashes with former IBO Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Formella on the blockbuster Alexander Povetkin vs. Dillian Whyte 2 undercard, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK. 

Benn (16-0, 11 KOs) scored two big knockout wins in 2019, firstly obliterating Jussi Koivula with a brutal second-round stoppage in his first headline fight at York Hall in June, and then explosively knocking out Steve Jamoye in four rounds at The O2 in October. 

Formella (22-1, 10 KOs) went on a 22-fight winning streak, picking up the IBO Welterweight crown against Roberto Arriaza in January earlier this year, before taking two-time World Champion Shawn Porter the distance in hist first career defeat in August. 

“Formella is a world level operator,” said Benn. “His only loss came against two-time World Champion Shawn Porter. I know a win here will make a huge statement on the world scene. I feel the critics have a lot of unanswered questions and now I have the opportunity to answer them in a globally recognised fight. 

“From the outside this may look like a big step up but I have prepared extremely hard behind closed doors, working on my craft and climbing the ranks for a fight like this! It’s now time to carry the Benn name back to where it belongs and this will be another step closer to the top. Make no mistake, I’m going into this fight to destroy Formella, I want to win in true Benn style.”

“Conor is a strong undefeated man who likes to box at home,” said Formella. “This will not be an easy fight. But it makes me very proud to fight in the UK this year after my debut in the USA. Of course a fight with spectators would have been even better, but to box in the UK at all is great.

“I am looking forward to this challenge. We will have a good tactic to leave the ring as the winner. We will use the short time optimally.“

Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “This is a huge fight for Conor and a monumental step up. We saw Formella tough it out with Shawn Porter a few months ago and he didn’t stop trying for 12 rounds and showed a great chin and a lot of heart.

“I have to give Conor a lot of credit, although he has been inactive, he hasn’t left the gym and feels that after all he has learned, now is the time to take that big leap. This is the fight that can make him a genuine World level contender – it’s sink or swim time November 21!

Benn vs. Formella lands on the undercard of the blockbuster rematch between Alexander Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs).

Hearing reports that WBC and Lineal Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury is looking for a December 2020 opponent, Sweden’s IBF #14-ranked Otto Wallin (21-1, 14 KOs) says that he’s the rightful choice for a rematch against the “Gypsy King.”

Yesterday, Fury and his team stated they are moving on from the prospect of a trilogy fight with former champion Deontay Wilder and are looking for a late 2020 opponent. “Who better than Otto Wallin, who gave Fury the toughest fight of his life?” asks his promoter, Dmitriy Salita.

Wallin and Fury met in a savage slugfest in December 2019, where Wallin opened two gruesome cuts around Fury’s right eye so severe that many experts assert Fury was extremely lucky to have avoided a TKO loss. The pair went on to wage an extremely tense 12-round battle, where a blood-soaked Fury was forced to dig deep to rally in the later rounds to eke out a unanimous decision victory. Fury required close to 50 stitches and had to have a web mesh inserted surgically into the horrific wounds.

“I deserve a rematch based on my performance against Fury last year,” said Wallin, who had fought just one round in 18 months when he staged his near upset. “I did much better against Fury than Wilder did, better than anybody who has faced Fury and I’m ready to take Wilder’s place. I’ve been working very hard since last year and I believe I’ve improved with the experience from fighting Fury and with all the work I’ve put in since that fight.”

If Fury’s true goal is to establish him dominance over the rest of the division, granting Wallin a second go-around does make sense. Against Fury, in addition to goring the big Brit, Wallin landed 127 punches according to CompuBox. By way of comparison, Wladimir Klitschko landed just 52 punches against Fury and, in their two fights combined, Deontay Wilder landed just 105.

In shape and ready for battle, Wallin was last seen in August 2020, stopping respected veteran Travis Kauffman in five dominant rounds.

“Otto is en-route to being heavyweight champion of the world,” added Salita. “He gave Tyson Fury the hardest fight of his life by punches landed and damage administered inside the ring. Now with having fought in August he is ready to jump on this opportunity and prove he is the best in the world.”

ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YouTube Channel for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (Oct. 13, 2020) — Before he travels to Tokyo as a member of the 2021 Philippines Olympic boxing team, amateur middleweight standout and Manny Pacquiao’s newest addition, Eumir Felix Marcial, has decided to follow in his hero’s footsteps.  Marcial, who landed at LAX on Sunday, will set up his training camp for his professional debut at world-famous Freddie Roach’s Hollywood-based Wild Card Boxing Club, the same gym where Pacquiao trained for his greatest in-ring performances.  Inasmuch as professional fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics, Wild Card will serve as a “one-stop shop” for preparing for professional and Olympic glory.  Promoted by TGB Promotions, Marcial, 24, from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, is expected to make his pro debut in the U.S. within the next few months.

            “It is an honor to work with the same trainer as my idol Senator Manny Pacquiao.  I consider Manny my mentor,” said Marcial.  “Every young fighter knows about Freddie Roach and his gym.  Wild Card Boxing Club is considered hallowed ground to every Filipino boxer.  I look forward to working with and learning from Sir Freddie.  It is a wonderful opportunity.”  

            “MP Promotions was thrilled to be selected by Eumir to guide his boxing career and we, along with TGB Promotions, will do everything we can to prepare Eumir for a successful professional career and a gold medal-caliber Olympic experience,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.  “Who else but Hall of Famer Freddie Roach would Eumir train under?  Freddie is very excited to give Eumir a tour of Wild Card and to begin training later this week.”    

             Before the pandemic shut the world down, Marcial had been on a roll.  He punched his ticket for the 2021 Olympics in March by winning all four of his bouts in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan.  Marcial was the top seed in his division.  Last December, he captured the gold at the 30th Southeast Asian Games as well as the silver medal in last year’s World Boxing Championships.  His illustrious résumé also includes being a three-time SEA games champion.

Reading, PA (October 12, 2020)–.On The heels of signing heralded light heavyweight prospect Atif Oberlton, King’s Promotions has added four more quality prospects to it’s already impressive roster of fighters.

The company announced that it has signed undefeated heavyweight Steven Torres; Junior Welterweight Elijah Seawright; Middleweight Eric Monroe and flyweight LeAnna Cruz to promotional contracts.

Torres of Reading, Pennsylvania has already amassed a record of 3-0 with three knockouts.

The 22 year-old Torres began boxing at the age of 12 to lose weight. Torres weighed in excess of 400 pounds, and because of boxing, he had shed a remarkable 200 pounds.

“Boxing has saved my life in so many ways. The weight loss and, plus it has kept me off the streets. I see a bright future in the sport, where years ago, I could not see that happening,” said Torres.

“This is great for me to sign with King’s Promotions. They are based out of my hometown, and I have followed Marshall Kauffman and his son Travis Kauffman for a long time. It’s great that Travis is now my trainer, and with this team along with my adviser Al Haymon, I feel that great things are in-store for me.”

Seawright of Columbia, South Carolina has yet to make his pro debut.

The 19 year-old began boxing at the age of 13 after he was bullied in middle school. “I just wanted to learn how to defend myself, and I started to get pretty good in it,” said Seawright.

That set off a very brief nine-fight amateur career, that saw him go 8-1, and capture two Golden Gloves championships in North Carolina.

Despite the short career in the amateurs, Seawright feels that it is time to begin his pro career.

“It was a good opportunity to make the jump now. I have not fought in over a year. I was ready, but now I am with King’s Promotions, this is the right time.”

Seawright describes his style as unpredictable, as he is good with feints and believes that his style is hard to figure out.

Monroe of Philadelphia also will be making his pro debut.

The 26 year-old Monroe, had a brief nine-bout amateur career. Monroe began boxing at the age of 15, but became serious about the sport at age 21.

“I am happy to sign with King’s Promotions, and get my career started off.”

Cruz, 22 of Philadelphia via Allentown, Pennsylvania is a natural athlete.

The former college basketball player is very excited and familiar with King’s Promotions.

“The first boxing event that I saw live was a King’s Promotions event. I have been to three of their shows. I am excited because one of my favorite fighters is Alycia Baumgardner, and now I am promoted by the same company as her. I have seen what King’s Promotions can do, and I am very excited to start my pro career.”

Torres, Seawright, Monroe and Cruz will have their next fight’s announced shortly.

Hannah Rankin has warned Savannah Marshall that she is in for a rude awakening if she is overlooking their WBO Middleweight World Title clash with one eye on a future showdown with her old amateur foe Claressa Shields.

Hartlepool’s Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) remains the only fighter to have inflicted a ring defeat on three-division World Champion Shields. ‘The Silent Assassin’ outpointed America’s ‘T-Rex’ in China en route to cementing herself as Britain’s first ever female amateur World Champion in 2012.

Talk of a ‘rematch’ between the rivals has been building ever since Marshall signed promotional terms with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing in August last year, but Rankin – who lost to Shields in 2018 – is planning on ripping up the script by taking the WBO crown back to Glasgow with her. 

 “All we ever hear about is that fight,” said Rankin. “The amateur circuit is nothing like the professional ranks. Claressa has gone on to do amazing things. She’s one of the best female fighters we are going to see in this generation. To just talk about an amateur win over her is nothing as far as I’m concerned.

“If she’s concentrating on that fight and she’s looking past me then she’s in for a huge shock. She’s not getting past me on October 17^th. That World Title is coming home with me and I don’t know where she’s going to go from there.” 

Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs), a former IBO Super-Welterweight World Champion, has the edge in experience over Marshall in the pro ranks, and the 30-year-old believes her World Championship pedigree will be the difference when they clash in Peterborough this Saturday. 

“I’m not going to try something new,” added Rankin. “I’ve been there before and I know how my body is going to feel. I know how I react at championship distance as a Middleweight fighter. It’s going to be a bit of a disadvantage for her. She’s never made Middleweight, so she’s got to come down to make that weight first of all on the scales.

“I’m sure she will, her and Peter Fury are very professional. It’s how she’s going to feel when she makes that weight, we’re in the ring and we’re heading into the later rounds. How is her body going to hold up to that championship distance? 

“She’s not had much experience fighting anyone of a high level really. She hasn’t fought anyone actually at her weight. A lot of the girls have stepped up to fight her at her weight. This is going to be the first time she’s faced someone who’s had a full camp. I’m coming to win and I’m going home with that belt. It’s going to be a brand-new experience for her.”

Marshall vs. Rankin is part of a huge night of boxing at the East of England Arena in Peterborough, Geordie favourite Lewis Ritson (20-1, 12 KOs) takes on former long-reigning World Champion Miguel Vazquez (42-9, 16 KOs), 2016 Rio Olympian Qais Ashfaq (8-0, 3 KOs) meets Salford’s Marc Leach (14-1-1, 3 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the British Super-Bantamweight Title, Joe ‘Benwell Bomber’ Laws (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Norwich’s Rylan Charlton (5-0-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Lightweight, West Rainton’s Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0, 4 KOs) fights Thomas Essomba  (10-6, 4 KOs) over ten rounds at Super-Bantamweight and Catford’s Ellie Scotney makes her professional debut against Bec Connolly (3-7) at Featherweight.

MUHAMMAD ALI CANNOT wait for the chance to unleash his formidable brand of featherweight fisticuffs on his rivals when he gets to make his return to the ring in the near future.

The 2016 Olympian and one of Britain’s Blue Chip prospects made his professional debut back in February, shortly before the trading of punches ceased due to lockdown.

His opening night didn’t pan out quite as he imagined because, in front of some 250 of his fans from Bradford at York Hall, his opponent Stefan Sashev did little else other than spoil and hold. The patience of referee Lee Every ran out just over half way through the second round and the Bulgarian was sent packing back to the dressing room.

Since this time, Ali has linked up with respected trainer and long-standing WBU middleweight champion Anthony ‘Arnie’ Farnell in Manchester to further his professional development.

“I’ve known Arnie since I was a youth and I sparred one of his boxers,” explained the 24-year-old. “We just kept in touch and I thought he was the right man for me. He is passionate about the sport and we get on well together.

“He was an aggressive fighter and I am the same. He is tweaking me up a little bit, but not changing me too much, more adding to what I’ve already got,” continued Ali, before looking back to his eventful debut.

“I hit the kid early on and after that he just wanted to grab on. It spoiled my debut a bit but I feel I will get the chance to shine as the opposition gets better. It will suit me more when they fight back and come to win.

“I will just take each fight as it comes, as long as I win, then you’ve just got to put each one to bed and not dwell on it too much.”

What the former storied amateur, with his ripped featherweight frame, does struggle to comprehend is how an earth he campaigned at flyweight in the vested code of the sport.

“I just don’t know!” he conceded. “I think back now and I cannot make sense of it with me weighing five kilos more. I was broken, I struggled and in my head day after day was just about making weight.

“Nobody could ever tell I was so drained because in my fights I was so aggressive. I’ve still got four or five kilos to lose to make featherweight, but it is mostly water so it comes off quite easily.”

What quickly becomes obvious with any footage featuring the feisty featherweight is that he enters the ring with destruction on his mind and he will be a lot of fun to watch as he closes in on the big fights and beyond.

In his own opinion, it is what fight fans want to see.

“It is one hundred per cent my style, to set about everyone from the first bell. It is like (Amir) Khan when he was younger; everybody loved him because you wouldn’t know if he would get caught himself or hit someone with a ten-shot combo.

“They didn’t know what would happen next, it was always exciting and people always tuned in. With me it will be similar because I will always be on my opponent and people will love it.”

Khan, of course, at times was considered vulnerable to return fire and this is something Ali hopes he does not share with the Bolton favourite.

“I f**cking hope not!” he retorted in jest. “Nothing has gone wrong yet so hopefully it won’t any time soon.”

Two all-action Super-Middleweight bouts have been added to November 14’s World Title triple-header undercard, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Jamie Cox meets Jack Cullen whilst John Docherty steps up against Jack Arnfield, supporting Katie Taylor vs. Miriam Gutierrez, Terri Harper vs. Katharina Thanderz and Ebanie Bridges vs. Rachel Ball.

Swindon Southpaw Cox (25-2, 14 KOs) returns with a new team after two years out the ring.

“I’ve been out a while now, I’m looking forward to getting back in there. I’ve got a new set up with Tony Borg down in Wales which has given my boxing a new dimension which I’ll show in November,” said Cox.

‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ Jack Cullen (18-2-1, 9 KOs) looks to return to winning ways following a draw with Zak Chelli at Matchroom Fight Camp.

“This is a big name in Jamie Cox, I couldn’t have asked for a better opponent in the circumstances. He comes to fight and as you know I bring it as well. It’ll make for a fan friendly fight for those watching I’m sure,” said Cullen.

Big punching John Docherty (9-0, 7 KOs) has set his sights on domestic titles for 2021 but has Jack Arnfield to navigate first.

“Jack’s experienced but I’m levels above him and I’ll show that come fight night. I’ll smash him to pieces,” said Docherty.

Now campaigning at 168lbs, Arnfield (25-3, 6 KOs) believes the extra weight to play with will be telling in the next phase of his career.

“I was a tall Middleweight, the past 2/3 fights was a struggle but I’m feeling fit and healthier up a weight which will reflect in my punch power. I’m not overlooking ‘The Doc’ but I’ve set myself bigger goals,” said Arnfield.

“Two really good Super-Middleweight fights added to our World Championship triple-header on November 14,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “It’s great to see Jamie Cox back, he looks in great shape but faces a tough challenge in the always exciting Jack Cullen.

“A huge step up in class for John Docherty against two-time British Title challenger Jack Arnfield. Two 50-50 fights confirmed for what will be a great night of action live on Sky Sports and DAZN.”

Cox vs. Cullen and Docherty vs. Arnfield helps shape a huge night of World Title action with further undercard additions announced shortly; Irish star Taylor (16-0, 6 KOs) puts her Lightweight World Titles on the line once more against Mandatory Challenger Gutierrez (13-0, 5 KOs), Denaby’s Harper (10-0-1, 5 KOs) faces her first WBC Mandatory challenger in Spanish-Norwegian Thanderz (13-0, 2 KOs) and Walsall’s Ball (6-1) takes on undefeated Australian Bridges (4-0, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBA Bantamweight crown. 

Lewis Ritson believes the extra few months graft in the gym locked away with trainer Neil Fannon will pay dividends in the long run. 

The Geordie puncher has felt the knock-on effects from the pandemic, which ruled out his planned fight with Miguel Vazquez twice, back in April and then again June, but he insists the extra preparation has taken his game to the next level.

“It has probably benefitted me more than most other fighters,” said Ritson. “It has really allowed for us to gel and work on other areas of our game. Rather than wondering when a fight date may drop, despite the cancellations we have always had an end date in mind which has allowed for me to stay disciplined and sharp throughout.

“I’ve been in the gym the full year training hard and staying ready for whatever happens next. The start of lockdown gave me a chance to slow the pace down a little bit and work on a lot more of the technical stuff. I feel like I’ve improved a couple of levels compared to how I boxed against Robbie Davies Jr. We knew that we would get a new date confirmed eventually, we just had to stay in the gym.”

Currently ranked number two with the WBA, Ritson finds himself on the cusp of a shot at World honours and believes this Saturday’s Super-Lightweight showdown against former long-standing IBF ruler Vazquez, shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN, is the perfect bridge to the next level.

“If I bring my A game, I’ll be too much for Miguel and will stop him. I think he’s probably a little bit on the slide whereas I’m still on the way up, so we’re meeting bang in the middle. This is the exact type of fight where I can gain more experience to move to the next step. He’s been there and done it. We know what he is all about and what he will bring.

“Beating Robbie proved I’m at that European level, now it’s time to prove I can go to the interim world level stage with a good win against Vazquez. That will pave the way for more big fights. We never take anyone lightly and we definitely haven’t taken Vazquez lightly. If I bring my A game, I’ll have more than enough to beat him.”

Ritson vs. Vazquez headlines a huge night of boxing at the East of England Arena in Peterborough, Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) meets Glasgow’s former World Champion Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Middleweight World Title, 2016 Rio Olympian Qais Ashfaq (8-0, 3 KOs) meets Salford’s Marc Leach (14-1-1, 3 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the British Super-Bantamweight Title, Joe ‘Benwell Bomber’ Laws (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Norwich’s Rylan Charlton (5-0-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds at Super-Lightweight, West Rainton’s Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0, 4 KOs) fights Thomas Essomba  (10-6, 4 KOs) over ten rounds at Super-Bantamweight and Catford’s Ellie Scotney makes her professional debut against Bec Connolly (3-7) at Featherweight.

Cory Sandhagen stopped Marlon Moraes in round two of their five round bantamweight fight at UFC Fight Island 5 in Dubai.

Sandhagen dropped Moraes with a perfect spinning kick to the top of the head. Sandhagen landed a couple of ground shots, and the fight was stopped at 1:03.

Sandhagen is now 13-2. Moraes is 23-7-1.

Barboza Decisions Amirkhani

Edson Barboza won a unanimous decision over Makwan Amirkhani in a featherweight fight.

Barboza won by scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 29-28 to raise his mark to 21-9. Amirkhani is 16-5.

Marcin Tybura won a unanimous decision over Ben Rothwell in a heavyweight fight.

Tybura won by scores of 29-27 on all cards and is now 20-6. Rothwell is 38-13.

Dricus Du Plessis knocked out Markus Perez in the opening round of their middleweight fight.

De Plessis dropped Perez with a kick to the body and a punch, two pucnhes on the ground and the was stopped at 3:22.

Duplessis, 186 lbs of South Africa is 15-2. Perez is 11-4.

Tom Aspinall stopped Alan Baudot in the opening round of their heavyweight bout.

Aspinall got Baudot down, and was able to land some shots that forced the stoppage 1:35.

Aspinall of England is 9-2. Baudot is 8-2.

Ilia Topuria won a unanimous decision over Youssef Zalal in a featherweight bout.

Topuria won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 9-0. Zalal is 10-3.

Tom Breese stopped KB Bhuller in the opening round of their middleweight fight.

Breese landed a hard left on the chin, and then knocked Bhuller down with a jab. Six Ground-And-Pound shots later, the fights was stopped at 1:42.

Breese of England is 12-2. Bhuller of Edmonton, Canada is 8-1.

Chris Daukaus needed just 45 seconds to destroy previously undefeated Rodrigo Nascimento in a heavyweight bout.

Daukaus dropped Nascimento with a perfect left hook. Daukaus landed several Ground-and-Pound shots before landing another perfect left hook that put Nascimento down again, and the fight was stopped.

Daukaus, 227 lbs of Philadelphia is 10-3. Nascimento is 8-1.

Joaquin Buckley scored a sensational 2nd round stoppage over Impa Kasanganay in a middleweight fight.

Buckley had a kick that was actually caught by Kasanganay, and with his foot in his Kasanganay’s hand, Buckley landed a jump spinning kick right in the face of Kasanganay that sent him down crashing on his back, and the fight was stopped at 2:03.

Buckley is now 11-3. Kasanganay is now 8-1.

Tony Kelly won a unanimous decision over Ali Al-Qaisi in a bantamweight fight.

Kelly won by scores of 30-27, and 29-28 twice and is now 6-2. Al-Qaisi is 8-5.

Giga Chikadze won a unanimous decision over Omar Morales in a featherweight bout.

Chikadze won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 11-2. Morales is 10-1.

Tracy Cortez won a unanimous decision over Stephanie Egger in a bantamweight contest.

Cortez won by 30-27 scores on all cards, and is now 8-1. Egger is 5-2

Tagir Ulanbeknov won a unanimous decision over Bruno Silva in a flyweight bout.

Ulanbeknov won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 12-5-1. Silva is 11-2.

Emanuel Navarrete became a two-division world champion as he won the WBO Featherweight Title with a 12-round majority decision over previosuly undefeated Ruben Villa at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas.

In round one, Navarrete scored a knockdown from a left uppercut. In round four, it was another uppercut that sent Villa down.

Navarrete outlanded Villa 163-131.

Navarrete, 126 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 115-111 and 114-112 twice and is now 33-1. Villa, 125 lbs of Salinas, CA is 18-1.

Navarrete said, “I knew that Villa was a fighter that moved a lot, and I knew that he was going to move even more once he felt my power. I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the victory.
 
“I’m very happy with this championship. It’s a reflection of all the sacrifices and all the hard work I put in. I conquered my second weight class because of all that hard work.
 
“I have my sights set on all the world champions at 126. I would love to face {Josh} Warrington. I think that our styles will make for a great fight.”

Alimkhanuly stops Coria in 2

Janibek Alimhanuly destroyed Gozala Cora in two rounds of their scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Alimkhanuly dropped Coria with a hard left. In round two, Alimkhanuly landed anther booming left that sent Coria down face-first and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Alimkhanuly, 159.6 lbs of Kazakhstan is 9-0 with five knockouts. Coria, 158.6 lbs of Argentima is 16-4.

Alimkhanuly said, “I want to fight a world champion soon, like Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo. Canelo, of course. Top Rank promotes Ryota Murata at 160. I want to fight him as well. Whoever the top guys are 160, I want them next.”

Rodriguez Stops Krael in 3

Good looking prospect Elvis Rodriguez stopped durable Cameron Krael in round three of their scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

In round three, Rodriguez landed a right hook to the head that sent Krael down for the 10-count at 53 seconds.

Rodriguez, 141.5 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 10-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Krael, 141.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-17-3.

Lorenzo Simpson won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sonny Duversonne in a battle of undefeated middleweights.

Simpson controlled the action with his superior boxing ability.

In round sfive, Duversonne landed a right hand that forced Simpson’s left glove to touch the canvas and ruled a knockdown.

Simpson, 156 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 79-73 and 78-73 twice and is now 9-0. Duversonne, 154.8 lbs of Miami FL is 11-1-2.

Bryan Lua remained undefeated as he won a six-round unanimous decision over Nelson Colon in a lightweight bout.

Lua, 131.6 lbs of Malera, CA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 7-0. Colon, 131.6 lbs of Cayey PR is 4-4.

Rashiem Jefferson remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Steve Garaganza in a junior featherweight bout.

In round three, Garaganza was cut over his left eye.

Jefferson, 123.8 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 3-0. Garaganza, 123.5 lbs Laredo, TX is 2-3-1.

Kahshad Elliott made a successful pro debut with a 1st round destruction over Akeem Jackson in a scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout.

Elliott scored two knockdowns, with Jackson not wanting to get up before referee Michael Ortega’s 10-count at 1:15

Elliott, 152.8 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Jackson, 151.5 lbs of Oxon Hill, MD is 1-2.

NEW YORK – October 9, 2020 – Former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno shared insights into his training camp as he nears an IBF Lightweight Title Eliminator bout against Isaac Cruz that kicks off SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) action on Saturday, October 31 from the Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“This is my second fight working with ‘Bones’ Adams out of his gym in Las Vegas,” said Magdaleno. “I’ve actually known him since I was nine-years-old, so I consider him like my best friend. I trust him with my life. I’ve spent some time training for this fight in Scipio, Utah too, pulling hay bales and doing all sorts of interesting drills. I’ve gotten in some good sparring here in Vegas, and I even went out to California for some sparring, too.

“I was on one of the last fight cards pre-pandemic, and I’m honored to be on the first fight card with a live crowd since the pandemic began. It’s been a hectic year, but I’m happy with where things are for me heading into this fight. Coach Adams has been doing a great job with training, but he also handles my strength and conditioning. He’s got a huge gym with a lot of motivated fighters and it’s great to be around that kind of atmosphere. And my fiancé has been handling my nutrition for my last four fights. So, it’s great to have her involved also.”

Magdaleno returns to action after upsetting Austin Dulay in Dulay’s hometown of Nashville, Tenn. in February, dropping him in round seven on his way to a 10-round unanimous decision. He credits his team in training camp for the impressive performance against Dulay.

“I’ve always taken pride in being a professional, but I learned that I can be very dangerous with the right team around me,” said Magdaleno. “I went into that fight kind of being considered a steppingstone for Dulay, but I showed that I’m still a strong fighter. People counted me out and they made a mistake. I’m just super happy that I found Coach Adams and got a proper team organized around me. I was able to change people’s minds with just one fight. Now I’m in a title eliminator, and with a win on October 31, I’ll have my third shot at a world title.”

The 33-year-old has come up short in his most high-profile fights to date, dropping title bouts to Terry Flanagan and Roman Martinez, in addition to a 2019 loss against current lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez. With those experiences and an improved training structure around him, Magdaleno believes the lessons he’s taken from those fights will be instrumental going forward.

“The biggest thing that I’ve learned is to stay calm,” said Magdaleno. “When I start thinking too far ahead, that’s when things go wrong. Coach Adams has a great way of keeping me grounded and composed. He knows how to simplify things for me and communicate exactly what I need to do, which makes it less stressful for me. And we’ve done some other things, like correcting my footwork and the angles that I use.”

In the 22-year-old Cruz, Magdaleno will be opposed by a fast-rising and exciting Mexican fighter looking to make a mark in his biggest fight to date. With an 11-year age gap, Magdaleno plans to use his extensive experience to his advantage on October 31.

“Cruz is something I’ve seen before,” said Magdaleno. “I’ve fought lots of Mexican-style fighters like him who don’t have a lot of technical skill but possess a come-forward style. So, I think I’ll be able to go back to what I know. I’ll just have to stay fluid and pick Cruz apart. He’s a guy who likes to fight on the inside and throw lots of overhand punches and hooks. I’ll break him down like I did my last opponent.”

Magdaleno will look to continue his career renaissance against Cruz and put himself back on track for another world title opportunity. With all that he’s been through during his career, Magdaleno remains highly motivated to prove critics wrong and achieve his goal of becoming a world champion.

“What I know is that when everyone counts you out, you just have to believe in yourself,” said Magdaleno. “When I decide to hang up the gloves, it’ll be because I want to, not because others say I should. I have my confidence back now and I’m very happy with where I’m going

. Being one shot away from the title that I dreamed of as a child is a huge motivating factor for me. And I fight for my family, too. I’m a different person now. I’m more mature and I think I’ll be able to prove that to people in this fight.”

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 Heraldez 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/.

Fan favourite Dave Allen returns to action against Christian Hammer live on Sky Sports Box Office and DAZN, Saturday 31st October.

The 28 year old Conisbrough Heavyweight scored an early KO over Dorian Darch on his first outing of the year back in February, which followed a topsy-turvy 2019 with victory over Lucas Browne but defeat to David Price.

“I’m really happy to fight Christian Hammer,” said Allen. “He’s highly ranked and is a tough, strong man. A win here puts me back to fringe World level. He’s got a win over David Price so that would half put my defeat to bed.”

‘The White Rhino’ has been sparring Oleksandr Usyk in Kiev for the past two weeks and believes the experience will stand in him good stead as he links back up with trainer Jamie Moore for their first fight together.

“Sparring Usyk has taken me to another level. He’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. I’ve picked up so much from him and it’s given me the confidence that I will need to get through ten rounds with Hammer.”

“I am very much looking forward to this fight, I love to box in the UK. I fondly remember the victory over David Price,” said Hammer. “That is exactly where I will continue against Allen. Once I beat Allen the big fights will come my way. I appreciate this opportunity and I will not be defeated.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “This is a great fight for Dave, and absolute sink or swim time. Hammer has shown the highest of levels consistently and both fighters are looking at this opportunity as springboard to major fights. I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen or who is going to win, there’s only one way to find out!”

Allen vs Hammer joins Selby vs Kambosos Jr, McCarthy vs Laggoune and Timlin vs Skelly on the huge Usyk vs Chisora card, Saturday 31st October 2020.

Las Vegas – UFC^® will continue its run of shows on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with a highly anticipated bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks as No. 2 ranked Brian Ortega takes on No. 4 ”The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung in a clash of featherweight contenders. Also, recent women’s flyweight title challenger and No. 1 ranked contender Katlyn Chookagian looks to spoil the 125-pound debut of former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: ORTEGA vs. THE KOREAN ZOMBIE will take place Saturday, October 17 from UFC FIGHT ISLAND on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. The main card will begin at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT in English and Spanish on ESPN+, with the prelims kicking off at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. The event is in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Former featherweight title challenger Ortega (14-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) returns to action for the first time in almost two years and hopes to deliver another show-stealing performance. Throughout the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt’s UFC run, he has earned spectacular finishes over Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, Renato Moicano and Clay Guida. He now seeks to get the last laugh against Jung and secure himself another world championship opportunity.

Perennial fan-favorite Jung (16-5, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) has been thrilling fans for years with exciting bouts and highlight-reel finishes. Having ended 14 of his 16 wins before the final bell, Jung has turned heads with sensational stoppage victories over Frankie Edgar, Dustin Poirier, Leonard Garcia and Mark Hominick. Jung now aims to put his rivalry with Ortega to bed and stake his claim as the next UFC featherweight title challenger.

Chookagian (14-3, fighting out of Kenilworth, N.J.) has her sights set on building off her most recent victory over Antonina Shevchenko and defending her spot atop the women’s flyweight rankings. During her UFC run, she has netted exciting victories over Jennifer Maia, Joanne Calderwood and Alexis Davis. Chookagian now aims to keep her momentum going by finishing a former UFC champion and earning another title opportunity.

Former strawweight champion Andrade (20-8, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to waste no time in her move up to flyweight by taking out the division’s top contender. A powerful grappler and heavy-handed striker, she has delivered incredible finishes against Rose Namajunas, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Joanne Calderwood. Andrade now hopes to make an immediate impact at 125 pounds by stopping Chookagian to secure herself a flyweight title shot.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Undefeated No. 13 ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane (6-0, fighting out of Paris, France) takes on UFC newcomer Ante Delija (17-3, fighting out of Dubrovnik, Croatia)
• Jimmy Crute (11-1, fighting out of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia) goes for another show-stealing finish against streaking Modestas Bukauskas (11-2, fighting out of London, England by way of Klaipeda, Lithuania) in a light heavyweight contest

·         Thomas Almeida (22-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) returns to the Octagon to take on Jonathan Martinez (12-3, fighting out of Plainview, Texas) in a featherweight bout

·         Undefeated Mateusz Gamrot (17-0 1NC, fighting out of Poznan, Poland) takes on Guram Kutateladze (11-2, fighting out of Georgia) in a clash of lightweight newcomers

• No. 15 ranked women’s flyweight contender Gillian Robertson (8-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Ont., Canada) meets fellow finisher Poliana Botelho Lopes (8-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Claudio Silva (14-1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) goes for his 15^th straight victory against tough veteran James Krause (26-9, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.)
• Junyong Park (12-4, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) faces John Phillips (22-10 1NC, fighting out of Swansea, Wales) in what promises to be an entertaining middleweight bout
• In a battle of lightweight hopefuls, Jamie Mullarkey (12-3, fighting out of Central Coast, Australia) locks horns with Fares Ziam (10-3, fighting out of Givors, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)
• Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-7, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) aims to return to the win column against fellow light heavyweight Maxim Grishin (30-8-2, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia)
• Exciting bantamweight prospects collide when Said Nurmagomedov (13-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) takes on Mark Striegl (18-2-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, NV by way of Baguio City, Philippines)

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

A full line of UFC FIGHT ISLAND products, including t-shirts, hats, water bottles, tote bags, and more are available now on UFCStore.com.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to 8.5 million subscribers, offering fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content. 

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPNplus.com, ESPN.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment enterprise, features more than 50 assets – nine U.S. television networks, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

NEW YORK (October 9, 2020) – TONIGHT!! at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas, highly-touted Kahshad Elliott makes his professional debut against Akeem Jackson in a four-round junior middleweight bout.

Elliott of Plainfield, New Jersey is signed to Split-T Management, under the guidance of Tim VanNewhouse, was a 10-time National champion in the 165-pound division, but will campaign as a junior middleweight as he made the weight easily at Thursday’s weigh-in when he checked in at 152.8 lbs, while Jackson was 151.5

“I am feeling great. I have been waiting to turn professional, and finally got my first weigh-in done. I am ready to go out there and perform to show people that I am the one,” said Elliott.

“I have no thoughts on my opponent. I know that he has had some professional fights, but I have experience, I am excited to get in there because I know that there are a lot of people waiting to see what I bring to the table.”

Elliott had an outstanding amateur career that saw him win 117 of 140 fights.

Elliott’s fight will be streamed live on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 PM ET

Boxing returns once more to the BT Studio tomorrow night at 7pm on BT Sport 1. In the headline fight, Liam Williams defends his British title against mandatory challenger Andrew Robinson.

Elsewhere on the stacked card, Nathan Gorman meets heavy-handed Ghanaian Richard Lartey and Willy Hutchinson takes on Spaniard Jose Miguel Fandino.

Muheeb Fazeldin and Mark Chamberlain also return.

Photos from todays weigh-in can be found here

Official weights below:

Liam Williams – 11st 6lb
Andrew Robinson – 11st 5lb 5oz

Nathan Gorman -19st 7lbs 3oz
Richard Lartey – 18st 4lb 6oz

Willy Hutchinson – 12st 1lb 7oz
Jose Miguel Fandino – 12st 1lb 8oz

Muheeb Fazeldin – 9st 3lb 6oz
Luke Jones – 9st 4lb 8oz

Mark Chamberlain – 9st 12lb 5oz
Shaun Cooper – 9st 10lb 7oz

MIAMI, FL (October 9, 2020) – Highly touted heavyweight prospect Jeremiah Milton (1-0, 1 KO), who relocated from his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma to Las Vegas, Nevada, has now gone to Florida to be part of world title contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz’s training camp. Luis Ortiz will be headlining on PBC on Fox against Alexander Flores on November 7th.

“It is a great honor to be in camp with a world class fighter like Luis Ortiz,” said Jeremiah Milton. “Ortiz is essentially an uncrowned world champion and the experience I am gaining from working with him is just adding to my experience that I’ve gained this past year.”

Earlier this year, Milton sparred 2016 Italian Olympian Guido Vianello as well as Joe Joyce, as the runner-up at the Olympic Trials in 2019 is bursting onto the professional boxing scene and getting massive experience early on.

“My team is putting me in every position to win,” said Milton. “I have been getting great opportunities in which I can fine-tune my skills and harness them against the world’s best fighters.”

“We like having Jeremiah in camp with us because he’s a true professional with a great work ethic,” said German Caicedo, who is the head trainer for Luiz Ortiz. “He’s a tremendous talent and I see a bright future for him.”

Milton, who is signed with Victory Sports & Entertainment is one of the most promising American heavyweights in boxing.

“Jeremiah is sparring some of the best fighters in the world right now,” said Mike Leanardì, CEO of Victory Sports & Entertainment. “Jeremiah didn’t have the deepest amateur career, but he did extremely well quickly, and since turning pro, he has just translated his development from the amateurs into the pros. To put it simply, Jeremiah Milton is special.”

“Jeremiah is going to the next level,” said Rick Torres, of Victory Sports & Entertainment. “In just one year he has sparred three of the best heavyweights in the world in Joe Joyce, Luis Ortiz and Guido Vianello. I can’t think of another heavyweight in his position getting this much experience so early in his career. Jeremiah is learning how to train like a champion by being around world class fighters.”

Amy Timlin and Carly Skelly will contest the vacant Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title live on Sky Sports Box Office and DAZN, Saturday 31st October.

The unbeaten pair were scheduled to fight earlier this month but now find themselves on the undercard to Oleksandr Usyk’s monster fight against Derek Chisora.

Rising star Timlin (4-0) is tipped for a bright future, training under the tutelage of Kieran Farrell and managed by Dave Coldwell.

“I’m buzzing for this. I’ve been training throughout lockdown and I’m ready to go. This fight will push me on, it’s all about learning. The pressure is on her, Carly will come out all guns blazing but we’ve got a steady game plan. I can’t wait for the first bell, this platform is huge,” revealed Timlin.

“I’m really exited to have Amy on such a massive show like this. Thanks to Eddie for giving us a slot in these testing times. Amy is a fantastic fighter, at 20 years old I think she’ll show people in the next year or two she is the next generation of flag bearers coming through in Women’s boxing,” said Coldwell. 

Southpaw Scouser Skelly (3-0) splits her time working in Children’s nursing, training out of the North Mersey ABC gym and raising her two young children.

“It’s been a long camp having to juggle things about but I’ve had some time off recently to concentrate on the fight,” said Skelly. “It’s a massive risk for Amy to take at her age, she won’t have felt power like this from a more mature fighter. This fight opens doors, I believe in myself and want to reach World level.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “We’ve seen some amazing domestic fights recently in women’s boxing and this is another cracker. Two unbeaten fighters gunning for a World Title, the winner here will put themselves into contention for just that in 2021.”

Timlin vs Skelly joins McCarthy vs Laggoune and Selby vs Kambosos Jr on the Usyk-Chisora undercard with more additions to be confirmed shortly.

NEW YORK (October 9, 2020) – On Thursday, Split-T Management Super Middleweight DeAndre Ware was awarded the key to the city in his native Toledo, Ohio.

Ware, who is a Toledo Fire Fighter, got the well-deserved honor because of his heroic effort when he saved the life of longtime Top Rank coordinator Pete Susens after Susens fell ill and collapsed just before weigh-in on September 4th in Las Vegas.

Ware was in Las Vegas to fight undefeated Steven Nelson the following evening at the MGM Grand.

Ware jumped into action and used his talents of being an EMT to perform CPR until medical personnel arrived.

“It was unexpected, and a bit of a surprise,” said Ware. “I am so honored to receive this. This is the biggest honor that a city can give to someone. I actually did think that one day, I would get a key to the city, but I thought it would be for winning a world title. In a way it did come from boxing though as this happened at one of my fights, so it is the best of both worlds.”

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO OF CEREMONY–VIA WTOL NEWS 11 IN TOLEDO

NATHAN GORMAN BELIEVES that, with a good win under his belt tomorrow, he will be right back in the heavyweight title mix.

The affable giant from Nantwich, 16-1 (11KOs) returns to the ring this weekend at the BT Studios for the first time since suffering a sole career setback against former amateur rival Daniel Dubois at the 02 Arena in July of last year.

Gorman, who was at the time dealing with a multitude of domestic distractions he insisted would not knock him off course, was knocked to the canvas twice with the fight ending on the second in the fifth round.

After a lengthy period on the sidelines he is now back firing on all cylinders and determined to remind people of what he is all about when he takes on the unpredictable Ghanaian Richard Lartey, 14-2 (11KOs) tomorrow night on BT Sport.

Both Gorman and Lartey share the statistic of having Dubois as their last opponent, with Lartey engaging in a firefight with the current British champion before succumbing in the fourth, three months prior to Dubois-Gorman.

At the time, Gorman was dismissive of Dubois’ accomplishment of putting out Lartey’s fire at Wembley Arena.

“Yes I was critical,” said the 24-year-old on the level of Lartey. “But now I am fighting him he is the best thing since sliced bread!

“In all fairness to me I was building the fight with Daniel with what I said at the time but, being sensible, Lartey is a dangerous man, isn’t he? He comes for a fight, as everyone knows, and we also know he hasn’t got on that plane to lie down in the first round.”

Lartey and Dubois famously and ferociously traded bombs on a frequent basis across their four rounds of warfare and Gorman is not against the idea of doing likewise.

“If it comes, it comes. Ideally it is not my thing but sometimes the heart can rule the head. First and foremost I just want to win and that is the main objective. If it takes having a dogfight, knocking him out in the first round or winning hands down on points.

“If the knockout is there I am going to go for it, but winning is the main objective.

“If I do the job on Lartey on Saturday I am back in the mix. He is quite known in Britain and there is interest because it is a good fight. We are both coming off losses to Daniel and some will say he gave him his toughest test to date.

“I haven’t got too much ground to make up and, if I wanted to, I could have just had a six or eight rounder to come back against someone nobody had heard of. Then I heard about the Lartey fight and thought if I beat him and beat him well it puts me in good stead to get back to where I need to be.

“This is a good fight for me. I would imagine the winner out of Daniel and Joe Joyce will push on for a world title and I could fight for a vacant British and, ideally, Commonwealth title.”

Nathan Gorman v Richard Lartey features on a bumper night of action from the BT Studios, with live coverage beginning at 7pm on BT Sport 1 tomorrow night.

Heavy-handed lightweight Mark Chamberlain and super featherweight Muheeb Fazeldin round out the card.

Maxi Hughes won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Viktor Kotochigov in a lightweight fight at Creasers Palace in Dubai.

In round three, Hughes dropped Kotochigov with a hard left uppercut to the chin.

Hughes, 135 lbs won by scores of 97-92, 96-93 and 95-94 and is now 22-5-2. Kotochigov, 135 lbs is 12-1.

Heralded amateur Hovhannes Bachkov made a successful pro debut with an eight-round unanimous decision over Samuel Gonzalez in a super lightweight fight.

Bachkov, 142 lbs of Armenia won by shutout scores of 80-72 and is now 1-0. Gonzalez, 142 lbs is 22-7.

Faizan Anwar remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over JR Mendoza in a super lightweight fight.

Anwar, 152 lbs of India won by scores of 60-53 on all cards and is now 5-0. Mendoza, 152 lbs of Philippines is 11-20.

Mohamad Abdelghany won six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Blane Hyland in a bantamweight bout.

Abdelghany won by scores of 58-57 and 58-56 twice and is now 4-2. Hyland, 116 lbs is 3-1.

Saul Sanchez 121.8 lbs vs. Daniel Lozano 121.8 lbs
(Vacant WBA Fedecentro Super Bantamweight Title – 10 Rounds)

Television (Telemundo) Check Your Local Listing

• Emanuel Navarrete 126 lbs vs. Ruben Villa 125 lbs
  (Vacant WBO Featherweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

Queensberry Promotions, in conjunction with the BBBofC, can confirm that two positive tests have been returned after the most recent batch of testing carried out by Prenetics.

The positive tests have come from the camps of boxer’s Jack Flatley and Dan Booth, although both Boxers tested negative themselves.

Consequently, the scheduled bout for the Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Championship between JJ Metcalf and Jack Flatley and the undercard bout between Micky Burke Jr and Dan Booth have now been cancelled in line with the protocol of the British Boxing Board of Control and the Promoter.

The rest of the show’s participants, who have all been isolating at a London base this week have tested negative and the show, being headlined by Liam Williams and Andrew Robinson for the British Middleweight Championship, will continue as planned.

A Queensberry spokesman said;  “Whilst it is unfortunate that two corner-men have tested positive it shows that the superb protocols and safety measures put in place for the sport works. These excellent measures have, of course, been carried out so to preserve the safety of everyone involved in the event and of course we wish those affected well.”

NEW YORK – October 8, 2020 – Former world champion Sergey Lipinets has not let anything, be it the pandemic or a change in fight date, distract him from preparations for his battle against unbeaten Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, as they fight for interim IBF Welterweight Title headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, October 24 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“I took the change in date like a champion, and I’ll do the same thing on October 24 that I would have done on October 10,” said Lipinets. “I’m very strong mentally, so there’s really no issue with the timing change. Training camp has been going great and I’m 100% ready for this one. I’ve been working with Joe Goossen and sparring with a lot of great fighters including Rashidi Ellis and Ronald Cruz.”

The 31-year-old Lipinets credits the renowned coach Goossen for the level of performance he has shown in the ring in the two years that they’ve worked together. The union between Lipinets and Goossen followed Lipinets’ run at 140-pounds, which saw him defeat Akihiro Kondo for the IBF Super Lightweight Championship on SHOWTIME in 2017 before losing the title by decision to Mikey Garcia the following year.

“My progression is totally attributed to working with Joe Goossen,” said Lipinets. “It’s like going from a high school education, then to college, and now I feel like I’m in graduate school. I’ve learned more with Joe than in all my previous time in the sport.

“Joe Goossen has taught me a lot about the short game and working on the inside. He’s also helped me with my lateral movement and made me way more durable. That’s all combined with my power increasing at 147 pounds. I’m ready to show all of it on October 24.”

Lipinets added two knockout victories to his ledger in 2019. In March he stopped two-division champion Lamont Peterson in a memorable firefight before blasting out Jayar Inson in the second-round in July. A win on October 24 not only puts Lipinets in line for the winner of the matchup between IBF and WBC Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. and two-division champion Danny Garcia, but also will help solidify his spot amongst the best in the star-studded 147-pound weight class. However, these potential high-profile matchups don’t take anything away from his focus heading into his upcoming fight.

“I don’t really think about the other top welterweight fighters like Errol Spence Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter or Terence Crawford,” said Lipinets. “In order to get to them, I have to win on October 24. Then everything else will fall into place. The top guys will fight me when they have to. That’s been the story of my career. Nobody has fought me because they wanted to, but usually because they had to.”

The unbeaten Abdukakhorov presents a challenge that Lipinets embraces. Abdukakhorov enters this fight after a victory over former champion Luis Collazo in addition extensive amateur experience that Lipinets knows will make him a formidable opponent when they square off October 24.

“Nobody is at the top of the IBF rankings for nothing,” said Lipinets. “Abdukakhorov had a successful amateur career with a lot of fights. He moves fast and knows his way around the ring. I know he’s tough, strong and he’ll do his best to stay in there with me. But I’m going to box him, fight at a distance if I have to, and pile up points against him. I expect a great fight. I’ll have a plan for whatever he brings to the table and get the win however I have to!”

ABOUT LIPINETS VS. ABDUKAKHOROV
Lipinets vs. Abdukakhorov will see former world champion Sergey Lipinets take on unbeaten Kudratillo Abdukakhorov for the interim IBF Welterweight Title headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, October 24 in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see undefeated contender Xavier Martínez battle hard-hitting Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero in a 12-round WBA Super Featherweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Rising super lightweight Malik “Iceman” Hawkins will duel knockout artist Subriel Matías in a 10-round showdown to kick off the televised action.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions, Top Rank, Inc. and Mayweather Promotions.

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