Josh Kelly says fighting at the Stadium of Light, home to Sunderland A.F.C, would be a dream come true as he prepares to make his ring return against unbeaten Pole Przemyslaw Runowski at The O2 in London on April 20, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

The North East sensation has fought in Newcastle twice since joining the professional ranks in 2016, blitzing Tom Whitfield in a round at the Walker Activity Dome and halting Kris George in seven at the Metro Radio Arena, but the ex-Sunderland Academy man wants nothing more than a Wearside homecoming.

“Fighting at the Stadium of Light would be out of this World,” said Kelly. “The Sunderland lads have always backed me throughout my career and I’d love to have an opportunity to repay their loyal support. They haven’t had much to shout about in recent times, so I’d love to put a smile back on their faces!

“Hopefully we can do something up there in the future. A World title fight in my home city would obviously be the dream and it’s something I’m striving for every day. When I was at the Sunderland Academy I always thought I’d play at the stadium one day, but to fight there for a World title would be even better.”

Despite being moved quickly by promoter Eddie Hearn and manager Adam Booth, ‘Pretty Boy’ knows there is a long way to go before serious World title talk, and the former Team GB star is fully-focused on the job at hand later this month.

“I’ve done my research on Runowski and he’s a solid opponent to test myself against, he’s unbeaten for a reason. They breed them tough in Eastern Europe, he looks very confident in himself. He’s strong and fit and he’s done a few ten rounders. I don’t expect him to come over here just to laydown.

“He’s going to keep on me while the fight lasts so I’ll have to keep my concentration and not switch off. I’m looking to dismantle him in style and put on a show to remind everyone what I’m about. This year is going to be massive if everything goes to plan. I’ve got to keep my feet firmly on the ground, continue to work and get the results.”

Kelly vs. Runowski is part of a huge night of boxing in the Capital.

At the top of the bill, Doncaster fan favourite Dave Allen (16-4-2, 13 KOs) faces the biggest night of his career against Australia’s former WBA Heavyweight World Champion Lucas Browne (28-1, 14 KOs) and Derek Chisora (29-9, 21 KOs) clashes with Senad Gashi (17-2, 17 KOs) in his first fight under new trainer Dave Coldwell.

Ilford Welterweight prospect Conor Benn (13-0, 9 KOs) makes his long-awaited return to the ring following a hand injury that has kept him out of action since his first title win over Cedrick Peynaud in July, Brooklyn Middleweight prospect Nikita Ababiy (3-0, 3 KOs) makes his UK debut and Watford Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay fighting for the second time after winning on her pro debut at the Copper Box Arena last month.

DANIEL DUBOIS INSISTS he is more than up for fulfilling his side of the bargain when it comes to challenging for the vacant British heavyweight title.

The British Boxing Board of Control put forward Dubois and Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce to battle for the Lonsdale belt vacated by Hughie Fury and it is a fight that genuinely appeals to the 21-year-old 10-0 man, who has already won the Southern Area and English titles, as well as the WBC World Youth and WBO European belts.

First, however, he has got a job to do against the 14-1 Ghanaian Richard Lartey at the SSE Arena, Wembley on April 27. If he passes this test with flying colours, Joyce is the type of opponent that fits the bill for Dubois.

“Me against Joe, if that fight can be made, I am definitely up for it,” said the executor of nine professional KOs to date. “Moving on, these are the sort of fighters I want to face and win against to progress through the rankings and get to where I want to be – preparing for world titles.

“There is no way around these fighters, I have to face him and I have to beat him,” added Dubois, who strongly suspects Joyce will have no issue in signing up for the fight.

“I am sure he would, we’ll just have to wait and see. I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t.”

Dubois and Joyce were both members of the Team GB squad up in Sheffield and are, therefore, no strangers to each other’s strengths and weaknesses in the pair’s pre-pro days.

“We did a lot of rounds, maybe 40-60, when I mixed it with all the guys up there,” confirmed Dubois. “Sparring is sparring, but we tested each other and helped each other while we were on the squad.

“It was a good experience. He tries to overpower and outwork you, so he is busy non-stop and a challenge for anyone who faces him.”

Including Dubois himself?

“No, not at all. I will work 100 per cent, even harder than I am now, to beat these guys. The better the guys I am facing, the better I will be.”

Daniel Dubois v Richard Lartey tops the bill at the SSE Arena, Wembley on April 27 on a card that also includes the Commonwealth super middleweight title fight between Lerrone Richards and Tommy Langford, as well as the Southern Area super middleweight title clash between Zak Chelli and Jimmy Smith. WBO European super flyweight champion Sunny Edwards and WBO European super featherweight champion Archie Sharp also feature.

Rangy Super Welterweight talent Hamzah Sheeraz will be back out after his impressive win over Rod Douglas Jnr. Hard hitting middleweight and Peacock gym product Denzel Bentley (9-0) and Belfast amateur middleweight star Caoimhin Agyarko will also return to action. There are Queensberry debuts for unbeaten welterweight Chris Kongo (10-0) and Sheffield middleweight Shakiel Thompson (2-0) – with Thompson being tipped by sparring partner Billy Joe Saunders as a star for the future. Ilford Super Middleweight Umar Sadiq (4-1) also returns as he looks to rebuild after his first career loss. Tunde Ajayi trained lightweight Bilal Ali (1-0) will have his second professional fight after making a successful start to his pro career, with Hoddesdon super lightweight Alfie Price set for his fifth.

Tickets will be priced as £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150 and are now ON SALE to purchase via Eventim, Ticketmaster, the SSE Arena website and AXS.com

Aliu Bamidele Lasisi was in tough, but won a 10-round unanimous decision over Ricardo Blandon in a super flyweight bout at Emirates Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai).

Lasisi was dropped in round three from a combination on the inside. Blandon was cut over the right eye in the fourth frame from an accidental headbutt. However, Lasisi was deducted a point for the infraction.

Lasisi was able to sew the fight away with a knockdown of his own in the final round, and he came home with the victory of 114-111 on all cards.

Lasisi is 13-0. Blandon is 10-2.

David Oliver Joyce stopped Stephen Tiffney in round seven of a scheduled ten-round featherweight bout.

In round seven, Joyce dropped Tiffney with a huge right. Tiffney got up, only to eat a barrage of punches and the bout was stopped at 2:59.

Joyce is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Tiffney is 10-2.

Majid AL-Naqbi stopped Vladimir Lytkin in the 4th and final round of their lightweight bout.

In round Lytkin was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Moments later, he was dropped by a Al-Naqbi uppercut. Lytkin spit out his mouthpiece and was deducted a point. Seconds later, Al-Naqbi dropped Lytkin was a body shot, and the fight was stopped at 2:33.

Al-Naqbi was making his pro debut. Lytkin falls to 0-3.

Presenter Josh Denzel, previously with Labible’s Sportbible, will host a brand new Matchroom Boxing series titled ‘Born Fighter’ launching in the UK next week.

The series will consist of in-depth and intimate one-on-one interviews with Matchroom Boxing’s leading stable of fighters, shining a light on everything outside of the ring from family life and religion to the highs and lows of being a professional athlete.

‘Born Fighter’ will delve deep into the minds of some of the UK’s best up-and-coming fighters to give an insight into the side of boxing that fans never see and tell the stories that often go untold.

“I’m really forward to link up with Matchroom for this new series,” said Denzel. “We’ve been working together for a while now but it’s great to officially put pen to paper. I’ve been a big fan of the sport since I was kid and can’t wait to be able to share the stories of the fighters for the viewers.”

“It’s great to have Josh onboard creating new concepts to tell our fighter’s stories,” said Frank Smith, CEO of Matchroom Boxing. “This new series will only help evolve our content output for the fans to enjoy.”

Episode one features rising Welterweight prospect Conor ‘The Destroyer’ Benn, released Friday 12 April followed by the second episode with Heavyweight cult hero Dave ‘White Rhino’ Allen on Wednesday 17.

Fans are invited to follow Matchroom Boxing across social media to watch the first episode:

Facebook: facebook.com/matchroomboxing
Twitter: twitter.com/matchroomboxing
YouTube: youtube.com/matchroomboxing
Instagram: Instagram.com/matchroomboxing

5 April 2019 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), recently hosted a Media Day for Indonesian wrestling champion, Eko Roni Saputra, at the Westin Hotel in Jakarta. Last Friday, 5 April, Saputra showcased his skills in various demonstrations for media in attendance. Saputra is set to make his ONE Championship debut at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, scheduled for 12 April at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Ticket information for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR is available at www.onefc.com.

Photo: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PALahUxFF82LzRr6eRpnYTnVbnH8-3XA

Eko Roni Saputra, ONE Athlete, stated: “I am greatly honored to be part of an amazing company such as ONE Championship. To be among the best martial artists in the world competing on the biggest martial arts platform is definitely a dream come true for me. I have been blessed to have found success in wrestling, and I have every intention of achieving the same in the mixed martial arts world. I am prepared to put in the work and make the sacrifices so that one day, I can bring back a World Championship to Indonesia. Indonesia is a hotbed of talent in mixed martial arts, and I am proud to follow in the footsteps of some of the most talented competitors to come out of the country. Like them, I am ready to make an impact on the ONE Championship stage.”

Regarded as the No. 1 freestyle wrestler in Indonesian history, Eko Roni Saputra is one of ONE Championship’s latest acquisitions, further bolstering its burgeoning roster of world-class athletes. Known for his dynamic style and explosive takedowns, Saputra has won numerous medals in various international competitions, including the prestigious Southeast Asian Games.

Training out of Singapore, the 27-year-old Indonesian grappler hones his craft at the world-renowned Evolve MMA, advancing his skills in different martial arts disciplines such as wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai.

After dominating the amateur wrestling ranks with his exquisite talent, Saputra fully realizes his dream to be a professional mixed martial artist as he is scheduled to make his ONE Championship debut against Singapore’s Niko Soe at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE eSports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global eSports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

5 April 2019 – Bangkok, Thailand: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT, set for the Impact Arena in Bangkok for Friday, 10 May. Once again, Thailand will play host to another world-class evening of martial arts action. The very best in local and international martial arts talent will showcase their skills on the ONE Championship stage.

In the main event, reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will defend his title against Hiroaki Suzuki of Japan. In the co-main event, Muay Thai superstar Petchdam Petchyindee Academy of Thailand takes on Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi of Algeria for the inaugural ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship.

Ticket information for ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT is available at www.onefc.com.

A living legend in the world of Muay Thai, multiple-time World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao has captured nearly every major accolade in the sport and is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time.

Born to a family of farmers, Nong-O began his Muay Thai career at the tender age of nine. After a few years of sharpening his skills, he decided to leave home for Bangkok when he was 14 years old to pursue Muay Thai full-time, both living and training at his camp.

Nong-O made his first appearance at the famed Rajadamnern stadium a year later, winning a decision in an undercard bout. This set off an incredible run of success across over 300 bouts, including two Thailand national Muay Thai championships, four Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Championships in different divisions, and a Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Championship.

Earlier this year, Nong-O captured the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title with a unanimous decision victory over China’s Han Zi Hao at ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS. He is now set to make the first defense of his World Title against Japan’s Hiroaki Suzuki.

Japanese striker Suzuki is one of the most exciting talents in ONE Super Series. He burst onto the scene with a spectacular performance against Deividas Danyla last November, and then followed up the victory with another scintillating showing against Mohammed “Jordan Boy” Bin Mahmoud last January.

Now, Suzuki enters the biggest bout of his career thus far, as he challenges Nong-O Gaiyanghadao for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.

In the co-main event of the evening, Thailand’s very own Petchdam Petchyindee Academy attempts to make history as the first ever ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion when he takes on opponent Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi.

Petchdam is a multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion known for his devastating left kick, which is responsible for the majority of his wins. He trains out of the famed Petchyindee Academy in Bangkok alongside fellow Muay Thai World Champions Petchmorakot and Sorgraw. Over the course of his stellar career, the Thai hero has claimed several prestigious accolades, including Lumpinee Stadium and WBC World Muay Thai Championships, as well as a Toyota Marathon Tournament Title.

Now Petchdam has the opportunity to add the most valuable prize in martial arts to his trophy case — the ONE World Title.

Mahmoudi, on the other hand, is also a multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion who has trained in the sport since he was just five years of age. His competitive fire would see him fly to Muay Thai’s home country of Thailand at the age of nine, where he won his first professional bout with a flying knee knockout to earn the nickname of “The Sniper.”

Over the course of his career thus far, Mahmoudi has already compiled an excellent winning record with several knockouts on the way to World Titles in WMF, WPMF, and MTGP. He now looks forward to his first ONE World Title opportunity.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE eSports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global eSports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

5 April 2019 – Singapore: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON, set for 17 May at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Once again, Singapore will play host to world-class martial arts action. The best and brightest martial arts talent in the world will descend upon the ONE Championship cage to showcase their skills. In the main event, newly-crowned ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki of Japan will defend his title against rising star Christian “The Warrior” Lee of Singapore.

Ticket information for ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON is available at www.onefc.com.

ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki is the most successful submission specialist in Asian martial arts. An iconic figure, he is known for his overpowering ground game, which had already won him titles with WAMMA, DREAM, and Shooto before he began his reign as the king of ONE Championship’s lightweight division.

Aoki is for many the face of Asia in the cage, holding an incredible slew of submission wins and almost 75 percent of his overall victories coming inside the distance. Throughout his fabled career, the Japanese lightweight legend has beaten some of the biggest names in the world, including Tatsuya Kawajiri, Caol Uno, and Eddie Alvarez.

At ONE: A NEW ERA, Aoki defeated celebrated Filipino martial artist Eduard “Landslide” Folayang to become a 2-time ONE Lightweight World Champion.

Five-time Pankration World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee comes from a family of true martial artists. His oldest sister, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, is already an international star with ONE Championship, and his parents are both black belts in various disciplines who began teaching their children techniques from a very early age.

A highly-decorated martial artist, Lee is a member of the famed Evolve Fight Team in Singapore, who trains amongst his accomplished elite peers. Lee holds black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Total Defense System, and is an astonishingly early achiever. In fact, he was voted Most Outstanding Athlete at the 2013 FILA World Championship after winning five world titles across the disciplines of BJJ, pankration, mixed martial arts, and submission grappling.

In his last bout, Lee defeated Team Lakay veteran Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly of the Philippines via first-round technical knockout. He now moves up to lightweight to challenge Aoki for the ONE Lightweight World Title.

Multiple-time Karate World Champion “Super” Sage Northcutt stands tall among the brightest young mixed martial arts stars of today. A lifelong martial artist, Northcutt has been training under the instruction of his father ever since he was four years old, and he was an incredibly accomplished athlete in the discipline of karate. He won an astounding 77 World Titles as a youth, and was even inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame in 2012.

Northcutt rose to prominence quickly in mixed martial arts, beginning his slate with seven straight wins in top North American promotions. In 2018, he joined the world’s best martial artists in ONE Championship on the back of three straight victories. He now makes his promotional debut against Cosmo “Good Boy” Alexandre.

Alexandre is an accomplished kickboxer and is a Lion Fight Super Middleweight World Champion and it’s Showtime 77MAX World Champion.

Like many Brazilians, Alexandre played football in the streets from a very young age. He even had a blossoming career as a professional footballer, but he gave it all up at the age of 19 to pursue Muay Thai instead. It turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.

Alexandre has since put together a phenomenal combat sports career, winning numerous world titles in both Muay Thai and kickboxing. Known as one of the best strikers Brazil has ever produced, Alexandre has faced some of the biggest names in the striking arena, including the likes of John Wayne Parr, Sakmongkol Sithchuchok, Yodsanklai Fairtex, and Giorgio Petrosyan.

On top of his striking career however, Alexandre is also a mixed martial artist riding a seven-bout winning streak. He is now tasked to welcome Sage Northcutt to the world’s largest martial arts organization.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE eSports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia’s largest global eSports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 2.6 billion potential viewers across 140+ countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Startimes, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, Great Sports, Tencent, Star TV, Mediaset Italia, ProSiebenSat.1, Dubai Sports, Turner Sports, and more.

LAS VEGAS – April 4, 2019 – Three undefeated prospects making their ShoBox: The New Generation debut all made weight, as did their opponents, at the official weigh-in for Friday night’s Mayweather Promotions’ Sin City Showdown live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

Top 122-pound prospect Angelo Leo (16-0, 8 KOs) will square off against Filipino Neil John Tabanao (17-4, 11 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout in the ShoBox main event, while super featherweight Xavier Martinez (13-0, 9 KOs) will take on John Moralde (21-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round co-featured attraction. In the telecast opener, Las Vegas prospect Andres Cortes (10-0, 6 KOs) will face Baltimore’s Jahmal Dyer (9-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout.

Here is what the fighters had to say on Thursday from Sam’s Town in Las Vegas.

FINAL WEIGHTS, REFEREES AND JUDGES

Super Bantamweight 10-Round Bout

Angelo Leo – 123 lbs.

Neil John Tabanao – 122 ¼ lbs.

Referee: Jay Nady (Las Vegas); Judges: Glenn Trowbridge (Las Vegas), Patricia Morse Jarman (Las Vegas), Lisa Giampa (Las Vegas)

Super Featherweight 10-Round Bout

Xavier Martinez – 131 ¾ * lbs.

John Moralde – 131 ½ * lbs.

Referee: Tony Weeks (Las Vegas); Judges: Adalaide Byrd (Las Vegas), Tim Cheatham (Las Vegas), Ricardo Ocasio (Las Vegas)

Contracted weight is 131 pounds.

Super Featherweight 8-Round Bout

Andre Cortes – 132 ¼ * lbs.

Jahmal Dyer – 130 ½ * lbs.

Referee: Jay Nady (Las Vegas); Judges: Kermit Bayless (Las Vegas), Patricia Morse Jarman (Las Vegas), Glenn Trowbridge (Las Vegas)

Contracted weight is 132 pounds.

FINAL QUOTES:

ANGELO LEO:

“I’ve been in Vegas for about two years and training at Mayweather’s gym. I’m from Albuquerque and it’s a good fight town. We have some champions there, including Austin Trout and others.

“My style is a unique style – it’s a boxer-puncher style. I would say my style is really versatile. I can also punch if I need to – it depends on how my opponent fights.

“In my 122-pound division I have a good height advantage and I’m one of the taller guys. I’m best at 122. It’s tough to make weight, but this is the best weight for me.

“This is my national TV debut but there’s no pressure. I’ve been visualizing this moment since I was a kid.

“My opponent is no pushover. He’s got some power in his punch, so I have to be careful with that. I do watch a little video of my opponents. I think Tabanao is a good fighter, he’s a smart fighter. He’s a counterpuncher, he comes to fight, he comes to win. I’m ready for whatever he brings.”

NEIL JOHN TABANAO:

“My style is come-forward and aggressive. My style always depends on my opponent and what he shows me.

“I’m excited to be in America to continue my career but this is a Mayweather Promotions fight and a lot of people will be watching. So overall it’s great for my career.

“I know [Leo] is good because he knocked out my teammate, Glenn Porras.

“My mother passed away in December at age 48 from stage 5 kidney disease. I am dedicating this fight to her.

“The first time I was ever knocked down it was a double knockdown, but I got up and the other guy [Charlie Pucdol] didn’t. At least I won the fight.”

XAVIER MARTINEZ

“I’m an action-packed fighter. I’m a very slick, skilled boxer and improving with each step. It’s a great fight for me and I can’t wait to get in there.

“It’s more than a fight, you have to sell yourself out there. I’m from a good fight town in Sacramento, but I knew I would have to move to Vegas to step up against the best.

“I’ve watched a lot of Floyd and Diego Corrales. I was born in 1997 so I was 3 or 4 years old when I started watching those guys.

“With this game, it’s patience. And one thing I’ve learned from Floyd is to be patient. He says get it done the right way, and don’t rush. Because that’s when you mess it up.

“I’m an exciting fighter and I like to throw and mix it up in there.

“I want to make this a statement fight. If I don’t get him out early, because he’s tough, then I’m going to beat him down.

“I’ve fought on TV before so this is my third TV fight. So the lights won’t distract me. This is my job and it’s all part of the territory. So I can’t worry about all the lights and hoopla.”

JOHN MORALDE

“I’m a southpaw with a lot of experience and had more than 300 amateur fights with 270 wins.

“It’s a great step-up fight for me. I respect my opponent and know he’s going to bring it.

“Boxing has always been a big part of my family’s life and I’ve been boxing since I was six years old. Four of my siblings are boxers and one is a professional.

“The guys who I have sparred with are bigger than me so I’m fully prepared to go in there and take care of business.

“I was impressed with Xavier Martinez. He’s a good fighter, as all fighters at this level are skilled. He puts nice combinations together. We have formulated our game plan and I am very confident of my outcome on fight night and that I will be leaving Las Vegas victorious!”

ANDRE CORTES

“I’m mean and I’m aggressive. I’m an animal. I’m here to mess things up and destroy people.

“I’ve taken care of myself through this training camp and I’m motivated to continue climbing and making a name for myself.

“I’m a quiet guy outside the ring. I’m smart and intelligent outside the ring, but also inside the ring. Growing up all we knew was how to bang. But I’ve matured a lot.

“I’ve sparred some tough guys, including Gervonta Davis. That’s when Floyd [Mayweather] saw me and wanted to sign me so we did it.

“I’m an aggressive counter-puncher and I can take a shot. I’ve been especially working on my defense. My brother Luis is in my corner and he was a decorated amateur and won the Gold and Silver Gloves. Now he’s focused on helping me. He never turned pro, but I’ve seen the things he’s done and learned from them.

“I think people will remember me after I knock this guy out in my backyard. It’s gonna be something you don’t want to miss!

“Fighting in Vegas has been a dream come true for me. When I fought for the first time at the Mandalay Bay I almost cried.”

JAHMAL DYER

“He’s just another guy I’m stepping into the ring with. He’s nothing special.

“I’m a boxer with a strong right; look it up and you’ll see the video.

“I took some time off of my full-time job to get ready for this.

“With my last loss, I lost focus. My opponent did what he was supposed to do. But I rebounded and learned from my mistakes. It will only make me better in the future.”

# # #

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @MayweatherPromotions, @mayweathersports and #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 79 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

LOS ANGELES (April 4, 2019) – All-action welterweight Adrian Granados and heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. continued preparation for their respective showdowns at a media workout in Los Angeles Thursday before they step in the ring Saturday, April 20 as part of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Granados will face former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in a 12-round welterweight bout that headlines action, while the Southern California-native Ruiz takes on Alexander Dimitrenko in heavyweight action as part of the broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to not miss any of the televised action.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, in association with DSG Promotions, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or at the Dignity Health Sports Park box office from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Here is what the workout participants had to say Thursday from Fortune Gym in Los Angeles:

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“I feel great. I’m starting to peak and everything is clicking. I had a great camp and I’m just excited for this fight.

“This is a great style matchup. Danny is a strong puncher and a great counter puncher. I’m going to be right there. I’m going to come with it. I also have a lot of intangibles that people don’t see. I’m not one-dimensional and I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

“I think I have more dog in me than Danny does. He complains a lot and also gets away with a lot. He does what he has to do to win. I’ve never been given anything and I think I have a lot more to prove than he does.

“My fights against Shawn Porter and Adrien Broner were good preparation for this. I think against Broner I should have gotten the decision, but I didn’t. Against Porter, I fought the wrong fight and missed the chance I did have. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder from both experiences.

“This is my chance to show the boxing world that I’m elite and get my title shot. I’ve always wanted to become a world champion, and I haven’t got my opportunity at 140 where I beat the number-one contender. I’m not afraid to fight anyone so I’m here to get a big win.

“I think I need a stoppage or a dominating win. It has to be one-sided. I have enough controversial losses that I know that I can’t leave it up to the judges. I’m training hard to dominate the fight.

“I’m kind of a ‘young vet’ because I’m only 29-years-old but I’m battle-tested. I was never promoted until the last three or four years. I’ve had to do what I had to coming up. I took the tough fights that most prospects wouldn’t.

“I always knew I had the talent to be at this level and I’m glad that I’m respected and recognized now, but it’s time for me to get a big win. I’m going to show that I really belong and I’m an elite fighter.”

ANDY RUIZ JR.

“All the hard work in the gym has been paying off and I feel prepared for April 20. I’m facing an experienced guy who’s tall, but I think my pressure and my speed will make it difficult for him.

“We’ve looked at Dimitrenko’s past fights and put together a game plan. We’re going to stick to it and execute. We’re going to attack the body and I think with my speed and combinations I’m going to get him out of there.

“I’m coming back from a layoff but it’s over and right now my goal is to make a statement and let everyone know that I’m back in action. I’m ready to take one of the spots at the top of the division.

“There are a lot of big fights I want, but my mind is totally focused on April 20. I’ve never been this motivated. I’m going to be fighting more often and I’m glad to have the opportunity.

“Fighting for the Mexican fans gives me more motivation now than ever. I want to be the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world and hopefully this year or next year I will accomplish those dreams.

“I have everything I need now to get to where I want to go. This is just the beginning. The more fights I have, the better I’m going to be looking.

“It feels great to be fighting in Southern California and I know there will be a lot of Mexicans out there on April 20. It’s always a great atmosphere and my game plan is to steal the show. I’m going to give it all I got for the fans.

“I think Dimitrenko is going to use his jab and move around. He’s tall, but he can’t run away forever. At some point you have to be there toe-to-toe. We’ve worked on our head movement and we’re going to be ready for anything he brings.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“Andy Ruiz Jr. is exactly where he should be right now. He’s re-dedicated himself to the sport of boxing and when he does, there might not be a better heavyweight out there. He traveled to New Zealand and took on Joseph Parker in his backyard and lost a majority decision. He’s tasted it and he’s hungry for it again.

“Arguably Adrian Granados could have a record of 27-1 and he’s ready for his moment to shine. I like where he’s at mentally as far as taking charge and winning these fights so he can move on and become a champion, which has been his goal since he got into the game.”

# # #

ABOUT GARCIA VS. GRANADOS
Garcia vs. Granados will see former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia battling rugged veteran Adrian Granados in a 12-round welterweight bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, April 20 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park, formerly StubHub Center, in Carson, California.

Heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz takes on Alexander Dimitrenko in a 10-round bout in the co-feature and unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa battles Venezuela’s Yonfrez Parejo in a 12-round match for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title that opens the primetime FOX broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX 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, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

MIAMI (April 4, 2019) – WBA, WBC and IBF Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields hosted a media workout at 5th Street Gym in Miami Thursday as she nears her showdown against WBO Middleweight World Champion Christina Hammer for the undisputed

middleweight world championship Saturday April 13 live on SHOWTIME from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

The two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Shields and unbeaten Hammer will look to become the sixth fighter in history to unify all four major world titles in the main event of a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION (9 p.m. ET/PT).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are priced at $150, $100, $55 and $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster and at boardwalkhall.com.

Shields has been training in Florida for the last week with her trainer John David Jackson, after spending the previous five weeks at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Here is what Shields had to say Thursday:

CLARESSA SHIELDS

“Christina doesn’t know what’s coming for her. I’m going to break that Hammer in half.

“When we’re in there, it’s about who punches harder. This is a real fight. Just because she has height, doesn’t mean she’s going to dictate what happens. She’s going to have to do a lot to keep me off of her.

“I have two Olympic Gold Medals, three belts and more coming. I’ll have all the titles at the end of the night on April 13.

“I work hard, really hard. If I was a man, I would probably be one of the most famous boxers out there. There is a gender gap. We all know it. I’m working towards changing that. We work hard, we get less money and less recognition, but the world is changing. We are changing it.

“Hammer has been talking smack but I’m not worried about her. I’m just ready for a fight. She talks about a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with boxing. I’m waiting for her to say she’s going to hit me with an uppercut or something, but it’s more of the same.

“Being here in Florida to finish up camp has really been ideal. I’ve still been working extremely hard, but here I have a little extra space and sunshine. It was time for some new scenery in camp and I think this was the perfect move to take me into fight week.

“I’ve been working on my ‘Ali shuffle,’ this gym inspired me. Don’t be surprised if you see me break it out during the fight. I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve. At the press conference there will be some surprises too — I have an outfit picked that is going to steal the show.”

“This fight is long overdue and I’m just glad I’m going to get my chance to show her what a real champion is. Someone is going down on April 13 and I promise it’s not going to be me.

“People can say they’re not paying attention to you and not studying you, but they’re lying. I’m glad she’s looking at me closely though. Hammer flew one of my friends out there to be a sparring partner, not even knowing that she hasn’t sparred me in years and knows nothing about me. It makes me know I’m on her mind. She can spar with Ann Wolfe and she still isn’t going to beat me.”

# # #

ABOUT SHIELDS vs. HAMMER

Shields vs. Hammer will pit undefeated middleweight world champions Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer against each other in a battle to crown the undisputed 160-pound world champion, in what is arguably the most significant women’s boxing event in history. The co-feature will pit Jermaine Franklin taking on Rydell Booker in a thrilling 10-round heavyweight bout and in the telecast opener, heavyweights Otto Wallin and Nick Kisner will battle in 10-round clash. The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

NEW YORK (April 4, 2019)–Welterweight contender, Ray Robinson believes that he should have deserved the decision in his bout with WBO number-one ranked Egidijus Kavaliauskas in a bout that was seen live on ESPN this past Saturday at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Robinson of Philadelphia and Kavaliauskas battled to a majority draw in a bout where Robinson demonstrated great ring generalship and dictated the pace of the bout.

“This is why I fell in love with boxing. To hit and not get hit, i put on a boxing lesson,” said Robinson.

“I feel like I offset him. I was faster and the lateral movement confused him. I frustrated him. I just listened to my coaches and threw him off. I had a full camp, and it showed in my performance as I feel that I dominated,” continued Robinson, who won one scorecard by a 97-93 tally, while two others were even at 95-95.

Kavaliauskas has been mentioned for a chance to fight undefeated WBO champion Terence Crawford, but with his performance, Robinson would happily step in the ring with the Nebraska native, as he showed not only he is a worthy fighter, but he also, Robinson owns a win over the consensus pound-for-pound fighter in the amateur ranks. Robinson feels he would repeat that result in the pro ranks, with an opportunity at Crawford.

“I think now I deserve that shot. I am the last person to defeat Terence Crawford in the amateurs. The fans would want to see it, and I am sure he would want it. If it was me, I would want to fight the last person who beat me. If not Crawford, I feel that I deserve to compete with the top welterweights out there. Guys like Thurman, Porter, Spence, Sadam Ali, Kell Brook, Adrien Broner. Any of them. I am a promotional free agent, so it won’t be difficult to make a deal with any of them”

Team Sauerland held a press conference today at the Leonardo Hotel to preview a huge night of boxing at the CongressPark in Wolfsburg on Saturday night featuring IBF title fights for rising middleweight stars Patrick Wojcicki (12-0-1, 4KOs) and Denis Radovan (11-0-1, 5 KOs).

Wojcicki defends his IBF Inter-Continental title against mandatory challenger Marcelo FabianCaceres (18-3, 13KOs) as he returns to headline his hometown arena following a unanimous points win Sven Elbir in October.

“Thanks to Team Sauerland and CongressPark,” said Wojcicki. “I am very happy to experience the atmosphere here again. Argentinians are always strong and Caceres is a good boxer, but I have to beat him to move on to greater tasks.”

“Patrick has my respect, but I did not come from Argentina to lose,” said Caceres, who is fighting outside his native Argentina for the first time.

“Thanks to Team Sauerland and Nisse Sauerland for this fight and the cooperation. Marcelo Caceres will be a worthy opponent and will do anything to win against Patrick,” echoed Caceres manager, Natalia Rivero.

As chief support, Radovan rematches Ronny Mittag (30-3-3, 15KOs) for the IBF European Middleweight title, following their fiercely contested split decision draw last December.

“I am well prepared,” said Radovan. “It’s about a title and this time I will win the fight!”

Joining Radovan was his legendary trainer Pedro Diaz. “I studied Ronny Mittag very closely and we respect him,” said Diaz. “But this time Denis will win the fight!”

“We already have the first fight won, we will win again this time” said Mittag’s coach Hartmut Schroder. “The preparation was with ups and downs, but in the end every good!”

Promoter Nisse Sauerland is looking forward to another great event at the CongressPark.

“Last time it was outstanding, this time I am looking forward to another great atmosphere,” said Sauerland. “Two 50/50 fights top a strong fight card – the spectators and viewers on Sport1 will definitely get their money’s worth.”

Fans in Germany can watch live on Sport1, in the UK on Boxnation and limited remaining tickets are available via www.eventim.de

NEW YORK, NY (April 4, 2019) – UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, today announced a collaboration with DiBella Entertainment and their acclaimed Broadway Boxing series. On Wednesday, April 10, at 8:00 ET / 5:00 PM PT, UFC FIGHT PASS will exclusively live stream the Broadway Boxing event from Times Square’s Sony Hall in New York City. Ukrainian welterweight contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub (15-1, 12 KOs) will headline the event defending his WBC USNBC title in a scheduled 10-round bout.

“April 10th’s card at Sony Hall is representative of what has made Broadway Boxing the longest running and most highly regarded grassroots boxing series in America,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “It features top welterweight contender Ivan Golub, who should be undefeated, as he continues to fight his way toward a world title, dynamic world champion Alicia ‘The Empress’ Napoleon, in a nontitle fight, and the ‘Big Uzbek’, Bakhodir Jalolov, who we believe is the scariest young heavyweight in the world and a future world champion. Former amateur stars Hurshidbek ‘Hershey’ Normatov, Joe Williams, Brian Ceballo and Khalid Twaiti round out the card in competitive bouts. DiBella Entertainment is thrilled that this Broadway Boxing will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass, the premier streaming service for MMA and combat sports. UFC Fight Pass’ commitment to offer first class boxing to its subscribers is great news for fight fans. We believe that this is the beginning of an exciting and creative collaboration.”

Making the first defense of his WBC USNBC welterweight strap, Ivan Golub, of Brooklyn, NY, will take on Manuel Alejandro “El Chino” Reyes (11-4-1, 5 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA. Golub, who is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., captured the USNBC belt last August via outstanding 10-round shutout decision against Lanardo Tyner. He has two impressive victories by knockout on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series, and his lone loss came via controversial decision in Toledo, OH, against local fighter Jamontay Clark, in a bout most observers felt Golub deserved to win. Golub accumulated a 270-32 amateur record, while becoming a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.

In a battle of heavyweight giants, fast-rising prospect Bakhodir “The Big Uzbek” Jalolov (5-0, 5 KOs), of Sariosiyo, Uzbekistan, who stands at 6’7″, will clash in a scheduled six-round tilt against the 6’10” Donnie Palmer (10-2-1, 9 KOs), of Dorchester, MA. Co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., Jalolov was born in Sariosiyo, Uzbekistan, and is incredibly popular in his native country, with 173,000 social media followers on Instagram. He was a highly accomplished amateur compiling a record of 84-13. A four-time National champion from 2013 to 2016 and the #1 ranked amateur in the world before his pro debut, Jalolov represented his homeland at the 2016 Olympic Games and had the distinguished honor of being the country’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremonies. As an amateur, Jalolov won gold medals at the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in 2017, World Cup Tournament, Liventsev Memorial Tournament, Great Silk Way Tournament, and Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament in 2015, and at the World Cup of Petroleum Countries Tournament in 2014. During his amateur career, Jalolov also focused on his education, earning a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.

The card will also feature the highly anticipated return of WBA super middleweight women’s world champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (10-1, 5 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, against Eva Bajic, of Senta, Serbia, in an eight-round nontitle bout. The charismatic Long Islander defeated Femke Hermans on March 3, 2018, to capture the WBA world title then made her first defense five months later. The Veteran Boxers Association named Napoleon as the 2018 “New York State Female Fighter of the Year” at their annual Holiday Awards Dinner. She is an outspoken advocate for gender equality and has been featured on national TV, including on FOX 5’s “Good Morning America” and the Pickler & Ben talk show. Napoleon competed as an amateur for nine years, winning 11 National titles, including two New York Golden Gloves championships and a National Golden Gloves title.

Undefeated super welterweight prospect Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (7-0, 3 KOs), a native of Uzbekistan now fighting out of Brooklyn, NY, will face veteran Calvin Metcalf (9-1-1, 2 KOs), of Kansas City, MO, in a six-round bout. A pro since June 2016, the 26-year-old southpaw has already beaten two previously undefeated prospects in Nicklaus Flaz and Alexis Gaytan. As an amateur, Normatov accumulated a 190-40 record and won the European Amateur National Championships in 2014.

Welterweight prospect Brian Ceballo (7-0, 3 KOs), of Brooklyn, NY, promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, will face Ricardo Garcia (14-5-1, 9 KOs), of Reading, PA, in a six-round bout. The 25-year-old Ceballo was a stellar amateur, compiling a 206-13 record while becoming a five-time New York Golden Gloves champion. He turned pro last March and is coming off of a six-round unanimous decision victory in January against Randy Fuentes, at the Avalon, in Hollywood, CA.

In the junior featherweight division, Brooklyn fan favorite Khalid “Pure Gold” Twaiti (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round bout against Jeno Tonte, of Kecskemet, Hungary. Fighting for the first time in 2019 at Sony Hall, Twaiti returns to action following a four-round unanimous decision against Carlos Noe Ramirez last September in his home borough. Twaiti turned pro in February 2017 after compiling a 74-15 amateur record.

Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Joe “Mack” Williams (12-0, 8 KOs), of Far Rockaway, Queens, NY, makes his long-awaited return to the ring against Jose Mario Flores (8-1-2, 4 KOs), of Woodbridge, VA, in a scheduled six-rounder. In February 2017, Williams appeared on SHOWTIME’s “ShoBox” series, handing 15-0-1 Lenin Castillo his first defeat via decision. Flores is coming off of a decision victory last November against 16-0 Armando Pina.

Tickets for BROADWAY BOXING, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are currently on sale and start at $55 for Standing Room Only, with $100 stage seating, and $125 for Ringside. VIP Tables are available for $200 per seat and Ringside Tables for $125 per seat. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577 and online through Ticketmaster HERE. Sony Hall is located at 235 West 46th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue), New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 PM with the first bell at 7:30 PM. For more information on Sony Hall, please visit their website (www.SonyHall.com).

For more information about the event, please visit:

UFC FIGHT PASS DiBella Entertainment
Website: https://www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass Website: https://www.DBE1.com
Facebook: @UFCFightPass Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment
Twitter: @UFCFightPass Twitter: @LouDiBella @DiBellaEnt
Instagram: @UFCFightPass Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®:
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit https://www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass.

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT
In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in April 2004. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

Las Vegas (April 4, 2019) – Boxing’s Two-time former Heavyweight World Champion Riddick Bowe has confirmed that he will appear at the fifth annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday May 4, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Bowe will hold a meet and greet with his fans at the Box Fan Expo at the American Boxing Association (ABA) booth. The Expo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., during Cinco De Mayo weekend. The Boxing Expo will also coincide with the highly anticipated fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Danny Jacobs, that will take place later that evening at the T-Mobile Arena.

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

Bowe will make his 2nd appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos and personal items for his fans to enjoy. Boxing Fans will have an opportunity to also take pictures with this Boxing Legend also Known as “Big Daddy”.

Bowe joins Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr., Marco Antonio Barrera, Mia St,John, Juan Manuel Marquez, Vinny Paz, Devin Haney, Earnie Shavers, Al Bernstein, Michael Spinks, WBC, Erik Morales, James Toney and Jessie Vargas as an early commitment to this year’s Box Fan Expo, with many more Top Boxing stars to be announced.

About Riddick Bowe
Riddick Bowe is an American former professional boxer. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion in 1992, and as an amateur he won a silver medal in the super heavyweight division at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

After turning professional in 1989, Bowe went on to become a two-time world heavyweight champion. In 1992 he won the undisputed WBA, WBC, and IBF titles by defeating then-unbeaten former undisputed cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield. That same year, Bowe was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers’ Association of America. Bowe vacated the WBC title later that year in protest, instead of defending the title against their number one contender, Lennox Lewis. This left the undisputed championship fragmented until 1999. In a rematch with Holyfield in 1993, Bowe narrowly lost the WBA and IBF titles in what would be his only professional defeat.

He later regained a portion of the world heavyweight championship in 1995, defeating Herbie Hide for the then-fledgling WBO title. In doing so, Bowe became the first boxer in history to win the titles of all four major sanctioning bodies-the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO-and remains the only heavyweight to do so. Later that year, Bowe vacated the WBO title in order to fight Holyfield for a third time, and won decisively by being the first boxer to stop Holyfield. In 2008 Bowe retired from the sport with an impressive record of 45-1. Many Boxing experts consider Bowe as one of the greatest Heavyweight of all time. In 2015, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

About American Boxing Association
The American Boxing Association also known as the “ABA”, was created in 2012 by founder Dean Smith, who created the only “Made in the USA” National governing and Sanctioning body, that support’s American Fighters. The ABA allow American fighters to fight and defend a national title, with a sense of National pride. For more info go to: http://Ababoxing.us

About Box Fan Expo
Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet-and-greet boxing superstars of today, current and former world champions, legends of the sport and other boxing celebrities. Fans can expect to experience various interactions such as autograph and photos sessions, FaceOff with your favorite boxers, pictures with the Ring Card Girls, Live DJ Music, chance to win prizes, purchase merchandise and memorabilia from different booths Exhibitors, “ALL UNDER ONE ROOF”. You won’t want to miss this must-attend Expo!

Box Fan Expo has been a huge success with fans and boxing industry people. Many boxing stars have attended the last four Expos such as Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Marco Antonio Barrera, Roy Jones Jr., Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Errol Spence Jr., Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Zab Judah, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Vinny Pazienza, Mia St.John, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris , Riddick Bowe , Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Danny Jacobs, Abner Mares, Jorge Linares, Brandon Rios and many more…

Exhibitors include: boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who wish to participate will once again have a chance to showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at:
https://boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

Throughout the next several weeks leading up to the event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo. And for anyone in the Boxing industry or other Exhibitors (non-industry), who would like to be involved and reserve a Booth, contact Box Fan Expo:

Telephone number: (514) 572-7222 or Las Vegas Number (702) 997-1927

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

For More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

Follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter and Instagram: @BoxFanExpo

Follow Box Fan Expo on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

Conor Benn is itching to get back under the bright lights after recovering from a hand injury that has kept him out of the ring since his explosive rematch with Frenchman Cedrick Peynaud at The O2 in London back in July 2018.

Benn makes his long-awaited return to the ring on April 20’s big Heavyweight double-header in the Capital topped by Dave Allen vs. Lucas Browne and Derek Chisora vs. Senad Gashi to make the first defence of his WBA Continental Welterweight strap.

‘The Destroyer’ raced to 13-0 (9 KOs) before requiring surgery on his injured hand after his summer clash with Peynaud, but the all-action Ilford talent is determined to make the best of a bad situation by returning with a bang later this month.

“By the time fight night comes around it will have been around ten months since my last fight,” said Benn. “It feels good to be back and to have an opportunity to show everyone the progress that I’ve made during my time out of the ring. I’m still young and at this age the progression is rapid. I’m far from my prime and everything happens for a reason.

“Having a few injuries has slowed everything down a bit but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You’ve got to look on the positive side of things. During my time out of the ring I’ve been able to work on a lot of things and improve in different areas. Time out of the ring isn’t always bad, it’s how you use that time that’s important.

“Peynaud exposed my lack of defence in both fights but we’ve been able to go away and work on that and many other things in the gym. On April 20 you’re going to see a better and improved version of Conor Benn. I’m learning on the job and I’m only going to get better and stronger as I mature and grow.”

Despite a growing demand for a huge domestic showdown with Rio 2016 Olympian Josh ‘Pretty Boy’ Kelly, Benn is keen to remain focused on the job at hand as he looks to climb the Welterweight ladder towards domestic title shots later in the year.

“The main aim for 2019 is to remain undefeated and to be tested in some good entertaining domestic scraps,” he added. “I’ve been unfortunate with injuries so it’s hard for me to look too far into the future but I’d like to get another belt around my waist by the end of the year for sure.

“I’d definitely be interested in going for the British title, why not? I hadn’t seen any of Chris Jenkins until he fought Jonny Garton at the Royal Albert Hall. He looked alright. I was gutted for Jonny because I’m a big fan of his but Jenkins turned up on the night and done the job.

“It would have been nice for me to take the belt off Garton because he sells a lot of tickets and it could have been a much bigger fight. But belts aside, my main focus for this year is learning and developing. Let’s take it one performance at a time and see where it goes.

“The hand is feeling good. It took me a while to get back to hitting properly and not pulling back out of fear of it going again. I’m happy with how my preparation is going for April 20. I’m only 22 and I already feel a lot stronger than I did in my last fight. This is going to be another big year for me.”

Benn returns on a huge night of boxing in the Capital.

At the top of the bill, Doncaster fan favourite Dave Allen (16-4-2, 13 KOs) faces the biggest night of his career against Australia’s former WBA Heavyweight World Champion Lucas Browne (28-1, 14 KOs) and Derek Chisora (29-9, 21 KOs) clashes with Senad Gashi (17-2, 17 KOs) in his first fight under new trainer Dave Coldwell.

Sunderland’s ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on the toughest opponent of his career to date in the form of unbeaten 17-0 Pole Przemyslaw Runowski, Brooklyn Middleweight prospect Nikita Ababiy (3-0, 3 KOs) makes his UK debut and Watford Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay fighting for the second time after winning on her pro debut at the Copper Box Arena last month.

Las Vegas – Nearly one year after Chicago hosted one of the most exciting cards of the year, UFC® returns to the Windy City with another thrilling event featuring two premier title fights, streaming exclusively on ESPN+. Men’s flyweight champion and No. 5-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Henry Cejudo moves up in weight to attempt to become only the fourth athlete in history to hold two UFC titles simultaneously when he faces No. 1-ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes for the vacant 135-pound championship. Also, women’s flyweight champion and No. 15-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world Valentina Shevchenko looks to defend her title for the first time against No. 1-ranked contender Jessica Eye.

UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES takes place Saturday, June 8 at United Center and will be live nationally on Pay-Per-View exclusively through ESPN+ in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT in both English and Spanish.

ESPN+ is the exclusive provider of all UFC Pay-Per-View events to fans in the United States as part of an agreement announced last month and continuing through 2025.

Fans will be able to purchase UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES online at ESPNPlus.com/PPV and then will be able to watch it via the web or on the ESPN App on any connected device. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN app on all major mobile and connected TV devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, X Box One and more.

Preliminary fights will air nationally in English and Spanish on ESPN and ESPN Deportes television networks starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with the early prelims simulcast on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT.

Cejudo (14-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) looks to join an exclusive club home to Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes as the only athletes to hold two UFC championships simultaneously. A former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, Cejudo successfully made the jump to MMA six years ago and has already defeated some of the biggest names in the sport, including former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and TJ Dillashaw. Now, Cejudo looks to prove that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by moving up in weight and becoming the only person to finish Moraes in the UFC.

Competing in the first UFC title fight of his career, Moraes (22-5-1, fighting out of Tom’s River, N.J. by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to prove that he is the true king of the bantamweight division. Known for his spectacular finishing ability, Moraes earned his title shot with three impressive first-round stoppages in a row over fellow top-contenders Aljamain Sterling, Jimmie Rivera and Raphael Assuncao. Moraes now hopes to net his fourth consecutive post-fight bonus and join the pound-for-pound ranks by taking out Cejudo with another impressive performance.

Shevchenko (16-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) won the vacant UFC flyweight championship in December with a dominant victory over long-time rival and former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Throughout her career, Shevchenko has established herself as one of the most dangerous competitors in all of women’s MMA, having defeated former bantamweight champion Holly Holm and top contender Julianna Pena. She now looks to continue her undefeated flyweight reign by being the first person to stop Jessica Eye in her UFC career.

Gunning to capitalize on the momentum of her current winning streak, Eye (14-6, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio) competes for the first UFC championship of her career. Undefeated since moving to flyweight last year, Eye has impressed with victories over Kalindra Faria, Jessica-Rose Clark and top-ranked contender Katlyn Chookagian. Now, Eye intends to shock the world by becoming the first flyweight to defeat Shevchenko and stake her claim as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world.

Additional bouts on the card include:

In a battle of top-ranked women’s strawweight contenders, No. 3-ranked Tatiana Suarez (7-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) aims to stay undefeated by taking out No. 3-ranked Nina Ansaroff (10-5, fighting out of Weston, Fla.)
No. 12-ranked Felice Herrig (14-8, fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) looks to defend her spot in the rankings by being the first person to defeat Yan Xiaonan (9-1, fighting out of Beijing, China) in the UFC.
Heavyweight brawlers battle to break into the top 10 as No. 11-ranked Tai Tuivasa (10-1, fighting out of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) meets No. 14-ranked Blagoy Ivanov (17-2, fighting out of Sofia, Bulgaria)
No. 3-ranked Katlyn Chookagian (11-2, fighting out of Kenilworth, N.J.) hopes to reinsert herself into the women’s flyweight title picture by taking out fan-favorite No. 6-ranked Joanne Calderwood (13-3, fighting out of Glasgow, Scotland)
Chicago’s own No. 11-ranked featherweight Ricardo Lamas (19-7, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) intends to defend his home soil with an impressive performance against No. 15-ranked Calvin Kattar (19-3, fighting out of Methuen, Mass.)

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

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

Tickets for UFC® 238: CEJUDO vs. MORAES go on sale Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, April 3 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, April 4 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

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About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. UFC boasts 278 million fans worldwide and has produced over 460 events in 24 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to 1.0 billion TV households worldwide in over 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

About United Center

The United Center is a state-of-the-art campus, including a 960,000 square-foot multi-use entertainment facility and over four additional buildings, that has welcomed more than 55 million fans since opening in 1994. Home of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League, the United Center hosts more than 200 events each year, including the best sporting events, musical performers, family shows and special events in the industry. An iconic legacy and commitment to superior service makes the United Center one of the premiere venues in the world.

For more information, please visit www.unitedcenter.com

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

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.

(APRIL 4, 2019) — Top Rank and MTK Global’s exclusive multi-year licensing agreement kicks off Friday, April 5 with a special card from Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Five bouts are scheduled to stream live and exclusively beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment and ESPN.

In the 12-round main event, Nigerian power puncher Aliu Bamidele “Lucky Boy” Lasisi (12-0, 8 KOs) will fight Ricardo Blandon (10-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBC International super flyweight belt. The co-feature will see Irishman David Oliver Joyce (9-0, 7 KOs) battle Stephen Tiffney (10-1, 4 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO European featherweight strap.

Lasisi’s last bout was a dominant unanimous decision over Mchanja Yohana in December. Blandon, who hails from Managua, Nicaragua, has won three straight bouts by knockout and will be making his first ring appearance outside of his home country.

Joyce, who represented Ireland at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Jorge Rojas Zacazontetl last October at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Tiffney has won two straight since a decision loss to Lewis Paulin (10-0 at the time).

In other action:

Up-and-coming super middleweight Mateo Tapia (9-0, 5 KOs) will face Gaganpreet Sharma (8-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Shakhobidin Zoirov, who captured a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics for his native Uzbekistan, will make his professional debut against Anthony Holt (5-4-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round featherweight contest.

Lightweight prospect Majid Al-Naqbi will make his professional debut versus Vladimir Lytkin (0-2) in a four-rounder.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive 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) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

About MTK Global
MTK Global is the world’s foremost fighter management company. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it was founded in September 2012 by two-time European boxing champion, Matthew Macklin.

MTK Global delivers a wide range of support and services including career development, legal, media, endorsements and sponsorships to more than a hundred professional fighters. It provides boxing shows, events and training gyms in various locations worldwide: Marbella, Spain, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, United Kingdom, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sta. Catarina, Brasil and Sydney, Australia.

For general enquiries, email us at: hello@mtkglobal.com.

PHILADELPHIA – Former two-time world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia scored the “2018 Knockout of the Year” with his ninth round stoppage of Brandon Rios, in February 2018.

Garcia, rebounding from his first-ever defeat as a professional, wore Rios down with his heavy artillery before blasting out the former champ with two knockdowns in round nine. The second knockdown was a picture-perfect overhand right to the jaw that sent Rios crashing to the floor, and ultimately ended the fight.

After a five year drought at the Briscoe Awards, Garcia’s KO of Rios earned him his fifth overall Briscoe Award, and his first for the best knockout.

The awards, named after Philly middleweight boxing legend Bennie Briscoe, have been recognizing the best achievements of the Philly boxing scene since 2007.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia (1100 Pattison Avenue), 1-4 PM.

Tickets for the Briscoe Awards cost $10 each, and can be purchased in advance at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.

**TICKETS START FROM JUST $25 AND ARE ON SALE NOW FROM TICKETMASTER**

Quigg (35-2-2 26KOs) is itching for the chance to become a two-weight World champion, and his clash in his now home base of Los Angeles will be the second step in adding Super-Featherweight glory to his reign as WBA Super-Bantamweight king.

The Brit star delivered a violent KO win on his bow at 130lbs in Boston, MA in October in the second round over Mario Briones – a card that saw Tevin Farmer defend his IBF World Super-Featherweight crown for the first time with a fifth round KO of James Tennyson.

The Philadelphia ace has defended the title twice since, against X in New York in December and on home turf against Jono Carroll in March, and he’s a target for Quigg should he prevail against the in-form Velez (28-5-1 20KOs) with the Puerto Rican picking off Orlando Cruz and Victor Terrazas inside four rounds since a points reverse to highly-rated Ryan Garcia.

“These are the cards I want to be on,” said Quigg. “It’s a great chance for me to make a big statement with the attention on the bill. I want to be a World Champion again so I need to show people that I mean business. Jayson is a solid fighter who is coming off some good wins so it’s a good test and one I am looking forward to.

“Boston was a good win, coming off the Oscar Valdez defeat it was good to get back to winning ways in a new city in my second fight over here. It was my first fight at Super-Featherweight, I felt strong and I enjoyed the city.

“Tevin is a very good fighter, one I’ve watched for a long time. He’s come up the hard way with four losses as he was matched tough early on. He does everything well, but it’s a fight that I would jump at as I believe I have got the beating of him.

“I think I can fight for a title this year. Get a good win over Jayson on April 26 and I believe I’m ready. If I have to have another fight before then so be it, but 2019 I want to win a World title again.”

Quigg’s clash with Velez is part of a huge night of boxing in LA, topped by a World title double header as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1 41 KOs) and Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3 26KOs) rematch for the WBC and Ring Magazine World Super-Flyweight titles and WBA World Super-Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman and IBF ruler TJ Doheny clashing in a unification battle.

Jessie Vargas (28-2-2 10 KOs) is on the hunt to become a three-weight World champion and he faces fellow two-weight World king Humberto Soto (69-9-2 37 KOs) in a crunch clash for their elite level aspirations.

Unbeaten Super-Middleweight talent Anthony Sims Jr is set for a breakout year and will fight for his first title on the bill. Sims (17-0 16 KOs), who is in action in Peterborough, England on Saturday night live on DAZN and Sky Sports, clocked three stoppage wins in the second half of 2018, and will look to convert that momentum in style in first the UK and then in LA.

Shakhram Giyasov (7-0 6KOs) and Diego Pacheco (2-0 1KO) landed wins in Tijuana, Mexico in March and will fight on the bill, while Eddie Hearn’s latest addition to his blossoming stable of young USA talents, Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, will make his pro debut on the card.

Tickets are on sale now prices from just $25 – to charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com, and also at the Forum Box Office.

WBA #13 featherweight, WBO #7 and IBF #8 junior featherweight Arnold “Arni” Khegai stayed sharp with an eight-round stoppage of Tanzania’s Haidari Mchanjo last Friday night at the Ice Palace in Vladimir, Russia.

The undefeated ethnic Korean, Ukrainian-born slugger (15-0-1, 10 KOs) was dominating throughout (scores 80-72 x 3) the scheduled 10-rounder, when Mchanjo wisely decided not to come out for round nine.

With the win, the 27-year-old Khegai continues his unrelenting steamroll toward the 122-lb world championship fight he demands.

“I am getting sharper with each fight, staying busy fighting against different styles against fighters from different part of the world is making me better, sharper and smarter with each outing. I now look forward to returning to the US for a fight against a top contender.”

Khegai’s promoter, Dmitriy Salita, says he’s happy with his Ukrainian tank and hints of big things around the corner.

“With each win, Arnold is inching closer to his goal of becoming world champion. I was impressed with his victory, which will lead to great opportunities in the near future.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Chris Middendorf, who was and still is a co-promoter to WBO Welterweight champion Terence Crawford won a lawsuit against promoter Top Rank for failure of payment to Middendorf.

a judgment of more than $500,000 in a lawsuit against Top Rank that stemmed from a dispute over the percentage of money he was owed for four Crawford title defenses.

Judge John M. Gerrard of the U.S. federal court for the district of Nebraska ruled on Monday that Top Rank had to pay Maryland’s Chris Middendorf of Middendorf Sports $520,296.87 in addition to prejudgment interest, according to the judgment, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN. Top Rank has 30 days to appeal.

The judgment did not include Middendorf’s fees for Crawford’s first welterweight title defense against Jose Benavidez Jr. in October or his defense against Amir Khan, which is scheduled for April 20, because they had not taken place before the suit was filed. With Crawford’s purses increasing, it will mean another approximately $730,000 for Middendorf.

During the trial, Middendorf and Top Rank argued over the definition of the terms “purse” and “title defense.” Some of Crawford’s fights included contractual language that called for him to receive a set purse plus a percentage of the gate receipts from Top Rank. The judge ruled that Middendorf was also entitled to 8 percent of Crawford’s take from the gate because the “purse” is the total money paid to the fighter.

IBF Lightweight champion Richard Commey has been cleared to train after suffering an a hand injury in his title winning effort on February 2nd against Isa Chaniev, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Boom! Just had the all clear from the doctor here in New York,” Commey wrote on social media.

“He’s able to start using his hand again. The doctor told him he can start training when he wants, basically,” Commey promoter Lou DiBella said. “He would like to fight as soon as he can.”

“Richard is not looking for a free-pass fight, but he would like to defend his title first in June or July against somebody who is not Loma,” DiBella said. “The idea is to have him get a defense in the early summer and then fight Loma later in the year.”

Anthony Sims Jr. admits he’s a work in progress – but wants to challenge for titles at the end of 2019 as he returns to action at The Forum in Inglewood, LA on Friday April 26, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

**TICKETS START FROM JUST $25 AND ARE ON SALE NOW FROM TICKETMASTER**

Sims Jr (18-0 17KOs) impressed on British soil once again in his last outing, a sixth round stoppage of Mateo Veron in Peterborough, England to further extend his unbeaten record.

That was a first scheduled ten round contest for ‘The Magician’ and the longest amount of time he’s spent in the ring in his 18 wins since turning pro back in April 2014.

The 24 year old is settling into the Super-Middleweight division having dropped down from 175lbs and that’s where he wants to pick up his first pro hardware later in the year – before the Indiana man looks at bigger names and prizes in 2020.

“I am a work in progress,” said Sims Jr. “I’ve been working on my jab, letting my hands go and getting loose. My record says that I am power-puncher so I am trying to get back to boxing as you can’t just go out there and expect to blast everyone away.

“I’d like some sort of title fight by the end of the year but the key is making sure I am ready because once you get to that level, there’s no turning back. I haven’t had to dig it out and grit my teeth in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds yet, so I need to go deeper in fights before we get there, but it’s coming, those big fights could be ready for me next year.

“I’m only 24, I’m growing into things still. The champions out there like Callum Smith, Chris Eubank Jr are in their late 20s with plenty of experience. I’ve had a lot of fights but I am still young.

“Chris and I go back, we’re boys. We sparred when I was 18 and it was a great sparring session, it’s a fight I can see in the future. I am a Super-Middleweight. I’m stronger at 168lbs, it’s the best place for me.”

Sims Jr’s return to action is part of a huge night of boxing in LA, topped by a World title double header as Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1 41 KOs) and Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3 26KOs) rematch for the WBC and Ring Magazine World Super-Flyweight titles and WBA World Super-Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman and IBF ruler TJ Doheny clashing in a unification battle.

Jessie Vargas (28-2-2 10 KOs) is on the hunt to become a three-weight World champion and he faces fellow two-weight World king Humberto Soto (69-9-2 37 KOs) in a crunch clash for their elite level aspirations. The Soto clash will be Vargas’ first fight with new trainer Freddie Roach, and it’s a busy evening for the Hall of Fame coach as Scott Quigg (35-2-2 26KOs) also looks to move to world honors in a new weight, targeting a Featherweight World title shot in the second half of the year.

Shakhram Giyasov (7-0 6KOs) and Diego Pacheco (2-0 1KO) landed wins in Tijuana, Mexico this weekend and will fight on the bill, while Eddie Hearn’s latest addition to his blossoming stable of young USA talents, Houston’s Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, will make his pro debut on the card.

Tickets are on sale now prices from just $25 – to charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com, and also at the Forum Box Office.

Bethlehem, PA (April 3, 2019)–Super Featherweight contender Frank De Alba will take on veteran Moises Delgadillo in the ten-round main event of a big night of boxing that will take place on Friday night, May 3rd at The Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

The card is promoted by King’s Promotions in association with Titans Boxing Promotions.

De Alba of Reading, PA has called the Sands Bethlehem Event a 2nd home as this will be the 6th appearance for De Alba in the venue.

The 31 year-old is a eight-year veteran, who has a record of 22-4-2 with nine knockouts.

De Alba has wins over Andrew Bentley (1-0); Benjamin Burgos (1-0); Jose Bustos (8-2-3); Benjamin Gomez Uribe (16-3-1); Kiun Evans (12-2-1) & Ryan Kielczewski (26-2). In his bout, De Alba dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Andy Vences on July 7, 2018.

Delgadillo of Guadalajara, Mexico has a record of 17-19-2 with nine knockouts.

Delgadillo, 31, is a 15 year veteran is better then the record indicates as evidenced by wins over Guillermo Arroyo (1-0); Jose Ramirez (20-0) & Sergio Torres (19-4-1). Delgadillo dropped former world champion Jason Sosa in his bout, but came up just short as he lost a unanimous decision over on January 18th in Verona, New York.

Erik Spring will take on Nicholas Hernandez in a scheduled eight-round junior middleweight bout.

Spring of Reading, PA has a record of 12-2-2 with one knockout. The 34 year-old Spring turned professional in 2014, and has wins over previously undefeated Simon Henriksson & David Wilson (5-0-1). Spring is coming off a majority decision over Terrance Williams on March 29th in Philadelphia.

Hernandez, also of Lebanon, PA has a record of 9-3-1 with two knockouts. Like Spring, Hernandez is 34 years-old and turned pro in 2014. Hernandez has wins over Ricky Nuno (2-0), Nick Valliere (5-1) and Ray Barringer (4-1). Hernandez is coming off a draw with Rick Graham on November 17th in Harrisburg, PA.

In the eight-round bout, undefeated Janelson Bocachica will take part in a welterweight contest.

20 years-old of Detroit has a record of 13-0 with nine knockouts. Bocachicabegan boxing at the age of eight, and started winning amateur tournaments such as the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 Ringside Championships, 2012 National PAL Championships, and 2015 Detroit Open-class Golden Gloves. He was ranked number one in his division in the United States from 2013 to 2015, and sixth on the 2016 Independent Worldwide Amateur Boxing rankings. Bocachica is a three-year professional, and has wins over Pablo Sanchez (10-2), and his last bout which was a 1st round stoppage over Victor Abreu that took place on January 19th in Puerto Rico.

Orlando Gonzalez (10-0, 7 KOs) Agualla, Puerto Rico will take on an opponent to be named in a featherweight bout.

Appearing in six-round bouts will be Martino Jules (5-0) of Allentown, PA as takes on Danny Flores (15-15-1, 8 KOs) of Mexico City in a junior featherweight bout.

Ricky Nuno (2-2, 1 KO) of Bethlehem, PA battles Rasheed Johnson (5-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a welterweight fight.

In four-round fights:

Jonathan Torres (2-0) of Bethlehem, PA will square off Jerrod Miner (1-4-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a bantamweight bout.

Yeuri Andujar (3-1, 3 KOs) of San Cristobal, DR will take on Edgar Cortes (6-4-1) of Vineland, NJ in a bantamweight fight.

Khainell Wheeler of Bethlehem will make his pro debut against George Sheppard (1-7-1) of Norfolk, VA in a super middleweight affair.

Juan Gonzalez of Brooklyn, NY will make his pro debut in a welterweight contest.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $50, $75 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (April 3, 2019) – Unbeaten rising heavyweight contenders Jermaine Franklin and Otto Wallin will be looking to make a splash and announce themselves in the heavyweight division when they step in for separate bouts live on SHOWTIME Saturday, April 13 from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader will air beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is headlined by Claressa Shields battling Christina Hammer for the undisputed women’s middleweight championship.

Franklin will face Rydell Booker while Wallin takes on Nick Kisner in a pair of 10-round attractions leading up to the main event. For both Franklin and Wallin, they see April 13 as a step towards their larger goals.

“Booker is in the way of where I’m eventually trying to be,” said Franklin. “I’m part of that next generation of heavyweights and I’m working hard to end up as the heavyweight champion when the dust settles. I always find a way to win and I’m going to show it on April 13.”

“Coming to the U.S. for the second part of my career is very exciting,” said Wallin. “I’ve accomplished a lot in my career in Europe but this is a new beginning. This is the moment I’ve been dreaming of since I first laced up mitts and I can’t wait to introduce myself to the fans here.”

A 25-year-old from Saginaw, Michigan, Franklin hopes to show that he’s primed to become the next American heavyweight champion, and is ready to take the mantle from current WBC titlist Deontay Wilder and the long line of American heavyweight champions that came before him.

“I’m going to raise the competition amongst the heavyweights,” said Franklin. “The division is definitely back on the map and I’m planning on having a hand in making it must-watch TV once again. America needs another face in the heavyweight division and that’s going to be me.

“I already believe that I am the best heavyweight in the world. There are a lot of big, strong heavyweights, but I’m a balanced athlete, which makes me different. I’m strong, fast, athletic and getting better with each fight.”

Although his native Sweden is not known for boxing, Wallin’s home country has previously produced a heavyweight champion in Ingemar Johansson, who famously stopped Floyd Patterson in their first fight at Yankee Stadium in 1959. After defeating fellow Swedish heavyweight Adrian Granat in his last fight, Wallin decided it was time to fight in the U.S., following previous training camps in New York with trainer Joey Gamache.

“Training here in New York brings me a great energy and it shows in my performance,” said Wallin. “It’s the center of the world, and while I’m fully focused on training, I feed off the energy of the city.

“Ingemar Johansson is of course a big inspiration for me. When he came to the U.S. and beat Floyd Patterson, he was the baddest man on the planet. I’m looking to take that mantle and become a hero for young Swedish boxers, just like he has been for me.”

In addition to being Wallin’s U.S. debut, the unbeaten heavyweights will make their first appearances on SHOWTIME and it will be Franklin’s first time fighting in the northeast. They each hope to show off their respective talents and are prepared for what comes with the increased platform.

“This is a great chance for me to showcase my skills, but I still treat it like just another fight,” said Franklin. “I’m going to adapt to my opponent and expose his weaknesses. I’m always improving because once you think you know it all, that’s when you find out you know nothing.”

“I’m just a kid from a small town in Sweden and I’ve worked hard to get to this point,” said Wallin. “Training here in the U.S. and fighting here is going to help me put on the best performance of my career. The fun begins on April 13 and I’m not stopping until I am champion.”

Both recently signed with Dmitriy Salita’s Salita Promotions and on April 13 will begin a year that could leave each fighter on the precipice of a title shot.

“On April 13 two of the best heavyweight in the world, one from the U.S., one from Sweden, will both have a chance to make a claim that they are ready to challenge for the heavyweight title,” said Salita.

“Jermaine Franklin is by far the best American heavyweight prospect who is soon to be a contender and a champion. He will have a great opportunity to showcase his skills and worth against the experienced, hungry and accomplished Rydell Booker.

“Boxing is a sport of individual stories and Otto Wallin is a great example of that. A top-rated heavyweight from a small town in Sweden, he is showing that dreams, combined with hard work, can come true. He is one of the best heavyweight contenders from Europe and on April 13 he will show that he belongs with the elite in the U.S.”

With this opportunity to announce themselves in the resurgent heavyweight division, Franklin and Wallin are keyed for eye-opening performances next Saturday.

“My ultimate goal is to become world champion and I believe right now I’m on the right path,” said Wallin, who is ranked No. 5 by the IBF and WBA. “I had good years fighting in Europe, but now is the time for me to go to the next level. I can’t wait to show everyone what I’m all about and give the fans great fights.”

“I’m planning to be a major force in the heavyweight division by the end of the year,” said Franklin. “It’s my coming out party. I feel like my dreams are going to come true. I’m going to show everyone who I am: the best new heavyweight in the world.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are priced at $150, $100, $55 and $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster and at boardwalkhall.com.

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ABOUT SHIELDS vs. HAMMER
Shields vs. Hammer will pit undefeated middleweight world champions Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer against each other in a battle to crown the undisputed 160-pound world champion, in what is arguably the most significant women’s boxing event in history. The co-feature will pit Jermaine Franklin taking on Rydell Booker in a thrilling 10-round heavyweight bout and in the telecast opener, heavyweights Otto Wallin and Nick Kisner will battle in 10-round clash. The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

Because of the serious nature of the illegal fouls inflicted on his fighter, Bogdan Dinu, in his knockout loss against Kubrat Pulev on March 23 at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California, promoter Greg Cohen has filed a Petition for Change of Decision with the California State Athletic Commission.

Citing repeated rabbit punches, including one intentionally flagrant foul while Dinu was already down on his knees and defenseless, Cohen has filed a Petition for Change of Decision under rule 4 CCR – 368 of the Official California Code of Regulations, which states that the commission can change a fight’s verdict if a violation of the laws or rules and regulations governing boxing affected the result of any contest.

Should the verdict be overturned? Watch it HERE.

Romania’s WBA #14-rated Dinu (18-2, 14 KOs) and Bulgaria’s IBF #1- and WBC #9-rated Pulev (27-1, 14 KOs) were waging an even-on-the-cards (scores 57-57, 57-57 and 56-58) heavyweight battle when, in the seventh round, Pulev landed a punch behind the head to drop Dinu and then another when he was clearly down.

Pulev was penalized a point by referee Raul Caiz Jr. for the flagrant foul and Dinu was given five minutes to recover, but the damage had been done and when the action resumed, Dinu was knocked down twice more by illegal punches clearly landing on the back of his head and neck before the bout was halted at 2:40 and called a KO 7 victory for Pulev.

The California commission has agreed to hear out Cohen’s request, with a hearing penciled in for May 14.

Charles Frankham will make his long-awaited professional debut at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on May 10 in the next instalment of the JD NXTGEN series, shown live in the UK on Sky Sports and DAZN in the US.

Frankham, 19, enjoyed a glittering amateur career in which he won multiple titles including a World Youth Championship bronze medal, a Commonwealth Youth Games gold medal and a European Championship gold medal, as well as 11 National titles.

Known as ‘Boom Boom’, the Crowthorne talent has been preparing for his pro debut with trainer Tony Sims at the Matchroom Gym in Essex and is delighted to finally begin life in the paid code at Super-Featherweight next month.

“I’m over the moon to be making my pro debut in Nottingham,” said Frankham. “We had a little bit of a setback but I’ve been training hard in the gym with the rest of the lads and I’m ready to announce myself on the big stage on May 10.

“I’m lucky to be part of a buzzing gym, I’ve been sparring with Joe Cordina and Conor Benn who are both fighting and the big April 20 show at The O2 and they’ve been bringing me on leaps and bounds. I’m ready to get out there now and make my mark.”

Frankham makes his pro debut on a huge night of boxing in Nottingham.

At the top of the bill Chatteris talent Jordan Gill (23-0, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of his WBA International Featherweight title against Mexico’s Enrique Tinoco (17-5-4, 12 KOs) and Nottingham’s Leigh Wood (21-1, 11 KOs) makes the first defence of his Commonwealth crown against former Champion Ryan Doyle (17-3-1, 9 KOs).

Unbeaten Wokingham Middleweight Felix Cash (11-0, 7 KOs) returns to make the first defence of his Commonwealth title, Sheffield’s most successful ever amateur boxer Dalton Smith makes his highly-anticipated professional debut at Super-Lightweight, undefeated Ipswich Heavyweight Fabio Wardley (6-0, 5 KOs) continues his march towards a first title, exciting New Jersey Super-Featherweight prospect Raymond Ford (1-0) fights in the UK for the first time as a pro and Denaby Lightweight Terri Harper (6-0, 3 KOs) gets another opportunity on the big stage after winning the WBC International Female Lightweight title in her last fight.

Follow Charles’ journey on his Twitter: @CharlesFrankham and Instagram: CHARLES_FRANKHAM

NEW YORK CITY (April 3, 2019) — One of the 154-pound division’s biggest punchers — Dominican sensation Carlos “El Caballo Bronco” Adames — is set to make a thunderous statement April 20 at Madison Square Garden.

NABF champion Adames will defend his belt against Brooklyn native Frank Galarza in the 10-round featured bout on the Terence Crawford vs. Amir Khan undercard broadcast, which will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN2 and in Spanish on the ESPN app. Adames vs. Galarza will also be contested for the vacant NABO 154-pound belt.

Adames vs. Galarza will headline a scheduled five-fight broadcast, which will lead into the Crawford vs. Khan pay-per-view extravaganza at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Details on how fans will be able to access the pay-per-view event will be announced at a later date.

“I am thrilled and proud to fight at Madison Square Garden once again. It is a great honor to be in action on such a big stage and on an important card like this one,” Adames said. “I have a new trainer, Robert Garcia, and we are working on a lot of new things. This will be the new era of ‘Caballo Bronco.’ Frank Galarza is a good, experienced fighter. I know he has faced good opposition and that he is training hard for this fight. It will be a very interesting fight because he will be battling against someone that wants to be one of the greats in the sport. I’m coming to make noise in the 154-pound division.”

“There is no better place for this fight to be than at The Garden,” Galarza said. “It’s a dream come true for me. I’m ready to show the world what I’m really made of. Carlos and I both are ranked in the top 15 in the WBO. He is coming to my backyard, and it’s going to be a great fight.”

Adames (16-0, 13 KOs) is 3-0 since signing with Top Rank in early 2018. He turned pro in 2015 after a nearly 300-fight amateur career and showed he belonged at the world-class level in July 2017, knocking down and scoring a shutout decision over former world champion Carlos Molina. His last two fights have lasted a total of five rounds, and he is coming off a third-round knockout over Juan Ruiz on Jan. 18 in Verona, N.Y.

Galarza (20-2-2, 12 KOs), from the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, overcame a troubled childhood and a brief 11-fight amateur career to become a longtime contender in the paid ranks. He began his career 17-0-2 before a sixth-round TKO loss to Jarrett Hurd, who is currently the unified 154-pound world champion. A close decision loss to Ishe Smith followed in September 2016, but Galarza has since resurrected his career, winning a trio of fights to set up this opportunity versus Adames.

In other action on the ESPN2 broadcast:

Former Indian amateur standout Vikas “The Indian Tank” Krishan (1-0, 1 KO) will take the next step in his professional journey against Noah Kidd (3-1-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round super welterweight fight. Krishan was a two-time Olympian for his home country and is the only Indian fighter to have won both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.

“As I continue my pro journey, it’s an honor to fight on such a significant card,” Krishan said. “There is a large Indian population in New York and New Jersey, and I can’t wait to see the support from my Indian people. It’s going to be a special night.”

Puerto Rican middleweight sensation Edgar Berlanga (9-0, 9 KOs) has scored nine consecutive first-round stoppages to begin his pro career. He will look to make it 10 for 10 versus Brazilian veteran Samir Dos Santos (37-15-3, 26 KOs) in an eight-rounder. The Brooklyn-born Berlanga has fought four times in New York City as a pro and will be making his Top Rank debut.

Bantamweight prospect Lawrence “BT” Newton (11-0, 7 KOs), a stablemate of Crawford’s, will face Jonathan Garza (7-2, 2 KOs), in a six-round showdown.

Larry Fryers (9-1, 3 KOs), a native of Ireland who now lives in New York, will look to make it four wins in a row against Dakota Polley (5-2, 2 KOs) in a super lightweight bout scheduled for six or four rounds.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Matchroom Boxing and Khan Promotions, tickets priced at $606, $406, $306, $206, $106, $81, and $56 (including facility fees) are on sale now and 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.

Use the hashtag #CrawfordKhan to join the conversation on social media.

PHILADELPHIA – Philly amateur boxer Atif Oberlton has been a top amateur for years. However in 2018, the 20 year old accomplished more than any other young Philly fighter in the amateur ranks. For his multi-tournament victories during the year, Oberlton will receive the Briscoe Award as the “2018 Amateur of the Year” at the Briscoe Awards on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philly.

“It feels great to have been selected by the people of Philadelphia and surrounding areas as Amateur of the Year,” Oberlton said about his award.

2018 was a great year for Oberlton. He won a Gold Medal at the dual competition in Germany, the National Golden Gloves championship, the Eastern National Qualifiers Tournament, and also won a Silver Medal at the USA Nationals, defeating the #1 ranked boxer in the process.

“It feels good to have the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears acknowledged and rewarded,” Oberlton added.

The awards, named after Philly middleweight boxing legend Bennie Briscoe, have been recognizing the best achievements of the Philly boxing scene since 2007.
This year’s event will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia (1100 Pattison Avenue), 1-4 PM. Tickets for the Briscoe Awards cost $10 each, and can be purchased in advance at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.