CHRIS BOURKE WILL challenge for the British bantamweight title against Ashley Lane on a night of triple title action at York Hall on Friday March 22, live on TNT Sports.

Also in championship fights is top young light heavyweight Willy Hutchinson (16-1, 12 KOs), who will defend his WBC International title against Martin Huber (17-2, 10) from Germany, plus Raven Chapman (8-0, 2) defending her WBC International featherweight title against the undefeated Colombian Yohana Sarabia (10-0, 6).

Leading British prospects Royston Barney-Smith (8-0, 4, super featherweight), Sean Noakes (6-0, 3, welterweight) and Sonny Liston Ali (7-0, super welterweight) feature, along with Queensberry newcomers Frank Wood (super featherweight), Iman Zamatkesh (cruiserweight) and Nicola Barke (4-0, super lightweight).

Tickets for the triple title fight night at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday, 22 March are on sale now, available at: ticketmaster.co.uk

Bourke (13-1, 8) previously challenged for the British title at super bantamweight against Marc Leach in early 2022 and is now seeking to officially reboot his career at the weight below.

“This is what I wanted and it is why I went down to bantamweight,” explained the Streatham puncher, 29, who trains out of the Peacock Gym in Epping. “I am aiming to make a statement and then move on from there.

“I’ve got no injuries this time and I am just ready to do the business.

“Ashley Lane has been around for a long time, is very experienced and has been in the ring with a lot of good fighters, but I just feel like this is the perfect fight for me. He stopped Jordan Purkiss for the English and I saw the good, heavy knockdowns.

“He looked good, but this is my time now, I’ve got to go in there, make a statement and start making waves in the bantamweight division this year.

“This is a bit like phase two for me now in my career. Before my loss everyone was talking about me and then it all went quiet and my name wasn’t really getting mentioned.

“I feel like this is my opportunity to put myself back out there and get people excited again.”

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren added: “These York Hall shows are so important in helping to secure the future success of British boxing and we will continue building our foundations on March 22 with a smashing card headed up by three very competitive title fights.

“I am delighted to deliver a second British title fight to Chris Bourke, at bantamweight this time, against Ashley Lane and I am confident that Chris will do the business and really push on from there.

“Willy Hutchinson and Raven Chapman are both in good fights defending their WBC belts and I anticipate both nudging themselves towards world title action over the course of this year.

“We also get to officially welcome three new faces to the Queensberry ranks in Frank Wood, Iman Zamatkesh and Nicola Barke and I am looking forward to seeing them all perform.”

Tickets for the triple title fight night at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday, 22 March are on sale now, available at: ticketmaster.co.uk

A recharged Matty Harris starts out on the heavyweight comeback trail on Friday, March 1 in Telford as part of a huge night of European title action.

Also added to the Wasserman Boxing event at the Telford International Centre, is one of British boxing’s most exciting young stars, Dan Toward who has made a flying start to life as a professional.

The Wasserman Boxing talents are the first additions to the undercard of the EBU European Super Welterweight title showdown between Abass Baraou and Sam Eggington, which will be shown live and free-to-air on Channel 5.

Baraou’s clash with ‘The Savage’ promises to stake an early claim for Fight of the Year, as Wasserman Boxing, in association with Ladbrokes, Infinitum Entertainment and Numan, starts its 2024 schedule with a bang.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10am and are expected to go fast.

Heavyweight puncher Harris, 24, returns to the ring for the first time since July’s shock defeat in Edinburgh to Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko and fights for the first time under new coach, Peter Fury.

Toward, 22, has hit the ground running in the pro ranks, clocking up two quick wins at the end of last year, and heads to Telford with a new trainer, Dave Coldwell. 

Matty Harris said: “Since losing my unbeaten record, I have taken time out to work on what went wrong last summer. 

“I’ve now got a renewed focus and I feel recharged and more than ready to get back in the ring, on March 1 in Telford. 

“I have teamed up with Peter Fury and I am really excited about this new partnership and where my career can go with this man in my corner, because he has forgotten more than most people know about the sport. 

“I’m buzzing to be back; I can’t wait to put right what went wrong and start putting myself back in the heavyweight mix.” 

Dan Toward said: “I am one of Britain’s brightest prospects and I fully intend on setting out my stall for 2024, with a big performance on March 1 in Telford.

“This time, I will have Dave Coldwell in my corner and I can’t wait to show people in the arena, and those watching on TV, what we have been working on behind-closed-doors.

“It was incredible to experience being under the lights and in front of cameras for the first time as a pro last year, and the stage gets even bigger in Telford.

“One day soon, it will be me who is fighting for the European title but, for now, I am going to soak up the atmosphere and deliver a performance that will steal the show.”

Belfast Welterweight hope Lewis Crocker makes a quick return to the ring when he takes on Mexican danger-man Jose Felix this Saturday at Ulster Hall, live worldwide on DAZN, and ‘The Croc’ is promising an explosive start to what he hopes will be his breakout year. 

Crocker (18-0, 10 KOs) is fresh from a shutout points win over local rival Tyrone McKenna at the SSE Arena last month in what was a highly anticipated showdown dubbed the ‘Battle of Belfast’ – a dominant display that has filled the 27-year-old with confidence as he prepares to headline his first ever Matchroom show. 

“The atmosphere was class that night,” said Crocker. “Losing wasn’t an option, it’s not in any fight but especially this fight. This was me all along, I just needed the big platform and I knew that I was going to put on a big performance.

“He said that he was going to make me ‘no mas’, basically quit, that I wasn’t ready for 10 rounds, that I was going to fold under the pressure. I’ve never had so much fun in a fight. You can see it, I’m smiling and laughing the whole way. It was just a great night.

“I’ve got the confidence now since my last performance that I feel like I’m here now. I think with the platform of Matchroom and DAZN I’ve got everything there that I need to be a superstar. I can’t wait to fight now, in Belfast again too – class.”

The Sandy Row native, who picked up four wins from four fights in 2023, is unbeaten since making his professional debut at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall back in 2017 – and the powerful Billy Nelson-trained puncher is hoping for an active 2024 as he looks to build towards further title opportunities in the competitive 147lbs division.

“The day I got the call I was halfway through a kebab. I thought maybe I’d have a couple of weeks off and stuff so I was just enjoying it. I got the call and here we are – back out the next month. It’s great to be out so quick again – that’s what you need. You need to be active, especially after a good performance. Being out again this Saturday is perfect. The stage is set for a huge year. Get this win and then push on for bigger and better fights as well.

“I truly believe that I’ve not hit anywhere near where I’m going to be as a fighter. I’m going to be a force to be reckoned with. Every man’s dream in boxing is to be a World Champion, so that’s the goal and that’s the dream. This is what you dream of when you start out – main event, home city, top of the bill. I can’t be stopped, I believe I will reach the very top.”

Crocker is thriving under the guidance of veteran Scottish trainer Nelson and the heavy-handed Irishman believes it is only a matter of time before he is locking horns with some of the biggest names in the Welterweight division. 

“I always knew I had to make the move from Belfast to elsewhere, just to get me in the zone and keep me focused. There’s no distractions over in Scotland. With Billy Nelson it’s the perfect set up, my last four fights since I’ve been over there with Billy – I’ve got better each and every time – fitter each time, stronger. My last fight showed that. I’m starting to reach my potential and I’m getting there. I think this year is my breakout year.

“I put my life on the line, each and every time – no problem. I’m there for a fight, every time. He likes to come and fight and so do I – let’s have it. This is why I work so hard every day. This is the year of Lewis Crocker. We’re starting 2024 with a bang

“There’s so many names at Welterweight in the UK. It’s not like I’m calling anyone out but you go through the world class names, you’ve got Conor Benn and Josh Taylor. 147 is always a popular weight – it’s only a matter of time before all of the big names start to fight each other. Hopefully I’m in that mix.”

Crocker vs. Felix headlines Matchroom’s first show of 2024, fast-rising Cruiserweight contender Cheavon Clarke (7-0, 5 KOs) faces the biggest test of his career to date when he meets Belfast’s former European Champion Tommy McCarthy (20-5, 10 KOs), Limerick Welterweight talent Paddy Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs) aims to start 2024 with a bang against Argentina’s Williams Andres Herrera (15-2, 6 KOs), Wolverhampton Welterweight Conah Walker (12-2-1, 4 KOs) returns against Cardiff’s Lloyd Germain (9-0, 1 KO) following his brilliant win over Cyrus Pattinson, Guildford prospect Giorgio Visioli (1-0, 1 KO) fights for the second time as a pro in a six-round Super-Featherweight contest with Longbridge’s Samuel Pikire (4-2), Newham’s Leli Buttigieg (1-0, 1 KO) returns to Belfast for his second pro fight against Estonia’s ArtjomSpatar (4-4, 1 KO) at Super-Featherweight and Lisburn Featherweight Kurt Walker (9-0, 1 KO) joins the card as a late addition. 

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (January 25, 2024) — Today the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) unveiled the twenty-one (21) honorees chosen for induction into its Hall of Fame. The prestigious 8th Annual Awards & Induction Weekend is scheduled to take place from Friday, September 27th, to Sunday, September 29th, 2024, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. 

CLASS OF 2024:

FIGHTERS:

James Buster Douglas, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Sharmba Mitchell, Tyrone Mitchell Frazier, Mario Maldonado and Eva Jones-Young

CONTRIBUTORS:

James “Buddy” Mcgirt {Trainer}, Bruce Blair{Trainer},  Sampson Lewkowicz {Manager & Promoter}, Eric Bottjer {Matchmaker}, Randy Gordon {Media} Guy Gargan {Media}

POSTHUMOUS:

Howard Davis Jr. {Fighter}, Jay Larkin {T.V Executive}, Eddie Cotton {Referee}

PIONEERS:

Eric Seelig {Fighter}, George Godfrey {Fighter}, Joey Giardello {Fighter}

“We eagerly anticipate the induction of these distinguished individuals chosen for the “2024” Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. We look forward with great enthusiasm to celebrating and paying tribute to this exceptional group, whose contributions have played a significant role in establishing Atlantic City as a globally recognized boxing Mecca.” – Ray McCline, President & Founder, Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame

   The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame will offer boxing enthusiasts a fun filled experience with exceptional programming at this year’s Boxing Hall of Fame Awards & Induction Weekend. Delight in a VIP cocktail reception, engage in meet & greets with legendary figures, and immerse yourself in a fight fan experience showcasing stunning artwork, exhibits, and boxing memorabilia. The pinnacle of the weekend is the Awards & Induction red-carpet ceremony, set in an award-show atmosphere.

On behalf of Hard Rock Atlantic City, we are proud to welcome back Atlantic City’s Boxing Hall of Fame. This exciting event offers boxing enthusiasts a wonderful experience to interact and meet some of the most influential and legendary names in boxing history. Hosting unique events such as the ACBHOF continues to provide us with the most diverse entertainment line-up in Atlantic City,” stated Mike Woodside, VP of Entertainment & Marketing, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

“Thank you esteemed colleagues for selecting me for a prestigious position such as an inductee into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame! This is a great honor and I salute you all. Moreover, Atlantic City has been great to me throughout my career and I have fond memories of the many fights fought there while pursuing my Championship journey. I look forward to seeing you all in September 2024.” – James Buster Douglas

“Atlantic City holds many great memories from my boxing career, where I experienced triumph and defeat. The iconic Boardwalk Hall marked the start of my recognition on the world boxing stage, establishing me as one of the best globally. I’m humbled and forever grateful for being inducted into Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame rich boxing history. Thank you for this extraordinary recognition.” – Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez

“I cherish the memories from my time in Atlantic City, where numerous significant moments unfolded in my life. I’m so proud to be honored by A. C. Boxing Hall of Fame, particularly at this juncture in my life when it might seem that the efforts I invested to achieve championship status are overlooked by many. I’m humbled by this recognition” – Paul Williams 

A special thanks to our partners, sponsors and supporters: Mayor Marty Small Sr., City of Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Flagship Hotel-Club Boardwalk Resorts, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Atlantic City Sports Commission, Sparbar Ltd, Bare Knuckle Fighting Champions, Fight Night Apparel, Icons of Boxing Memorabilia, Adams Boxing, Sampson Boxing, WBC, IBF, CM 3D Crystal’s, Chris Guzman Gloves and Patrick Killian Arts

For more information, visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame’s website at: www.acbhof.com

NEW YORK (January 24, 2024) – Split-T Management has signed former world title challenger Angelica Rascon.

Rascon, 32 of El Paso, Texas has a record of 11-2 with two knockouts.

Racon will be managed by Brian Cohen.

“We are very happy to be working with her and navigate her to a world title. Angelica is fighting on March 1st in her hometown of El Paso Texas at the County Coliseum,” said Cohen.

Rascon turned professional on February 28, 2014 with a fourth round stoppage of Adilemme Murrieta. She also has a win over previously undefeated Johanna Porras.

Rascon has fought 10 fights in Mexico and came up short in losing a decision to Yamileth Mercado on June 26, 2021 in a battle for Mercado’s WBC Super Bantamweight title.

Rascon is coming off a career best win as she took a majority decision over the highly regarded Mia Ellis (7-1) on December 1st in Houston, Texas.

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2024) — Following three impressive victories in 2023, welterweight standout Brian Norman Jr. is gearing up for a breakthrough year.

Norman will defend his WBO International title against Janelson Bocachica in a 10-rounder on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Norman-Bocachica joins a stacked undercard that will be headlined by the vacant WBA featherweight world title showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American contender Raymond Ford.

In the co-feature, Mexico’s Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF crown against Japanese upstart Reiya Abe.

Kholmatov-Ford, Lopez-Abe and undercard fights will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

Norman (25-0, 19 KOs) made his pro debut in January 2018 and went 11-0 in his first year in the paid ranks. In 2021, he fought four times, including a first-round TKO against Roque Agustin Junco that December. After a year-long layoff, Norman regained his momentum in 2023 by tallying eight-round decisions against Rodrigo Coria in January and Jesus Perez in May before capturing his first regional title against Quinton Randall in November. Bocachica (17-2-1, 11 KOs) went 16-0 before handing Mark Reyes Jr. his first pro defeat in February 2021. Since then, he’s been involved in several close contests, including a narrow decision loss to Alberto Palmetta last November.

The undercard will showcase a variety of emerging talents from the Top Rank roster, as well as the return of a home region hero:

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (9-0, 1 KO) will see action in an eight-round featherweight clash against Colombia’s Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs). Ragan signed with Top Rank in August 2020 and fought four times as a pro before capturing the silver medal in Tokyo. He then continued his career in the paid ranks in 2022 by scoring four additional victories. The Cincinnati native toughed out a split decision victory against Jose Perez last October.

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (11-0, 7 KOs) will lock horns against Tarik Zaina (13-0-1, 8 KOs). Polanco conquered a trio of stiff tests last year, each with only one career loss. He decisioned Ricardo Quiroz in April and earned stoppages against Cesar Francis in July and Keith Hunter in December. Zaina aims to build off his biggest triumph yet, a unanimous decision win over Argentine contender Marcelino Lopez.

U.S. Olympian Troy Isley (11-0, 4 KOs) will face Marcos Hernandez (16-6-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. The 25-year-old looks to build off a successful 2023, including a unanimous decision verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez in November.

Heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore (13-0, 8 KOs) takes on Helaman Olguin (9-6-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Moore returns following his Top Rank debut in November, an eight-round decision over Robert Simms.

Floyd Diaz (10-0, 3 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in an eight-round bantamweight tilt against the upset-minded Puerto Rican Edwin Rodriguez (12-7-2, 5 KOs). Diaz decisioned once-beaten Max Ornelas for a regional title in November.

Middleweight prospect NicoAli Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs) will make his 2024 debut in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. The grandson of “The Greatest” starts his 2024 following a points triumph over Noel Lafargue last December in Conakry, Guinea.

Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (14-1, 5 KOs), who hails from nearby Liverpool, New York, will square off against Gerffred Ngayot (6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

# # #
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the March 2 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing hall-of-famers and legends of the sport have attended fights, promoted cards, or fought at Turning Stone over the last two decades, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miquel Cotto, Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, and Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and attended a fight in 2022 when she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate in June with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. 

Turning Stone features world-class amenities including NY Rec & Social Club, featuring TS Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book and elevated sports lounge, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  

New York, NY (January 24, 2024) The Fastest Rising Star in Boxing, Undefeated Super Welterweight, ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (9-0, 7 KOs), of Cork, Ireland will battle on St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, Friday, March 15 against hard-hitting Kazak veteran Dauren Yeleussinov, (11-3-1, 10 KOs) in the ten-round main event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and broadcast live globally on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports.

Walsh vs. Yeleussinov is promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions as part of their nationally acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series. Tickets starting at $45 are Now On-Sale and can be purchased at MSG.com.

“Following Callum’s impressive performance before an energetic crowd on November 9 in his debut at Madison Square Garden, we started making plans for him to headline again on a truly special New York City Irish weekend,” said Tom Loeffler, President of 360 Promotions. “Dauren Yeleussinov presents another tough test for Callum in the main event and we look forward to announcing an action-packed undercard featuring some of the top New York City based fighters.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Callum Walsh back to The Theater at Madison Square Garden for another exciting night of boxing at ‘The Mecca’,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events & Operations, MSG Entertainment.  “Callum follows in the footsteps of some of Ireland’s biggest stars – John Duddy, Andy Lee, Matthew Macklin and Michael Conlan with fighting at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick’s Day weekend and we expect to welcome back the loyal Irish fans.”

Headlining at The Mecca of Boxing on Thursday, November 9, 2023, Walsh made a strong impression on the raucous boxing crowd in the famed venue with a dominant ten-round decision over top local prospect Ismael Villarreal, (13-1).

The March 15 event at Madison Square Garden will be the second straight year Walsh has celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a headlining fight, previously defeating Wesley Tucker on March 16, 2023 at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA in front of a huge contingent of Irish boxing fans.

Following a sensational 2023 with four victories, three by knockout, Walsh was named the Prospect of the Year by the World Boxing Council (WBC) in addition to being honored as the UFC FIGHT PASS Athlete of the Year.

A native of Kayindy, Kazakhstan and brother of 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Daniyar Yelussinov, Dauren considers Brooklyn, New York his second home. Fighting in Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 21, 2023, the southpaw Yelussinov knocked out Bakhrom Payazov in the second round. Seven of his ten knockouts have come in the first two rounds.

LOS ANGELES (January 24, 2024) – The beat continues this Saturday night in Phoenix for undefeated super middleweight prospect Darius “DFG” Fulghum (9-0, 9 KOs) as he takes on the toughest test of his relatively young professional boxing career, former world title challenger Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (28-5-1, 13 KOs), on a show presented by Golden Boy Promotions.

Headlined by Jaime Munguia vs. John Ryder, all the action will be streamed on DAZN from Footprint Arena, including Fulghum’s 10^th pro fight.”

Two years ago, Fox unsuccessfully challenged David Morrell for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight World Championship, and he’s also fought two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, as well as Liam Williams and Erik Bazinyan.

“I’ve watched a lot of tape of him (Fox) and he’s the most experienced guy I’ve fought and the biggest test of my career,” the 27-year-old Fulghum said. “I want to make a big statement in this fight to showcase my skills. I’m looking forward to this great opportunity, fighting on a great platform again, DAZN.   

“I have a lot of experience, too (amateur and pros), and I’ve seen a lot of styles. I feel one of my best attributes is that my style is adaptable. No matter what the situation, I’ll figure it out. I want to get the world to recognize my talent and make an impression on everybody watching me fight. If they say after this fight that they need to see me fight again, I’ve accomplished what I’m setting out to do.”

Fulgham, who is a perfect 9-for-9 with 9 knockouts, will be fighting in his first scheduled 10-round bout against Fox. “If the knockout comes, it comes,” he noted. “I want to make a big statement and 10-for-10 would be a big statement. I trust my team, 3 PM (3 Point Management) and Golden Boy, and they’re moving me the way I should be. By the end of this year, I want to be in striking distance to names like Canelo and Benevidez because, eventually, those are the guys I want to fight. But I need to earn it first.

“I really haven’t made any drastic changes for my first 10-round fight. I prepare for every fight like it’s for a world title. Physically, I’ve made improvements and I’m even better prepared mentally for this fight because I’m locked in and understand the process.”

Fulghum was a decorated amateur boxer, ranked No. 1 in the USA as a heavyweight, despite fighting as a super middleweight as a professional. He captured top honors at the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, both major amateur accomplishments were achieved while he was earning a nursing degree from Prairie View A & M University.

INFORMATION:

Instagram/X (Twitter)/Linkedin: @DariusFulghum

LIVERPOOL, UK (January 24, 2024) – A huge television audience tuned in to watch Natasha Jonas defend her IBF World Welterweight Title against Mikaela Mayer on Saturday, January 20th live on Sky Sports.

It was described as the ‘Hagler vs Hearns’ of women’s boxing in the build-up and did not fail to deliver as Jonas edged a split decision victory (96-94, 93-97, 96-95) to retain her IBF World Title in an epic back-and-forth battle against the former IBF and WBO World Super Featherweight Champion Mayer.

The incredible contest, which has already been lauded as one of the greatest fights in women’s boxing history and has left many fans calling for a rematch, attracted a peak audience of 269,000 and an average audience of 149,000, making it one of the most watched women’s boxing events on Sky Sports.

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer put it all on the line to deliver one of the greatest fights I’ve had the privilege of watching from ringside. The atmosphere inside the arena was electric and I am delighted that so many people tuned in live on Sky Sports to witness their epic world title tussle.

“At BOXXER we want to be a force for good for women’s boxing. We will continue to provide a platform and opportunities for female fighters to showcase their skills on the biggest stage. From our record-breaking women’s night in 2022 to last Saturday’s world title fight, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

“The viewing figures speak for themselves. 269,000 viewers tuning in to watch Natasha defend her world title shows there’s a huge demand for women’s boxing and I look forward to many more big fight nights featuring our female stars in the future.”

The BOXXER schedule continues on Saturday, February 3rd when unbeaten world ranked #1 and #2 light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez collide in a WBA World Title Final Eliminator at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

COMMERCE, CA (January 24, 2024) – Former World Champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (33-4-1, 15 KOs) of South El Monte will kick off the first Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN card of 2024 in a 10-round super lightweight main event against the tough Jesus “Ricky” Perez (24-5, 18 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico. The action will take place at The Commerce Casino & Hotel and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN at 6:00 p.m. PT.

“I am excited to let the boxing world know I’m back on track,” said Joseph “JoJo” Diaz. “My comeback continues on February 15. After this, I want all the top guys.”

“I would like to thank Golden Boy and my promoter Paco Damian for believing in me and giving me this great opportunity,” said Jesus Perez. “I know how important this fight is for me, a win over JoJo Diaz would open many great opportunities. I am working extremely hard to put on a great performance. One thing for sure, the fans are going to get their money’s worth. It is going to be a war!”

“Throughout his career, JoJo has defied the odds — competing at the Olympics, defeating undefeated fighters, and winning a world championship,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. “Now he is taking his second step back towards title contention, and I see the renewed focus in his eyes as he takes one more run at championship glory.”

Tickets for Diaz vs. Perez will go on sale today, Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $30 plus applicable fees. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience upgrades will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

“The Commerce Casino & Hotel is absolutely thrilled to be welcoming back Golden Boy to our property,” shared Spencer Villasenor, Director of Guest Experience. “We’ve recently upgraded our incredible event center and look forward to another production of the highest quality with the Golden Boy team.”

In the co-main event, Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (23-2, 16 KOs) of Rialto, who was recently ranked number 10 on ESPN’s Top 25 under 25 list, will participate in a 10-round flyweight event. Also on the DAZN broadcast, Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s Eric Tudor (9-1, 6 KOs) will make a redemptive return in a six-round super welterweight fight. Opening the DAZN broadcast, San Diego’s Jorge “El Niño Dorado” Chavez (9-0, 7 KOs) will participate in a six-round super bantamweight fight. Opponents for each and the complete undercard will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

Media interested in a credential for the fight must fill out a credential application by Monday, February 12. To apply, please visit https://forms.gle/BWn6AfZcwmrjNvA66. 

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with a card headlined by a collision of top-ranked heavyweights that will see No. 8 Tai Tuivasa take on No. 11 Marcin Tybura. Also on the card, an exciting lightweight bout pits Thiago Moises against Brad Riddell. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: TUIVASA vs. TYBURA will take place Saturday, March 16 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish with the prelims beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

UFC APEX VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that includes premium seating, all-inclusive hospitality, in-seat beverage service, meet-and-greets with UFC Octagon girls and more. Visit UFCVIP.com for more information.

Tuivasa (14-6, fighting out of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia) looks to deliver another signature finish in his third UFC main event. A fan favorite, Tuivasa has finished all but one of his bouts by KO, including victories over Derrick Lewis, Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy. He now aims to begin his 2024 campaign with a statement victory and build momentum for another run at the title.

Tybura (24-8, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) intends to break back into the Top 10 of the division with a vintage performance. A well-rounded veteran, he holds notable wins over Andrei Arlovski, Stefan Struve and Walt Harris. Tybura now has his sights set on taking out Tuivasa and putting together another long win streak.

Moises (17-7, fighting out of Indaiatuba, Brazil) plans to put his submission skills to use in a classic striker versus grappler matchup. Still only 28 years old, Moises cemented himself as a top prospect ever since he joined the UFC six years ago with victories over Michael Johnson, Bobby Green and Alexander Hernandez. He now seeks to impress against Riddell and once again crack the Top 15.

Riddell (10-4, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) looks to add another post-fight bonus to his resume. An entertaining striker, he burst onto the UFC scene with standout performances against Jamie Mullarkey, Magomed Mustafaev and Drew Dober. Ridell now hopes to return to the win column in highlight-reel fashion. 

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Light heavyweight action sees former title challenger Ovince Saint Preux (26-17, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) face off with Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-4, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Natan Levy (8-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets Mike Davis (10-2, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) for a thrilling clash at lightweight
• No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Pannie Kianzad (17-7, fighting out of Helsingborg, Sweden) looks to defend her spot in the rankings in a rematch against No. 9 Macy Chiasson (9-3, fighting out of Dallas, Texas)
• Josh Culibao (11-2-1, fighting out of Botany, NSW, Australia) and Danny Silva (8-1, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) go toe-to-toe in an exciting featherweight bout
• Christian Rodriguez (10-1, fighting out of West Allis, Wisc.) returns to the featherweight division to take on Isaac Dulgarian (6-0, fighting out of Kansas City, Mo.)
• No. 14 ranked bantamweight contender Josiane Nunes (10-1, fighting out of Gralha Azul, Parana, Brazil) meets No. 15 Chelsea Chandler (5-2, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) in an intriguing bout
• Middleweight veterans collide as Gerald Meerschaert (35-17, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) locks horns with Bryan Barberena (18-11, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.)
• A thrilling welterweight bout pits Bryan Battle (11-2, fighting out of Matthews, N.C.) against Ange Loosa (10-3, fighting out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by way of Kinshasa, DR Congo)
• Flyweights Jafel Filho (15-3, fighting out of Fuazeiro, Bahia, Brazil) and Ode’ Osbourne (12-6 1 NC, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) battle in an early Fight of the Night candidate
• Jaqueline Amorim (7-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Manaus, Brazil) and Cory McKenna (8-2, fighting out of Cwmbran, Wales) look to impress in a strawweight matchup
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Charalampos Grigoriou (8-3, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) aims to impress in his UFC debut against Chad Anheliger (12-7, fighting out of Airdrie, Alberta, Canada) in a bantamweight scrap

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for media credentials to the event.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 233 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 over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s active fighter roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus/

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more.  ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON (January 23, 2023)  —  Roy Jones Jr., legendary world champion boxer and now trainer and promoter, will have two of his prized fighters headline an action-packed fight card at Legends Casino in Toppenish, Washington on January 25, 2024. The fight card will be promoted by Roy Jones Jr Boxing and streamed live on DAZN, beginning at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT.

If not a present DAZN subscriber, go to www.dazn.com/royjones to sign up!

In the main event, hometown favorite, undefeated Yakima born Andrew Murphy will fight in an eight-round bout defending his National Boxing Association (NBA) Super Middleweight Americas title. In the co-main event Mandeep Jangra, former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games Silver Medalist, will fight for the NBA vacant Intercontinental Super Featherweight title in a ten-round bout.

Both train at Roy Jones Jr.’s camp on his farm in Pensacola.  “It’s like a family thing, said Murphy, who has been training there since the beginning of the pandemic. “When we are not in the gym, we’re out on the farm helping with the animals. It’s like a zoo – horses, sheep, goats, chickens, deer, and alligators in the pond.”

Andrew Murphy (7-0, 5 KOs) was born in nearby Yakima, Washington an d January 25 will be the twenty-three-year-old’s third fight at Legends Casino. His opponent will be local talent Devontae McDonald (5-3, 1 KO” from nearby Wenatchee, Washington.

Regarding having Jones as a trainer, Murphy stated, “He’s the OG in the game. He’s done it all and he has an answer for every question that I have. He teaches me some of the things that he did and some can see that when I fight. Any way we can implement his moves into my game is a plus. But more importantly, he trains me to be the best version of myself, as he does with all of his guys his guys, to be the best version of themselves. On Thursday, my plan is to go dominate. By any means. Whatever he tries to do we have a plan for. I know it’s going to be an entertaining fight that’s for sure.”

Mandeep Jangra (6-0, 4 KOs), born and raised in Kharian, India, had a wonderful amateur career highlighted by winning Silver Medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships and the Commonwealth Games. This will be Mandeep’s fourth bout under Jones’ tutelage. He will fight a scheduled ten-rounds against Tacoma Washington’s finest, Gerardo Esqivel (5-3-1, 1 KO)

“I am very excited because this is my first title fight and it’s my first fight that is live on DAZN,” said Jangra. “I am good with my weight. I am good with my training. I am right at 130. I’ve been working with Roy for eleven months. Roy works on my skills. I had some skills, but he polished them – so now I fight like a pro boxer. I’ve been working on how I use my feet to get the most out of my hook and my power. I have changed my boxing style some and improved a lot. Before I didn’t throw many combinations, maybe three or four punches at most and in my last fight I threw a thirteen-punch combination, and I couldn’t believe it myself.”

Promoted by Roy Jones Jr. Boxing, tickets, priced at $60, $50 and $40, are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Legends Casino Gift Shop or on-line at Ticketmaster HERE

Doors open at 6 pm and first bell will be at 7 pm PT.

“I am very happy to be promoting again back at Legends Casino with my good friend Greg Fritz and the rest of the fine people that work there. Legends provides me and my fighters with wonder hospitality,” said Jones. “I will be bringing with me some treats. One of them is Mandeep Jangra. However many rounds Mandeep fight lasts, they will be exciting rounds. The second is Andrew Murphy, who brings power and aggression and is always looking for the knockout. I am really looking forward to January 25.”

The fight card will also include some LOCAL BOXING TALENT. Union Gap Washington’s Carlos Villanueva (5-3, 1 KO) will attempt to knock off Bend, Oregon’s undefeated Alberto Rivas (4-0, 1 KO) in a six-round cruiserweight scrap; in a six-round super welterweight bout, Kamar Bray (3-0) from Deerfield Beach, Florida and trained by Stacy McKinley, will battle Kevin Davila (5-11) from Lakewood, Washington; and in a six-round super clash of undefeateds, Mount Vernon’s Luis Gallegos (5-0, 2 KOs) battles fellow Washingtonian Josue Cadena (3-0, 1 KO).  Opening the card will be twolocals making their pro debut in a four-round super welterweight bout, Bryce Wyatt and Gerardo Ceresero.

ROY JONES JR. was world champion at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight (undisputed) and in 2003 became the first former middleweight world champion to become world heavyweight champion in over 106 years when he beat John Ruiz to win the title. Throughout that stretch he was recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

NEW YORK, NY – January 23, 2024 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the full card and special broadcaster for Most Valuable Prospects V, the first prospects event of 2024, taking place on Friday, February 2 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL available globally on DAZN subscription. Most Valuable Prospects V, headlined by H20 Sylve (10-0, 9KOs) vs. Estivan Falcao (13-2, 7KOs) for the WBC Youth World Championship and presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, will feature super lightweights Orestes Velazquez (8-0, 7KOs) vs. Julian “The Quiet Storm” Smith (7-2, 5KOs) for the WBA International Title. Famed Filipino fighter Ninito Donaire will also join the event as an analyst and expert commentator, bringing his significant experience, success, and signature “flash” to the DAZN broadcast team. 

Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects V are available now via Ticketmaster. 

H2O Sylve and Estivan Falcao will headline Most Valuable Prospects V with a 10-round lightweight bout on Friday, February 2nd, for the WBC Youth World Championship. The 19-year-old phenom Sylve returns to the ring for his very first 10-round fight against Brazil’s Falcao. This fight marks a step up in class for Sylve, after his victory over Adam Kipenga, and his thrilling knockout of veteran William Silva on the Paul vs. Diaz card in August of 2023. With six years of professional fighting under his belt, Falcao will prove a challenge after back to back wins in 2023.

The highly anticipated WBA International Title super lightweight battle between Orestes Velazquez and Julian Smith will take place over ten rounds. Velazquez (8-0, 7KOs), from Cuba, triumphed over Mohamed Soumaoro in September of last year for the WBA International Super Lightweight title with a TKO in the eight round. The Las Vegas-based fighter gained this win six months after going the distance with Marcelino Lopez on the Benavidez-Caleb Plant undercard in Las Vegas, NV, in March of 2023. The inspirational Illinois native Smith (7-2, 5KOs), who is deaf, is a Chicago Golden Gloves champion and will be making his third appearance in the prospects series, where he most recently defeated Julio Rosa (8-3, 4KOs), by majority decision (59-55, 57-57, 60-54). Smith found out he won via sign language and celebrated his hard-fought victory with a heartfelt moment where his mom joined him in the ring.

Rounding out Most Valuable Prospects V will be lightweight undefeated Florida natives Benigno Aguilar (13-2-0, 7KOs) and Corey Marksman (8-0) as they battle over six rounds, and Maricela Cornejo (14-6, 5KOs) will take on Kandi Wyatt (10-4, 3KOs) in a welterweight bout across eight rounds. Cornejo fought Claressa Shields in June of 2023, with only two weeks’ notice before the bout. Despite the short notice, Cornejo took Shields the distance, ultimately losing via unanimous decision. Cornejo has decided to take a new path toward becoming a world champion, competing at welterweight, with Most Valuable Prospects marking only her second fight in this class. 

Providing commentary on these fights will be Nonito Donaire, the former boxing champion in four weight classes from flyweight to featherweight, and the oldest boxer in history to win a bantamweight world title – while being the first three-time champion in that weight class. Donaire also holds the distinction of gaining world championships in three consecutive decades, and is the sixth boxer to do so alongside legends like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Serving as analyst and expert commentator, Donaire will bring his incredible and unique POV to the DAZN broadcast team alongside Wade Plemons, Dan Canobbio and Sibley Scoles, and to fans around the world. The full card will be offered globally via DAZN subscription.

“In May of 2023, I headlined MVP’s very first Most Valuable Prospects event, and now I’m battling for the WBC Youth World Championship less than a year later. It’s an honor to come back to Orlando and represent the series for a second time,” said H20 Sylve. “Most Valuable Prospects has provided so many fighters – myself included – with a platform and opportunity in this sport and I’m looking forward to headlining for a second time. Thank you to MVP, Boxlab, Caribe, and DAZN for the opportunity and make sure to tune in on Friday, February 2nd to watch me give the WBC Youth World Championship belt a new home.”

“Most Valuable Prospects was introduced last year, and since that time we’ve provided up and coming fighters with a platform to display their skills and build their names. We couldn’t be more excited by this first installment of 2024, where we’ll see MVP phenom H20 Sylve battle Estivan Falcao for the WBC Youth World Championship in H20’s first 10-round bout, and Orestes Velazquez and Julian Smith fight for the WBA International Title,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “It’ll also be a big night and test for Maricela Cornejo, as she forges her path towards becoming world champion at welterweight against Kandi Wyatt, an important bout which continues Most Valuable Promotions’ support of women’s boxing. It’s truly a card created for the fans, and another great representation for Most Valuable Prospects. Thank you to DAZN, Boxlab, Caribe Royale Resort, and CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy for another year of partnership.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter and is distributed globally by DAZN. The fifth event in the series will continue the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2024. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of Most Valuable Promotions and the Most Valuable Prospects series. 

For more information, follow on Twitter via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.

How to watch DAZN  

• Visit DAZN.com and follow the steps to sign up now
• Once signed up, download the DAZN app to watch on any device
• Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  
• DAZN is available on your phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles. 
• Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

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DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

An action-packed Spring schedule is in store for fight fans this year with Matchroom Boxing delighted to announce its upcoming events through to April, shown exclusively live worldwide on DAZN. 
 
Matchroom return to the Utilita Arena Sheffield for a huge night of boxing on Saturday March 23 as the Steel City’s fast-rising Super-Lightweight contender Dalton Smith (15-0, 11 KOs) steps up against the USA’s three-time World Title challenger Jose Zepeda ( 37-4, 28 KOs) and Derby’s WBO Welterweight World Champion Sandy Ryan (6-1-1, 2 KOs) puts her gold on the line against Denaby Main’s two-division World Champion Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs) in a huge domestic clash. 
 
‘Thunder’ reinforced his credentials as a future World Champion last time out by sensationally wiping out Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell with a vicious one-punch knockout in the seventh round of their meeting in Sheffield to add the Commonwealth Super-Lightweight Title to his British Title that he has now won outright. 
 
California’s Zepeda has twice challenged for world honours at Super-Lightweight – falling short on points against Jose Carlos Ramirez for the WBC crown in 2019 before suffering an eleventh-round stoppage against Regis Prograis for the same title in November 2022. In his only previous visit to the UK Zepeda suffered a dislocated left shoulder during his challenge for the vacant WBO Lightweight World Title against Manchester’s Terry Flanagan. 
 
WBO 147lbs ruler Ryan will be looking to bounce back from a controversial split decision draw against WBC and WBA World Champion Jessica McCaskill in Orlando last September. Ryan was left bitterly disappointed following her World Title unification clash having felt she did enough to earn a career-best win. Harper was also left frustrated after her draw with Cecilia Braekhus last October but the 27-year-old now has the opportunity to claim a World Title in a third weight division following her success at Super-Featherweight and Super-Welterweight. Also on the card, Hyde’s Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs) goes for his first title when he meets Doncaster’s James Flint (13-1-2, 3 KOs) for the Central Area Super-Lightweight Title.
 
Two of the USA’s brightest emerging stars are out to impress at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6. New York Super-Lightweight ace Richardson Hitchins (17-0, 7 KOs) looks to build on his shutout points win over Jose Zepeda at the Caribe Royal Orlando last September when he takes on Argentina’s Gustavo Daniel Lemos (29-0, 19 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF World Title, and destructive Super-Middleweight powerhouse Diego Pacheco (20-0, 17 KOs) is aiming to extend his nine-fight knockout streak when he meets Colorado’s unbeaten Shawn McCalman (15-0, 7 KOs).
 
Manchester’s AO Arena plays host to an exciting domestic clash between Super-Featherweight rivals Jordan Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) and Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16 KOs) on Saturday April 13, with World Title action on the undercard as Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) looks to win her first World Title when she takes on Argentina’s Karen Elizabeth Carabajal (21-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBO 140lbs crown.
 
Chatteris’ Gill, a former European and Commonwealth Champion at Featherweight, stunned Irish hero Michael Conlan with a seventh-round stoppage win on away territory at the SSE Arena Belfast last month and immediately called for a World Title shot in his post-fight interview. Standing in ‘The Thrill’s’ way of a dream World Title shot is Manchester’s former World Title challenger Barrett, and the 30-year-old ‘Brown Flash’ has further World Title aspirations of his own having come up short against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the IBF title in Abu Dhabi. 
 
Liverpool Super-Bantamweight Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) gets an immediate shot at redemption when he rematches Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) at the top of a NXTGEN card on home soil at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on Saturday April 27. The former amateur star was cruising to a wide points decision on the Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards card in Arizona, USA last month when O’Quinn finished his opponent with a brutal right hand in the fifth round.  
 
“The big fights keep coming and I’m delighted to confirm a bumper schedule across March and April,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Four big fight nights across the pond featuring huge domestic World Title clashes, some of the best emerging talent in boxing and make or break rematches – not forgetting ‘Knockout Chaos’ with AJ vs. Ngannou on March 8 in Riyadh. There’s still plenty more to come as we gear up for an exciting year. I can’t wait to get a huge 2024 underway this week in Belfast with Lewis Crocker vs. Jose Felix at Ulster Hall before we head out to Las Vegas for the return of Conor Benn. Watch all of the action live on DAZN.”
 
“There are some fantastic matchups in this run of shows,” said Alfie Sharman VP of DAZN. “Featuring World Champions, future stars and domestic dust ups, DAZN are excited to update our schedule through April – with more shows to be added. 2024 is a huge year for us and we look forward to bringing you all the action exclusively live on DAZN.”
 
Announcements on ticket details and further undercard additions will be made in the coming weeks.

NEW YORK (January 22, 2024) – Newly crowned World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental Welterweight Champion, rising Irish star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs), returns to action this Saturday night (Jan. 27) at Ulster Hall in Belfast to make his first title defense against Williams Andres Herrera (15-2, 6 KOs) in a 10-round fight streaming live on DAZN.

Donovan, who celebrated his 25^th birthday this past January 10^th, has also cracked the world ratings at No. 13 in the WBA, the result of his sensational fourth-round stoppage of English welterweight champion Danny Ball (13-2-1, 6 KOs) last November 25^th in Dublin on a DAZN pay-per-view headlined by the Irish superstar Katie Taylor-Chantelle Cameron rematch.

?“I’m going into this fight with a new belt and ranked 13^th in the world,” fan favorite Donovan said. “I’m really hungry to just keep getting fights to keep shining on big stages. I love fighting, I love being the center of attention. I want to be world champion in the next 12 to 15 months. I’m building my resume under WBA sanctioning and Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs), from Lithuania, is the WBA Welterweight Champion. So, I’ve got my eye on him.”   

Fighting out of his native Argentina, Herrera is a 27-year-old former International Boxing Federation (IBF) Latino Super Welterweight Champion, whose 12-fight win streak was snapped in his last fight by way of a 10-round unanimous decision to Josh Wagner (16-0).

“Paddy has trained extremely hard for this fight and he’s really maturing into a world-class professional boxer,” Donovan’s head trainer Andy Lee added. “Watching his skills improve each day and also seeing how intelligent he is in the ring leads me to believe this will be another star performance from Paddy.”

Former world middleweight champion Lee also co-manages Donovan with New York City-based lawyer Keith Sullivan.

“We believe Paddy has the skill, talent and hunger to be a world champion,” Sullivan commented. “More importantly, he has the willingness to continue learning and developing under Andy’s meticulous training style.”

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

INFORMATION:

X (formerly Twitter): @PaddyDonovan23

Instagram: @paddy_realdeal_donovan

Facebook: /PaddyRealDealDonovan

Conor Benn has warned Peter Dobson that he’s bringing ‘sheer violence’ to their clash at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday February 3, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW – Benn and Dobson will step through the ropes at approximately 2.30pm PT/10.30pm UK, with the first bell on the day at 11am PT/7pm UK

Benn (22-0 14 KOs) is back in action in his second straight fight in the States after he returned from a 17-month absence in Orlando in September with a ten-round points win over Rodolfo Orozco. ‘The Destroyer’ is polishing off his preparation at the Matchroom Churchill Gym in Santa Monica alongside George Liddard and Jimmy Sains, who are on his undercard, as well as John Ryder, who meets Jaime Munguia in Phoenix on January 27 live on DAZN. 

Dobson (16-0 9 KOs) has warned the Essex man that he’ll ruin his plans to face the elite at 147lbs and derail his World title dreams, but as Benn ticks a massive box in his career by topping the bill in Sin City, 

“I never thought I would fight in Las Vegas, let alone headline, so it’s nothing but a blessing,” said Benn. “I’ve got a lot of supporters in America, and I know that people will be traveling over to see me. I sit back and count my blessings, England is my home, and I can’t wait for the homecoming, but at the same time I am embracing every step of this journey. It’s all part of the story and I am excited about what is to come.

“I’m going to make an example of him. He can do the talking. Talk as much as you want, the outcome will be the same. Delusion is one hell of a thing and there’s a fine line between delusion and confidence. I know what I am bringing in and that’s sheer violence, sheer brutality, sheer spite. Whatever he does, I do better, and I am going in there to handle business and deal with him in serious fashion. 

“It’s exciting to have four Essex boys going to Vegas with George, Jimmy and Johnny Fisher and his ‘Bosh Army’. I don’t think that been done before and it shows the opportunities that have presented themselves throughout this process. First Orlando and now fighting in Sin City, it’s great to fight in the States and get my name out there over there. 

“Obviously, I’m not my dad. It’s evident to see. I am Conor Benn, that’s that. What he’s said is nothing I haven’t heard before, if he wants to talk that talk, fair play. Talk is cheap, I take no notice of it but when I get in the ring, I express every bit of feeling I have in me. So, he can keep talking, it’ll just make me want to end the fight early. I’m going in there to dismantle him and remind everyone who’s who and what’s what. 

“I’m coming for it early and when I see an opportunity, I take it, that’s who I am. I take the shots I see, I don’t pull back, I don’t pitter-patter, I’m going in there to iron him out, that’s who I am, and I can’t help it. If I see one split-second of pain or weakness, I make sure he knows I’ve seen it.

“I don’t watch my opponents, I leave that to Tony, I am confident in what I do and my ability. So, I don’t know much about Peter, but I know that I am one hell of a fighter, I’m powerful, extremely determined and full of grit. I punch like a horse’s kick, so good luck to him.”

Benn’s clash with Dobson tops the bill in Las Vegas, where the co-main event pits two exciting and unbeaten Middleweights against each other in the shape of Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (15-0 10 KOs) against Florida-based Irishman Connor Coyle (20-0 9 KOs) for the for the WBA International and IBF North American titles.

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

NEW YORK (January 22, 2024) – Split-T Management is pleased to announce the signing of undefeated bantamweight contender Johanna “Wonder” Wonyou.

Wonyou will be co-managed by boxing’s premier manager for female fighters Brian Cohen and Block One Sports.

“Johanna is a terrific young fighter who has a ton of talent and is a major player in the bantamweight division. In her last bout she dominated an undefeated fighter in her opponent’s hometown. She has been the most avoided fighter in the division, but we (along with Block One Sports) expect to have her in title contention very soon, and we expect her to be a terrific fighter for a long time.” said Cohen

Wonyou, 23 years-old of London, England via France, was a Youth Amateur Gold Medal Winner and three-time French Amatuer champion.

Wonyou has a record of 9-0 with two knockouts.

Wonyou is a four-year professional who already is a major player in the bantamweight division.

Wonyou already has two wins over Wendellin Cruz. Cruz was undefeated at 5-0-1 before the first fight.

On March 12.2023, Wonyou captured the Commonwealth Boxing Council Bantamweight Title with a fourth round stoppage over Egine Kayange in Kent, England. In her last outing, Wonyou captured the European Bantamweight title with a 10-round shutout over previously undefeated Simona Salvatori (8-0) on May 5, 2023 in Lazio, England.

(Jan. 22, 2024) — Undefeated super middleweight contender Erik Bazinyan, ranked in the top five by all four major sanctioning organizations, returns in the 10-round main event this Thursday, Jan. 25 against Argentine veteran Billi Facundo Godoy at Casino de Montréal in Montreal, Canada.

In the 10-round light heavyweight co-feature, unbeaten Venezuelan Alberto Ramirez takes on hard-hitting Ukrainian Artur Ziyatdinov.

Promoted by Eye of The Tiger, Bazinyan-Godoy, Ramirez-Ziyatdinov, and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Bazinyan (31-0, 22 KOs) is a 10-year pro who has spent the majority of his pro career in Canada after moving from Armenia at 16. He made his U.S. debut with a decision win over Alan Campa in May 2019 and followed up with a third-round stoppage victory against Saul Roman that December. Last year, Bazinyan scored decision wins over Alantez Fox in February and Jose de Jesus Macias in June before defeating Ronald Ellis via sixth-round TKO in October. Godoy (41-7, 20 KOs), who has fought world title challenger John Ryder and eventual world champion Vincenzo Gualtieri, looks to extend his winning streak to four.

Ramirez (17-0, 15 KOs) notched a first-round TKO win against Jacob Dickson to capture the WBO Global cruiserweight title last January. He returned to light heavyweight with wins over Ricardo Adrian Luna in May and Gilbert Castillo Rivera in September. Ziyatdinov (15-1, 12 KOs) has only one blemish on his record, a decision loss to Gasan Gasanov in 2020. The Uzbekistan-born standout has since tallied three TKO wins.

In other streaming action from Montreal:

Steve Claggett (37-7-2, 25 KOs) vs. Marcos Barraza (23-3, 11 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Welterweights

Mary Spencer (7-2, 5 KOs) vs. Sonya Dreiling (6-3, 2 KOs), 10 Rounds, Junior Middleweights 

Avery Martin Duval (10-0-1, 6 KOs) vs. Jesus Gomez Adorno (6-0, 2 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Lightweights

Jhon Orobio (5-0, 5 KOs) vs. Juan Carlos Garcia (5-4, 3 KOs), 6 Rounds, Lightweights

Wilkens Mathieu (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Ivans Levickis (36-44, 22 KOs), 6 Rounds, Super Middleweights

Moreno Fendero (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Ricardo Lara (22-11-2, 10 KOs), 4 Rounds, Middleweights

Philadelphia, PA (January 22, 2024) — This Saturday Night, RDR Promotions opens up its new year with a massive 14-fight card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

In the main event, undefeated welterweight Isaiah Johnson takes on Sebastian Gabriel Chaves in a six-round junior welterweight bout.

Johnson, 8-0 with six knockouts from Sicklerville, New Jersey is starting his third professional year and is coming off a third round stoppage over Marquis Hawthorne on May 27th in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Chaves of Buenos Aires, Argentina has a record of 5-7 with two knockouts. The 29 year-old is a six-year professional. Chaves has a win over Dorian Maidana (5-0). Chaves is coming off a loss to Greg Outlaw on November 10, 2023 in Philadelphia.

In another co-feature bout, undefeated Devon Lee of Las Vegas will take on veteran Rondale Hubbert in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Lee, 29 years-old is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Now a eight-year veteran is coming off a five year ring hiatus as his previous ring appearance took place on September 7, 2019 with a first round stoppage over Abel Sepulveda in Tijuana, Mexico.

Hubbert of Duluth, Minnesota is 15-27-5 with nine knockouts. The 35 year-old Hubbert is a 12 year-pro with wins over Winston Anderson (4-0) and RJ Lasse (12-1). In his last outing, Hubbert lost a decision to Joseph Fernandez on November 18, 2023 in Tampa, Florida.

In Six-Round Bouts:

Erron Peterson (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Christopher Arguello (2-15-1, 2 KOs) of Colorado Springs in a middleweight contest.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Pryce Taylor (1-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn will take on an opponent to be named in a heavyweight bout.

Ghandi Romain (2-1, 2 KOs) of Union City, NJ fights Callan Harley (0-2) in a welterweight bout.

Eliezer Olmeda (4-4) of Gloucester, NJ takes on Donte Turner (3-2, 2 KOs) of Saint Louis in a welterweight fight.

Hakeem Harmon (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a welterweight contest.

Jalique Holden (5-0, 4 KOs) of Wilmington, DE squares off with Jacob Ray (0-3) of Covington, Kentucky in a junior lightweight contest.

Keith Jackson Jr. of Gloucester, NJ will make his pro debut against Tyler Nystrom (0-1) of Superior, Wisconsin in a middleweight bout.

Dante Selby (3-4-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA fights Dominique Mayfield (3-1) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight battle.

Devin Price (3-0, 2 KOs) of Sicklerville, NJ will fight Dieumerci Nzau (11-16, 8 KOs) of Silver Spring, MD in a junior welterweight bout.

Steve Cunningham Jr, (2-0, 2 KOs) of Pittsburgh, PA will fight an opponent to be named in a junior middleweight contest.

Josh Aarons (0-3) of Williamsport, PA boxes Edwin Cortes (4-0) of Millville, NJ in a bantamweight contest.

Tickets are $65, $75, $100 and $130 and can be purchased at rdrboxing@yahoo.com

Las Vegas – UFC^® today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the Class of 2024. The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS^®.

“Frankie Edgar is one of the greatest athletes in UFC history,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “Frankie had an amazing career and consistently fought the best athletes in the world across multiple weight classes for more than 15 years. He is a legend, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of International Fight Week this summer.”

Edgar will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining others in this distinguished category, including Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015), Urijah Faber (2017), Ronda Rousey (2018), Michael Bisping (2019), Rashad Evans (2019), Georges St-Pierre (2020), Khabib Nurmagomedov (2022), Daniel Cormier (2022), Jose Aldo (2023) and Donald Cerrone (2023). The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

A veteran of 35 fights during his 17-year professional MMA career, Edgar compiled a record of 23-11-1, securing victories over UFC Hall of Famers BJ Penn, Urijah Faber, and Cub Swanson (Fight Wing), as well as notching wins against former WEC^® lightweight champion Hermes Franca, and former UFC lightweight champions Sean Sherk, Charles Oliveira, and Yair Rodriguez (interim). 

Edgar made his professional MMA debut in 2005, winning his first six fights across four MMA promotions before joining UFC.

Edgar made his UFC debut on February 3, 2007, on the prelims of UFC^® 67: ALL OR NOTHING, which took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Edgar defeated Tyson Griffin via unanimous decision and earned his first “Fight of the Night” bonus during his debut inside the Octagon^®.

Following the victory in his debut, Edgar would win five of his next six fights inside the Octagon, including impressive wins over former WEC lightweight champion Hermes Franca, and former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk, en route to earning a title shot against former UFC welterweight champion and then-UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn at UFC^® 112: INVINCIBLE.

UFC^® 112: INVINCIBLE, took place on April 10, 2010, and served as the mixed martial arts organization’s first-ever event in the Middle East. Edgar entered the fight as a +620 underdog against Penn, who recently broke the record for the most consecutive UFC lightweight title defenses in his most recent bout as the main event of UFC 107.

The co-main event matchup would go the distance, with Edgar pulling off the upset by winning on each of the judge’s scorecards. At the time, the win served as the largest championship underdog victory in UFC history (ranks 3^rd today). His victory would also earn a nominee for “Best Upset of the Year” at the 2010 ESPY Awards.

Edgar and Penn would meet in an immediate rematch four months later at UFC^® 118: EDGAR vs. PENN 2 at TD Garden in Boston. This fight card made history as the first UFC event held in Massachusetts. Edgar would defeat Penn via unanimous decision to retain the UFC lightweight title.

His next title defense would come against a familiar opponent, Gray Maynard, at UFC^® 125: RESOLUTION. Maynard had defeated Edgar via unanimous decision in 2008, which served as his first loss as a professional.

UFC^® 125: RESOLUTION, took place on January 1, 2011, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Edgar and Maynard fought a close match for five rounds with the fight ending in a split draw. The fight marked only the second time in UFC history that a title fight ended in a draw and is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fights in history. The two would meet for a trilogy fight in the main event of UFC^® 136: EDGAR vs. MAYNARD 3, with Edgar defeating Gray via KO in the fourth round.

In 2012, Edgar fought former WEC^® and UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in consecutive events (UFC 144 / UFC 150) with the title on the line, before moving to featherweight to face champion Jose Aldo for the title in the main event of UFC 156. Edgar would lose his bid for the featherweight title but remained a contender in the division.

Over the next nine years, Edgar would compete in 16 bouts across the bantamweight, lightweight, and featherweight divisions, fighting in a rematch with Jose Aldo for the interim featherweight title at UFC 200 and the featherweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 240, respectively. He retired in November 2022 after a loss to Chris Gutierrez at UFC 281.

Edgar enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:

UFC:

• Second in total Octagon fight time in UFC history – 7:57:10 (1^st at time of retirement)

• Tied for second-most Fight of the Night bonuses in UFC history – 8

• Third-most significant strikes landed in UFC history – 1,801 (2^nd at time of retirement)

• Sixth in takedowns landed in UFC history – 73 (4^th at time of retirement)

• Sixth in championship fight time in UFC history – 3:38:54

UFC lightweight division:

• Best significant strike defense in UFC lightweight history – 71.8%

Outside the Octagon, Frankie has been honored with several awards during his career, receiving Fight of the Year honors in 2011 by the Fighters Only World MMA Awards for his bout against Gray Maynard (UFC 125) and Fight of the Year honors in 2012 by ESPN for his championship match against Benson Henderson (UFC 144).

A native of Toms River, New Jersey, Edgar began wrestling at Toms River High School East. Following high school, he continued to wrestle at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, qualifying for the NCAA Division I Nationals each year. He resides in Toms River with his wife, Renee, and their three children.

To view Edgar’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/20312

To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.

In a war, and early Fight of the Year candidate Natasha Jonas won a 10-round split-decision over former 130-lb champion Mikaela Mayer to defend the IBF welterweight title in 10 exhilarating rounds at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.

The bout saw both fighters basically exchange power punches in the center of the ring. Mayer, who fighting in her fourth weight class in as many fights could not miss with a radar right hand. Jonas, who had swelling under her right eye landed hard straight lefts and solid right hooks.

The fight was a thrilling affair that either combatant deserved to win, saw Jonas take two cards 96-95 and 96-94, while Mayer won a card 97-93.

Jonas landed 126 of 312 punches. Mayer was 149 of 493.

Jonas, 146 lbs of Liverpool is 15-2-1. Mayer, 146.5 lbs of Las Vegas is now 19-2.

Jonas said, “I had a good start. I landed harder and cleaner shots. I think toward the end she outworked me a little. I’ll give her a couple of the middle rounds. But I came on strong at the end.

“I know she is going to be absolutely devastated with the result because I’ve been there. It feels like the world is over. She is on my top two people that I’ve fought. She is very skilled. Her time will come again. She beat a lot of the champions. Please use that as motivation to become a two-weight world champion.”

Mayer said, “I thought I did enough to win. I would have given her the first round or two. But after that, I feel like I outpunched her. I landed the cleaner shots. At the end of the day, I think that this fight is worth seeing again. Like she said, it was one of the toughest fights she’s had. I didn’t have a rematch clause on my side, but I’m hoping we can get this fight done again.

“It’s definitely disappointing. But what am I going to do? I just hope that Natasha will be the standup champ that she is and give me another shot at the belt. I feel like I deserve it. I think they want to see it. I only believe that rematches should happen if they’re warranted.”

Zak Chelli squeaked by Jack Cullen by winning a 12-round unanimous decision in a super middleweight bout,

In round three, Cullen was cut around his left eye.

Chelli landed 131 of 450 punches. Cullen was 66 of 371.

Chelli, 166.5 lbs of London won by scores of 116-113, 116-112 and 115-114 and is now 15-2-1. Cullen, 167.5 lbs of Little Leaver, ENG is 22-5-1.

Kariis Artingstall remained undefeated by winning an eight-round decision over Lila Dos Santos Furtatdo in a featherweight bout.

At the end of round one, Artingstall dropped Furtatdo with a straight left at the bell.

Artingstall, 124.5 lbs of Marklesfield, ENG won by a 77-75 tally and is now 6-0. Furtatdo, 124 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 9-2.

Stephen Clarke made a successful pro debut by stopping Vasif Mamedov in the third round of their four-round super middleweight fight.

Clarke was never challenged and in round three landed a series of punches that had Mamedov turning his back and referee Mark Lyson stopped the bout at 1:53.

Clarke, 160 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 1-0 with one knockout. Mamedov, 166.5 lbs of Southhapmpton, ENG is 3-50-5.

Aaron McKenna remained undefeated with a sixth round stoppage over late-replacement Mickey Ellison in a scheduled eight-round super middleweight contest

Mckenna dominated te action and began to batter Ellison until referee Mark Lyson stopped the bout at 2:21

McKenna, 168 lbs of Los Angeles via Ireland is now 18-0 with nine knockouts. Ellison, 171 lbs of England is 15-7.

NEW YORK (January 20, 2024) – Undefeated middleweight prospect Andreas Katzourakis will be in action tonight when he takes on Corey Caad at The GSH Events Center in Houston.

Katzourakis, 26 years-old of Los Angeles via Athens, Greece is managed by Split-T Management and brings in a record of 11-0 with nine knockouts.

Katzourakis has been fighting quality competition on his way up and already has wins over Edward Brown (7-1), Rodrigo Octavio Gonzalez (5-1-2) and his last outing when he stopped Raphael Igbokwe (16-4) in eight-rounds on August 25th in Atlanta.

Caad of San Antonio is 5-5 with two knockouts.

LIVERPOOL, UK (January 19, 2024) – Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer both made weight today ahead of their IBF World Welterweight Title showdown tomorrow night at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, live and exclusive on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and ESPN+ in the USA.

Two-weight world champion Jonas makes the first defence of the IBF belt she captured last year, having previously unified the WBC, WBO and IBF World Super Welterweight Titles, while Mayer, the former IBF and WBO Unified World Super Featherweight Champion, looks to reclaim world honours as she moves up to challenge for Jonas’ welterweight crown.

Official weights from Liverpool:

10×2 mins – IBF World Welterweight Championship

Natasha Jonas – 10st 6lbs

Mikaela Mayer – 10st 6lbs 5oz

12×3 mins – British & Commonwealth Super Middleweight Championship

Jack Cullen – 11st 13lbs 5oz

Zak Chelli – 11st 12lbs 5oz

8×2 mins – Featherweight Contest

Karriss Artingstall – 8st 12lbs 5oz

Lila Dos Santos Furtado – 8st 12lbs

8×3 mins – Super Middleweight Contest

Aaron McKenna – 12st

Micky Ellison – 12st 3lbs

10×3 mins – English & Commonwealth Silver Super Middleweight Championship

Mark Jeffers – 11st 13lbs

Germaine Brown – 11st 13lbs

6×3 mins – Cruiserweight Contest

Jack Massey – 14st 8lbs

Steve Eloundou Ntere – 14st 5lbs

4×3 mins – Flyweight Contest

Mikie Tallon – 7st 13lbs

Adamu Yahaya – 8st 1lbs

4×3 mins Super Middleweight Contest

Ste Clarke – 11st 6lbs

Vasif Mamedov – 11st 12lbs 5oz

Watch Jonas vs Mayer live on Sky Sports Arena at 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event at 8pm with undercard fights available to watch live on Sky Sports Boxing’s YouTube channel from 5pm.

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

Limited tickets are available via BOXXER.com

Amanda Serrano

On what to expect from Nina Meinke in the ring

“I’m expecting what every female fighter comes to do. That’s to fight. [Nina] has an opportunity to win all my belts, to show the world that she’s capable of beating Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano. I know she’s a tough, durable fighter and a very talented and skilled fighter, but I believe it’s going to be a great fight between both of us. Both of us really want this and we’re gonna prove to the world that there’s no backing down.”

On fighting at home in Puerto Rico

“Pinch me. It’s so surreal looking around and to be back at home as the Main Event. I am super honored. Thank you so much to MVP for putting on an amazing show and for putting me as the main event with Jake Paul as co-main event. He’s such a gentleman that he said, “this is your Island,” so he’s given me the opportunity and I’m super excited to be here, to have an amazing opponent, to come out and showcase women’s boxing once again. I can’t wait for Saturday, March 2nd. It’s going to be a beautiful night here in Puerto Rico.”

On giving up the WBC featherweight belt

“That definitely wasn’t a very easy decision for me. You know I worked so hard for all these belts, all these titles. And so to give up something that you really love and work hard for… It hurts. But if you believe in something you have to take a stand. I believe that women need equality. The first step was performing and succeeding and doing the 12-three minute rounds. And I think I just needed to do what I had to do. All these other organizations are supporting me 100%. So I believe in it and I took the stand and hopefully the WBC will come around one day.”

On Jake insisting Amanda be Main Event

“I’m used to performing, going out and sitting and watching Jake perform. Now it’s the opposite… I don’t mind being co-main event, and he said there’s no way in the world that he was going to be the main event. This is my Island. So I’m truly thankful for this opportunity. But it’s going to be kind of weird because it’s not only Jake that’s fighting, I have Krystal, Bomba, and Wanna and I have to watch all those fights before my fight. So, I’m gonna be a nervous wreck in the locker room, but I’m gonna be ready to go out there and perform.’

Jake Paul

On fighting in Puerto Rico

“It’s surreal. All the people here are so nice, and lovely. Meeting Amanda Serrano changed my life, and it’s an honor to support her in this big moment in front of her hometown, her home crowd. And it’s just an honor to be part of this amazing event – which, hopefully, should be the biggest event in Puerto Rican boxing history. It’s going to be a night to remember. I’m super happy, and grateful, even for all the people who came out here today, and showing support.”

On being co-main to Amanda’s main event

“She’s the queen of the island, and I’m just the supporting character on March 2^nd. This is her night to create history and put on a show, and I’m just happy to be along for the ride. I think most people are going to be rooting for Amanda Serrano, so she’s the main event, and I’m happy to support and be a part of that. That’s what I wanted, and to just take a backseat.”

On his Saturday, March 2 opponent

“He didn’t want to come today, because he said he just wanted to train – which I respect. He didn’t want to fly all the way here, he’s focused in the gym. But, he’s a professional boxer with an even better record than Andre August, and there will be an announcement coming soon. It’s another step up in competition, he’s won regional titles, etc. It’s another step up in competition and continuing to challenge myself on March 2^nd.”

On Neeraj Goyat

“Neeraj has made some noise. His callout video got 25M views. He’s India’s biggest and best boxer. So, it is interesting to me. It could be fun to go over to India, and knock him out in his home country. Maybe one day, but we’ll see.”

On his work with Boxing Bullies & donating his entire fight purse to Boxing Bullies

“Boxing helped save my life and put it on a good track and give me confidence. And I feel the need to share that with as many kids as possible. Because I believe if it helped me, it could help anyone out there. So that’s why I started Boxing Bullies, to grow the sport within the youth and get as many boxing gloves into as many kids hands as possible, and, to renovate gyms. We’ve renovated a gym in La Perla here, a gym in Dorado, and the mission keeps on getting bigger. We’re going to continue to renovate more gyms – I’m actually going to be donating my entire fight purse to Boxing Bullies, to renovate more gyms in Puerto Rico.”

“It’s the least I can do. Boxing Bullies has helped so many people already, and I want to continue the mission. One of the gyms is going to be an Amanda Serrano gym. So, I’m pretty excited about that and just continuing to grow the mission.”

Nakisa Bidarian

On arranging the Saturday, March 2 Serrano vs. Meinke fight in PR

“When we started working with Amanda a little over two years ago, it’s interesting that her first co-main event with us was her going to Jake’s hometown in Cleveland. He debuted in Cleveland against Tyrone Woodley, and Amanda Serrano was the co-main. So we talked to Amanda about giving her the proper homecoming that she deserves, given she is one of the greatest boxers of all time. It was always about coming to the Coliseo the right way, and giving her the platform to show the world how this island supports its biggest stars – male or female.”

On Jake’s opponent for Saturday, March 2

“We plan to announce on January 30. As you can imagine, matching Jake Paul is not an easy task. Because, never in the history of boxing has someone’s career in such an early stage been scrutinized in the way his has. In his 9^th fight, he fought a gentleman who was 10-1. A 10-1 boxer. Oscar de la Hoya, who is one of the greatest boxers in history, who had many amazing moments in boxing – in his 10^th fight, he fought a guy who was 10-4-3.  The legend of Puerto Rico, Tito, Felix Trinidad, in his 10^th fight, fought someone that was 10-4. They are unbelievable champions, and I think Jake aspires to be the same. But given the amount of attention that his fights get globally, we have to continuously find the right opponents that put him in a position that other fighters haven’t been through in this stage of his career.”

On Jake Paul donating his entire fight purse to Boxing Bullies

“He’s donating his entire purse to renovate gyms in Puerto Rico. A lot of people do a lot of good things, but this young man turned 27 yesterday, he was filming with Amanda all day long, and he said to me last night, ‘I want to donate my entire purse and do more for the youth on this island to experience boxing the right way.’ So, thank you, Jake.”

On Jake Paul’s fight schedule in 2024

“Our current plans are for him to fight in March. If he’s victorious, the plan is for him to fight in June or July again.”

Nina Meinke

On getting the opportunity to fight Amanda Serrano

“It was great, it was absolutely amazing. As soon as we got the information that we’re going to fight Amanda Serrano, I was right back in the gym preparing for it. It’s great to be here.” 

On fighting before an Amanda-supporting crowd

“This is boxing, and it’s all about the atmosphere, and it motivates me a lot, so I can’t wait for a full Coliseo, which I think is going to be sold out. I’m really looking forward to it.”

On the atmosphere in Puerto Rico

“I have to say, I’ve noticed it already: everyone is super friendly, and seriously this is what we need in boxing. It’s the support you get, even though we’re opponents. They just appreciate us as boxers, so I’m really happy.”

On fighting 12×3 and how she’s training for it.

“Well first of all, much respect for Amanda that she started all the equality in boxing. This is what we need. It’s not just talk — it’s doing it. I’m very proud to be part of it now, and for me it was no question not to do it. It doesn’t really change a lot for me, because I train with men anyway and we train three-minute rounds. The training is obviously more intense now, but still, I’m used to three-minute rounds. Like I said, I’m really proud to be part of this movement for women’s boxing.”

On how she can beat Amanda Serrano

“Well of course [Amanda is] a very strong boxer and I really respect her. But I’m also a very skilled fighter. I had a long amateur career and fought over 70 fights, so I’m also an experienced boxer. This is going to be a great fight. We will show the world that women’s boxing is very good and strong.”

Giving a gift to Amanda

“I’m so happy to be here. Thanks to MVP and my promoter and my team. We’ve got a little present for Amanda, which I’d like to give to her. [Shows gift] This is the Berlin Bear. It’s a symbol of our city, and I’d like to give it to you.”

Bomba Gonzalez

On fighting at home and on the Serrano vs. Meinke Card

First think, thank God. I’m happy to be on this big card on March 2. It’s a big opportunity to do my third defense in Puerto Rico. It’s been 7 years, and I have not fought in Puerto Rico. What’s bigger than the Choliseo? Over 19,000 people. I’m happy. I’m going to be ready.

On his upcoming fight vs. Rene Santiago on Saturday, March 2

Rene Santiago is a good boxer. I know he’s coming ready. This is his first chance and opportunity. I’m waiting for the best from Santiago. Same as me, I’m working hard with Amanda and Jordan and my father. We’re going to be 100%. I’m not struggling to make weight – I’m going to make that clear. I’m going to make weight March 1, and I’m going to become super champion at 108 pounds. 

On signing with Amanda Serrano

It’s big- this is the first time I have a manager, and they’re doing well. I feel happy, and I feel that my career is going in a good [direction]. I’m so happy, man, and just looking forward to what’s next. Krystal Rosado

On fighting at home in Puerto Rico

“I am very excited to be here in my hometown and home island of Puerto Rico with my people, with their support, which I know I have.”

On Fighting 3 min rounds

Just like Amanda Serrano has done, [placing] women’s boxing next to men’s boxing, I believe that it is important to keep that tradition up, to show that we are just as worthy and valuable in this sport as men are. 

On if she’s nervous to fight before a crowd of 19,000 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico

More than anxious, I’m very enthusiastic to show what I can do in front of my people, but my training keeps me from feeling the nervousness that typically people might feel. But the bottom line is: I’m not nervous. I’m enthusiastic.

January 18, 2024 (Saudi Arabia): H.E. Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced an agreement has been reached between world renowned boxing promoters Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions and Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing which will see the promotional outfits face-off in an historic five-versus-five fight night.

H.E. Turki Alalshikh said: “This type of agreement is what boxing fans have been waiting for, as the best champions worldwide are going to be a part of the five-versus-five fight night. Riyadh Calendar is looking forward to hosting more exciting events.” And added: “These unique partnerships promise boxing fans from around the globe more unforgettable sports events”.

This unique collaboration will take place during Riyadh Calendar and promises a thrilling experience for boxing fans worldwide.

The date and fight card will be announced at a press conference during the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou fight week in March.

Frank Warren said: “We’ve always liked a challenge, and this is a mouthwatering one. I honestly think this is one of the most intriguing events you could think of in boxing. A proper event to find out whose stable is stronger. I’d like to thank His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, who is really changing the game, like we said right at the start. He’s injected a new energy into the sport. This Queensberry vs Matchroom fight night encapsulates all of the elements you want in an event as a promoter: Rivalry, characters, history and competition. It’s time to settle the score, who’s getting the bragging rights?”

Eddie Hearn said: “For decades it has been the Hearns versus the Warrens. Matchroom versus Queensberry. It is without doubt the most storied rivalry in the Sport. Now, thanks to the unrivalled vision of His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, fight fans witnessed a handshake that broke the internet – and now they will see the world’s leading promoters going hammer and tong to settle a score for the ages. It’s the best against the best and this unprecedented night of boxing in Riyadh will live long in the memory.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 18, 2024) – Super bantamweight WBO #5 contender Ra’eese Aleem (20-1, 12 KOs), is fervent about his desire for a rematch on U.S. soil with Sam Goodman (17-0, 7 KOs), following their intense bout in June of 2023. Aleem, determined to rectify the outcome of their last encounter, aims to secure a rematch with Goodman to prove his worth and showcase his growth as a fighter.

“I’m hearing Goodman wants to come to the States to secure a fight with a top name, and I’m ready for a rematch,” said Aleem. “I fought him on his home turf, now he should honor a rematch against me on my home turf. I lost a split decision and it’s only fair I get a rematch.”

Despite the loss, Aleem remains determined and is open to facing other formidable opponents if a rematch with Goodman can’t be made. Three other potential contenders on Aleem’s radar are Stephen Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs), TJ Doheny (25-4, 19 KOs), and Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs). Aleem believes that a victory over either of these accomplished fighters would solidify his position in the super bantamweight division and propel him closer to his ultimate goal.

Aleem’s ambitious aspirations extend beyond his fights with top contenders, as he sets his sights on the reigning undisputed champion, Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs). Aleem is eager to climb the ranks and earn a shot at the coveted super bantamweight titles currently held by Inoue.

“I have learned from every fight, and I am ready to face any challenge that comes my way. A rematch with Goodman is my priority, but I am more than willing to take on Fulton, Doheny, Akhmadaliev, or anyone else who stands in my path. Ultimately, my goal is to become the super bantamweight champion, and Inoue is the man to beat,” concluded Aleem.

“I believe Aleem is one fight away from getting a shot at Inoue,” stated Greg Hannley, Aleem’s manager. “One big win against a top contender will put him in a great position. Ra’eese has been training hard, waiting for his name to be called. I have no doubt, he’ll be ready to go when that time comes.”