Josh Kelly fights in front of his home fans for the first time as a professional when he faces Roarke Knapp in Sunderland on December 16. 

Shown live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, Kelly headlines the Wasserman Boxing show against the power-punching South African at the Beacon of Light, with both men daring to put their world title ambitions on the line. 

Kelly has boxed all over the world but will walk to the ring in his hometown for the first time since 2012, when he was a rising amateur, on the path towards international titles and Olympic qualification. 

‘Pretty Boy’ is now one of the world’s leading contenders in the super welterweight division and his return home, which is set in the shadow of the famous Stadium of Light, promises to be an emotionally charged evening. 

But Johannesburg’s Knapp also has strong ties to the city and says, like Kelly, he is a lifelong supporter of Sunderland AFC, thanks to his father and grandparents who were born in the city. 

Josh Kelly said: “I’m so excited to be boxing back home, in Sunderland, for the first time as a professional. 

I can’t wait to put on a show and get dancing under those lights on December 16th, with the support of my city behind me.” 

Roarke Knapp said: “This is my time to step it up, I belong with the best in the world and so what better way to cement my legacy and introduce myself to the world, than in the UK. 

“Kelly is a sublime talent, we’ve both got brilliant styles and it’s going to be great to mix it up and see who the better man on the night is. 

“I spent my formative years in the UK, I still have family there and my Dad was born and bred in the Sunderland, so the blood that flows through these veins is also from Sunderland and I am a Sunderland fan through and through.”  

Kalle Sauerland, Global Head of Boxing at Wasserman Boxing, said: “December 16 is the most important night of Josh Kelly’s career and so making sure he has the backing of his home fans, was vital. 

“I was stunned to learn that he’s not boxed in the great sporting city of Sunderland since he was an amateur, 11 years ago, so for everyone involved this is going to be a special homecoming. 

“Josh is one of British boxing’s most gifted fighters and now that he is entering his prime, he is ready for all-comers.  Knapp is the type of big-punching fighter that a lot of Josh’s rivals would have avoided like the plague, but not our man.  To prove he is the best in the division, he’s prepared to take on anyone.” 

“Another great fight to add to our best-in-class autumn schedule” said Alfie Sharman VP, DAZN.  

“Josh Kelly has all the tools to become a World Champion and on the 16th December, he takes a step closer to fulfilling that potential. Watch it live and exclusive, only on DAZN.” 

Kelly, 29, is enjoying one of British boxing’s most compelling comeback stories of recent times and knows he will stand on the brink of a world title shot if he can defuse the power of Knapp, who has brutally stopped 12 of his opponents. 

The former Great Britain amateur, who toyed with the previously unbeaten Gabriel Corzo live on DAZN in July, is ranked as the No1 contender by the WBO, and also holds lofty positions with the IBF and WBC. 

Knapp, whose record stands at 17-1-1, has built his reputation in South Africa but is now ready to travel overseas to pursue his own world title ambitions. 

And on December 16, at the Beacon of Light and live on DAZN, they meet to determine which one takes a giant stride towards the top. 

About DAZN Group:?  
DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.???  

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.??  

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.??  

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.???? 

NEW YORK (November 2, 2023) On Tuesday, November 7, DiBella Entertainment joins boxers and boxing fans across the country in celebrating the 20th anniversary of its acclaimed Broadway Boxing, the longest-running grassroots boxing series. Over the past two decades and over 100 events, countless fighters have showcased their skills in the Broadway Boxing ring, some achieving their lifelong dreams of becoming world champions. 

Dubbed “Heroes on the Hudson,” this is a one-night only event to support the heroic veterans of the United States Armed Forces, with former WBO junior lightweight world champion and US Marine Veteran, Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring, headlining against the undefeated Nicholas Molina at the famous Edison Ballroom in Times Square, New York City.

The evening will kick off with six amateur bouts, each featuring an NYPD officer or military veteran, and will conclude with four world-class professional bouts. The amateur bouts will be exclusive to those in attendance. The professional boxing portion of the card will air live exclusively on DAZN, beginning at 8:00 PM ET.

Tickets for “Heroes On The Hudson” can be purchased via Telecharge.com or by calling (800) 447-7400. Tables of 10, including a sit-down dinner, are $10,000. Ringside seats, including buffet, are $250 plus ticket fees. Standing Room Only tickets are $125 plus ticket fees. All tickets, regardless of price, include open bar. Edison Ballroom is located at 240 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 5:30 PM ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:00 PM ET.

Boxing fans who want to sponsor a night out for a veteran can donate $500 for four veterans to attend Broadway Boxing: Heroes on the Hudson, $1,250 for 10 veterans or $2,500 for a group of 20 veterans. To do so, please call the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577.

“Heroes On The Hudson” is proudly sponsored by Morgan Stanley and Cavu Securities. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to support Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York.

Since its inception in November 2003, Broadway Boxing has featured many boxing luminaries and world champions, including Vitali Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin, George Kambosos Jr., Jose Pedraza, Amanda Serrano, Andre Berto, Heather Hardy, Paulie Malignaggi, Peter Quillin, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Joshua Clottey, DeMarcus Corley and Randall Bailey, among others.

Broadway Boxing was launched as a monthly boxing series featuring local prospects and contenders. Future world champion, Joshua Clottey, and popular New York attraction, Irish John Duddy, both competed in the inaugural event. 

The series quickly earned accolades for reinvigorating the New York boxing scene.

?By August of 2008, Broadway Boxing had become a weekly series aired on SportsNet New York (SNY), every Sunday night, with a combination of live programming and taped delayed broadcasts of previous events. The series has grown to produce some of the highest ratings for any program broadcast on SNY, outside of New York Mets Major League Baseball games.

World title fights and title eliminators that have aired on Broadway Boxing include:

Vitali Klitschko vs. Albert Sosnowski (WBC Heavyweight Championship)

Delvin Rodriguez vs. Isaac Hlatshwayo (IBF Welterweight Championship)

Paulie Malignaggi vs. Vyacheslav Senchenko (WBA Junior Welterweight Championship)

Argenis Mendez vs. Juan Carlos Salgado (IBF Super Featherweight Championship)

Amanda Serrano vs. Olivia Gerula (WBO Featherweight Championship)

Randall Bailey vs. Jackson Bonsu (IBF Welterweight Championship Eliminator)

Chris Henry vs. Hugo Garay (WBA Light Heavyweight Eliminator)

Edwin Rodriguez vs. Denis Grachev (Monte Carlo Million Dollar Super 4 Tournament)

“I am so proud that Broadway Boxing has now reached its 20th anniversary year. From local club fighters making their pro debut to world champions defending their crown, this series has featured boxers at all levels of the sport, creating so many memories,” said International Boxing Hall-of-Famer, Lou DiBella. “What started out as a local club show for the New York metropolitan area has grown into an international brand. Branching outside of the United States, we’ve broadcast events from locales such as Germany, Monte Carlo, Canada, and Costa Rica. On November 7, DAZN will air the 120th edition of Broadway Boxing from the heart of New York City, in Times Square, to a global audience.”

Broadway Boxing was instrumental in raising the profile of many fighters in New York and beyond, and provided a stage for boxers to grow in the ring, including former world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi.

“When I look back on my boxing career, sure, I do enjoy the fact that I was able to win a world championship, but I also think that in the early stages of my pro career, the road to the top, and the platforms that I was able to fight on were pivotal in my developing into a championship fighter,” said Malignaggi. “Broadway Boxing was an important platform for not only my development as a fighter but also my development as a local attraction. It helped my name grow within the boxing community during those early stages of my career.”

Broadway Boxing is the birthplace of former world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy, whose grit and determination has inspired and entertained boxing fans in New York for over a decade. 

“I am so grateful that Lou provided me with a platform to showcase my skills and grow my fan base right here at home, in the greatest city in the world,” said Hardy. “New York City boxing is completely reliant on Broadway Boxing to nurture, grow, teach, and showcase our local fighters and future champions, what this business is all about. I’m proud that I got to be a part of it, and hope to make the next chapter of my boxing career holding some role in keeping these club shows alive for the next generation.”

Former fighter and rising star promoter, Dmitriy Salita, spent the earlier part of his career thrilling fans on Broadway Boxing events. 

“The experience of Broadway Boxing is forever ingrained on my career and in my boxing heart,” said Salita. “My most memorable moment was when I won my first title against Shawn Gallegos at Hammerstein Ballroom and Matisyahu walked me into the ring. It was one of my boxing dreams and a great moment for myself and the Soviet Jewish community. We were all working hard and living toward our American Dream in New York City.” 

“I’m thrilled to be able to combine this important anniversary for Broadway Boxing with a great cause, giving back to our heroic veterans of the military, with such charities involved as Merging Vets and Players and West Point Society of New York,” said DiBella. “Who better to headline this event, the week of Veterans Day, than Marine Veteran Jamel Herring, yet another world champion to now fight on Broadway Boxing.”

DiBella Entertainment

Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt

Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

LONG BEACH, CA (November 1, 2023) – Welterweight Louis Lopez (14-2-1, 5 KOs), will be squaring off against Salvador Briceno (17-7, 11 KOs), in an 8-round bout headlining CBN Promotions’ “New Blood” card at the Infinite Reality Studios, formerly Thunder Studios, in Long Beach, California, on November 4, 2023. Lopez recently wrapped up training camp with his trainer Henry Ramirez. “New Blood” will broadcast live in Spanish on FOX Deportes, and the entire card will stream live on, www.FightStars.Network?. In addition, fans will be able to see the fights tape delayed on Estrella TV.

Here is what Lopez had to say about is recent training camp, his matchup with Briceno, fighting in the main event on FOX Deportes, and more.

On his recent training camp:

“I never stopped training since my last fight, and I feel strong and sharp right now. I had some great sparring with some tough guys, and that tough sparring has got me fully prepared for this fight. My weight is good, and I’ll be in great shape for this Saturday night.”

On his matchup with Salvador Briceno:

“I know he’s coming off a long layoff, so I believe he will be hungry to get a win against me. Usually when a fighter has been out of the ring for a while he comes back with a different mindset. I’m taking this fight seriously and I’m expecting a classic Mexican war.”

On fighting in main event on FOX Deportes:

“This will be my first time fighting on a big, televised network. FOX Deportes has had many big names fight on their platform and I’m ready to make a statement in the main event. This is a great opportunity to show everyone watching that I belong with the top guys in the welterweight division.”

On fighting in Long Beach, California at Infinite Reality Studios:

“I’m looking forward to fighting in front of some new faces in Long Beach. All my people will be there as well so it’s going to be a fun night for me. I have plans to impress any new fans that have never seen me fight.”

Doors open for “New Blood” at 5:00 pm PT with the first fight starting at 6:00 pm PT. Televised fights on FOX Deportes will start at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets priced $50, $75, $100, $150 (Plus applicable fees), are available for purchase now by calling 800-283-8699, by text at 702-591-1638, or online at

 www.cbnpromotions.com. Infinite Reality Studios is located at 20434 S Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90810.

This event is sponsored by Bud Light, HUSTLER Casino – LA’s only luxury Casino. Tequila Mandala – 100% Agave Azul, and Shoe Palace, Community comes first.

LAS VEGAS – November 1, 2023 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will battle exciting contender José Benavídez Jr. in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event of a stacked SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.  

The pay-per-view will also see hard-hitting IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matías against unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev, plus WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor Luis Garcia duels top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The event is headlined by undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defending his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in one of the most intriguing matchups in the star-studded 168-pound division.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

“Boxing fans will get a full feast of action on November 25 with three high-stakes fights leading up to the SHOWTIME PPV main event between David Benavídez and Demetrius Andrade,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Jermall Charlo will look to show why he’s the top middleweight in the world against the highly-motivated José Benavídez Jr., while champions Subriel Matías and Héctor Luis Garcia will enter the ring seeking to hold off fast-rising mandatory challengers Shohjahon Ergashev and Lamont Roach. From start to finish, fans watching on pay-per-view and at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas are in for a memorable night where every bout could truly steal the show.”

The 33-year-old Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) will return from a layoff of over two years, having held the WBC middleweight belt since 2019 with a run that includes a dominant victory over top middleweight contender Sergey Derevyanchenko in their September 2020 showdown. Charlo’s 160-pound victories have come after a championship reign at 154-pounds that lasted from 2015 through 2017. He has compiled a perfect 7-0 record since moving up to middleweight and owns victories over former champions Julian Williams, Austin Trout and Cornelius Bundrage at super welterweight, with both Williams and Bundrage succumbing to highlight-reel KO defeats.

“It’s been a long road to this point, but only the strong survive and I’m built different,” said Charlo. “I’m looking forward to reminding everyone that there is a reason why Jermall Charlo is an undefeated world champion and one of the best fighters today pound-for-pound. This is the next chapter of my life and it’s going to be my best, so I want all my fans to tune in on November 25, because I’m going to light up Las Vegas.”

Phoenix’s Benavídez (28-2-1, 19 KOs) is the older brother of headliner David Benavídez and is trained by his father José Sr. A long-established contender who was a highly decorated amateur, Benavídez moved up to super welterweight after dropping a 2018 world title challenge to Terence Crawford, concluding a long run at 147 pounds. He moved up to 154 pounds in July 2022, battling two-division champion Danny Garcia for 12 rounds before losing by a close majority decision. Benavídez made his 160 pound debut in August, blasting out veteran Sladan Janjanin in round five.

“I’ve been working hard and I feel strong and ready to take him out,” said Benavídez. “I’ve been wanting to fight Charlo for a while. I’m going to come that night and show him what I’m about. But I’m not here trying to use words. I don’t need to say anything. I’m going to let my fists do the talking in the ring on November 25.”

The 31-year-old Matías (19-1, 19 KOs) captured the IBF 140-pound championship in February, stopping the previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce after five rounds of fast-paced, back-and-forth action on SHOWTIME^®. Matías has shown that his power lasts throughout a fight, as his last seven victories have come via stoppage in round five or later. The lone loss of his career came against Petros Ananyan via 10-round unanimous decision in 2020 and was later avenged. Matías, of Farjado, Puerto Rico, faced two unbeaten boxers after the loss, defeating Malik Hawkins and Batyrzhan Jukembayev by stoppage. In the rematch with Ananyan, Matías emerged victorious by ninth-round TKO, methodically wearing his opponent down and exhausting him before dropping him and ending the action.

“I would always rather let my hands do the talking inside of the ring, but I’m very excited for this fight,” said Matías. “This is a great opportunity to be a part of a big event in Las Vegas. I had my only loss there, so I’m going to avenge that defeat on November 25 and show everyone that Subriel Matias is here to stay. I’m dedicating this fight to my hometown of Maternillo and the people of Puerto Rico.”

Born in Uzbekistan and now fighting out of Detroit under the tutelage of renowned trainer SugarHill Steward, Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs) has dominated his competition since turning pro in 2015, earning his shot at the world title. After the 31-year-old made his U.S. debut in late 2017,  he stopped the previously unbeaten Sonny Fredrickson in three rounds in January 2018 in his second bout stateside. He’d follow that up in 2019 by winning a unanimous decision over Mykal Fox, handing him the first defeat of his career.  Ergashev most recently scored a pair of victories in 2022, shutting out Luis Alberto Veron on his way to a unanimous decision in May, before stopping Angel Martinez Hernandez in the fifth round in August.

“It’s been a long journey to finally get this opportunity to fight for the world title,” said Ergashev. “On Thanksgiving weekend I will make the whole journey worthwhile. The U.S.A. is the land of opportunity and I want to thank my team for always believing in me. It’s also exciting to be fighting with SHOWTIME, where I’ve had many fights throughout my career. With my trainers Sugarhill Steward and Theo Chambers in my corner, history will be made November 25 and Uzbekistan will finally have a world champion.”

García (16-1, 10 KOs) followed up his spectacular 2022 in January by challenging boxing superstar Gervonta Davis for his lightweight world title on SHOWTIME PPV, giving Davis a competitive bout before losing in round nine. García has fought professionally since December of 2016 after a stellar amateur career that included representing his native Dominican Republic in the 2016 Olympics and a runner-up finish at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto. Now training in Las Vegas under the watchful eye of respected trainer Bob Santos, García scored one of the biggest upsets of 2022 ,  dropping and defeating then unbeaten Chris Colbert in February of that year. Nearly six months later, García captured the world title with a one-sided unanimous decision over incumbent Roger Gutierrez in August.

“I’m happy to be back returning to the ring and fighting at my natural weight,” said Garcia. “I’m really looking forward to getting in there and defending my title against Lamont Roach. He’s a tough opponent, but I’m at my best at super featherweight and I’ll be ready for everything he brings. I’m having a great training camp and I can’t wait to show the world the adjustments I’ve made since the Gervonta Davis fight.”

The 28-year-old Roach (23-1-1, 9 KOs) enters this fight on a four-bout winning streak, earning his position at 130 pounds by defeating Angel Rodriguez via unanimous decision in their July 2022 title eliminator. Roach’s current run comes after he dropped a November 2019 130-pound world title fight via decision against Jamel Herring. A native of Washington, D.C., Roach began his pro career in 2014 with 16straight victories following an impressive amateur run that included a 2013 National Golden Gloves Championship and the honor of being named USA Boxing’s Most Outstanding Boxer. 

“He couldn’t run for long, but we’re finally here,” said Roach. “I’m extremely excited for this fight and this opportunity. The world is going to get used to their new world champion and it starts when I get my hand raised on November 25.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #BenavidezAndrade, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

Top Rank presented by AutoZone: Ajagba vs. Goodall will be presented live this Saturday, November 4, at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ from Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

In the 10-round main event, Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba hopes to take a giant leap towards a title opportunity when he faces Australian contender Joe Goodall.

Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, is one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder debuted in the paid ranks in July 2017 and notched six first-round knockouts in his first eight fights. The 29-year-old will make his third appearance of 2023, following a decision win over Stephan Shaw in January and a disqualification victory against Zhan Kossobutskiy in August.

Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs) made his pro debut in 2018. He stopped five of his first six opponents before fighting to a majority draw against Christian Ndzie Tsoye in August 2018. In his latest outing in July, he scored his most impressive victory yet, a sixth-round TKO against Stephan Shaw in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Raymond “Danger” Muratalla takes on unbeaten Mexican fighter Diego Torres.

Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) made his pro debut in 2016 in Mexico. The 26-year-old has stopped 12 of his last 13 opponents. Torres (18-0, 17 KOs) is a 26-year-old powerhouse who began his pro career in 2019 and unleashed a streak of 13 knockout victories.

Undercard action, also streaming on ESPN+, begins at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT and features the Top Rank debut of heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore, as well as an all-undefeated junior lightweight showdown between Henry Lebron and William Foster III.

Moore (12-0, 8 KOs) will take on Robert Simms (12-3-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round fight. Lebron (18-0, 10 KOs) and Foster (16-0, 10 KOs) will collide in a 10-rounder.

Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna.

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

Ajagba vs. Goodall (All Times ET)

London, England – (November 1, 2023) – WBO world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith came face to face with today with Polish powerhouse Mateusz Masternak, the man who aims to dethrone him when they meet in the main event of BOXXER: RETURN OF THE KING in Bournemouth on Sunday, December 10th,live on Sky Sports.

Currently ranked No 5 with the WBO, the experienced Masternak (47-5, 31 KO’s) rides a six-fight win streak into the world title shot he has long been pressing for. The December clash will see him return to the UK for the first time since his 2015 European championship battle with Tony Bellew. 

Three of his last six victories have been secured by knockout, including a fourth-round stoppage of Armend Xhoxhaj from Albania, who previously went five rounds with Billam-Smith last year.

Having sold out the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) twice before, Billam-Smith is set for a third sell-out in December as he competes for the first time since May, where he triumphed over Lawrence Okolie in front of a packed Vitality Stadium, home of his beloved Bournemouth AFC.

“We’re so excited to be going back to Bournemouth. Everyone gets behind Chris Billam-Smith, it’s something to behold. He’s possibly the biggest star in the cruiserweight division right now in terms of the crowds he draws and now he’s on the world stage. It’s been an unbelievable journey. Tickets have flown out and we’re looking forward to a great event with a serious test against Mateusz Masternak,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER CEO.

Chris Billam-Smith on Masternak:

“He does everything very well. He’s the most well rounded fighter I will have faced to date. He‘s very well rounded and has no obvious weaknesses. I think stylistically we are very similar in a lot of areas and I think it will be a great fight. It will be an entertaining fight, our styles will mesh really well.

“The venue channels sound so well and you have thousands of Bournemouth fans in there singing their hearts out. That kind of atmosphere is actually what first inspired me to go into boxing and I am just so lucky to have the support that I do.”

Mateusz Masternak on Chris Billam-Smith:

“I’ve been waiting for 17 years to get a world title shot. It’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs but now I am ready to take a belt. I’ve been very patient but the wait is almost over. Chris has heart but he’s not faced anyone with my experience and my toughness. 

“There’s a large Polish community in the area and even though it’s Chris Billam-Smith’s territory, I will have some support in there as well. It’s going to be a good night.” 

Shane McGuigan, trainer of Chris Billam-Smith

“I think it’s going to be a great fight for as long as it lasts. I can see the two of them hurting each other but I don’t think he’s boxed anyone as quick as Chris in terms of the short range combinations Chris does.” 

“It’s going to be one of those fights that has you on the edge of your seat. Masternak is very well seasoned, he’s got power, he takes a decent shot, he’s well-rounded – we rate him highly. Viewers are in for a treat.”

===

Tickets are almost sold out for BOXXER: RETURN OF THE KING on Sunday December 10th, with the final remaining tickets having gone on general sale at midday today. 

Billam-Smith won the WBO World Cruiserweight Championship in May when he dominated former training partner turned rival Lawrence Okolie over twelve rounds at the Vitality Stadium, bringing to fruition a boyhood dream to fight in the stadium of his beloved Bournemouth AFC.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Austin, Texas with one of the most stacked fight nights of the year, headlined by a pivotal lightweight matchup between No. 4 Beneil Dariush and No. 8 Arman Tsarukyan. Also on the card, lightweight strikers collide as No. 9 ranked contender Dan Hooker takes on No. 12 Bobby Green in a five-round co-main event.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DARIUSH vs TSARUKYAN will take place Saturday, December 2 at Moody Center. The prelims will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ starting at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DARIUSH vs TSARUKYAN tickets will go on sale Friday, November 3 at 12 p.m. CT and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, November 1 at 12 p.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday November 2 starting at 12 p.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

Perennial top contender Dariush (22-5, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) has his sights set on securing another dramatic victory to return to the title conversation. A high-level grappler with knockout power, he has won eight of his last nine bouts, including wins over Mateusz Gamrot, Tony Ferguson and Drew Dober. Dariush now intends to show that he is still one of the best in the world by taking out Tsarukyan.

Rising star Tsarukyan (20-3, fighting out of Erevan, Armenia) looks to make the most of his second UFC main event by securing the biggest win of his career. Among the most well-rounded athletes on the UFC roster, Tsarukyan has impressed with finishes over Joel Alvarez, Joaquim Silva and Christos Giagos. He now aims to announce himself as the next challenger for the lightweight belt with a defining victory over Dariush. 

Hooker (23-12, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to deliver another vintage highlight-reel performance. An all-action fighter who is no stranger to post-fight bonuses, Hooker has established himself as a favorite amongst fans with thrilling victories over Paul Felder, Gilbert Burns and Jim Miller. He now looks to defend his spot in the Top 10 of the division and set himself up for a championship run in 2024.

Always entertaining, Green (31-14-1 1NC, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) aims to keep the momentum going from his main event first-round KO of rising prospect Grant Dawson from just under one month ago. A member of the UFC roster since 2013, Green currently holds the record for the most significant strikes landed in UFC lightweight history with 1,644, a total he amassed from wins over Tony Ferguson, Lando Vannata and Clay Guida. He now seeks to make it three victories by finish in a row and break into the Top 10 for the first time.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• An intriguing bantamweight bout pits No. 8 ranked contender Rob Font (20-7, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) against former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (21-3-1, fighting out of Condor Belem, Para, Brazil)
• A high stakes welterweight bout sees No. 9 ranked contender Sean Brady (15-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) welcome No. 11 ranked middleweight Kelvin Gastelum (18-1 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) back to the division
• Former UFC bantamweight champion and current No. 12 ranked contender Miesha Tate (19-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on fellow veteran No. 13 ranked Julia Avila (9-2, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Ok.)
• UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida (38-20, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) plans to start another long win streak against Joaquim Silva (12-5, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) at lightweight
• No. 11 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-5 1 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) aims to make a statement against undefeated No. 12 ranked Azamat Murzakanov (13-0, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Nalchik, Russia)
• Punahele Soriano (9-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dustin Stoltzfus (14-5, fighting out of Lancaster, Penn.) collide in a middleweight tilt
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Zach Reese (6-0, fighting out of Houston, Texas by way of Shiner, Texas) debuts against Cody Brundage (9-5, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) in a middleweight bout
• Lightweights Drakkar Klose (13-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) and Joe Solecki (13-3, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) lock horns
• Steve Garcia (14-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) meets Melquizael Costa (20-6, fighting out of Baura, Para, Brazil) for a featherweight scrap
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Rodolfo Bellato (11-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) makes his UFC debut against Ihor Potieria (20-4, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine)
• Welterweights Wellington Turman (18-7, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) and Jared Gooden (18-8, fighting out of Duluth, Ga.) aim to steal the show
• Veronica Hardy (7-4-1, fighting out of Nottingham, England by way of Caracas, Venezuela) and Jamey-Lyn Horth (6-0, fighting out of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada) face off in a flyweight matchup

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

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 243 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports, and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Moody Center

Moody Center provides the nation’s 11th-largest city with a premier venue to host the biggest artists and acts on the planet. Designed specifically for concerts, the new arena replaces the 46-year-old Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center at The University of Texas and is home to The University of Texas Women’s and Men’s basketball games, family shows, and other sporting and community events. Moody Center is the first of its kind in the industry with an unrivaled partnership between Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, The University of Texas at Austin, and Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey. In 2022, Moody Center ranked #1 highest-grossing venue in its category by Billboard Magazine and received the 2022-23 New Concert Venue of the Year Award by Pollstar Magazine and Arena of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. For additional information and news, follow @moodycenteratx on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, and Tik Tok.

QUINCY, Mass. (October 31, 2023) – Old-time boxing returns Friday night, December 9, in Worcester (MA), as Granite Chin Promotions (GCP) presents “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2,” featuring a roster of legitimate fighters in real fights.

“Pandemonium at the Palladium 2” will be streamed live from the famed Palladium on BXNGTV.com. GCP has also partnered with Project New Hope, a Worcester-based charity that supports veterans and their families.

Undefeated Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (12-0, 7 KOs) and unbeaten Kenny “Lionheart” Larson (7-0-1, 5 KOs) will headline in the 10-round main event for the vacant Junior North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Welterweight Championship in a rebirth of a longtime Bay State rivalry.

Whitley, of Holyoke, represents Western, Massachusetts, Salem’s Larson is from Eastern, Mass. It’s also a fight between a legacy fighter, Whitley, who is trained by his father Derrick and uncle Darrin, who were solid pro fighters during the 1990’s into the first decade of the 21^st century; Larson is a throwback fighter who only asks who, where and when he’s fighting.

And Whitley and Larson, as rare as it may be among contemporary boxers, are unbeaten prospects fighting each other, which is a sure sign of old-time boxing.

“This is a critical fight for both fighters at this stage in their career,” GCP president Chris Traietti commented. “The winner moves on to legitimate prospect status, while whoever falls short will have to regroup and rebuild a little bit. It is about time these two guys finally get into the ring with each other and give local boxing fans an exciting main event. The styles of each guy contrast perfectly Denzel is more of a boxer, Kenny is a pressure fighter; this is a can’t miss entertainment with the Junior NABF title on the line.”

Whitley is the reigning Massachusetts and United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Atlantic Welterweight Champion, although neither of his two regional titles will be on the line versus Larson.

Whitley vs. Larson was supposed to happen a few times, but they have not met in the ring yet. They are both anxious to take care of unfinished business on Dec. 9 in Worcester. This showdown will also mark the first scheduled 10-round fight for both combatants.

“I can’t say it (delay) will necessarily help me,” said Whitley, who was known as a notoriously slow starter until his most recent fight (August 18, 2023) at The Palladium, when he needed only 25-seconds to stop Hector Esnar Bobadilla. “I was ready before and now for this fight. It’s my first 10-round fight and I’ve gotten more rounds to be in my best shape. I’m on a belt run and want to add my third title.    My style was to get in rounds to get the proper feel and adapt in the ring. My father and uncle have wanted me to start faster, and I did in my last fight.

“I don’t know much about my opponent. He likes to fight, I like that. We do have unfinished business and we’re finally getting that now. I need to get him out of the way and move on to the next fight. He comes forward, an old-fashioned fighter, and that will make for a good fight. When I capture this belt, I hope to move up in the rankings and it helps get me a big shot in a big venue against a big name.”

Larson, who was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves silver medalist, registered the most significant victory of his career last July, when he won an eight-round split decision over highly respected Brandon Higgins (10-3). But he came back less than a month later to fight Alfred Raymond, which ended in a six-round split decision.”

“A relief,” Larson expressed his feelings about finally fighting Whitley. “This is what I want and I’m glad to get a chance to prove myself. (The delay) Helped me a little because of the experience I’ve gained. I know I wasn’t at my best, but I had just fought Higgins in the fight of my life. I didn’t get a rest to recover from the fight with Higgins. Since then, though, my mind frame was clear in training camp because I had a vacation after my last fight.

“Denzel has a good record. I’m looking to prove myself against the best. He’s the best…..right now. I’m going to fight my fight at my pace. I don’t care about fighting him in Worcester. My fans travel no matter where I fight. I’m a throwback who is a rough kid that can fight.”  

Also fighting on the loaded “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2,” card is undefeated International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas Super Middleweight Champion Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs), who will face an opponent to be determined in the 10-round co-featured event. Sumpter, fighting out of Pittsfield (MA), is one of the hottest prospects in the Northeast, coming off an impressive performance against previously unbeaten James “Pitbull” Perkins (12-0-1, 9 KOs) by way of an eight-round majority decision in the main event this past August at The Palladium.

Also scheduled to be in action are a pair of Worcester fighters, light heavyweight Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr. (21-1-3, 12 KOs) and super welterweight Khiary “Too Sharp” Gray (17-6, 13 KOs). Ball is a former New England Middleweight and WBC USA Super Middleweight Champion, who will be fighting in a 10-rounder for the vacant USBF title. Pitts will be in his first fight in two years.

Card subject to change. Additional fights and fighters will soon be announced.

Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at www.ThePalladium.net.

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

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

X (Twitter): @Granite_Chin

PEMBROKE PINES, Florida (Oct 31, 2023) – Two high-stakes showdowns top the bill on a special Top Rank on ESPN card Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. 
 
In the main event, Cuban WBO featherweight king Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez puts his belt on the line against unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza. 
 
In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas squares off against Spain’s Jorge Fortea.
 
Ramirez-Espinoza and Zayas-Fortea will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.

“We are thrilled to be back in South Florida with a loaded card featuring some incredibly talented fighters,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Ramirez has his hands full against an undefeated challenger who will not be deterred by the moment, and I know Xander Zayas wants to make a huge statement in front of his humongous South Florida fan base.”
 
Ramirez (13-1, 8 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been on a dominant trajectory after joining forces with trainer Ismael Salas. The 29-year-old southpaw had a tremendous 2022 in which he stopped Irish veteran Eric Donovan, then-unbeaten Puerto Rican Abraham Nova and Argentine contender Jose Matias Romero. This year has been even better for the fighting pride of Cienfuegos, Cuba, as he soundly defeated former world champion Isaac Dogboe by unanimous decision to capture the WBO featherweight title in April and defended his crown on enemy turf with a fifth-round TKO against Japanese contender Satoshi Shimizu in July.  
 
Ramirez said, “Miami is for many of us Cubans an important meeting point, where Spanish is spoken, our heritage is celebrated, and we remember our homeland daily through the city’s vibrant culture. Ever since I turned professional, I have wanted to fight near my people of Miami, where I also live. That cherished moment has finally arrived. On December 9, at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, I hope to have the support of the Cuban community of Miami and to see our flag waving everywhere.”
 
Espinoza (21-0, 18 KOs) has dedicated more than a decade to his career in the paid ranks, all leading up to his first opportunity at a world title. He debuted in 2013 and has fought mostly in his native Mexico, save for two early-career bouts in the U.S. A giant in his division at 6’1”, Espinoza will boast a seven-inch height advantage and is coming off a five-fight knockout streak. He tallied stoppage wins over compatriot Rafael Rosas Ramirez in March and Tanzania’s Ally Mwerangi in July.
 
Espinoza said, “I am happy and grateful for what is happening. The time has come, the opportunity of my life, and I will not waste it. Robeisy is a great champion, and I am glad to face someone like him. I know we will have a great fight, and it will go down in boxing history. I am sure of it.”
 
Zayas (17-0, 11 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 and has been on the path to super stardom ever since his pro debut in October 2019. In 2022, he scored eight-round decision wins over Quincy LaVallais and Alexis Salazar, along with a fifth-round TKO against Elias Espadas. In 2023, he notched a 10-round unanimous decision win over Ronald Cruz during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in June and a fifth-round TKO against hard-hitting Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in September. Zayas aims to cement his candidacy for a title shot with his third victory of the year. Fortea (24-3-1, 9 KOs) is a 13-year pro from Spain who coming off a decision win over the previously unbeaten Ismael Flores in April. He is riding a three-bout winning streak and is a former WBC Latino 154-pound belt-holder.
 
Zayas said, “I am super motivated to close the year with one more fight in which I will be able to continue demonstrating the progress of my skills and maturity as a fighter, which I have achieved thanks to the dedication and all the hard work in the gym. The goal on December 9 is to continue showing that I am prepared for the next step.”
 
The ESPN+ undercard will showcase some of Top Rank’s best and brightest up-and-coming talents, including:
 
Rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (9-0, 5 KOs), the fighting pride of Brownsville, Brooklyn, will take on former world title challenger Jason Sanchez (16-4, 9 KOs). Carrington will attempt to go 5-0 this year in his first scheduled 10-rounder. Sanchez lost a unanimous decision to then-WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez in June 2019.
 
Junior middleweight Jahi Tucker (10-1, 5 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first defeat in an eight-rounder against unbeaten Argentinian Francisco Daniel Veron (13-0, 10 KOs). Tucker overcame a tough Nikoloz Sekhniashvili in April, but dropped a decision to Nicklaus Flaz in July.
 
Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (10-0, 6 KOs) will lock horns against Keith Hunter (15-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight tilt. Polanco returns following his most impressive win to date, a fifth-round destruction of Panamanian contender Cesar Francis in July.
 
U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (10-0, 5 KOs) makes his fourth appearance of 2023 in an eight-round junior welterweight fight against Mexico’s Jimmer Espinosa (15-1, 14 KOs). Johnson is coming off a hard-earned majority decision over Ricardo Quiroz in September.
 
Undefeated heavyweight prospect Damian “Polish Hussar” Knyba (12-0, 7 KOs), a 6-foot-7 behemoth with an 86-inch reach, takes on Scott Alexander (17-6-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
 

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About Charles F. Dodge Center
The Charles F. Dodge City Center has over 45,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space and boasts a modern, contemporary design that’s as intelligent as it is visually striking. The sleek lines and unique layout of the building will catch your eye, but the real gem is our Great Hall. Spanning over 23,000 square feet, it can accommodate more than 3,200 guests theater-style, 2,100 for concerts, 1,300 classroom-style, 1,120 for banquets, and over 100 exhibits for trade shows. Get ready for unforgettable experiences at the Charles F. Dodge City Center – where state-of-the-art meets community pride!

ONTARIO, CA (October 30, 2023) – This past Saturday super lightweight , Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (26-2, 16 KOs), made a successful return to the ring in extraordinary fashion, delivering a second-round knockout over the tough challenger Rogelio “Hercules” Jun Doliguez (25-6-2, 19 KOs). The scheduled 8-round bout took place at the Lum Color Center in Ontario, California, under the promotional banner of Elite Boxing USA.

After being absent from the ring for over a year, Martin shook off the rust and showcased his raw talent from the opening bell. Round one saw Martin battering Doliguez with a plethora of hard, precise punches, mostly left and right hooks, and straight right crosses. The electrifying moment came in the second round when Martin unleashed a vicious left hook to the body, sending Doliguez to the canvas. Doliguez was unable to make the 10-count, resulting in a sensational second-round knockout victory for Martin.

“I’ve been away from the ring for too long, but this win is a testament to all the hard work my team and I have put in,” said Ryan Martin as he shared his emotions following the incredible victory. “I knew when I hit him with that liver shot, he wasn’t going to get up. I feel strong and rejuvenated.”

“This is a momentous victory for ‘Blue Chip’ and the entire team,” stated Brandon Stump, President of CTB Athletics and Martin’s manager. “We know he has the talent to be a world champion, and he proved he’s ready against a tough opponent. Fans haven’t seen the best version of Ryan Martin. He hasn’t seen his best day yet. The future is bright, and we’re ready for whatever comes next.”

“I want to thank my team for all the support they’ve given me throughout my time off,” concluded Martin. “I’m back, and I’m ready to make a run to a world title fight.”

Huntington, New York – [October 29, 2023] – Fans and fighters alike are still buzzing from the unbelievable action that unfolded at last night’s sold out “Rockin’ Fights 45,” presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.  This unforgettable night of pugilistic prowess had fans on the edge of their seats, and it’s safe to say that the stars aligned for an electrifying showcase of the sweet science.

In the main event, ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (now 14-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) went toe to toe with JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (now 8-4 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) for the vacant WBA Continental USA Super Lightweight Title. Out of the gate, in a shock to the sold-out crowd, Rosa landed a perfectly thrown clean straight right hand that sent the undefeated Suffolk County Police Officer Alex Vargas to the canvas for the first time in his professional career. Facing such an adversity for the first time, Vargas responded well, centering himself and fighting his style of fight. While some rounds were close, and at times the fight became more of a battle of wills, Vargas settled in and edged out the close rounds with technical skills, fighting his way back to earn a unanimous decision victory and the new WBA Continental USA Champion. (78-73 x2, 77-74).

In the WBA Continental USA Super Welterweight championship co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (now 15-2 7 KO’s, Huntington, NY) wasted no time getting to work as he staggered JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR (now 7-2 6 KO’s, Phoenix, AZ), in the first thirty seconds, before unloading an onslaught of punches. Both men would settle in, but Toussaint was a man on a mission, dictating the action and controlling the tempo of the fight. A Toussaint one-two combination at the end of the first round sent Jones to the canvas for the first time. Then with 29 seconds left in the third round, and Jones pinned in the corner, Toussaint dropped Jones for the second time. With just 2 seconds left in the third round, and another Toussaint onslaught, Referee Pat Sullivan stepped in to call a stop to the fight, declaring Wendy Toussaint the winner by TKO3, and the new WBA Continental USA Champion.

The undercard was electric from start to finish. In a 4-round super featherweight bout, Star Boxing’s ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (now 2-0, Passaic, NJ) was cruising against KESLAIRE “X MAN” EXAVIER (now 0-1, Las Vegas, NV) when a picture-perfect check left hook landed clean on the button dropping Perez for the first time in his professional career. The sensational highlight reel blow landed Perez on the floor with 45 seconds left in the fourth and final round. However, the Mexican warrior showed he has the heart of a champion. To the amazement of the crowd, and everyone watching around the world on StarBoxing.TV and Swerve.TV, Perez somehow rose from the canvas and continued the fight as if nothing happened, launching a barrage of punches. The fight went to the cards and Perez won the unanimous decision victory (38-37 x3).

The 4-round light heavyweight bout between LOU “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (now 3-4-1, Bronx, NY) and FRANK “MAGIC” MONACO (now 1-0, Glen Cove, NY) quite literally brought the house down. The foundation of The Paramount shook as fans cheered on their fighter. Maietta opened the action right out of the gate, landing a right hand that caught the attention of Monaco. Monaco gathered himself and returned the favor as the fight continued to heat up. Each fighter had their moments in each round. Monaco landed his best punch in the third round when a solid right hand tagged Maietta. The fight went the distance and the extremely close fight went to the scorecards with Monaco edging out the victory with a majority decision. (39-37 x2 Monaco, 38-38 Draw). 

DOMINIC BREEN (now 0-3, Staten Island, NY) and JOSEPH “GI JOE” ELZEY (now 1-0, Bronx, NY) put on an exciting display of wills, as the first round closed with a mele from both Elzey and Breen eating punches to dish out their own. Late in the second an overhand right from Elzey snapped Breen’s head back, followed by an overhand left and right that drew Breen back into the ropes, which referee Al LoBianco determined were holding up the hurt Breen, and declared it a knockdown. Ten seconds into the third, Elzey landed another overhand right causing a highlight reel knockdown and followed it up another power combination causing referee LoBianco to stop the bout at the 1:50 mark of the third round.

Finally in the opening bout of the evening, EMMANUEL ETIENNE (now 4-1 2 KO’s, Uniondale, NY) settled any questions with OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (now 0-2, Bronx, NY) in their 4-round cruiserweight rematch, as Etienne dropped Bamgbose with 18 seconds left in the second round with a vicious body shot followed by a devastating uppercut. Bamgbose was unable to continue due to a torn bicep. Etienne earned the win by TKO2.

Star Boxing, the longest running and most active promoter in New York once again solidified its reputation of thrilling action fights with “Rockin’ Fights 45.” From the moment the opening bell rang, fight fans were treated to an evening of pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat action that left no doubt as to why this series is so highly acclaimed.

JOE DEGUARDIA, CEO of Star Boxing, expressed his enthusiasm about the thrilling night of boxing, saying, “I’ve been in this sport for many years, and ‘Rockin’ Fights 45′ was an adrenaline-charged, fan captivating show that was a privilege to promote.  Our team at Star Boxing is dedicated to bringing the best action fights to fight fans, and we will continue to build, develop and grow the sport from the ground level up, delivering memorable moments like last night. Congratulations to Alex Vargas and Wendy Toussaint on winning their respective WBA Continental USA Championships and to ALL the other combatants who make me proud to be a promoter in this great sport. We look forward to being back at the Paramount on February 23, 2024 for “Rockin’ Fights” 46!”

Justis Huni is ready to explode on the world stage tonight in Cancun, Mexico, live worldwide on DAZN, as the Australian Heavyweight talent makes his Matchroom debut against Andrew Tabiti. 
 
Huni (7-0 4 KOs) and Tabiti (20-1 16 KOs) were slated to meet in New Orleans in June, but an ankle injury in sparring for the Aussie amateur standout just weeks before the bout robbed forced the bout to be postponed.
 
The 24 year old won the Australian title on his debut and tonight can make a dent in the rankings by picking up the vacant WBA International title against the American in his first fight outside of his homeland, and become the latest Australian to make noise on the world scene.
 
“This is massive for my career,” said Huni. “I’ve had some inactivity, so to be able to make my international debut in Mexico is a big thing for me. Australian boxing is blowing up right now, to be a part of it is awesome – this is the generation that is going to take it to the next level and inspire the next generation.
 
“This is exactly where we want to be, and I am grateful for the opportunities that Eddie Hearn has already given me. I’m looking to build my record up and hopefully land in the top ten and take the big fights on. I want to finish this year with a bang, maybe even get another fight in, but God willing I stay injury-free out of this fight, and I can get straight back to it and keep growing. 
 
“He’s sharp, he’s got good movement in the ring, so I’ve prepared for everything he’s going to bring, and I’m pumped, I’m looking forward to getting in there.
 
“It’s the perfect fight for both of us. I use my advantages well, which are my speed and my movement. I think he’s got similar attributes too, and it’s time for the smaller Heavyweights to start taking over.”
 
Huni and Tabiti clash on a big night of action in Cancun, headlined by WBC World Super-Featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster (20-2 11 KOs) making the first defense of his title against big-hitting Mexican Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez (34-1 31 KOs). Super-Featherweight KO machine Eduardo Nunez (24-1 24 KOs) will be looking to continue his 100 per cent KO record against Oscar Escandon (27-6 18 KOs) and the show kicks off with unbeaten Middleweight Javid Beltran (10-0 4 KOs) takes on Jose Rosas Meza (4-2 3 KOs) over eight rounds.  

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Oct. 28, 2023) — It wasn’t without its fair share of surprises, but The Gypsy King prevailed.

WBC & lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson Fury overcame an early knockdown to secure a 10-round split decision victory over lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou Saturday evening at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The long-awaited battle of behemoths kicked off Riyadh Season, one of the world’s leading entertainment festivals, which runs throughout the winter months in the Kingdom’s largest city. 

In the opening seconds, Fury leaped from his corner to land a quick right, but Ngannou’s awkwardness and strength soon slowed the pace. Then, as he appeared to get his rhythm, Fury was dropped with a counter left hook from Ngannou.

Fury got back to his feet to face a fired-up Ngannou, but a few robust right hands from The Gypsy King help to temper the MMA legend’s aggression. Fury continued to box, though he received numerous punches as he engaged with Ngannou on the inside in the eighth round, after which he resumed his outside game to try to secure the final two rounds. 

Fury returned successfully from an almost 11-month layoff with scores of 96-93 and 95-94, which overruled one score of 95-94 for Ngannou.

Fury said, “That definitely wasn’t in the script. He’s one hell of a fighter. He’s strong, a big puncher, and a lot better as a boxer than we thought he would ever be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher. I respect him a lot, before the fight and afterward.

“He was very awkward. He wasn’t coming forward. He was standing back and waiting for me to land my punches and then try to counter. He’s a good fighter. He’s given me one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years.

“It’s part of boxing. I got caught behind the head again. My legs weren’t hurt or nothing. I was alright. And I got back up and it was what it was. And I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was. But I got the win, and that’s what it is.”

Ngannou said, “We can run it back again, and I’m sure I will get the better. This was my first boxing match. It was a great experience. I’m not giving any excuse. I know I came up short. But I’m going to go back and work harder with a little more experience and a little more feeling of the game. And I will come back even stronger. 

“At first, I was a little nervous. This is a new sport that I never did. Now I know I can do this sh*t. So, get ready!”

Heavyweight: In an all-British showdown, Fabio Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) put an exclamation point on a bitter, months-long rivalry with David Adeleye (12-1, 11 KOs) by scoring a seventh-round TKO. Wardley pressed the action while Adeleye circled the ring. Adeleye found openings in the fifth round, but in round seven, Wardley was back in control with firm jabs. Then, while separating from a clinch, Wardley landed a right-left combo that floored Adeleye and ended matters with another combo shortly thereafter. Time of stoppage: 2:43.

Heavyweight Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) defeated Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-2, 22 KOs) via third-round TKO. Parker spent the first two rounds deciphering Kean’s defense. He then began to land uppercuts in between Kean’s guard, first wobbling him and then stopping him with another. Time of stoppage: 2:04.

Heavyweight: Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 KOs) notched a first-round TKO against Junior Anthony Wright (20-5-1, 17 KOs). Makhmudov dropped Wright with a right hand followed by consecutive left hooks. Wright survived the knockdown, but another right hand by “The Lion” nearly had Wright out on his feet, forcing referee Steve Gray to stop the fight. Time of stoppage: 1:10.

Heavyweight: 18-year-old British prodigy Moses Itauma (6-0, 4 KOs) iced Istvan Bernath (10-2, 8 KOs) via first-round TKO. Itauma sent Bernath to the canvas with a jab before ending matters with combinations around Bernath’s guard. Time of stoppage: 1:53.
 

NEW YORK, NY – October 27, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that super middleweight powerhouse Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (13-0, 11 KOs) will face off with Franchón Crews-Dezurn (8-2, 2 KOs) for the WBC super middleweight championship Friday, December 15 on DAZN, as the co-main event with Jake Paul and his soon to be named opponent in Orlando, FL. Green vs. Crews-Dezurn marks MVP’s latest significant women’s championship fight as the company works to establish equity across the sport. Jake Paul, co-founder of the company alongside Nakisa Bidarian, was named as one of “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” by Sports Illustrated this year in part for his work to revolutionize pay structure in support of female fighters.

Green, the former standout college basketball star and Team USA boxing silver medalist, boasts an impressive 13-0 record with 11 KO’s and the record for fastest KO in a women’s fight and joined MVP in January after a trailblazing few years in the sport. Shortly after, Green defeated the former unified world champion Elin Cederroos with a vicious sixth round TKO, marking the first and only time Cederroos was ever stopped in her career. Green’s latest bout against Olivia Curry in August led to a resounding unanimous decision victory as part of the Paul-Diaz undercard. Currently ranked #1 in the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF, the Paterson, NJ native will now face former undisputed super middleweight champion Crews-Dezurn, who is on the hunt to reclaim the WBC title after a majority decision loss to Savannah Marshall in July. 

“I’ve poured blood, sweat, tears, and every ounce of determination into this journey,” said Shadasia Green.“Stepping into the ring for the WBC super middleweight championship is a dream come true. Franchón is a beast in the ring, but make no mistake – when we meet in that ring, it’s going to be an all-out war, and I’m coming for that title. I want to thank the WBC for this opportunity and MVP and my team for all they have done for me. Get ready for an epic battle on December 15th, with Shadasia Green emerging as the new WBC super middleweight champion.”

Franchón Crews-Dezurn has taken hold of her journey for over 12 years as a former contestant on American Idol, 12 year member of Team USA, 15x National Champion, 5x Pan Am Gold medalist, 2x Olympic alternate and 2x world medalist. Franchón is the first US woman to qualify for the Pan American Games and one of three US women to compete in the event. Also known as The Heavy Hitting Diva, she won her first world title (WBC) in 2018, and went on to capture the WBO world title to become a unified champion in 2019. In 2021, Franchón defeated the IBF and WBA unified champion Elin Cederroos in a 10 round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden, to become the first-ever female undisputed super middleweight world champion and inaugural and prestigious Ring Magazine belt champion. As a professional boxer, she is the first female unified world champion from Baltimore and first ever undisputed champion, male or female from Baltimore. To date, Franchón has only been defeated twice, by three-weight world champion Claressa Shields and two-weight world champion Savannah Marshall. Truly an extraordinary woman in the world of sports and entertainment, she advocates for better health, women’s empowerment and equal pay in sport. Franchón is currently signed with Matchroom Boxing.

“I’m super excited about this fight on December 15th against Shadasia Green. I am looking forward to winning the WBC belt on my road back to becoming undisputed for a second time,” said Franchón Crews-Dezurn. “Shadasia was always going to be my next fight. It’s just under a little different circumstances but the same mission. My goal is not to prove others wrong. I’m very confident in myself, so I’m just focused on proving myself right. I want to thank Most Valuable Promotions and my manager Peter Kahn for getting this fight done. I will put on an amazing show for the fans in Orlando, Florida and the fans watching on DAZN when I bring my title back home.”

“Since the inception of MVP I have made women’s boxing a priority and have leveraged my platform to push the sport.” said Jake Paul. “Amanda Serrano has become one of the biggest stars in sports and I believe Shadasia Green is next. She’s Sweet in person but a real Terminator in the ring. It’s an honor to share the card with two strong, powerful women, who have dedicated their lives to the hardest sport in the world,” 

“This WBC title bout will be Shadasia’s greatest test so far in her professional career and her first step towards global stardom. A win against Franchón sets up two massive fights for Shadasia: Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “But Franchón is a tested former undisputed champion and is determined to regain her belts. With no love lost between the two fighters, this will be a can’t miss fight. Thank you to the WBC and to our amazing partner DAZN for helping us bring this world-class event to global audiences on Friday, December 15.”

Most Valuable Promotions will also continue to showcase its premiere talent throughout the rest of the year to global audiences on DAZN. Undisputed featherweight champion and seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KOs) is set to face WBO challenger Danila Ramos in a historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout, equal to men’s championship fights, on Friday, October 27th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Directly preceding the fight will be MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects III, featuring top up-and-coming boxing talent.  

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, @shaygreen35, @TheHHDiva, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, @shadasia_green, @thehhdiva, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

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DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

WASHINGTON, PA (October 27, 2023) –Weights for Saturday night’s fight card from Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington, PA

Michael Manna 199 – Joe Turk 197.6

Moses Johnson 243.2 – Lemir Isom-Tiley 260.4

Theodore Mrkonja 136.2 – Kevin Hicks 136

Devon Siegfried 183.4 – Christoper Crockett 185.8

Ivan Dancha 153.8 – Anthony Rutkowski 157.8

CC Clark and Tommy Parker will take part in an exhibition.

Promoter: Integrity Fighter Management

Venue: Meadows Racetrack and Casino

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Stream: BXNGTV.com

Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 and can be purchased at Integrity Boxing – Fall Fisticuffs #6 Tickets Oct 28, 2023 Washington, PA | Ticketmaster

HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK (October 27, 2023) — As Star Boxing gears up for its 45th edition of “Rockin’ Fights” tomorrow night at The Pollstar #1 Club venue in the world, The Paramount, all twelve fighters weighed in this afternoon at Title Boxing Club Syosset. Click HERE to see the fighters face off. The official weights, for what is expected to be a thrilling night of fights, were as follows:

8 Round WBA Continental America’s Super Lightweight Title Main Event

ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS: 139.4 lbs

JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA: 138.2 lbs

8 Round WBA Continental America’s Super Welterweight Title Co-Main

WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT: 153.4 lbs

JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES: 152 lbs

4 Round Super Featherweight Bout

ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ: 129.2 lbs

KESLAIRE “THE X MAN” EXAVIER: 128.8 lbs

4 Round Light Heavyweight Bout

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA: 170 lbs

FRANK “MAGIC” MONACO: 169.4 lbs

4 Round Super Featherweight Bout

DOMINIC BREEN: 131.4

“GI” JOE ELZEY: 128 lbs

4 Round Cruiserweight Bout

EMMANUEL ETIENNE: 184.2

OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE: 183.2

Tune in to “Rockin’ Fights” 45 tomorrow night on www.StarBoxing.TV and Swerve Combat at 7:30PM ET.

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 45

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The six fight card features local talent that includes:

Undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round WBA Continental USA Championship bout.

In the co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6KO’s) takes on JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6KO’S) of Phoenix, AZ in an 8-round super welterweight bout.

Undercard:

EMMANUEL ETIENNE of Uniondale, NY (4-1 2KO’s) will go toe to toe in a grudge rematch with former UFC fighter, turned professional boxer, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (Bronx, NY 0-1) over 4 rounds at cruiserweight;

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY, 3-3) looks to continue his win streak when he fights Glen Cove, NY’s FRANKIE “MAGIC” MONACO (pro debut).

Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV,

DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).

By Norm Frauenheim –

Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou defies description. Fight or fraud? Fish or foul? It depends on who’s doing the marketing and/or the mocking.

Sift through all of the possibilities, and there’s only one: Exhibition. That, and all of its interpretations, was on parade at a news conference Thursday in Riyadh.

 At times, it was slapstick funny. Send in the clowns. At times, it began to redefine what it means to be cringe-worthy.

A cringe-worthy moment: Fury stripped off his jacket and vest for a bare-chested pose in a forehead-to-forehead stare-down with Ngonnou. His 59-year-old father, John Fury, quickly joined the strip show shedding his shirt and then stepping in front of the camera. Gently, John Fury – animated as in cartoon-like — had to be moved to one side. It wasn’t his show. At least, it’s not supposed to be.

All of the time, it was clear it was all about the cash.

There’s plenty of that being exhibited, although none of the numbers have been confirmed. Let’s just say that Fury’s income could make him an oil baron.

Speculation puts his payday at $60 million for an exhibition (Saturday, 2 pm ET/11 am PT, ESPN + pay-per-view), that looks a lot like a tune-up for a fight – a real one –projected for Dec. 23 against Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, also in Riyadh and also for an astonishing bankroll. Talk – and that’s all it is – puts that paycheck at $100 million.

For the Saudis, Fury looks to be another investment in their so-called sports wash. He’s another name, another possible diversion from the controversy surrounding the Saudi Kingdom’s reputation for repression. Their sports collection includes Phil Mickelson, Formula One auto racing, soccer and horse racing. A major addition would be Fury-Usyk, one of the biggest heavyweight fights in a fabled history.

“Tyson Fury is certainly the best heavyweight since Muhammad Ali and maybe ever,’’ said Fury’s 92-year-old American promoter, Bob Arum, also Ali’s former promoter.

But boxing isn’t golf. It’s a risk, one that maybe Mickelson wouldn’t even bet on.  With one punch, everything can go wrong and often does.

Fury-Ngannou, at $79.99 pay-per-view, is being mocked precisely because it looks like a set-up for the reported December date with Usyk. The Saturday exhibition is not even listed under Fury’s BoxRec entry. If the reliable, go-to BoxRec doesn’t list it, it’s not a fight. Then, there’s Fury’s World Boxing Council heavyweight belt. It’s not at stake, although WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman was there with a specially-made belt, named “the Riyadh Champion belt.’’ That makes interim sound like a promotion.

The guess is that if the unlikely happens, the WBC belt would still be in play in December against Usyk, who holds the three other belts. Then, there’s Ngonnou, a UFC champion, a mixed martial arts fighter known for unprecedented power.

Even Mike Tyson, a celebrity cornerman for Ngannou, marvels at power that once defined him.

“Nobody takes a punch like Tyson Fury, but this is a different kind of power,’’ said Tyson, who wore a businessman’s suit to Thursday’s exhibit of Fury exhibitionists.

Tyson is there to help sell the show. He’s an intriguing angle. In 1988, John Fury named his son after Tyson, who had just begun his wild run through the heavyweight division.

Mike Tyson warns his namesake about Ngannou’s power. It’s a limb-breaker, he says.

“I saw him hit this guy,’’ Tyson said as he gestured with an imaginary blow to the jaw. “And the guy wound up breaking a leg or ankle or whatever.’’

But there are doubts about whether Ngannou, of Cameroon, will ever land that big punch. He’s a novice boxer. Video of him hitting the mitts showed power, but no precision or hand speed. Autumn could turn to winter in the time it takes Ngannou to land. The clever Fury could feint, duck, feint again and counter within that long moment. Leg-breaker? Yeah Ngannou might break his own in a wild miss.

The real measure of Ngannou’s feared power is also hard to judge. He’ll be wearing 10-ounce gloves for the first time. He executed 17 stoppages in mixed martial arts wearing four-ounce gloves.

In his memorable trilogy with Deontay Wilder, he was knocked down four times by a right hand as explosive as any in history. What would Wilder’s power have done had he been wearing four ounces, instead of 10? He and Fury probably would have never gone beyond the first fight and Fury’s 12th-round resurrection from a crushing knockdown.

There are other possibilities, hard to predict and all common to boxing’s familiar chaos. Fury knows them. He’s been there. In September 2019, he fought Swede Otto Wallin in a fight perceived to be a tune-up for his first rematch with Wilder. The heavily favored Fury won a debatable unanimous decision in Las Vegas. He also suffered a nasty cut to his right eye.

A Wallin punch caused the cut in the third round. Wallin would do further damage, enough to argue that the fight should have been stopped in his favor.

Fury needed a reported 47 stitches and time to heal. There was speculation that it would delay the second fight with Wilder. It didn’t. Wilder conceded it was risky, that the cut might rupture. But he never gave a clueless Wilder the chance to try, blowing him away in the seventh round February 2020 in Vegas.

Call it a warning, Exhibit A among risks to a Saudi bet that it’ll host some heavyweight history.   

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Oct. 26, 2023) – The combat sports crossover event of the millennium is only two days away.

WBC & lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou will lock horns this Saturday, Oct. 28, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The long-awaited battle of behemoths kicks off Riyadh Season, one of the world’s leading entertainment festivals, which runs throughout the winter months in the Kingdom’s largest city.

Promoted by Queensberry, Top Rank and GIMIK Fight Promotions, the Fury-Ngannou card will stream live on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV in the United States beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Priced at $79.99 across all distributors, it also will be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

The pay-per-view undercard, an all-heavyweight affair, features a 12-round showdown between undefeated British standouts Fabio Wardley (16-0, 15 KOs) and David Adeleye (12-0, 11 KOs), along with a 10-round battle between former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs) and Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-1, 22 KOs).

Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (17-0, 16 KOs) will take on the upset-minded Junior Anthony Wright (20-4-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round clash, and Moses Itauma (5-0, 3 KOs) will open the pay-per-view broadcast in a six-rounder against Istvan Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs).

At Thursday’s press conference, an eventful show that included an animated John Fury (Tyson’s father), this is what the fighters had to say:

Tyson Fury
 
“It’s absolutely unbelievable to be out here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To be top of the bill, the main event, is even more special. We’ve all got a lot to be thankful for. We’ve all come a long way to be here. This has all happened in a short space of time. And to see it all unfold is really amazing.”
 
“Francis Ngannou is a big man. I see he’s taken a bit of advice from me with the clothes he’s wearing. He’s looking a bit snazzy. They say the finest form of flattery is imitation. And he’s got his suit on with no shirt on, and I started that! So, he’s imitating. But, there’s one thing I say, and it’s that many will imitate, but no one will ever replicate. Because there’s only one Gypsy King.”
 
“How do I prepare for a guy like this? It’s pretty difficult, but in America, we say a statement like this, ‘I’m gonna knock a motherf***er out!’ And that’s how we do it. I’ve been working with SugarHill {Steward} to knock him out cold on Saturday night, and I have no doubt in my mind that I will knock him out.”
 
“He’s a big, strong guy. Obviously, he’s got a good punch. But so am I. I’m a big, strong guy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be the world heavyweight champion. But I believe there’s levels to the game. And he’s going to find out my level on Saturday night.”

Francis Ngannou

“This is a dream come true. And I remember four years ago, when I first met Mike Tyson, my only request was for him to be in my corner if I fight Tyson Fury. People thought I was losing it. They thought I was crazy. They thought it would never happen. But here we are. The fight is happening. So, I’m living a dream. This has always been my dream. It wasn’t easy, but we are here.”
 
“I want to thank Tyson Fury for taking the fight and taking this risk because there is a lot of risk here for him. He might go to sleep on Saturday night. But I appreciate his courage, and I thank him.”
 
“This camp has been different from my past camps. It’s a different experience, a different beast. I was aware that there was a mountain in front of me, so that’s why we started the camp a lot earlier. And it went well, but having somebody like Mike Tyson around and my coach Dewey Cooper was very helpful in terms of approaching this fight.”
 
“We got Mike Tyson in, and the first thing he said that stuck in my mind is when he said, ‘Listen, he has two hands and two feet like you.’ And I got that. And that’s enough for Saturday night. Tyson Fury is definitely the best in boxing, but that’s stopping on Saturday night.”

David Adeleye
 
“Saturday night is two days away. The talking is done now. We’ll see how tough he is.”
 
“He’s not the same as me. I see his mannerisms and how he carries himself. We just ain’t the same. But I don’t really take it all in. What matters is what happens on fight night. What he does other than that doesn’t really bother me.”
 
“What’s going to happen when I take him into deep waters? I know he’s never faced a banger like me. I don’t think, I know.”

“It’s nothing towards him personally. I just hate how he talks, and he talks like he’s a seasoned pro. The man has had 16 fights, I don’t really understand.”
 
“He’s got no boxing ability. He can only fight one way, and that’s walking forward. He’s got no boxing I.Q. I can back up and I know Wardley will follow me. He’s not intelligent enough to see that I’m setting traps. And on Saturday night, you will see that.”

Fabio Wardley
 
“It’s a very special stage for a very special night. There is a lot to look forward to on this card, but I think the fight with me and David has captured a lot of eyes. A lot of people are interested. And I’m looking forward to having a big night.”
 
“He hasn’t faced anyone of any worth or of any level, so there’s nothing there for me to look at and say ‘Okay, maybe he has shown this or that.’ There’s nothing I’ve seen that has made me consider that, so it’s all smoke and mirrors for me.”
 
“I’d say I’ll be the first man to beat him, but I think there was someone else on his record who pretty much beat him, but he did well to get home a home decision, so maybe I’ll be the first on record. But I think it’s been seen by quite a wide audience in the boxing community that there are flaws there that have been exploited. And when it gets hot, like he says, he thinks he knows how to swim, but when he was drowning before, he didn’t know what to do.”

Joseph Parker
 
“Even if I were fighting Tyson Fury, I don’t think there’s any more that we could have done in camp. We’ve trained very hard for Simon Kean. And we respect him as a fighter. We know that he’s got a lot of knockouts, so we’ve done everything in our power to be as prepared as we can be for this challenge.”
 
“I’m going to follow the plan that Andy Lee says and punch his face.”

Simon Kean
 
“This is a big challenge for me. This week, Joseph said he wants to knock me out. Of course he wants to knock me out, and I want to knock him out, too. That’s boxing. I know I have a big challenge and that I will need a great performance to get the win, but I had a really great training camp and I’m ready to shock the world.”

Arslanbek Makhmudov
 
“He has good defense. He’s fast. He’s not as tall as my other opponents, so that’s going to be a good change for me. I can’t ever say that I will score the knockout, but I will just do my best and everything will come from that. I’m going to give a good performance.”

Junior Anthony Wright
 
“I’m in the gym all the time. I work out like I’ve got nothing else to do. I took advantage of the situation, and here I am. It’s definitely going to be a good fight because I am a puncher as well. It’s going to be one of the best fights.”

Moses Itauma
 
“I’m not going to go in there and look for the KO. But obviously, I’m going to go in there and try my best. And hopefully the KO comes. At the end of the day, nobody can predict the future, but if I go in there and do 100 percent, then I’ll come out victorious.”
 

Saturday, October 28

Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT)

Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, 10 rounds, heavyweight
 
Fabio Wardley vs. David Adeleye, 12 rounds, heavyweight

Moses Itauma vs. Istvan Bernath, 6 rounds, heavyweight 
 

 # # # 

About Riyadh Season:
Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and other unique cultural events. In 2023, Riyadh Season will commence on Saturday, 28 October with a spectacular opening ceremony and an historic boxing match between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou.

MIAMI, FL (October 26, 2023)—The Only in America 92 Celebration just got bigger as promoter Don King has put together four title fights for the Saturday, Nov. 4 extravaganza at the Casino Miami Jai Alai.

King is going to celebrate his recent 92^nd birthday with five championship fights.

The Nov. 4^th card will have three co-feature title fights headlined by the 12-round battle for the WBC Cruiserweight vacant title as the number one ranked fighter, Mikaelian (26-2, 11 KOs) of Miami, FL via Armenia taking on the number two ranked fighter and former champion Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) from Johannesburg, South Africa via the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu, who lost his title to Badou Jack as he was stopped in the 12^th round, is hoping to regain his belt after Badou Jack relinquished the title.

“The fighters will distinguish themselves as world champions in these five title fights,” said King.

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“They will be the people’s champions. They will distinguish themselves to the fans. Boxing will return to the beautiful fans.”

The other tri-feature bout will spotlight two heavyweight champions putting their respective belts on the line. The NABA Gold Heavyweight Champion Jonathan Guidry (19-1-2, 11 KOs) of Dulac, LA will tangle with the undefeated FECARBOX Heavyweight Champion Jesus Escalera (19-0, 19 KOs) of Riverview, FL via Puerto Rico.

The WBA Continental North America Heavyweight Championship will feature the former WBA champion Trevor Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL via New York taking on challenger Cassius Chaney (22-1, 15 KOs) of New London, CT.

And now King has added the WBC Youth Super Lightweight championship featuring Ft. Lauderdale’s DeVon William (3-0, 3 KOs) taking on Marik Black (2-1-1, 1 KOs) of Versailles, KY.

King, who recently turned 92 years of age, has invited O’Jays founder and lead singer Edward Willis Levert, to celebrate the Nov. 4^th card and King’s birthday.  Levert, King’s dear friend, has volunteered to sing the national anthem and be a part of King’s Only in America 92 Celebration with the three national anthems of boxing—Give the People What They Want, Backstabbers and Money Money Money.

“I want to thank owner Phil Ruffin and general manager Daniel Licciardi for their support in allowing us to have two super nights of boxing at their Casino Miami Jai Alai,” said King. “The Only in America 92 Celebration” extravaganza will be like no other and it will encompass two exciting nights of championship boxing.”

King’s second night of boxing, since he had so many title fights, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, also at Casino Miami Jai Alai.

Adrien “The Problem” Broner, a four-time World Champion in four weight divisions, continues his return to the top of the welterweight division as he meets another Cincinnati, OH fighter in Howard (18-2-1, 8 KOs) for the “People’s Championship” set for Saturday, Dec. 2.  Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) made his return to the ring on June 9^th a successful one in winning a unanimous decision over William “Hutch” Hutchinson. It was Broner’s first fight in nearly 26 months, who is on a mission to secure the 140-pound world title.

Broner will dedicate this fight to his late trainer and mentor Mike Stafford, who passed away at the age of 67 in September. A 10-bell salute will be held prior to the co-main event featuring Ian Green.

The super sensation fan favorite and WBA Continental America’s middleweight champion, Ian Green (17-2, 11 KOs) from Haledon, NJ will also be featured on the Dec. 2nd spectacular night of boxing as he defends his title against an opponent to be named.

Tre’Sean Wiggins (15-5-3, 8 KOs) of Newburgh, NY will defend his NABA Welterweight championship against Pittsburgh’s Bill Hutchinson (20-3-4, 9 KOs).

Fecarbox Lightweight Champion Antonio Williams (16-0-1, 7 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL will defend his title against Antonio Perez (8-0, 5 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA.

Tickets, priced from $50, are on sale and can be purchased at www.playcasinomiami.com for the Nov. 4^th and the Dec. 2^nd cards.  Ringside tables are $3000. next level tables $2500, ringside seats $750 and side seats are $200 and $100. General Admission tickets at $50.

The two nights of boxing also will be available on DonKing.com, FITE.TV and ITUBE247.com.

LOS ANGELES (October 26, 2023) – Rising LA-based promotional company Toro Promotions has announced the signing of 2020 Ukraine Olympic heavyweight prospect Tsotne Rogava (3-0, 3 KOs) to an exclusive promotional contract.

The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava is a combat sports veteran who has successfully transitioned to boxing from his world class Muay Thai and kickboxing career, highlighted by his three-time IFMA World title-winning performances in Muay Thai as an amateur, along with his ACB kickboxing crown.

“Toro is excited to sign Tsotne because he’s a former Olympian with a lot of fighting experience,” Toro Promotions promoter Azat Torosan said. “He’s a big, tough, talented fighter.

“I am delighted to announce today that I have signed a contract with Toro Promotions,” Rogava commented. “I am grateful to Toro and the team for the opportunity to showcase my skills. I am thrilled to join the team and work together. This year has been challenging for my career and I am excited to step back in the ring, but actions speak louder than words in boxing.”

Rogava is trained by Joe Goossen, who was inducted into the prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) this past summer and Rogava works out daily with another fighter Joe trains, (Armenian heavyweight) Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (4-0, 4 KOs).

Goossen has trained world champions such as Diego Corrales, Riddick Bowe, Shane Mosley, Joel Casamayor, Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, Amir Khan, and Michael Nunn.

Goossen was instrumental in discovering Rogava, who was first brought into training camp to spar Hovhannisyan, who was supposed to fight former world heavyweight champion Charles Martin. The fight didn’t happen because Martin pulled out three weeks out to take another fight.

“Of all the fighters we brought in,” Goossen explained, “he (Rogava) had that amateur pedigree. I can’t pronounce his name, so I asked him what people called him. He said, ‘T,’ but now I call him ‘Mr. T.’ He’s mean – pleasant outside the ring – in the ring. He’s aggressive, skillful, and a pressure fighter. You don’t make it on an Olympic team unless you have skills, and he definitely does. He is a great find; we scored big. He’s going to be moved really fast.

“To already have skills from his Olympic competition is invaluable. He is special. I love his work ethic. He lives (in LA) with his wife and kids. He has a very pleasing style; heavy-handed and an accurate puncher without wasting punches. And he can take a good shot, too. He has a mean streak. He is a bad dude.”

The 30-year-old Rogava, who was born in Georgia, was a member of Ukraine amateur boxing program that has produced prizefighting stars such as Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasily Lomachenko. Rogava represented Ukraine at the 2020 Olympic Games in London.

Rogava made his pro debut in boxing back on April 10, 2021, stopping Petar Mrvalj in the opening round of their fight in Kyiv, Ukraine. The following May in Cologne, Germany, he defeated Michael Bassett, who was unable to continue after two rounds in a scheduled six-round bout.

In his most recent fight, which was held in France a little more than a year ago, Rogava knocked out Demir Gulamic in round two.

Philadelphia, PA (October 26, 2023) –A special night of boxing will take place on Friday, November 10th at the 2300 Arena as King’s Promotions presents Split-T Showcase.

The card will feature some of the best talent from boxing’s top management company, Split-T Management.

In the featured bout, local and undefeated heavyweight Sonny Conto takes on Detrailious Webster in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.

Conto, who lives blocks from the 2300 Arena will have his usual huge fan base in attendance. The 27-year-old has a record of 11-0 with nine knockouts. Conto is coming off a second-round stoppage over James Bryant (6-1) on October 29, 2022, at the 2300 Arena.

Webster of Courtland, Mississippi has a record of 6-1 with two knockouts. The 35-year-old is coming off a win over Terrell Jamal Woods on August 19th in Oxford, Mississippi.

In an eight-round but, undefeated super flyweight LeAnna Cruz (6-0) of Allentown, PA will fight for her first title when she takes on an opponent to be named for the NABF title.

Also in an eight-round bout, 2021 Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Oshae Jones (4-0) of Toledo, Ohio collides with Samantha Pill (5-2, 1 KO) of Fairmount, West Virginia for the NABF Super Welterweight Title.

Also in six-round bouts:

Haven Brady Jr. (10-0, 4 KOs) of Albany, Georgia fights an opponent to be named in a super featherweight fight.

Dante Benjamin (7-0-1, 5 KOs) of Cleveland takes on Darin Austin (11-0, 8 KOs) of Hampton, Georgis in a light heavyweight battle of undefeated fighters.

Greg Outlaw (12-2, 6 KOs) of Bowie, Maryland will take part in a welterweight bout against an opponent to be named.

In Four-round Bouts:

2023 National Golden Gloves champion Tyshawn Denson (1-0, 1 KO) of Akron, Ohio takes on an opponent to be named in a featherweight battle.

Ali Ellis (4-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Nicoy Clarke (3-8, 1 KO) of Jersey City, NJ in a heavyweight bout.

The fight card will be streamed for Broadcast at https://bxngtv.com/

Available online and via the BXNG app available on Apple TV/ App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, Roku, 8 Smart TV.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing are priced at $55, $75, $96 and $150 and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 26, 2023) – Swerve TV, a category-leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel operator, and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, the longest running New York based professional boxing promotion company, announced today that they will televise live the 45th edition of Star Boxing’s critically acclaimed “Rockin’ Fights” series on Saturday, October 28th, featuring a WBA Continental USA Championship doubleheader on Swerve Combat. On more than 20 platforms, Swerve Combat will make Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” 45 available free to virtually every internet-connected TV in the United States.

The WBA Continental USA Championship doubleheader main event features Long Island’s undefeated super lightweight fan favorite, Alex “El Toro” Vargas (13-0 5KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs Julio “El Pantera” Rosa (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round championship super lightweight main event. In the 8 round championship super welterweight co-feature, Wendy “Haitian Fire” Toussaint (14-2 6 KO’s, Huntington, NY) will battle Jermone “Quadruple J” Jones (7-1 6 KO’s, Phoenix, AZ) in what could be a barn burner battle for the super welterweight title.

The sold-out event, which features a thrilling undercard as well is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and held at Long Island’s historic Paramount, the #1 Pollstar club venue in the world. The show will begin at 7:30 pm eastern on Saturday, October 28. 

“The atmosphere inside of The Paramount during a “Rockin’ Fights” is unlike anything else in boxing. The thrilling action can be felt in every seat in the house, and it deserves to be shared with a large home audience. We are delighted to partner with Swerve Combat to televise this multi-title event live and free to all nationwide,” said Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing.

“Boxing is attracting fans at a higher rate in the U.S. than any other sport while also capturing a younger fan base. We are grateful to Joe and Star Boxing for helping us achieve our goal to make live boxing available without paywalls to everyone,” said Steve Shannon, CEO of Swerve TV.  

Swerve Combat has seen tremendous growth more than doubling viewership so far in 2023 as a result of increased delivery of combat competitions during the past year and is committed to delivering more free, live combat competitions as its FAST audience grows.

For more information on how to stream Swerve Sports, visit swerve.tv and www.StarBoxing.com.

About Swerve TV, LLC

Founded in 2021 by digital media veterans Steve Shannon and Dan Keston, Swerve Combat is the first FAST channel focused on delivering free combat sports and athletic competitions while telling the stories behind the world’s most inspirational athletes. Swerve is available on Amazon Freevee, Amazon Fire TV Channels, Prime Video, Fubo, LG Channels, The Roku Channel, SLING TV, VIZIO, Xumo Play and more and is accessible in over 80% of US households. Follow us on Instagram @swervecombat.

Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 45

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The six fight card features local talent that includes:

Undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round WBA Continental USA Championship bout.

In the co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6KO’s) takes on JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6KO’S) of Phoenix, AZ in an 8-round super welterweight bout.

Undercard:

EMMANUEL ETIENNE of Uniondale, NY (4-1 2KO’s) will go toe to toe in a grudge rematch with former UFC fighter, turned professional boxer, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (Bronx, NY 0-1) over 4 rounds at cruiserweight;

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY, 3-3) looks to continue his win streak when he fights Glen Cove, NY’s FRANKIE “MAGIC” MONACO (pro debut).

Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV,

DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).