NEW YORK (October 2, 2020) – Boxing’s premiere management company, Split-T Management will again be the busiest group in the month of October as 11 of it’s top performers will see action in high profile bouts over the biggest platforms in the sport.

On October 2nd, prized junior welterweight prospect Omar Rosario
(1-0) of Caguas, Puerto Rico looks for win number-two against Matt Gavers in Kissimme, Florida on a card that will televised live on Telemundo.

On October 3, former IBF Junior Welterweight world champion Ivan Baranchyk
(20-1, 13 KOs) looks to get right back in title contention as he takes on Jose Zepeda (32-2, 25 KO’s) in a bout that will headline an ESPN+ card in Las Vegas.

Also on that card will be the much anticipated pro debut of star amateur featherweight
Haven Brady Jr. of Albany, Georgia. Brady will take on Gorwar Karyah (2-1, 2 KOs) in four round bout.

On October 7th, Split-T Management fighters will be featured prominently on a ShoBox: The New Generation card on SHOWTIME as former U.S. Olympian and undefeated junior middleweight, Charles Conwell (12-0, 9 KOs) headlines a card against fellow undefeated Wendy Toussaint (12-0, 5 KOs) at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Also featured will be Conwell’s brother Isaiah Steen (14-0, 11 KOs) in a super middleweight fight; Undefeated welterweight Janelson Bocachica (15-0, 10 KOs) taking on Nicklaus Flaz (9-1, 7 KOs). That night will also see the pro debut of highly acclaimed featherweight David Navarro.

On October 9th, super welterweight Kahshad Elliott makes his pro debut in Las Vegas and live on ESPN+

On October 17th, In what many are calling the most anticipated fight of the the year, undefeated IBF Lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez (15-0, 12KOs) takes on WBA/WBO world champion Vasilly Loamachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) in a mouth watering bout from Las Vegas and will be televised live on ESPN.

Finally on October 23rd, two of Split-T Management’s emerging prospects in super middleweight Diego Pacheco (9-0, 7 KOs) and junior lightweight Otha Jones III
(5-0, 2 KOs) will see action on a DAZN streamed card in Mexico City,

NEW YORK – October 2, 2020 – Three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will square off in a Halloween thriller for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships live on 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 four-fight pay-per-view card will be the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since COVID-19 forced a halt to U.S. sports in March.

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

The highly anticipated main event will be contested at 130-pounds and will be fought for both Santa Cruz’s 130-pound title and Davis’ 135-pound title, which they each won in their previous fight. Two crowd favorites with massive followings, Davis vs. Santa Cruz is an all-action style matchup, with Davis owning a .957 knockout rate, while Santa Cruz is long established as one of the busiest punchers and best pressure fighters in the sport.

Davis vs. Santa Cruz will be a rare clash in boxing history in which world titles in two weight classes will be at stake. Other notable instances in recent boxing history are the 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Donny Lalonde fight for the light heavyweight and super middleweight titles, and the 2014 Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana rematch for the super welterweight and welterweight championships.

“I’m looking forward to showing the world how hard I’ve been working in camp,” said Davis. “We are just a few weeks away, and I’m already in great shape. Headlining on pay-per-view has always been a dream of mine since I started boxing. I can’t wait to put on a spectacular performance against multiple division world champion Leo Santa Cruz. Thank you to my team, SHOWTIME, Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions, and all my fans worldwide. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”

“October 31 is going to be the biggest fight of my career,” said Santa Cruz. “I’m going to fight a very tough opponent, maybe the toughest opponent of my career. Two titles are going to be on the line, and this will be my first time headlining a pay-per-view. So I’m going to do everything that I can to put on a good show. Davis is known for his power. But I think with my experience and ring IQ I can break him down. He’s probably going to be very aggressive in the early rounds. But if I do what I’m supposed to, and execute our game plan, I will win.’’

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club.

“This fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz is such a great fight that we had to have it with fans, which will be a first for a major boxing event since COVID-19 started,” said Floyd Mayweather, President of Mayweather Promotions and a 12-time, five-division world champion. “Tank’ Davis is a special talent, a super skilled fighter and I have been in the gym regularly to watch and help him prepare for a tough opponent in Santa Cruz, who we all know always comes in shape and ready to fight. It’s going to be a great night for Mayweather Promotions, for boxing and for sports. The best fighting the best is all we can ask for.” 

“We continue with the tradition of offering boxing fans the best matchups in the hottest divisions, pitting the best versus the best,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Tank Davis facing Leo Santa Cruz is one of the most exciting matchups of the year. You have a young, hungry star with devastating power in Davis and an experienced and absolutely relentless four-division champ looking to conquer a title in a fifth division. This is the type of matchup boxing fans have waited the entire year to watch. Two superstars in their toughest matchup to date battling for titles in two weight divisions at the same time.”

“Gervonta Davis is the most exciting fighter in the sport, and he’s set to headline his first pay-per-view card and set the world on fire,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “He’s up against an experienced, four-division world champion in Leo Santa Cruz, who is looking to take him down and hand him his first L on October 31.”

“Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz is one of the best matchups that can be made in boxing, with each fighter in position to score a career-defining victory,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “We’re excited to bring a historic showdown with world titles in two weight classes on the line to fans at the Alamodome. Davis vs. Santa Cruz presents a fascinating clash of styles, with Santa Cruz’s relentless pressure against Davis’ fight-changing power. Adding in three high-stakes undercard attractions, this pay-per-view is lined up to present drama in the ring from start to finish.” 

Tickets will go on sale Monday, October 5 at 10 a.m. CT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. This is the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. in March. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the virus. 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.

“The Alamodome is excited to host the Davis vs. Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV event and to bring these athletes to San Antonio,” said Steve Zito, General Manager, Alamodome. “Not only is this a great platform for these athletes and their fans, but the event will also spotlight San Antonio through nationally televised matches and generate economic impact for our community during these challenging times.”

Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title in a star-making performance on SHOWTIME^® in January 2017. At the time, he became the youngest world champion in boxing at age 22. In the ring, Davis blends controlled aggression with blazing hand and foot speed, eye-catching power and sublime boxing skills. The dynamic combination of skills has made Davis a fan-favorite who filled arenas in Atlanta, Ga., and his hometown of Baltimore, Md., last year. 

The 25-year-old began his 2019 with a knockout of Hugo Ruiz in February, before scoring a second-round stoppage of Ricardo Núñez in his homecoming fight in July. Davis closed out the year by capturing his lightweight title via 12^th round TKO of former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in December. Davis also owns a title-winning performance in which he dominated former champion Jesus Cuellar to capture the WBA 130-pound belt in 2018. Under the guidance of Mayweather Promotions, Davis will look to further improve his impressive portfolio with another title-winning performance in his first pay-per-view main event.

Fighting out of Los Angeles, Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) made his debut at super featherweight last November by defeating Miguel Flores to capture the WBA title. Santa Cruz has made his name in the sport by engaging in numerous Fight of the Year contenders, including two thrilling featherweight title duels against four-time champion Abner Mares and two-division champion Carl Frampton each. He lost his featherweight title in his first match against Frampton in 2016, but reclaimed it in their rematch the following year.

The 32-year-old has competed in title bouts in 17 of his last 19 fights, while picking up belts at 118, 122, 126 and 130-pounds. The 130-pound title made Santa Cruz just the fifth fighter of Mexican descent to win titles in four weight classes, joining Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Jorge Arce and Mikey Garcia. Santa Cruz was introduced to the sport and trained throughout his career by his father Jose, along with his brothers Jose Armando, a former lightweight contender, and Antonio. Santa Cruz will look to become a five-division champion in his first pay-per-view headliner.

The 25-year-old Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will be making the first defense of his world title in his hometown of San Antonio. Barrios captured his 140-pound title in his last fight in September 2019, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov, dropping him twice and fighting through a cut suffered on a head butt. Barrios trains in Oakland, Calif. under the guidance of renowned coach Virgil Hunter. The five-foot ten-inch Barrios debuted as a super bantamweight in 2013, eventually moving up to 140-pounds full time in 2017 where he is 8-0 with seven knockouts.

“The long layoff is finally over and fans can expect to see me go to war with Ryan Karl, who I know is coming to bring an aggressive fight to the table,” said Barrios. “I’ve stayed in great shape during this past year, so now it’s time for me to keep giving boxing fans exciting fights. I’ll be representing my city of San Antonio and as always, everyone can expect to see me as explosive as ever. On October 31, all the fans watching on pay-per-view will watch me make a statement as I defend my title.”

Born in Milano, Texas and now trained in Houston under the tutelage of top trainer Ronnie Shields, Karl (18-2, 11 KOs) will step in for his first title opportunity on October 31. The 28-year-old enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak, with all three wins coming in 2019, including a knockout of Kevin Watts to avenge one of his losses in an immediate rematch. Karl also owns victories over Kareem Martin and then-unbeaten Jose Felix Quezada during his pro career that dates back to 2014.

“I’ve been training for this my whole life and I’m not going to let it slip away,” said Karl. “We’re working hard in training camp to put on the best performance of my career. We know what we’re up against in Mario Barrios, but I’ve come too far not to take full advantage of this opportunity on October 31.”

A staple of the 140-pound elite, Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) returns to the ring after losing his title in an exciting unification clash via majority decision last October against Josh Taylor. The 31-year-old won his title by defeating Kiryl Relikh by TKO in April 2019 and has also earned stoppage victories over former unified champion Julius Indongo, and then-unbeaten contenders Joel Diaz Jr. and Juan Jose Velasco. Prograis was born in New Orleans but lives and fights out of Houston.

“This is a huge fight and I’m very thankful to PBC for giving me this opportunity,” said Prograis. “I haven’t fought in a year and since then I’ve done a lot of self-reflection and moved from L.A. back to Texas. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been and I can’t wait to get back to my number one spot in the super lightweight division. I have to be a world champion again and I won’t stop until that happens.”

The 30-year-old Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs) can vault himself into the top tier of 140-pound contenders with a career-best victory over Prograis on October 31. Born in Northridge, Cal. and training out of the Mayweather Promotions gym in Las Vegas, Heraldez most recently fought to a majority draw last May against former champion Argenis Mendez. Heraldez’s pro career has also seen him score victories over previously unbeaten Jose Miguel Borrego and tough contender Eddie Ramirez.

“It’s been a crazy year, but I took this opportunity to spend time with my family and sharpen my skills inside the ring,” said Heraldez. “There’s been a lot of great sparring happening at the Mayweather Boxing Club that I’ve taken advantage of. I have a tough opponent in front of me, and that’s my only focus right now. I trust in my ability as a fighter and I trust my team to get me over the finish line with a victory on October 31. I’m thankful to Mayweather Promotions for putting me on such a large platform for this fight.”

Fighting out of his native Mexico City, Mexico, Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs) is unbeaten in his last 15 fights since dropping his sixth pro fight by decision. The 22-year-old knocked out 10-of-13 opponents between 2016 and 2018, before making his U.S. debut in December 2019. That contest saw Cruz earn a unanimous decision over Miguel Perez, which he followed up in February of this year by defeating Thomas Mattice by decision on ShoBox: The New Generation.

“Since I started boxing, it has been my dream to fight on this stage in the United States,” said Cruz. “I know that Diego Magdaleno is a very tough and experienced fighter, but it’s my time on October 31. The fans will see that I have what it takes to be world champion when I beat Magdaleno and announce myself as one of the best lightweights in the world.”

Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) enters this fight coming off of an impressive victory over contender Austin Dulay in February that saw him drop Dulay on his way to a unanimous decision. The 33-year-old has challenged Roman Martinez for a 130-pound title and Terry Flanagan for a lightweight crown, while also battling lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez in February 2019. A Las Vegas native, Magdaleno has won four-of-five fights entering October 31, including a 10-round decision over Artyom Hovhannisyan.

“I’ve been super eager to get back into the ring since my last performance,” said Magdaleno. “That win sparked a fire in me and got me as motivated as I’ve ever been. Now that I’m in a title eliminator, I’m even more excited to return to action. I’m facing another young lion, but he’s lacking the experience that I have. Training with Bones Adams has made a world of difference in my career. I’ve made a transition to being more composed and smarter in the ring. I’m here to make a statement and claim what’s mine. I’m never going to back down until I get that world title.”

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

•     José Zepeda 139.9 lbs vs. Ivan Baranchyk 139.6 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Gabriel Flores Jr. 131.7 lbs vs. Ryan Kielczweski 131 lbs 
(Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

•        Guido Vianello 238.7 lbs vs. Kingsley Ibeh 276.8 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•      Duke Ragan 126.4 lbs vs. John Moraga 127.7 lbs 
(Featherweight — 4 Rounds)

•     Frevian Gonzalez 131.8 lbs vs. Carlos Marrero III 130.5 lbs 
(Jr. Lightweight— 4 Rounds)

•    Mitchell Sipe 248.9 lbs vs. Jimmy Barnes 290.6 lbs 
(Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)

•    Haven Brady Jr. 125.9 lbs vs. Gorwar Karyah 124 lbs 
(Featherweight— 4 Rounds)

•   JJ Mariano 144 lbs vs. Matthew Reed 149.4 lbs 
(Welterweight— 4 Rounds)
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.

LAS VEGAS (October 2, 2020) — Undefeated southpaw middleweight phenom Janibek Alimkhanuly is set to introduce ESPN viewers to his brand of “Qazaq Style.” Alimkhanuly will fight Argentinian contender Gonzalo Coria in a 10-rounder Friday, Oct. 9 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center.

Alimkhanuly-Coria will serve as the co-feature to the vacant WBO featherweight world title fight between Emanuel Navarrete and Ruben Villa, and both bouts will be televised LIVE on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

Undercard action, including a 10-round lightweight showdown between Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno and Avery Sparrow, will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET. The ESPN+ stream will also see junior welterweight knockout sensation Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against veteran spoiler Cameron Krael in an eight-rounder.

“Janibek is a future world champion, and I expect him to take advantage of the ESPN platform,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Elvis Rodriguez is a born puncher and a splendid young talent, but Krael is not an easy out. Joseph Adorno can prove a lot with an impressive showing over Avery Sparrow.”

Alimkhanuly (8-0, 4 KOs) turned pro in October 2016 after concluding a sterling amateur run for his native Kazakhstan, which included gold medals at both the Asian and World Championships in 2013 and a berth at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He makes his 2020 debut after going 4-0 in 2019, a year in which he won the WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global belts. Alimkhanuly last fought Nov. 9 on the Jamel Herring-Lamont Roach Jr. undercard in Fresno, Calif., and he knocked out veteran Albert Onolunose in six rounds. Coria (16-3, 6 KOs) is coming off a career-best performance last June, a 12-round unanimous decision over Marcos Reyes in Reyes’ hometown of Chihuahua, Mexico.

“I’ve been out of the ring for a long time, and I’m very anxious to return,” Alimkhanuly said. “I had a great training camp with Buddy McGirt and excellent sparring partners. This is the next step as I prepare to fight for a world title in the near future. I can’t wait for Oct. 9 to show my fans ‘Qazaq Style.’”

Adorno (14-0-1, 12 KOs) has not fought since a January draw against Hector Garcia, and he recently had his scheduled June 23 bout canceled after falling ill before the weigh-in. Adorno, who has wowed audiences with his highlight-reel knockouts, looks to regain his career momentum with an impressive showing against Sparrow (10-2, 3 KOs). A veteran of Philadelphia gym wars, Sparrow is coming off a competitive decision defeat June 25 to the unbeaten Abraham Nova. He took the Nova fight on short notice, but with a full training camp to prepare for Adorno, Sparrow hopes to graduate from prospect-tester to contender.

Rodriguez (9-0-1, 9 KOs) emerged as a “Bubble” superstar, having won three bouts by stoppage in three rounds or less. On July 2, he knocked out Danny Murray in the opening round. Nineteen days later, he stopped Dennis Okoth in the second round. In his last bout, Aug. 29 on the Jose Ramirez-Viktor Postol undercard, he knocked out Cody Wilson in the third round. Krael (17-16-3, 4 KOs) has four wins over previously undefeated prospects, four defeats by split or majority decision, and only one knockout loss. In 2016, he pushed Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas to the limit before losing an eight-round unanimous decision.

In other undercard bouts:

Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Sonny Duversonne (11-0-2, 8 KOs)
8 Rounds, Middleweight
Simpson, a 20-year-old phenom from Baltimore, made headlines in August when he became the first American-born fighter to sign an advisory deal with MTK Global. Simpson last fought July 11 in Biloxi Miss., where he stopped Alex Sandro Duarte in 1:45. Duversonne has won 10 straight bouts since starting his career 1-0-2.

Bryan Lua (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Nelson Colon (4-3, 3 KOs)
6 Rounds, Lightweight
Lua, from Madera, Calif., returned Sept. 19 following a layoff of more than two years and knocked out Luis Norambuena with a left hook in the second round. Colon’s only defeats have come against undefeated prospects, and on Aug. 21, he dropped a majority decision to Ofacio Falcon.

Rashiem Jefferson (2-0) vs. Steve Garagarza (2-2-1, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Junior Featherweight
Jefferson, a 19-year-old prospect from Philadelphia, fought inside the “Bubble” on Sept. 5 and turned back Jose Martinez via four-round unanimous decision. Garagarza, from Laredo, Texas, has never been knocked out as a pro and is coming off a March decision win over Oscar Barrera.

Kahshad Elliott (Pro Debut) vs. Akeem Jackson (1-1, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Junior Middleweight
Elliott, from Plainfield, N.J., won 10 national titles as an amateur and will turn pro at 154 pounds after attempting to qualify for the Olympics in the 165-pound division. He finished his amateur career with a reported 117-23 record.

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.

Devin Haney will defend his WBC World Lightweight title against Yuriorkis Gamboa on Saturday, Nov. 7 and Daniel Jacobs will clash with Gabriel Rosado on Friday, Nov. 27, both behind closed doors and subject to strict COVID-19 protocols at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN.
To subscribe to DAZN, visit www.DAZN.com.
Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) is back in action for the first time since November 2019 after injuring his right shoulder in seeing off Alfredo Santiago in the first defense of his belt in LA. The 21-year-old sensation had successful surgery on the injury and is now ready to resume his quest to dominate a 135-lbs. scene that’s littered with big names.

First on his hit list is Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs), the former unified World Featherweight king and Cuban hero, following his Olympic gold medal. Gamboa is aiming to become a two-weight World ruler at the third attempt having challenged Terence Crawford and Gervonta Davis for their titles, but Haney is confident he will reignite his reign in style.

“Yuriokis Gamboa is a dangerous and experienced fighter,” said Haney. “He’s a former unified world champion, and he has been in the ring with some of the best. He hurt Terence Crawford with a big shot, so his power is not to be ignored. He beat Orlando Salido who beat Vasiliy Lomachenko. Less than a year ago he took Gervonta Davis into the 12th round, something no one has ever been able to do. Gamboa is a true warrior and I’m not taking him lightly. I’ve called out all the top names, and I finally got someone who will challenge me for my title. I intend on making a statement in this fight. My hunger is on another level. It’s time to show the world who the best fighter in boxing is and that’s me!” 

“I’m extremely thankful to God for allowing this fight to happen and for the miracle of healing my Achilles,” said Gamboa. “I’ve been dreaming and wishing of fighting for the WBC Green Belt ever since I was an amateur in Cuba. I’m ready and determined to win this title for my fans and to prove those who wrote me off as a washed up fighter wrong. I came up short against Davis because of my Achilles in the second round, but I fought the rest of the fight on one foot, hurting him in the middle rounds. You are going to see a healthy Gamboa fight with both of my legs, fists and warrior heart of mine. With God’s blessings I will come out victorious Nov. 7.”

Jacobs and Rosado have built up a rivalry over the last year and now that comes to a head three weeks after Haney vs. Gamboa.

Jacobs (36-3, 30 KOs) made the first steps on his target of becoming a two-weight World champion with victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Phoenix, Arizona in December. That was the “Miracle Man’s” first foray into the 168-lbs. scene after the two-time World Middleweight king moved up from 160 lbs. after his unification clash with Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas in May 2019.

Rosado (25-12-1, 14 KOs) appeared on the undercard in Phoenix and clashed with Jacobs ahead of the weigh-in. The Philly ace recorded a ten round points win that night to return to winning ways following his thrilling back-and-forth battle with Maciej Sulecki on home turf in March 2019, and the 34-year-old will be out to fire himself into contention for the World title clash that Jacobs seeks.

“Gabe talked his way into this fight and now it’s time to see if he can back it up,” said Jacobs. “He’s got a big mouth and he’s been bringing up my name constantly for over a year – but on Nov. 27 the talking stops and I can’t wait to shut him up. My aim is to become a two-weight division World champion in 2021 and that starts with a big win in Florida. After that, I’m ready to step up and fight one of the World champions at 168 pounds.”

“I’m really excited for the fight,” said Rosado. “There’s been a lot of back and forth between me and Jacobs, and for the fight to finally happen, I’m more than ready. I’ve started training camp with Freddie Roach in LA at Wild Card Boxing, and I’m just looking to put on one hell of a show for the fans. I’m definitely going to bring the fight to Danny and it’s going to be great.”

Both events have stacked undercards in support of the main event. There’s a Heavyweight flavor to the Haney card with Croatian talent Filip Hrgovic (11-0, 9 KOs) facing American Rydell Booker (26-3, 13 KOs) and Chinese star Zhilei Zhang (21-0, 18 KOs) meeting another American in Devin Vargas (22-6, 9 KOs). Three young stars continue their pro journeys on the bill as Reshat Mati (7-0, 5 KOs), Raymond Ford (6-0, 2 KOs) and Arthur Biyarslanov (6-0, 5 KOs) are in action on the show – and Matchroom are delighted to announce the signing of French star Souleymane Cissokho (11-0 7 KOs) to a multi-fight deal and he’ll box on the bill, and more details on the deal for the Anthony Joshua managed Super-Welterweight will come on Monday.

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 fellow amateur rulers in Olympic gold medalist Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0, 5 KOs), 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).

“I can’t wait for our U.S. return in Florida – two stacked cards with plenty riding on them,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “The Lightweight division is on fire and there’s no better time for Devin to return to action and make a big statement at the Hard Rock. Although Devin may well be the next big thing, when you look at his CV, Yuriorkis is by far his toughest test to date. A few weeks later, the bad blood between Daniel and Gabe will come to a head as they clash, and the winner of that fight will find themselves in a great position for a World title shot at 168 lbs. in 2021.”

“There’s so many interesting plotlines on both undercards. The Heavyweights are in the spotlight on Nov. 7, with Filip and Zhilei, two World-class fighters that are looking to stake their claims for massive fights next year, as will Magomedrasul who fights on Nov. 27.”

“Marc was devastated that his debut was postponed but the Fresno sensation has re-focused and it’s not a bad thing to have to learn to cope with a setback like that – he’s been working so hard in training, and I think we’re going to see a spectacular debut.”

“We’re lining up a big test for Daniyar, and so many of the young stars on the cards are beginning to get to the stages in their career where they move to the next level so I am expecting two exciting nights of action in the Sunshine State.”

Hard Rock Live and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida have a rich history of hosting world-class boxing in addition to globally recognized entertainment acts like Jerry Seinfeld, Alicia Keys and Aerosmith. The venue is excited to play host to two huge nights of action in November.

Kane Baker has dispelled rumours that he is emotionally attached to Aqib Fiaz as the Super-Featherweight rivals prepare to collide in a spicy grudge match on the Joshua Buatsi vs. Marko Calic undercard on Sunday October 4, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

Baker (13-6) was left bitterly disappointed after his golden opportunity on the big stage was ripped away from him at the last moment when Matchroom new boy Fiaz was pulled from their eight-round contest on the eve of the fight, with the 21-year-old’s team deeming him unfit to box. 

“It was an emotional week for me really,” said Baker. “My older brothers were on the phone to me while I was in the bubble. I had to say my goodbyes to their dad before he had his life support machine turned off which was weird, hard and very upsetting for me. He was looking forward to watching my fight. 

“There’s been a lot going around about me being emotional and emotionally attached to Fiaz. I was more emotionally attached to fighting in Eddie’s garden. I also had emotions in my personal life. I had a little rant after the fight was pulled and I don’t know how that came across because I was a bit emotional.

“I thought to myself, ‘shit, I hope I haven’t let myself down by being a bit emotional, upset and angry’. I had a bit of a rant at him which was all just in the heat of the moment. When Jamie Moore said I was emotionally attached to the Aqib Fiaz fight, he was wrong,  it was 100% was nothing to do with Fiaz.

“Fiaz has got the chance to come again, but I’ll tell you now, if I wasn’t well and I pulled out of the fight, I wouldn’t be sat here today getting my chance again. That’s a fact. I’ve had a lot of people message me, there’s more support for me out there now after what happened. 

“I’ve heard that he did a lot of that kind of thing in the amateurs, missing weight. He had things his own way in the amateurs and if he wasn’t ready to fight then the fights got pulled. He’s known for it. This is what I’ve been told. I know in my heart of hearts what I believe.”

Former Midlands Area Lightweight Champion Baker, trained by Paul Mann at the BCB Gym, is even more fired up following his Fight Camp heartache, and the 30-year-old is promising to inflict a first career defeat on Oldham prospect Fiaz.

“I’m absolutely buzzing it’s back on. Matchroom and Eddie Hearn stuck to their word. It was a hard wait waiting for the new date but they stuck to their word and I’m back out again. I’m in the same position, but there’s much more interest in the fight this time.

“I’m ready to go straight away. We know the tactics and the plan. It could all go out of the window, and I could just go back to all I know which is having a good tear up! Either way, this fight is going to get 110% of me. 

“I’m going to leave everything in that ring. I know the job at hand. I’m not going to lose sleep over it. I know what I’ve got to do. I know my strengths, and I’m going to show them on Sunday. That should be enough. Aqib, please turn up mate!”

Fiaz vs. Baker is part of a big night of action that sees Croydon’s rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi (12-0, 10 KOs) defend his WBA International Title against undefeated Croat Marko Calic (11-0, 6 KOs), Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) lands a World Title shot in her very first bout as a Matchroom fighter as she takes on Brazil’s Adriana Dos Santos Araujo (6-0, 1 KO) for the vacant WBC Super-Lightweight crown, ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (4-0, 4 KOs) returns to the UK looking to impress again as he locks horns with Irishman Niall Kennedy (13-1-1, 8 KOs) in an eight round Heavyweight contest, Luton’s Linus Udofia (15-0, 7 KOs) puts his English Middleweight Title on the line for the first time against Dillian Whyte-backed Brixton man John Harding Jr (8-1-1, 2 KOs) and recent Matchroom signing John Hedges make his pro debut at Super-Middleweight. 

October 2, 2020 (New York, NY)

WENDY “THE HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (12-0 5KO’s) is preparing for his third bout of ‘covid19 crazed’ 2020 when he faces undefeated heralded prospect CHARLES “BAD NEWS” CONWELL (12-0 9KO’S) on Wednesday, October 7 in a 10-round super welterweight main event on Shobox.

Toussaint currently resides in Huntington, NY, training out of Academy of Boxing. The 28-year-old prospect is well-respected in the New York boxing scene for his work ethic, and overall boxing ability, so much so, that he was tapped as the lead sparring partner for Long Island’s “Common Man” and Star Boxing stablemate, JOE “The Beast” SMITH JR. (26-3 21KO’s) ahead of his demolition of Elieder “Storm” Alvarez in their WBO World Title Eliminator back in August.

Toussaint took on Jermaine Corley on February 28 at “Rockin’ Fights” 38 where he wasted no time digging to the body with a vicious left hand that sent Corley to the canvas early in the second round. In August, on the undercard of the Smith Jr-Alvarez WBO Title Eliminator, Toussaint took on Isiah Jones at The Bubble in Las Vegas, where he dominated to a wide unanimous decision. Turning to October 7, a victory would catapult Toussaint into the upper level of a hot super welterweight division.

Toussaint was born in Haiti and later moved to French Guiana where he first laced up a pair of boxing gloves. “My cousin asked me if I wanted to train, so I thought we were going to work out” said Toussaint. “When we showed up at the gym, it turned out she meant train at a boxing gym.” Toussaint found success in the sweet science, fighting for a local team in French Guiana winning local titles. Finally, Toussaint’s mother made the call to move his family to the United States for better opportunities and quality of life.

Outside of the ring Toussaint is a school bus driver for the Deer Park School district. When he is not training, or driving his route, Toussaint is also a volunteer firefighter. Work ethic isn’t a choice for Wendy, it’s a lifestyle, “I always want to keep my mind busy, I always want to keep working no matter if it is in the gym, or outside of the gym.”

Toussaint turned professional in 2013 on Star Boxing’s acclaimed “Rockin’ Fights” series at The Paramount (Long Island, NY), and has not looked back. He has continued to improve and has told his promoter, Joe DeGuardia, that he is ready to fight the best prospects in the game and wants to be in with top competition. After 12 consecutive victories, 5 of the last 7 coming by way of knockout, Toussaint has been getting those opportunities with the biggest challenge coming on October 7th. Toussaint knows the opportunity, and challenge that lays ahead of him next Wednesday on ShoBox in front of a national TV audience, stating: “Charles Conwell is a great, great fighter, but so am I. I know he is coming to fight, and that is all I know how to do. I am ready, for me it stays the same, I am bringing the Haitian Fire.”

ConwellToussaint is promoted by Tony Holden Productions in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

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.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®:
For over a quarter century Star Boxing has consistently delivered boxing events of the highest caliber that attract loyal fans from all corners of the globe. Star Boxing has promoted events at practically every locale and on every network. From the Antonio Tarver – Roy Jones trilogy to the meteoric rise of Chris Algieri and Joe Smith Jr. through the critically acclaimed Rockin’ Fights Paramount Series, Star Boxing continues to develop world rated contenders and red-hot prospects into future world champions. Founded by its Hall of Fame promoter, Joe DeGuardia, an attorney, former boxer and respected boxing leader, Star Boxing has become revered worldwide throughout the industry for its credibility, integrity, and exciting fights.

Lee Selby will take on George Kambosos Jr in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Lightweight World Title on the undercard of the blockbuster Heavyweight clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Derek Chisora on Saturday October 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US.

The pair were due to meet in Selby’s native Wales at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff earlier this year in May before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the event to be postponed, but the rivals now have a chance to lock horns following a spicy build-up over the past few months. 

Selby (28-2, 9 KOs), a former IBF Featherweight World Champion, edged out Scottish legend Ricky Burns via a majority decision at The O2 in London last October to stay in line for another World Title shot and now finds himself within touching distance of becoming a two-weight World Champion. 

Kambosos Jr (18-0, 10 KOs), hailing from Sydney in Australia, defeated former World Champion Mickey Bey on away territory at Madison Square Garden in New York last time out to announce himself as a rising star of the Lightweight division and has vowed to ‘retire’ Selby.

“I’m delighted that Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing have managed to get this fight on again,” said Selby. “I’m one step away from a shot at the IBF Lightweight World Title and my dream of becoming Wales’ first ever two-weight World Champion.

“Kambosos Jr is a hungry young fighter that I know will bring it all, but I’ve had some of my best performances against Australian boxers stopping both Corey McConnell and Joel Brunker in title fights and October 31 will be no different.”

Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development at Sky Sports, said: “Lee Selby’s crucial clash with George Kambosos Jr is an exciting addition to the Usyk vs Chisora bill, with more fantastic fights to follow in the coming weeks.

“The classy Welshman is one of Britain’s most skilful operators, but the dangerous Kambosos Jr will be determined to fulfil his own ambitions. Can Lee Selby produce a vintage performance to earn another world Title fight? We’ll find out on October 31st before Usyk and Chisora collide in an enthralling Heavyweight showdown!”

NEW YORK (October 2, 2020) – Split-T Management junior welterweight prospect, Omar Rosario will be back in action TONIGHT!! when he takes on Matt Gavers in Kissimmee, Florida.

Rosario is coming off an impressive pro debut when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Solon Staley on August 21st at the same Osceola Heritage Park, where Friday night’s fight will be held.

The Top Rank Promoted Rosario, 22 years-old of Caguas, PR, was the Puerto Rican Olympic Trial Champion at 152 lbs., and was the island’s favorite to win a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but signed with Tim VanNewhouse with Split-T Management.

At Thursday’s weigh-in, Rosario was 144 lbs.; Gavers was 146.

The show will be televised on Telemundo at Midnight Eastern Time.

Photo Credit: Damon Gonzalez / All-Star Boxing

Filip Hrgovi? (11-0, 9 KOs) will face Rydell Booker (26-3, 13 KOs) on November 7th behind closed doors at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN in the US and RTL in Croatia.

The Croatian heavyweight sensation known as ‘El Animal’ will fight for the second time in just three months following a spectacular second-round knockout win against Alexandre Kartozia last Saturday in Struer, Denmark.

The 2016 Olympic Bronze medallist returns to America for the second time in his paid career, having previously claimed a stunning first-round knockout victory over Gregory Corbin at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Hrgovi? will be looking to extend his four fight KO streak as he squares off against former sparring partner Booker, the Detroit-native, who pushed World title challenger Kubrat Pulev to a points decision last November in Fresno.  

“I can’t wait to go back to America to fight again,” said the 28-year-old from Zagreb. “Booker is a skilful fighter. He had a good fight with Kubrat Pulev. He went the distance and won the first few rounds. I think I can do better. I want to make a statement and finish the fight early.

“Booker was one of my sparring partners before I fought Gregory Corbin. I know him well and he knows me, so I’m looking forward to the fight. He has good skills and technique, but I will be better prepared and in better shape. I don’t think he’ll be able to handle my power and my pressure!”

Hrgovi?’s promoter Nisse Sauerland believes a busy end to 2020 will be the perfect preparation for a World title assault in 2021, as he predicts another knockout performance from the Croatian giant. 

“Filip has the style to trouble every heavyweight in division,” said Sauerland. “He has dynamite in both hands as he showed in his last fight, and I think he will demonstrate that power again against Booker. It’s important for Filip to stay busy as we’re expecting a huge 2021 for him. He’s ready for the World title.”

Zeljko Karajica, Hrgovi?’s manager, said: “After his knockout of the year against Kartozia, I’m happy to have Filip back in the ring so quickly. He is very excited to fight in America once again and we are looking forward to him putting on a show on November 7th for the US fight fans.”

Hrgovi?, who is co-promoted by Team Sauerland and Matchroom Boxing, fights as part of a huge night of boxing in Florida that features American star Devin Haney defending his WBC World Lightweight title against Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Queensberry Promotions can today announce that terms have been agreed to stage the highly anticipated Heavyweight clash between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce behind closed doors.

The titanic tussle between the two standout British Heavies will now be staged in either late November or early December, with full details to follow shortly.

Hall-of-Fame Promoter Frank Warren was initially sceptical about running the event without fans but has decided that in light of the recent coronavirus developments it is important for both the boxers and the fans that this fight gets made.

Warren said: “Since the government let us know we couldn’t have an audience present in October I’ve worked day and night to ensure this fight still happens.

“It’s the biggest domestic Heavyweight clash in years and it’s testament to the character of both fighters that they are willing to step up and take the fight on even with all the restrictions and obstacles in their way.

“I’m delighted that Queensberry, BT Sport and the fighters were all willing to come together to make this happen and deliver big time for British boxing fans.”

Daniel Dubois (15-0, 14KO’s) and Joe Joyce (11-0, 10KO’s) are the two British Heavyweights seen as being closest to breaking through to elite level.

Future world title bouts with superstars like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are seen as being within reach for the winner and Warren thinks that that’s what makes the fight so exciting.

“It really is winner-takes-all,” said Warren. “In Daniel, you have a 23-year-old lad who most in world boxing consider to be the hottest young prospect in the Heavyweight division. 

“If he can do to Joe Joyce what he’s done to the 15 men that came before him, he’ll be ready to go for a world title in my opinion.

“Joe might be a little older than Daniel, but in my books he’s every bit as exciting a prospect. He has so much more experience than Daniel, as an amateur, that I’d be surprised if he doesn’t go into the fight as many people’s favourite.

“If Joe wins, then he’ll be ready for world titles too.”

23-year-old Greenwich banger Dubois shares his promoters assessment that the winner will go on to fight for a world title, but is less willing to see the potential for a Joyce victory.

“Nothing’s changed from February when I first said I’d knock Joe out. It’s a tough fight, he’s a good fighter, but I’m looking to deliver another devastating performance and move on to fight for a world title.

“I’m just glad we can finally get it on. I know we’ve both been looking forward to it and I’m sure the British public are just as excited as we are for us to finally fight.

“Joe is going to find out just how explosive Dynamite really is.”

For his part, 35-year-old ‘Juggernaut’ is equally bullish about his chances for victory and concurs with his younger opponent’s view on what fans can expect from the scrap.

“The fight is finally on and I can’t wait to get my hands on this guy,” said Joe. Echoing Dubois’ sentiment, he added: “It’s going to be an explosive night.”

The rescheduled bout represents the final chapter in a saga that has seen previously arranged dates in April, July and now October cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Though today’s announcement is short on the usual details, Warren was adamant it was important to clear up confusion for ticket holders who had previously purchased tickets for the event.

“Of course I’d like to come out with all the venue and date details ready to go”, Warren said. “But the reality is, the situation is moving so fast we don’t have everything 100% confirmed.

“But the one thing we do have confirmed is that this fight will happen behind-closed-doors either in late November or early December. That means the event in October is cancelled and all ticket holders should get a refund from their ticket agent.”

Whilst obviously disappointed that fans can’t be present for such an attractive match-up between two of his flagship fighters, a characteristically upbeat Warren was keen to see the bright side.

“This is the most exciting prospective fight in all of boxing right now. So let’s get it on for the fans.” 

DUBOIS vs JOYCE WILL HAPPEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS LATER THIS YEAR. MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW SHORTLY.

(October 2, 2020) — In anticipation of the Oct. 17 lightweight unification showdown between WBC Franchise/WBA/WBO world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF kingpin Teofimo Lopez, ESPN will debut Blood, Sweat and Tears: Lomachenko vs. Lopez, a two-part, behind-the-scenes look at the fighters’ camps.
 
Episode 1: (Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT, ESPN (re-airs on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET): A visit to the respective training camps of pound-for-pound king Lomachenko in Southern California and Lopez’s in New Jersey. The show will provide fans a peek behind the curtain of both fighters’ regimens as they prepare to battle it out in the ring.
 
Episode 2: debuts Sunday, Oct. 11 at 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN (re-airs on ESPN2 Monday, Oct 12 at 11:30 p.m. ET).
 
Sunday’s programming lineup will also include some of Lomachenko and Lopez’s classic fights and air across ESPN and ESPN2. Be sure to tune in to ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS starting Oct. 4 all the way through fight night for more classic Top Rank and re-airs of recent Lomachenko and Lopez events.
 
The Lomachenko vs. Lopez telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and airs on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. The 10-round junior welterweight co-main features former world title challenger Alex Saucedo against unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza Jr. In the eight-round ESPN-televised opener, super middleweight knockout sensation Edgar Berlanga tests his perfect record against veteran Lanell Bellows. Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) has won all 14 of his professional fights by first-round stoppage.  
 
Live coverage begins with undercard action streaming live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.
 
Top Rank on ESPN Schedule (All Times ET)
 

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.

Las Vegas – UFC^® will continue its run of shows on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with a pivotal matchup in the bantamweight division as former title challenger and No. 1 ranked Marlon Moraes battles No. 4 ranked Cory Sandhagen with a potential title shot on the line. The co-main event will see dynamic featherweights compete to climb the rankings as No. 14 Edson Barboza takes on Makwan Amirkhani.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+^®: MORAES vs. SANDHAGEN will take place Saturday, October 10 from UFC FIGHT ISLAND on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. All bouts will be carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, beginning with the prelims at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT and followed by the main card at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The event is in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Moraes (23-6, fighting out of Toms River, NJ by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) plans to earn his second shot at the belt by landing another signature knockout. A black belt in both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Moraes has proven that he is dangerous wherever the fight goes with finishes over Raphael Assuncao, Jimmie Rivera and Aljamain Sterling. Moraes now intends to become the first man to knockout Sandhagen and cement his spot at the top of the rankings.

Sandhagen (12-2, fighting out of Aurora, Colo.) returns to the Octagon aiming to secure the most significant win of his young career. A professional mixed martial artist for just over five years, Sandhagen has proven himself to be among the best in the world with wins over Raphael Assuncao, John Lineker and Iuri Alcantara. He now looks to show off his ever-growing skillset and earn his first UFC title shot with a statement victory.

Highly regarded striker Barboza (20-9, fighting out of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) intends to land another highlight-reel knockout and begin his climb towards the top of the featherweight division. One of the top Muay Thai artists in the UFC, Barboza made his name with devastating victories over Terry Etim, Evan Dunham and, most recently, Dan Hooker. He now seeks to claim his first victory at 145 pounds and prove he still has what it takes to compete with the UFC elite.

Finland’s Amirkhani (16-4, fighting out of Turku, Finland) steps up on short notice against his most dangerous opponent to date, hoping to break into the featherweight top 15 for the first time. A submission specialist with dynamic striking, Amirkhani burst on to the UFC scene with an eight-second flying knee knockout over Andy Ogle. Since then, he has notched exciting wins over Jason Knight, Chris Fishgold and Danny Henry. Amirkhani now aims to deliver his most impressive performance yet and declare himself as the next future contender for the belt.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Heavyweight veterans collide as Ben Rothwell (38-12, fighting out of Kenosha, Wis.) locks horns with Marcin Tybura (19-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland)
• Middleweight Markus Perez (12-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) plans to spoil the UFC debut of Dricus du Plessis (14-2, fighting out of Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa)
• In a battle of heavyweight prospects Tom Aspinall (8-2, fighting out of Liverpool, England) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Alan Baudot (8-1, fighting out of Lyon, France)
• Thomas Almeida (22-3, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) returns to the Octagon to take on fellow bantamweight finisher Alejandro Perez (22-8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.)
• Featherweight Youssef Zalal (10-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) goes for his fourth win of 2020 when he meets undefeated UFC newcomer Ilia Topuria (8-0, fighting out of Alicante, Spain)

·         Tom Breese (11-2, fighting out of Birmingham, England) returns to action against undefeated UFC newcomer KB Bhullar (8-0, fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) in a middleweight scrap

• Heavyweights Chris Daukaus (9-4, fighting out of Philadelphia, Pa.) and Rodrigo Nascimento (8-0, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil) aim to hand each other their first UFC loss
• Hard hitting middleweights faceoff as Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Impa Kasanganay (8-0, fighting out of Charlotte, N.C.) meets Joaquin Buckley (10-3, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.)
• Bantamweights Ali Al-Qaisi (8-4, fighting out of Amman, Jordan) and Tony Kelley (6-2, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) clash to earn their first UFC victory
• Dynamic featherweight striker Giga Chikadze (10-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif. by way of Tbilisi, Georgia) looks to hand Omar Morales (10-0, fighting out of Miami, Fla. by way of Caracas, Venezuela) his first loss
• Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Tracy Cortez(7-1, fighting out of Scottsdale, Ariz.) welcomes UFC newcomer Stephanie Eggar (5-1, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) at bantamweight
• Bruno Silva (10-5-2, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Tagir Ulanbekov (12-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, Russia) meet in a battle of flyweight grapplers

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

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

###

About UFC^®

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

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

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

About ESPN

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

PHILADELPHIA, PA/ / ORANGE, CA. (October 1, 2020) – Thompson Boxing Promotions is pleased to present the newest instalment of its successful boxing series 3.2.1 Boxing featuring three exciting-and-compelling bouts, live on Sunday, November 1st, 2020. The free stream will air on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. The fight will also be streamed on the Banner Promotions Facebook page and website (www.banner-promotions.com)

3.2.1. Boxing will take place at the Omega Products International Event
Center in Corona, CA, and will start at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET.

In the 8-round main event, super lightweight Michael “The West Texas Warrior” Dutchover (14-1, 10 KOs), of Midland, TX, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing, will make his second headlining appearance on 3.2.1 Boxing as he faces Manuel “La Tormenta” Mendez (16-7-3, 11 KOs), who fights out of Colton, CA. Dutchover will look to continue to build on the success off his last win over Jorge Marron Jr. (18-2, 6 KOs).

Dutchover, who is coached and managed by Danny Zamora, has a high knockout ratio and is known for his all-out attack. His only loss came in a controversial stoppage during a match against Thomas Mattice in his hometown of Midland, TX, on a ShoBox main event back in 2019. In his last bout, Dutchover bounced back by beating Jorge Marron Jr. by a wide-unanimous decision on the first 3.2.1 boxing card of the year.

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

Las Vegas – UFC^®and ESPN+ announced today that The Ultimate Fighter, the longstanding reality television series will return in March 2021, exclusively on ESPN+.

The Ultimate Fighter 29 (TUF 29) will feature athletes from the men’s bantamweight (135 lbs.) and middleweight (185 lbs.) divisions. Casting is open through Friday, Nov. 13 with applications available for download at ufc.com/TUF. Team coaches for TUF 29 will be announced at a later date.

The iconic reality series has introduced a wide array of fans – from die-hard to brand new – to UFC and served as a springboard for the career of numerous fighters who went on to be UFC champions, contenders and stars, including: Kamaru Usman, Tony Ferguson, T.J. Dillashaw, Rose Namajunas, Michael Bisping, Nate Diaz, Michael Chiesa, Al Iaquinta, Kelvin Gastelum, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Uriah Hall and Conor McGregor, who was a coach in TUF 22.

In addition to TUF 29, ESPN+ will also be a new destination for fans to re-watch all 28 previous seasons of TUF, available on a date to be announced soon.

Casting for TUF 29 will be remote for the first time with no physical tryouts. Finalists will be selected by late November 2020.

WHO:                                       Male bantamweight (135 lb.) and middleweight (185 lb.) athletes

WHEN:                                    Now through Friday, Nov. 13

WHERE:                                 Remote Casting Only

                                                Application Available at ufc.com/TUF

CASTING CONTACT:           Gary DeFranco at gdefranco@pilgrimmediagroup.com

TUF joins a lineup of original and on-demand content on ESPN+ that includes: Dana White’s Contender Series, the four-part documentary UFC Fight Island Declassified, Ariel & The Bad Guy, Detail: Daniel Cormier, UFC Destined, UFC Unlocking Victory, UFC Embedded, UFC Reloaded, UFC Top 10, and a library of recent events, great title fights and classic UFC.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com.

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 126 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 171 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 72 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 8.5 million subscribers.

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

About ESPN

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

About Pilgrim Media Group

Pilgrim Media Group, headed by Emmy®-winning producer Craig Piligian, produces a diverse slate of unscripted and documentary projects. The company is behind hit series such as: “Ghost Hunters,” “American Chopper,” “Fast N’ Loud,” “My Big Fat Fabulous Life,” “Dirty Jobs,” “Dodgeball: Thunderdome,” the “Street Outlaws” and “Wicked Tuna” franchises, and the World MMA Award-winner “The Ultimate Fighter.” Upcoming projects include “The Ultimate Surfer” for ABC and the Sundance Festival Favorite Award-winning documentary “Giving Voice” for Netflix.

LAS VEGAS (October 1, 2020) — Take two. Junior welterweight contenders Jose “Chon” Zepeda and former world champion Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk were scheduled to fight in July, but the bout was postponed after Baranchyk suffered an injured rib in training. Both men now have a clean bill of health, and the two will fight Saturday evening in a 10-round bout from the MGM Grand Conference Center (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET).

In the co-feature, unbeaten lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr. will take on Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski in a 10-rounder.

At Thursday’s final press conference, here’s what the fighters had to say.

Jose Zepeda

“I have gained a lot of experience by fighting guys like {Jose} Ramirez and ‘Sniper’ Pedraza. Those guys have been world champions. It was a great experience being in the ring with them. The experience counts a lot.”

“The bubble is something new, but it doesn’t make much of a difference. I don’t mind the whole experience of the bubble. At the end of the day, it’s always the two fighters in the ring fighting each other.”

“I feel like I’m the number one at 140. I did think the Ramirez fight was pretty close, and a lot of people saw me winning. I think he is one of the best in the top 5. Both of us right here, together with Ramirez and Josh Taylor, are in the top 5. It’s very exciting. We are all good at certain things and that makes for a very exciting division.”

Ivan Baranchyk

“In my training camp, I’ve been going harder and harder and harder. I feel great. I’m ready to fight all rounds. I can go 10, 12, or 20 rounds. I’m very hungry.  You will see a good fight Saturday night.”

“I don’t feel like I’m in a bubble. I feel comfortable. The treatment has been the best. I feel good.”

“This is the best division. This fight is very important for me because it will be my next step towards a world title opportunity. If we win this fight, maybe I can get the chance to challenge Ramirez.” 

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“Everything has been great. Moving to Vegas has helped me get great sparring. We’re running up Mount Charleston. My conditioning level is outrageous. The move here really helped me.”

“I’m 100 percent healthy, thank God, because that last fight {June 18 against Josec Ruiz}, just going in and continuing to fight, it was tough going those whole 10 rounds with my lower back injury because it was a real injury. I went to a chiropractor and got it all figured out. I’ve been healthy for a while.”

“He’s experienced and everything, but I’m moving my way up the rankings. Every fight that comes, I get better and better. We fix our mistakes. We get better.”

Ryan Kielczweski

“I’m always in the gym, either holding the mitts or working people out or working out myself. It wasn’t really too hard to kick it back into gear and get right back into shape.”

“He’s 18-0. He’s obviously a very good fighter, very fast. He’s got a lot of skill. I just can’t wait to get in there and see what happens.”

“When I faced {Tommy} Coyle, I went up a couple weight classes. It was at super lightweight, and I took the fight on about three weeks’ notice. I was in shape. I fought maybe three or four weeks before that. I was still in shape, but I really didn’t have much time to set up a real game plan. We go in there and do what we do.”

“I had plenty of time to get ready for this. I’m in great shape.”

Use the hashtag #ZepedaBaranchyk 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.

West Haven, CT (September 1) – The “Quiet Storm” has endured every drought and downpour life can throw at you during his high-profile, seven-year career in professional boxing. Now Jimmy Williams faces his toughest to date, a fight that, if victorious, could lead to bigger and better opportunities.

The West Haven, CT, resident and veteran welterweight makes his Showtime debut next Wednesday, October 7 live from Mohegan Sun Arena in a televised showdown against hard-hitting, undefeated, 21-year-old Brandun Lee (19-0, 17 KOs), a La Quinta, CA, native and one of boxing’s brightest prospects.

The eight-round Williams-Lee bout, which will be contested at a catch weight of 144 pounds, opens a three-fight telecast beginning at 9 pm ET and presented by Premier Boxing Champions in association with CES Boxing, one of five remaining events scheduled for 2020 at Mohegan Sun that will air live on Showtime. The October 7 event is headlined by a 10-round showdown between unbeaten middleweights Wendy Toussaint and Charles Conwell, both of whom boast 12-0 records. Williams’ opponent, Lee – a former three-time National Junior Golden Glove champion – has won his last 10 fights by knockout dating back to 2018.

“It’s an honor to fight on this stage,” Williams said. “I’m prepared. I was born for this.”

Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs) – promoted by the legendary Jimmy Burchfield Sr., and CES Boxing – faces another tall order next Wednesday against the electrifying Lee, though it’s merely par for the course in what has been a tumultuous journey both in and out of the ring over the past decade and a half. Born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, the 34-year-old Williams began boxing at the age of 8, introduced to the sport by his uncle, but he found his calling on the gridiron, where he starred as a defensive back at Southern Connecticut State.

Though boxing was his first love, Williams didn’t step through the ropes again until after his mother, Belinda, was murdered in 2008, a case that remains unsolved to this day. Williams also lost his father due to cancer. Belinda had always dreamt her son would become a fighter, so, to honor her memory, he stepped away from football following a series of injuries and instead picked up where he left off with boxing, making his professional debut in 2013.

Williams’ career in the ring has featured a number of highlight-reel finishes and right-place, right-time moments. Earmarked as the swing bout in his debut – otherwise known as the bout that gets pushed in front of the TV cameras in the event of an early finish – his knockout victory over Noel Garcia made it onto the NBC Sports telecast, giving fight fans an early glimpse of Williams’ irrepressible talent. Two months later – again as the swing bout – Williams found himself on ESPN2, outworking Ray Younger by decision to improve to 2-0. In February of 2015, once again at Mohegan, Williams earned another spot on ESPN2 and flattened regional rival Eddie Caminero, a knockout that landed on the network’s weekly Top 10 highlight reel.

The pressure of the bright lights? That’s not a factor for Williams, whose pro career was essentially “born” on network television, so it’s only fitting that his biggest, most difficult challenge will meet a similar fate in front of millions of watchful eyes on Showtime’s global platform. Physically, Williams feels great; 34 might as well be 24, and he’s almost a year – 361 days, to be exact – removed from his last bout, allowing his body to recover from the usual wear and tear associated with constant training and weight-cutting.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the landscape of professional boxing with fighters showcasing their craft in front of empty arenas, provided a small silver lining for Williams, who used the quarantine to spend more time with his family.

Equally important was the opportunity to “reset” mentally and focus on what lies ahead. He has fought his entire career under Burchfield’s guidance, winning 14 of his first 15 bouts and reaching the pinnacle in 2017 by capturing the WBC USNBC Welterweight Title. Though he may have discovered the proverbial fountain of youth during his time away from the sport, the reality is this may be Williams’ to climb the ranks and land the signature bout that eludes so many talented fighters. Perhaps this is the aforementioned signature bout.

In any event, Williams – with no hesitation – is stepping back into the fire next Wednesday on an a rather unusual, unconventional platform, fighting just a stone’s throw from his home in Uncasville, CT, but without the rabid fan base that usually follows him to every arena. What may seem odd from some might just be what the doctor ordered for the unflappable Williams, whose journey in professional boxing has been anything but conventional.

“He’s a great fighter,” Williams said of Lee, “but we’ll see what he’s made of October 7.”

Visit CESBoxing.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing promoted its first event in 1992 headlined by future Champion Sucra Ray Oliveira. Over the years, CES has earned the reputation as the Heart and Soul of boxing with a rich history that includes the development of former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, plus Vinny Paz and Rhode Island legends Gary Balletto and Peter Manfredo Jr., both of whom rose to fame on The Contender reality television series. Through the years, Jimmy Burchfield Sr has earned several noteworthy awards, among them the NABF Promoter of the Year, and 2011 inductee into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), was created for television by Haymon Sports, LLC, in January 2015. PBC is a boxing series that returns the sweet science to its rightful place atop the sports pantheon. Featuring today’s best and brightest stars in their toughest, most anticipated bouts, Premier Boxing Champions is broadcast and streamed live on SHOWTIME, FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes. PBC takes boxing back to its roots. This is boxing, pure and simple, where what’s brought to the fight, mentally and physically, is what determines who goes home the winner, and who just goes home. Bouts featured within the PBC Series are promoted by licensed promoters, with each bout in accordance with applicable regulatory rules and regulations.

A world at play and a world to its own, Mohegan Sun, created in 1996 by the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut in partnership with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, is one of the world’s most amazing destinations with some of New England’s finest dining, hotel accommodations, retail shopping, live entertainment and sporting events. Boasting two unique casinos, Mohegan Sun is also host to the Kids Quest/Cyber Quest family entertainment facility, two luxurious spas, world-class meeting facilities, a state-of-the-art Poker Room as well as three major entertainment venues with seating from 350 to 10,000. People from across the globe come to see live concerts with some of today’s top headliners, along with major sporting events including Mohegan Sun’s very own WNBA team, the Connecticut Sun and lacrosse team, the New England Black Wolves.

London, UK (1 October 2020) BOXXER is thrilled to announce that UB7, will make its return behind closed doors with a never seen before, one night, four man knockout competition and a stacked card. The undercard will also feature recently signed UB Champions, a huge professional debut and an Albanian superstar.

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UB7, in association with Betfred and Lucozade, will be on Tuesday 10th November LIVE from the BT Sport studio in Stratford for a special Tuesday Night Fight Night with the debut tournament in the super-middleweight division.

In an exciting development, UB7 will be presented around a four-man competition format. This will comprise of two semi-finals and a final, all in one night – for the first time ever. The winner claiming the Golden Robe and the lions share of the prize money.

In a real groundbreaking move for BOXXER, in addition to UB7 being broadcast LIVE with our partner BT Sport, the show will also be simulcast live on ITV4 which is available on free-to-air across the UK.

Some significant changes for the new Millennial boxing brand and we’re delighted to implement them ahead of our return in the four-man 168-pound square-off with the following line-up:

Zak Chelli (7-1-1, 3 KO’s) Joint youngest in the tournament at 22 but has crammed in plenty of ring experience in just three and half years of pro action with nine fights and 52 rounds plus a Southern Area title. He’s pulled off a few shocks previously by beating unbeaten prospect Umar Sadiq and dropping contender Kody Davies. He’s the bookies favorite off the back of his highly questionable draw with Jack Cullen at Matchroom’s Fight camp last time out as the away fighter. He’s hungry for the win and then onto a rematch with Cullen.

Diego Costa (7-0-0, 5 KO’s) Regarded as the most avoided man in the division but there is no home corner in this competition. The Boy From Brazil brings sizzle and salsa when he fights! From Recife, Brazil, and fighting out of Fallowfield, Manchester, Costa is the puncher in the pack with five KO’s in seven fights to earn his nickname ‘Dynamite’. Costa will have the benefit of being trained by former Prize Fighter winner Martin Murray who is familiar with the tournament format. He’s the oldest at 34, but the most dangerous and with explosive packed fists can end a fight at any second.

Charlie Schofield (15-1-0, 1 KO) At 6ft 3in, Schofield is the tallest boxer in the line-up and has been dubbed the ‘Manchester Giant’. The 27-year-old has accumulated the most ring experience with 87 rounds in 16 fights, including an English title challenge in his last fight. He’ll be looking to impose his size and ring savvy to victory.

Ben Ridings (3-0-0) The up-and-coming 22-year old from Bury turned pro in 2018 and is undefeated in his three fights with twelve rounds. Being an unknown quantity means he’s got nothing to lose and is confident of pulling off the biggest shock on the night. Ridings is the youngest competitor and is an outsider, but will rely on his youth and desire to overcome his rivals’ age and experience.

To support the super-middleweight shoot-out in UB7, an action-packed undercard has been formed and one of the highlights is the exciting and intriguing professional debut of reality star and UB presenter Jack Fincham who leaves the showbiz world behind to enter the gritty world of professional boxing. To start his journey he has teamed up with world champion trainer Ben Davison.

Far away from his victory on the 2018 series of ITV hit show Love Island, Fincham now steps between the ropes – he was a former amateur with 26 fights – to compete as a pro-boxer in the light-heavyweight division and aims to prove he’s for real.

Also featuring on the card are two previous UB winners who have now signed long term promotional contracts with BOXXER as they continue their careers towards championship honours with BOXXER firmly in their corner.

UB3 Middleweight winner Derrick Osaze (10-0-0, 2 KOs) is the first boxer to sign a multi-fight deal with BOXXER and is on the cusp of challenging for titles. Known as ‘The Punching Preacher’ because of his dual role as an ordained minister for his local church and his work with troubled youths, Osaze believes he can become a real force in the competitive 160 pound division.

UB4 Cruiserweight winner Mikael Lawal (12-0-0, 7 KOs) is also within touching distance of challenging for the British title and the hard-hitting 25-year-old talent from Shepherd’s Bush has put his rivals firmly on notice. With BOXXER’s backing he believes he can finally realise his dream of becoming a champion. It’s a long way from his days as a homeless 13-year-old living on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, and begging for scraps of food to survive. Lawal has been nominated for an Eliminator contest for the British Title against Luke Watkins next so he’ll be going all out for victory on UB7.

The power-punching, London-based, Albanian sensation Florian ‘TNT’ Marku (6-0-0, 4 KO’s) will again appear on the undercard. Marku featured on UB6 and impressed with his commanding victory over Nathan Bendon to take his unbeaten record to six fights and has already been linked to future fights with rivals Josh Kelly and Connor Benn.

BOXXER founder Ben Shalom, the youngest licensed promoter by the BBBofC, is excited with the new developments for UB7 and the future.

He said, “Whilst it’s been a challenging period for everyone, I’m delighted that we have used the time to identify opportunities and to make and implement significant changes for UB7 and beyond.”

“We’re back, it’s on a Tuesday night and I’m thrilled with the new four-man tournament format which, following regular consolation with the BBBofC, has been approved and allows us the flexibility to use in conjunction with our eight-man format,”

“Alongside our broadcaster partner BT Sports we’re delighted that the show will be simulcast live on free-to-air ITV4 which will allow even more viewers across the UK,”

“We want people to watch our shows without knowing who is going to win, true 50-50 fights and are really proud of the card we have put together. We’re confident it will keep viewers gripped all around a really competitive four man, one night tournament.”

“We’re excited to begin the promotional journey with champions of our previous shows, this is a new chapter for the company and think the huge audience this show brings on simulcast, is a great start. The Jack Fincham signing raised a few eyebrows, however, I can assure you he’s serious, Ben Davison has agreed to train him, which is a huge opportunity for him.

“The year so far has presented challenges, but we’re really pleased that we can deliver UB7 for the fans on November 10 and we intend on going forward into 2021 with further exciting developments.”

BOXXER

Tuesday 10th November

TuesdayNightFight Night

UB4 SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Zak Chelli

Diego Costa

Charlie Schofield

Ben Ridings

UNDERCARD

6 X 3 Minute Rounds Cruiserweight Contest

Mikael Lawal v TBC

6 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest

Derrick Osaze v TBC

4/6 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest

Florian Marku v TBC

Professional Debut

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Heavyweight Contest

Jack Fincham v TBC

Website – More information can be found at www.boxxer.uk

Please tag our social handles:

F- @boxxer

I- @boxxer

T- @ultimateboxxer

Ohara Davies won a 10-round majority decision over Tyrone McKenna in a super lightweight bout in Yorkshire, England to win the Golden Contract Tournament.

Davies, 139.9 lbs of Essex won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 22-2. McKenna, 139.9 lbs of Belfast, IRL is 21-2-1.

Serge Michel stopped Liam Conroy in the 4th round of their light heavyweight bout.

Michel of German is 11-1 with eight knockouts. Conroy is 18-6-1.

Steven Ward won a six-round decision over Jone Volau in a cruiserweight bout.

Ward, 202.4 lbs of Belfast, NI won by a 59-55 tally, and is now 13-1. Volau, 197 lbs is 5-6.

Ben Fail made a successful pro debut with a six-round decision over Robbie Chapman in a middleweight fight.

Fail, 158.2 lbs of Northhampton won by a 60-54 score and is 1-0. Cha,pman, 163.4 lbs is 6-5.

NEW YORK (Sept 30, 2020) – Split-T Management is delighted to announce the signing of highly sought-after amateur David Navarro.

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.

In addition to David’s deep amateur accolades, he comes from one of the great Mexican American boxing families. David is the younger brother of Golden Boy Promotions undefeated junior welterweight prospect Johnathan Navarro, and his cousins, Steven and Chantel, are widely regarded as two of the top young prospects in the USA amateur system.

David is also the nephew of former Olympian Jose Navarro, who competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, and Carlos Navarro, one of America’s greatest amateurs in the 90’s, who is well-known for being the the last American to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. by winning a box-off at the 1995 Pan-American Games.

“David is making us very proud,” said Jose Navarro. “We know he is going to be special, and I wish him and his team nothing but success at the professional level.”

David will be co-trained by his father, Salvador, and renowned trainer Robert Garcia.

Garcia noted, “David has a great support system at home. He is a very disciplined fighter with a big heart who has tremendous power. I am confident that with this team, we will help David climb to the top of the sport.”

Navarro joins an increasingly deep roster that has been signed by Split-T Management’s Tim VanNewhouse. VanNewhouse’s earlier signees include another Los Angeles standout in undefeated super middleweight Diego Pacheco, as well as five fellow top amateurs from the 2020 US and Puerto Rican Olympic Trials.

“David had a ton of interest from various promoters and managers and I’m thrilled that Split-T meets his and his families expectations to manage his career. He’s a gem of a kid and a special talent out of Los Angeles with the type of ability that will make him a huge hit with Mexican-American fight fans,” said VanNewhouse.

Navarro will begin his pro career at 126 pounds and is scheduled to make his professional debut on October 7th in a special attraction bout.

The event is headlined by undefeated super welterweight prospects Charles Conwell and Wendy Toussaint live on SHOWTIME ® (9 p.m. ET/PT) from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, with highlights of Navarro’s bout to be shown on the broadcast.

Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza stated “David Navarro is one of the most exciting young boxers in the USA Boxing program. He comes from a boxing family and has quite literally grown up in the sport. We are proud to support him in making his pro debut at a Showtime-televised event. We look forward to being able to feature him on Showtime as he develops as a professional.”

David is happy – and ready – to carry on the legacy and rich traditions of his family in the sport of boxing.

“I am working hard to become the best in my division and to make my father and family proud!” said Navarro. “I am grateful to enter into the pro’s with such a good team around me and I plan to fulfill everyone’s expectations of me. I’ve worked my entire life for this and I know I will become a World Champion.”

Photos by Steven Khan

QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS can today announce a new four-man matchmaking unit tasked with propelling Queensberry’s exciting roster of young British talent to new heights.

Steve Furness, Errol Johnson and Neil Bowers are the men handling the UK matchmaking duties, whilst New York-based Rick Glaser will oversee international affairs.

Queensberry only recently parted ways with previous matchmaker Jason McClory and Hall-of-Fame promoter Frank Warren is excited to begin this new era.

Warren said: “This is a crucial time for Queensberry Promotions and I have full confidence in the men we’ve selected to lead the charge in terms of matchmaking.

“Our roster of young talent is unrivalled anywhere in world boxing, and the careers of guys like Daniel Dubois, Dennis McCann, David Adeleye and Hamzah Sheeraz – to name just a few – need to be guided with care and intelligence.

“With Steve, Errol and Neil we have a breadth of boxing knowledge that spans the entire country and, with Rick, we also have an international eye that will help us scour the globe for talent.

“I wish Jason all the best in his future endeavours but it was time for a change, time to kick our operation into a higher gear and I think we’ve done just that.

“This is a critical time in the history of British boxing and I’m happy that the team we’ve assembled will help keep Queensberry Promotions at the front of the pack when it comes to talent and career development.”

Furness, Johnson, Bowers and Glaser have taken up their posts with immediate effect.

LAS VEGAS (September 29, 2020) —Mikaela Mayer called on the junior lightweight world champions for a fight. One of them was mandated to answer.
 
WBO female junior lightweight world champion Ewa Brodnicka will make the sixth defense of her title in a 10-round showdown against mandatory challenger Mayer on Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31 from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center. Brodnicka-Mayer will serve as the chief support bout to WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue’s title defense against Jason “Mayhem” Moloney.
 
Inoue-Moloney and Brodnicka-Mayer will headline an evening of boxing live and exclusively on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
“After Mikaela’s last performance, I promised her a world title fight. She’s asked to fight the champions, and I am confident she will make a statement to the rest of the women in and around her weight class,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’ve watched her progress since her pro debut, and she has turned into one of the premier fighters in female boxing. This WBO belt will be the first of many world titles for Mikaela.”

Frank Smith, CEO of Matchroom Boxing, Brodnicka’s co-promoter, said: “We’re happy to be working with our friends at Top Rank on another great fight. Ewa Brodnicka has proved herself to be one of the best 130-pound fighters on the planet with five defenses of her WBO world title, and I’m backing her to make it six successful defenses when she meets the undefeated Mikaela Mayer on Oct. 31. This is a top matchup at a time when women’s boxing grows from strength to strength.”
 
Brodnicka (19-0, 2 KOs), from Poland, has fought all of her pro bouts in her home country and has gone the 10-round distance on 10 occasions. She participated in the final world title bout before the COVID-19 pandemic March 7, winning a unanimous decision over Djemilla Gontaruk in Dzier?oniów, Poland. Before capturing world title honors at junior lightweight, Brodnicka reigned as European lightweight champion.
 
Brodnicka said, “I am excited that my title defense against Mikaela is happening in America, where I’ve always wanted to fight. I am more than ready for this opportunity, and I would like to thank my promoters, Eddie Hearn and Mariusz Grabowski, for helping make this fight a reality.”
 
Mayer (13-0, 5 KOs), from Los Angeles, turned pro under the Top Rank banner almost one year after representing the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She made her pandemic return July 14 and bested two-time world title challenger Helen Joseph over 10 rounds. Matchroom Boxing announced it had signed Brodnicka to a promotional contract on Aug. 6, but later that day, the WBO ordered Brodnicka to defend her world title against Mayer. 
 
“I’ve made huge improvements to my boxing skills over the last 10 months. You saw some of it in my last fight against Helen Joseph, but I’ve reached a whole new level this fight camp,” Mayer said. “I’m more than prepared for this WBO world championship fight, and I will absolutely be going home with the belt. This fight will not go the distance. Ewa Brodnicka is not on my level, and her time is up. Tune in and watch me bring the championship belt to ESPN and Top Rank.”
 
Use the hashtags #InoueMoloney and #BrodnickaMayer 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.