Leigh Wood has decided to move up to the super featherweight division, leaving the World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight belt vacant.

The British fighter recently defended his crown with a spectacular knockout over Josh Warrington on October 7 and had already announced unofficially his intention to move up to 130 pounds. This week, his team sent the formal communication of his decision to the pioneering body.  

“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the WBA for their support and for allowing Leigh to win, defend and ultimately regain his world honors. The WBA has played a crucial role in shaping Leigh’s career, and we are truly grateful for the experiences he has gained during his time as Featherweight Champion,” noted the letter sent. 

The text also mentions Ben Davison, Wood’s trainer and a great professional, who says he is in tune with the decision and sends words of thanks to the WBA for all the opportunities provided at 126 pounds. 

The championships committee will study the present of the category and the rankings of the organization in order to make a decision regarding who will fight for the vacant belt.

The WBA thanks Wood for always wearing the belt with respect, honor and courage, and hopes to see him soon fighting for a new black and gold belt and representing the WBA colors.

Tomorrow night’s British Cruiserweight Championship and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship bout between defending champion Mikael Lawal and challenger Isaac Chamberlain is officially on as both fighters made weight at today’s pre-fight weigh-in ahead of Saturday’s BOXXER event at York Hall.

Saturday night’s event airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK and is available live and on demand on NBC Sports streaming platform Peacock in the USA.

Commonwealth super-welterweight champion Louis Greene also made weight to make his bout with challenger Sam Gilley official, as did Karriss Artingstall, Vanessa Bradford, Michael Hennessy Jr and Joe Laws.

Lawal and Chamberlain top the bill in York Hall following the postponement of the world title final eliminator showdown between Josha Buatsi and Dan Azeez due to an injury sustained by Azeez in his final training session this week. 

Tickets for the postponed Buatsi v Azeez bout at The O2 will automatically remain valid for the newly rescheduled date, which will be communicated soon. A full refund is available to all ticket holders via their original ticket provider.

Tickets for York Hall on Saturday are now on general sale from £35. General sale is on a first come first served basis and expected to sell out today.

This Saturday’s broadcast begins at 7.30pm on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Showcase.

The full weigh-in results are as follows:

12 x 3 mins – British & vacant Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship 

@ 14st 4lbs (200 lbs) (90.72 kgs)

MIKAEL LAWAL (14st 2lbs) vs. ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN (14st 3lbs)

(Shepherd’s Bush) (Brixton)

12 x 3 mins – Commonwealth Super Welterweight Championship & British Super Welterweight Final eliminator @ 11st (154 lbs) (69.85 kgs)

LOUIS GREENE (10st 12lbs) vs. SAM GILLEY (11st)

(Strood). (Walthamstow)

8 x 3 mins – Super Welterweight contest @ 11st 11lbs (165 lbs) (74.84 kgs)

MICHAEL HENNESSY JR (11st 10lbs ) vs. JOE LAWS (11st 11lbs)

(Sevenoaks). (Benwell)

8 x 2 mins – Featherweight contest @ 9st (126 lbs) (57.15 kgs) 

KARRISS ARTINGSTALL (9st) vs. VANESSA BRADFORD (8st 13 lbs)

(Macclesfield). (Canada)

First fight: 19:30

4 x 3 mins Super-Welterweight contest
WILLIAM CROLLA 153.9 lbs v MARTIN SHAW 153.1 lbs
(Manchester, England)             (Rotherham, England)

followed by

6 x 3 mins International Super-Bantamweight contest 
MUHAMMAD ALI 123.9 lbs v GIULIO COMMERSO 123.6 lbs
(Leicester, England)               (Pescara, Italy)

followed by

8 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
PADDY LACEY 163.1 lbs v OWEN KIRK 163.6 lbs
(Chester, England)              (Heysham, England)

followed by

8 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
CAMPBELL HATTON 142.9 lbs v JAMIE SAMPSON 141.1 lbs
(Hyde, England)                             (Sheffield, England)

followed by

19:00 LIVE ON DAZN

8 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
KHALEEL MAJID 141.3 lbs v TOM FARRELL 141.9 lbs
(Bolton, England)                    (Liverpool, England)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Bantamweight Title
SHABAZ MASOUD 121. 8 lbs v JOSE SANMARTIN 122 lbs
(Stoke, England)                         (Barranquilla, Colombia)  

followed by

12 x 3 mins Commonwealth Super-Featherweight Title and British Title Final Eliminator
AQIB FIAZ 130 lbs v REECE BELLOTTI 128.9 lbs
(Oldham, England)   (Watford, England)  

followed by 

4 x 3 mins International Bantamweight contest
JACK TURNER 117.3 lbs v ADAM YAHAYA 116.6 lbs
(Liverpool, England)      (Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania)

followed by

10 x 3 mins vacant WBA Continental Super-Bantamweight Title
PETER MCGRAIL 121.4 lbs v FRAN MENDOZA 119.8 lbs
(Liverpool, England)              (San Antero, Colombia)

followed by

12 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Title
JACK CATTERALL 140 lbs v JORGE LINARES 140 lbs
(Bolton, England)                    (Barinas, Venezuela)

Michael Williams Jr 21-1 Faces Michael Whitt 32-2-2 For The NBA Welterweight Championship Title Belt In Fayetteville, NC.

Love boxing or hate boxing, professional boxing returns to North Carolina in championship style Saturday, October 21, 2023 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina! And, whether you love Michael Williams Jr or wish him ill will, Williams Jr is carrying the torch for professional boxing in North Carolina.

As they always seem to do, Williams Jr and his team raised the bar for professional boxing in North Carolina. After professional boxing took a three year hiatus from the state of North Carolina, Team Williams Jr put on the first pro boxing show in North Carolina. On August 12, 2023, Williams Jr delighted a jam packed ball room with a highlight reel stoppage of Ricardo David Ocampo. While Ocampo as an opponent might not have been what hardcore boxing fans wanted, he (Ocampo 12-13 7 KO’s) was exactly what North Carolina boing needed – a much needed WIN! Williams Jr delivered, and North Carolina boxing fans are frothing at the mouth for more.

Michael Williams Jr. 150% and his promoter/trainer/marketing guru father, Michael Williams Sr 300%, are ready to deliver. “Other promoters will step up, but right now, for my son, nobody is doing anything, so we are “doing” it. We are the ones taking the chances and entertaining North Carolina. This is hard work, but for my son, I will do it and it is worth it,” said Williams Sr.

What team Williams Jr has done is put together an entertaining night of professional boxing mixed with some local legend grudge matches. Ah, but the crown jewel in this potentially electrifying night of boxing is the return of professional championship style boxing when Fayetteville, North Carolina’s own Michael Williams Jr faces Juan Manuel Witt for the NBA welterweight championship belt.

All the non-believers, naysayers, trash talkers, and skeptics (including myself) need to shut our mouths about Williams Jr’s opponent on this one. In Witt, Williams Jr faces a tough fighter who knows how to win. Witt has won thirty two (32) of his thirty six (36) professional fights. Witt has only faced defeat in two of those fights. The two losses were in title fights against fighters with a combined winning record of 58-11-3. Witt’s most recent loss was to the well known and talented Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna 36-5-1 (16 KO’s). If you think Witt’s wins were against suspect opposition, he has beaten the exact same type of fighters Williams Jr has.

To say this is a step up in levels for Williams Jr, is an understatement. This fight is not a guaranteed bum of the month, tomato can, independent opponent money, promised win for Williams Jr. What it is – is the challenge Williams Jr needs to take, and the challenge his fans and non-fans need to see him to take to validate Michael Williams Jr 150% has moved from talented prospect status to true, contender status.

Folks, get your popcorn ready. Go to the Crown Coliseum to get your tickets. Because after this Williams Jr Witt showdown on Saturday, October 21, 2023, the next question we will all be asking, can he do this to Adrian Broner, Thomas Lamanna, or Ryan Garcia?

INGLEWOOD, CALIF. (October 19, 2023) – In the lead up to their welterweight showdown to prove they are on the top of the welterweight division, Santa Ana’s very own NABO Welterweight Titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (23-1, 15 KOs) and San Diego’s undefeated Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan (31-0, 16 KOs) hosted a press conference today to promote their match. Rocha vs. Santillan is a 12-round fight taking place at the Kia Forum on Saturday, October 21 and is presented in association with Top Rank. Doors to the Kia Forum open at 3:00 p.m. PT, the first fight starts at 3:05 p.m. and the worldwide broadcast begins on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT.

In the co-main event, John “Scrappy” Ramirez (12-0, 8 KOs) will participate in a 12-round, WBA Super Flyweight Title Eliminator against Ronal Batista (15-3, 9 KOs). Also on DAZN in a 10-round flyweight fight, Rialto’s Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (22-2, 16 KOs) will fight Victor Sandoval (37-3, 23 KOs).

In the night’s championship fight presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions and Sampson Boxing, four-time World Champion and current IBF Flyweight Titleholder Arely “Ametralladora” Muciño (32-3-2, 11 KOs) will defend her hard-won title against the Coachella Valley’s undefeated Gabriela Fundora (11-0, 4 KOs). Opening the broadcast, David “Dynamite” Stevens (13-0, 9 KOs) will hope to maintain his clean record in an eight-round super middleweight match against Joeshon James (7-0-2, 4 KOs) of Sacramento, California.

On the preliminary card, San Fernando’s Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco will make her anticipated professional debut in a four-round lightweight fight against Clarice Morales (0-2-1) of Toledo, Ohio. Opening the fight night, Fabian Guzman (2-0, 2 KOs) of Orange, CA will participate in a four-round middleweight fight against Rueben Johnson (0-2) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Previously announced Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. has experienced COVID-like symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution for him and his opponent, he will no longer participate on the Rocha vs. Santillan card.
ALEXIS “LEX” ROCHA, NABO WELTERWEIGHT TITLE HOLDER:
“I want to thank Giovani Santillan and his team taking this fight. We both knew this fight would come one day. We’re knocking on the door for title contention. He’s ready. I’m ready. We’re going to bring it. This is a fan friendly fight that could potentially end in a knockout either way, so you guys do not want to miss this.”

GIOVANI “GALLO DE ORO” SANTILLAN, WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I’ve been working very hard and I’m very excited for this opportunity. I’m planning on making the most out of this, and I plan on making a statement. I’m finally getting a chance to show the world who I am as the main event at the Kia Forum. This is something very meaningful for me and it’s going to be an exciting night.”

JOHN “SCRAPPY” RAMIREZ, SUPER FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“We had a plan. The plan was to take the right fights, you know, to get to the world title. You see, a lot of people didn’t believe in me when I say that I’ll get here. But guess what? I wrote it down. I visualized it and made it happen. And I stayed hungry and when you get to this level it is easy. But to stay here is hard. And I’m here to stay. So, make sure you guys tune in October 21.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS PARTNER:
“Thank you everybody who supports Golden Boy and supports our mission. It’s statement time. To all the fighters to my left and to my right, it is time. So, make the statement and steal the show if you can. Understand that the world is watching. Thank you.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
“We are proud to keep the promise I made to boxing fans about working with everyone to make the best fights possible. This card is stacked from top to bottom including a world championship fight, a title eliminator, and a tough fight for one of our top rising prospects.”

#

Rocha vs. Santillan is a 12-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Top Rank. The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

Tickets for Rocha vs. Santillan are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $30 plus applicable fees. A limited amount of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available for purchase with exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades included. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #RochaSantillan

About the Kia Forum
The Kia Forum, located in Inglewood, California, is the only arena-sized venue in the country dedicated to music and entertainment, delivering a superior experience for artists and fans alike. The iconic venue attracts a wide variety of premier events including the biggest names in music and entertainment, award shows, combat sports and more. Fans at the Kia Forum enjoy approximately 8,000 square feet of event level hospitality offerings, including merchandise and food and beverage options. A tinted glass wall separates this concession area from the arena, ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the show. A 40,000-square-foot outdoor terrace wraps around the perimeter of the building and offers comfortable furnishings and food and beverage options from some of SoCal’s most celebrated brands. Designed with entertainers and performers in mind, Kia Forum Backstage includes star-caliber dressing rooms that provide unparalleled comfort. The Kia Forum was honored at the 2022 Pollstar Awards as recipient of the Arena of the Decade award. For more information, please visit thekiaforum.com. Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:

“It’s a thrill to be back in this great city as part of an incredible run of events coming up to the end of 2023.

“Just yesterday we were in San Francisco for the press conference for Devin Haney vs. Regis Prograis and the WBC World Super-Lightweight Title, we cannot wait for that fight on December 9, but this week we’re here with what should be the undisputed World Champion against the ‘Brit Destroyer’ Jorge Linares, live on DAZN around the world with an incredible undercard too.”

Jack Catterall:

“The fact that Jorge has been over here a number of times means that fans here are familiar with him, thats helped to sell the fight. When I got the call and was told it was Jorge next, it kicked me into action, it’s an exciting name who has been there and got the t-shirt, he’s had his time in the sun and now it’s my time.

“It excited me that he’s back training with Ismael Salas, that’s made me train extra hard at home. I put pressure on myself, he’s been a three-time World Champion, I would never look past this fight or disrespect Jorge. I think he understands that the winner of this fight puts themselves in the picture for much bigger fights.

“I set out in this sport to be World Champion. We haven’t achieved that yet but I do believe I have the ability to do it. We’ve had conversations about a number of fights in the future but all of that means nothing without beating Jorge on Saturday.”

Jorge Linares:

“I have a lot of beautiful memories of fighting in England, in London with Kevin Mitchell and two times in Manchester with Anthony Crolla. This is a different time and opponent, I feel I am fighting an undefeated fighter, for me, Catterall is a World Champion, he didn’t lose the fight against Josh Taylor.

“So this is a big night for me, I am close to retirement, I’m coming in great shape, better than the other times I’ve come to England, I feel like a 20 year old. I’m excited and super excited to be here. I don’t like talking too much, but I am excited to have a great fight with Jack.

“I’m coming off three losses but I don’t think about that, I know I’m in with a great fighter but I’ve been here before and have had a great camp.”

Peter McGrail:

“I’m made up to be in Liverpool in front of my family and hometown fans on a greta card. Fran is in my way to where I want to go, on paper he’s a step up, but he’s not going to be bringing anything to the table that I haven’t seen before.

“The better the opposition gets the better I will perform. He said he’s coming for war, the more he comes, the more he’ll get punished, so I am looking forward to it and I am ready.

“Over the next year or two I want to be selling out the Arena and winning a World Title there.”

Fran Mendoza:

“Everyone knows what I am coming here to do. I am a strong fighter and I am coming to have a tear-up on Saturday night.

“We come to take victory home with us and it will be a war to the very end.”

Aqib Fiaz:

“Ever since I started boxing I’ve dreamed of being in fights like this. I’m all about excitement as you’ve seen before, I love to have a fight, so does Reece, our styles will gel and it’ll be a good fight for the fans.

“I’ve put in a serious amount of work. Jack and I have trained together for this date, and we’ve been pushing each other in the gym. We’ve worked extremely hard so on Saturday you’ll see the best version of me and the best of Reece too.”

Reece Bellotti:

“It makes a change that I am actually the favourite in a fight for once! I’ve had a great camp, I’ve sparred loads of rounds with Joe Cordina, you can’t get better sparring than that so I’ve well prepared for this fight and I know it’s a big one.

“You need to tick a lot of boxes as a fighter, when you move to 12 rounds you need to do a hard 12 rounds, you’ve done well, adapted and put it towards your next fight.

“I’ve had a very hard camp so I am in very good shape. It’s not always about the power, you can’t always rely on it, it’s something that I’ve learned having these long fights and the experience, I can box and I can punch, and he’s got to deal with that on the night.”

Shabaz Masoud:

“Pressure makes diamonds. To be honest, he’s a good opponent and a step up, but I am treating this as just another fight. Each fight is a World Title for me.

“I’m just coming to do me, and as long as I do that, I know I will get the W.

“We’ve done amazing with tickets and I want to thank everyone that’s showed out, on Saturday, let’s go.”

Jose Sanmartin:

“Thank you for the opportunity, we come here to do what we do, we come here to do our work.

“MasoUd knows what I am coming for, we’re coming for war and the victory. He moves very well in the ring, but I think my experience will be too much for him.”

Khaleel Majid:

“This is the fight that everyone wanted, Tom has had plenty of notice for the fight, my fans want to see me in a step up fight and Tom is a great opponent for that.

“We’re not overlooking Tom, we know he’s a good fighter, the best I’ve been in with to date, so we’re covering all angles and on Saturday night we’ll put a major performance on.”

Tom Farrell:

“I’ve always had good support, especially when I come on these shows. It’s been about four years since I’ve been on one when I fought Masher Dodd, I’ve been a bit unlucky over the years and suffered some defeats, but I’m not finished yet. People are probably looking at me as a good scalp now, I’ve had a bit of an injury in my last fights and I hope that they are looking too much into that and looking past me as a stepping stone, because if they have, it’s a big mistake.

“I’ve done the 10 round and 12 round distance plenty of times, funnily enough, this is my first ever eight rounder, I went straight from sixes to 12’s, Khaleel has only done eight rounds once, so I think it is a big step up for him, and I am more than ready so I hope he is.”

Campbell Hatton:

“It’s another good test and step up in opponent, and I think it’s going to bring the best out of me. I showed a different side of my game last time, used my jab a lot more and had more movement, showing that I can adapt my style. We’ve touched every base in camp and improved in every department so I want to show that again.

“I’ve got confidence in my engine now and I’m a more mature fighter, I’m pacing things better and thinking about what I am doing. So I am ready for the bigger tests, moving onto longer fights and I think it will suit me the way I am starting to box a lot more. I know I can maintain it over the longer distance and I have done the eight rounds already. I’ve done a lot of my learning now, there’s still more to learn but I think we’re in a good position and we can start kicking on.”

Paddy Lacey:

“It’s a big test and step up for me. I’m made up to be on this bill with some of these great fighters around me, I forgive you Eddie for forgetting about me, I really can’t wait for Saturday.

“I’ve had ten fights in two years as a pro and I feel like I’ve been constantly improving as a fighter, going into 2024, I’d love to get the Central Area Title. That’s a ten rounder and Saturday we’ve got an eight rounder so that builds me up perfectly for that goal.”

Muhammad Ali:

“I’m looking forward to fighting in Liverpool and put on another show like I did last time. The more fights I have, the more the fanbase is building.”

William Crolla:

“It’s great to be back in action again. There’s more pictures of Jorge Linares in my Dad’s house than there is of me!

“If I didn’t feel it, there was a lot of pressure on me on my debut, I think it showed in my performance and I wasn’t best pleased with it. Obviously I had to overcome a knockdown in that, but I believe on Saturday I’ll be a different fighter, with the work I’ve been putting in at the gym and sparring some of the best prospects, I think it’s all going to show on Saturday.”

Jack Turner:

“Not many people can sell 1000 tickets, I’m only a young lad but it’s not just me coming on Saturday, it’s me and my team, so I am coning to put on a statement showing and get the KO. I believe I will become a World Champion one day but I am not going to rush, we’ll take it step by step, but I will run through this division and show you all what I am made of.”

Long Island, New York (October 19, 2023) – Star Boxing is proud to announce the premier of a new short form two-part docu-series titled “Behind the Star” airing live on StarBoxing.TV tonight at 8PM ET.

With “Rockin’ Fights” 45 just nine days away, on Saturday October 28^th at The Paramount, Star Boxing takes a deep dive into the training camp and personal life of undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (12-0 6KO’s), as he gears up for his first championship main event at The Paramount.

Check out a free sneak peak of the first episode of “Behind the Star: Alex Vargas” on the Star Boxing YouTube page HERE.  

The full first episode will be available on www.StarBoxing.TV tonight at 8PM ET, and the second episode will release next Thursday night (10/26) at 8PM ET.

HOW TO WATCH

Option 1: Get all the benefits of signing up for the Gold Subscription ($14.97 for a three-month subscription) which gives you access to all the on demand StarBoxing.TV action, including the “Behind the Star” series, PLUS the live stream of Saturday October 28th’s “Rockin’ Fights” 45, and any other live stream during the period of your subscription.

Option 2: Sign up at StarBoxing.TV for the Bronze Subscription ($4.99 per month) which will give you access to the entire StarBoxing.TV library, including the “Behind the Star” series (live shows are not included in the Bronze Subscription)

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

NEW YORK (October 19, 2023) On Tuesday, November 7, world-ranked contender Mikiah Kreps steps into the ring to continue her unbeaten streak as part of the latest installment of DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series, titled “Heroes on the Hudson” – a One Night Only event to support the heroic veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Kreps will meet her opponent, Isis Vargas Perez, in an eight-round super bantamweight contest at Edison Ballroom in New York City. Kreps’ co-manager and former world champion, Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring, will compete in the main event.

The evening will kick off with five 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, featuring Kreps vs. Perez, 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.

“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.

“I’m thrilled to have Mikiah Kreps as part of this great card and I know how much it means to her to fight on the same show as her co-manager, Jamel Herring,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “She will face a very tough test in Isis Vargas Perez, who is a former world title challenger. Mikiah was a touted amateur and she has what it takes to become a world champion.”

Famed trainer Manny Robles will be in Kreps’ corner that evening, along with her mother, Deborah Fields, who is credited with giving Kreps her start in boxing. At only five years old, Kreps tagged along with her mother when she joined a boxing gym with the intention of getting in shape. Fields would go on to become the “Knockout Nurse,” fighting on the amateur circuit in their hometown of Niagara Falls, NY.

Before her 2020 pro debut, Mikiah was a highly accomplished amateur herself, winning gold at the 2018 Elite National Championships, the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier and 2014 National Golden Gloves.

Now 6-0 (3 KOs) as a pro, this will be Kreps’ first time fighting on an undercard of Herring, who joins Jerry Casarez in managing Kreps. This makes the theme of the event, “Heroes on the Hudson,” particularly special for Kreps, as Herring is a US Marine veteran.

“I’m blessed and grateful to be a part of a big event like this and to honor all the troops that have served and are serving,” said Kreps. “With Jamel fighting in the main event, I’m just blessed to be a part of this card.” 

Having Herring as her manager has been refreshing for Kreps. “He can relate to me not just as a manager, but as a fighter,” she said. “He always looks out for me. It’s different when you have someone that can relate to you as a fighter as well.”

Kreps is coming off a first-round knockout of Luz Elena Martinez in Kreps’ hometown in May. The knockout came two minutes into the bout.

Her opponent, Isis Vargas Perez, bested Jacqueline Mucio Munoz in an eight-round majority decision last October. In April 2022, Perez challenged Yamileth Mercado for the WBC super bantamweight world title.

“I feel very motivated and excited for this great opportunity that is presented to me,” said Perez. “It is my international debut and that motivates me even more. As always, it is my custom to prepare myself to give a great show and leave everything in the ring, always with the objective to win and to give my best. The public will have a great show.”

“I have always said it,” continued Perez. “I like strong tests, they push me to my limits. I want to be a champion, and for that I have to face the best. My rival is strong, just like me she is preparing to win, so I am sure that we will both dare to be great. We are preparing well with my team, and we are fine-tuning details to reach one thousand percent on November 7. I thank DiBella Entertainment for this opportunity and Rios Promotions for trusting me. I guarantee it will be the best fight of the night.”

“I know she contested for a world title in the past,” said Kreps of her opponent. “My team is doing all of their research and we’ll be ready on November 7.”

Mikael Lawal and Isaac Chamberlain exchanged heated words at today’s final press conference as the British cruiserweight rivals prepare to settle their long running feud on Saturday night at London’s iconic York Hall, live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Showcase.

Hailing from opposite sides of London, the two former sparring partners are now bitter rivals who have been getting into heated exchanges every time they’ve been brought face to face in the build-up to what is one of the most highly-anticipated domestic fights of the year. . 

On the line is both Lawal’s British Cruiserweight Championship and the vacant Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship, along with all-important London bragging rights. 

The card also features Commonwealth super-welterweight champion Louis Greene defending against Sam Gilley, Olympic bronze medallist Karriss Artingstall facing Canadian former world title challenger ‘Vicious’ Vanessa Bradford and Michael Hennessy Jr facing fan favourite Joe Laws.

Final quotes:

BEN SHALOM:

“It’s been a crazy 48 hours. I’ve never experienced anything like it. But I think when things get tough, that’s when you learn about yourself, that’s when you learn about your team. To see the passion from the team and from Sky,  to fight for the show to stay on and to be able to move venues like they did, was incredible. 

“I’m delighted and excited now, to be here and be looking forward to an amazing night at York Hall this Saturday. It’s going to be one of the biggest nights I think the venue has ever seen.”

MIKAEL LAWAL 

“He’s not winding me up. It’s all irrelevant, on Saturday we’re going to fight… All the talking this guy’s been doing. We can finally lay it to rest.

“If I land, definitely [I knock him out]. I’m just going to beat him. I just find a way to win.”

ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN 

“I’ll knock [Lawal] out. It’s going to be big, finally all of this comes to a close on Saturday and I’ll be crowned the new British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion.”

“I’ve come a long way, I’m enjoying the journey.”

LOUIS GREENE, defending Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Champion

“I believe I can beat Sam, he believes he can beat me, with his style and my style there’s going to be fireworks, it’s going to go off.

“This is combat, we’re here to fight and when you’ve stopped boxing do you want to have a look at your record and have a list of 30 men who just danced for a few rounds or do you want to be in memorable fights?

SAM GILLEYchallenger

“We don’t need to sell it as bad blood. We’re both very aggressive, very strong, we both punch, so it makes for a good fight. His strengths work for my weaknesses and my strengths work for his weaknesses, so it’s down to whoever makes the least mistakes. So, it’s going to be explosive.

KARRISS ARTINGSTALL

“She’s not going to teach me anything in the pro ring. Boxing’s boxing. On Saturday night I want to show what I have been working on, I do work very hard. I just want to show my skills.”

VANESSA BRADFORD

“This is the pro game and I’m excited to show her what the pros is all about on Saturday night.”

MICHAEL HENNESSY JR

“When we sparred your head was like a magnet for my hands. I’m sending you out of pro boxing, you’re going to Misfits.”

JOE LAWS

“I’m not a boxer, I’m a fighter – I’m getting stuck clean in, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m getting the win. Nobody thinks I’m going to win, most of my friends don’t think I’m going to win, but I do.

“When I knock him out, that propels me to big fights. Of course, I’m the underdog – I’ve been eating cheesecake and drinking cocktails. If you want to drink champagne, you’ve got to take chances, and that’s why I’ve taken this shot.”

Lawal and Chamberlain top the bill in York Hill following the postponement of the world title final eliminator showdown between Josha Buatsi and Dan Azeez due to an injury sustained by Azeez in his final training session this week. 

Tickets for the postponed Buatsi v Azeez bout at The O2 will automatically remain valid for the newly rescheduled date, which will be communicated soon. A full refund is available to all ticket holders via their original ticket provider.

Tickets for York Hall on Saturday are now on general sale from £35. General sale is on a first come first served basis and expected to sell out today.

This Saturday’s broadcast begins at 7.30pm on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Showcase.

NEW YORK – October 19, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and DAZN today announced the renewal of the Most Valuable Prospects boxing showcase series which highlights the world’s best up-and-coming talent. Following the series’ success in 2023, MVP will expand the series from four events to six in 2024 and has renewed its distribution partnership with DAZN. Offering fans an array of exciting fights with some of the hottest prospects in boxing, the six-event Most Valuable Prospects series will begin in early 2024 and will be available globally on DAZN. Caribe Royale Orlando and BoxLab Promotions will also continue their partnership with MVP into 2024. The inaugural chapter of Most Valuable Prospects will culminate with two final events in 2023 and is next set to return on Friday, October 27th.

MVP and DAZN’s partnership extension comes on the heels of a sold-out Most Valuable Prospects II and ahead of the record-setting upcoming Most Valuable Prospects III, which precedes the historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout between undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and WBO challenger Danila Ramos the same night. Taking place on Friday, October 27th in Orlando, Florida, Serrano vs. Ramos and Most Valuable Prospects III has already become the highest grossing combat sports gate in host Caribe Royale Resort’s 25-event history. Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com. 

Following MVP’s October event, Most Valuable Prospects is set to return to Caribe Royale Orlando for a fourth and final 2023 installment, available globally on DAZN. The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter for these events and throughout 2024. Caribe Royale Orlando will return as host for multiple events next year.

“Following the incredible ongoing success of our 2023 series, we could not be more excited to renew Most Valuable Prospects for 2024 alongside our dedicated distribution partner DAZN to bring more events and more exhilarating matchups to fans around the world,” said MVP Co-Founders Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. “Boxing is going through a transformational period and we want to spearhead the change that drives value to fighters first. We look forward to an exceptional 2024 with ten events already in place and an expansion of the MVP roster.”

“After an exciting year of partnership between MVP and DAZN, we look forward to another year of showcasing more Most Valuable Prospects fight nights. DAZN and MVP have had great success thus far and extending this partnership only makes sense to continue putting together even more thrilling fights for boxing fans,” shared Joe Markowski, CEO of DAZN North America. ”Jake Paul and MVP have an incredible impact in growing the sport of boxing and we can’t wait to take part in this impact further.”

“Caribe Royale is proud to continue our relationship with MVP and DAZN after a successful launch of the Most Valuable Prospects Series in 2023,” said Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Resort and President of Boxlab Promotions. “Our goal as the premier 4 Diamond all-suite hotel in Florida is to continue to bring live events and entertainment to the Central Florida area. Both our guests and local residents alike will have an opportunity to see the best of boxing’s future champions as they develop their careers. Both Caribe and Boxlab Promotions, along with the wonderful team at MVP, will continue to revolutionize the boxing landscape in 2024 as we take the series to new levels.”

The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and promoted by MVP, with Boxlab Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter. The series continues the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent, as well as the addition of special feature matchups to bring outsized viewership to the young talent. All 2023 Most Valuable Prospects events will take place on Friday nights and will be hosted by Caribe Royale Orlando. DAZN will air the series across its platforms as a part of its subscription package which will include the entire main card lineup and prelims. CELSIUS Essential Energy Drinks, maker of lifestyle energy drink, serves as the exclusive energy drink sponsor of the Most Valuable Prospects 2023 series.

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, 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 has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. 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.?

?

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.??

On Saturday, October 21, ESPN will premiere the original program: Road to Riyadh: Fury vs. Ngannou, a 30-minute all access preview of combat sport’s crossover event of the year featuring WBC & lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (Boxing record: 33-0-1, 24 KOs) versus lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou (MMA record: 17-3, 16 Finishes) in a highly anticipated 10-round boxing match.

On Saturday October 28, at 2:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. PT, Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV will stream the all-heavyweight boxing event live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The long-awaited battle between two giants in their fields kicks off Riyadh Season, a months-long entertainment and sports festival in the Kingdom’s largest city.

ESPN+ is available on ESPN.com and the ESPN App for mobile and connected TV devices.

In addition to the airtimes below leading up to the October 28 event, Road to Riyadh: Fury vs. Ngannou will be available for replay on-demand in the ESPN App and on ESPN.com and ESPN+.

Road to Riyadh: Fury vs. Ngannou (All times ET)

Tom Welland will make his highly anticipated professional debut in Brighton on Friday, November 10.

The 19-year-old, a three times national amateur champion, will box over four rounds at the Brighton Centre next month, on a show headlined by Harlem Eubank vs Timo Schwarzkopf.

Also on the Brighton undercard are: 

• Kazak KO artist Sultan Zaurbek
• Mikkel Kessler-trained Oliver Zaren
• Tommy Welch, the son of British heavyweight icon Scott Welch
• The unbeaten Devon destroyer Ben Andrews
• JP O’Meara, the former Team GB star 
• The pro debut of local hero Harvey Dykes
• Unbeaten featherweight Ebonie Jones
• Northern Ireland’s big punching Tiernan Bradley

Further big names will be added to the return of big time boxing in Brighton, in due course.

Las Vegas – UFC^® will hold its final event of 2023 in the Fight Capital of the World, headlined by a highly anticipated welterweight championship bout that will see Leon Edwards defend against No. 2 ranked contender Colby Covington. Also, newly crowned flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja makes his first title defense when he rematches No. 4 ranked contender Brandon Royval.

UFC^® 296: EDWARDS vs. COVINGTON takes place Saturday, Dec. 16 at T-Mobile Arena with the main card at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ PPV. The prelims will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The early prelims will kick off at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass with the action also continuing on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

UFC^® 296: EDWARDS vs. COVINGTON tickets will go on sale Friday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Oct. 19 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Media members wishing to apply for fight week credentials may sign up here.

Edwards (21-3 1NC, fighting out of Birmingham, England) looks to continue his momentum following winning his trilogy bout against former titleholder Kamaru Usman. Currently riding a 12-fight unbeaten streak, he has also earned spectacular victories over Nate Diaz, Rafael Dos Anjos and Gunnar Nelson. Edwards now intends to further cement himself as the top welterweight on the planet.

Former interim welterweight champion Covington (17-3, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) returns to action following his dominant win against heated rival Jorge Masvidal. An NCAA Division I All-American, he has also delivered notable victories over Tyron Woodley, Robbie Lawler and Rafael Dos Anjos. Covington now has his sights set on stopping Edwards in emphatic fashion.

Pantoja (26-5, fighting out of Arraial Do Cabo, Brazil) is coming off his Fight of the Year contender victory over Brandon Moreno to capture the flyweight belt. A talented Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, he also holds wins against Alex Perez, Manel Kape and Wilson Reis. Pantoja now hopes to finish Royval for a second time to continue his run atop the 125-pound ladder.

Royval (15-6, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) intends to steal the show with another highlight-reel finish. Among the most exciting competitors in the flyweight division, he has earned memorable victories over Matheus Nicolau, Matt Schnell and Kai Kara-France. Royval now plans to even the score with Pantoja and achieve his dream of becoming UFC champion.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Undefeated No. 6 ranked welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0, fighting out of Kokshetau, Kazakhstan) battles former title challenger and No. 7 Stephen Thompson (17-6-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.)
• Former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson (26-9, fighting out of Orange County, Calif.) collides with Paddy Pimblett (20-3, fighting out of Liverpool, England) in a highly anticipated matchup
• No. 10 ranked welterweight contender Vicente Luque (22-9-1, fighting out of Brasília, Brazil) locks horns with unbeaten No. 11 Ian Machado Garry (13-0, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
• No. 6 ranked contender Josh Emmett (18-4, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) meets No. 8 Giga Chikadze (15-3, fighting out of Tbilisi, Georgia) in an exciting featherweight bout
• No. 15 ranked Alonzo Menifield (14-3-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) faces No. 15 Dustin Jacoby (19-7-1, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) in a clash of light heavyweight contenders
• Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt (13-5, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) faces Brian Kelleher (24-14, fighting out of Selden, N.Y.) in a bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks
• Streakingheavyweight Martin Buday (13-1, fighting out of Trnava, Slovakia) takes on undefeated Dana White’s Contender Series signee Shamil Gaziev (11-0, fighting out of Kingdom of Bahrain)
• No. 5 ranked women’s bantamweight contender Irene Aldana (14-7, fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) returns against No. 9 Karol Rosa (17-5, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Randy Brown (17-5, fighting out of Queens, N.Y. by way of Spanish Town, Jamaica) faces Muslim Salikhov (19-4, fighting out of Buynaksk, Dagestan, Russia) in an all-action welterweight tilt
• No. 13 ranked flyweight contender Tagir Ulanbekov (15-2, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to defend his spot in the rankings against Cody Durden (16-4-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
• No. 14 ranked women’s flyweight contender Casey O’Neill (9-1, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) squares off with Ariane Lipski (16-8, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)

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

###

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 T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus/

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading multiplatform sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, the leading sports app, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, leading social and digital platforms, ESPN.com, ESPN Audio, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 18, 2023) — Now this is a story all about how “The Fresh Prince of Monaco” is coming to Las Vegas.

Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Hugo Micallef, the only professional boxer from the Principality of Monaco, will make his U.S. debut against Austria’s Sergio Odabai in a six-rounder Saturday, Nov. 16 at T-Mobile Arena. Micallef-Odabai will be part of the ESPN+-streamed undercard broadcast.

The ESPN-televised doubleheader (10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT) is headlined by the vacant WBC lightweight world title showdown between Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos and the WBO junior lightweight world title battle between reigning champion Emanuel Navarrete and Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Sampson Boxing, tickets are on sale now via AXS.com.

The 25-year-old Micallef (8-0, 1 KO) signed with Top Rank in 2021 and stands out as one of his nation’s most popular homegrown athletes. He enjoys the support of numerous Monégasque luminaries, including driving sensation Charles Leclerc, who will compete in Las Vegas’ big race on November 18. Since entering the paid ranks, Micallef has fought in five different counties: France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and his native land. Odabai (6-1-1, 3 KOs), from Vienna, Austria, is unbeaten in three bouts since the lone loss on his ledger.

Micallef said, “Ever since I turned pro, it has been a dream of mine to fight in Las Vegas and to carry the flag of Monaco proudly. I can’t wait to fight during the big race week and on Shakur Stevenson’s undercard. I am training hard to make a huge statement.”

DETROIT – October 18, 2023 – A rising super lightweight with world championship potential in the Salita Promotions’ stable, Joshua Pagan will return to action this Saturday, October 21 against veteran Braulio Rodriguez at the Motor City Casino in Detroit. Pagan had originally been scheduled to face Rodriguez on September 8, before he was forced to withdraw due to an illness.

“I’m feeling amazing going into this fight on Saturday,” said Pagan. “We were able to really leave no stone unturned in training camp and I know it’s definitely gonna show when the bell rings.”

The 23-year-old Pagan (8-0, 4 KOs) will step into the ring for a six-round matchup against the Dominican Republic’s Rodriguez (20-7, 17 KOs) as he too looks for his fifth victory of 2023. The Grand Rapids-native followed up an impressive triumph over the previously unbeaten Ronnell Burnett in June by stopping Gabriel Smith in the first round in July.

Pagan won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis. He followed that up by turning pro in January 2022 and earning four victories that year as he looks to take the leap from prospect to contender.

“Joshua Pagan is the best American prospect at 140 pounds,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “He had an incredible amateur career and with consistent activity as a pro, he’s building himself up into a true contender. I believe strongly that he will be knocking on the door of a world title sooner than people think.”

#         #         #

ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

HANOVER, MD (OCTOBER 17, 2023) — Jaqeem Hutcherson won the UBF All Americas and UBO Intercontinental Super Bantamweight Titles in the main event of a massive 14-bout card at The Hall! at Live Casino Hotel Maryland.

The card was promoted by Jeter Promotions,

Chambers dropped Hutcherson in round one and then once again in round seven. Hutcherson was credited with two knockdowns in round four, with the second knockdown being controversial as it appeared that Chambers tripped. That was the difference. The scores were 76-72, 76-73 and 74-74. Those official scores were corrected Sunday after wrong scores were announced fight night,

Hutcherson is 10-1-1. Chambers is 9-2-1.

Former top-five rated middleweight Immanuwel Aleem made a successful Jeter Promotions debut with a second-round stoppage over Antonio Luis Hernandez in a scheduled six-round bout.

Aleem dropped Hernandez with a perfect liver shot and the fight was stopped at 2:26 for Aleem who is now 19-3-2 with 12 knockouts. Hernandez is 7-17-2.

Ahmad Muhammad Jones remained undefeated with a third-round stoppage over Dionte Burts in a scheduled six-round super lightweight bout.

Jones dropped Burts twice.

The time was 1:41 for Jones who is now 6-0 with four knockouts. Burts is 4-2-1.

Eric Hernandez won a four-round unanimous decision over Markus Bowes in a super middleweight bout.

Scores were 39-36 and 38-36 twice for Hernandez who is now 10-1. Bowes is 2-3.

Ezri Turner won a four-round super middleweight bout with a unanimous decision over Joshua Nicholas Lamine Diop.

Scores were 39-37 twice and 38-37 for Turner who is 2-0. Diop was making his pro debut.

Joseph Veazey stopped Steven Brabson at 2:35 of the first round of their six-round super lightweight bout.

Veazey is now 10-0 with seven knockouts. Brabson is 3-8.

Antonio Dunton-El stopped Marquel Johns at 20 seconds of round three of their four round super featherweight bout.

Dunton-El is 4-2-2 with two knockouts. Johns is now 7-3-2.

Jeffrey Yu stopped Darus Somieari at 2:20 of three of their four-round super featherweight fight.

Yu is 3-0 with three knockouts. Somieari is 0-3.

Darel Harris scored a shocking upset by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Renaldo Gaines in an action-packed super featherweight bout.

Harris won by scores of 59-54, 58-55 and 59-53 and is now 10-22-2. Gaines is 10-3-1.

Ervin Fuller III remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Vit Y in a super featherweight bout.

Fuller won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-53 and is now 5-0. Y is 7-6-1.

Micah Terrill won a four-round unanimous decision over Dah-Quan Erdington in a light heavyweight bout.

Terrill won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Erdington was making his pro debut.

Josiyah Giles stopped DeAndre Menser at 2:45 of round of their four-round welterweight bout.

Giles is 4-0 with two knockouts. Menser is 1-2.

Tabish Faqiri needed just 1:43 to win his pro debut as he stopped Antwion McCollough in a four-round lightweight bout.

Faqiri is 1-0 with one knockout. McCollough is 0-3.

Vitalii Gubkin stopped Derrick Vann at 2:02 of round five of their six-round middleweight bout.

Gubkin is now 9-4-1 with six knockouts. Vann is 4-9.

Jeter Promotions will be back at The Hall! at Live Casino and Hotel Maryland on February 17th, 2024.

Long Island, NY (October 18. 2023) – Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” 45 is right around the corner, and the near sold-out venue tells you all you need to know about the excitement surrounding fight night. Pittsburgh’s, Matt Conway was scheduled to fight Bellport, Long Island fan favorite, ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5KO’s) in the main event, but unfortunately, Conway was forced to pull out of the fight due to a fractured elbow suffered in training. Now, Puerto Rican born, Orlando Florida based, JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA has stepped up to the challenge.

Star Boxing is pleased to announce the new Vargas-Rosa super lightweight main event will be for the vacant WBA Continental USA Championship, as both Vargas and Rosa will bid for the first title in their professional careers – an opportunity that is not lost on either man.

“I’m fortunate to still be fighting for my first title which was the main goal since the beginning,” said Alex Vargas. “Much respect to Rosa for stepping in and taking this opportunity. Nothing changed for me as I stayed working hard. It’s still the same mission. Win and become the new WBA Continental Champion.”

In what will be his 10th appearance at The Paramount, Suffolk County Police Officer, Alex Vargas will look to secure the biggest win of his career, earning his first regional title and pushing himself up the super lightweight rankings. Across from Vargas is a competitor in Julio Rosa (8-3 4KO’s) who has won four of his last five bouts and is coming off a questionable majority decision, with a hunger to return to Orlando with the WBA title in hand. This 8 round super lightweight clash tops what is scheduled to be a thrilling night of fights.

Julio Rosa had this to say about the main event title fight, “After 8 years of boxing between Amateur and professional, behind a dream of being a world champion, today I feel proud and blessed by God. I want to thank Joe DeGuardia & Star Boxing as they have opened the door for me for the first shot to fight for a championship. I am extremely grateful to the promotion and to God because I feel that my dream of becoming a world champion is beginning to take place and what better way to start than this October 28th in New York representing Bayamon, Puerto Rico, a big boxing island who is hungry for triumph. I will take advantage of the moment to the fullest putting everything on the line to fulfill my dream of one day being world champion in the 140 pound division. God bless those who help me and who opened the doors for this great opportunity. I won’t waste it.”

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The six fight card features local talent that includes the co-main event as 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. On the 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” MANACO (pro debut). Also included on the undercard in a 4-round super featherweight bout is Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV, and opening the action in a 4 round super featherweight bout will be DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY (October 18, 2023) –On Friday, December 29th, an exciting boxing series will be launched at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey as Brick City Friday Night Fights will present an evening filled with the best “the sweet science” has to offer. GH3 Promotions and Prudential Center have partnered to launch a multi event boxing series slated to continue in 2024.

Brick City Friday Night Fights is proudly partnering with the Greater Newark Convention & Visitor’s Bureau and Caribe Royale Orlando, and will feature world ranked fighters, from New Jersey and the rest of the world, in competitive matchups throughout the entire card.

Tickets are priced at $306, $231, $121, and $66, go on sale TODAY, October 18, and can be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.com.

Scheduled to appear in an eight-round bout will be Newark’s own Michael Anderson. Anderson (23-3-1, 17 KOs) has wins over Dashon Johnson (11-2-3), DeMarcus Rogers (14-3-1) and a third-round stoppage over Marklin Bailey.

Seeing action in a ten-round bout will be former world title challenger and current WBA number-three ranked middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna.

LaManna (36-5-1, 15 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey will take part in a 10-round bout. The 31-year-old LaManna has quality wins over Kendal Mena (20-3), Matthew Strode (25-6), Michael Marcano (25-5-1) and his bout when LaManna stopped Juan Manuel Witt (33-1-2) in the third round to retain his WBA Fedelatin Middleweight crown on July 22 in Atlantic City.

Julian Rodriguez (22-1, 14 KOs) of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey will take part in an eight-round super lightweight bout. Rodriguez (22-1, 14 KOs) has quality victories over Neyeine Muang (1-0-2), Angel Figueroa (3-0-2), King Daluz (12-2), Dario Ferman (14-2) and Anthony Laureano (13-0). Rodriguez is coming off a unanimous decision over Kashon Hutchinson on March 10.

Fighting in eight-round bouts will be welterweight Paul Kroll (10-0-2, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia as well as popular Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (14-1, 14 KOs)

Appearing in six-round bouts will be junior middleweight Dwyke Flemmings Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) of Paterson, New Jersey; flyweight Anthony Johns (6-1, 5 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey; heavyweight Norman Neely (14-1, 9 KOs) of Paterson, New Jersey; welterweight Michael Lee (10-2, 5 KOs) of Orange, New Jersey; super lightweight Kasir Goldston (5-0-1, 2 KOs) of Albany, New York.

Fighting in four-round bouts will be featherweight Malik Nelson (4-0, 3 KOs) of Avenel, New Jersey; junior middleweight John Vallejo (4-0, 2 KOs) of New York, junior welterweight Elijah Flores (6-0, 2 KOs) from Redlands, CA via Bronx, NY, and super middleweight Keon Ivery (2-2, 1 KO) of Lodi, New Jersey.

Broadcast distribution for this event series, as well as the remainder of the December 29 fight card, will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Prudential Center

Prudential Center is the world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007 and recently celebrating its 15^th year as a marquee destination, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 210 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 5 worldwide by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and hosts over 2 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit https://www.prucenter.com/ and follow the arena on Facebook, X and Instagram @PruCenter. Prudential Center is a HBSE property.

About Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE):

Recognized as one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial companies in the industry today, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), is a leading sports and entertainment company, with a focus on inspiring possibilities in people and enhancing the communities where we live, work, play and win. Founded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, HBSE’s global portfolio has grown to include premier sports franchises, brands, venues, and investment platforms, centered around marquee assets, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center.

LONDON, ENGLAND – (October 18th, 2023) – The highly-anticipated showdown between Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez will be rescheduled to a new date at The O2 in London. 

The bout between the #1 and #2 ranked light-heavyweights had been due to take place this Saturday but is now being postponed due to an injury suffered by Azeez in his final training session. 

A date for the rescheduled world title final eliminator will be announced shortly. All tickets for this Saturday’s event at The O2 will remain valid for the new date. Once announced, any customers unable to attend the new date will be able to obtain a full refund.

This Saturday’s chief support bout and undercard bouts will now relocate to the iconic York Hall in London, headlined by Mikael Lawal defending his British Cruiserweight Championship against bitter rival Isaac Chamberlain in one of the most keenly-anticipated domestic clashes of the year.

The Commonwealth Super Welterweight Championship is also on the line when Louis Greene defends his title against Sam Gilley in another highly-anticipated 50/50 domestic clash which will also send the winner forward for a shot at the British title.

The card will also feature Olympic bronze medallist Karriss Artingstall against former world title challenger ‘Vicious’ Vanessa Bradford as she takes an important step in her professional career, and top young prospect Michael Hennessy Jr taking on fan favourite Joe Laws in what will be a very entertaining fight. 

“We’re still bitterly disappointed about having to postpone the main event due to the injury sustained by Dan Azeez,” said BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom. “It’s clear from the widespread upset and frustration, just how big of a fight this is. We’ve spoken to both teams and everyone is committed to rescheduling the world title final eliminator. We’re working on announcing a new date at The O2 as soon as possible. 

“For the remaining fights, the easiest option would have been to cancel the whole card, but that wouldn’t have been fair to the fighters or to the fans hoping to see them. I’m extremely proud of our team’s hard work in ensuring these fights get to go ahead. Not only can we look forward to a rescheduled Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez at the O2 in the near future, but also four incredible fights live on Sky Sports on Saturday night in what will be a hugely atmospheric York Hall.” 

Buatsi vs Azeez ticket holders who wish to attend Saturday’s event at York Hall on will be given exclusive access to a priority window ahead of the general sale. This will be between 4pm today and 4pm tomorrow. You will be emailed a direct link to purchase your tickets. 

Tickets will be available for general sale from 4pm on Thursday October 19th at BOXXER.com 

For breaking news and further information, please visit BOXXER.com and follow the official BOXXER social media channels.

Saturday October 21st event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and Integritas Property Group

Chelmsford, England – 18 October 2023 – Former World title challenger Lucy Wildheart makes her long awaited return to the ring and it’s straight back into World title action when she challenges the WBC Interim World Featherweight Champion Skye Nicolson.

Wildheart (10-2, 4 KO’s) will face unbeaten Australian star Nicolson (8-0) on the undercard of Matchroom Boxing’s blockbuster show on Saturday 25th November at the 3Arena in Dublin, headlined by the rematch between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron.

The 30-year-old from Växjö, Sweden, now based out of Chelmsford, Essex, is World rated #3 by the WBC and has been targeting a showdown with the newly crowed Champion Nicholson, who won the title by beating Sabrina Perez on points in Tijuana, Mexico, last month.

In April this year Wildheart accepted without hesitation a late minute call to face the American star Mikael Mayer for the Vacant WBC Interim World Lightweight Championship when Mayers’s original opponent Christina Linardatou was not cleared by the BBBofC.

At just 48 hours notice at the Copper Box Arena in London and two weight divisions above her natural featherweight class, Wildheart put on a valiant performance and extended the bigger and heavier punching Mayer the full ten round distance to only lose on the judges scorecards.

Trained by Samm Mullins at Churchill’s Gym in London, Wildheart is thrilled with her opportunity.  She said, “This is the moment I have waited patiently for all of my career, to be challenging for the world title in my weight division.”

“Thank you to Matchroom for the opportunity to fight on a major promotion and surrounded by other ladies’ who have already made history and continue to do so,”

“The atmosphere on the night is going to be surreal and I’m grateful to be part of this huge night to further grow women’s boxing even more.”

Wildheart’s manager Richard Maynard, CEO of Strike Sports Management, said, “Lucy has craved a fight with Skye for a very long time and I’m delighted to have concluded the deal swiftly with Matchroom to get her this opportunity.”

“It’s a magnificent stage for Lucy to showcase herself on a huge Matchroom show in Dublin, live on DAZN and on one of the biggest shows of the year on the Taylor-Cameron 2 card.”

“Skye is a quality fighter and we’re not underestimating her, it’s all there for Lucy to take she has the experience.”

ONE OF THE most highly-anticipated fights of the year, the British heavyweight title showdown between Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye, takes place in Riyadh on October 28 on the undercard of the Battle of the Baddest event, featuring Tyson Fury against MMA king Francis Ngannou, live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK & Ireland.

Today, in London, the chief support participants came together in front of the media ahead of departure for Saudi Arabia and below are a selection of key quotes from the top-table section of proceedings.

Frank Warren: “I think this is a fabulous fight and it is the first time I have met Fabio, other than speaking to him briefly on the telephone. This is what it is all about, undefeated heavyweights, two rising stars of boxing in a main support bout to a unique event, which will be broadcast all over the world. Whoever wins this fight is going to establish himself around the world, with lots of eyeballs watching. This is a huge opportunity and you can just feel the buzz about this and the event. This fight is going to be special. We had that unfortunate incident last time and hopefully that has been dealt with and is done. I hope we can put that behind us now and focus on the fight. Make no bones about it, this fight will be exciting.”

David Adeleye: “I learned nothing about him last time because I know what sort of man he is anyway, so it didn’t really show me much. He is not the same as me, he ain’t built from the same cloth. I kind of knew that already. We haven’t got to talk about the situation, but I match energy. I don’t go in there with no malice. I am always smiling and always good, I just match energy. I am pretty good at doing it. You walked towards me and got dealt with. It was jittery, I just pushed you back. When I am arguing with team members I am not going to let someone of 17 stone walk towards me. I don’t get nervous, I don’t know what it is, it is hard to explain, but nerves ain’t it. Someone like Fabio Wardley could never bring on those sort of nerve in me. What does he do for me to be nervous?”

“I am getting paid to beat him up, it is easy money. Eddie Hearn doesn’t put his money on you, what are you talking about?”

Fabio Wardley: “I don’t know if I particularly learned anything, nothing that I hadn’t seen already, in other situations and other circumstances, that he is a bit jittery. When the cameras are on, it is a big stage and a big event, people’s personality shows through. Nervous, jittery and on edge, twitchy – all things we had assessed already. It was nothing new, but funny to see up close, that is all. All I did was turn and look at you and you jittered. Do you push everyone who walks towards you and approaches you? So it is just me you are jittery around then? I’ve had people I’ve had issues with walk towards me and I’m not on edge or nervous, I’m cool. I walked to you to calm things down. We had met before and that is why I came over to say there was no need for this. Play your role, we are here to be professionals at the end of the day. I am used to having a mature interaction with someone where you can walk over. There was no need for that.”

“I don’t think it is easy money. I am getting paid to be whatever because Frank realises that you are not what they thought you were, you are not what he thought you was, so he has brought me over to do a job, get rid of you. I think Frank is betting his money on me.”

“I am a free guy, I can go wherever I want.”

NEW YORK (October 17, 2023) -Two of Split-T Management’s young prospects were impressive in scoring knockouts over the weekend.

Saturday night in Rosenberg, Texas, Giovanni Marquez remained undefeated with a second-round stoppage over Donte Strayhorn in a scheduled six-round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Marquez dropped Strayhorn with two right uppercuts. Seconds later, it was a vicious four punch combination that was punctuated by a left hook that put Strayhorn on the deck. Marquez ended things by landing seven unanswered punches that finished the fight at 2:47.

Marquez, 141.3 lbs of Houston, TX is 7-0 with five knockouts. Strayhorn, 140.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is 12-5-1.

Sunday in Milwaukee, junior lightweight Javier Zamarron stopped veteran Rodolfo Hernandez Montoya in the opening round of their six-round bout.

Zamarron was impressive in finishing Montoya off at 1:58 of the opening frame.

Zamarron was fighting in front of the home folks as the Sheboygan, Wisconsin native raised his mark to 6-0 with four knockouts. Montoya of Mexico City is 30-15-1.

LOS ANGELES (October 17, 2023) – Undefeated super middleweight prospect Darius “DFG” Fulghum (8-0, 8 KOs) has a perfect 8-for-8 professional career record, stopping each of his eight opponents to date, and he was recently rewarded for his efforts by signing a promotional contract offered by Golden Boy Promotions.

In his most recent fight, his sixth since he started working with 3 Point Management (3PM) this past April, Fulghum knocked out veteran Mexican Alan Campa (18-8, 12 KOs) with a lethal left hook to the liver at the end of the opening round of their October 7^th fight in Las Vegas on DAZN. Campa has become a gatekeeper of the super middleweight division having fought two-time world title challenger Jesse Hart, Sergiy Dereyanchenko, Erik Bazinyan and Junior Younan, among the more notables.

The 27-year-old Fulgham, who fights out of Houston, extended his KO streak to eight, but he never goes into a fight looking for a knockout.

“No,” he explained, “I don’t go into a fight looking for a knockout. My style is to break down my opponent. There are expectations from others for me to knockout my opponent. I can’t believe all the hype and rely on my power. My style is to breakdown my opponent in every fight; if the knockout comes, it comes. I don’t think I’m a devastating puncher, but I am extremely skilled.

“I definitely have power, but some guys are more durable than others. I’ve been in with heavy guys (coming down from light heavyweight). I still don’t want to get hit, which will help me later in my career. I haven’t suffered any wear and tear.”

Fulghum’s left hook is a punch he and his trainers have worked hard at developing. It paralyzed Campa, whose face showed how much that one punch hurt him, as he went down to his knees in obvious pain.

“We’ve really practiced that punch to exactly where the right place is,” Fulghum said. “This shot had nothing to do with power, it was about placing it on the liver. I caught him with it while he was throwing a punch. Not that it had that much power, but I felt it in my knuckles. I placed it where it paralyzed him. That shot hurt, you can’t fake it.”

Fulghum is excited to be signed by one of the premier boxing promoters in the world, Golden Boy Promotions, and grateful for the managerial work done by 3 PM.

“I’m extremely excited to be with Golden Boy,” Fulghum commented. “Oscar (de la Hoya) can push me to new heights. He can get me in big fights. Golden Boy has pushed me out there (on DAZN streams) and I’m relaxed fighting in front of people.

“I do have to thank 3 PM. They really saved my career. They’ve done an excellent job and are the most professional people I’ve ever worked with.”

3 PM put Fulghum, who had only fought three times  in more than two years prior to him starting to work with 3 PM, on the fast track and he has excelled, fighting five times this year and displaying improvement in each fight. His last fight was only three weeks after his previous match.

“Fighters fight,” Darius responded to fighting at such an accelerated pace. “This is my job, my career. I have my health, so there’s no reason not to fight (when there’s an offer). I still need to get more experienced to climb the ratings. Why not fight? I’d like one more fight before the end of this year.”

Fulghum’s last two fights were scheduled eight-rounders, but combined they only lasted less than three combined. A 10-round fight is right there for the fast-rising super middleweight from Texas. What’s next?

“I’m not sure,” he concluded. “It depends on the opportunity and whether it’s an eight of ten. My style is built for longer fights. I just need to keep fighting. I’ll take what I can get. Nothing is planned but I want a (scheduled) 10-round fight soon and then fight for a regional belt.”

A licensed nurse in Texas with a degree from Prairie View A & M University, Fulghum was a decorated amateur boxer, ranked No. 1 in the USA as a heavyweight, despite fighting as a super middleweight as a pro. He captured top honors at the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Fulghum is working with 3 Point Management (3 PM), a Company based in Los Angeles that has a growing stable of gifted boxers including former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs), NABA Super Flyweight Champion John “Scrappy” Ramirez (12-0, 8 KOs), WBA Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion Kareem Hackett (12-0, 6 KOs), super middleweight Cem “Champ” Kilic (17-1, 11 KOs), and heavyweight Zach Spiller (3-0, 2 KOs).

There’s a new sheriff in the super middleweight division and his name is Darius “DFG” Fulghum.

INFORMATION:

Instagram/X (Twitter)/Linkedin: @DariusFulghum