LAS VEGAS (October 8, 2020) — The breakout star of the Bubble, “Cassius” Clay Collard, is back for more.

Collard, the MMA pro-turned contender for 2020 “Boxing Prospect of the Year,” will fight Quincy LaVallais in an eight-round middleweight bout on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard on Saturday, Oct. 17 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center. It is a rematch of their June 2019 fight, which was ruled a draw.

Collard-LaVallais 2 and additional undercard bouts, including a 10-round junior welterweight clash between top prospect Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas and Kendo Castaneda, will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Lomachenko-Lopez world championship main event, the 10-round junior welterweight battle between Alex Saucedo and Arnold Barboza Jr., and an eight-round super middleweight tilt featuring knockout king Edgar Berlanga against Lanell Bellows will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET.

“A marquee main event deserves marquee supporting fights, and we have an incredible lineup in store underneath Lomachenko-Lopez,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Vargas can graduate to contender with a win over Castaneda, and Clay Collard is back to once again put on a show. Tune in early to ESPN+ to kick off an incredible night of boxing.”

Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs), who is 5-0 with 3 knockouts in 2020, began the year with three victories over previously undefeated prospects. In January, he toppled the 9-0 Quashawn Toler by unanimous decision in Toler’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. The following month, he knocked out the 5-0 Raymond Guajardo in the second round of a bout that saw both men hit the canvas. He made his Bubble debut June 18 and battered the 6-0 David Kaminsky en route to a split decision nod. Collard has notched knockouts in his last two Bubble bouts and returns against LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs), a native of Kenner, La. Collard and LaVallais fought in New Orleans, and LaVallais escaped with the draw. LaVallais has won two fights since, both by first-round stoppage.

“I’m a born fighter, and I’m grateful to be back on such a significant card,” Collard said. “When Quincy and I fought the first time, I knew I’d done enough to win, but we were in his hometown. We’re fighting on neutral ground this time.”

Vargas (17-1, 9 KOs), and his teeth, made an impression in his last bout. Vargas lost a veneer, but still managed to nearly shut out Salvador Briceno over 10 rounds in an ESPN-televised co-feature. He has won 11 consecutive fights and takes a step up against Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs), a San Antonio-born boxer-puncher coming of a competitive decision loss in July to Jose “Chon” Zepeda.

In other undercard bouts scheduled for ESPN+:

Jose Enrique Vivas (19-1, 10 KOs) vs. John Vincent Moralde (23-3, 13 KOs)
8 Rounds, Featherweight

Vivas’ last fight was one of the best of 2020, a 10-round war against Carlos Jackson that took place July 2 inside the Bubble. Vivas and his hellacious body attack earned him the unanimous decision nod. Moralde, a top Filipino contender, is 3-1 since a September 2018 decision loss to Jamel Herring at junior lightweight.

Quinton Randall (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. Jan Carlos Rivera (4-0, 4 KOs)
6 Rounds, Welterweight

Former USA Boxing amateur star Randall takes a step up in class against Rivera, a Puerto Rican knockout puncher who has yet to see the third round as a professional. Randall, from Houston, Texas, defeated Clay Collard via unanimous decision in June 2019.

Jahi Tucker (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Charles Garner (1-0)
4 Rounds, Welterweight

The 17-year-old Tucker, who signed with Top Rank earlier this year, made his professional debut Sept. 19 and scored a first-round stoppage over Deandre Anderson. 

Use the hashtag #LomaLopez to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing;twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

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.

NEW YORK (October 8, 2020) – Three member of Split-T Management scored impressive victories on Wednesday night at The Mohegan Sun Arena, with two of the wins televised live as part of a ShoBox: The New Generation card live on SHOWTIME®

In The main event, 2016 United States Olympian Charles Conwell remained undefeated with a crushing 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Wendy Toussaint in a junior middleweight bout.

Conwell dominated the 1st eight rounds with terrific boxing ability as he was able to get inside and get the better of the action. In round, nine, Cinewell landed a blistering uppercut that may have broke the nose of Toussaint. The New Yorker took a couple steps back, and took a knee for the 10-count at 2:42.

With the win, Conwell of Cleveland, Ohio is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts,

“I think this was a good fight for my first fight back, getting the ring rust off, but at the end of the day we got the job done,” said Conwell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian. “The game plan going in was to break him down round by round, go to the body until we got him to where we wanted him. I give my performance a C-plus, there were a lot of things I could have done better. I’m going to get back in the gym and continue to work hard to become the champion I know I can be. I’ll fight anybody next, but I really want an ex-world champion or ex-title challenger so I can get the championship rounds under my belt. Then it’s on to a world title.”

Conwell is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Holden Productions.

In the co-feature, undefeated welterweight Janelson Figueroa Bocachica announced himself to the world with a opening round destruction of Nicklaus Flaz.

Bocachica scored a crushing knockdown in the opening seconds of the fight as he landed a perfect left hook on the jaw. Bocachica kept up the onslaught has he landed tremendous power shots that culminated with another left hook that sent Flaz down for a second. It was only matter of time before Bocachica ended things with a big barrage of punches that forced the stoppage as Flaz was falling for a 3rd time at 2:43.

With the win, Bocachica of Detroit is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts.

Figueroa Bocachica is promoted by King’s Promotions.

“I came in and they said he wanted to brawl, and as soon as he did, the fight was over,” said Bocachica, a Detroit native, who like Flaz is of Puerto Rican descent. “The game plan was to showcase my boxing. I didn’t get to do that but I’m happy either way. I’m not shy calling out guys, but I’m trying to be respectful to the best in my division. I’m here, so bring them on. One-hundred forty-seven [pounds] is mine. It was easier than I thought, I’m not going to lie. But I didn’t think it was going to be hard.”

Featherweight prospect David Navarro made an impressive debut by stopping Nathan Benichou in the opening round of their scheduled four-rounder.

Navarro scored two knockdowns, and he showed why he was a much talked about singing for Split-T Management. The end came at 1:32 for native of Los Angeles.

Highlights of Navarro’s victory were shown on the ShoBox Telecast.

NEW YORK – October 8, 2020 – SHOWTIME Sports will chronicle the buildup to the battle for championships in two weight divisions between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz with a new installment of the Emmy Award-winning series ALL ACCESS. The two-part series premieres Friday, October 16 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with episode two premiering Friday, October 23, in advance of the four-fight SHOWTIME PPV® event on Saturday, October 31.

ALL ACCESS: DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ peels back the curtain to reveal how the two champions, with contrasting styles, are more alike outside the ring as they prepare to headline their first pay-per-view event during unprecedented times. The series reveals how Davis and Santa Cruz, with a shared love of their respective cities and the sport of boxing, fight for much more than themselves.

Filming is underway as Baltimore native Davis prepares with longtime trainer Calvin Ford and mentor and promoter Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. Proud Mexican-American Santa Cruz is in training camp in Los Angeles with his father and trainer Jose, who is in an ongoing battle with cancer.

Episode two of ALL ACCESS: DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ will premiere Friday, October 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

ARLINGTON, TX. (October 8, 2020) – Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 with fans in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale Wednesday, October 14 at 10 a.m. CT, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium. Spence vs. Garcia was originally scheduled for November 21.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

The hometown hero Spence will return to fight at AT&T Stadium after putting on a masterful performance in front of an enormous crowd at the Dallas Cowboys’ home last March, when he dominated four-division champion Mikey Garcia on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Possessing dangerous one-punch knockout power, two-division champion Danny Garcia was an indomitable force in the 140-pound division and has been equally powerful at welterweight, winning the WBC title in 2016. He will be looking to regain his 147-pound world title against Spence.

“In the tradition of memorable PBC welterweight clashes, Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia will pit two fighters with elite skills and heavy hands against each other in a high-stakes showdown on December 5,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Every time Spence fights in front of his hometown fans it is an unforgettable and energetic evening. We’re excited to be able to bring those fans this great matchup with Spence going up against an elite and always dangerous two-division champion in Danny Garcia. With three all-Mexican wars on the undercard, this FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is lined up to deliver action fights all night long.”

“We’re thrilled to deliver fans a blockbuster night of boxing headlined by Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. battling Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia in an exclusive FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View special event,” said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming and Scheduling for FOX Sports. “This should be an epic evening of must-see fights, and we’re excited to deliver viewers the next best things to front row seats.”

“What an exciting event to look forward to as we welcome yet another championship fight to AT&T Stadium,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “We are honored to once again partner with TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions and provide a top flight boxing match between Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia on December 5.”

This will be the third FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View headlined by Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), whounified welterweight titles in September by besting Shawn Porter in one of the best fights of the year. Spence was launched into stardom when the 30-year-old first captured a welterweight crown by traveling to the U.K. to stop Kell Brook in front of his hometown fans in 2017. He followed up his title-winning victory with triumphs over Lamont Peterson and Carlos Ocampo in 2018.

Fighting out of his native Desoto, Texas, Spence will return to the ring for the first time since miraculously surviving a car accident last October where he was thrown from the vehicle before it crashed. Spence represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics before turning pro later that year and scoring knockouts in 10 of his first 12 fights, showing the promise that he would eventually fulfill on the biggest stages of the sport.

“Having my comeback fight be in front of my hometown fans at AT&T Stadium is added motivation and a dream come true,” said Spence. “It means even more because I’m going up against a great champion in Danny Garcia. I know people are looking out to see if I’ve lost a step or won’t be at my best, but I’m 100% focused and everything is on point in training camp. I just can’t wait to go out there on December 5 and put on a show.”

Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) is the latest in a long line of great boxers from Philadelphia who have made their mark on the sport. His run through the super lightweight division and two-year reign as a unified champion is one of the most impressive in modern history as he defeated a string of champions, including, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Nate Campbell and Kendall Holt. Garcia also has been equally impressive at welterweight, defeating former world champions Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi, and Robert Guerrero.

After dominating the super lightweight division, the 32-year-old Garcia moved up to welterweight where he won the vacant WBC title with a unanimous decision over Guerrero in 2016. He lost a split decision to Thurman in a unification match in 2017 and dropped a narrow unanimous decision to Shawn Porter for the WBC title in 2018. Many observers and fans thought he deserved the decision in those matches. He bounced back from the Porter fight to score a spectacular knockout victory over Adrian Granados in 2019 and most recently dominated Ivan Redkach on his way to a unanimous decision in January.

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring,” said Garcia. “This is going to be my second fight of 2020, even though it’s been a crazy year with the pandemic and everything. I’m glad we’re finally getting back to where we were and that we’ll be able to bring this fight to the fans. This matchup is a mega-fight unification bout. It’s my opportunity to reclaim my spot at the top in this division and become a five-time world champion. Training and sparring has been going really well. I’m extremely prepared for this already and it can’t get here soon enough. Come December 5, I will be crowned unified champion!”

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old owns two victories in 2020, beating then unbeaten Daniel Lewis by decision in February, before most recently becoming the first fighter to knock out Nathaniel Gallimore with his August triumph on FOX. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, plus an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

“I’m thrilled to be back in action on a card of this magnitude to finish the year off,” said Fundora. “We’ll be facing a very experienced opponent in Jorge Cota, who’s someone that always comes to fight and give the fans a great show, just like me. We’re going to train hard to go up against this challenge. I’m certain Cota is doing the same, which is going to make this a great fight on December 5.”

Representing his native Sinaloa, Mexico, Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) bested 154-pound contender Thomas LaManna in his last fight, battering LaManna before stopping him in the fifth-round. The 32-year-old has bounced back from a loss to unified 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo with back-to-back stoppage victories. Cota had won 12 of 14 fights prior to facing Charlo, with his only defeats coming to former unified champion Jeison Rosario and top contender Erickson Lubin.

“I’ve been fighting professionally for 11 years and I know that this fight is do-or-die for me,” said Cota. “I know that if I lose, that could be my last chance to fight for a world title. I will be prepared to retire. So I’m training like everything in my life depends on beating Fundora and that’s how I’m going to fight him on December 5.”

Lopez (37-8, 20 KOs) has long established himself as a fiery competitor and top contender in multiple weight classes and has compiled an impressive resume. He owns victories over Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cruz and Mike Dallas Jr., having given the last two the first defeat of their careers. Additionally, he has squared off against Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. In 2019 the Riverside, California native lost a majority decision to Keith Thurman, before most recently knocking out John Molina Jr. last September.

“I’m ready to get back to fighting,” said Lopez. “This is an all-action card, so it’s only right that I’m included on it. I’m expecting a great fight against an excellent fighter in Santana. I’m just working hard to put on the best performance that I possibly can on December 5. This is going to be a fun, tactical fight, but we’re also going to be very aggressive. This type of fight belongs on a huge pay-per-view event like this one. My training camp has gone really well and I can’t wait to steal the show on what I think will be the card of the year.”

Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 147 and 154 pounds and has made his name with his action style throughout a long career as a contender. Santana returns to the ring after losing to former unified champion Jarrett Hurd in January. The Santa Barbara, California native owns a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018 and has faced unified champion Jermell Charlo and former champion Sadam Ali, while also fighting to a six-round draw against former unified champion Julian Williams in 2011.

“Me and Josesito are both throwback blood and guts gladiators,” said Santana. “I have nothing but respect for Josesito. We’re both fighters who have been underdogs throughout our careers and caused problems for the best fighters in the world. That combination is going to make this all all-out war and an instant classic. My motto is train, fight, win. On December 5, there is no other option.”

A former super bantamweight champion, Ceja (32-4-1, 28 KOs) will move up to featherweight as he seeks an opportunity to capture a championship in a second division. Ceja’s 2019 saw him engage in two action-packed battles, dropping a June contest to former champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and most recently fighting unbeaten super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa to a draw in November. The 27-year-old captured his 122-pound title with a stoppage of Hugo Ruiz in 2015, and has also challenged for a bantamweight title throughout his career.

“I’m very excited for this upcoming war between two Mexican fighters,” said Ceja. “I’m in Las Vegas and training hard every day. Camp is going perfectly and I will be 100% on December 5 so I can get one step closer to becoming world champion again.”

The 27-year-old Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with wins in three of his last four fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez most recently gave Leduan Barthelemy his first career loss via a fourth-round stoppage in their rematch last November, following up on their split-draw the first time they faced off. Overall, Ramirez has won 14 of his last 17 outings.

“I am in fantastic shape for this fight and I’m looking forward to showing off my improved skills once again,” said Ramirez. “I learned a lot in my loss against Claudio Marrero. I believe that I displayed those improvements when I beat Leduan Barthelemy. It was a big statement knocking him out and I can’t wait to make another statement in this fight against Ceja.”

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Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

LIAM WILLIAMS POSSESSES the power and tools to part Demetrius Andrade from his WBO world middleweight title, according to shared foe Alantez Fox.

The Maryland man, known as SlyAsa, was spectacularly knocked off his WBO No.1 ranked perch by the formidable middleweight force of Welshman Williams in December of last year, with ‘The Machine’ pounding the American before forcing a fifth round stoppage.

Fox’s only other reverse came against the current champion back in 2017 when Andrade clocked up a wide points victory over his countryman.

It makes the 6ft 4″ 28-year-old ideally placed to assess the prospect of mandatory challenger Williams taking on Andrade, once he has dealt with the domestic duty of defending his British title against Andrew Robinson, live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday.

“I don’t think Liam was better than I thought. He was everything I expected him to be – aggressive, strong and hitting hard. I just don’t think I was all the way there.

“I believe he is a good fighter though, definitely, I don’t think I would have lost if he wasn’t,” added Fox, who suspects an intriguing clash of styles will come into play when and if the pair meet.

“I believe the comparison between Andrade and Williams is the classic boxer versus kinda sort of brawler. Liam Williams is very aggressive and he comes to fight. He comes to box a bit, but he comes for war and to get in there to fight on the inside, which is what he will try and do against Andrade.

“If Andrade doesn’t box enough, or doesn’t box well, more than likely Liam Williams will take that victory. I want to say Williams hits harder than Andrade and I understand why people would ask the question because he ended up stopping me in the fifth round.

“Liam Williams does hit hard and he does have good punch placement.”

Fox concluded that geography, as well as styles, could be the making of having a new middleweight champion.

“I think some factors play into this fight. If Demetrius Andrade goes over there, it is a big ass difference. If Liam Williams has to fight here (the USA) that is a big difference too and I believe an Andrade win.

“It will be a boxer v brawler type of fight, but Andrade isn’t weak. He will have to be on his P’s and Q’s though against Williams,.

“That isn’t to say Liam Williams doesn’t possess the strength and guile to go in there and upset a lot of people. I am kind of on the fence over this one.”

“I would love to see these two clash and I hope it does happen.”

WATCH LIAM WILLIAMS vs ANDREW ROBINSON, SATURDAY, 7PM, BT SPORT 1

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 8, 2020): One of the most highly anticipated lightweight showdowns in recent years is set to finally take place as rising star Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) faces off against experienced contender and Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) in a 12-round battle for the interim WBC Lightweight World Championship. The fight will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in the U.S.

Information regarding the venue and the undercard will be announced shortly.

“For years, the world of boxing has been clamoring for a crossover star who can reach new audiences that have gone untapped for far too long,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “Ryan Garcia stands at the precipice of doing the same thing at an incredibly young age when he takes on Luke Campbell. While transitioning Ryan’s enormous social media following to DAZN viewers is good business for Ryan, Golden Boy and DAZN, it’s more importantly good for the sport of boxing, which needs a shot in the arm right now more than ever. For the next months, we are going to work tirelessly with our partners to promote this fight — by far Ryan’s biggest test of his career —which can catapult Ryan’s career to an entire other level.”

Garcia is a 22-year-old contender who has quickly developed into one of boxing’s most popular young athletes. Since joining the Golden Boy stable in 2016, he has steadily made his case for a world title opportunity by defeating the likes of “Ruthless” Romero Duno, Francisco Fonseca, Carlos “The Solution” Morales and Jason “La Maravilla” Velez. Since joining forces with renowned trainer Eddy Reynoso, the native of Victorville, Calif. has looked better than ever, improving his technical abilities and scoring knockout wins in his last five fights. But now, the toughest test of his career lies before him in Campbell, a man with whom he can prove definitively that he is championship material.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting to get back in the ring and have been working harder than ever to get here,” said Ryan Garcia. “It’s been a tough year for everyone, but I’m excited to bring the fans an escape for the night… or based on my track record, a few minutes at most. Luke’s record speaks for itself, but I’m ready to prove the doubters wrong. This is my era now and December 5th just the start of it.”

Campbell, a former WBC Silver Lightweight champion who took home a gold medal in front of his English countrymen in the 2012 London Olympic Games, is an elite fighter. Along with wins against Darleys Perez and former world champion Argenis Mendez, 33-year-old southpaw has been in very competitive fights against former unified 135-pound champion Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares and current unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. Whether due to his experience or his skill, Campbell is confident he can break Garcia down.

“2020 has been an extremely tough year for everyone, so I’m really pleased we can finally get this fight officially on and give the fans something to look forward to,” said Luke Campbell. “There’s been a lot of talk and he’s clearly a very highly regarded fighter, but I’m going to prove that this is far too much, far too soon and that I’m on a completely different level. I’ve fought in America before, so this will be nothing new for myself and my team. Fans or no fans, the one thing I can guarantee is that I will be coming back to the UK with the victory. Training hasn’t stopped for me, and I’m going to be in peak condition to show something very special from Luke Campbell on December 5.”

“This is a great fight in what is probably the hottest division in boxing right now,” said Eddie Hearn,” Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. “Luke is fearless in the challenges he takes and is ready to score a major victory in December against Ryan Garcia. Luke has been operating at the elite end of the division for a long time, and although Ryan is an exceptional young talent, I truly believe Luke’s pedigree and experience will be too much for him.”

Garcia vs. Campbell is a 12-round fight for the interim WBC Lightweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy in association with Matchroom Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Dec. 5, 2020 and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #GarciaCampbell

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link:http://bit.ly/GarciaCampbell into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

Charles Conwell remained undefeated by stopping Wendy Toussaint in round nine of their scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout at The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Conwell caught Toussaint with a vicious uppercut that may have broken Toussaint’s nose in the 9th round that made him take a knee for the 10-count at 2:42.

Conwell, 154 lbs of Cleveland is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Toussaint, 153 lbs of Huntington, NY is 12-1.

“I think this was a good fight for my first fight back, getting the ring rust off, but at the end of the day we got the job done,” said Conwell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian. “The game plan going in was to break him down round by round, go to the body until we got him to where we wanted him. I give my performance a C-plus, there were a lot of things I could have done better. I’m going to get back in the gym and continue to work hard to become the champion I know I can be. I’ll fight anybody next, but I really want an ex-world champion or ex-title challenger so I can get the championship rounds under my belt. Then it’s on to a world title.”

Bocachica stops Flaz in 1

Janelson Figueroa Bocachica stopped Nicklaus Flaz in round one of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

In the opening round, Bocachica dropped Flaz with a perfect left hook to the chin. Later in the round, it was another hard left hook that put Flaz down again. Three more hard punches later, Flaz went down, and the fight was stopped at 2:43.

Bocachica, 146 1/2 lbs of Detroit is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. Flaz, 146 1/2 lbs of Puerto Rico is 9-2.

“I came in and they said he wanted to brawl, and as soon as he did, the fight was over,” said Bocachica, a Detroit native, who like Flaz is of Puerto Rican descent. “The game plan was to showcase my boxing. I didn’t get to do that but I’m happy either way. I’m not shy calling out guys, but I’m trying to be respectful to the best in my division. I’m here, so bring them on. One-hundred forty-seven [pounds] is mine. It was easier than I thought, I’m not going to lie. But I didn’t think it was going to be hard.”

Lee takes out Williams in 1st

Brandun Lee remained perfect by dismantling Jimmy Williams in the opening round their eight-round welterweight bout.

In round one. Lee dropped Williams with a combination that was followed up by a left. Seconds later it was a right hand that sent Williams to the canvas. Then it was a huge right that sent Williams viciously down over the bottrom rope, and the fight was stopped at 1:34.

Lee, 144 lbs of La Quinta, CA is 20-0 with 18 knockouts. Williams, 143 3/4 lbs of New Haven, CT is 16-4-2.

“I’m blessed with the natural power and that’s what the fans saw from me tonight – I’m here to entertain the fans and seek and destroy,” said the 21-year-old Lee. “The game plan was to go in there and do what I do best, which is to destruct anything that is in my way. When I fought last fall on SHOWTIME for the first time in Texas I felt like we rushed it too much. And back in March on SHOWTIME I felt like we waited too long. So I think this fight was perfect. We hit it right on the money, not too fast and not too slow.”

LAS VEGAS (October 7, 2020) -Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete has won 27 consecutive bouts. Ruben Villa has never lost as a professional. Something will give Friday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET), when the two battle for the vacant WBO featherweight world title, which became available after Shakur Stevenson moved up to the junior lightweight ranks.

The ESPN-televised co-feature will see Kazakh middleweight phenom Janibek Alimkhanuly against Gonzalo Coria in a 10-rounder. Undercard bouts, including middleweight prospect Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson against Sonny Duversonne and junior welterweight puncher Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against Cameron Krael, will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) reigned as WBO junior featherweight world champion and became boxing’s most active world champion. He made five defenses of the title he won from Isaac Dogboe in a nine-month span and most recently knocked out Uriel Lopez in a June non-title bout in Mexico City.

Villa (18-0, 5 KOs), from Salinas, Calif, who is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing, earned this title shot with wins over the likes of Alexei Collado and Jose Enrique Vivas, but Navarrete represents a giant step up in class. Villa fights for his Salinas Valley home region, which has been ravaged by wildfires in recent months. The poor air quality has forced him to wear a mask during roadwork. The field workers are still out there, providing Villa with ample motivation as he awaits his first world title opportunity.

At Wednesday’s press conference, this is what Navarrete and Villa had to say.

Ruben Villa

“There have been a couple of restrictions and stuff due to COVID, but I’ve been in the gym, I’ve been active. It hasn’t gotten in the way of me training and my team’s training. Yeah, we trained hard, another hard camp, and we’re ready for Friday night.”

“My last couple of fights, they’ve been aggressive guys who come to beat me and think they’re going to get me off my game plan. But I adapted well. We always had good game plans and stuck to game plans, and now we’re here fighting for a world title. I feel like I’m ready. I feel like he’s beatable, and my style is the one to do it.”

“He’s an aggressive guy who throws 100 punches a round. I feel like it’s just going to bring the best out of me to do my job as well as I can.

“I feel like you’re going to see a bigger and better Ruben Villa this Friday.”

“Running with the mask on, seeing the field workers working during the pandemic and fires, it’s just another motivation for me to win this fight and bring Salinas its first world title. I just can’t wait to show you guys what I got.”

“I want to see the best Ruben Villa. I haven’t even seen him yet. I feel like Navarrete will bring it out of me. I’m just excited to perform and, like I said, show you guys what I got. I feel like I’ve been slept on. Maybe a lot of people think I don’t belong here, but I’m going to show everyone I’m an elite 126 fighter. Yeah, I’m coming to win and coming to fight.”

Emanuel Navarrete

“With the current situation and the camp we’ve had, {my team} has done a great job. We’ve worked through it, and we’re ready for this match.”

“My body is doing a lot better. I’m growing a little bit more. It was getting a little bit difficult making 122, but now going up to 126, I think I’m more prepared for that.”

“For now, we’re pretty much ready. We’re ready for this weight. We’re ready for this fight on Friday night, so I think we’re ready to go with what we have. After this fight, we’re going to keep moving forward.”

Use the hashtag #NavarreteVilla to join the conversation on social media.

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 7, 2020) – Undefeated WBC Lightweight champion, Devin “The Dream” Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) is back in camp for his fight on November 7th against 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18KOs). The 12-round fight being promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing is scheduled to take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN.

“Today was the first day of hard sparring,” said Devin Haney after finishing sparring for the day. “I am glad to be back in the ring after my shoulder injury, and I am glad to be doing what I love, competing at the highest level of the sport of boxing. Injuries are a part of the sport, but it still doesn’t make working through them any less difficult. I feel better now than before my injury.”

Haney, a world champion at the age of 21-years-old, is looking to show why his name has been mentioned amongst the best of the division, such as Vasiliy Lomachenko, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, and many others.

“It takes a lot to come back from an injury and still have the same belief in yourself,” said Haney reflectively. “The hurdles are mental and they’re not always apparent, they lurk beneath the surface and appear in training when you don’t expect them. I faced them and conquered them, and now am a better fighter for it.”

Haney will defend his belt against a formidable foe in his second world title defense when he steps in the ring with Gamboa, a former two-time world champion.

“People will say this fight is easy, but it is not, Gamboa is a former world champion, who has nothing to lose and the shot of a lifetime,” concluded Haney. “I have to be in the best shape of my life and put on a vintage Devin Haney performance to let my fans know that I never left. I’m on a quest to be the best fighter in boxing.”

Last month Brandon Figueroa and Damien Vazquez engaged in an exciting battle for the WBA super bantamweight title at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut on a high profile Showtime pay-per-view event.  The first few rounds had tremendous two-way action as both fighters landed several clean shots.  

Unfortunately, that all changed in the 4th round as Figueroa began landing several rabbit punches. The rabbit punches began to take their toll and after the middle rounds it was clear that Vazquez wasn’t himself. The fight ended up being stopped in the 10th round.

“I can’t remember much after the third round,” Vazquez said after the fight. “My head was so swollen and I had lumps all over the back of my head.  I am just thankful that I feel better now and that my CT scan came out clean.”

When the illegal punches began connecting, Vazquez’s father and co-trainer Oscar repeatedly pleaded with the referee to admonish Figueroa. In what appears to be a gross case of negligence, the referee failed to issue a single warning to Figueroa for his habitual rabbit punching.

After the Prichard Colon tragedy in 2015 and more recently with up and coming fighter Shawn Simpson injured by a rabbit punch with 16 ounce gloves in sparring, it is imperative that the sport cleans up these dangerous and illegal punches.  

That starts with the referees that are in charge of the action and Gary Rosato, who is a veteran referee, failed to protect Vazquez from the illegal punches. Prior to the fight, Vazquez’s team even specifically told Rosato to keep an eye out for the illegal blows.

In an effort to help prevent another tragedy from occurring in the future, Vazquez has retained the services of John Strafaci, Esq. who specializes in Tribal Law and has won several high profile cases in the region. He has filed an appeal to the Mohegan Tribal Department of Athletic Regulation. 

 “We are filing this appeal on behalf of Damien, based on egregious illegal punches that happened throughout the course of the fight that should have never happened. The ref should have taken action early on and stopped the fouls that clearly affected the outcome of the fight. These illegal and dangerous punches put this young man in the hospital and caused him serious injury. This needs to be addressed because the next fighter may suffer worse injuries than Damien has suffered,” said Strafaci. 

(October 7, 2020) — Lightweight contender Viktor Kotochigov will defend his WBC International belt against British contender Maxi Hughes in the 10-round main event Friday, Oct. 9 from Caesars Bluewaters Dubai. Kotochigov-Hughes and undercard contests — the Rotunda Rumble IV — will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
 
Kotochigov (12-0, 5 KOs), from Kazakhstan, won the vacant WBC International belt last July with a unanimous decision over Jairo Lopez. A world traveler, he’s fought in seven countries since turning pro in December 2015. He last fought Aug. 23 and knocked out Belarusian veteran Andrei Isayeu in three rounds. Hughes (21-5-2, 4 KOs), from Rossington, England is coming off an upset decision victory Aug. 12 over longtime contender Jono Carroll. The Carroll win marked a turning point in the 10-year career of Hughes, who previously fell short in bids for the British super featherweight, WBC International super featherweight and WBO European lightweight titles.
 
In other streaming action on ESPN+:

• Armenian amateur superstar Hovhannes Bachkov will make his professional debut in an eight-round junior welterweight bout against 28-fight Venezuelan veteran Samuel Gonzalez (22-6, 13 KOs). Bachkov, a two-time World Championships bronze medalist (2017 and 2019), represented Armenia at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won a gold medal at the 2017 European Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
   
• Junior welterweight knockout artist Faizan Anwar (4-0, 4 KOs), a 19-year-old from Calcutta, India, will take on JR Mendoza (11-19, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder. The durable Mendoza has not been knocked out since 2012.
   
• Junior bantamweight prospect Blane Hyland (3-0), from Liverpool, England, will fight Mohamed Salah Abdelghany (3-2) in a six-rounder.

 
About ESPN+
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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.

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 7, 2020) – The exciting return of super bantamweight Saul “The Beast” Sanchez (13-1, 7 KOs) of Pacoima, Ca, who is promoted by Thompson Boxing, will happen this Friday, October 9th, 2020, as he faces Daniel “La Tormenta” Lozano (15-9-1, 11 KOs), who fights out of Bowling Green, Florida. The two warriors will headline a ten-round bout televised live on Telemundo, taking place at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Here is what Sanchez had to say about this recent training camp with coach Manny Robles.

On his recent training camp.
“It has been really good training camp as we just wrapped up our final day of working out. I am working with my coach Manny Robles, and he is helping me to improve in a lot of areas. This has been an exhausting and hard camp, but I feel that the work I put in will pay off in the ring.”

On the match-up with Daniel Lozano.
“Daniel Lozano is a really tough and experienced fighter. I think he is a little past his prime, but even then, he is still a difficult fight. He’s been in the ring with some good fighters. Lozano is from Florida and I am going into his backyard, so I am coming in with the mindset of being the underdog. I hate that I have a loss on my record, so I feel my performance needs to be that much better to get my name to where it was prior to my first defeat.”

On what a win would do for your career.
“A win could elevate me into the bouts I want to be in. I look at guys like Daniel Roman and Ruben Villa, both of whom are in world title fights and signed to my promoter Thompson Boxing, and that is what I want. So, I want to get myself into a position in which I can fight for a world title against the very best in the world and beating a known veteran like Lozano helps move me in that direction.”

On headlining a Telemundo boxing card
“Obviously to headline any card is huge, but for it to be on national television is a major step up in my career. I just want to put on a great fight for those tuning in. I need to be impressive in this televised fight. I’ll be throwing a lot of punches, that you can guarantee.”

NEW YORK (October 7, 2020) – TONIGHT at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, one of the most decorated amateur stars in recent history is set to make his pro debut when David Navarro of Los Angeles introduces himself to the pro ranks when he takes on Nathan Benichou in a four-round featherweight bout.

Benichou is the son of former world featherweight champion Fabrice Benichou.

Navarro, who recently inked with Split-T Management under the guidance of Tim VanNewhouse weighed in at 126 3/4 lbs while Benichou weighed in at the same 126 3/4 lbs.

Highlights of the bout will be aired live on the ShoBox: The New Generation card that will feature Navarro’s Split-T Management stablemates Charles Conwell (who faces Wendy Toussaint in the main event) and Janelson Figueroa Bocachica (who takes on Nicklaus Flaz in the co-feature) live on SHOWTIME (9 PM ET/PT)

“I am very excited to start my pro career on Wednesday night,” said Navarro. “I just want to show everyone who I am, and what I can do. I will have a lot of family and friends who will be watching and rooting for me back home.”

“I am so prepared for this because of seeing my brother (Golden Boy Promotions, 17-0 Prospect, Jonathan Navarro) go through his career. I have defeated some of the best amateur fighters in the world, and that gives me the confidence to have a great career, and that begins tonight.”

Navarro, 20, began training in the sport at the age of five, and leaves behind his childhood long endeavor of becoming an Olympian to enter the professional ranks. During his time in the amateurs, David compiled 15 National titles and competed in over 170 amateur bouts.

Last December, Navarro was one of only eight boxers in his weight division to compete for a spot on Team USA’s Olympic squad. During the 10-day event, he made it all the way to the finals by upsetting top seed Duke Ragan and in January was named as an Olympic Alternate for the 2020 Olympics, now rescheduled to take place in 2021.

Photo by Steven Khan

BT SPORT delivers another power-packed boxing bill on Saturday night headed by Clydach Vale’s Liam Williams who defends his British Middleweight championship against Redditch’s mandatory challenger Andrew Robinson.

Williams hopes it is his final fight before challenging American WBO World champion Demetrius Andrade.

Nathan Gorman is back in action on the behind-closed-doors card at BT Sports studio in East London. He boxes a  Commonwealth Heavyweight title eliminator against Ghana’s Richard Lartey.

Earlier today, the four fighters took part in a media conference, photos can be found here and below are a selection of quotes.

LIAM WILLIAMS (22-2-1, 17 KOs)
“It’s not fair to say I’m angriest man in boxing,  but when I’m in the ring I have that nastiness about me and a short fuse. Day to day, I am a steady living guy. It doesn’t matter what anybody says or does I always bring excitement and fire on all cylinders. Andrade is full of s**t and keeps saying he is ‘The Boogeyman”, but I am actually chasing the fight with him. I don’t care if he fights me or vacates as long as I get that world title. I  think he will vacate and I will fight someone like Jaime Munguia, which has blood and guts written all over it. I will talk about Andrade and Eubank, but my focus is Andrew Robinson. The referee will have to keep a eye on him because I am coming with bad intentions. I am going to be on the ball and the referee needs to be on the ball because someone could be getting hurt. I will take Robinson’s heart, then come back take his gold teeth and weigh them in to get a nice little bonus.”

ANDREW ROBINSON (24-4-1, 7 KOs)
“I am living my dream and don’t get involved in talk about being overlooked. I’ve always been a fan of Liam Williams. It’s like a dream come true to be fighting one of the best Middleweights in the world. I will fight anybody and I’m ecstatic to be the ring with the number one fighter in the WBO ratings. If I win, I fight for a world title so I’m buzzing. I went to Poland and beat Damian Jonak who hadn’t lost in 13 years. God was with me that night and hopefully he is on Saturday.”

NATHAN GORMAN (16-1, 11 KOs)
“This is a different Nathan Gorman from 16 months ago. I have a new team and I am in a good fight. What has happened in the past has happened and I got beaten by Daniel Dubois. I could have taken a six rounder, but if I beat Lartey I can push on for titles. I am sure the winner of Dubois v Joyce will vacate the Commonwealth title and I can get that title. What a fight that will be. It’s a case of who lands first. Under six rounds you favour Daniel because he’s explosive. Over six rounds, It could be Joyce with his engine.”

RICHARD LARTEY (14-2, 11 KOs)
“Preparation has been good and I will give the TV fans a great fight. People still talk about my fight with Daniel Dubois. I have a new team. I am prepared and something will happen. I respect Nathan and know all about him. I wasn’t pleased with how the referee stopped the fight against Daniel and I would like the chance to meet him again.”

A second title fight on the card sees Liverpool’s JJ Metcalf (21-0, 13KOs) make the first defence of his Commonwealth Super-Welterweight title against Bolton’s Jack Flatley (16-1-1, 4 KOs)

Willy Hutchinson  (12-0, 8 KOs) chases his 13th straight win when he boxes Spaniard Jose Miguel Fandino (15-7, 8 KOs) in a non-title ten-round Super-Middleweight clash.

Portsmouth Lightweight Mark Chamberlain (6-0, 4KOs) moves up to eight round class and faces Shaun Cooper (10-1)

Completing the card Super-Featherweight Muheeb Fazeldine (13-0-1, 4KOs) meets Luke Jones (6-3-1) over six rounds and over four rounds Bexley Welterweight Mickey Burke Jr (3-0) tackles Manchester’s Dan Booth (4-1, 

Mexico has a long history of great fighters: Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Eric Morales, Ricardo Lopez, Canelo Alvarez, just to name a few, but  Nothing captures the boxing public imagination like a blood-and- guts warrior.  Chavez became a legend knocking out Meldrick Taylor in the last round, Marquez KO’d the great Manny Pacquiao, and the list goes on and on. 

It’s no wonder the rumor from Mexico that young Jose “Toro” Resendiz could join the list of beloved Mexican greats is exciting to boxing fans.  

Insiders are saying Resendiz will follow in the footsteps of Mexican icons by coming to America in order to conquer the boxing world.  Resendiz sports an impressive 71-2 amateur record, and is undefeated as a professional as he is 11-0 with eight knockouts. More importantly to boxing fans, Resendiz fights in the “Mexican” style, ensuring he will be a fan favorite upon arrival the United States.  

The 21 year-old Resendiz has a very bright future.  If his amateur pedigree, and early pro success is any indication, it will be exciting to watch him develop on PBC, ESPN, DAZN or whatever platform this blue chip prospect ends up landing.  

Resendiz is coming off a an 8th round stoppage over Joaquin Murrieta on January 25th, Murrieta had battled Mario Cazares to a disputed majority decision defeat. Cazares recently defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

NEW YORK – October 6, 2020 – Three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz previewed their highly anticipated battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

Two of the sport’s most exciting fighters, Davis vs. Santa Cruz will headline a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The fighters were joined Tuesday by Mayweather Promotions President and all-time great Floyd Mayweather amongst the participants previewing the event during the virtual press conference.

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 press conference participants had to say Tuesday:

GERVONTA DAVIS

“I brought my camp to Las Vegas and have trained more than eight weeks for this fight, because I know that I’m fighting a top-notch fighter. Leo comes to fight. He brings pressure and he’s a high-volume puncher.

“I’m having my camp here so I can stay focused on just boxing. I’m close to my Mayweather team and I have Floyd in the gym with me more. I’m grateful for having Floyd here to help me tweak things that will help me fight better against Leo.

“We have more than five sparring partners just to make sure I’m more than well prepared. My coach Calvin Ford keeps me focused day-to-day so that I’m able to give the fans a great, exciting fight.

“At the end of the day, the fans are going to win. We’re two elite fighters matching up. This could be one of those fights that you’ll always remember. I’m grateful to be in this position and I’m ready.

“I’m thankful to Leo for stepping up and calling me out. He wants to test himself out. It shows me that he has a lot of heart and he wants to fight the best. The winner of this should be up there in the pound-for-pound rankings. The winner takes it all on October 31.

“Floyd’s been there coaching me through what comes with having my first pay-per-view main event fight. There’s a lot of pressure on me and you have to live up to fighting on pay-per-view so you can fight on pay-per-view again. When I’m down or anything like that, he’s able to push me, because he’s been there before. There are things that only Floyd can tell me about because he has that experience.

“This camp has been great for me. I’m already on weight. I’ve just been working hard. We’re not worrying about weight. We’re worrying about giving Leo Santa Cruz a great fight on October 31.

“Most fighters don’t last to the second half of the fight against me. Jose Pedraza brought pressure against me and he got stopped in round seven. He can say what he wants, but he has to prove it on October 31.

“I believe I can stay at 130 after this fight, but if there’s a fight worth going to 135, I’ll do that. Right now, I’m just focused on Leo and becoming a pay-per-view star.

“I have a lot left to show in the ring and Leo is going to bring the best out of me. We just have to wait and see. I’ve been working hard every day sparring bigger and smaller guys. I’m prepared for anything. We know he’s coming to fight. We want to give everyone a great show. It’s going to be a spooky night on Halloween.

“As a professional, you have to be ready no matter what. You have to adapt to whatever comes your way. I’ve been working out for three months every day, just to prepare for this. I’m more grateful to be in this position than anything. I’m so focused on what’s in front of me, and that’s getting past Leo.

“I can’t say if he can take my power until we get in there. I’m working hard in camp so that I can show my appreciation with a great performance. Come October 31, you definitely won’t want to miss it.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I feel really great. This camp has been perfect. I feel strong and I’m very motivated. My dad and my brothers have been helping me out. It’s really the best camp I’ve had and I’m in the best shape of my career.

“This is a hard fight. It’s the toughest fight of my career. We’re facing a tough fighter with great skills. I know he’s going to come with everything he has and be at his best.

“I’m determined to go beat ‘Tank’ so I can say that I beat one of the best fighters in the world. I want to give the fans a great fight. This is a big opportunity for me to become a superstar. It’s an opportunity for ‘Tank’ too, so I know we’re both going to go out there and give it our all for the fans.

“We’ve been sparring with bigger guys who fight at 147 pounds. I think that’s going to make me able to take his punches. I’m eating a little better and feeling strong. I’m doing everything I can to be able to take his punches.

“Davis is a strong fighter, especially in the first five rounds. He’s always dangerous, but if I see him gassing out, I’m going to pressure him and break him down. I think that I can frustrate him.

“I believe the winner of this fight is pound-for-pound top 10. Nobody wants to fight ‘Tank’ Davis and I chose to fight him. If I beat him, I know that everyone will have to say that I’m one of the best fighters in the world.

“I think my future will be at 130 pounds. I want to defend the title and unify but if there’s a fight that makes sense at 135 pounds, I’ll definitely take it.

“There’s no concern from us about his weight. He’s been training hard and he looks like he’s in good shape. He fought during Christmas last time, but I know this time he’ll be ready.

“The only concern my team had at the beginning was whether he’d make weight, but that isn’t a concern anymore. We’re working hard in the gym on how to avoid the big shots. We know we have to fight a perfect fight and that’s what we’re going to do.

“We have to fight from the outside because we know that ‘Tank’ can hit. But I always try to give the fans a great fight, so there’s going to be times I’m brawling with him. We’re going to go back and forth. If I feel like I can take his punches, I’m going to be right in his face.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, President of Mayweather Promotions

“This fight here is about these two young hungry lions. ‘Tank’, I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished in a short period of time. Leo, I have to commend you also, because you’ve done great things in this sport. I’m glad that we were able to take this fight to the Alamodome so we can have some fans. This fight needs to have fans.

“If you can’t make it there, make sure you tune in. We know Leo is going to bring excitement and high volume. ‘Tank’ is always going to bring the power and speed. This can’t be anything other than a collision. These guys do it for the fans, they love the fans and I’m proud to be part of such an event.

“When ‘Tank’ was very young, I told him that at some point he’d be on pay-per-view and now we’re here. I’ve always been a fan of Leo’s as well. Both fighters deserve this, the fans deserve this, and I want to see these fighters at their best on fight night. Go out and give the fans what they want to see.

“I know ‘Tank’ is ready for pay-per-view because his fan base is really growing. The demographic that follows him is getting bigger. With Leo being popular on the West Coast and in Texas, he’ll bring a huge following as well. This fight can only be on pay-per-view in my opinion.

“In the gym, Calvin Ford and I work hand in hand. I’m just there to give pointers and help ‘Tank’ understand how pay-per-view works. If a fighter is in a gym working hard all day, sometimes he doesn’t want to do the things you have to do that are part of being on pay-per-view. When we invest in a fight like this, we want these fighters to give 100%. I’m proud of both competitors for what they’ve done so far.

“I believe in ‘Tank’. I’ve believed in him ever since he was a young kid. He’s still a kid in my eyes, but he’s a young man now. I told him it was going to come fast and when it comes, to be ready.

“You haven’t seen the best Gervonta Davis yet. He had so many different looks in training. He had big guys, small guys, combination punchers, pressure fighters. He was boxing everything from middleweights to featherweights. All of this is going to play a big part in his career.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“This is a terrific fight. It’s a clash of styles. Leo is a non-stop puncher. He’s relentless and comes forward. ‘Tank’ has the power, the youth and the speed. It’s two young fighters who want to give the fans the best out performances of their careers.

“Leo really pushed for this fight. Obviously, he sees something in ‘Tank’ that he feels he can take advantage of. It makes it a really fascinating matchup.

“The timing couldn’t be better for pay-per-view. These two young guys are ready. ‘Tank’ has become a huge attraction, selling out fights in the U.K., on the East Coast, down south and in California. We’re excited to bring him to Texas on October 31.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“It was important for Floyd, Leonard and all of us involved in this fight to have fans at an event of this magnitude.

“We started looking for where we could go, and It’s difficult with so many sports going on right now, but the Alamodome was open because we can set it up with social distancing throughout the arena. It was the right fit for a fight like this. We’re excited to come back to a great fight town in San Antonio.

“I’ve always loved the Alamodome. We can make this a great night in a great fight town. I’m so happy we can bring this to the fans in San Antonio.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, Sports Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“In order for boxing to be at its best, the best fighters must fight the best fighters. Tough fights matter. Matchmaking matters. It is good for the fans and it is good for the sport.

“This matchup between Tank Davis and Leo Santa Cruz is one of the most anticipated and exciting matchups of the year. We have power and speed and athleticism versus experience and pressure fighting. We have a boxer with one of the sport’s highest knockout ratings versus a fighter who is one of the busiest, highest pressure fighters in the sport. I give credit to both Tank and Leo for taking this fight and for taking big risks.

“We are thrilled with the undercard. We’ve seen Mario Barrios fight on SHOWTIME before, and he will be defending his title against the very entertaining Ryan Karl. We’ve seen Regis Prograis mature through ShoBox and we’re thrilled to have him back, and he has his hands full with fellow ShoBox fighter Juan Heraldez. The opener between Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno is another fight fans’ fight.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see htree-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/.

SALINAS, CA (October 6, 2020) – The highly anticipated world title fight between Ruben Villa IV (18-0, 5KOs), who is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing, and Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) will happen this Friday, October 9th, 2020 on ESPN with the vacant WBO featherweight world title on the line.

The fight is being promoted by Top Rank, in association with Banner Promotions Promotions and Thompson Boxing, taking place at “The Bubble” inside the MGM Grand Conference Center, televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (10 PM ET / 7 PM PT).

Prior to being in the professional ranks, Villa was largely considered as one of the greatest amateurs in recent years in USA Boxing. He is now looking to make a childhood dream come true by bringing a world title back to his hometown of Salinas, California.

Here is what Villa had to say about his upcoming fight world title fight.

On his recent training camp
“This camp has been the best camp of my life. I turned off all social media, I took a ‘Mamba Mentality’, and focused strictly on training. I’ve had great sparring partners preparing for this fight like Manny Jaimes, Javier Padilla, Andy Vences and Xavier Martinez, and they all gave me tough rounds, and I am ready for whatever Navarrete will bring, whether it is boxing or pressure.

On his matchup with Emanuel Navarrete
“Navarrete is a good fighter, but I will be honest, I feel largely disrespected coming into this fight. I am a southpaw who is the bigger man, and had a better amateur career, but am being viewed as an underdog. I have a chip on my shoulder, and though I respect Navarrete’s skills, I am looking to prove a point.”

On bringing a world title back to Salinas, California.
“I love my hometown of Salinas, California, and I want to bring home a world title to all the fans here that have supported me over the years. I have told my trainers Max Garcia and Sam Garcia that this has been a childhood dream of mine since I first laced up a pair of gloves. We’re working as a team to accomplish this goal.”

On what people expect when he steps in the ring.
“People will see someone who started boxing at a young age, show his skills and poise in accomplishing a childhood dream. I have been very focused, I am giving this my all, and I am ready. Everyone should tune in Friday, October 9th, on ESPN, because this will be a great fight for the fans.”

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

UNCASVILLE, CONN. – October 6, 2020 – Exciting 154-pound prospects Charles Conwell and Wendy Toussaint both made weight a day beforeheir main event showdown set for Wednesday, October 7, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in the first ShoBox: The New Generation telecast since March.

A decorated amateur and U.S. representative at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the 22-year-old Conwell (12-0, 9 KOs) hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and will make his second ShoBox appearance when he takes on up-and-coming Toussaint (12-0, 5 KOs) in a 10-round super welterweight contest.

The ShoBox event will open with two eight-round welterweight showdowns as Detroit’s Janelson Figueroa Bocachica (15-0, 10 KOs) takes on fellow Puerto Rico native Nicklaus Flaz (9-1, 7 KOs) and hard-hitting Brandun Lee (19-0, 17 KOs) returns to ShoBox in the telecast opener against Jimmy Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs).

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

The event is promoted by Tony Holden Productions.

FINAL WEIGHTS

Super Welterweight 10-Round Bout
Charles Conwell – 154 lbs.
Wendy Toussaint – 153 lbs.
Referee: Johnny Callas (West Hartford, Conn.); Judges: Glenn Feldman (Avon, Conn.), Frank Lombardi (Brookfield, Conn.), Don Trella (Noank, Conn.),

Welterweight 8-Round Bout
Janelson Figueroa Bocachica – 146½ lbs.
Nicklaus Flaz – 146½ lbs.
Referee: Johnny Callas (West Hartford, Conn.); Judges: Ken Ezzo (Wilton, Conn.),Don Trella (Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (River Vale, N.J.), ,

Welterweight 8-Round Bout
Brandun Lee – 144 lbs.
Jimmy Williams – 143¾ lbs.
Referee: Danny Schiavone (Wethersfield, Conn.); Judges: Ken Ezzo (Wilton, Conn.), Glenn Feldman (Avon, Conn.), Frank Lombardi (Brookfield, Conn.)

FINAL QUOTES:

Charles Conwell

“Since my last ShoBox appearance three years ago, I’ve matured a lot as a fighter. I’m more comfortable inside the ring and going longer rounds. I’ve developed as an all-around fighter. A lot of challenges have been thrown my way but it’s nothing that I can’t overcome. I’ve been able to adjust, get over it and keep moving up.

“I think I need a couple more fights, a couple more good wins under my belt against some formidable opponents, and looking good doing it, and I’ll be considered a top-10 type of contender. I think I need two more fights.

“I had a fight scheduled in April right before the shutdown, which got cancelled. So, it’s just been constant training for me. Not necessarily going hard in the gym, but just staying active in the gym and staying in shape so when the call comes, you’re prepared for it whenever they give you a date.

“I know that I’m facing an undefeated, 12-0 fighter. He fought in the bubble, I know that. He’s a slim, tall type of guy who has length, and he’s athletic. I’ve just seen one of his fights. He has a little awkwardness and he throws some loopy shots that I need to be aware of.

“With the Patrick Day fight, I’ve just learned to live with it and try to stay positive. Keep positive people and positive energy around me. That’s all I can ever do, stay looking forward and try not to dwell on the past. It’s a very difficult thing for me but you can’t think about it in this sport. You have to continue to be aggressive. My first fight after that tragedy, once somebody punches you in the face it’s not too hard to punch them back – it’s natural. In training, I was a little timid at first but once somebody is in there trying to punch you in the face, it’s easy to be aggressive.

“I’ve always been an aggressive fighter. Being a shorter guy, you fight taller guys and you always have to be more aggressive. As I get in there and work with my coaches, I’ve developed different skills – different punches, different defensive moves, different angles, different tricks on the inside – so I’ve always been aggressive and willing to fight on the inside.”

Wendy Toussaint

“My conditioning is great right now. I’m always in shape and I’m very strong right now. I’m ready because this is a great opportunity for me. It’s difficult to get a fight right now with the Coronavirus so when this fight came, I took it immediately. I fought once in the bubble in Las Vegas already and I think that’s a little bit of an advantage for me. I think I already got one fight with no fans and I’m used to it – so maybe that’s a small advantage and the fact that I’ve been active is good as well.

“I sparred with [Sergiy] Derevyanchenko in camp and that was a great experience. He throws a lot of punches and sparring with him was different than anything I’ve experienced. It was very difficult, but I gave him a lot of work, a lot of pressure, and I think it will really help me a lot in this fight and going forward in my career.

“Conwell is a great fighter but I’m a very strong fighter as well, so I’m not going to be frustrated by anything he does. I’m going to stay relaxed, box and let everything come together because like I said, this is not my first time getting in the ring. Boxing is about staying relaxed no matter what your opponent brings. You have to be ready for anything. Conwell is a great fighter, all respect to him, but I’m coming to fight.

“Every time I have a fight, I don’t watch my opponent a whole lot but I do watch them a little bit. He’s a very strong fighter but every fight is different, you can be in top shape for one fight and be a different fighter in your next one. He’s a strong fighter, he likes to attack the body, but I don’t think I’ll have a big problem on my hands.

“Boxing is all mental. Sometimes, when you look at things on paper they are different than when you actually get in the ring and start fighting. I know that Conwell is going to be a strong fighter but is he stronger than the guys I’ve faced in sparring? I don’t know. I have to wait to get in the ring and see what he brings. You never know. But I’m very confident in myself and I’m not intimidated at all.”

Janelson Figueroa Bocachica

“I got a good six weeks of training in for this fight. I’ve been in camp with Charles Conwell this entire time. I’ve been going to Ohio and he’s come over to Detroit. I’ve also been in Tony Harrison’s camp for the past two weeks. I’ve gotten amazing work from both of those guys.

“I’m definitely a big puncher but you’ve got to know how to set it up. You can’t rush it, just trust that the knockout is going to come. I get knockouts with punches that I wasn’t even expecting to knock people out but then they don’t get back up. Boxing is about timing, it’s art. It’s not about brute strength. I’ve knocked people out with a jab, but my right hand seems to put everybody out. The better my opponents are, the better I am. As good as he looks, I know I’m going to be even better.

“When I went pro, I knew that I hurt people in the amateurs with big gloves and headgear, so imagine what I could do with the little ones? But I had to learn how to set my opponents up and pick my shots and get an opening. I couldn’t just go straight forward. Sometimes you have to let them come to you. It’s all about ring control.

“It won’t be a problem fighting without a crowd. I’ll still have my fans watching on TV and my coach, which is my dad, will still be there in my corner. I’m comfortable with the situation.

“I beat Brandun Lee in the amateurs but I don’t have any relationship with him today. I don’t really see much of what he’s doing, with him being out in California. I know he’s on this card so when I see him at the fight, I want to let him know that I want to fight him after this. I wish him well against his opponent but I know I’m going to do my thing and take care of my business. I upset him in the amateurs, and I hope I can see him in the pros too. If he wants to do it, we can do it. I’m ready for big names. I’m ready for Virgil Ortiz. I’m ready for Keith Thurman. Everybody around me knows that I’m so ready for bigger fights and bigger opponents.

“All I know is that Nicklaus Flaz better be ready because I had a super hard training camp and we’ve been working hard. I want to put on a great show for something that I’ve been training so hard for. I know Puerto Rico is going to be watching this one, and I know all of his fans are going to be mine after this fight.”

Nicklaus Flaz

“I was in the same camp as Jeison Rosario and I sparred with him a couple of times. I’ve been in touch with him since the Charlo fight and he’s doing better now. He’s eager to get back to work but they told him to get some rest. Sparring with Rosario, a world champion, was a great experience. It was really tough but I did my best to manage.

“I’m an aggressive fighter. I like to fight on the inside, come straight forward and do damage. I’m a better fighter than since I was in the World Series of Boxing. My defense and my ring IQ are way better. I used to just go in blindly looking to land punches, now I go in more conscious and with better defense. My punches are much more accurate now.

“I don’t know much about Bocachica. I let my trainer figure him out but what I know is that he’s a really tough fighter, undefeated, and he can punch. I’ve never been down before so I can definitely take a punch.

“This is Puerto Rico vs. Puerto Rico. That’s a great motivation for me. I got to take him out. He says he’s going to knock me out, so I want to see how he plans to do that. We can brawl if he wants. I want to see him try to knock me out. It’s going to be fireworks.

“I’ve worked a lot on my conditioning and pacing myself since my lone defeat. I’m a lot smarter than I was then. Not every fighter is going to be knocked out, so I worked on that and I fixed it. I’m in much better shape and I’m ready to fight 12 rounds if I have to, even though the fight is only scheduled for eight. I know I’ll be throwing a lot of punches until the end. My punch output will be high as always.”

Brandun Lee

“I was on the last fight on ShoBox in March, and we didn’t have a crowd at that one either. In a way, I feel like I’ve already been there, done that. I know what to expect without a crowd. Nothing has changed as far as my training. It’s been a little tough to find sparring but other than that, boxing-wise, the pandemic hasn’t affected me much.

“This will be the biggest guy I’ve ever fought. He’s a natural 147 and 154-pounder, so he is a much bigger fighter. I’m a 140-pounder. I think he’ll be the best fighter I’ve faced too. I feel that way because once upon a time he was a top-15 prospect in the rankings and he’s a much bigger, much longer guy than anybody I’ve faced.

“Hopefully this fight gives me more rounds than I’ve been able to get in the past. He’s only been knocked out once and he’s gone 10 rounds before. Hopefully we can get the rounds in because I need it. The only positive that comes from facing guys that you knock out in the first round is building up that confidence. But I feel like I’ve already built up my confidence so it’s time to start bringing in some real fighters and making some noise.

“I learned something from my last fight. Before the fight, I said I have to pick my shots more and be more calm, but in that case, I could have just gone in there and blown the guy away in the first round. I learned that you have to be able to make a quick choice on whether you want to take the guy out later or take him out now. I took him out later because I wanted to go more rounds. I expected the fight to go longer than what it did. We wanted the later rounds and the longer minutes but that was a mistake. If I hurt Jimmy Williams in the first round, I’m definitely going to get him out of there.

“I remember my fight against Bocachica in the amateurs was a hell of a fight. We had the entire arena watching us. It was a close fight. It could have gone either way. We were 15 at the time. I don’t really look at it like I need to avenge that loss in the pros. I’m looking at what’s ahead of me, not behind me. That was the amateurs but if he steps up to the plate, I’ll step up to the plate as well.

“My last fight against Camilo Prieto was a step-up and now Jimmy Williams is an even bigger step-up. After this fight, we need another step-up. Each fight, we need to slowly progress into the top ten. At the end of the day, I’m just a fighter. I will listen to my team and my promoter and whoever they pick for me to fight, I’m definitely going to step up to the plate and do what I do best.”

Jimmy Williams

“I’m a local guy and I’ve fought many times at Mohegan Sun, so it will be weird not having support in the arena but I know they will all be tuning in on SHOWTIME. It is what it is. I’m excited with fans or without fans, it doesn’t make a difference.

“I watched a little bit of tape on my opponent. I know he’s a young prospect, he had a great amateur career. But this is the pro game. I know he hasn’t been tested yet, he’s sparred with some of the greatest fighters in the world but he will get tested on Wednesday night. We’re going to see what Brandun Lee is made of.

“If you go and watch Brandun’s fights, the guys he faced didn’t come to fight. They came to lay down, they weren’t punching back and Brandun had enough time to set up his punches and he was able to do what he wanted to in the ring. I don’t discredit the guys he fought, he’s still got talent, but I’ve been tested. I’ve been hit hard. I’ve been in the ring with some great fighters already. This fight will definitely go past the first round. He better be prepared to put the rounds in with me.

“In 2008, my mom was murdered and it changed my whole life. I opted to leave school that year and enter the NFL draft. A lot of people thought I was crazy because I still had a year of eligibility, but I was projected to get drafted in the fifth to seventh round. It didn’t work out my way but I still got some calls and tried out for a few teams in camp. But my mom’s spirit brought me back to the ring. I had a lot of frustration and anger because it is an unsolved case, and boxing was my bread and butter from the beginning so getting back in the ring was the natural thing to do.

“My mother’s death motivated me to stay on the right path. My father passed away from cancer, and my parents both raised me to be somebody great in life. Her death motivated me. Her death never sat right with me. She didn’t die from a natural cause, somebody strangled her and put her there. That made me go hard in life. I woke up and told myself I would be somebody. I had to make her proud and I’m making her proud now. That anger fuels me in the ring because I feel like I bring her back to life. I know she went out fighting and every time I get in the ring, I fight for her.”

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 83 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

HALL-OF-FAME Promoter Frank Warren has today revealed the highly anticipated Heavyweight battle between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce will land on Nov 28th, live on BT Sport.

In an incredible reversal, the fight – the most significant domestic bout staged in the UK post-Lockdown and the biggest domestic Heavyweight clash in years – will now NOT be on pay-per-view.

The blockbuster November event, branded with the apt tagline ‘At Last’, will represent the final chapter in a saga that has seen April, July and October dates cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Warren was keen to point out that the COVID outbreak and its negative effect on UK jobs and livelihoods was on his mind as he decided to scrap plans to make the fight PPV.

He said: “This is about keeping boxing alive and relevant at a tough time and doing something for the fans and we have moved heaven and earth to put this on as a BT Sport subscription Fight Night instead.”

“With boxing still being behind closed doors and struggling back to its feet post-Lockdown, I wanted to give something of a gift to British boxing fans. Dubois versus Joyce is the best fight on the British boxing calendar and I want this to be something as many people as possible can enjoy. It’s a bonus that the added exposure gained from the fight will really help the boxers as they move forward with their careers.

“Above all, this is about making sure that the fans are looked after and this fight will be available to BT Sport subscribers. Queensberry and BT Sport are looking forward to delivering a huge night of boxing, so let’s make sure the eyes of the country, and the world, are on British boxing come November 28th. 

“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to BT Sport for being willing to make this happen.

“I sound like a broken record I’m sure, but sometimes you have to put the sport and the fans first. Queensberry gets that and BT Sport gets that. ‘For the fans’, it’s what it’s all about.”

‘AT LAST: DUBOIS vs JOYCE’ WILL HAPPEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ON NOVEMBER 28th, LIVE ON BT SPORT

(October 6, 2020) — FITE, the premier global digital platform for sports and entertainment, announced today that they have acquired the exclusive rights in the UK for the upcoming October 17th Top Rank Pay-Per-View boxing event: Vasiliy Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) vs. Teofimo Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs).

Later this week, FITE will announce more countries where this fight will be available via the FITE digital platform. Start time for this LIVE event will be 2:00am UK time on Sunday morning, October 18th, and available for only £9.99.

This long-anticipated fight is available on the five-year-old digital streaming platform, FITE. FITE is known for providing the best viewing experience on a multitude of digital platforms including its website www.FITE.tv, Android and iOS mobile apps, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Netgem TV, Foxxum, Hisense/Vidaa televisions and 7,000 other Smart TV models. FITE also features the technology that lets users cast the purchased event from the mobile app to their wi-fi connected television or streaming device. Click here for more How to Watch on FITE Details.

FITE was founded in 2016 and has offered the top boxing, pro wrestling and MMA events on a weekly basis. Since its launch, it has streamed more than 3,500 live Pay-Per-View events. Recently, FITE opened up a London office under the direction of former ITV Box Office executive, Ben Halabi.

“We are excited to have the rights to the upcoming Lomachenko vs Lopez fight,” Halabi said. “FITE already offers many live Top Rank boxing events and continues the trend of FITE offering best-in-class boxing entertainment.”

“We could have not picked a better partner for this fight than FITE,” said Top Rank Boxing Chairman, Bob Arum. “FITE will make this event available to every boxing fan in the UK regardless of the subscription networks they have or don’t have. No subscription is needed for this. To order PPV events on FITE, all you need is an internet connection. It couldn’t be simpler. Enjoy the fight.”

Order Lomachenko vs. Lopez NOW: CLICK HERE

Daniyar Yeleussinov will face Julius Indongo for the IBF Intercontinental Welterweight title on Friday November 27 behind closed doors at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN.
 
Yeleussinov (9-0 5 KOs) faces a stern test of his ambitions in the paid ranks as the Kazakhstan Olympic gold medal man aims to press on the accelerator as he enters double figures in pro fights.
 
Indongo (23-2 12 KOs) represents a major step up in class for Yeleussinov, having taken on Terence Crawford for the undisputed Super-Lightweight title in August 2017 as the unified IBF and WBA champion, having unified against Ricky Burns three months earlier.
 
“I thank Indongo for accepting this challenge,” said Yeleussinov. “He’s a former World champion that will come to fight.
 
“This will be a great fight for me and a great boxing show at the Hard Rock. I am going to show I’m the better fighter and Indongo will see the best of Daniyar Yeleussinov. I hope my fans will enjoy this event.”
 
“Daniyar is a very gifted boxer and a highly accomplished Olympian,” said Indongo. “However, I don’t fear anyone, because my skills will be a challenge for him as well. I feel as if my skills and conditioning, since training in America, have improved very much, so it is going to be a good fight. I am prepared to put on a great performance and get the win.  
 
“I understand the importance of this fight for my career. I need to win…period. When I do, I will be considered as a contender in both the 140 lb. and 147 lb. divisions. This fight will open the doors I need to become a World champion again.”    
 
“This is the test that Daniyar needs to show that he’s ready to press for World honors,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Julius is a former unified World champion; he’s been in with some great fighters and still has ambitions at the very top level.
 
“We believe that Daniyar is going to be a player in the division for years to come, but he must prove that by closing 2020 in style against Julius and setting up a big year in 2021.”
 
“Julius Indongo is only three years removed from being the unified champion at 140 and his losses have come exclusively at the hands of truly elite competition,” said Indongo’s promoter, Lou DiBella. “Daniyar Yeleussinov may have a gold medal from the amateurs, but is he an elite pro? Indongo represents a challenge in both skill and experience that Yeleussinov has not encountered as a professional. Indongo is hungry for another chance at a World title so, frankly, he views Yeleussinov as the stepping-stone and not the other way around.”
 
Yeleussinov’s clash with Indongo is part of a huge night of action in Florida as bitter rivals Daniel Jacobs and Gabe Rosado clash in a true grudge match at Super-Middleweight. 
 
Marc Castro will make his pro debut on the undercard of Jacobs vs. Rosado. The Fresno talent was slated to make his bow in the paid ranks in Tulsa, Oklahoma in August, but he tested positive for COVID-19. Now the amateur sensation finally laces them up and is joined on the undercard by three-time World amateur champion Magomedrasul Majidov (2-0, 2 KOs), and young talents Nikita Ababiy (9-0, 6 KOs) and Alexis Espino (6-0, 4 KOs).

LIAM WILLIAMS believes WBO World Middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade has nowhere to hide.

The American champion has been ordered to face Williams in his next defence and the Welshman’s promoter Frank Warren is working behind the scenes to make the fight happen very soon.

Andrade claims the world’s best 160lb fighters are avoiding him. That angers Williams who defends his British Middleweight title against Andrew ‘D’Animal’ Robinson at BT Sports studio on Saturday (October 10).

Fired up Williams, 28, put the World champion on notice and says: “I am confident in my ability to wreck Andrade.

“He says he is the most avoided man in boxing, but I am chasing him so he isn’t being avoided. 

“I don’t think he wants the fight, but he can’t keep hiding. It is just a matter of time and I am sure we will get to the bottom of the situation in the next couple of weeks.

“I believe it will be Andrade after Robinson, but I don’t believe Andrade wants to fight me. I wouldn’t say he is scared of me because that is probably a bit far-fetched, but he is wary.

“If he got beaten by a bigger name it would be acceptable because he could earn money from other fights.

“I am not a fool and understand the sport, but I am low reward, high risk for Andrade.

“I want to take a World title from the champion, but I just want my opportunity and whoever it is against I will win.”

Clydach Vale’s Williams (22-2-1, 17 KOs) can’t afford to slip up when he faces his Redditch based mandatory challenger Robinson (24-4-1, 7 KOs) behind-closed-doors this weekend.

Williams hasn’t boxed since December when he dished out a sensational five round hammering to Alantez Fox who had been the 12 round distance with Andrade.

He said: “For me, it’s about looking good but most of all it’s just about getting the win. If you can do some real damage in the mean time, happy days.

“I want to hurt people and that is because I just love winning and the feeling it brings.

“People are expecting me to put on a big performance and to knock him out. I’m expecting that myself, but if it doesn’t come I’m not going to be disappointed.

“Robinson represents a risk to me, but I couldn’t care less. I want to fight.

“I am mentally good, physically good, my weight is right and I could fight for a world title this week.”

Williams v Robinson headlines a packed card that also includes Liverpool’s JJ Metcalf who defends his Commonwealth Super-Welterweight title against Bolton’s Jack Flatley.

Nathan Gorman is back in action in an exciting Commonwealth Heavyweight title eliminator against Ghana’s Richard Lartey.

Willy Hutchinson chases his 13th straight win when he boxes Spaniard Jose Miguel Fandino in a non-title ten-round Super-Middleweight clash.

Portsmouth Lightweight Mark Chamberlain moves up in class when he faces Shaun Cooper and completing the card, Super-Featherweight Muheeb Fazeldine meets Luke Jones over six rounds and over four Bexley Welterweight Mickey Burke Jr tackles Manchester’s Dan Booth.

Don’t miss a punch on BT Sport 1 from 7pm on Saturday.

Joseph Parker and Junior Fa will clash in the biggest fight in New Zealand boxing history, live on DAZN from Spark Arena, Auckland, on Friday December 11 (NZ time).
 
Former WBO World Heavyweight ruler Parker (27-2 21 KOs) is ranked #3 with the WBO and is plotting his return to World champion status having stopped Shawndell Winters in five rounds in his last outing in Dallas in February.
 
Unbeaten Fa (19-0 10 KOs) is hot on Parker’s heels in the WBO rankings at number six and the 30 year old will be determined to come out on top in the biggest fight of his life with huge stakes on the table. The South Auckland fighters are aiming for a shot at the WBO World title and the winner of this highly anticipated bout will put them on a trajectory for a huge 2021.
 
“This is going to be war,” said Eddie Hearn. “We’re looking forward to co-promoting our first event in New Zealand with David Higgins and Duco. There’s plenty of needle with the amateur rivalry and there’s national pride at stake. A win over Fa will catapult Joe back into World Title contention.”
 
“Given the challenges facing major sporting events around the globe right now, getting this fight over the line is absolutely huge, and we are grateful to our partners Matchroom for their backing to make this happen” said Parker’s manager and Duco’s founder and Director David Higgins. “With both boxers inside the WBO top 10 world rankings and in their prime, this is undeniably New Zealand’s fight of the century.” 
 
The match-up will be a mouth-watering prospect for Kiwi boxing fans and for all sports fans starved of big events. The demand for a Heavyweight bout of this stature is enormous and the pay-per-view audience is expected to reflect that. With so much at stake for both fighters and the previous history of Parker and Fa winning two bouts each in their amateur days, commentators are already talking about the bout being an instant classic with fans standing firmly on both sides of the ring.
 
“I’ve always believed that Junior Fa had the ability to become a World champion and, on December 11, he’ll have the opportunity to prove that against a former Heavyweight champion and amateur rival, in countryman Joseph Parker,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Not only is this matchup one of the biggest fights in New Zealand history, it has high significance on the Heavyweight landscape worldwide, with the winner closing in on a world title shot. With a win, Junior can become a New Zealand sports superstar and a worldwide boxing star in one night. I’m proud to co-promote this historic fight card with David Higgins’ Duco Events and Matchroom.”
 
“Parker’s an Auckland born Samoan, Fa an Auckland born Tongan; the fight is taking place in the largest Polynesian city in the world; both fighters are close to and desperate for a title shot; they have a split history in amateur fights, and they are both members of the same Mormon Church. This fight already has everything,” said Higgins.
 
In a second huge announcement, Events company Duco Events, Spark Sport and media partner New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) today also announced a New Zealand first three-way partnership to finally get Parker and Fa in the ring.  
 
“The Parker Fa match-up sits perfectly with Spark Sport’s purpose to deliver premium live and on-demand sports to a wide-reaching audience. The arrangement between Spark Sport, Duco Events, NZME and the support of presenting partner Stonewood Homes is a great example of not just sitting back and waiting for a sport to come to you, instead we’ve all got together and made it happen. This will be our second major pay-per-view event after we streamed the Whyte Povetkin bout back in August, so we’re excited to bring this Kiwi based event to New Zealand as the exclusive broadcaster,” said Head of Spark Sport, Jeff Latch.
 
Getting the Parker and Fa fight over the line has taken more than eight months of negotiations with the boxers, yet the innovative partnership between Duco Events, Spark Sport, NZME, with the support of presenting partner Stonewood Homes, was pulled together in less than eight weeks, demonstrating the enthusiasm to change the way sport is delivered and promoted in New Zealand, while also ensuring the event took place this year and on Kiwi soil.
 
“It’s been a tough year for New Zealand sports fans with so little in the way of world class live sporting events since Covid-19 hit. For NZME this event encapsulates why we are committed to delivering the very best content to our audiences and advertisers, keeping Kiwis in the know. We are proud to support a spectacle like this, alongside Spark Sport and Duco, to bring sport back to a big arena where it deserves to be,” said NZME Chief Revenue Officer Paul Hancox.
 
The Heavyweight boxing match-up also marks the return of large-scale marquee events, with 9,000 expected to fill-out Auckland’s Spark Arena for the December 11 event.
 
“Events companies have been absolutely smashed by the pandemic and we’re really proud that our collaboration with Spark Sport, NZME and the support of Stonewood Homes plus our global collaboration with Matchroom and Di Bella has given us the opportunity to let New Zealanders get back to experiencing the excitement, the drama and the fun that an event like this creates,” said Duco’s Higgins.
 
“We would really like to thank and acknowledge Stonewood Homes for their support of this event and their contribution to the re-build of not only the events industry but also the local economy who all benefit from an event which attracts visitors and locals to spend within the region,” said Higgins.  “Without key sponsorship relationships, events such as Stonewood Homes, Joseph Parker v Junior Fa would not get off the ground.”
 
Stonewood Homes has built nearly 7,000 homes for Kiwi families since 1987. 
“We are proud to support world-class athletes Joseph Parker and Junior Fa, while helping rebuild New Zealand’s economy by getting events going again,” said Managing Director John Chow. 
Stonewood Homes Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa, Friday 11th December 2020 Spark Arena, Auckland New Zealand.
 
Tickets from $69 + fees at www.ticketmaster.co.nz.
Corporate Hospitality available at www.ducoevents.com. 
 
Pay-per-view will be priced on a tiered model with super early bird pricing of $39.99 available from today increasing to an early bird price of $49.99 on 27^th October and then reverting to the final pay-per-view cost of $59.99 for viewers who purchase the day before or the same day as the fight (10^th and 11^th of December).