NATIONAL HARBOR (March 24, 2019) – – Unified and undefeated IBF and WBA 154-pound “Swift” Jarrett Hurd and top contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams previewed their recently announced showdown at a press conference Sunday before they meet in primetime in Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes action on Saturday, May 11 at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

Tickets for the event go on sale Thursday, March 28 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.com).

Here is what the fighters had to say Sunday from MGM National Harbor in Maryland:

JARRETT HURD

“It was very important to fight at home because that’s what everyone has been asking for. I’m excited to have the opportunity and I can’t wait to step in the ring.

“All of my fights are classics. I know that ‘J-Rock’ has been watching me and that makes him dangerous. He’s coming in with a good game plan and we’ll see what it is on fight night.

“Jermall Charlo is a big puncher and he landed some shots that got Julian out of there, but Julian was right in that fight. It was kind of back and forth action until Charlo landed those shots, but Charlo was hurt in that fight too.

“The fighter that I am, I wanted to go out there and close the show against Erislandy Lara. I thought I was up, but it’s not in me to just go out and survive. I’m glad I did because it got me the win.

“I’m going to be victorious on May 11. I’m looking for a decisive win. I’m not saying I’m going to to get the stoppage, but it will be convincing that it went my way.

“Tony Harrison beating Jermell Charlo definitely threw a monkey wrench into the plan coming off of surgery. I’m going to go after the WBC belt regardless of who has it, but first I have to take care of Julian.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I’m not Erislandy Lara, I’m going to fight a completely different fight than he did. I’m going to do whatever I have to do to win. That’s the kind of fighter Hurd is, so that’s the kind of fighter I have to be.

“I think I’m going to win in a classic. We’re probably going to have to do it a second time it’ll be so good.

“My motivation are those two belts on the line. Any kind of fight with Harrison or Charlo and Hurd has nothing to do with me. I’m focused on what I have to do.

“I had to get over the loss quick. You can’t dwell on that. Am I going to mope? No, it’s who’s up next? I can’t even put it into words how hungry I am.

“Hurd is definitely a really exciting fighter. He gives that extra each fight, but I’ve seen some things. I have a way of wearing guys down myself. I wore Nathaniel Gallimore down fighting off my front foot and I think I’ll do the same to Hurd.

“I don’t know if there will be extra pressure on him fighting at home. You have to ask him. I know when I fight at home I don’t feel any extra pressure. When the bell rings, a fight is a fight.”

# # #

ABOUT HURD VS. WILLIAMS
Hurd vs. Williams pits IBF and WBA 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd against top contender Julian Williams in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, May 11 from EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

Unbeaten super lightweight contender Mario “El Azteca” Barrios battles Argentina’s Juan “The Pitbull” Jose Velasco in a 10-round fight and middleweight contender Matt Korobov clashes with Immanuwel Aleem in a 10-round bout as part of televised action beginning 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, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

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

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (MARCH 24, 2019)–On Saturday, lightweight contender Petr Petrov scored a 4th round stoppage over Hermin Isava in Petrov’s home country of Spain.

The fight was Petrov’s 1st fight in Spain in almost seven years.

With the win, Petrov raises his mark to 39-6-2 with 20 knockouts, and the former Boxcino champion and two-time world title challenger is ready for another run at a world championship.

“I know Petr was happy to fight at home, and he was thrilled to fight, and win very impressively in front of his family and friends. Now we will look to bring him back in a significant fight that he deserves,” sad Banner Promotions President, Arthur Pelullo.

For a moment it looked like Kubrat Pulev’s title shot was in jeopardy.

The Bulgarian heavyweight, who is ranked number-one by the IBF was cut badly by a Bogdan Dinu right hand in the 4th round of their heavyweight bout at The Hanger in Costa Mesa, California.

Pulev was able to shake it off, drop Dinu three times and stop him at 2:42 of round seven.

In round four, Dinu landed a big right hand that opened up a nasty cut over the left eye of Pulev.

Pulev was able to gather himself and score three knockdowns in the 7th. The 1st from a combination in the corner, where he almost got himself disqualified for hitting Dinu behind the head and while he was down. Pulev was deducted a point from that. Pulev scored two more knockdowns, both from big rights and the fight was stopped.

Pulev, 249.8 lbs of Sofia, BUL is 27-1 with 14 knockouts. Dinu, 239.6 lbs of Bucharest, ROM is 18-2.

“This is just part of being in a fight. The cut was not such a big problem. Sometimes blood makes me very hungry”, said Pulev. “I was very well prepared. I was ready for anything. At this moment I feel I can do anything inside the ring. I showed very good boxing skills. I also showed that I have good punching power and a good strategy”.

Jessie Magdaleno won a 10-round unanimous decision over Rico Ramos in a featherweight bout featuring former world champions.

Magdaleno, 125.6 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 26-1. Ramos, 127.2 lbs of Pico Rivera, CA is 30-6.

Magdaleno outanded Ramos 130-43.

“I came back from a long layoff and felt great against a tough opponent and a former world champion”, said Magdaleno. “Ramos is a great fighter, he was a former world champion for a reason, but tonight only one of us could come out victorious, and that was me. Now I’m going to sit down with my team, go back to the drawing board, and see what I have to keep working on to become a world champion once again”.

Maxim Dadashev got off the deck and came back to stop Ricky Sismundo in round four of their scheduled ten-round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Sismundo dropped Dadashev with a straight left. In round four, Dadashev landed a clipping left hook that was followed by a right that Sismundo down on his back. That was stopped at 2:30.

Dadashev, 140 1/2 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 13-0 with 11 knockouts. Sismundo, 141 lbs of The Philippines is 35-13-3.

Tervel Pulev won a six-round unanimous decision over Mitch Williams in a cruiserweight bout.

In round three, Pulev was cut under his left eye. In round four, Pulev was docked a point for hitting on the break.

Pulev of Bulgaria won by scores of 59-55, 58-55 and 57-56 to stay undefeated at 13-0. Williams is now 16-8-3.

2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina won an eight-round unanimous decision over Abdiel Ramirez in a junior welterweight bout.

Molina, 140 1/2 lbs of Norwalk, CA won by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice and is now 19-2. Ramirez, 141 lbs of Ciudad Juarez, MX is 24-4-1.

Chris Van Heerden won a technical unanimous decision over Mahonri Montes when an accidental headbutt that opened up a cut over the right eye of Van Heerden that forced the fight to be halted.

Van Heerden dominated the action from the inside and outside. In round six, he was cut over his left eye. When they went to the score cards, Van Heerden was ahead 60-54 on all scores.

Van Heerden, 148 1/2 lbs of Johannesburg, SA is 27-2-1. Montes, 148 1/2 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 35-9-1.

Erick DeLeon remained undefeated by stopping Jose Luis Gallegos in round six of their scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

DeLeon dominated the first four rounds by landing hard body shots that started to break Gallegos down. Gallegos dropped DeLeon in round five with a hard right hand off the ropes. That was short lived as DeLeon regrouped very nicely and started attacking Gallegos and began to hurt him with a flurry of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight at 1:35 of round six.

DeLeon, 131 1/2 lbs of Detroit is now 19-0-1 with 11 knockouts. Gallegos, 131 1/2 lbs of La Barca. MX is 16-6.

David Kaminsky remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Estevan Payan in a middleweight bout.

Kaminsky, 160 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 4-0. Payan, 159 1/2 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 1-7-1.

Sam Bowen battered and bloodied Jordan McCorry en-route to a 9th round stoppage in their scheduled 12-round junior lightweight bout at The Leicester Arena in Leicester, England.

The time of the stoppage was 33 seconds of the 9th frame.

Bowen, 129 lbs is now 15-0 with 11 knockouts. McCorry, 129 lbs is now 17-5-1.

Nathan Gorman remained undefeated with a 10-round decision over former world title challenger Kevin Johnson in a heavyweight bout.

Gorman won by a referee’s score of 100-90, and is now 16-0. Johnson is 34-13-1.

Sam Maxwell scored a stunning 10th round stoppage over Sabri Sediri in the final round of their super lightweight bout.

In round one, Sediri floored Maxwell with a left hook. In round two, Sediri dropped Maxwell with a perfect right to the chin. In round three, Sediri began to bleed from his nose.

With his left eye nearly shut, Maxwell somehow landed a huge right hand to the side of the jaw that sent Sediri to the canvas. Sediri got to his feet, but was unsteady, and the bout was stopped at 2:46.

Maxwell was ahead on two of the three official scorecards.

Maxwell, 139 lbs of Liverpool is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Sediri, 139 lbs of France is 10-1-1.

In a battle of undefeated Leicester based super welterweights, CJ Challenger won a 10-round decision over Ky;e Haywood.

Challenger, 153 lbs won by a 97-95 score and is now 10-0. Haywood, 152 lbs is 8-1.

Charlie Edwards retained the WBC Flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Angel Moreno at The Copper Box Arena in London.

Edwards won by scores of 120-107 on all cards and is now 15-1. Moreno is 19-3-2.

Joshua Buatsi remained undefeated by stopping Liam Conroy in round three of a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight bout.

In round three, Buatsi landed a big right hook and then a left as Conroy was falling to the canvas. Conroy was hurt, and then ate a huge right hand that put him down for a 2nd time. Conroy was able to beat the count, but the fight was stopped at 1:53.

Buatsi, 173.4 lbs is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Conroy, 173.6 lbs is 16-4-1.

Lewis Ritson won a 10-round unanimous decision pver German Argentino Benitez in a junior welterweight bout.

Benitez was bleeding from his nose in round four.

Ritson, 139.4 lbs of New Castle, UK won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice, and is now 18-1. Benitez, 139.4 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 21-4.

Lawrence Okolie stopped Wadi Camacho in round four of their scheduled 10-round cruiserweight bout.

Okolie dropped Camacho in round four with a three-punch combination. Seconds later, Okolie landed a big shot, and the fight was stopped at 2:00.

Okolie is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Camacho is 21-8.

NEW YORK (March 23, 2019)-Two of Split-T Management’s undefeated fighters, Erick DeLeon and Eric Puente return to action tonight at The Hanger in Costa Mesa, California.

DeLeon (18-0-1, 10 KOs) of Detroit takes on Jose Luis Gallegos in a super featherweight bout.

DeLeon, who was a three-time National Golden Gloves Champion, will be making his 2019 debut. In 2018, DeLeon began to get on radar of many boxing insiders after impressive performances against Andy Vences (which was a disputed draw) and his last bout when he won a ten-round unanimous decision over Adrian Yung. In the battle, DeLeon fought nine-plus rounds with an injured shoulder.

In Gallegos, DeLeon is taking on an opponent who has a record of 16-5 with 12 knockouts. Gallegos holds a 3rd round stoppage over previously undefeated Juan Lopez Esparza.

Both DeLeon and Gallegos checked in at 131.4 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in.

Puente of Vista, California by way of Sinaloa, Mexico. Puente won the 2016 National Youth Open Championship, and was a member of Team USA. Puente was a favorite to be a member of the 2020 United States Olympic Team.

Puente turned professional on February 16th with a unanimous decision over Keith Carson.

The 19 year-old lightweight will take on Alejandro Lopez Huerta, who will be taking on his 5th consecutive undefeated opponent.

Puente weighed 133.8 lbs, while Lopez was 134.6 lbs. at Friday’s weigh-in.

The action kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET

Both DeLeon and Puente are promoted by Top Rank.

ESPN (10 p.m. ET)

Kubrat Pulev 249.8 lbs vs. Bogdan Dinu 239.6 lbs
(Heavyweight- 10 Rounds)

Jessie Magdaleno 125.6 lbs vs. Rico Ramos 127.2 lbs
(Vacant WBC USNBC featherweight title- 10 Rounds)

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

Maxim Dadashev 140.4 lbs vs. Ricky Sismundo 140.8 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 10 Rounds)

Erick De Leon 131.4 lbs vs. Jose Luis Gallegos 131.4 lbs
(Lightweight – 10/8 Rounds)

Javier Molina 125.8 lbs vs. Abdiel Ramirez 125 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 10/8 Rounds)

Chris van Heerden 148.4 lbs vs. Mahrony Montes 148.6 lbs
(Welterweight – 10/8 Rounds)

Tyler McCreary 127.6 lbs vs. Roberto Castaneda 127 lbs
(Featherweight – 8/6 Rounds)

Bobirzhan Mominov 147.6 lbs vs. Jonathan Steele 146.4 lbs
(Welterweight – 8/6 Rounds)

David Kaminsky 160.6 lbs vs. Estevan Payan 159.4 lbs
(Middleweight – 4 Rounds)

Eric Puente 133.8 lbs vs. Alejandro Lopez 134.6 lbs
(Lightweight – 4 Rounds)

Tervel Pulev 207.8 lbs vs. Mitch Williams 199.8 lbs
(Cruiserweight – 8 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets priced at $75 and $60 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.socafights.com.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtag #PulevDinu to follow the action on social media.

PHILADELPHIA (MARCH 22, 2019)–An intriguing junior welterweight contest between Branden Pizarro and Tre’Sean Wiggins will be the co-feature bout of a huge night of boxing on Friday night, April 26th as part of the 2nd installment of the Met Philadelphia Boxing series.

Two titles will be on the line as Branden Pizarro will defend his NBA Intercontinental title, while Wiggins will defend his newly-won Pennsylvania State Title.

The show, which will be headlined by undefeated welterweight Malik Hawkins is promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions along with Live Nation.

Pizarro of Philadelphia has a record of 14-1 with seven knockouts. The 19 year-old, is a three-year professional, and is riding a six fight winning streak. Pizarro win the NBA Intercontinental title on November 16, 2018 with a unanimous decision over Jerome Rodriguez. Pizarro is coming off a 1st round stoppage over Zack Ramsey on February 23rd at The Met.

Wiggins of Newbergh, New York has a record of 11-4-1 with six knockouts. The 28 year-old Wiggins is a nine-year professional, and is not afraid to take on top competition.

Wiggins has a 1st round knockout of former world champion Jason Sosa. Wiggins has a win over Naim Nelson. In his last bout, Wiggins won the Pennsylvania State title with an eight-round unanimous decision over Samuel Teah (15-2) on February 23rd at The MET.

THE FULL CARD WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

TICKETS are $100, $75, $50 & $25 and can be purchased at TheMetPhilly.com or Please call 1-800-745-3000 to order your tickets by phone.

Philadelphia, PA (March 22, 2019) -Three-Time Olympian, Anvar Yunusov (6-0, 3 KOs) is is looking to go big game hunting as he prepares for his main event battle with Puerto Rico’s Carlos Colon (5-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout that will take place next Friday night at SugarHouse Casino.

Yunusov, who has been training at Philly’s Next Champ

“My training has been good. I have been sparring with (IBF Super Featherweight World Champion) Tevin Farmer. It was good and tough sparring. I feel that has been getting me stronger and stronger,” said Yunusov.

When it comes to Colon, Yunusov does not know much, but that doesn’t seem to faze the 32 year-old, who represented Tajikistan in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.

“I just know he is from Puerto Rico. It has been tough to find information on him, but I know he has not fought in America.”

After fighting four times in 2018, Yunusov will be making his 2019 debut, and he feels that despite just having six fights, he is close to major fights due to his extensive amateur career.

“I feel everything has gone well. I have a great promoter in Marshall Kauffman and King’s Promotions. He is the best promoter around, and he has kept me busy.”

“This will be a great fight, and I will excite the fans. I love to fight, and am always in good shape. My goal is to fight Leo Santa Cruz for the world title.”

On the stacked undercard, Erik Spring (11-2-2, 1 KO) of Reading, PA will fight Terrance Williams (5-2-1, 1 KO) of York, PA in a eight-round super welterweight bout.

Also in eight-round bouts:

Raeese Aleem (13-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas fights Ramiro Robles (15-8-2, 9 KOs) of Queretaro, Mexico in a super bantamweight bout.

Brandon Robinson (11-2, 8 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA fights Lawrence Blakey (5-12-2, 2 KOs) of Pennsylvania in a super middleweight bout.

Anthony Mercardo (12-4, 10 KOs) of Arecibo, Puerto Rico battles Andres Navarro (11-7-1, 7 KOs) of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico in a junior welterweight clash.

In six-round bouts:

Mark Dawson (5-0-1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will take on Jordn Morales (3-6, 2 KO’s) of Sunbury, PA in a welterweight bout.

Michael Coffie (5-0, 4 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY takes on Eduardo Vitela (3-3, 2 KOs) of Durango, Mexico in a heavyweight tussle.

Colby Madison (7-0-2, 4 KOs) of Owings Mills, MD fights Emilio Salas (5-2-1, 3 KOs) of Yonkers, NY in a Heavyweight match.

Javier Oquendo (3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia boxes Weusi Johnson (3-10) of Wilmington, DE in a super featherweight bout.

In four-round bouts:

Jordan Demko of Reading, PA will make his pro debut against fellow debuter LaQuan Evans of Philadelphia in a middleweight battle.

Ryan Humberger of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against fellow 1st-timer Brent Oren of Harrisburg, PA in a middleweight fight.

Tickets are on sale for $100, $75, $50, and can be purchased at SugarHousecasino.com

ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO

SugarHouse, which opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino, features 1,891 slots, 103 table games, a 28-table poker room, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,700 people, and for six consecutive years has been voted a “Best Place to Work” by the Philadelphia Business Journal and for five straight years a “Top Workplace” by Philly.com. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.

NATIONAL HARBOR (March 22, 2019) – The match between former middleweight champion Sakio Bika and Lionell Thompson has been removed from the Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 card on Sunday at MGM Grand National Harbor in Maryland.

The fight was taken off of the card after the Maryland State Athletic Commission discovered Bika had a medical issue during his pre-fight examination on Friday.

As a result, the eight-round fight between unbeaten super featherweight prospect Cobia Breedy (12-0, 4 KOs) and Fernando Fuentes (14-7-1, 4 KOs) will now open the FS1 prelims, which begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

The FS1 prelims broadcast will also feature Brandon Quarles (21-4-1, 10 KOs) battling Kansas-native Aaron Coley (15-2-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout, plus Baltimore’s Lorenzo Simpson (2-0, 2 KOs) taking on Jaime Meza (pro debut) in a four-round super middleweight attraction.

The event is headlined by two-division world champion Lamont Peterson taking on former junior welterweight world champion Sergey Lipinets in a 12-round welterweight match that headlines PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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

# # #

ABOUT PETERSON VS. LIPINETS

Peterson vs. Lipinets is a Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes event that is headlined by former two-division world champion Lamont Peterson taking on former 140-pound champion Sergey Lipinets in the main event.

In the co-main event Anthony Peterson, Lamont’s brother, will face former champion Argenis Mendez, plus super welterweight contender Jamontay Clark takes on unbeaten Vernon Brown as part of the telecast beginning 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, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

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

NATIONAL HARBOR (March 22, 2019) – Former two-division world champion Lamont Peterson and former 140-pound champion Sergey Lipinets went face-to-face Friday at the final press conference before they meet in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes this Sunday from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Once-beaten contender Anthony Peterson also faced off against his opponent, former world champion Argenis Mendez, as the Peterson brothers prepare to fight in front of their hometown fans as the main and co-main event in a nationally televised event for the first time since 2006.

Also in attendance Friday was super welterweight contender Jamontay Clark, who faces unbeaten Vernon Brown in the televised opening at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Friday from MGM National Harbor:

LAMONT PETERSON

“I know how to keep the pressure off of myself before a fight. I know we’re at the top level and I’m facing a top guy. I’m looking to capitalize on the opportunity and move forward.

“Lipinets is a tough guy. He only has about 15 pro fights, but he was able to move through the ranks pretty fast. That got my attention and lets you know that he’s definitely coming to win.

“Anthony and I have fought on cards together but not on this stage for a while. I used to be nervous for him, but at this point we’re veterans and we’re just going to enjoy it.

“From day one we’ve treated every opponent like a champion. We always had that mindset that we had to go out there and take care of business, and that’s not going to change on Sunday night.

“Any time I fight at home, there’s a little bit more on it. It makes things easier when I’m getting through the whole progress of training camp. There’s a type of home court advantage. I knew when they opened this venue, that eventually I’d fight here. I’m going to enjoy it.

“I never felt like I was done fighting after my last fight, but you have to be smart. After each fight I assess the whole situation before I move on. That’s what I did before this one and I’m happy to be in this position.”

SERGEY LIPINETS

“I’m very excited to be in this position and in this fight. I appreciate that Lamont took on this fight. He’s a great fighter who I respect and I’m sure he’s ready. I’m ready to make this fight goes down in history.

“I know that a win over Lamont will get me the big fights that I’m looking for. I want to be a champion at welterweight and that starts with making a statement on Sunday.

“I have a very tough opponent in front of me and I’m motivated by the challenge. I’m in this sport to be in the biggest and best fights. People say this is 50-50, so I’m excited to show why I’m better.

“This is a big fight. I have to get through Lamont to get to where I want to go. We’ll find out Sunday if he can stop me. I know that if I do what I have to with Lamont, that will set me up.”

ANTHONY PETERSON

“My brother and I are at a point in our career where we’re having fun. It’s like a family event. We’re going to have fun and take care of business. I’m ready to put on a big performance. Don’t blink.

“I love the rush of getting into the ring in front of my hometown, that’s why I do it. The other stuff is cool, but I just love to see people excited and telling me I put on a great performance. It’s an amazing thing.

“It’s been a minute since I’ve been in the ring, but I’ve been fighting and working with guys like Shawn Porter, Jarrett Hurd, Robert Easter, Adrien Broner, Gervonta Davis and my brother. I’ve been in there with all the top fighters.

“My fire is still burning. I study boxing history and I look at guys who have gotten their breaks late in their careers, and I know I’m one of those guys.”

ARGENIS MENDEZ

“I’m very happy to be here and to have this opportunity. Anthony Peterson is a very good fighter, so I’m ready to be at my best on fight night. I’m here to continue winning and leave the fans with a great show.

“I’m happy to fight Anthony in his hometown. I’ve always been willing to travel anywhere around the world for fights. It’s normal to me and I’m ready for everything that comes with being the road warrior.

“I definitely plan on taking this out of the hands of the judges. I know that I have to do a little bit more to make sure I get the win. Anthony is a good fighter, but I’ve trained hard and this is my moment. I want to show the world how great I am.”

JAMONTAY CLARK

“I’m in great shape and I’m war-ready. His 0 has to go. I’m ready for anything he’s going to bring and I’m going to put on a great performance for everyone watching.

“I don’t think he’s faced anyone on my level and I’m ready to show it. I’m going to do my talking in the ring and put on a clinic from start to finish.”

BARRY HUNTER, Lamont and Anthony’s Trainer

“I want to see the dog in Lamont in this fight. I want to see the smart fighter that he’s always been. I think the rest has done him a lot of good. He’s got his mind and his body right. He looked at me on day one and I could tell he was ready to roll.

“In the amateurs Lamont and Anthony used to share cards all the time. When they first started, we also did it frequently. It’s not unusual for us. It’s been a while, but it’s not a situation we haven’t been in.”

# # #

ABOUT PETERSON VS. LIPINETS
Peterson vs. Lipinets is a Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes event that is headlined by former two-division world champion Lamont Peterson taking on former 140-pound champion Sergey Lipinets in the main event.

In the co-main event Anthony Peterson, Lamont’s brother, will face former champion Argenis Mendez, plus super welterweight contender Jamontay Clark takes on unbeaten Vernon Brown as part of the telecast beginning 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, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

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

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 22, 2019) – Last night at The Avalon Hollywood, Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated welterweight prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (10-0-1, 6 KOs), picked up the biggest victory of his career winning an eight-round unanimous decision over North Hollywood’s Ferdinand Kerobyan (11-1, 9 KOs). With the win, Cobbs captured the vacant Jr. NABF Title on a card that was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions who promotes both fighters.

Cobbs, who hails from Las Vegas by way of Philadelphia, came in as an underdog as well as fighting in Kerobyan’s hometown of Hollywood, CA. The hostile crowd was silenced from the opening round as Cobbs didn’t let the rowdy fans phase him one bit. Cobb’s put on a masterclass boxing lesson outclassing Kerobyan from the southpaw stance.

“To be honest, I would grade myself a B- after this fight,” said Cobbs. “I know people say I did good, but I haven’t shown everything I can do yet. I can punch while moving my feet, pivot, jab-step, I do a lot technical stuff and I haven’t had a fight that has shown my true potential. I’m happy I got the win while capturing my first regional title. I’m also glad my manager Greg Hannley, and my promoter Golden Boy Promotions, for putting me in such a great position.

Kerobyan was cut in the first round from what was ruled a clash of heads. Early on it was the hand speed of Cobbs that proved to be far too much for Kerobyan. Cobbs kept attacking Kerobyan’s cut with his jab as Kerobyan struggled to cut off the ring. Cobbs had to show his Philly toughness holding off Kerobyan who surged late in the bout causing his eye to swell. In the end, Cobbs received the biggest win of his career picking up a unanimous decision over a highly touted prospect and winning the first title of his career. The judges scored the bout 79-73, 77-75 and 77-75 all in favor for Blair Cobbs.

“This is the type of performance we expected and is why we are so eager to work with Blair Cobbs,” stated Greg Hannely of Prince Ranch Boxing. “He has the confidence and skill of a true warrior and this is just another step towards the goal of making him a world champ.”

Los Angeles, CA (March 22, 2019) On one of his final days of training in Southern California, WBC Diamond Super Lightweight Champion and the #1 Ranked Super Lightweight Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs), of New Orleans, LA, swung open the doors of his training camp to the media in Santa Monica, CA.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Prograis will head to Houston, TX, next week as he continues preparations for his world championship showdown against WBA 140-pound World Champion Kiryl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs), of Minsk, Belarus, in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series set for Saturday, April 27, at the Cajundome, in Lafayette, LA. The fight will be telecast in the United States on DAZN.

Below are quotes from Regis at the media workout.

REGIS “ROUGAROU” PROGRAIS

“This is my biggest fight, my first true world title fight and, mentally, the biggest fight of my career. Nothing will stop me from getting this belt.”

“I believe we will have a very big crowd on April 27. It’s about a two-hour drive from New Orleans and my fans have been wanting to see me fight for a world title.”

“Training camp is always hard, but we make it as fun as possible. I started training here for two weeks and then finish in Houston until fight week.”

“Hopefully, at the end of this tournament, I’ll be a unified world champion and have the Ali Trophy. The best fighters in the 140-pound division are in this tournament.”

“I felt great in my first tournament fight against Terry Flanagan. It was a fun fight and I was very relaxed. It was one of my best performances.”

“I can change my style if I have to. Whatever Relikh tries, I can beat him at it. Like always, whatever I feel like doing is going to happen. No one at 140 can stop me.”

“After Relikh, I want the rest of the belts. Just like Terence Crawford did, I want to become undisputed champion at 140. If I become undisputed at 140, it’s much better than what he did as the competition is much better right now. This batch of 140lb. champions are much more talented than who he beat to become undisputed.”

“As long as the other belt holders don’t hide behind their promoters and networks, I’ll have the opportunity to become undisputed, that’s my goal. I want to prove what people are saying about me being the best 140lb. fighter in the word. It’s nice to have it said, but I want to prove it in the ring.”

“I can make 140 comfortably. When I move up to 147, I’ll be even stronger.”

“Jose Ramirez almost lost his last fight. Imagine if he got hit by me with the shots that Zepeda hit him with. He would have gotten badly hurt and knocked out for sure.”

“Relikh and I are two top five fighters fighting each other. You look at Maurice Hooker and Jose Ramirez and see their lack of competition. They’re not fighting top ten guys. For me, boxing is about the best fighting the best.”

Co-featured on April 27, four-division world champion “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire (39-5, 25 KOs), of San Leandro, CA, meets South African Zolani Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) in a semi-final bantamweight match of the tournament.

Tickets, starting at $25, for the WBSS Super Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals are available through Ticketmaster here.

PHILADELPHIA, PA–Southpaw featherweight Donald Smith, of Southwest Philadelphia, recently signed a contract to join Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc. Smith, who turns 26 next week, has won all eight of his pro fights, five by knockout. He returns Saturday evening, March 30, on the world championship fight card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia against Jose Antonio Martinez, of Zacatecas, Mexico, in a six-round contest.

Martinez, 35, at 11-17, 6 K0s, is the most experienced opponent yet for Smith, who played football and basketball at West Philadelphia High School.

Smith finds time to train despite holding down a series of jobs. He is a Direct Care Worker at an emergency youth shelter (Forget Me Knot Youth Services) and he is an After Care Worker at Birds of a Feather. He also drives after-school buses. As if he weren’t busy enough, Smith just landed another job, this one as a warehouse worker at Coca Cola.

“It’s amazing he found time to come into our office to sign a contract,” said Hall-of-Fame promoter J Russell Peltz. “In an era when many fighters want to be pampered, Smith is a breath of fresh air.”

As an amateur, Smith was 61-9 and he boxed in the National Golden Gloves, Junior Olympic Nationals, Silver Gloves Nationals and the USA Open Class Nationals.

Smith enjoys playing basketball and singing.

“He threatened to sing the National Anthem before one of his fights,” Peltz said, “but I had to turn him down on that one…for now.”

A limited amount of Standing-Room-Only tickets went on sale this week at 2300arena.com. The card, which starts at 5.30 pm, is headlined by the World Boxing Council (WBC) light-heavyweight championship fight between champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, of Kharkov, Ukraine, and challenger Doudou Ngumbu, of Kinshasa, Congo.

Canning Town’s Wadi Camacho will start as a sizeable underdog when he faces the unbeaten British Cruiserweight king Lawrence Okolie on Saturday in an intriguing trade fight, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US, but the reigning Commonwealth boss says he will surprise his many doubters by becoming the first man to inflict a defeat on ‘The Sauce’.

“People have said I was finished many times but I proved them wrong and I’ll prove them wrong again by beating Okolie,” said the 33-year-old southpaw.

“Sometimes my mindset outside the ring wasn’t the best it could be but look at my last few performances and you will see that I’m in the form of my career. I’ve had many trainers in the past and I’ve trained myself but I’m so happy to have this team around me now in a big fight. They all really put the work in behind the scenes and all the hard work is now paying off.”

In 2017 Camacho was stopped in four rounds by the then 11-0 Arfan Iqbal in a challenge for the English title but since that loss he has recaptured the Southern Area title with a points win over Ossie Jervier and successful defences against Jose Lopes and Danny Couzens.

And in November he gained revenge over the unbeaten Iqbal with a seventh round technical decision win in a contest where he captured the Commonwealth title he defends for the first time this evening.

Camacho was present at ringside when Okolie halted Tamas Lodi at The O2 in February and the pair ended up face to face in the ring as the double championship fight between the feuding fighters was announced live on Sky Sports.

There has been some choice words exchanged between the two fighters in the build-up and Camacho says he will make Okolie pay for his lack of respect towards him when they exchange punches rather than barbs.

“Lots of people don’t like him,” said Camacho. “He said I was a joke and he was gonna take all the belts off me. I don’t really get into all that sort of stuff I just let my fists do the talking. I think he’s shocked that the fights happening and I’ve turned up.

“I’m a big Cruiserweight and a southpaw which I can use to my advantage in the fight. He has an awkward style that his last few opponents have had trouble dealing with but I’m gonna take the fight to him and lets see what happens when a real Cruiserweight puncher hits him on the chin.”

Okolie vs. Camacho is part of a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.

Main event sees Charlie Edwards make the first defence of his WBC Flyweight World title against Spain’s Angel Moreno.

Rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes on Barrow-in-Furness man Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in his tenth fight.

Geordie ace Lewis Ritson makes his debut at 140lbs as he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title.

Undefeated Irish Middleweight talent Jason Quigley fights for the first time as a pro in the UK, Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.

Former world champion Abner Mares is back in training after a recent eye injury, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I got some really good news. I got the green light to start training,” Mares said in a video he posted to social media on Friday. “I got the green light to start doing my normal activities, meaning I can hit the bag, I can go run. I can do all the boxing training except one thing. I can’t spar yet. No contact in the eye, but that’s a big improvement.

“My eye is really good. As you can see, it’s been a little bit past a month, almost two months since the surgery. It looks good. This is big news for me. I can’t wait. Hopefully, soon I’ll be back in the ring.”

Lineal Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will take on Tom Schwarz on June 15th in Las Vegas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The venue is not settled yet. Top Rank has the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on hold for the date and has a request in with the Nevada State Athletic Commission to put on the event there. The date request is on the agenda for the commission meeting on March 27. However, there is also a chance, according to multiple sources, that the fight will move down the street to an MGM Resorts International property in Las Vegas — either the MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

FAIRFAX, VA. (March 21, 2019) – Unified and undefeated IBF and WBA 154-pound “Swift” Jarrett Hurd will defend his titles against top contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams live in primetime in Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes action on Saturday, May 11 at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

Plus, unbeaten super lightweight contender Mario “El Azteca” Barrios battles Argentina’s Juan “The Pitbull” Jose Velasco in a 10-round fight and middleweight contender Matt Korobov clashes with Immanuwel Aleem in a 10-round bout as part of televised action beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event go on sale Thursday, March 28 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.com).

“Jarrett Hurd has established himself as one of the breakout stars in boxing, and now he’ll have a chance to showcase his talents in front of his hometown faithful,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He will have a stiff test from Julian Williams, who since his only defeat has racked up win after win to show that he is still squarely in the elite class of the division. This is setting up to be a fantastic main event for viewers in primetime to enjoy on FOX and FOX Deportes. With ‘Swift’ making his first hometown title defense, the crowd at EagleBank Arena is sure to deliver a raucous atmosphere.”

Hurd vs. Williams is one of the best matches that can be made in the super welterweight division as two of the division’s young, hungry fighters square off on the march toward an undisputed world title.

Hurd (23-0, 16 KOs) has already picked up two titles with heart-pounding victories in one of the toughest divisions in boxing. He began his run when he stopped Tony Harrison for a ninth-round knockout to capture the IBF title in 2017 on FOX. He successfully defended the title with another victory when he became the first person to stop former world champion Austin Trout. The 28-year-old picked up the WBA title with by dropping Erislandy Lara and earning a split decision in the consensus 2018 Fight of the Year last April.

A native of Accokeek, Maryland, Hurd will be fighting in front of his hometown fans when he takes on Williams and is returning to fight in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area for the first time since a 2014 win at Constitution Hall in D.C. He most recently delivered a knockout victory over Jason Welborn in his last fight on December 1.

“I couldn’t be happier to be fighting at home for the first time as a champion,” said Hurd. “My hometown has been asking me to bring the championship back home and now I can. Julian Williams is a tough opponent and I don’t see him as a stepping stone. He’s crafty, technical and fundamentally sound. I want to go out and get a decisive win and show that I’m on a different level than everybody else in the division.”

Williams (26-1-1, 16 KOs) never backs down from a challenge and he has fought his way back into contention for his second world title shot. He has ripped off four straight victories since losing to Jermall Charlo in a world championship match in 2016. Included in that run were impressive victories over former world champion Ishe Smith and contender Nathaniel Gallimore. The 28-year-old from Philadelphia is coming off a knockout victory over Francisco Javier Castro on December 1.

“Jarrett Hurd is a good, strong fighter that’s really hot right now,” Williams said. “This is a hometown fight for him, but Philly isn’t that far from Virginia. I’m looking forward to putting on an exciting fight for all of the fans on FOX, and most importantly winning those titles and showing the world that I am the best in the 154-pound division.”

Barrios (23-0, 15 KOs) has grown into a brilliant super lightweight contender after starting out at 130 pounds. The 5-foot-10 fighter from San Antonio, Texas, has carried his power with him up the ladder as demonstrated by stopping his last seven opponents, including victories over Naim Nelson and Jose Luis Rodriguez on FS1. He enters the fight with Velasco after a knockout victory over Richard Zamora in his last fight on February 9.

Velasco (20-1, 12 KOs) picked up the nickname “The Pitbull” early in his career because of his aggressive style. It has served the 31-year-old resident of Buenos Aires, Argentina well throughout a career in which he’s only tasted defeat once. He suffered the first loss of his career in his last fight when he was stopped by Regis Prograis on July 14. He will be looking to rebound against another rising unbeaten fighter in Barrios.

The 36-year-old Korobov (28-2, 14 KOs) lost a hard-fought decision to Jermall Charlo live on FOX in a middleweight championship match on December 22. He was a late replacement and gave Charlo a tougher fight than many experts expected. Even though he came up short, the Russian-born fighter, who now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, served notice to the rest of the division that he is still a threat to top 160-pounders.

Aleem (28-1-1, 22 KOs) will have been out of the ring for nearly a year when he steps in against Korobov. The 25-year-old is coming off a sixth-round knockout victory over Juan De Angel in his last fight on May 19. Korobov presents a major challenge for Aleem of Richmond, Virginia, who suffered the first loss of his career when he was stopped by Hugo Centeno, Jr. in August 2017 on FS1, following a career-best win over then unbeaten Ievgen Khytrov.

# # #

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

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

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 21, 2019) – Heavyweight contender Michael Hunter (16-1, 11 KOs), is calling out all top ten contenders in the heavyweight division. Hunter is riding an impressive four-fight winning streak where he captured two recognizable titles, both of which came under the tutelage of former two-time heavyweight world champion, Hasim Rahman, who took over as head trainer in October of 2018.

On October 13, 2018, Michael Hunter traveled overseas to London, UK, and scored a 10th round TKO over previously unbeaten foe, Martin Ilunga (11-1, 8 KOs), capturing the IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title. Incredibly, the following month, Hunter again traveled outside of the United States to Monte Carlo, Monaco, and scored another unbelievable TKO against Alexander Ustinov (34-3, 25 KOs), this time winning the vacant World Boxing Association International Heavyweight title in the process.

“I’ve been telling everyone I’m on a mission to become the heavyweight championship of the world, and that I would go overseas and bring back knockout victories,” said a confident Michael Hunter. “I had no choice, I knew I needed knockouts, or else I wouldn’t get a decision in their native land. In both fights with Ilunga and Ustinov, I dug deep and got them both out of there. I believe in myself and I know I can beat any contender, or any of the heavyweight champions out there. With Rahman in my corner, no one is going to stop me.”

Rahman believes Hunter, who does all his training at the Prince Ranch Boxing gym in Las Vegas, has all the talent to dethrone the current heavyweight champions, including Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Tyson Fury.

“Michael hunter is the best heavyweight in the world,” proclaims former two-time heavyweight world champion, Hasim Rahman. “Hunter beat every American heavyweight in USA Boxing from 2008 -2012. Michael has the heart, the speed, the DNA, and underestimated punching power to capture the heavyweight championship of the world. In addition, Mike has been in the ring with the likes of Tyson Furry, sparred with Deontay Wilder, Luis Ortiz, the Klitschko Brothers, and more than held his own with them all. There’s no reason why Hunter shouldn’t be considered a serious candidate for a title shot. We’re willing to fight Joe Joyce, Dillan Whyte, Trevor Bryan, Joseph Parker, or any other heavyweight contender to earn a shot to all the heavyweight champs. I believe Hunter beats all current heavyweight champs right now.”

“I know my name is hunter, but I’m not a typical hunter with a gun.” Hunter concluded. “I promise I won’t shoot to kill, I’ll just knock you out, and you will live to fight another day. It’s hunting season!”

“Mike hunter is the future of the heavyweight division,” said Rahman. “Any of the names I mentioned, feel free to go goodnight. Mike Hunter will defeat you and put the world on notice.”

Former super middleweight champion Lucian Bute has announced his retirement, according to Dn Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s time to turn the page. Today, here, officially, I announce you that I retire. This is forever. If I say, ‘It’s over,’ it’s over for real,” Bute said.

“One week after my fight with Eleider Alvarez, my daughter Ema was born. I took the time to think,” said Bute, who was in tears as he made his announcement. “A few months later, I did not know what to do. I had doubts. Then I saw her grow up, and I said no, I have nothing more to prove. It’s better to stay healthy and take care of this little girl. Then my second (child) came and it was finished for me. I had no doubt. I knew I was not going to get into the ring one last time. It was useless to do another fight.”

During his heyday, Bute defeated opponents such as Sakio Bika, William Joppy, Librado Andrade (twice), Edison Miranda and Glen Johnson. After the loss to Froch, however, Bute was never the same, which he admitted.

“Yes, we can say that it was the beginning of the end,” he said. “After this defeat, I was not like before. It was a hard defeat, which hurt me. It left me hesitant for my next fights. I worked with psychologists. I continued to work thinking that I still had in me to become world champion. I gave everything. I have no regrets. I went to the end.”

Maurice Hooker has signed an extension to his co-promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing USA and Roc Nation.

Hooker defended his WBO World Super-Lightweight title with a commanding points win over Mikkel LesPierre at Turning Stone Resort Casino live on DAZN earlier in the month, and the Dallas native now hopes to fight at home for the first time as a World champion following his win over the Brooklynite.

Hooker punctuated his win by flooring the challenger with a body shot in the ninth round, with the game challenger hearing the final bell and scorecards of 120-107, 119-108 and 118-109 in the defending champion’s favor– and ‘Mighty Mo’ now has WBC king Jose Ramirez and potential mandatory from Britain Jack Catterall in his sights.

“I want the WBC title,” said Hooker. “Everyone come to DAZN! Anybody – come to DAZN. Jack Catterall came all the way over here to America to watch me fight. Just wait young grasshopper, you will get your turn.

“I give myself a C- in my performance. I wasn’t good but I had to push. Look, you live and you learn. If you judge me from this fight, you better not get in the ring thinking the same thing because I am coming for you.

“Making weight was my fault. I was in the room messing around. That was my fault. I’m learning as I go. I’m not done yet at Super-Lightweight, I want the massive fights.”

“I’m delighted to extend our agreement with Maurice and Roc Nation Sports,” said Eddie Hearn, managing director of Matchroom Sport. “Maurice will return this summer, most likely in Dallas, giving him three World title defenses in just seven months.

“We like to keep our world champions nice and busy and we want to push for unification match ups in 2019 – I believe Maurice is the best 140lber in the world right now and we look forward to helping him prove it on DAZN.”

“We’re excited to announce that we’ve been able to extend our co-promotional deal of Maurice Hooker with Matchroom Boxing USA,” said Roc Nation Sports boxing promoter Dino Duva. “It’s a great partnership and we look forward to working with them not only with Maurice but on other fighters moving forward. Maurice is on his way to becoming one of the biggest stars on DAZN and this deal completely solidifies that.”

Croydon Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi has vowed to ruin Liam Conroy’s dream of becoming the first man from Barrow-in-Furness to win the Lord Lonsdale Challenge Belt at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday.

Buatsi has won all nine of his fights, seven inside the distance, since turning pro in 2017, while Conroy has spent five years longer in the paid ranks, winning 16 fights and claiming the English title against Joel McIntyre in 2017.

The 26-year-old, an Olympic bronze medalist, won the WBA International 175lbs title against Andrejs Pokumeiko at The O2 last year and is keen to add domestic belts to his collection before targeting World honours.

“It’s something I must add to my cupboard, I’ve got space in there to add another trophy and that’s the next one I’ll be doing,” said Buatsi. “He’s won his last 10, knocked out his last five. This is his dream to become champion and I’ll be there to stop it.

“Most importantly champions that have come out of this country have pretty much gone that same route. They have won the British title before and have gone on to win big things. So for me it’s important to kind of follow that step, just to show that ok ‘he’s conquered Britain’ and then I will look elsewhere.

“It will be World titles after that but it’s for the team to sit down and come up with the best route possible for myself but most importantly it’s all focus for Saturday night to make sure I win that title.”

Buatsi vs. Conroy is part of a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.

Main event sees Charlie Edwards make the first defence of his WBC Flyweight World title against Spain’s Angel Moreno.

London Cruiserweight rivals Lawrence Okolie and Wadi Camacho collide with the British and Cruiserweight titles on the line.

Geordie ace Lewis Ritson makes his debut at 140lbs as he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title.

Undefeated Irish Middleweight talent Jason Quigley fights for the first time as a pro in the UK, Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.

(March 21, 2019) — Two of Great Britain’s most promising young prospects will be showcased live in the United States on Saturday afternoon.

In the main event from Morningside Arena in Leicester, England, Sam Bowen will make the first defense of his British super featherweight title against Jordan McCorry. And, in the co-feature, heavyweight hopeful Nathan Gorman will fight former world title challenger Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson in a 12-rounder.

Bowen-McCrory and Gorman-Johnson will headline a live and exclusive stream beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+, the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

Bowen (14-0, 10 KOs) is coming off a banner 2018 in which he knocked out Maxi Hughes in eight rounds to win the vacant British super featherweight title and knocked out Horacio Alfredo Cabral in four to pick up the WBO Intercontinental belt. His first British title defense comes against McCorry (17-4-1, 4 KOs), who is looking to rebound from a competitive decision loss to Patrick Kinigamazi.

Gorman (15-0, 11 KOs) is one of Britain’s top heavyweights, a 22-year-old boxer-puncher who is making his 2019 debut after a successful 4-0 campaign in 2018. In his last bout, Dec. 22 in Manchester, England, he dominated former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu over 12 rounds to score a near-shutout decision. Johnson (34-12-1, 18 KOs) is a 16-year-pro who has fought many of this generation’s leading heavyweights, including Vitali Klitschko, Kubrat Pulev, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. He has only been knocked out twice as a pro.

In other action:

Sam Maxwell (10-0, 8 KOs) will square off against Sabri Sediri (10-0-1, 5 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO European 140-pound title.

In a 10-round battle featuring a pair of unbeaten super welterweights, CJ Challenger (9-0, 2 KOs) will fight Kyle Haywood (8-0, 1 KO).

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit www.espnplus.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional 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, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and 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 cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.

SAM BOWEN came face-to-face with big fight rival Jordan McCorry ahead of his British super-featherweight title defence against the Scot at Leicester’s Morningside Arena on Saturday, live on BT Sport.

On the same bill, unbeaten heavyweight hope Nathan Gorman meets durable former world title challenger Kevin Johnson.

Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell fights unbeaten Frenchman Sabri Sediri for the vacant WBO European super-lightweight championship.

Leicester rivals CJ Challenger and Kyle Haywood square off for the vacant Midlands area super-welterweight title.

Lyon Woodstock plans on returning to winning ways on the bill against Spaniard Sergio Gonzalez. after his first career loss, against Archie Sharp. He is eyeing up the winner of Bowen v McCorry.

**MEDIA ARE WELCOME TO DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS FROM TODAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE**

Sam Bowen and Lyon Woodstock clash
Sam Bowen v Jordan McCorry face off
CJ Challenger v Kyle Haywood face off

Here are a selection of quotes from today’s press conference.

SAM BOWEN: “I’m very excited to be defending my title in Leicester. It is literally on my door step and I have a vast amount of support coming. I have a lot respect for Jordan. He has taken a fight when others wouldn’t. He is fit and can use a few different styles. I have to get the win and will do what it takes. I want a Lonsdale belt for keeps, but it depends on how long it takes to get it. I am happy to fight Woodstock whenever he is ready. It is an easy earner and it will finish his career.”

JORDAN McCORRY: “I bring more than aggression now Craig Dixon is training me. He has installed something different and I don’t go forward like I used to. It would be dynamite to win and I am doing it in the lion’s den. I don’t know if Sam is hype. He hasn’t fought anyone that good, but he does seem an avoided fighter. I’m a Celtic fan and I haven’t got a problem with Sam wearing a Leicester City shirt, but I have with Brendan Rodgers. He is snake.”

NATHAN GORMAN: “Kevin knows his way around the ring and I will just have to do my best even though it is four days’ notice. I was preparing to fight someone totally different. Kevin has only been stopped by Anthony Joshua and on a cut by Petar Milas. My friend Daniel, Vitali Klitschko, Tyson Fury and Kubrat Pulev couldn’t stop him. He is probably the most durable fighter on the planet.” “If it was down to me I’d fight Daniel Dubois this Saturday truly, but I reckon it will probably be end of the year. Whenever he is ready. My style beats Dubois 24/7 and if I can’t see his punches coming I’m not a gifted boxer.

SAM MAXWELL: “I have been asking for a title fight, Frank Warren and MTK have delivered. Some of my peers on Team GB are superstars and it looks like I am further back. I want to be where they are. By the end of the year I will be better known to the public. Sediri boxed at a high level as an amateur and is tricky. He will test me and people will see me at my best. I will have to work and this contest will propel me. I will be looking at Ohara Davies, Jack Catterall and the WBO champion Maurice Hooker by the end of the year. I want Ohara. I have the beating of him.”

LYON WOODSTOCK: “I would fight Sam Bowen for free. He says he will fight me whenever I want it. I want the British title whether Sam or Jordan has it. The loss to Archie wasn’t a setback. Those who makes mistakes progress further in life if they have character and that is what boxing boils down to. It wasn’t a reality check. It made me approach things in a different way.”

CJ CHALLENGER: “This is the same as every fight and there is no extra pressure because we are both local fighters. It’s an honour to be involved in a fight like this. Kyle is a good guy and no mug.”

KYLE HAYWOOD: “People in Leicester are going mad for this fight. It is a 50-50 fight and brilliant for the fans in Leicester. CJ is a good fighter, good mover, has good skills. It is up to me to close the gap and operate at my pace. It will be so exciting. There isn’t animosity, but he is standing in my way.”

Remaining tickets are available via Eventbrite