•     Oscar Valdez 129.9 lbs vs. Jayson Velez 130 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Edgar Berlanga 169 lbs vs. Eric Moon 168.7 lbs 
(Super Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Kim Clavel 109.8 lbs vs. Natalie Gonzalez 109.9 lbs 
(Light Flyweight — 8 Rounds)

•      Elvis Rodriguez 141.8 lbs vs. Dennis Okoth 141.5 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•     Isaac Dogboe 126 lbs vs. Chris Avalos 125.9 lbs 
(Featherweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Genc Pllana 167.3 lbs vs. Raphael Igbokwe 165 lbs 
(Super Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

PHILADELPHIA, PENN/ / ORANGE, CALIF. (July 20, 2020) – Lightweight prospect Michael “West Texas Warrior” Dutchover (13-1, 10 KOs), who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing, will face Jorge Marron Jr. (18-1, 6 KOs) in a 8-round main event this Sunday, July 26, 2020 as TBP presents 3.2.1 Boxing, a live Pay-Per-View streaming event.

Dutchover, who is coming off his controversial loss to Thomas Mattice on ShoBox, has been in camp working to make a statement, meanwhile his opponent Jorge Marron Jr., views this bout as life changing should he come out victorious. Dutchover gives his thoughts on training camp, his matchup with Marron Jr. and more.

The card which will showcase Dutchover’s stablemate, super lightweight Ruben Torres (12-0, 10 KOs) versus Oscar Bravo (25-9, 11 KOs) in the 8-round co-main event, as well as undefeated featherweight Arnold Dinong (6-0, 1KO) facing Brandon Cruz (6-1, 4 KOs) in the 6-round opening bout.

The July 26, 2020, 3.2.1. PPV broadcast, airing live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), will start at 4:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. ET., and will take place at the Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, CA. 3.2.1 Boxing is priced at $6.50 US Territories, Canada, EU and select Asian Countries, $3.50 Latin America, African and select Asian Countries.

Here is what Dutchover had to say about his upcoming fight

On Training Camp
“Training camp has been good I have been training with my coach/manager Danny Zamora as well as my stablemate Ruben Torres. We are getting each other ready for our bouts on the same day. It is motivating being in the gym with the same group of people I began with and it is helping me push extremely hard for this fight. I want to make a statement in this bout and put the division on notice.”

On Headlining Your First Pay-Per-View
“It is an honor that Thompson Boxing chose me to be in the main event of this pay-per-view. I take it extremely seriously and now feel the need to entertain the fans who pay money to watch this bout. A lot of people are having financial situations right now, so for someone to pay for my fight I know I have to give them a great show and that is what I plan on doing. I am training and pushing myself to the limit.”

On Coming Off his First Career Loss
“It was heartbreaking, I fought in my hometown of Midland, Texas, and the fight was stopped over a cut. I knew I could’ve continued, but I also respect the doctor for making the best judgment he felt at the time. I know in boxing once you lose, a shadow is cast upon fighters and I want to prove to the world that I am a worthy fighter who will still be a world champion one day. So especially coming off a loss, it is especially important that I put on a performance that gets people talking.”

On his opponent, Jorge Marron Jr.
“Marron Jr. is a very tough opponent, who sees me as an opportunity. I know he comes from a fighting family and he is training extremely hard, looking to take everything I have worked for. This is not an easy bout coming off my last fight. I am expecting a very good fight on July 26th.”

The July 26, 2020, 3.2.1. PPV broadcast, airing live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), will start at 4:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. ET., and will take place at the Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, CA. 3.2.1 Boxing is priced at $6.50 US Territories, Canada, EU and select Asian Countries, $3.50 Latin America, African and select Asian Countries.

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

Las Vegas – The final event of the UFC^® run of shows on UFC FIGHT ISLAND is set to be headlined by a pivotal middleweight bout as former champion and No. 1 ranked contender Robert Whittaker takes on No. 5 Darren Till. Also on the card, MMA legends Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira look to settle their historic trilogy. All events on UFC FIGHT ISLAND are the result of a partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: WHITTAKER vs. TILL will take place Saturday, July 25 at Flash Forum on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. The full event will be simulcast airing live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (English and Spanish) with the prelims starting at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT and the main card at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance

The first New Zealand-born UFC champion, Whittaker (21-5, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) aims to return to his winning ways and secure the next shot at his lost title. Whittaker first captured his championship after moving up in weight and going on an incredible winning streak that included stoppage wins over Jacare Souza, Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares. This streak was capped off with back-to-back wins over Yoel Romero to earn and retain the belt, in two of the best fights in the division’s history. He now intends to make a statement and cement his claim as the clear No. 1 contender.

Former UFC welterweight title challenger, Till (18-2, fighting out of Liverpool, England) made an immediate impact in the middleweight division with a victory over perennial top contender Kelvin Gastelum. Prior to moving up in weight, Till had established himself as one of the best welterweights in the world with marquee wins over Donald Cerrone and Stephen Thompson. Now, Till seeks to earn another shot at UFC gold by taking out his first former champion.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rua (26-11, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) looks to make it three in a row against fellow Brazilian legend Nogueira. One of the most exciting and dangerous athletes to compete in UFC and PRIDE, Rua has secured wins over a who’s who of MMA icons, including Alistair Overeem, Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman, Rampage Jackson, Forrest Griffin and Lyoto Machida. He now intends to prove that he still has what it takes to compete with the best in the world.

Nogueira (23-9, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) plans to make the most of his third fight with Rua with a career-defining win. A former PRIDE standout, Nogueira made waves when he joined the UFC in 2009 by earning wins over former champions Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. Now, he looks to get back in the win column with another signature finish in what could be his last bout.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Former UFC champion and No. 14 ranked Fabricio Werdum (23-8, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) takes on former three-time light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (18-6, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) in the heavyweight division
• In a matchup of top women’s strawweight contenders, former champion and No. 7 ranked Carla Esparza (17-6, fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) attempts to hand undefeated No. 9 Marina Rodriguez (12-0-2, fighting out of Santa Catarina, Brazil) her first loss
• Paul Craig (12-4, fighting out of Coatbridge, Scotland) battles fellow light heavyweight grappler Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-6, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
• An exciting welterweight matchup sees Alex Oliveira (20-8, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) take on Peter Sobotta (17-5, fighting out of Balingen, Germany)
• Looking to set a record for fastest back-to-back UFC wins, Khamzat Chimaev (7-0, Stockholm, Sweden) returns to welcome Rhys McKee (10-2-1, fighting out of Northern Ireland)
• Veteran lightweight Francisco Trinaldo (25-7, fighting out of Federal District, Brazil) looks to spoil the UFC debut of Jai Herbert (10-1, fighting out of England, United Kingdom)
• Nicolas Dalby (15-2, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark) intends to put on another exciting performance when he meets Jesse Ronson (21-10, fighting out of London, Ontario, Canada) on short notice at welterweight
• In a heavyweight bout, Tom Aspinall (7-2, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) aims to make a good first impression on UFC fans when he takes on Jake Collier (11-4, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.)
• Undefeated featherweight prospect Movsar Evloev (12-0, fighting out of Ingushetia, Russia) looks to hand Mike Grundy (12-1, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) his first UFC loss
• Streaking Canadian heavyweight Tanner Boser (18-6-1, fighting out of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada) steps up on short notice to take on Raphael Pessoa (10-1, fighting out of Atuba, Parana, Brazil)
• No. 13 ranked women’s bantamweight Bethe Correia (11-4, fighting out of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil) aims to defend her spot in the rankings against Pannie Kianzad (13-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Skane County, Sweden)
• Ramazan Emeev (18-4, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to bounce back into the win column against short-notice replacement Niklas Stolze (12-3, fighting out of Magdeburg, Germany) in a welterweight bout
• Top English bantamweight prospect Nathaniel Wood (16-4, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) aims to get back to his winning ways with a statement win over John Castaneda (14-2, fighting out of Minneapolis, Minn.)

UFC will then wrap up its first series of events on UFC FIGHT ISLAND with UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: WHITTAKER vs. TILL on Saturday, July 25.

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

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

###

About UFC^®

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

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction that enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The Department manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key role played by the Department is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 7.9 million subscribers, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month.

About ESPN

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

NEW YORK (July 20, 2020) – Former two-time world title challenger Willie Monroe Jr. has thrown his hat in the ring for a potential showdown with four-division champion Canelo Alvarez that would take place in September.

Monroe (24-3, 6 KOs) of Rochester, New York has won three bouts in a row, and feels that he not only has signed to fight Canelo in the past, but he has as many credentials as some of the names that are being mentioned as possible opponents.

“This is a fight that is four years in the making,” said Monroe. “What happened was when I fought Gabriel Rosado four years ago, I signed a contract to fight Canelo. I think his people were arrogant in thinking that I would not win that fight. Well, I won that fight, and the fight with Canelo never happened.”

“My manager David McWater and Split-T Management works with everybody, and I am ready, willing and able to fight Canelo. Look at my track record, I am always willing to take on anyone. I stood and fought with Gennady Golovkin; I went to England to fight Billy Joe Saunders; I fought and beat Rosado, Javier Maciel, and Hugo Centeno. I see some of the guys who are in the mix, and I feel that I compare favorably to their resume’s, and would definitely give Canelo a better challenge, so I would love that opportunity.”

Monroe is managed by Split-T Management and is a promotional Free Agent.

     LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 20, 2020) — Before he boards the Tokyo Express as a member of the 2021 Philippines Olympic boxing team, amateur middleweight standout and Manny Pacquiao’s newest addition Eumir Felix Marcial has decided to turn professional since professional fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics.  Marcial, 24, from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, recently signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Senator Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, which boasts a stable that currently includes three world champions — WBO Bantamweight Champion John Riel Casimero, IBF Super Flyweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas, and IBF Minimumweight Champion Pedro Taduran.  Marcial is expected to make his pro debut in the Fall in the U.S.

            “It is an honor to have my idol Senator Manny Pacquiao as my mentor and promoter,” said Marcial.  “I have seen the tremendous opportunities that Senator Pacquiao and MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons have given to so many Filipino Boxers.  I feel working under the MP Promotions banner will give me the best opportunity as I prepare for the Tokyo Olympics and my professional career.  I would like to thank all those who were part of my career from the start, most notably my ABAP family led by president Ricky Vargas, Secretary-General Ed Picson, and my coaches Ronald Chavez, Pat Gaspi and Romeo Brin.  Also to my lifelong inspirations, my fiancée Princess Galarpe, my siblings, and my mother Carmelita and father Eulalio.  Most of all, thank you to all Filipino sports fans who have shown me endless support from the time I won my first gold medal in 2011 at the AIBA Youth World Championship.  You have inspired me and I pledge to you that I will always give it my all to achieve our goal of winning for the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal next year in Tokyo 2021 and becoming the first middleweight world champion from the Philippines.  A million thanks and ‘Mabuhay!’ to all the Filipino athletes.”

            “MP Promotions is thrilled to be selected by Eumir to guide his boxing career,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.  “Senator Pacquiao’s goal at MP Promotions is to give as many Filipino boxers access to the biggest platforms in the U.S. and around the world, and create the best opportunities to succeed in boxing like the ones Manny has enjoyed over the last 25 years.  We have followed Eumir through the amateurs and he is special.  His dedication to boxing, his family, and the country of the Philippines is very strong.  MP Promotions is proud to be guiding its first Olympian.  We will make sure his journey to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo is a smooth one as we help Eumir achieve his dual dream of winning Olympic gold and a professional world title for his father and the Philippines.” 

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

Jason Welborn says he was close to walking away from boxing after his controversial loss to James Metcalf last year, but the former World Title challenger has a new found hunger ahead of his Commonwealth Middleweight Title clash with Felix Cash on Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp on Friday August 14.

Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs) was stopped with a left hook to the body in round eight when he took on Metcalf for the vacant Commonwealth 154lbs belt in Leeds. The Liverpudlian was warned by referee Steve Gray for straying low with his punches in the sixth, then, in the eighth, Welborn was given added time to recover from a low shot.

Metcalf had a point deducted for the low shot before finishing proceedings moments later. Tividale’s Welborn was left seriously considering his future in the sport that has seen him win the British, WBC International and Midlands Area Titles – but his desire to land the Commonwealth strap pushed him on to fight another day. 

“I dropped back down to Light-Middleweight in my last fight against Metcalf,” said Welborn. “I was disgusted with everything that happened in that fight. I was going to walk away from the sport. I thought ‘you know what, I don’t need boxing’. At the end of day, I’ve worked hard to get here, and these up-and-coming fighters are getting looked after with the refs, but I don’t want to go out like that.

“It was my wife who made me get back into it. She said ‘that’s my belt, go and get it’. She knows what I’ve done to get here. My work is really successful at the minute and I could put all of my time into that if I wanted to, but who knows what more I could achieve in boxing. I’ve got more to give the sport and there’s something out there waiting for me. I’m not going out until I know what it is.”

In a recent interview, Wokingham’s Cash said Welborn ‘comes up short’ whenever he gets in the ring with ‘top operators’, and the Tony Sims-trained fighter believes this will be the case again when they clash live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US next month. 

Armed with a full training camp after plenty of notice, Welborn is confident his preparation will help him pull off an eye-catching win over the highly-rated Matchroom fighter, who he feels has had it easy with backing from a major promoter. 

“He’s been with Matchroom as soon as he turned pro. He’s had the luxury of long camps and plenty of notice. When I’ve been working I’ve had a calls off Errol Johnson at two weeks’ notice sometimes. When Nav Mansouri pulled out against Liam Smith I stepped in at two weeks’ notice and did what I could at the time. 

“Life changes and I’ve got lucky with sponsorships and I’ve moved forwards. I’ve won a British Title, if I walked away from the sport now I’ve got nothing left to prove. Not many people have done what I’ve done for the Black Country. He’s had it fed with a silver spoon. If I’d have had his backing I’d have probably been a World Champion. I’ve always had the heart and the hunger for boxing. I’ve just never had the backing or the support where I can train full time.

“I’ve had good notice for this fight and I’m feeling good up at Middleweight not having to worry about the weight so much. It’s business and at the end of the day I’m coming to do a job, the same as him. I think it’s going to be a scrap. By the time fight night comes around I’ll be ready for a good hard 12 rounds. I’m topping the bill and I’m going to make a good statement in this fight.”

Cash vs. Welborn headlines Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp, recent Matchroom signing Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) meets Ireland’s undefeated Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs), Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) takes on Rotherham’s Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs), Watford Super-Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) faces the toughest opponent of her career in Rachel Ball (5-1) and hard-hitting Super-Middleweight menace John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on the tough and durable Anthony Fox (8-12-4).

Deiveson Fugueiredo won the UFC Flyweight title as he dominated and eventually choked out Joseph Benavidez in Abu Dhabi.

Fugueiredo dropped Benavidez in the opening minute, and nearly choked Benavidez out on three separate occasions. Fugueiredo registered two more knockdowns, and upon the final knockdown choked Benavidez unconscious at 4:48.

Fugueiredo, 125 lbs of Brazil is now 19-1 with seven submissions. Benaidez, 125 lbs of Las Cruces, NM is 28-7.

Hermansson submits Gastelum in 1st

Jack Hermansson submitted Kelvin Gastelum in the opening round of their middleweight bout.

After being taken down, Hermansson reversed into a Heel hook that made Gastelum tap at 1:18.

Hermansson, 186 lbs of Oslo, NOR is 21-5 with his 5th submission. Gastelum, 185 lbs of Yuma, AZ is 16-6.

Fiziev decisions Diakiese

Rafael Fiziev won a unanimous decision over Marc Diakiese in a lightweight bout.

Fiziev won on the strength of out striking Diakiese 75-59.

Fiziev, 156 lbs of Kyrgyzstan won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 8-1. Diakiese, 156 lbs of Dorncaster, UK is 14-4.

Lipski submits Carolina in 1

Ariane Lipski submitted Luana Carolina in the opening round of their flyweight bout.

Lipski made Carolina tap-out from a knee bar at: 1:29.

Lipski of Brazil is 13-5 with her 3rd submission. Carolina is 6-2.

Askarov decisions Pantoja

Askar Askarov won a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja in a flyweight bout.

Askarov out-struck Pantoja 38-35.

Askarov, 126 lbs of Russia won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 12-0-1. Pantoja, 125 lbs of Brazil is 22-5.

EARLY UFC FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS

Roman Dolidze stopped Khadis Ibragimov in the opening round of their light heavyweight fight.

Dolidze landed a kick to the head that knocked Ibragimov down. Dolidze jumped on Ibragimov and landed several hard punches, and the fight was stopped at

Dolidze, 206 lbs of Georgia Republic is 7-0 with four stoppage wins. Ibragimov, 206 lbs of Russia is 8-3.

Grant Dawson won a unanimous decision over Nad Narimani in a catchweight fight.

Dawson out-struck Narimani 122-44 and won by scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 29-28.

Dawson, 150 lbs of Lee’s Summit, MO is 16-1. Narimani, 150 lbs of Bristol, UK is 12-4.

Joel Alvarez submitted Joe Duffy in the opening round of their lightweight bout.

Alvarez made Duffy tap from a guillotine at 2:25.

Alvarez, 156 lbs of Spain is 17-2. Duffy, 155.5 lbs of Ireland is 16-5.

Brett Johns won a unanimous decision over Montel Jackson in a bantamweight fight.

Johns was out-struck 47-28, but got eight takedowns to two for Jackson.

Johns, 136 lbs of Swansea, WAL won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 17-2. Jackson, 136 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 10-2.

Amir Abazi submitted Malcolm Gordon in the opening round of their bantamweight bout.

Abazi was able to make Gordon tap from a triangle choke at 4:42.

Abazi, 136 lbs of London, UK is now 13-1 with his eighth win by submission. Gordon, 135 lbs of Toronto, CAN is 12-4.

Arman Tsarukyan won a unanimous decision over Davi Ramos in a lightweight bout.

Tsarukyan out-struck Ramos 88-48.

Tsarukyan, 156 lbs of Russia won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 to go to 15-2. Ramos of Brazil is 10-4.

In round three, Ramos began to bleed over his right eye.

Serghei Spivac won a majority decision over previously undefeated Carlos Felipe in a heavyweight bout.

Spivac had a big 3rd round by winning 10-8 on all judges cards to win by scores of 29-27 twice and 28-28.

Spivac, 240 lbs of Moldova is now 11-2. Felipe, 261 lbs of Bahia, BRA is 8-1.

World-ranked heavyweight Agit Kabayel won a 10-round unanimous decision over Evgenios Lazaridis in Magdeburg, Germany.

Kabayel, 236 3/4 lbs won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 to stay perfect at 20-0. Lazaridis, 255 lbs is 16-3.

Peter Kadiru remained undefeated after Eugen Buchmeuller could not continue after round three of their eight-round heavyweight bout.

Buchmueller complained of an arm injury in the 2nd frame, and the fight was stopped after the 3rd round.

Kadiru, 239 lbs is 8-0 with four knockouts. Buchmueller, 213 lbs if 16-6.

Collins Ojal won a six-round unanimous decision over Georgij Fibich in a heavyweight bout.

Ojal, 230 1/2 lbs won by scores of 60-54 twice and 60-55 to raise his mark to 4-0. Fibich, 248 lbs is 1-1.

Arthur Ohanyan Beck made a successful pro debut with a four-round decision over Miguel Aguilar in a super middleweight bout.

Aguilar, 167 1/2 lbs if 1-0. Aguilar, 165 1/2 lbs is 11-66-1.

German Heavyweight Michael Wallisch has sensationally declared war on Hall-Of-Fame promoter Frank Warren’s stable of elite heavyweights.

Wallisch (23-0, 13KO’s) faces unbeaten Putney bruiser Joe Joyce (10-0, 9KO’s) next Saturday, live on BT Sport 1 at 7.15pm, and the Munich man fully intends to derail ‘The Juggernaut’ before moving on to Daniel Dubois in October and then an unlikely showdown with ‘Gypsy King’ TYSON FURY.

“Joe Joyce is a solid boxer. He was a good amateur, but I think Dubois is already in his head” said Wallisch, “When I win this fight, i’ll fight Dubois in October.”

“I think both fighters are strong heavyweights. Tyson Fury is the name everybody wants and he’s with Frank Warren. 

“Two wins and I’ll be fighting Fury. That’s a nice incentive.”

Wallisch makes his ring return on Saturday on the second UK behind-closed-doors show to be held post-lockdown and will share the bill with some of the brightest talents in British boxing, including Ekow Essuman, Denzel Bentley, Chris Bourke and Louis Lynn.

Despite his intentions to disrupt the British Heavyweight scene, Wallisch insists he can’t wait to fight on these shores.

“I look forward to coming to Great Britain. I love the way UK fans celebrate boxing and the respect they have for the athletes.”

Preparing for the fight in his native Germany has proved as tricky as it has for any UK fighter, because of the coronavirus restrictions over the last few months, but Wallisch doesn’t expect it to have any impact on his performance.

“I’ve been keeping in shape, of course. In Germany you couldn’t train in the gym for a long time, but now it’s fortunately possible again.

“I’m looking forward to the fight, even if the preparation time was short.”

———-

Joyce vs Wallisch is live on BT Sport 1 at 7.15pm on Saturday July 25th

17th of July 2020 – EC Boxing’s newly signed Heayvweight Mahmoud Charr has made it clear once again that he is willing to fight the big names of the division. In recent social media posts he offered non-other than former World Champion Andy Ruiz Jr. to fight him for his WBA World Title: „Andy Ruiz – I give you the opportunity to become World Champion again. Accept my challenge and do not hide behind your manager or promoter. Be a man and fight me, I’ll come to the US or Mexiko, I guarantee you that this will be a real battle.“

With Promoter Erol Ceylan from Hamburg, Germany at his side, fights of that scale have become possible for Charr, who’s been eagerly awaiting his return to the ring. Ceylan, who started EC Boxing a decade ago, has made a name for himself in the business. Apart from Charr, well-known boxers such as Christian Hammer, IBO Welterweight Champion Sebastian Formella or Light Heayvweight contender Igor Mikhalkin are part of his stable. Ceylan wants his new client to be involved in massive events: „Mahmoud wants to fight everyone and we are willing to negotiate with everyone. It’s time for a big Heavyweight showdown.“

Ruiz, who recently aligned himself with highly-rated Canelo trainer Eddy Reynoso, would be a huge task for the man from Cologne, but big challenges are nothing new for him. He fought both Vitali Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin in Moscow, as well as other relevant names in the division. He never turned down a dangerous fight. And while Charr is preparing for battle, Erol Ceylan is doing everything in his power to get them done.

SID KHAN, the man who taught Joe Joyce to box and older brother of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, says boxing needs the Heavyweight super-fight between Daniel Dubois and his Putney protege in October.

The showdown between Dubois and Joyce is now scheduled for London’s O2 on Saturday October 24 and todays announcement by Boris Johnson that fans might be allowed back in stadia by October has increased hopes the Heavyweight clash can finally be held.

Khan, head coach at Earlsfield ABC, helped turn Joyce into one of Britain’s most successful amateur boxers ever even though the Putney man only started boxing 12 years ago at the age of 22.

“Boxing needs a big bout like this and people want it in October. Without professional boxing we will be in trouble,” said Sid who has been coaching for around 40 years.

“Boxing needs this fight in October.”

Since Lockdown, Dubois and Joyce have been booked in tricky behind-closed-doors battles against German opposition in Michael Wallisch (23-0, 13KO’s) and Erik Pfeifer (7-0, 5KO’s) respectively.

Joe steps into the ring with Wallisch next Saturday, July 25th, before Dubois returns on August 29th.

Both German opponents have made it clear their intention is to spoil the party and derail Frank Warren’s plans to stage the huge domestic Heavyweight clash but Khan is hopeful that despite the many obstacles it’s faced, the fight will still go ahead as planned.

“Let’s hope it does go off… and we will see what happens, but I’m hoping Joe does the business. I personally think he’s unbeatable.

“One of my coaches bought five tickets for the original date in April for the club coaches and we still have them in place even though refunds were offered by the box office.”

Joyce, 34, was a keep fitter when he walked into Khan’s famous South West London gym and was working as a swimming instructor.

Joyce (10-0, 9 KOs) won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, silver at the 2013 European Amateur Championships and bronze at the 2015 World Championships.

He had to be content with silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, dropping a controversial decision against Tony Yoka in the final.

Khan added: “Anything we asked Joe to do he would and he won so many national titles at Earlsfield.

“His Mum lives near the gym and he usually pops in, but I haven’t seen him for a good five months because of coronavirus and before that he was training in America.

“I have spoken to him on the phone, but he usually pops in, hits the bags and has a laugh with the boys.

“I will say, it is very hard to read Joe. He just shrugs his shoulders and gets on with it.

“You have to have a bit of banter to get him going, but if you told him training tomorrow was climbing Mount Snowdon he would go for it.”

Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) is the early bookies favourite and Khan groaned: “People have Dubois winning already, but let us see what happens.

“As much as I like Dubois I don’t think he has been challenged.

“It is such an exciting bout to watch, but it won’t go the distance. They are both bangers and can really hit. It all depends what the game plan of their coaches is.

“The boxer does the hard bit, but there are still people behind them who have to guide them the right way.

“It depends on how well they have prepared because there are a lot of different factors with coronavirus. Are they getting the sparring? Are they getting the right training?”

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Tickets are now on sale via AXS.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk

Ticket Prices:

£400 Ringside – Hospitality
£300 Floor
£200 Floor
£150 Floor/Tier
£100 Tier
£80 Tier
£55 Upper Tier
£40 Upper Tier

Rachel Ball is preparing to give fight fans the “shock of their lives” when she takes on popular Watford prospect Shannon Courtenay over eight rounds on Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex on Friday August 14.

The three-time kickboxing World Champion racked up four wins on the bounce after switching to professional boxing in 2017, including a points win over Eftychia Kathopouli in an all-out war at the Banks’s Stadium that saw both fighters touch the canvas.

Her first loss came against current Interim WBC Super-Featherweight World Champion Katherina Thanderz last year when she travelled to Norway at short notice to take on the former European Champion over eight rounds in Arendal. 

Despite Thanderz stepping in heavy on the scales, the fight went ahead and Ball pushed ‘Katy’ all the way in a close points loss. Having proved she can mix it with world level fighters, Ball has questioned how the relatively untested Courtenay will cope in her first real step up.

“Fans are going to have the shock of their lives,” said Ball. “They’re going to see a tall skinny ginger girl from Walsall coming in and smashing it up in Eddie’s back garden. I can’t wait and I think everyone is going to enjoy it. It’s going to be a brilliant fight.

“People say keep it long and I’m sure I will, but if it comes down to it I don’t mind having a good tear up. I’d love that. That’s not a problem. How will she cope with someone who throws back at her? How will she cope with the pressure?”

Ball, the only woman to win the BBBofC Midlands Area Fight of the Year Award, heads into her showdown with Courtenay as the underdog with the bookies, a tag that she happily owns as she looks to announce herself on the big stage live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

“A lot of people have me down as the underdog. I’m only the underdog because people don’t know me. It’s not a reflection of my skills or my ability to fight. I’m sure they’ll see that come fight night. The underdog tag spurs me on because I want to prove to people how good a fighter I am.

“As soon as the fight was announced and it was out with the bookies I had people putting money on me. People back at home have been betting on me. If I win, I’m going to be really popular on August 14^th! Hopefully it will be a good pay day for everyone watching at home.” 

Courtenay vs. Ball lands on Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp, Felix Cash (12-0, 8 KOs) puts his Commonwealth Middleweight Title on the line for the second time against former World Title challenger Jason Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs) at the top of the bill, recent Matchroom signing Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) meets Ireland’s undefeated Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs), Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) takes on Rotherham’s Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs) and hard-hitting Super-Middleweight menace John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on the tough and durable Anthony Fox (8-12-4).

Undefeated Northampton star Chantelle Cameron has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. 

Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) finds herself on the cusp of World Title action after winning WBC Final Eliminators in two separate divisions last year, securing her spot as Mandatory Challenger to Undisputed Lightweight Queen Katie Taylor and Super-Lightweight ruler Jessica McCaskill. 

Trained by Jamie Moore at the VIP Gym in Asltey and managed by MTK Global, 29-year-old Cameron says a huge showdown with her idol Taylor is at the top of her wish list but she won’t put her career on hold waiting for it and is already targeting other opportunities. 

“Matchroom and Sky are a huge platform,” said Cameron. “It’s always been in my sights and I’ve not had the chance until now to link-up, I can’t wait to get going. Day by day under Jamie and Nigel I’m improving but I’m still not the finished article. This time has allowed me to work in different areas I probably wouldn’t have focused on in proper training camp. 

“I wasn’t expecting to become mandatory in two weights, it was a bit of a shock but I’m delighted with MTK and Jamie since we’ve all come together. The last two fights have been great matchmaking and now a World Title shot is not too far away either at Lightweight or Super-Lightweight.

“Before my first pro fight people were asking me to fight Katie. I’m a massive fan, she’s a legend and I look up to her but at the same time I’m her Mandatory and I want that fight. That being said, I don’t want to be hanging around waiting – it could be years away, she has a fight lined up and is also talking about other fights.

“I want to win World Titles myself and can’t be sitting around waiting for that fight. As it stands, I’m not sure what the next move is given what’s happened with COVID-19 but I’ll be ready to go when the call comes. I’m looking to put on a good show for my Matchroom debut, first impressions last.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Chantelle Cameron to the team,” said Eddie Hearn. “I’ve been watching her closely over the last couple of years and she’s a huge talent – exciting, relentless and punches very hard. I believe she is going to go on and become a multi-weight World Champion.

“Her next fight will be for a World Title and we’ll announce it in the next couple of weeks. Women’s boxing is on fire right now and I’m so excited to be a part of it and deliver huge nights on sky sports and DAZN.” 

Felix Verdejo stopped previously undefeated Will Madera in the 1st round of their scheduled 10-round lightweight bout at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Towards the end of the end of the 1st round, Verdejo landed a big uppercut that hurt Madera. The follow up flurry sent Madera back to the ropes where Vadera landed a vicious combination that sent Madera on his back. Madera wobbled as he got to his feet and the bout was stopped 2:59.

Verdejo, 135.9 lbs of San Juan, PR is 27-1 with 17 knockouts. Madera, 135.8 lbs of Albany, NY is 15-1-3.

“I am proud of the work I put in with my trainer, Ismael Salas. The hard work is paying off,” Verdejo said. “Madera is a good fighter, but when I had him hurt, I knew I could finish him.

“As for what’s next, Vasiliy Lomachenko is the top guy at lightweight. We have unfinished business from when he beat me in the Olympics. That’s the fight I ultimately want.”

Martino Jules remained undefeated by winning an eight-round majority decision over Aleem Jumakhonov in a featherweight bout

In round three , Jules began to bleed from the nose, but Jules outlanded Jumakhonov 217-91.

Jules, 127 lbs of Allentown, PA won by scores of 78-74 twice and 76-76, and is now 10-0. Jumakhonov, 125.1 lbs of Reseda, CA is 8-3-2.

Jared Anderson remained perfect by stopping Hector Perez in the opening round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Anderson landed a six-punch combination that was dinished up with a hard right hand to head that sent Perez down, and the fight was stopped at 1:45.

Anderson, 241.8 lbs of Toledo, OH is 5-0 with five knockouts. Perez, 220.7 lbs of Tamaranc, FL is 7-3.

Kenneth Davis Jr. scored a four-round majority decision over Eduardo Sanchez in a lightweight bout.

In round three, Davis dropped Sanchez with a left to the body. In round four, Davis was deducted a point for spitting out his mouthpiece.

Sanchez outlanded Davis 102-86.

Davis, 134.5 lbs of Reno, NV won by scores of 38-36 twice and 37-37 to raise his mark to 3-2-1. Sanchez, 134.6 lbs of Corcoran, CA is 2-3.

BOSTON (July 16, 2020) – Undefeated super featherweight prospect Jesus Vasquez, Jr. (6-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of Englewood, Colorado, has signed a managerial contract with
Ryan Roach’s Fighter Locker.

“I talked to my coach, Leroy Miller, who I’ve been with since the beginning, and it made sense to us,” Vasquez, Jr. talked about why he signed with Roach. “I had a good feeling about Ryan.”

“I knew Jesus was a special fighter when former world champion Vernon Phillips reached out to me and said that there’s a special kid out here you should look at,” Roach commented. “I spoke with his coach and it seemed like a perfect fit. Leroy is a great coach and I look forward to working with him. Jesus is very experienced and a well-rounded fighter. He has speed and power. I’m confident he will be competing for a world title in under 15 fights. He’s a special type of fighter and adding fighters like Jesus to my stable is remarkable.”

Vasquez, Jr. was a decorated American amateur boxer, posting a 158-25 record, at one point ranked No. 2 in the country at 123-pounds, No. 3 at 132, highlighted by gold-medal performances three times at the Ringside National Championships, in addition to winning the PAL Championships. He also medaled at numerous national and regional amateur tournaments.

Th 29-year-old Vasquez, Jr. got a relatively late start on his pro boxing career, which started February 10, 2018, when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Eberardo Lopez. Vasquez stayed an amateur to try and make the 2016 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. He was a member of the USA Knockouts of the USB World Boxing Series of Boxing, losing his Olympic bid in a losing U.S. Trials semifinals match versus Carlos Balderas, and then took off 1 ½ years from boxing. He did earn his Associates Degree from Arapahoe Community College in business.

His amateur experience included fights with Balderas, the 2016 US Olympian, reigning International lightweight World champion Teofimo Lopez, and countless others who prepared him for the pro ranks.

“I tried qualifying for the Olympic Team, but after losing to Balderas, I got away from boxing” Vasquez, Jr. said. “I returned when my love of the sport came back to me. The amateurs introduced me to different styles, fighting so many boxers nationally, and I even fought some International opponents here in the U.S.

“I got a late start in the pros, but I’m not in a super rush. I feel that I’m at the level to take hard fights. I don’t need to fight a lot of easy fights to build my record, because my amateur background puts me at that level. I would like to fight 6-8 times this year, but the pandemic has messed up plans for everybody. I had a fight scheduled for August that has been cancelled.”

A good example of Vasquez’ amateur pedigree advancing his pro career is his last fight this past January, in which he won a unanimous 6-round unanimous decision against 62-fight veteran Robert Frankel (37-24-1).

“He’s been training, and we are looking to get him back in the ring soon,” Roach added.

Vasquez, Jr. joins Fighter Locker’s growing stable that includes a talented Ukrainian trio of North American Boxing Association (NABA) super welterweight title holder Stanyslav Skofokhod (19-2, 16 KOs), word-rated welterweight Karen Chukhadzhian (16-1, 7 KOs) and super lightweight Zoravor Petrosyan (7-0, 3 KOs).

Other Fighter Locker stablemates include Dominican welterweight Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu (23-5-1, 21 KOs), the former IBF Youth World super lightweight champion; Lynn, MA super welterweight Khiry Todd (10-1, 8 KOs),Dorchester, MA welterweight Gabriel Duluc (15-3, 4 KOs), Troy, NY super lightweight RayJay Bermudez, Toronto, Canada welterweight Jeff “The Trouble 1” Tabrizi (8-3, 7 KOs), and New Haven, CT super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs). Plus, three fighters prepared to make their pro debuts: former Kazakhstan National Team light heavyweight Alexey Sevostyanov, Irish National champion Paul Ryan, and U.S. Army bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr.

CHRIS BOURKE ENTERS into his first title encounter at the BT Studio on July 25 against the also unbeaten Ramez Mahmood, but is also happy to set his sights a little higher and contemplate a challenge to British and Commonwealth super bantamweight king Brad Foster.

Bourke, 25, gets his maiden title opportunity on the second of Frank Warren’s summer series of specials from the home of BT when he will battle for the vacant Southern Area super bantamweight belt against the 26-year-old Mahmood, who goes by the stage name of ‘The Mathemagician’.

If it is Bourke (7-0) rather than Mahmood (11-0) who gets his sums right on the night then the prospect of a mouth-watering shot at Brad the Blade could well be a realistic option.

First and foremost, however, Streatham man Bourke knows he has got a job to do against a good fighter. The term ‘trade fight’ is being bandied around, which essentially means boxing people in the know believe it will be a cracker.

“Yeah it is a fight that was going to be made for the o2 bill before it got postponed, so it was always in the pipeline and it is a good fight,” reasoned Bourke, who trains out of the Peacock Gym in Canning Town. “He is a good fighter, he has won the title before (at featherweight) so he knows what he’s doing.”

Bourke has witnessed in person what he will be up against.

“I don’t really watch tapes of the people I am fighting, but I have seen him live when he boxed Brett Fidoe because he was boxing on the same show as one of my teammates, Sean Phillips. So I saw him there.

“He does the basics really well, nothing amazing, but nothing bad either.

“I was watching the fight knowing it was a possibility I would fight him. You see weaknesses and things they don’t do well, but every fight is different when you are actually in the ring. You can’t really read too much into it.”

For the former Team GB graduate his big night at BT will represent his first experience of fighting close to the top of bill and to sample of a few of the trimmings that come with the distinction. Next time though, he will remember to vet the images of him before they go to print.

“Yeah it was good to have a poster, even though it was not a great picture of me! I had a word about that straight away. At the moment I think it is co-main event and it is live on BT so it is good for me.

“I get butterflies for every fight and I won’t treat this one differently because you go into every one to win,” he added before confirming he was glued to the first studio show on July 10  so he could see what to expect when it comes to his turn.

“It was a bit strange with the ring walks and that, while you could hear every shot. It was different and BT did it well.”

Of course, top of the bill last time out was British champ Foster winning his belt outright by defeating James Beech jr on points. While Bourke was suitably impressed, it would not deter him from attempting to part Foster from his belts.

“I thought he boxed well. I’d never seen Beech box before and he did quite well. Brad Foster started really strong and looked quite solid before fading a bit in the middle rounds and then finishing really strong.

“Definitely, if it got offered I would take it now, but it is down to my team to decide. For me personally, if it was there, I would take it.

“I see him as like, no disrespect, like a worse version of Louie Lynn. Louie is relentless constantly, whereas Brad Foster is relentless then he’ll faze off and then pick it back up again.

“He does switch well and he’s got a nice variation of shots to the head and body. I think he is a good fighter.

“You are in boxing to win titles and I won’t avoid anyone. Maybe my power would make him back off a bit more and it would be an interesting and good fight.”

Chris Bourke and Ramez Mahmood collide for the vacant southern area super bantamweight championship on Saturday 25th July live on BT Sport. The show is headlined by the return of 10-0 heavyweight juggernaut Joe Joyce as he takes on Germany’s Michael Wallisch (20-3).

LOS ANGELES (July 16, 2020): We at Golden Boy are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Travell Mazion last night. Mazion was a kind, charismatic young man who lit up every room he walked into and brought excitement to fans inside the ring. We send our heartfelt prayers and thoughts to his family. May he rest in peace.

Mazion succumbed to an auto accident last night in Texas.