•     Andrew Moloney 114.6 lbs ??vs. Joshua Franco 115 lbs ??
(WBA Super Flyweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

    •   Christopher Diaz 124.9 lbs ?? vs.  Jason Sanchez 126 lbs ??
(Featherweight — 10 Rounds)

• Joseph Adorno 136 lbs ??vs. Alexis del Bosque 134.2 lbs ??
(Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

          • Rolando Vargas 137 lbs ?? vs. Miguel Contreras 137.4 lbs ??
(Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

    • Helaman Olguin 290 lbs ?? vs. Adam Stewart 232.1 lbs ??
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with a lightweight main event all but guaranteed to deliver action as No. 3 ranked contender Dustin Poirier and No. 5 Dan Hooker meet in a battle of elite strikers. In the co-main event, two fan favorites will clash at welterweight as Mike Perry goes for another signature knockout against submission specialist Mickey Gall.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: POIRIER vs. HOOKER will take place Saturday, June 27 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The preliminary card will kick off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance.

A former interim UFC lightweight champion, Poirier (25-6 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) returns to action looking to remind the rest of the division that he is still one of the best in the world. Among the most respected athletes on the roster, Poirier has secured wins over former UFC champions Max Holloway (twice), Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. He now aims to stop the impressive run of Hooker and make his claim for another title shot.

One of the most dangerous strikers at lightweight, Hooker (21-8, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) intends to land another devastating knockout and secure the biggest win of his career. Since moving up to 155 pounds, Hooker has earned notable victories over Gilbert Burns, James Vick and Al Iaquinta. He now looks to prove that he can compete with the elite of the division and achieve his first UFC title shot. 

A fan favorite for his explosive fighting style and unique personality, Perry (13-6, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) looks to bounce back into the win column with another exciting performance. A power puncher with all of his finishes coming by knockout, Perry has earned victories over Paul Felder, Jake Ellenberger and Alex Oliveira. He now looks to make an emphatic statement with another highlight reel finish.

One of the top prospects in the welterweight division, Gall (6-2, fighting out of Green Brook Township, N.J.) has proven that he holds the grappling skills to stop anyone in the world. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Gall has secured submissions in all but one of his victories, including wins over CM Punk, Sage Northcutt and George Sullivan. He now looks to become only the second person to submit Perry and continue his run up the welterweight ranks.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Dana White’s Contender Series veterans clash as Brendan Allen (13-3, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) looks to spoil the debut of Kyle Daukaus (9-0, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Gian Villante (17-11, fighting out of Bellmore, N.Y.) makes his heavyweight debut against Maurice Greene (8-5, fighting out of St. Cloud, Minn.)
• Lightweight strikers aim to put on a show as Luis Pena (8-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) meets Khama Worthy (15-6, fighting out of Pittsburgh, Penn.)
• Mara Romero Borella (13-8, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) intends to bounce back into the win column when she takes on UFC newcomer Miranda Maverick (7-2, fighting out of Norfolk, Va.) at flyweight
• Philipe Lins (14-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Tanner Boser (17-6-1, fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) look to make a statement in a clash of heavyweight hopefuls
• In a 150 pound catchweight bout, Dana White’s Contender Series signee Sean Woodson (7-0, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) looks to remain undefeated when he takes on Kyle Nelson (13-3, fighting out of Huntsville, Ontario, Canada)
• Takashi Sato (15-3, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) welcomes the debuting Ramiz Brahimaj (8-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) to the UFC welterweight division
• Invicta FC standouts look to make a statement as Kay Hansen (6-3, fighting out of Fullerton, Calif.) takes on former atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey (9-4, fighting out of Arlington, Texas)
• Jordan Griffin (18-7, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) returns to action aims to hand Youssef Zalal (8-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) his first UFC loss in a featherweight bout

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

###

About UFC^®

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the 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 Disney’s Direct-To-Consumer & International

Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment includes Disney’s international media operations stretching from Europe to Asia to Latin America and the Company’s direct-to-consumer streaming businesses, including Hulu, Hotstar, ESPN+, and the recently launched Disney+ service. DTCI also manages global advertising sales and ad technology for Disney media properties which include ABC, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks, National Geographic, and the Disney Channels. The Company’s media distribution operations are also part of the Direct-to-Consumer & International business segment.

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.

LAS VEGAS (June 22, 2020) — Javier Martinez, USA Boxing’s top-rated fighter at 165 pounds, has signed a multi-year contract with Top Rank and will make his professional debut as a middleweight June 30 live on ESPN.

Martinez, 24, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, won the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, but after being selected as an alternate for the Olympic team, elected to punch for pay after roughly 160 bouts in the amateur ranks. He captured his first of five national titles at the age of 13 and won a USA Elite National Championship in 2018.

Martinez is trained by Jorge Capetillo, who is known for his work with the likes of lineal/WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and former world champions Jessie Magdaleno and Antonio DeMarco. 

“With Javier’s amateur credentials, fan-friendly style, and Top Rank’s amazing track record at developing amateurs into champions, this is a win-win for everyone,” said Tim VanNewhouse, Martinez’s manager. “I look forward to a big future for Javier, and I’m eager for everyone to see his pro debut on ESPN June 30.”

“I knew it would be hard for me to qualify for the Olympics, so when I found out they chose someone else, it made no sense for me to stay,” Martinez said. “I got this opportunity from Top Rank, so why not? I have a great promotional company and manager behind me.

“I’ve just been beating everyone in the country the past three, four years, so the time was right to make my next move.”

Martinez, the youngest of five children born to Mexican immigrants, first picked up a pair of gloves at 8 years old. He hopes to become only the second Milwaukee-born fighter — Pinky Mitchell was named the inaugural junior welterweight world champion in 1922 — to win a professional world title. 

“I do this for my family. I do it for my kid,” said Martinez, who has a 7-year-old son. “I want to represent Milwaukee and my parents, who came to this country with nothing and built a life for my brothers and me.”

WBO Super Bantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete stopped Uriel Lopez in a scheduled 10-round non-title featherweight bout at the TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City.

In round five, Navarrete sent Lopez down with a left hook to the body.

In round six, Navarrete started pounding away at Lopez, and then put him down with a hard flurry of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:22.

With the win, Navarrete, 127 lbs is now 32-1 with 27 knockouts. Lopez, 127 lbs is 13-14-1.

Said Navarrete: “I have the utmost respect for Uriel Lopez. He put forth a courageous effort, but I was coming to win by knockout. I want to unify titles, but if nobody accepts my challenge, I’ll move up to featherweight.”

Edwin Palomares scored an upsetting by stopping Carlos Ornelas in round five of their scheduled 10-round featherweight fight.

Palomares was relentless with pressure, and in round five he landed a body punch that sent Ornelas to the canvas. Ornelas got to his feet but the corner waved the fight over. Palomares threw 476 punches in just over four rounds.

Palomares is 13-3-1 with four knockouts. Ornelas, 127 lbs is 25-3.

Sergio Alfredo Chirino Sanchez scored a devastating 3rd round knockout over Gustavo Alan Pina in a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Sanchez dropped Pina at the end of the 1st round with a left hook. In round three, Sanchez landed a perfect left hook to the jaw that sent a frozen Pina hard to the canvas, where he would lay flat in his back for several minutes.

Time of the stoppage was six-seconds.

Sanchez, 126 lbs is 15-1 with nine knockouts. Pina, 126 lbs is 8-3.

Ivan Armando Garcia won a six-round unanimous decision over Roberto Palomares in a flyweight bout.

In round one, Garcia was cut over the left eye from an accidental headbutt.

Garcia, 113 lbs won by scores of 50-45 twice and 49-46 to go to 6-0. Palomares, 113 lbs is now 5-5-1.

Number-Three ranked heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes held on for a unanimlius decision over number-eight ranked Alexander Volkoff at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Blaydes broke the UFC Heavyweight record for takedowns with 14 (It was 11). In round four, Blaydes was bleeding out of his mouth. Blaydes was dominant for the first three-plus rounds. Blaydes was gassed as he entered the final round, but held on for the victory by scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 48-46.

Blaydes, 261 lbs of Chicago is 14-2. Volkoff, 247 lbs of Moscow, RUS is 31-8.

In a fight where both combatants landed bombs throughout the fight, Josh Emmett won a unanimous decision over Shane Burgos in a featherweight bout.

In round one, Emmett seemed to hurt his knee when he stepped wrong on the canvas. In round two, Emmett was bleeding from the bridge of the nose. In round three, Emmett dropped Burgos twice with crushing shots. 1st it was a right and later in round it was a left. Burgos was bleeding from the nose.

Emmett, 146 lbs of Sacramento, CA won by scores of 29-28 twice and 29-27 and is now 16-2. Burgos, 146 lbs of Monroe, NY is 13-2.

Raquel Pennington won a unanimous decision over Mario Reneau in a bantamweight contest.

Pennington dominated the final two rounds with knees to the midsection and solid punches. She outstruck Reneau 109-95.

Pennington, 136 lbs of Colorado Springs, CO won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice and is now 11-8. Reneau, 136 lbs of Vasilia, CA is 9-6-1.

Belal Muhammad won a unanimous decision over Lyman Good in welterweight bout.

In round two, Muhammad was bleeding under his right eye.

Muhammad was outstruck but won by scores on 29-28 on all cards/

Muhammad, 170.5 lbs of Chicago, IL is 17-3. Good, 170.5 lbs of New York 21-6-1.

Jim Miller made Roosevelt Roberts tap in the 1st round of their catchweight bout.

Miller got Roberts down, and he tapped out shortly thereafter at 2:25.

Miller, 159.5 lbs of Sparta, NJ is 32-14-1. Roberts, 160 lbs of Fontana, CA is 10-2.

Bobby Green won a unanimous decision over Clay Guida in a battle of veteran lightweights.

Green, 155.5 lbs of Fontana, CA won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 to raise his mark to 25-10-1. Guida, 154.5 lbs of Johnsburg, IL is 35-20.

Tecia Torres won a unanimous decision over Brianna Van Buren in a strawweight fight.

Torres was dominant with her striking as he held a 98-38 advantage in that department.

Torres, 116 lbs of Coconut Creek, FLA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 11-5. Van Buren, 115 lbs of Gilroy, CA is 9-3.

Marc-Andre Barriault stopped Oskar Piechota in round two of their middleweight bout.

Near the end of the 2nd frame, Barriault hurt Piechota with a hard right hand. Barriault was able to crumble Piechota to the ground with more punches. A few more ground strikes forced the stoppage at 4:50.

Barriault, 185.5 lbs is now 12-4. Piechota, 185.5 lbs of Poland is 11-4-1.

Gillian Robertson submitted Cortney Casey in the 3rd round of their flyweight bout.

Robertson finished Casey with a rear-naked choke at 4:36.

Robertson is now 8-4. Casey is 9-8.

Justin Jaynes stopped Frank Camacho in the opening round of their welterweight bout.

Jaynes landed a left hook to the jaw that rocked Camacho. Jaynes was all over Camacho and landed three more hard blows to the face, and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 41 seconds.

Jaynes, 156 lbs of Las Vegas, was just signed by the UFC on Tuesday is now 16-4. Camacho, 158 lbs of Northern Mariana Islands, missed weight by two pounds is 22-9.

Lauren Murphy won a unanimous decision over Roxanne Madafferi in a flyweight bout.

Murphy out-struck Modafferi 102-80.

Murphy, 125.5 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 13-4. Modafferi, 125.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 24-18.

Austin Hubbard stopped previously undefeated Max Rohskopf in a welterweight bout/

Hubbard landed many hard shots. and in round two, Rohskopf began to bleed around his left eye. Rohskopf said he could not continue after the round.

Hubbard, 156 lbs of Denver, CO is 12-4. Rohskopf, 155 lbs of Las Vegas is 5-1.

Emanuel Navarrete 127 lbs vs. Uriel Lopez127 lbs
(Featherweight — 10 Rounds)
   Carlos Ornelas 127 lbs vs.  Edwin Palomares 126 lbs(Featherweight — 10 Rounds)
            Sergio Sanchez 126 lbs vs. Gustavo Alan Pina 126 lbs(Featherweight — 8 Rounds)         Ivan Armando Garcia 113 lbs vs. Roberto Palomares 113 lbs(Flyweight — 8 Rounds)
    Jessica Nery Plata 112 lbs vs. Edith de Jesus Flores 112 lbs
(Flyweight — 8 Rounds)

Gabriel Flores Jr. remained undefeated as he won a 10-round unanimous decision over Josec Ruiz in a lightweight bout at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

The bout was elevated to the main event after the Jose Pedraza Mikkel LesPierre bout was scrapped after LesPierre’s manager tested positive for Covid-19

Flores registered a knockdown when he landed a left hand that was followed by a barrage of punches.

Flores dominated the bout and won by scores of 100-89 on all cards.

Flores, 132.4 lbs of Stockton, CA is now 18-0. Ruiz, 132.4 lbs of Miami, FL is 21-3-3.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweights, Robert Rodriguez stopped Adrian Servin in round two of a scheduled six-round bout.

In round two, Rodriguez dropped Servin with a right hook. Rodriguez continued to land hard straight lefts that snapped Servin’s head back, and referee Robert Hoyle stopped the bout at 2:48.

Rodriguez, 120.3 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 8-0-1 with four knockouts. Servin, 118 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 9-1-1.

Clay Collard upended his 2nd straight undefeated fighter as he won a six-round split decision over Damid Kaminsky in a super middleweight clash.

In round one, Kaminsky was cut around the left eye from a punch. Collard continued to outwork Kaminsky and Collard had swelling around his right for the better part of the 2nd half of the fight.

Collard won two cards by 58-56 scores. Kaminsky took a card 58-56.

Collard, 163.6 lbs of Cache Vallet, UT is 7-2-3. Kaminksy, 164.1 lbs of Los Angeles is 6-1.

In a battle of undefeated super featherweights, Frevian Gonzalez won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Martinez.

Gonzalez, 129.4 lbs of Cidra, PR won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice, and is now 3-0. Gonzalez, 127.8 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 2-1.

Victor Rodriguez remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Justin Horsley in a super lightweight bout.

Rodriguez, 140.2 lbs of Stanton, CA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 3-0. Horsley, 140.7 lbs of Las Vegas is 0-2.

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

FRANK WARREN AND Queensberry Promotions have today signalled the return of live boxing by announcing three HUGE British title fights that will see Brad Foster defend against James Beech, Anthony Cacace face Lyon Woodstock and Lerrone Richards square off against Umar Sadiq.

Alongside broadcast partner BT Sport, Queensberry are happy to announce the launch of a new series of shows that will run across the summer months and restore the sport to the homes of fight fans and return Queensberry’s roster of champions, contenders and prospects to the ring following the enforced hiatus.

Always first to the punch, Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren is delivering on his promise of bringing boxing back with a bang and has vowed that the three massive British title fights are just the beginning for what will be a huge Summer of boxing, live from the BT Sport Studio.

Leading the charge, The British and Commonwealth super bantamweight title will be on the line when champion Brad Foster (12-0-2) defends against the unbeaten James Beech (12-0) from Bloxwich, West Midlands.

And on dates to be confirmed shortly, Anthony Cacace will take on the first defence of his British Super Featherweight crown against Lyon Woodstock, whilst Lerrone Richards will defend his British and Commonwealth Super-Middleweight titles against Umar ‘Top Boxer’ Sadiq.

“I am thrilled to inform the fans that the wait for live boxing to return is coming to an end,” said promoter Warren. “It has been a long haul and a trying time for everyone but we can now see the first flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.

“I am so excited to get going again after a period of unprecedented planning and detail to get to where we are. Unfortunately boxing without fans at the venue is the new, but I am sure temporary, normal and we have made it our business to bring the sport back at the earliest opportunity in line with government guidelines regarding health and safety protocols.

“Our opening show on July 10 is just for starters and we will be looking to go bigger and better as we move along in our summer season that will see us deliver at least five TV shows.

“Across these dates it is our intention to showcase highly competitive fights between hungry young domestic fighters and increase the stakes from show to show. No easy fights, just British boxing as it should be.

“I am also looking forward to seeing our unparalleled crop of brilliant young fighters step up the risk levels and really make the most of what will be huge exposure for them across the BT Sport platforms.”

Also on the July 10th card WBO European super welterweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz (10-0), will defend his belt against the (12-1) Scot Paul Kean from Dundee; heavyweight hope David Adeleye from Notting Hill will be hoping for another stoppage victory in his second professional fight and Lightweight Mark ‘Da Bomb’ Chamberlain (5-0, 3KOs), will be looking to take a step up in Stratford.

Warren said: “This is just the beginning. It’s going to be a magnificent summer of Great British boxing, so sit back and enjoy every round live on BT Sport.”

Tonight’s Top Rank on ESPN main event between Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre’s manager, Jose Taveras, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this morning. The Gabriel Flores Jr.-Josec Ruiz lightweight bout has been elevated to the main event (ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 8 p.m. ET).
 
Said LesPierre: “My manager, Jose Taveras, tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the rules and regulations set forth by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, I will be unable to fight tonight as scheduled against Jose Pedraza. I understand the severity of COVID-19 because I have been working on the front lines of helping treat this virus at Mount Sinai Beth Israel—Petrie Division in Manhattan.
 
“I am devastated. This was my opportunity to showcase my talent to the world, but everything happens for a reason. This is just another roadblock in my story.
 
“I apologize to Jose and his team for any inconvenience this caused. He is a great boxer, and I hope we can reschedule the fight as soon as possible.”
 
Said Taveras: “I apologize for the inconvenience this caused. I am not exhibiting any symptoms. I am looking forward to hopefully rescheduling this fight as soon as possible. I am devastated for Mikkel.”

 Jose Pedraza 140.4 lbs vs. Mikkel LesPierre141 lbs
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)
              Adrian Servin 118 lbs vs. Robert Rodriguez 120.3 lbs(Bantamweight — 6 Rounds)       Victor Rodriguez 140.2 lbs vs. Justin Horsley 140.7 lbs(Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)
    Frevian Gonzalez 129.4 lbs vs. Jose Martinez 127.8 lbs(Junior Lightweight — 4 Rounds)
David Kaminsky 164.3 lbs vs.  Clay Collard 163.6 lbs
(Super Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

    Gabriel Flores Jr 132.4 lbs vs.  Josec Ruiz 132.4 lbs
(Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

NEW YORK (June 17, 2020) -Split-T Management welterweight Giovani Santillan remained undefeated as he showed his grit by winning a 10-round majority decision over former world champion Antonio DeMarco on Tuesday night at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The bout was the co-feature bout of a Top Rank promoted card.

It was a battle that was fought mostly at close-quarters, with Santillan getting credit for lading the more telling blows, and he was able to take the victory by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 to raise his perfect mark to 26-0.

“I knew it was a close fight, but I felt like I did enough solid work in there to pull out the win,” Santillan said. “He never hurt me at any point in the fight, but he used his experience in there. He’s a former world champion who has been in there with the best of the best. I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible and use this experience to my advantage.”

Santillan is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Top Rank.

Photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

LAS VEGAS (June 16, 2020) — From Down Under to “The Bubble,” Australia’s Moloney twins — Andrew and Jason — are set for their Las Vegas debuts.

Andrew “The Monster” Moloney will make the first defense of his WBA super flyweight world title Tuesday, June 23 from the MGM Grand Conference Center—Grand Ballroom against Joshua “El Professor” Franco (ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 8 p.m. ET). Moloney-Franco will be the first men’s boxing world title bout since February 29.

The fights continue from the MGM Grand Thursday, June 25, when WBO No. 2 bantamweight contender Jason Moloney will face Leonardo Baez in a 10-rounder (ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 8 p.m. ET).

Week 3 of the Top Rank on ESPN summer series concludes from TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City on Saturday, June 27, when WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt will face Eleazar “Tronco” Valenzuela in a 10-round lightweight bout (ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 11 p.m. ET).

“It’s very exciting times as Australia’s only world champion, Andrew Moloney, will defend his title against a tough warrior in Joshua Franco,” said Tony Tolj, who manages the Moloney brothers. “Jason has trained hard and is ready for world championship opportunities. Both are in tough fights that the fans are going to love. We want to fight the best. It’s a great honor to headline back-to-back shows, especially at MGM Grand.”

June 23
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Andrew Moloney (21-0, 14 KOs) vs. Joshua Franco (16-1-2, 8 KOs)
12 Rounds, Moloney’s WBA Super Flyweight World Title

Andrew Moloney has won four consecutive bouts by knockout, including an eighth-round stoppage over Miguel Gonzalez on Gonzalez’s home turf in Chile. He captured the WBA interim world title last November, stopping Elton Dharry on cuts following eight one-sided rounds. The WBA elevated Moloney to full champion in March, and he will defend his strap against Franco, a San Antonio native who is best known for his action-packed trilogy against Oscar Negrete. Franco, who has gone five bouts since his lone professional defeat, went 1-0-2 versus Negrete.

“It’s a dream come true for me to be headlining at the MGM Grand for my first world title defense,” Andrew Moloney said. “Thank you to Top Rank and my team for giving me this amazing opportunity. Franco is a great fighter, but I believe I am faster, more powerful, and too hungry to let anyone take this belt away from me.”

Said Franco: “I have been waiting all my life to fight for a world title. I know that all my hard work will pay off when I step into the ring and become a world champion. These are tough times for the world, so I’m grateful to have this opportunity when the world has come to a halt. I will do my best to entertain the fans during this time and make my training team, promoter and everyone in San Antonio proud. This June 23, class will be in session, and everyone’s invited to watch on ESPN.”

Co-Feature
Christopher Diaz (25-2, 16 KOs) vs. Jason Sanchez (15-1, 8 KOs)
10 Rounds, Featherweight

In a clash of former world title challengers, the winner will re-enter the world title picture. Diaz is 2-1 since a decision loss to Masayuki Ito for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title. Following the Ito loss, Diaz moved down in weight to compete as a featherweight. Sanchez gave a valiant effort in a June 2019 decision loss to then-WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez. The Albuquerque native rebounded with a knockout win over Adeilson Dos Santos last October.

“I know that winning this next fight opens the door to a world title shot, and I have worked hard to make it happen and finally achieve my dream of becoming a world champion,” Diaz said. “Jason Sanchez is a world-level opponent. His only defeat is against Oscar Valdez — and he is a seasoned Mexican warrior — but I am coming prepared for everything Sanchez will bring to the ring.”

Undercard

Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno (14-0-1, 12 KOs), who is coming off an eight-round draw in January, will look to get back to his winning ways against Alexis del Bosque (17-5, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder at lightweight.

In a junior welterweight battle set for six rounds, Miguel Contreras (10-0, 6 KOs), from Bakersfield, California, will fight 20-year-old knockout artist Rolando Vargas (5-0, 5 KOs).

Helaman Olguin (7-3, 3 KOs), winner of five straight, will take on Adam Stewart (8-0-1, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder at heavyweight.

June 25
MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom

Main Event
Jason Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs) vs. Leonardo Baez (18-2, 9 KOs)
10 Rounds, Bantamweight

Jason Moloney came up a hair short in his bid for the IBF bantamweight world title in October 2018, losing a disputed split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez. He has knocked out three opponents since, most recently blitzing Dixon Flores in two rounds on the same card as his brother’s victory over Elton Dharry. Baez, from Mexicali, Mexico, has won six in a row, most recently shutting out former interim world champion Moises Flores over eight rounds.

“My opponent, Leonardo Baez, is a good fighter who comes forward and puts on a lot of pressure,” Jason Moloney said. “I have been working extremely hard to make sure this is the most spectacular performance of my career and to prove that I am ready for another shot at a world title.”

Said Baez: “I’m very happy for this opportunity. I had already been training, so that’s why I’m ready to come back. I’m confident in my preparation. I know I will walk away with my hand raised.” 

Co-Feature
Abraham Nova (18-0, 14 KOs) vs. Avery Sparrow (10-1, 3 KOs)
10 Rounds, Junior Lightweight 

Nova made his Top Rank debut in January, registering a fourth-round knockout. He returns for his “Bubble” debut against Sparrow, a battle-hardened Philadelphia native who is coming off a March 2019 decision victory over former world title challenger Hank Lundy. Nova, born in Puerto Rico and raised in Albany, New York, was one of Teofimo Lopez’s chief sparring partners before Lopez’s lightweight title-winning effort over Richard Commey last December.

Undercard

Orlando “El Zurdo de Oro” González (14-0, 10 KOs), from Aguadilla Puerto Rico, will face off against Ecuadorian veteran Luis Porozo (15-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior lightweight. A southpaw puncher, Gonzalez has registered three knockouts in his last four fights.

June 27
TV Azteca Studios

Main Event
Miguel Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) vs. Eleazar Valenzuela (21-13-4, 16 KOs)

Berchelt, the long-reigning WBC super featherweight kingpin, will return in his first non-title bout since 2015. A native of Cancun, Mexico, he has notched five consecutive knockouts, including a devastating fourth-round stoppage over former world champion Jason Sosa in his last outing. Valenzuela is 8-3 with one no contest in his last 12 bouts.

Undercard

Omar “Pollo” Aguilar (17-0, 16 KOs), a 21-year-old punching prodigy from Ensenada, Mexico, will fight Dante “Crazy” Jardon (32-6, 23 KOs) in a 10-rounder at junior welterweight.

In a 10-round junior lightweight bout, Mauricio “Bronco” Lara (18-2, 12 KOs) will fight unbeaten Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (12-0-1, 9 KOs).

Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza (14-0, 12 KOs) will look to extend his knockout streak to eight in an eight-round featherweight battle against Luis Guzman (8-14, 1 KO).

Junior welterweight prospect Ruben “Pollito” Aguilar (9-0, 7 KOs), who has five consecutive first-round knockouts, will fight Emanuel Herrera (7-10, 1 KO) in a six-rounder.

Mike Plania won a 10-round majority decision over world-ranked Joshua Greer in a bantamweight bout at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In round one, Plania landed a quick and hard left hook that dumped Greer to the canvas.

In round six, it was another whipping left hook to the jaw that put Greer down for a 2nd time. Plania out-landed Greer 119-96/

Plania, 119.5 lbs of General Santos City, PHL won by scores of 97-91, 96-92 and 94-94 to raise his mark to 24-1. Greer, 120 lbs of Chicago is 22-2-1.

“This win is going to change my life,” Plania said. “I thought I could knock him out after the knockdown in the first round, but he was tough and adjusted his strategy.

“I took this fight on only three weeks’ notice, but I had faith in God that I could win.”

Giovani Santillan remained undefeated with a 10-round majority decision over former lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco in a welterweight bout.

In round eight, Santillan began to bleed from his nose.

Santillan was outlanded 159-150, but came home with the victory by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95.

Santillan, 148 lbs of San Diego is 26-0. DeMarco, 147 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 33-9-1.

“I knew it was a close fight, but I felt like I did enough solid work in there to pull out the win,” Santillan said. “He never hurt me at any point in the fight, but he used his experience in there. He’s a former world champion who has been in there with the best of the best. I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible and use this experience to my advantage.”

Nikoloz Sekhniashvili won a six-round unanimous decision over Isiah Jones in a middleweight bout.

Sekhniashvili out-landed Jones 95-39.

Sekhniashvili, 159.25 lbs of Sherman Oaks, CA won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 6-0. Jones, 158.25 lbs of Detroit, MI is 8-2.

Hector Perez won a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Torres in a heavyweight bout.

Perez, 221 lbs of Tamarac, FL won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice, and is now 7-2. Torres, 250 lbs of Cypress, TX is 5-3-1.

Bobirzhan Mominov won a six-round uanimous decision over Cameron Krael in a super welterweight contest.

In round six, Mominov was deducted a point for hitting behind the head.

That was not enough as Mominov won by scores of 58-55 twice and 58-56.

Mominov, 152 lbs of Kissimmee, FL is 11-0. Krael, 147.8 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-16-3.

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 16, 2020) – The Pound-For-Pound Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, who has three elite boxers making waves in the professional ranks, twin sensations Angel “AK-47” Barrientes (2-0, 2 KOs) and Chavez “The Beast” Barrientes (2-0, 2 KOs), as well as their stablemate Demler “DJ War Machine” Zamora III (3-0, 2 KOs), have traveled to the Bay Area to get elite level sparring with top tier fighters in Eros Correa (10-0, 8 KOs), Oscar Escandon (26-5, 18 KOs), and Justin Cardona (4-0, 2 KOs), as well as many other top fighters.

“This is needed to see where we are at,” said super bantamweight Angel Barrientes. “We’re all trying our hardest to become the best fighters we can be, and going to different places to spar the best, is a great way to find out where you sit amongst the best in the world. I’m looking forward to sparring new guys.”

Amongst one of their many stops, the three young fighters will be visiting Ruben “Mad Dog” Guerrero’s boxing gym in Gilroy, California, as the legendary trainer will open his doors to the young fighters and their team.

“I am excited to work with such high-level people,” said super bantamweight Chavez Barrientes. “We have been working hard in Vegas, and now to get new looks along with seeing how others train will be a great change in our training camp.”

Zamora, the youngest of the three fighters who just turned 17-years-old is very excited about this summer sparring trip.

“We all want to be the best and in order to be the best you have to travel to learn,” said the dynamic featherweight Zamora III. “I am eager to be in a new climate, be in gyms I am unfamiliar with, and find out where I am at as a fighter.”

These three fighters are just 17-years-old, and will be sparring the very best the Bay Area has to offer this week.

NEW YORK (June 16, 2020) – TONIGHT!!! Two members of the Split-T Management stable will be in action on at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In the opening co-feature bout, undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan will take on former lightweight world champion Antonio DeMarco in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

In a six-round middleweight bout, Split-T Management’s Isiah Jones takes on undefeated Nikoloz Sekhniashvili.

The fights will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 8 PM ET.

Santillan of San Diego has a record of 25-0 with 15 knockouts, and will be making his 2020 debut.

The 28 year-old has amassed wins over the likes of Peter Haro (2-0), Michael Balasi (10-2), Daniyar Hanyk (10-0), Osenohan Vazquez (7-1-1), Eduardo Rivera (9-1-2), Ernesto Ortiz (10-2), Omar Tienda (18-3), Sammy Valentin (12-0), Dodzi Kemeh (19-1), Alejandro Barboza (11-1) and in his bout when he stopped Wilfredo Buelvas in two rounds on November 22nd in Ontario, California.

DeMarco (33-8-1, 24 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico is a 16 year-veteran who won the WBC Interim Lightweight title on October 31, 2009 with a 10th round stoppage over Jose Alfaro. He then went on to win the WBC Lightweight title with an 11th round stoppage over Jorge Linares. He defended the title twice with stoppage victories over Miguel Roman and John Molina Jr.

Santillan was 148 pounds at Monday’s weigh-in. DeMarco was 147 pounds.

The classy DeMarco also has wins over Nick Casal (16-1-1), Juan Casteneda Jr. (12-0), Kid Diamond (27-1-1), Anges Adjaho (25-1) and Eddie Ramirez (17-0). DeMarco is coming off a loss to Jamal James on July 13, 2019 in Minneapolis.

Interview with undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan
Interview with undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan

Jones of Detroit, Michigan, is advised by Carlos Llinas, and has a record of 8-1 with three knockouts.

The 25 year-old won his first eight bouts which was highlighted by a win over previously undefeated Anthony Wade (4-0).

Sekhniashvili of Sherman Oaks, California via The Georgia Republic has a record of 5-0 with four knockouts.

Jones was 158.3 pounds at Monday’s weigh-in. Sekhniashvili was 159.25 lbs.

Photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank

 Joshua Greer Jr. 120 lbs vs. Mike Plania119.5 lbs
(Bantamweight — 10 Rounds)

           Bobirzhan Mominov 152 lbs vs.  Cameron Krael 147.8 lbs
(Super Welterweight — 8 Rounds

        Hector Perez 221 lbs vs.  Juan Torres 250 lbs
(Heavyweight — 6/4 Rounds)
              Nikoloz Sekhniashvili 159.25 lbs vs. Isiah Jones 158.3 lbs(Middleweight — 6 Rounds)
                  Giovani Santillan 148 lbs vs. Antonio DeMarco 147 lbs(Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

PHILADELPHIA (JUNE 15, 2020)–Banner Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of undefeated featherweight Giovanni Cabrera Mioletti to a promotional contract.

“I am very excited to add Giovanni to our growing roster. He was brought to me by a friend of mine named Sam DiTusa. I have watched him fight and he is a very good prospect who already has some quality wins. I feel that his best fights are ahead of him, and he will be a real player in the featherweight division,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.

“I am very excited to start the next chapter of my career,” said Mioletti. “I want to be a world champion, and Banner Promotions can get me to that step,” said Mioletti.

Said co-manager/co-trainer, Sam DiTusa, “I have known Artie Pelullo for 15 years. I have total confidence in him, and when I knew it was time for Giovanni to take the next step up, I know Artie and Banner Promotions is the team that will get him there. Artie makes it easy for managers to do their job and, he has the right vision to get Giovanni to the top.”

Mioletti, 25 years-old of Chicago has a record of 18-0 with seven knockouts.

Mioletti began boxing at the age of 16 after he caught the boxing bug when he watched the Manny Pacquiao – Miguel Cotto fight at a friends house.

“That fight piqued my interest in the sport, and I began reading up and watching Pacquiao and Muhammad Ali fights.”

Giovanni began his amateur career with a 10-second knockout. That fight was the beginning of a amateur tenure that saw him go 60-5, and he captured the 2013 Chicago Golden Gloves. Mioletti, then moved to Mexico, where he continued boxing and won the Leon Championships,and was a state champion in Guanajuato. He later won a Bronze Medal in the Mexican Olympic Trials.

Miloetti turned professional on April 22, 2016 with a 2nd round stoppage over DeShawn DuBose.

To say Mioletti has been matched tough is an understatement. He has defeated seven undefeated opponents in Gavino Guan (4-0), William Hernandez (3-0), Roberto Meza (8-0), Ray Lampkin (11-0), Elijah Price (8-0), & Headley Scott (11-0).

The 7th undefeated foe to fall was Luis Porozo (14-0) as Mioletti won a 10-round unanimous decision on July 12, 2019 in a bout that was shown on ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME.

Mioletti also has victories over distinguished veterans Tyrone Harris and Antonio Escalante.

In his last bout, Mioletti won a decision over Joshuah Hernandez on October 12, 2019 in Chicago.

Mioletti, whose father is Mexican, and mother is Italian is the middle of three children (older brother and younger sister). In his spare time, Giovanni considers himself a movie buff who says Raging Bull as a favorite film.

Mioletti is co-managed and co-trained by John Nocita.

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

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with a thrilling heavyweight clash featuring No. 3 ranked contender Curtis Blaydes and No. 7 Alexander Volkov. The co-main event will see a battle between surging featherweight contenders, as No. 8 ranked Josh Emmett faces No. 10 Shane Burgos.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN^®: BLAYDES vs. VOLKOV will take place Saturday, June 20 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The preliminary card will kick off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance.

Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Blaydes (13-2 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) made a huge statement in his last outing this past January by securing an emphatic TKO victory over former champion Junior Dos Santos. The 29-year-old standout also holds spectacular wins against Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt and Aleksei Oleinik. Blaydes now looks to keep his momentum going and deliver another impressive finish to cement his status as a heavyweight title threat.

Victorious in seven of his last eight bouts, Volkov (31-7, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) looks to continue his winning ways following a dominant victory over Greg Hardy in November. Since joining the UFC roster in 2016, the talented striker has also earned impressive wins over Fabricio Werdum, Stefan Struve and Roy Nelson. Volkov now aims to crack the heavyweight top five by taking out one of the division’s most dangerous contenders.

A member of Team Alpha Male, Emmett (15-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) aims to capture his third consecutive win in the UFC’s talent-stacked featherweight division. Since dropping down to 145 pounds in 2017, Emmett has delivered sensational KO wins over Mirsad Bektic, Michael Johnson and Ricardo Lamas. Emmett now hopes to take out another surging featherweight to continue his hot streak.

Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Burgos (13-1, fighting out of Monroe, N.Y.) has established himself as a featherweight contender to watch. During his most recent run, Burgos has delivered impressive victories against Makwan Amirkhani, Cub Swanson and Kurt Holobaugh. Burgos now looks to stop another highly touted contender to further establish himself as a dangerous title threat.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• No. 6 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Raquel Pennington (10-9, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) hopes to rebound when she takes on No. 10 Marion Reneau (9-5-1, fighting out of Visalia, Calif.)
• In a clash of entertaining welterweights, Belal Muhammad (16-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) squares off with Lyman Good (21-5 1NC, fighting out of New York, N.Y.)
• Jim Miller (31-14 1NC, fighting out of Sparta, N.J.) makes his 34^th UFC appearance against rising prospect Roosevelt Roberts (11-1, fighting out of San Bernardino, Calif.) in a 160-pound catchweight bout
• Crafty veterans collide when Clay Guida (35-16, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) faces Bobby Green (24-10-1, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.)
• No. 12 ranked women’s strawweight contender Tecia Torres (10-5, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) aims to get back in the win column against rising Brianna Van Buren (9-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.)
• Marc-Andre Barriault (11-4, fighting out of Quebec City, Que., Canada) hopes to secure his first UFC victory when he takes on Oskar Piechota (11-3-1, fighting out of Gdynia, Poland)
• No. 15 ranked women’s flyweight contender Cortney Casey (9-7, fighting out of Maui, Hawaii) takes on exciting finisher Gillian Robertson (7-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Niagara Falls, Ont., Canada)
• In an exciting featherweight bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, Matt Frevola (8-1-1, fighting out of Long Island, N.Y.) takes on Frank Camacho (22-8, fighting out of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands)
• In a clash of women’s flyweight contenders, No. 5 ranked Roxanne Modafferi (24-17, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) meets No. 6 Lauren Murphy (12-4, fighting out of Houston, Tex.)
• In a battle of lightweight prospects, Austin Hubbard (11-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) faces undefeated UFC newcomer Max Rohskopf (5-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.)

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

###

About UFC^®

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

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the 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.

HALL-OF-FAME promoter Frank Warren has responded to Tyson Fury’s sensational Lockdown Lowdown interview where he declared he’d beat “cash cow” Anthony Joshua and called WBC mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte a “stocky plodder”.

Fury also suggested, in comments picked up by the national press, that by beating AJ he would be landing a potentially fatal blow to Joshua’s promoters.

Whilst Fury’s promoter Warren was coy on the effect a huge Tyson victory over AJ would have on his business rivals, he was keen to point out Queensberry had no concerns about their own future.

“At Queensberry we couldn’t be happier with our hand” he said, “We’ve got the number one Heavyweight in World Boxing, Tyson Fury, and we’ve got the next big superstar in Daniel Dubois.”

Warren has long hailed ‘Dynamite’ as the future of the Heavyweight division and recently caused a stir when he insisted he’d happily match the youngster with Deontay Wilder right away and still be confident of a KO victory for Dubois.

“We’ve got this 22 year old kid in Daniel Dubois and he’s top ten with the organising bodies, The Ring magazine have today said he’s ‘on the cusp’ of their Top Ten.

“He’s the hottest prospect in boxing and he’s knocking on the door of the big boys already. 

“I’ve said it before, he’ll have a world title shot within a year or two.”

Stablemate Fury clearly shares Warren’s assessment of Dubois and the threat he poses to the “big boys”, telling the Lockdown Lowdown that domestic rival Dillian Whyte should be less concerned about his mandatory WBC title shot and instead focused on the growing threat of ‘Dynamite’.

He said: “When the time comes, I’ll put him (Whyte) in his place. Until then I think he’ll have plenty more to worry about with the likes of Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce and Povetkin who he’s fighting next.”

Asked whether he’d consider Whyte as an opponent for Dubois, Warren wasted no time in saying “absolutely” but says he understands Dillian’s frustration at not getting a world title shot.

“It’s incredible what’s happened with him really. He was ranked number one with the WBO for God knows how long, ranked number one with the WBC and he’s just not got the fights. If I were him, I’d be asking the question… ‘Why hasn’t my promoter been able to get me those fights?’ 

“He’s on about suing the WBC, but they don’t seem to be the problem.

“It’s remarkable, really. I can’t think of another British fighter who’s been left out to dry as much as him. He was in the same stable as the WBO Champion and still couldn’t get a shot.

“You can see why he’s upset. He doesn’t feel he’s been looked after. At this point, Dillian must be wondering if he’s ever going to get a world title shot over there.”

Warren was clear that if Whyte was fighting under his banner, the situation would be different.

“If Dillian was with me, he would have fought for a world title by now”, he added.

Comparing Whyte’s fortunes to that of Tyson Fury, whose astonishing comeback was masterminded by Warren, he said: “I had Tyson Fury fighting for a world title within 6 months of signing with him, we kept him nice and active and then got him the Wilder fight.

“Look what’s happened since, Tyson is an absolute global superstar on the verge of the biggest contract in boxing history.”

Reverting back to his confidence in the future of Queensberry Promotions, Warren ended by saying simply: “We always look to do the best job for our fighters and give them the best chance for success at world level and to make good money for them and their families.

“That’s why we think we’re in such a good place going forward.”