Former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev will take on Sullivan Barrera on April 25th at The Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California. The bout will headline a massive cards that will also feature four world title bouts, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Kovalev wrote on social media on Wednesday that the fight had been signed and later said, “I am happy to get back in the ring and to be on my way back to world championship bouts. Barrera is a Cuban fighter and, even though I never faced any Cuban fighters as a professional, back in amateur days it was always Russian boxers competing with Cuban boxers, so I’m looking forward to remembering my amateur boxing. I’m very glad to be back and to bring my boxing to my fans on April 25.”

Main Events CEO Kathy Duva, Kovalev’s promoter and Barrera’s former promoter, who is working with Golden Boy on the fight, added, “Because Sullivan Barrera spent most of his professional career with Main Events, a fight between Kovalev and Barrera is something that we naturally anticipated would happen for a very long time. And so here we are! This is a really solid fight between two action fighters who have never turned down a challenge.

“This will be the most important fight of my career because I have always pursued a fight with Sergey Kovalev,” Barrera said. “I know that he has to win this fight in order to continue with his career, but the case is the same with me. It is very important to win this fight, which for me would be like becoming a world champion. That’s what it means for me to finally face Kovalev. I also want to thank Golden Boy for believing in me and my team, and for giving us the opportunity that we have always wanted, which is to fight Kovalev.”

Beside the main event, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya said he was excited by the depth of the card.

“For this huge event, we’ll have fighters from four different continents battling it out for world titles from all four sanctioning bodies,” De La Hoya said. “Fans of professional boxing will be treated to a banquet of big fights headlined by Sergey Kovalev versus Sullivan Barrera, along with the returns of world champions such as Patrick Teixeira, Rene and Felix Alvarado, and Chayaphon Moonsri (also known as Wanheng Menayothin).”

In the co-feature, Teixeira (31-1, 22 KOs), 29, a southpaw from Brazil, will make the first defense of his junior middleweight world title against mandatory challenger Brian Castano (16-0-1, 12 KOs), 30, of Argentina.

“I am very happy and excited to defend my world title for the very first time,” said Teixeira, who recently signed a contract extension with Golden Boy. “I worked very hard to become a world champion, and I won’t let anyone take that away from me. I know that Castano, as my mandatory challenger, is tough and experienced, but my team and I are more than ready to go to war and deliver a great performance.”

Junior lightweight world titlist Rene Alvarado (32-8, 21 KOs), 31, of Nicaragua, and twin brother and junior flyweight world titlist Felix Alvarado (35-2, 30 KOs) will defend their titles on the same card. Rene Alvarado knocked out Andrew Cancio in the seventh round in November to win a 130-pound title and will make his first defense against Roger Gutierrez (24-3-1, 20 KOs), 24, of Venezuela, who has won five fights in a row.

Felix Alvarado, who signed with Golden Boy last month, will make the second defense of his 108-pound world title against former strawweight titlist DeeJay Kriel (16-1-1, 8 KOs), 24, of South Africa. Kriel won his strawweight belt in February 2018 by 12th-round knockout of Carlos Licona but never defended, instead vacating in order to move up in weight.

Menayothin (54-0, 18 KOs), 34, of Thailand, who boasts the longest active unbeaten streak in boxing, will defend his strawweight world title for the 13th time when he squares off with Marco John Rementizo (12-3, 9 KOs), 20, of the Philippines. Menayothin signed with Golden Boy late last year and the fight will be his first outside of Thailand.

Also on the card:

• Former junior lightweight world titlist Alberto Machado (22-2, 18 KOs), 29, of Puerto Rico, will face fellow southpaw Cristian Baez (18-1, 17 KOs), 28, of Venezuela, in a 10-round lightweight fight. Machado is seeking his second win in a row since moving up in weight after losing his title by knockout to Cancio and then getting knocked out again in the immediate rematch last June.

• Junior featherweight Diego De La Hoya (22-1, 10 KOs), 25, of Mexico, a first cousin of Oscar De La Hoya, will face Manuel “Tino” Avila (23-2-1, 8 KOs), 27, of Fairfield, California, in a 10-rounder.

• Middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. (15-3, 9 KOs), 29, of Pomona, California, the son of former three-division world champion and 2020 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Shane Mosley Sr., will have his first fight since signing with Golden Boy last month. He will face Abraham Cordero (13-5-2, 7 KOs), 25, of Mexico, in an eight-rounder.

• Junior featherweight Hector Valdez (12-0, 8 KOs), 24, of Dallas, will face an opponent to be determined in an eight-round bout.

BROOKLYN (March 4, 2020) – Undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki and Robert Helenius took part in a fight week media workout Wednesday before they meet in a WBA Heavyweight title eliminator headlining FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes this Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Also participating in the workout were heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba and Razvan Cojanu, who battle in the co-main event, plus rising heavyweight Frank Sanchez, who takes on Joey Dawejko to open the night of heavyweight action at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase now at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn:

ADAM KOWNACKI

“It’s been a hard camp and we’ve been doing extra strength and conditioning to make sure I’m ready. We also worked hard on our skills like we always do. It’s all going to add up to a great fight on Saturday.

“It’s great to be headlining on FOX. We’ve done a lot of promotion and I love doing interviews with the media. I definitely want to make the most of being on this stage.

“Right now I’m just focused on Robert Helenius. It’s going to be a tough test and a tall test. I have to be ready to exact my game plan and pass the test.

“His jab is the main thing I’m focused on. If I can get past his jab, I think I’m going to have a lot of success. When I get inside, I’m going to punish him and If I get the chance, I’ll be ready to end the fight.

“I want to fight the best. My team will talk about what’s next for me and what kind of step up I can get. Right now I’m just focused on March 7 and what’s going to be in front of me.

“The support here in Brooklyn keeps getting bigger and I love it. It shows that if you’re a kid from Brooklyn, you can make your dreams come true. Hard work is all it takes.

“Of course there’s pressure on me fighting at home. But if you want to be great, you have to perform in those situations. It’s going to keep getting bigger and bigger and I’m going to keep putting the work in get better and better.”

ROBERT HELENIUS

“I’m going to stick and move and show off my boxing skills. We’ve been training to take advantage of the flaws in his defense and if the opportunity comes for the knockout, we’ll take it. We’ve trained hard to make sure I have the stamina to take advantage even if it’s the final round.

“Adam had a tough fight with Chris Arreola and he’s getting getting more and more experience. He’s a hungry fighter and I think that’s going to make it a great fight for the fans.

“I have a lot of experience in the pros and amateurs from 20 years of being in the sport. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym and in the ring and it’s going to help me on Saturday.

“I can’t let him get too close to me. I’m going to try to control the distance. I’ve done everything I needed to in training so that I’m at my best on Saturday.

“I’m only focused on this fight against Kownacki. I’ve made the mistake of looking ahead to future fights and overlooking an opponent. That’s an easy way to lose. I’m not going down that road.

“The jab will be my biggest weapon. I have to use it to setup the hard right behind it. I’ve had so many rounds in sparring working on everything, I don’t even know how many rounds it is.

“Every heavyweight hits hard, but I think that Adam is more about volume. I have to be ready for the knockout punch, but he’s more focused on breaking down an opponent and overwhelming them with punches.”

EFE AJAGBA

“I’m very excited for this opportunity to be here for this fight. This is another big opportunity for me on Saturday night. I’ve watched the mistakes of my last fight and I worked hard to get better for Saturday night.

“Every fight is good experience for me. I wasn’t happy with my performance in my last fight. I want to deliver the best that I can every time I fight.

“Ronnie Shields is the best in the game. Sometimes I forget to follow the game plan but he’s good at getting my attention and making sure I get back on track. He knows what I have to do to win each fight.

“My head movement and footwork are the big things I’ve focused on since my last fight. I know I have to put them together to be as good as I can defensively. I also need to make sure I’m throwing combinations, instead of just one punch at a time.”

RAZVAN COJANU

“It’s been a long journey for me training the last six or seven weeks for this fight. I sparred in camp with Charles Martin and with Frank Sanchez and it’s been great. I couldn’t ask to be in better shape than I am right now.

“This is heavyweight boxing, so nobody is invincible. People talk like Efe like he’s supernatural, but I saw his last six or seven fights, he’s a strong fighter, but I think that I’m going to give my best performance Saturday night.

“I really sacrificed myself in this training camp and for this fight. I’m 100 percent mentally focused and I’m going to be 100 percent ready on fight night.

“My experience should help me on fight night. I’ve been unlucky in some of my past fights, because I had almost no training camp before fighting. Right now I’ve had a great camp and I have an important fight in front of me.

“My night is coming this Saturday night. I believe it’s all come together toward this moment. Boxing is not easy, we suffer in training camp. I did everything necessary to have my best camp and have my best fight against Ajagba.”

FRANK SANCHEZ

“We’ve done amazing work in camp with Eddy Reynoso and his team. It’s been fantastic. They welcomed me with open arms and have taught me a lot already.

“I’ve watched Dawejko fight and seen what he likes to do in the ring. The only thing I can say for sure is that he doesn’t have the conditioning that I have.

“This is another step in my career onto bigger things. I need to look sharp and I plan on taking the work from training camp and putting it into my performance.

“I feel like I’m ready for a world title fight right now. I can’t look past this fight though. This is a big platform for me and I know that I have to take care of business.”

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ABOUT KOWNACKI VS. HELENIUS
Kownacki vs. Helenius will see undefeated Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki look to thrill his hometown crowd when he takes on Robert Heleniusin a 12-round WBA Heavyweight Title eliminator in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

FOX PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba facing former title challenger Razvan Cojanu in the 10-round co-main event and rising heavyweight Frank Sánchez stepping in to face Philadelphia’s Joey Dawejko in the 10-round televised opener.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

JOSH TAYLOR V APINUN KHONGSONG: PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Josh Taylor defends his unified IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine belts in a homecoming occasion at the Hydro in Glasgow on May 2 against the unbeaten Thai ApinunKhongsong.

Taylor and the undercard fighters gathered today in Glasgow to preview the huge show, live on BT Sport, and below are a selection of the quotes.

Nathan Gorman

It is definitely good to be back and it has been a long time coming. It will be good to get back out under the lights on such a big show, with Josh defending his titles in Glasgow, so it is good to come back on such a good card. Hopefully I will get a good fight, dust off the cobwebs and get back into the mix this year. That is the idea. Losing to Daniel Dubois was obviously a bitter pill to swallow because losing your 0 is not nice, but it is one of those things and I have taken it as experience, being only 23 years of age. In heavyweight terms I am still a baby and, as long as I move forward, that is my aim.

Sunny Edwards

Josh, first and foremost, is a phenomenal fighter and has been since the amateur days. As someone who knows him personally I am proud of what he has achieved. I was quite surprised when I got offered a fight up in Glasgow on this date and was pleasantly surprised when I saw who the other fighters were on the bill. Everyone sat up here – except Steven Donnelly from Ireland – was on Team GB at some point and mostly at the same time as me. It just shows the strength in depth we have in this country.  To be on the same card as my stablemate Lee is a big thing and I have come up to Glasgow three times in the past for his fights. All the fighters on this card have taken opportunities early, taken risks early and that is why they are sitting where they are sitting. I’m trying to get big meaningful fights and I worked so hard to get the British title in my possession that I don’t want to give it back and want to win it outright.

Steven Donnelly

Troy has got a great record and you have to respect that. I know he has power where I have my boxing ability and I think that is what will pay off in this fight. It is a great fan-friendly fight and everyone was excited for it when it was announced. This is what I live for and what I have been asking for since my first few fights. There is no point fighting journeymen your whole career and, after this fight, every onewill be massive. If you take risks you will get rewards and that is what I’ve done. I had a great amateur career and I just knew I had the talent. We will respect each other and may the best man win on the night. I can’t wait for it.

Troy Williamson

Steven is a great fighter who has been to the Commonwealth Games at three different weights so he has got the boxing ability there and it will be a great fight, as he said. I don’t worry about his boxing ability because I can box myself and I have been in with world class amateurs too. It is not a three round fight, it is a ten rounder, so you can be as good an amateur as you like because it is the professional game. I have a lot of respect but on the night I will show I am the better fighter.

Willy Hutchinson

It will be good to fight at home sweet home because I only live about 20 minutes away and have a lot of friends and family here. It is time to shine. I’ve had 11 fights now and all I need to do is listen to Dominic Ingle and my manager Shelly Finkel, then I don’t think I can go wrong. Keeping on grafting in the gym is the only way forward for me, then titles will come and I will be ready. I’ve got big dreams and I am ready to accomplish them.  When I moved to Sheffield it was all new for me, but I was looked after and there was always someone doing stuff for me. I am married now and I am getting my washing washed and not sleeping in the same underpants for three nights solid! It has worked out for the good and I am happy. She buys me fresh pyjamas from time to time so I have hit the jackpot!

Lee McGregor

First of all the Farooq fight was a fantastic one to be involved in and all of the UK were impressed with how good a fight it was. It was close and I had to dig deep and I got it on a split decision. I feel like everyone is entitled to an opinion I can accept, but some folk are coming on saying things I don’t agree with. It is something I am more than happy to put right if we get that chance with hopefully something bigger at stake next time. Having the British and Commonwealth titles means a lot and when I turned professional I didn’t imagine I would have then after just eight fights. It is massive for me and I am not finished yet. I want a big 2020 with more titles. I am glad to be on the same bill as Josh and bringing the big cards back to Scotland. I have learned so much off of Josh and will continue to do that.

Josh Taylor

It is good to be back here in Glasgow for the first time since unifying because I thought I would have been away in America. I am delighted to be back here having a homecoming sort of fight to treat my friends and family before going Stateside to chase the big fights. I am really excited to be part of a great card and the talent on the undercard is brilliant. It will be a great night of boxing so make sure you tune in. I believe I am going to get the result and take care of business, so I have to remain focused and get the job done. He has had 16 fights with 13 knockouts and I don’t know much more than that. He looks pretty tall and stands tall, but it is hard to judge the quality of the opponents he has been in with because there isn’t great footage. He looks like he carries a lot of power, to be honest, and punches correctly through the target. From the bits I have seen he has rocked his opponents so he looks like he carries power. He will have my full attention and I must make sure I am switched on because if I don’t get this job done then my dreams and ambitions are shattered.——————————–

Tickets on sale via ticketmaster.co.uk.

Ticket Prices:

£300 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£200 – Floor
£150 – Floor
£100 – Tier
£80 – Tier
£50 – Tier
£30 – Tier

WBO No.2 ranked contender Zach Parker (18-0, 12 KOs) came face to face with No.1 ranked Rohan Murdock (24-1, 17 KOs) for the first time at today’s press conference ahead of their super middleweight clash on Saturday March 7th at the Manchester Arena, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

The Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel played host to the final press conference where the undefeated former British Champion Parker was in high spirits speaking to the assembled media as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.

“I’d like to thank Team Sauerland, Matchroom and Sky Sports for putting on the fight,” said Parker. “I’m ready for Saturday night and I’m going to put on a show for everyone. This is number 1 and number 2 going at it and the winner hopefully get’s the world title shot. That’s what I’m in boxing for, the big nights!”

Australia’s Rohan Murdock has previously held the WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title and hopes that a successful UK debut will propel him towards a World title shot.

“This is a huge fight and I look forward to putting myself on the level where I belong,” said the Queensland native. “I expect he’s going to come out boxing but I’m sticking to my game plan and I’m confident I’ll come out with the win.”

Nisse Sauerland, Parker’s promoter, is confident his fighter will once again put on a show at the Manchester Arena, having won with a second round KO over Adasat Rodriguez when he last fought at the arena in 2018.

“This matchup promises to be the fight of the night and everyone watching in the arena and on Sky and DAZN is in for a treat!”

Eddie Hearn, President of Matchroom, said: “Zach Parker has looked like one of the best UK prospects for a long time; This is a great 50/50 fight and a huge opportunity for both men to step up and land a World title shot.”

Parker vs. Murdock is part of a huge night of action in Manchester.

Main event sees Scott Quigg (35-2-2, 26 KOs) take on Jono Carroll (17-1-1, 3 KOs) in an exciting Super-Featherweight matchup, Manchester Heavyweight contender Hughie Fury (23-3, 13 KOs) returns as he looks to fight his way back into title action in 2020, Liverpool Super-Welterweight talent Anthony Fowler (11-1, 8 KOs) continues his hunt for a rematch with Scott Fitzgerald, Sheffield Super-Lightweight starlet Dalton Smith (4-0, 3 KOs) looks to go 5-0, Bolton’s Jack Cullen (17-2, 8 KOs) returns after his FOTY contender with Felix Cash, ‘The Albanian Bear’ Reshat Mati (6-0, 4 KO’s) makes his UK debut in a Welterweight contest, Ricky Hatton-trained Super-Featherweight Ibrahim Nadim (1-0) looks to impress and there’s action for Oldham Lightweight Aqib Fiaz (4-0) and Liverpool Super-Flyweight Blane Hyland (2-0), with more fights to be announced soon.

Tickets priced £40, £60, £100 and £200 (VIP) are available to purchase now via Manchester Arena (www.manchester-arena.com), StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).

IRVINE, TX (March 4, 2020) – Fort Worth born-and-bred boxer Sam Clarkson Jr. was highly motivated by the wrong forces growing up. He was heading down dangerous Dallas roads, ones that could potentially not only derail his life, but spoil his boxing talents as well.

Before the Cedar HIll native found the sweet science at the age of 17, he was already going in and out of jail.

Reflecting on his regressions today, Clarkson Jr. is not proud of his decisions, but he doesn’t regret them either because it made him the stronger.

Non-profit organization Ring Of Hope was created in 2010 to help kids like Clarkson Jr. in the greater Dallas area escape trouble. Over the last decade, Ring Of Hope has transformed communities and changed the lives of the youth by educating, empowering and engaging students through the fundamentals of boxing.

Clarkson Jr. is proof of the promise that Ring Of Hope presents. He embodies the organization’s mission , and now, Clarkson Jr. (22-5, 15 KOs) will headline Ring Of Hope’s ninth annual “Night To Fight” on Saturday, March 7 when he takes on the Freddie Roach-trained Israel Duffus (19-6, 16 KOs) at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas.

“It’s truly a huge blessing to headline Ring of Hope’s event,” said Clarkson Jr. “It’s great to see how Ring of Hope opens its doors to everyone and people of all different backgrounds. I want to become a part of a movement to show kids who may have troubled backgrounds that boxing accepts you no matter who you are.”

The light heavyweight Clarkson is a nine-year veteran who’s defeated the likes of Cedric Agnew and also challenged Dmitry Bivol and Jesse Hart in the past.

Before the 29-year-old southpaw appeared multiple times under the bright lights of Showtime television, he racked up an amateur record of 89-9 and won the National Pals in 2009 and the Ringside silver medal in 2010. Clarkson is also a two-time Texas Golden Gloves champion.

“I was a firecracker always up for a fight,” said Clarkson Jr. “I turned a negative into a positive. When I got introduced to boxing, it was mine, and I have stayed out of trouble for the last 13 years. Boxing has changed my life. For kids who are like me when I was growing up, if you have the right passion, there are no limitations to who you can become.”

Clarkson Jr. has frequented Ring of Hope gyms ever since its inception, whether it be for sparring, reconnecting with coaches and old friends or simply speaking and guiding children.

“A lot of the kids at Ring of Hope look up to me because I am a professional boxer. It feels great to motivate them,” said Clarkson Jr. “Ring of Hope is a great platform to help kids escape the streets. I take my hat off to them.

“I’ve returned to my comfort zone with spirituality. I’ve been reading the Bible a lot more and believe that God will set-up everything for me as a family man and a provider. I’ve fallen short a lot in the past, but ever since I’ve refocused my career, everything is falling back into place. I’m excited, and I can’t wait to put on a great show. Everyone will be pleased to see my skills. I’ll be coming to make a statement. I’m coming with a chip on my shoulder and I’m looking to dominate.”

Clarkson Jr. will attempt to conquer the Panamanian pugilist Duffus, a 27-year-old who’s been training with the Hall of Fame coach Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles ever since he permanently moved to the United States in 2014.

“The last few years have been rough for me. I split with my wife, and we have two very young children. The last thing on my mind in the middle of the storm was boxing,” said Duffus. “My personal issues were affecting me, but I’m doing better now, and I’m focused on putting my career back on track.”

Duffus was riding an eight-fight winning from 2017 and 2018 before his problems outside of the ring took over. He lost his next two fights by unanimous decision. Finally in a better place, he’s looking to bounce back versus Clarkson Jr.

“Freddie has a lot of confidence in me and my talent,” said Duffus, who also has an amateur record of 98-10. “He tells me exactly what I need to do to take advantage of my opponent, and that’s what I plan on doing March 7.”

Also to be featured in separate bouts are welterweights Jessy Martinez (14-0, 9 KOs) and Brandyn Lynch (10-1, 8 KOs), cruiserweight Robin Safar (10-0, 7 KOs) and heavyweight Patrick Mailata (4-0, 2 KOs), Austin-based super lightweight Robert Kevin Garcia (6-0, 5 KOs) and the Corpus Christi-based lightweight John Rincon (4-0, 2 KOs).

Night To Fight will be available live on Integrated Sports Pay Per View on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH in the United States, Shaw PPV in Canada and worldwide via the FITE.TV app and website.

Hall of Fame Showtime TV broadcaster Al Bernstein, former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi and LA Times and Boxing Scene journalist and writer Manouk Akopyan will call the action from ringside.

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Limited tickets and VIP dinner tables can be obtained through a sponsorship to Ring of Hope. For more information, go to www.ringofhope.com.

The Toyota Music Factory is located at 300 West Las Colinas Boulevard in Irving, Texas.

For more information on sponsorships, volunteering or to enroll a child in a Ring of Hope program, please email info@ringofhope.com. To provide a safe place for youth in the Dallas Fort Worth area to participate in after school boxing programs, click here to donate.

For up to date information, news and developments, visit www.RingOfHope.com, and follow along online on the following Ring of Hope platforms—Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Night To FIght PPV Promo
? Night To Fight 2020 promo video
? Highlights from previous Ring of Hope Night To Fight events

? Photos from 2019 Night To Fight, which took place Feb. 28 at the Frontiers Of Flight Museum in Dallas. The fight card featured undefeated prospects, former US Olympians and the likes of Hall of Famer fighter Thomas Hearn and The First Lady of Boxing Jackie Kallen in attendance.

ABOUT RING OF HOPE: Founded in 2010 by Steve Bolos, Ring of Hope is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate, empower and engage the youth through the fundamentals of boxing. With two gym locations—the South Dallas Club and the Colony Club—Ring of Hope emphasises on leadership development, fitness programs and community outreach while teaching the discipline of boxing. The locations also provide a safe place for youth in the Dallas Fort Worth area to participate in after school boxing programs. Through the sweet science, Ring of Hope’s coaches and volunteers empower youth to become more committed to health, fitness and wellness while also inspiring them to become more engaged in their community.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (March 4, 2020) – The long-awaited professional debut of decorated amateur Angel Gonzalez, Jr. will take place Friday night, March 20, on the “Fight Night In Framingham” card, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP), at Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts.

“Fight Night In Framingham”, the first pro boxing event ever in Framingham, is being held for the benefit of Fighting Life, an after-school youth boxing and academic empowerment program, available 100-percent free of charge, to students beginning in elementary school through high school education.

Gonzalez hasn’t fought in three years, since he moved from his native Hartford, CT to Florida. “It took me a while to settle in after I moved to Florida,” Gonzalez explained. “I’ve been going to a gym and now I’m on track and coming back to turn pro. I have the talent for bigger and better things.”

The 26-year-olldf super flyweight had a 45-6 amateur record, highlighted by three New England Golden Gloves, two Ringside National and 2014 National PAL championships.

The problem for Gonzalez, though, is finding appropriate opponents, especially where he was a standout amateur. Right now, he’s still without a signed opponent, largely because there are so few 115-pound boxers in America outside of California and the Southwest. “Most super flyweights are from Mexico, Japan, or other foreign countries,” Gonzalez said. “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. I can slug or box, depending on my opponent. If he’s taller, I’ll fight on the inside; if shorter, I’ll box from the outside. I’ll adjust to my opponent. My best punch is my right. It’s solid and deadly.”

“I’ve offered this fight to guys with 5 to 10 fights and after consideration,” promoter Chuck Shearns explained, “they have declined to fight Angel. These lower weight classes can be hard enough to match, never mind against Angel. What you find is that these smaller guys need to step up their competition earlier than other weight classes, because it’s simply a smaller pool of fighters. We will see what Angel has very early in his career.”

Two unbeaten pro “graduates” of the Fighting Life Boxing Program, super featherweights Timmy Ramos (5-0-2, 5 KOs) and Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs), will be in action, respectively, in the main event and co-featured event.

Ramos, fighting out of Framingham, was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. He is in the 6-round, main event against super Carlos Marrero, III (2-3-1), of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Perez, who comes from nearby Marlboro, MA, is another New England Golden Gloves champion, who will be fighting Indianapolis lightweight DeWayne Wisdom (7-52-2, 3 KOs) in the 6-round. co-featured event. Perez faces

Boston heavyweight Tracey Johnson (4-7-6), whose brother is past Olympian and reigning WBO super middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade, faces Larry “Hitman” Pryor (11-22-5, 5 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

Albania-born super middleweight Kastriot “Slaughterhouse” Xhema, fighting out of Greenwich, CT, makes his pro boxing debut against Framingham favorite, Brazilian-born Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-10-3, 20-11 in MMA) in a 4-round battle of mixed-martial-arts fighters.

Revere, MA super middleweight Jarel “Sandman” Pemberton (3-0, 1 KO), also a past New England Golden Gloves champion, faces Leandro Silva (2-3, 2 KOs) in a 4-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round matches, is Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (6-1, 3 KOs) vs. Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (9-12-4, 7 KOs), Worcester, MA super featherweight Ranse Andino (1-1) vs. Henry Garcia (0-5-1), of New Bedford, MA.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets prices are $75,.00 ringside (rows 1-3), $60.00 (seated), $45.00 standing room, and VIP tables (of 10) for $1000.00 and may be purchased HERE, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first fight at 7 p.m. ET.

Street Light Ventures is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include Bernardi Auto Group, East Coast Herbalist, Tecate, Ashwood Advisors LLC and A Affordable Insurance.

Atlantic City, NJ (March 4, 2020)– Local favorite Anthony “Juice” Young will take on Jorge Martin Garcia in the eight-round welterweight co-feature bout, this Saturday night, March 7th at Ballys Atlantic City Hotel and Casino.

The show, which is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions will be headlined by a eight-round South Jersey Super Middleweight Showdown between Derrick Webster (28-2, 14 KOs) of Glassboro and Gabriel Pham (11-2, 5 KOs) of Atlantic City

Young has a record of 21-2 with eight knockouts. The 32 year-old Young is a nine-year professional who has wins over Jose Javier Calderon (4-1) and his last bout when he burst into contendership when he stopped former junior middleweight world champion Sadam Ali (27-2) in three rounds on May 4th in Las Vegas.

Young will be making his 13th appearance in Atlantic City.

Garcia of Buenos Aries, Argentina, has a record of 13-7-1 with three knockouts. The 35 year-old Garcia is a 14 year veteran who has shared the ring with two-time world title challenger Fernando Saucedo and former world title challenger Juan Jose Velasco. Garcia is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Dario Baigorria on October 19th in Buenos Aries. This will be Garcia’s 1st fight outside of Argentina.

This will be 1st card staged by Hard Hitting Promotions as part of a series of boxing events at Ballys Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. Hard Hitting Promotions has grown into one of the biggest promotions in the Tri-Sate Area as they have been the 1st to promote fights at SugarHouse Casino, The Filmore and Met Philadelphia. Hard Hitting Promotions also was the last promoter to host fights at The Tropicana in Atlantic City and spearheaded the 1st ShoBox: The Generation card in Philadelphia.

In six-round Bouts:

Jeremy Cuevas (12-1, 9 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Nestor Hugo Paniagua (26-9-2, 17 KOs) of Santa Fe, Argentina in an lightweight bout.

Christian Tapia (10-0, 9 KOs) of Coamo, Puerto Rico fights Carlos Colon (5-2, 2 KOs) of Hatillo, Puerto Rico in a super featherweight contest.

Thomas Velasquez (9-0-1, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia squares off with Gustavo Molina (24-21, 9 KOs) of Tlaxcala, Mexico in a lightweight fight.

Isiah Seldon (13-3-1, 4 KOs) of Atlantic City fights Darryl Bunting (4-6-2, 2 KOs) of Asbury Park, NJ in a six-round super middleweight fight.

In four-round bouts:

Benny Sinakin (5-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Leroy Jones (3-7, 2 KOs) of Saint Louis in a light heavyweight contest.

THE WEIGH IN WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY AT THE BOOK AT BALLYS AT 3 PM ET

Tickets are on sale now for $100 for VIP, $65 for Ringside and $50 for VIP and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com and at The Caesars Box Office.

March 4, 2020) — Combate SPACE has had a presence in Latin America since 1991, and now they are about to start their 2020 season with new events and new faces, always live from ringside, which is in the DNA of the show.

The biggest news this 30th season of the show is the landmark agreement just signed between SPACE and Top Rank, the preeminent global player in the world of boxing. The company was established by Bob Arum, a true boxing legend who has promoted the likes of Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marvin Hagler. 

This is great news for thousands of fans, as they will have the opportunity to see Top Rank stars such as Vasiliy Lomachenko, Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, Teofimo Lopez, Artur Beterbiev, Eleider Alvarez, Oscar Valdez, Miguel Berchelt, Alex Saucedo, Jose Ramirez and Shakur Stevenson.

Combate SPACE’s new season will kick off on Saturday, March 14, with a world championship fight featuring rising superstar Stevenson defending his WBO featherweight world title against Colombian slugger Miguel Marriaga. 

Said Mariano César, VP Content & Brands Portfolio General Entertainment, Turner Latin America: “We are very pleased to start this year with a partnership with a key player such as Top Rank. We know this will translate into a great offering for boxing fans in Latin America. We have already confirmed several world-class fights that will take place over the next few months in order to make good on our promise to bring audiences the best boxing fights, with a local outlook and right from ringside.” 

Bob Arum, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Chairman of Top Rank, said: “We are honored to be partnering with SPACE to bring Top Rank’s roster of champions and hungry young fighters to boxing fans across Latin America. Boxing is a truly global sport, and this deal will help build our fighters into global superstars.”

In addition to the above, Combate SPACE, the record-breaking pay-TV show in Latin America, will continue to offer what audiences expect: high-quality images, ringside presence, the passion and experience of Victor Silva and Paco Gonzalez, and the best coverage and pre-fight news on Facebook (facebook.com/combatespace), Instagram and Twitter (@canalspace), including videos, photos and comments. The show’s social media presence is completed with a YouTube channel, which will feature exclusive material, as well as Combate SPACE’s original production specials. 

March 14: Stevenson vs. Marriaga

Combate SPACE will start the year with a fight that is all about “youth vs. experience,” featuring Shakur Stevenson (USA) and Miguel Marriaga (Colombia), live from Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs) won the WBO featherweight championship last October in a dominant performance against Joet Gonzalez and will be making his first title defense. Stevenson captured a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and Gold at the Pre-Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

Marriaga (29-3, 25 KOs) is a three-time world title challenger, having fallen short in valiant efforts against Vasiliy Lomachenko, Oscar Valdez and Nicholas Walters. He has won four consecutive bouts — all by KO — since the Lomachenko defeat.

March 28: Beterbiev vs. Meng

Two world titles will be at stake, as WBC/IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will battle No. 1 contender Meng Fanlong, live from Quebec City, Canada. The Russian-born Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) is currently boxing’s only champion with a 100 percent KO ratio. His latest victim was Oleksandr Gvozdyk (Ukraine), whom he toppled last October via 10th-round knockout. 

The challenger has also remained undefeated as a pro for 16 fights. Nicknamed “Cold Blood”, with several fights in the U.S. under his belt, Meng seeks to become the first male world champion from China to win a world title in a weight class above featherweight.

April 25: Inoue vs. Casimero

The third fight of the year will take place at the Mecca of modern boxing, Las Vegas, and will feature WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue hoping to unify titles against WBO world champion Johnriel Casimero. Inoue has an impeccable 14-0 record in championship fights and 8-0 when fighting world champions and former world champions (including Omar Narvaez, Juan Carlos Payano and Emmanuel Rodriguez). Last November, he defeated Nonito Donaire via unanimous decision in what was regarded as the best fight of the year. 

Casimero previously won championships in other two divisions (light flyweight and flyweight) and holds a 7-2 record in world title fights and a 5-3 record in fights against world champions. He has not lost a fight since 2017 and has won five consecutive fights, all of them by KO. Casimero most recently knocked out Zolani Tete in the third round to capture the WBO belt.

May 9: Ramirez vs. Postol

The fourth event confirmed by Top Rank will feature WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez and former world champion Viktor “The Iceman” Postol. Ramirez (25-0, 17 KOs) won the WBC championship when he beat Amir Imam in March 2018. Last July, he knocked out Maurice Hooker in six breathtaking rounds to unify the WBC and WBO world titles.

Ukraine-born Postol upset Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse  (Argentina) via knockout in October 2015 before losing his title the following year in a unification bout against Terence Crawford. Postol has won two in a row since a competitive decision defeat to current unified world champion Josh Taylor.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/canalspace; https://twitter.com/trboxing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canalspacela/; https://www.instagram.com/toprank/
Facebook Combate: http://www.facebook.com/combatespace
Facebook Space: http://www.facebook.com/canalspace.tv
Facebook Top Rank: https://www.facebook.com/trboxing/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/canalspacetv; https://www.youtube.com/trboxing

Plataformas de PR Combate SPACE:
Press Room: https://prensa.turner.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TurnerPrensa/
Twitter: @TurnerPrensa

ABOUT SPACE
Ever since it was first launched in 1991, SPACE has been a pioneer in Latin American pay-TV. The network, which brings the best action contents for an audience seeking powerful emotions, offers a mix of the most intense Hollywood movies, high-quality original productions, exclusive series, wrestling, big boxing events on Combate SPACE, and live football (on an exclusive basis for the Brazilian market). SPACE is targeted at viewers 18-49, and reaches 62.9 million subscribers in Latin America, in Spanish and Portuguese.

ABOUT TOP RANK
Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury.

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.

Terri Harper will make the first defence of her WBC Super-Featherweight World Title in an all-British showdown with Natasha Jonas at the Doncaster Dome in the latest instalment of the JD NXTGEN series on Friday April 24, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

Harper (10-0, 5 KOs) created history at the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield last month as she dethroned long-reigning World Champion Eva Wahlstrom to become the first British woman to win a WBC World Title and in doing so the Denaby native announced herself as a new star of British boxing. 

Jonas (9-1, 7 KOs), Great Britain’s first ever Olympic female boxer, bounced back from her sole career loss against Viviane Obenauf in 2018 with three wins in a row over Feriche Mashauri, Bec Connolly and Bianka Majlath, and the World Amateur Bronze Medallist is out to cause an upset on away territory.

“We’re not waiting around and I’m excited to go back to the Doncaster Dome where I made my professional debut,” said Harper. “It’s going to be a bit special making the first defence of my WBC World Title in front of my hometown fans in Doncaster – I’m looking forward to the reception that I’m going to receive. 

“Natasha had the loss against Viviane Obenauf but we’re not overlooking her because one loss doesn’t define you as a boxer. She’s going to come and try and get the win so we’ve got to train really hard for this and be prepared for the best Natasha. 

“There’s a bit of pressure on me as I’ve just won the WBC belt and I don’t want to lose it on my first defence. I’m going to train like I haven’t even won it yet. I haven’t had much time to sit back and think about it all, it’s been very hectic but it’s time to get back to the serious training next week.

“Hopefully we can start looking at other World Titles after April 24, but I just want to keep on enjoying what I’m doing, getting the wins, getting the experience under my belt and pushing forwards. I want to be fighting the best girls out there and challenging myself.”

“From what I’ve seen, Terri is young, fit and hungry,” said Jonas. “She’s explosive and quick and I rate her skill-wise as a boxer. I just obviously think I’m better! 

“I’m not going to give away any game plan and I’m sure she thinks she’s seen weaknesses in me too, but I won’t really talk about her weaknesses – it’s more about my strengths. If I enforce what I’m best at then what she’s good at won’t be relevant.

“This means everything. I got back into the professional side of boxing because I think there were things I didn’t achieve as an amateur that I wanted to. I’m trying to do so as a pro so I can say I’m happy with what I did. It’ll be tough. It always is. This is a tough sport. I just think I can do it. It’ll be a dream come true.”

Elsewhere on the card, undefeated Northampton talent Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) continues her march towards a World Title shot after winning WBC Final Eliminators in two separate divisions last year, British Title challenger Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs)takes on Rotherham’s Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs)as heaims to make his case for further title shots in 2020, Sheffield Welterweight Anthony Tomlinson (12-0, 7 KOs) returns after his British and Commonwealth Title Eliminator win, Sheffield’s rising Super-Lightweight starlet Dalton Smith (4-0, 3 KOs) stays busy, Leeds Featherweight Hopey Price (2-0, 1 KO) fights back in the UK after his appearance on this Ruiz vs. Joshua 2 undercard and popular Watford Super-Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) looks to build on her sensational KO win at York Hall in December. 

“We’re hugely excited for Terri Harper’s WBC Super-Featherweight Title clash against Natasha Jonas, a thrilling first defence for Britain’s new world champion against ‘Miss GB’,” said Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing Development.

“Terri continues her amazing success story, returning to her hometown as a World Champion after defeating Eva Wahlstrom in front of the Sky Sports cameras on an emotional evening in Sheffield.

“I watched Natasha’s enthralling encounter with Katie Taylor at the London 2012 Games, an electric atmosphere, and she will be determined to display her class in the biggest bout of her professional career. It’s another fantastic addition to our Saturday night schedule as we showcase some of Britain’s best boxing talent.”

Tickets priced £40 , £70 and £140 will be on sale at 3.00pm today via StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

NEW YORK (March 3, 2020) -This past Saturday night, one of boxing’s top prospects remained undefeated as super middleweight Diego Pacheco scored a shutout six-round unanimous decision over 34-fight veteran Oscar Riojas at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

The 18 year-old Pacheco, who is managed by Split-T Management, took his time against the durable Riojas. Standing 6’4″, Pacheco worked behind a jab that continuously found it’s target, for which Pacheco was able to follow with solid right hands. Pacheco won every round on all three judges scorecards to the tune of 60-54 tallies on all cards.

Pacheco started 2020 after a 2019 that saw him register seven wins, and one of the sport’s most active fighters is still perfect in nine fights in just over 14 months.

Pacheco figures to continue at a nice pace as he climbs up the rankings of most top-prospect lists.

The fight was featured on the DAZN streamed undercard that featured Mikey Garcia taking on Jessie Vargas.

Pacheco is promoted by Matchroom Boxing.

Photo by Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

Zach Parker has his sights set on Super Middleweight supremacy as the undefeated former British Champion looks to earn his first World Title shot when he takes on Australia’s Rohan Murdock this Saturday, March 7th at the Manchester Arena, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.
 
Parker (18-0, 12 KOs), ranked No.2 with the WBO, says he is in the shape of his life ahead of his crunch clash with the WBO No.1 Murdock (24-1, 17 KOs). The 25-year-old is relishing a return to Manchester, where he has previously enjoyed success, and is adamant his name will top the 168 lbs pile after March 7th.
 
“This has been the best camp I’ve ever had,” said the Derbyshire boxer. “I’m flying. All my gears are going and I can’t wait to get in there. I’m ready to rock and roll. I’ve had a longer camp this time and I’m in tremendous shape. I’ve been doing some different bag drills and a lot more sparring for this one.
 
“We’ve had former WBA World Champion Giovanni De Carolis over. It’s been great having someone with that kind of experience. I’ve also been sparring Jason Welborn, Lennox Clarke, Kieran Conway, and a couple of amateurs as well, so I’ve been mixing it up with different lads and different styles.
 
“I love the Manchester crowd. The stadium is always electric. This is where I fought Adasat Rodriguez on the Groves-Eubank undercard and knocked him out in the second round. It’s going to be good fighting back there again and hopefully I can get another stoppage win to make it two out of two.
 
“I’ve watched a bit of Murdock but I don’t really watch a lot of my opponents. I usually just concentrate on what I’m doing because every fight is different. He will probably bring a different game plan into this fight so I’ll be ready for whatever style he brings. I expect this to be my hardest fight so far but I’m ready to go. He’s won 24 out of 25 so you know it’s going to be a good fight.
 
“This is the most important fight of my career so far. He’s number one and I’m number two. We’re both going to go at it to see who can come out on top and get a shot at the title. I’m 100% confident I will be number one after March 7th.”
 
If successful, Parker will be eyeing a shot at the reigning WBO World Champion Billy Joe Saunders, an all British-showdown he says he would happily accept along with a clash with any of the division’s other top names including Callum Smith and Caleb Plant, or a mega-fight with Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who is rumoured to be boxing Saunders for the WBO belt in May.
 
“Billy Joe Saunders is definitely on my radar,” says Parker. “He’s a good fighter. He’s been there and done it. A two-weight World Champion. That’s the type of fight I want against top-level opposition. I would be open to fighting any of the big names. For me, it’s between Caleb Plant and Callum Smith for who’s best in the division. Callum Smith didn’t look too good against John Ryder, he looked a bit iffy, so I would have to go with Caleb Plant, but I would fight either.
 
“If Canelo decides to fight Saunders then he could be next for me. That’s the kind of fight you come into boxing for. Fighting under the big lights over in America. That’s a fight I would love and I think I would cause some problems for Canelo because of my awkward style. That’s 100% a fight I would love.”
 
Parker vs. Murdock is part of a huge night of action in Manchester.
 
Main event sees Scott Quigg (35-2-2, 26 KOs) take on Jono Carroll (17-1-1, 3 KOs) in an exciting Super-Featherweight matchup, Manchester Heavyweight contender Hughie Fury (23-3, 13 KOs) returns as he looks to fight his way back into title action in 2020, Liverpool Super-Welterweight talent Anthony Fowler (11-1, 8 KOs) continues his hunt for a rematch with Scott Fitzgerald, Sheffield Super-Lightweight starlet Dalton Smith (4-0, 3 KOs) looks to go 5-0, Bolton’s Jack Cullen (17-2, 8 KOs) returns after his FOTY contender with Felix Cash, ‘The Albanian Bear’ Reshat Mati (6-0, 4 KO’s) makes his UK debut in a Welterweight contest, Ricky Hatton-trained Super-Featherweight Ibrahim Nadim (1-0) looks to impress and there’s action for Oldham Lightweight Aqib Fiaz (4-0) and Liverpool Super-Flyweight Blane Hyland (2-0), with more fights to be announced soon.
 
Tickets priced £40, £60, £100 and £200 (VIP) are available to purchase now via Manchester Arena (www.manchester-arena.com), StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).

LONDON, UK – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, announced today that it will present its first LIVE championship boxing event in partnership with renowned UK boxing promoter Steve Wood of VIP Promotions on Saturday 21st March from Bolton, England.

The main attraction on the four-hour show from 21:00-01:00 features a highly anticipated English Bantamweight Championship and Eliminator for the British and Commonwealth Championships between Marc ‘Livewire’ Leach and Ashley ‘Flash’ Lane plus an action-packed undercard from the Premier Suite, Bolton Whites Hotel from 9:00 p.m. (GMT).

Exciting talent Leach (14-1-1, 3 KO’s) from Salford was a standout amateur and has built a solid professional 16-fight career record over five and half years. Last year he won his first pro title when he defeated veteran Brett Fidoe to claim the English Bantamweight crown and now makes the first defence of the title. The slick, switch-hitting, 25-year-old has his sights on the next level and challenging for British and Commonwealth Championship honours next but must defeat the highly-experienced Lane in a real test.

Lane (14-9-2, 1 KO) from Bristol is a former Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Champion and holds the edge in experience over his rival with 25 fights in his near nine-year career and crucially has fought 51 rounds over five championship contests. The battle-hardened 29-year-old has mixed in top domestic company against the likes of future champions Brad Foster, Josh Wale and Ryan Farrag and held the future WBA World Champion Gavin McDonnell to a draw.

The broadcast will also include some of the fights on the undercard that features an array of local, undefeated and fast-rising talents from the North West, including Oldham middleweight Jack Kilgannon; Bolton featherweight Osman Aslam; Wigan lightweight and female sensation Rhiannon Dixon; Manchester Cruiserweight Ryan Braidwood; Manchester bantamweight Tracey Webber; Oldham super-featherweight Huss Parvez; Dumfries heavyweight Mohammad Saleem; St Helen’s lightweight Adam Ridge; Wigan welterweight James Moorcroft and Blackpool light-heavyweight Jamie Mitchell.

Broadcasting on Fight Network in the UK, VIP Boxing Promotions joins brands and shows that appear on the UK channel including IMPACT Wrestling, Boxing World Weekly, Fight Star, Preston City Wrestling, Total Combat, Combate Americas, Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and many more.

The Fight Network UK is available on SKY Channel 192.

Tickets for the blockbuster clash between former World champions Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker go on pre-sale at noon tomorrow (Wednesday March 3) ahead of their clash at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, live on DAZN. 
TICKETS START AT JUST $43 (PLUS FEES)
Prograis and Hooker head into the clash having both played their part in two fight of the year unification bouts in 2019. Prograis (24-1 20 KOs) travelled to London and was edged out over 12 rollercoaster rounds by Josh Taylor in the final of the World Boxing Super Series, while Hooker (27-1-3 18 KOs) hosted José Ramírez in Dallas in July, and the pair served up a back-and-forth shootout that Ramirez won via stoppage in the sixth round of a breathless contest.

A stacked undercard has been lined up in support of the main event, with undisputed Welterweight champion Cecilia Brækhus (36-0 27 KOs) defending her titles against unified Super-Lightweight champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2 3 KOs), with more World title and top-level action to be announced.

Pre-sale starts at noon tomorrow with the following three codes: ‘MBUSA’, ‘PROGRAIS’ and ‘HOOKER’

Tickets will go on general sale from noon on Thursday March 4, again available from Ticketmaster.com

Philadelphia, PA (March 3, 2020) – RDR Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of junior welterweight prospect Nahir Albright.

Albright, will be in action this Saturday night when he takes on Andrew Rodgers on the inaugural RDR Promotions card at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Albright of Sicklerville, New Jersey has a record of 7-1 with two knockouts.

Albright has been a professional for four-years and has quality wins over Dan Murray (1-0), Glenford Nickey (4-1-1) and Roy McGill (6-1). In his last bout, Albright won a six-round unanimous decision over Tyrome Jones on April 27th in Morrisville, PA.

“I am happy to sign Nahir. He is a good young fighter who has been matched tough, and has a lot of talent. I look forward to seeing him in action on Saturday and for many years,” said Rodney Rice of RDR Promotions.

In the main event, junior welterweight Samuel Teah (16-3-1, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Diemurci Nzau (11-11, 8 KOs) of Silver Spring, MD in a six-round bout

In six-round bouts, Brandon Robinson (14-2, 9 KOs) of Upper Darby, PA fights Josue Obando (19-26-2, 14 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a super middleweight bout.

In four-round bouts:

Nafear Charles (2-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Joseph Santana (0-2) of Providence, RI in a super lightweight contest.

Laquan Evans (3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles debuting Anthony Young in a bout that will feature debuting Philadelphia based middleweights.

Ryan Umberger (3-0, 3 KOs) of Bensalem, PA boxes Estevan Payan (1-8-1, 1 KO) of Glendale, Arizona in a middleweight fight.

Naheem Parker of Camden, New Jersey will make his pro debut against Anthony Carter (0-1) of Philadelphia in a lightweight bout.

Victor Medina (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Ct will take on Michael Stoute (3-2) of Long Island, NY in a super bantamweight fight.

Rashiem Jefferson of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Nathan Benchou (2-0, 2 KOs) of Mexico in a lightweight contest.

Tickets are $125 VIP with a drink; $75 Ringside and $55 General Admission and can be purchased at 2300arena.com

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (March 3, 2020) – Undefeated hard-hitting prospect Jonathan “El Diamante” Esquivel will take on Colombia’s Dormedes Potes in an eight-round middleweight showdown as part of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, March 14 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

FS1 PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by hard-hitting James Kirkland taking on all-action “Madman” Marcos Hernández in a 10-round middleweight showdown, plus unbeaten top prospect and 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis faces Justin DeLoach in the 10-round welterweight co-main event.

FS1 PBC Fight Night Prelims will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and features unbeaten featherweight Cobia Breedy in a 10-round fight against the Philippines’ Eugene Lagos, plus Cuba’s Liván Navarro steps in for an eight-round welterweight affair against once-beaten Demarcus Layton.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Non-televised action will see Alabama’s Eric Moon (11-2, 6 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight fight, Landover, Maryland’s Tyrek Irby (9-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round welterweight contest against Washington, D.C.’s Cornell Hines (5-1, 2 KOs) and Glenarden, Maryland’s Dravontay Rawls (13-1-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight affair.

Rounding out the lineup is undefeated Baltimore-native Aaron Anderson (6-0, 4 KOs) facing Connecticut’s José Carlos Rivera (8-4-1, 5 KOs)in a six-round super welterweight fight.

Fighting out of Anaheim, California, Esquivel (13-0, 12 KOs) put together five knockout victories in 2019 heading into his 2020 debut on March 14. The 25-year-old most recently stopped Bryant McClain in the first round of their November showdown. Esquivel turned pro in July 2017, scoring knockouts in his first seven fights after an impressive amateur career that included two third place finishes in the U.S. National Championships.

The 27-year-old Potes (12-2-1, 9 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on March 14 as he steps up in competition to take on the unbeaten Esquivel. Fighting out of Baranquilla, Colombia, Potes owns a pair of stoppage victories over former interim title challenger Juan Camilo Novoa in 2018. Potes most recently stopped Luis Guillermo Berrio in October.

Born in Barbados but fighting out of Hyattsville, Maryland, Breedy (15-0, 5 KOs) will return to fight at MGM National Harbor for the fourth time on March 14. The 28-year-old most recently stopped Titus Williams in December, capping off a successful 2019 campaign where he added three wins to his unbeaten ledger. He will be opposed by the 24-year-old Lagos (16-5-3, 11 KOs) who fights out of Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines. This will be Lagos’ third fight in the U.S., after his last fight stateside saw him knockout then unbeaten Emilio Sanchez in March 2018.

A pro since 2015, Navarro (11-0, 7 KOs) was born in Havana, Cuba and now fights out of Miami as he prepares to make his 2020 debut on March 14. The 29-year-old has stepped up in competition in recent fights, stopping then unbeaten Willie Jones in 2017, defeating Armando Alvarez by a 10-round decision in 2018 and most recently defeating Breidis Prescott in May 2019. He will be opposed by the 28-year-old Layton (8-1-1, 5 KOs) who fights out of Little Rock, Arkansas. Layton has won two of his last three fights, with his only blemish coming in a draw against unbeaten Luis Lopez in August.

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Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @MGMNatlHarbor, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED ‘Seek and Destroy’ showdown between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce at the o2 Arena on April 11 now has a blockbuster chief support in place with Anthony Yarde set to take on the unbeaten Lyndon Arthur.

In what is another huge domestic duel, Yarde – who lost out in a world title challenge to Sergey Kovalev on away soil in August of last year – goes in with Manchester’s former Team GB product and Commonwealth champion Arthur in what is certain to be a pulsating collision of big-punching light heavyweights.

Prior to his venture to Chelyabinsk – Kovalev’s home town – Yarde had stopped all but one of his previous opponents and worked his way to the No.1 position with the WBO, winning the Southern Area, WBO European and WBO Intercontinental titles along the way.

Before this, the explosive 28-year-old known as ‘The Beast’ had not been taken beyond seven rounds and he currently holds a 90 per cent KO-ratio. Yarde’s ring record stands at 19-1 (18 KOs).

Decorated amateur Arthur, also 28, has registered 12 KOs from his 16 professional fights and won his Commonwealth crown last time out against Emmanuel Anim in December.

Trained by Pat Barrett at the Collyhurst and Moston Gym, ‘King Arthur’ has long considered himself the dark horse of the currently hot division and was patiently awaiting a breakthrough opportunity against one of the marquee domestic light heavyweights.

His wait is nearly over and we can expect a fascinating clash between a vastly experienced former amateur star and one who exploded onto the scene and thrived despite a limited amateur background.

Further title action comes in the form of a British welterweight championship rematch between Chris Jenkins (22-3-3, 8 KOs) from Garnant in Wales and ‘The Pexican’, Peckham’s Johnny Garton (21-2-1, 10 KOs).

The pair met in March 2019 when Garton was champion – having won the belt in a thriller against Gary Corcoran – at the Royal Albert Hall. Jenkins prevailed via the scorecards after an enthralling encounter and now he makes his third defence, having clocked up a victory over Paddy Gallagher and a technical draw last time out with Liam Taylor, where the fight was stopped due to a severe cut.

WBO European super featherweight champion Archie Sharp (18-0, 9 KOs) will be in title action at the o2, along with the WBO European super welterweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz (10-0, 6 KOs).

‘Sharpshooter’ Sharp clinched his champion status in October 2018 with the defeat of the then unbeaten Lyon Woodstock in Leicester. He has since made three successful defences of his title and has broken into the top-five of the WBO world rankings.

Sheeraz, just 20, won his belt with an impressive stoppage of Birmingham’s experienced campaigner Ryan Kelly in November.

Also featuring on the stacked Dubois-Joyce undercard is big-hitting middleweight Denzel Bentley (12-0, 10 KOS), top heavyweight prospect and Tyson Fury sparring partner David Adeleye (1-0, 1 KO) and precocious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (6-0, 4 KOs).

McCann’s Queensberry iBox Gym teammates Sam Noakes (3-0, 3 KOs), Henry Turner (2-0) and Micky Burke jr (3-0) join him on the big show.

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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

Las Vegas (March 3, 2020) – Boxing legend & four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. has confirmed that he will appear at the sixth annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday, May 2, 2020, at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jones will hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at his booth during the fan event held over the Cinco De Mayo weekend.

The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legendary, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, and Canelo vs. Jacobs. Centered in boxing’s longtime home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, promoters, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. http://boxfanexpo.com- @BoxFanExpo

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at:
https://bitly.com/BoxingExpo2020

Jones will make his third appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Jones will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy. Boxing Fans will have an opportunity to also take pictures with this Boxing living legend, considered by many as one of the greatest Pound for Pound and best Boxer of all time.

Jones joins Erik Morales, Michael Spinks and Jessie Vargas as an early commitment to this year’s Box Fan Expo, with more Boxing stars to be announced.

About Roy Jones Jr.
Roy Jones Jr. is an American professional boxer who has captured numerous championships in the Middleweight, Super middleweight, Light heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions. He is the only boxer in history to start his career as a junior middleweight, and go on to win a heavyweight title. He is also noted for holding the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, NABF, WBF, and IBA light heavyweight championships; a record seven belts at the same time. Jones left his mark in boxing history when he won the WBA heavyweight title, becoming the first former middleweight champion to win a Heavyweight title in 106 years. As of February 2018, Jones holds the record for the most wins in unified light heavyweight title bouts in boxing history, at twelve. The Ring magazine named Jones the Fighter of the Year in 1994, and the World Boxing Hall of Fame named him the Fighter of the Year for 2003. He is also a three-time winner of the Best Boxer ESPY Award (1996, 2000, and 2003). Jones was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 1990s by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

About Box Fan Expo
Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet the stars of boxing that represent the past, present and future of the sport. With hosted autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and former boxing world champions, limited edition merchandise for sale, giveaways and more, this is the ultimate event for fans of the sport.

Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, David Benavidez, Errol Spence Jr, Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Abner Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Danny Jacobs, Claressa Shields, Teofimo Lopez, Brandon Rios, Jorge Linares, and many more.

Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.

Throughout the next few months leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –
http://boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com/

To request information on exhibiting and sponsorship at the Expo:
For media credentials:

CONTACT US:
Telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222
For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com
More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com
Follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter and Instagram at: @BoxFanExpo
Follow Box Fan Expo on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

Dillian Whyte will make the first defence of his WBC Interim Heavyweight World Title against Alexander Povetkin at Manchester Arena on Saturday May 2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Brixton’s Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) landed the WBC Title with a unanimous decision win over Oscar Rivas in an exciting battle at The O2 in London back in July 2019 before travelling to Saudi Arabia in December where he outpointed former World Title challenger Mariusz Wach on the Ruiz vs. Joshua 2 undercard.

Russian dangerman Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs), an Olympic gold medallist and former WBA World Champion, proved that he still has what it takes to be a force in the Heavyweight division in 2019 with a win over Hughie Fury in August and a split decision draw with rising Heavyweight contender Michael Hunter in an all-out war in Diriyah.

“This is a great fight, Povetkin is an Olympic gold medallist, has loads of experience, he’s a former World Champion and he’s only lost to Joshua and Klitschko,” said Whyte. “He is still very dangerous, he gave AJ a lot of problems and then beat Hughie Fury. I am not overlooking him at all, he will come in shape, he’s tough and very well-schooled. 

“You only have to look at his resume to see that he’s always been considered as one of the most fearsome punchers in the Heavyweight division with big KO wins over Huck, Charr, Takam, Wach and Price. He showed in Saudi Arabia that he still has a lot left in the tank and he is still very dangerous. I’ve got respect for him but I’m on to maximum violence, straight animal instinct.

“I want to be Heavyweight Champion of the World so anywhere in the world is my lion’s den. If you aspire to be World Champion, you should be able to fight anywhere. Manchester is a great city with great fight fans and I’m looking forward to going back there.”

“I am pleased to fight Whyte, it has long been discussed but didn’t happen for whatever reason,” said Povetkin. “Dillian is a good strong boxer and it will make for an interesting fight. I am not about big announcements, I am about winning in the ring, and on May 2nd people will see a spectacular fight.”

“This is a Heavyweight thriller and so important to the landscape of the division,” said Eddie Hearn. “Dillian Whyte sits as Mandatory Challenger to Tyson Fury and while the wait is frustrating, Dillian continues to take high risk fights and that’s why he is such a fans’ favourite.

“The last time Dillian fought at this arena, we witnessed all time classic against Derek Chisora, We are planning a huge night in Manchester as Dillian Whyte continues to march towards a shot at the Heavyweight World Title.”

“I think all boxing fans can agree that we are up for a great fight,” said Head of World of Boxing Promotions Andrey Ryabinskiy. “Both stylistically and in terms of what’s at stake in this fight makes it a spectacular and anticipated event.

“Of course, we believe in Alexander but have to understand that Dillian Whyte is a tough opponent who’s strong and ambitious, besides he has come a long way to be in a championship fight. Many would wait out for an easier opportunity, but he decided that he needs this fight and it commands respect.”

“Dillian Whyte guarantees Heavyweight drama and we’re expecting another explosive encounter against Alexander Povetkin,” said Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing Development.

“Whyte is within touching distance of a World Title, but still keeps taking risks against dangerous rivals, and we’ve already seen the threat of Povetkin, who overpowered David Price and posed early problems to Anthony Joshua.

“Dillian can prove himself again as one of the world’s best and there could be a very special announcement in the coming days. May 2 in Manchester should be a magnificent night of boxing.”

Tickets for Whyte vs. Povetkin are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200 and £400 (VIP).

Tickets go on sale to Fight Pass members from 10.00am on Thursday March 5 via StubHb (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).

General Sale tickets are available to purchase from 10.00am on Friday March 6 via Manchester Arena (www.manchester-arena.com), StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).

NEW YORK CITY (March 2, 2020) — Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga (13-0, 13 KOs), the Puerto Rican puncher who calls Brooklyn home and has 13 first-round knockouts to begin his pro career, will return in an eight-round super middleweight bout Saturday, March 14 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Berlanga’s opponent will be announced next week.

Berlanga’s bout will be part of the ESPN+ undercard stream (7 p.m. ET) before the ESPN-televised doubleheader (10:30 p.m. ET) that includes Shakur Stevenson’s WBO featherweight world title defense against Miguel Marriaga and the featherweight showdown between former world champion Jessie Magdaleno and Sakaria Lukas. The full undercard will be available in English and Spanish.

“Hopefully, I can get in some rounds on March 14,” Berlanga said. “I want to show everyone I’m more than a one-round fighter. This is my time to shine.”

Berlanga, a four-year pro, is one of the sport’s hottest prospects, a 22-year-old with an eraser in both hands. He went 4-0 in 2019 after signing a long-term promotional deal with Top Rank. He turned heads last December at Madison Square Garden on the Terence Crawford-Egidijus Kavaliauskas undercard, as he stopped Cesar Nunez (16-1-1 at the time) at 2:45 of the opening round. That marked the longest appearance of his career.

The ESPN+ stream is also scheduled to include the following bouts:
John “El Terrible” Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs), the Puerto Rican-born super lightweight prospect from North Bergen, N.J., will take on Brooklyn’s upset-minded Romain Tomas (8-3, 1 KO) in an eight-rounder.

Brooklyn’s Frederic Julian (12-0, 10 KOs) will look for his 10th consecutive knockout in a six-round light heavyweight fight against Victor Darocha (9-5-1, 6 KOs).

Mathew “Lefty Gunz” Gonzalez (10-0, 6 KOs), from the Ridgewood section of Queens, will fight West Virginia native Dakota Linger (12-3-2, 8 KOs) in a six-round welterweight tilt.

New York City native Pablo Valdez (3-0, 3 KOs) will face Jordan Morales (3-7, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder at welterweight. Valdez, 36, turned pro in July 2018 following an eight-year prison sentence.
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $200, $100, $70, $40 and $30 (not including applicable fees) are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing and twitter.com/ESPNRingside; IG: instagram.com/espnringside/

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

About 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 7.6 million subscribers in less than two years, 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.

(March 2, 2020) — International boxing returns to ESPN+ this weekend with a pair of #MTKFightNight cards featuring many of the sport’s up-and-comers and a world champion on the comeback trail.

The traveling roadshow hits Caesars Palace Dubai on Friday, as the unbeaten Aliu Bamidele Lasisi will make the first defense of his WBC International super flyweight title in a 10-rounder against two-time world title challenger Norbelto Jimenez. Lasisi-Jimenez will headline a scheduled five-fight stream beginning at 11 a.m. ET. The full undercard will be available in both English and Spanish.

Lasisi (14-0, 8 KOs), from Lagos, Nigeria, won the WBC International belt last April with a unanimous decision over Nicaraguan veteran Ricardo Blandon. He last fought in December in Kazakhstan, shutting out Hamson Lamandau over eight rounds. Lasisi moved to Dubai in 2014 and found work as a cleaner in a gym before turning pro in August 2015. Jimenez (29-9-4, 16 KOs) began his career 2-8-1, but he rebounded to become a world-class super flyweight. He challenged for the WBA super flyweight world title twice, dropping a unanimous decision to Kal Yafai in 2019 and fighting to a draw against Kohei Kono in 2014.

In other streaming action from Dubai:

Unbeaten super welterweight prospect Rohan Date (11-0-1, 8 KOs) will face Rivo Kundimang (9-2-2, 5 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Former IBF junior featherweight world champion TJ “The Power” Doheny (22-1, 16 KOs), in his second bout since losing his world title to Daniel Roman in a stirring unification bout, will fight Ionut Baluta (12-2, 2 KOs) in an eight-rounder at featherweight.

Australian super middleweight champion Cesar Mateo Tapia (11-0, 6 KOs) will return in an eight-round non-title affair against Irishman Steve Collins Jr. (14-3-1, 4 KOs).

Kazakh heavyweight prospect Zhan Kossobutskiy (12-0, 11 KOs) will fight an opponent to be named in an eight-rounder.
Following the Dubai card, #MTKFightNight returns Saturday evening (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET) from the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, England, as Danny Dignum will make the first defense of his WBO European middleweight title in a 10-rounder against Belfast native and fellow southpaw Alfredo Meli.

Dignum (12-0, 6 KOs) picked up the vacant belt last November with a brutal fifth-round stoppage over Conrad Cummings. Dignum, 27, will be making his fourth appearance at the Brentwood Centre. Last May, he earned an eight-round decision over former world title challenger Rafal Jackiewicz. Meli (17-0-1, 5 KOs) is competing in only his second scheduled 10-rounder and is coming off a closely contested eight-round decision win over the previously unbeaten Araik Marutjan. The only blemish on his record came via split draw to Cummings back in November 2015.

In other streaming action from Brentwood:
In a 10-rounder for the vacant British Southern Area welterweight title, Sam Gilley (10-0, 5 KOs) will step up against Curtis Felix Jr. (10-1, 1 KO), who is hoping to rebound from his first career defeat.

Welterweight prospect Shaquille “The Black Mexican” Day (13-0, 2 KOs) will return in a 10-rounder against Kaisee Benjamin (9-1-1, 2 KOs), a Birmingham native who is unbeaten in six fights dating back to April 2018.

In a six-round battle of undefeated middleweights, James “Hitman” Hawley (5-0, 0 KOs) will fight Josh Adewale (3-0, 0 KOs).
For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing and twitter.com/ESPNRingside; IG: @espnringside.

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 7.6 million subscribers in less than two years, 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.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Raging Babe is teaming up with Impact Network to bring Philly Special to the network’s audience of over 86 million homes on March 27.

The card will air live from 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia, and is headlined by an all-Philly main event: Stevie Ortiz vs. Damon Allen for Ortiz’s state lightweight title and the vacant USBC lightweight title. First fight at 7:30 pm, television at 9:00 pm EST.

The network recently announced its Impact Boxing Series. Philly Special, which is promoted by Raging Babe in association with DiBella Entertainment, will be a trial run of the partnership between promoter and network.

“Impact found room in their schedule to bring Philly Special to its viewers,” said Michelle Rosado, founder and Promoter at Raging Babe. “Lou [DiBella] brought them to the table. I’m grateful that he believed in the show so much, and grateful that he believed in and went to bat for me, and felt so strongly enough it needed to be televised, to make this connection. I think it’s a mutually beneficial opportunity.

“For some time now, there have been no television platforms for local and regional promoters,” continued Rosado. “Impact is changing that. Promoters and fighters who aren’t getting opportunities on the platforms dominated by big promotional companies will get a shot, and will be seen in homes across the country.

“Stevie Ortiz vs. Damon Allen is a tremendous local match-up, and Impact will give them a chance to show they can fight and move up boxing’s food chain. It’s a win-win for boxing’s middle-class promoters, the ones not supported by hedge funds or by billion dollar television rights fees or streaming services. This is just what boxing needs.”

“Philly Special is classic, grassroots, hometown boxing, featuring competitive matchups and world class talent. It deserves a real platform and I’m thrilled that I was able to help secure Impact and its 86 million basic cable homes for my partner Raging Babe,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “It’s been great co-promoting with Michelle, and working with Russell Peltz. I’m thrilled that Steve Marcano and IMPACT shared our enthusiasm about Philly Special and that it will be available to virtually all US boxing fans on free TV.”

“What makes Impact special is that it’s so accessible to people,” said Impact Boxing Executive Producer Steven Marcano. “When DAZN has a card, you have to have a credit card and account to watch. When Showtime has a card, you have to have premium cable to watch. All you need to watch boxing on Impact is the lowest tier cable package. We are in over 86 million homes. We’re making sure that everyone who has basic cable has access to good programming, good sports, and good boxing.

“I think calling a show a ‘club show’ is old school,” continued Marcano. “If you take the same show and put it on Showtime, it’s no longer a club show – it’s a Showtime show. Raging Babe has great fights and an excellent game plan–they just need a little more attention and a platform to showcase their events. It’s a smaller venue with limited distribution – add television and it’s a sold out show in millions of homes, not a club show.

“We’re looking forward to working with Raging Babe on this and future cards. Michelle is thorough, and gets the job done,” said Marcano.

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Philly Special kicks off at 7:30 in the evening on Friday, March 27. TV begins at 9:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased by visiting 2300arena.com or by calling 267-273-0945

Unified Heavyweight Champion of the World Anthony JoshuaOBE will defend his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles against Mandatory Challenger Kubrat Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday June 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office, on a show promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with Top Rank and Epic Sports and Entertainment.

Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) recaptured his belts and position as the Unified Heavyweight World Champion with a masterful unanimous decision victory over Andy Ruiz Jr at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia on an historical night in December that saw the Heavyweight World Titles contested for the very first time in the Middle East.

June 20 will be ‘AJ’s’ first fight on UK soil in nearly two years, since he defended his crowns with a devastating seventh round knockout of Russia’s Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium, and the former Finchley ABC man will be aiming to deal with Pulev in style to set up an Undisputed showdown against new WBC Champion and fellow Brit Tyson Fury down the line.

Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs), the IBF’s No.1-ranked Heavyweight Mandatory Challenger, gets his second shot at World honours after his defeat to modern legend Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 – the only loss of his 29-fight professional career. He has won six fights in a row since then, including victories over Derek Chisora and an IBF Eliminator win over Hughie Fury in 2018.

The Bulgarian superstar was set to challenge Joshua at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in October 2017 but was forced to withdraw through an injury and will now get his opportunity to ruin the champion’s plans to face Fury in an all-British blockbuster showdown in the future.

“On June 20, I am defending my Heavyweight World Titles,” said Joshua. “I’m back in my home city after some time away. A spectacular stadium has been built in North London and I’m honoured to bring the boxing community from all over the world to witness us make history with the stadium’s first Heavyweight World Title fight. The belts go back up in the air and nothing will stop me from being victorious.”

“I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am,” said Pulev. “Becoming a Heavyweight World Champion has always been my mission in life and on June 20 2020 I will fulfil my destiny!”

“I’m so excited to see Anthony Joshua return to the capital, 70,000 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is going to be very special,” said Eddie Hearn. “2019 was a crazy year that had everything – the only thing missing was a UK fight and as we go into what I believe will be the biggest year of ‘AJ’s’ career so far, all our attention turns to Kubrat Pulev in an absolute must win fight. Pulev is undefeated in six years and his team and especially Bob Arum really fancy this. I think you are going to see something special from ‘AJ’ on June 20 – a destructive performance on the road to undisputed.”

Bob Arum, Top Rank Chairman, said: “Kubrat Pulev has earned his ranking, and he is going to enemy territory prepared to pull off the upset. Ever since Top Rank signed Kubrat last year, I have seen a determined Heavyweight on a mission to win the Heavyweight Title. He has been in this situation before, and he won’t be intimidated by the tens of thousands of Joshua fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. June 20 is going to be another historic evening in the Heavyweight division.”

John Wirt, President of Epic Sports and Entertainment, said: “This fight has been a long time coming, but we finally have Joshua cornered and on June 20, I guarantee Pulev will be victorious and Great Britain’s recently acquired chokehold on the Heavyweight division Championship will be brought to a quick and sudden ending.”

“We’re absolutely delighted about Anthony Joshua’s homecoming World Title fight against Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, said Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing Development. “Pulev is a dangerous proposition, with plenty of top level experience, and ‘AJ’ will need to be at his best to retain his belts in front of his home support.

“We’ve covered every step of ‘AJ’s’ journey, including his impressive rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia, and now he’s back in Britain at the home of Spurs. I recently visited the stadium and was blown away by the state-of-the-art facilities. It will provide a stunning backdrop for Britain’s Unified World Heavyweight Champion.”

Ticket information will be announced in due course.

Philadelphia, PA (March 2, 2020) – 18 year-old Rashiem Jefferson will make his pro debut against undefeated Nathan Benichou as part of the undercard of the inaugural RDR Promotions event on Saturday, March 7th at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

In the main event, Samuel Teah (16-3-1, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Dieumerci Nzau (11-11, 8 KOs) of Silver Spring, Maryland in a six-round junior welterweight bout.

Jefferson, who competed in the Olympic Trials, and was a 2018 National Champion will be competing in front of his hometown, and will look to thrill the crowd with his talent, which has been a talk in the Philadelphia gyms for many years.

In Benichou (2-0, 2 KOs) Jefferson is facing a rough 32 year-old from Mexico via France. In his last bout, Benichou stopped Mario Hernandez in the 1st round on November 9th in Mexico.

This will be a battle of fighters with tremendous pedigrees.

Jefferson’s father, Rashiem was an outstanding amateur and professional himself who amassed a professional record of 15-1-1 before having his career cut short due an injury.

Benichou’s father was Fabrice Benichou who was the IBF Super Bantamweight champion who made two successful defenses.

In six-round bouts, Brandon Robinson (14-2, 9 KOs) of Upper Darby, PA fights Josue Obando (19-26-2, 14 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a super middleweight bout.

Nahir Albright (7-1, 2 KOs) of Sicklerville, NJ will take on Andrew Rodgers (4-8-2, 2 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana in a junior welterweight affair.

In four-round bouts:

Nafear Charles (2-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia fights Joseph Santana (0-2) of Providence, RI in a super lightweight contest.

Laquan Evans (3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles debuting Anthony Young in a bout that will feature debuting Philadelphia based middleweights.

Ryan Umberger (3-0, 3 KOs) of Bensalem, PA boxes Estevan Payan (1-8-1, 1 KO) of Glendale, Arizona in a middleweight fight.

Naheem Parker of Camden, New Jersey will make his pro debut against Anthony Carter (0-1) of Philadelphia in a lightweight bout.

Victor Medina (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Ct will take on Michael Stoute (3-2) of Long Island, NY in a super bantamweight fight.

Tickets are $125 VIP with a drink; $75 Ringside and $55 General Admission and can be purchased at 2300arena.com

THE SUPPORTING CAST to unified world super lightweight champion Josh Taylor’s return to Glasgow on Saturday May 2 is beginning to take shape with a press conference scheduled for Wednesday to unveil the line-up.

Headliner Taylor makes his first ring appearance since conquering the World Boxing Super Series, which saw him defeat the previously unbeaten Regis Prograis in the final to unite the IBF and WBA titles, as well as claim the coveted Ring Magazine belt.

The Tartan Tornado undertakes his mandatory challenge in Glasgow against the unbeaten Thai Apinun Khongsong and he will be on hand at The Hilton Grosvenor hotel in Glasgow at 2pm on Wednesday to discuss this huge title defence.

Elsewhere on the card, it has been announced that the unbeaten Willy Hutchinson (11-0, 7KOs) from Carstairs gets the opportunity to perform in front of a home audience. Scotland’s only World Amateur champion will fight for a first championship at super middleweight.

The British super flyweight champion Sunny Edwards (14-0, 4KOs) will make a first defence of his Lonsdale Belt on the night, having won his maiden domestic title by defeating Marcel Braithwaite for the vacant honour in December.

Edwards’ Steel City Gym teammate and also British champion Lee McGregor (8-0, 6KOs) will also make a first defence of his treasured belt. The bantamweight champion added the British to his Commonwealth title by defeating fellow Scot Kash Farooq in an epic struggle in November.

Undefeated super welterweight Troy Williamson (14-0-1, 11KOs) from Darlington will make a defence of his IBF European title, while popular heavyweight contender Nathan Gorman (16-1, 11KOs) will return to action following a first career setback against Daniel Dubois last July.

The stacked card will also feature Glasgow super lightweight Craig McIntyre (11-0-1, 4KOs), Uddingston super welterweight Michael McGurk (12-0, 3KOs), Coatbridge featherweight Mark McKeown (2-0), with Berwick-Upon-Tweed heavyweight Mitchell Barton making his professional debut and York’s hugely promising super welterweight George Davey (2-0) completing the line-up.

————————

PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:

Time: 2pm

Date: Wednesday 4th March

Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor
1-9 Grosvenor Terrace
Glasgow
G12 0TA

MEDIA ONLY

———————

Tickets will be on general sale from midday on Wednesday via Ticketmaster

Ticket Prices:
£300 – Inner Ring Hospitality
£200 – Floor
£150 – Floor
£100 – Tier
£80 – Tier
£50 – Tier
£40 – Tier

Providence, RI (Monday, March 2) – A rare assemblage of talent headlines CES Boxing’s upcoming showcase March 12 at Twin River Casino Hotel in a special edition of the promotion’s long-running “Thursday Night Fights” series.

Next week’s event features the return of Providence native Toka Kahn Clary (27-2, 18 KOs) in his first fight in his home state since 2017, plus a highly-anticipated battle of undefeated featherweight prospects as Ricky Delossantos (9-0, 1 KO) of Pawtucket, RI, faces his toughest test to date in an eight-round showdown against 24-year-old Fort Worth, TX, native Edward Vazquez (7-0, 1 KO).

Tickets start at $47 and are available online at CESBoxing.com and ShowClix.com, or by phone at 401.724-2253. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first bout at 7. An official press conference to announce the event will be held Wednesday, March 4 at 4 p.m. at Skyline at Waterplace, located at 1 Finance Way, Providence, RI.

One of Rhode Island’s most accomplished fighters, Kahn Clary makes his fourth appearance with CES Boxing and first since 2016. The wildly-popular southpaw super featherweight moved to the United States from his native Liberia at the age of 6, the same year he was orphaned following the tragic death of his father. Kahn Clary ultimately landed in Rhode Island and, under the guidance of head trainer Peter Manfredo, developed into one of the state’s most accomplished amateurs, winning 111 fights and a National Golden Gloves Championship before competing in the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials in Mobile, AL.

As a pro, Kahn Clary rose quickly to the top of the featherweight division with victories in each of his 19 fights, including 12 by knockout. Reunited with Manfredo, Kahn Clary returns to the ring March 12 for his first since August after capturing the then vacant NABA Super Featherweight Title. He will headline in an eight-round bout in search of his third consecutive win and ninth in his last 10 bouts.

In what may be the most exciting bout on the card, Delossantos puts his unbeaten record on the line against “Kid” Vazquez, who amassed an amateur record of 82-8 and advanced to the Junior Olympic semifinals before launching his pro career in 2016 under the guidance of Roy Jones Jr. Promotions. Vazquez’s most impressive victory was in January of 2019 when he upended previously unbeaten California prospect Brandon Cruz by split decision. He began boxing at 8 years old

A late bloomer by most standards, the 30-year-old Delossantos made his pro debut at 27, but has made up for lost time with an impressive string of victories over the past three years, highlighted by his dominant win over Yeuri Andujar in August and a unanimous decision victory over Javar Jones in February of 2019.

The undercard features other noteworthy bouts, including perhaps another showstopper between Massachusetts rivals Ray Oliveira Jr. (8-3, 1 KO) of New Bedford and Springfield’s Derrick Whitley Jr. (6-1-1), who face one another in a special six-round welterweight attraction.

Both fighters are household names among regional fight fans and come from impressive bloodlines. Oliveira, the son of New England icon and former world-title challenger “Sucra” Ray Oliveira, won his first seven fights under the guidance of CES Boxing and makes his first Twin River appearance since 2018. Whitley, the son of “Double Impact” Derrick Whitley, a veteran of 52 pro fights, and the nephew of Derrick’s twin brother Darren Whitley, who fought 44 times as a pro, makes his just second appearance at Twin River and first since dominating Carlos Galindo for his fourth career win in 2018.

Another fight threatening to steal the show is a six-round welterweight battle between Marqus Bates (7-3, 5 KOs) of Taunton, MA and crafty Culpeper, VA, vet Roque Zapata, who returns to Twin River following a back-and-forth showdown with Bates’ stablemate Victor Reynoso in November. Bates looks to get back in the win column following an upset loss to Evincii Dixon last summer, but still boasts five wins in his last six fights, including four in a row against New England rivals Mohamad Allam, Carlos Hernandez, Jair Ramos and Wilfredo Pagan, establishing himself as one of the top 140- to 147-pounders in the northeast.

Unbeaten Providence super welterweight Lamont Powell (5-0, 1 KO) returns in a six-round bout against Mexican challenger Carlos Huerta (6-5-2, 3 KOs) and fellow 154-pounder Anthony Concepcion (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of Providence puts his unbeaten record on the line in a four-round bout against 11-fight vet Martez Jackson (4-4-3, 2 KOs) of Valdosta, GA.

Next Thursday’s card also features the professional debut of Pawtucket super middleweight Hassler Chacon in a four-round bout against Brazilian Raush Manfio of Florida in addition to the return of East Providence, RI, native and decorated amateur Elijah Peixoto (2-0, 1 KO) in his third professional bout as he faces Philadelphia native Zaymar Brothers (0-1-1) in a four-round super lightweight bout. The 24-year-old Peixoto won four Southern New England Golden Gloves titles as an amateur and amassed an impressive 119-27 record that also included a trip to the 2018 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers.

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

INFORMATION

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

Twin River Casino Hotel, located in Lincoln, Rhode Island, is the state’s largest gaming and entertainment venue as well as its top tourist and cultural attraction, offering 162,000 square-feet of gaming space with more than 5,000 gaming positions. The casino operates more than 4,200 video slot machines and virtual table games (including blackjack and roulette), as well as 119 live table games including blackjack, roulette, craps, a poker room and more. A great alternative to Connecticut and Massachusetts casinos, this unique gaming facility also hosts simulcasting of the best thoroughbred and greyhound racing from around the country, a 29,000+ square foot Twin River Event Center with headline entertainment, free concerts at the Lighthouse Bar, signature cocktails and premium cigars at Blackstone Cigar Bar, and award-winning beer and live music at the Shipyard Pub. Home to the incredible Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse, you can have an award-winning steak and seafood dinner, or enjoy the exciting sports bar scene at Wicked Good Bar & Grill, as well as 18 other dining outlets. Twin River offers both smoking (1st Floor) and smoke-free (2nd Floor) casinos. Twin River Casino is situated just 10 minutes from Providence and less than an hour from Boston.