https://www.facebook.com/360BoxingPromos/videos/311238472760288/

Los Angeles, CA (September 8, 2018) This morning in Los Angeles, Alexandru Marin and Bruno Escalante were both within the ten pound limit for the same day weigh-in under the guidelines of the International Boxing Federation ahead of their clash this evening for the IBF Super Flyweight Intercontinental Title. Marin weighed in at 124.6 while Escalante tipped the scales at 124.

The SUPERFLY 3 10-round undercard title bout will be broadcast as part of the 360 Promotions’ International ‘Free of Charge’ LIVE Stream which can be viewed at www.360Promotions.US starting at 4:00 p.m. PT.

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Emanating from the “Fabulous” Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 8 and televised on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, SUPERFLY 3 is headlined by a 12-round WBC Super Flyweight Final Elimination Bout between former world champion JUAN FRANCISCO ‘El Gallo’ ESTRADA, (36-3-0, 25 KO’s), of Sonora, Mexico and two-time world title challenger FELIPE ‘Gallito’ ORUCUTA, (36-4-0, 30 KO’s), of Nicolas Romero, Mexico. Estrada vs. Orucuta is promoted in association with Zanfer Promotions.

Co-featured over 12-rounds for the vacant WBO Super Flyweight World Title, three-division world champion DONNIE ‘The Snake’ NIETES, (41-1-4, 23 KO’s), of Bacolod City, Philippines, moves up one division to face rival countryman and #2 world ranked challenger ‘Mighty’ ASTON PALICTE, (24-2-0, 20 KO’s) of Bago City, Philippines.

Opening the telecast, three-division world champion KAZUTO IOKA, (22-1-0, 13 KO’s), of Osaka, Japan, battles WBC Super Flyweight Silver Champion MCWILLIAMS ARROYO, (17-3-0, 14 KO’s), of Fajardo, Puerto Rico in a 10-round title bout.

Prior to the start of this Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark telecast beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT of the highly anticipated SUPERFLY 3 event, Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions will present a live ‘free of charge’ worldwide stream of the sensational five-bout undercard from the “Fabulous” Forum starting at 4:00 p.m. PT. The commentators for the international broadcast will be the ‘Dynamic Duo’ of Steve Kim and Doug Fischer with the undercard fights being streamed at www.360Promotions.us and all 360 Promotions’ Social Media Platforms, (Facebook, 360BoxingPromos and Twitter, 360BoxingPromos and TomLoeffler1). 360 Promotions’ Cynthia Conte will handle the on-site hosting duties on the live stream.

Headlining the undercard, undefeated Romanian Alexandru Marin, (16-0-0, 11 KO’s), now based out of Bethesda, MD, will defend his IBF Super Flyweight Inter-Continental Title against popular Filipino contender Bruno Escalante Jr. , (17-3-1, 7 KO’s), of Redwood City, CA in a scheduled 10-round clash.

In a special attraction ten-round women’s bout ‘Bang Bang Lulu’ Louisa Hawton, (8-1-0, 4 KO’s) of Perth, Australia will face Brenda ‘La Bonita’ Flores, (12-4-1, 2KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico for the Interim WBC Women’s Atomweight World Title.

In a four-round middleweight tilt, undefeated local fan favorite Jonathan ‘Diamante’ Esquivel, (6-0-0, 6 KO’s) of Anaheim, CA faces off against Joan Jose ‘La Sombra’ Valenzuela, (5-9-1, 5 KO’s), of Tijuana, Mexico. Since turning professional in July 2017, the 23-year-old Esquivel has quickly impressed West Coast Boxing fans as a top prospect with his show-stopping knockouts in each of his starts.

Fighting out of San Diego, CA and just 18-years-old, undefeated Mario ‘Matador’ Ramos, (5-0-0, 5 KO’s), will look to keep his knockout streak intact battling cross-town rival Alex ‘Girito’ Solario, (4-3) also of San Diego, CA in a six- round junior lightweight bout. The southpaw Ramos kept his record perfect on June 6, 2018 stopping Guadalupe Arroyo in the sixth round at the Avalon in Hollywood, CA. The 22-year-old Solorio looks to get back in the win column after losing to undefeated prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. on February 3, 2018 in Corpus Christi, TX.

Opening the SUPERFLY 3 undercard action at the Forum on September 8, top Mexican flyweight prospect Joselito ‘El Huracan’ Velasquez, (5-0-0, 5 KO’s), of Quintana Roo, Mexico faces off against Tijuana, Mexico’s Jose Alfredo Flores Chanez, (6-6-0, 3 KO’s) in a scheduled six rounder.

Advance tickets for SUPERFLY 3, priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25 can be purchased HERE. The Forum is located at 3900 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood CA 90305. Doors on the night of the event will open at 4:00 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA

#SUPERFLY3

Twitter

@GalloEstrafaOfi

@AstonPalicte

@HBOboxing

@theforum

@WBCBoxing

@Zanfernews

@ALAPromotions1

360 Boxing Promotions

Website, www.360promotions.us Facebook, @360BoxingPromos, Twitter, @360BoxingPromos

@TomLoeffler1, Instagram, @360BoxingPromotions

Barclays Center in Brooklyn has been named the official East Coast venue for the PBC, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com.

“Barclays Center is proud to be the official East Coast home of the PBC,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global, the company that operates the arena. “As our commitment to the sport expands, boxing has truly become another anchor franchise at the venue. In fact, [this] announcement guarantees a minimum of eight fights annually at Barclays Center, bringing many more unforgettable moments to our ring.”

“Premier Boxing Champions is excited to call Barclays Center its official East Coast home,” said Tim Smith, vice president of communications for Haymon Sports, which oversees PBC. “Barclays Center has become synonymous with superb boxing events and PBC is thrilled to continue its relationship with the arena and add to that growing legacy.”

Armando Cardenas 147.4 vs. Gilbert Venegas 149
Xavier Wilson 134.8 vs. Christian Santibanez 136.8
Johnathan Rice 255.2 vs. Terrell Woods 245.8
Luis Villareal 163 vs. Stetson Horne 163.8
Eddie Tigs 162.2 vs. Patrick Clarke 163.8
Gregory Morales 121.8 vs. Jorge De Leon 127.6
Steven Ramos 156.2 vs. Fabian Cancino 158
Jairo Castaneda 148.8 vs. Jesse Gutierrez 146.8
Richard Medina 127.6 vs. Jonathan Ewer 132.6
Victor Pasillas 124 vs. Manuel Rubalcava 125.2

The 8-round main event will showcase welterweights, Armando Cardenas (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Gilbert Venegas (9-0, 6 KOs). “Fight Night at the Scottish Rite 2” takes place the Scottish Rite Theatre in San Antonio, TX, on September 8, 2018. Tickets priced $35 General Admission $40 at the door, and $100 Ringside, are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling (210) 449-5599 or (210) 322-9974. The Scottish Rite Theatre is located at 308 Ave E, San Antonio, TX 78205. Doors open at 6:00 PM, first bell at 7:30 PM

Atlantic City, NJ (September 7, 2018) -Below are quotes, images and videos from fight week activities for Boadwalk Boxing: Round 3, that will feature the battle for the New Jersey State Super Middleweight title featuring Atlantic City rivals Antowyan Aikens and DeCarlo Perez that will take place Saturday night at The Showboat Hotel’s Bourbon Room.

Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Media Workout
Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Media Workout
Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Press Conference
Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Press Conference

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Antowyan Aikens–“It’s no games. There has been a lot of things that have been said. I worked hard. People look at me as a steppingstone. Anybody who trains and works with him, can not get on the ring with him. Just remember, I can fight! I know the type of support that I have, I put in the work. I am a natural 168-pound fighter, I am not coming up to 140. I want him to bring the fight. I have great boxing skills. I was born with the ability to perform.”

DeCarlo Perez–“I am very proud to be on this card. There has been a lot said, but the fight is here. I love this. I come here to fight. I am not responsible for what anyone says on social media. I am very quiet, I let my hands to the talking. I am looking forward to seeing how much of the best that he will bring out in me.”

Omar Salem–“I am looking for the knockout. My last fight here was epic.”

Isaiah Hart–“I am excited and looking forward to a great fight. This is my pro debut, so now I get to show my talent. This is going to be a great show.”

Thomas LaManna–“As a fight fan, this is what boxing needs. I can’t wait for this fight.”

In the main event, Atlantic City rivals, Antowyan Aikens (13-4-1, 1 KO)and DeCarlo Perez (16-6-1, 5 KOs) will meet for the New Jersey State Super Middleweight title that will take place this Saturday night at The Bourbon Room inside the Showboat Hotel.

In the six-round co-feature, it will be a battle of New Jersey based junior welterweights as John Bauza (10-0, 5 KOs) of North Bergen takes on Rashad Bogar (4-7-1, 2 KOs) of Newark.

In four-round bouts:

Tahlik Taylor (3-11-1, 1 KO) of Greensboro, NC fights Travis Toledo (1-0) of Baltimore, Maryland in a light heavyweight battle.

Ryan Wilczak (6-0, 3 KOs) of Scranton, PA squares off with Alberto Delgado (0-3) of Roanoke, Virginia in a middleweight contest.

Omar Salem (3-0) of Brooklyn New York will fight Mike Anderson (0-2) of Philadelphia in a middleweight fight.

Isaiah Hart of Atlantic City will make his pro debut against Dillan Kasprzak (0-1) of Philadelphia in a middleweight fight.

Nahir Albright (3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles Glenford Nickey (4-1, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, New York in a lightweight bout.

Jahmal Dyer (5-1, 3 KOs) of Baltimore, Maryland boxes against Marcos Lugo (0-1) of Vineland, New Jersey in a lightweight bout.

Ry’Shine Collins of Philadelphia makes his pro debut against Lucky Holt (0-2) of Hannibal, Missouri in a bantamweight fight.

Steve Moore (1-4, 1 KO) of Orange, New Jersey takes on Kashon Hutchinson (3-5, 1 KO) of Reading, Pennsylvania in a welterweight bout.

Antowyan Aikens vs DeCarlo Perez Fight Week Schedule

**All Times Are Eastern**

Friday, September 7

3:00 p.m. Weigh In
Location: Showboat Hotel Lobby
801 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08041
2:30 p.m. Media Arrival
3:00 p.m. Fighters on Scale

Saturday, September 8th

7:00 p.m. Fight Night
Location: Showboat Hotel (Bourbon Room)
801 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08041
6:00 p.m. Doors Open
7:00 p.m 1st Bout

Media Credentials are to be picked up at table outside of Bourbon Room beginning at 6 PM

Rising Star Promotions would like to thank the following Sponsors:

Ticket Prices are $55 I $80 I $125 and are available at www.RSPBoxing.com

Atlantic City, NJ (September 7, 2018) -Weights for Saturday night’s card at The Showboat Hotel Bourbon Room.

Antowyan Aikens 165.5 – DeCarlo Perez 168
(New Jersey State Super Middleweight Title)

John Bauza 139 – Rashad Bogar 139
Omar Salem 165 – Mike Anderson 165.5
Isaiah Hart 160.7 – Dillon Kasprzak 159
Nahir Albright 140 – Glenford Nickey 140
Jahmal Dyer 132.9 – Marco Lugo 131
Tahlik Taylor 175.3 – Travis Toledo 172.3
Ry’shine Collins 122.3 – Lucky Holt 120.8
Steve Moore 144.1 – Kashon Hutchinson 145.3
Ryan Wilczak 158 – Alberto Delgado 160.9

Promoter: Rising Star Promotions
1st Bell: 7:00 PM ET

Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Weigh In
Boardwalk Boxing-Round 3: Heated Weigh In

Saturday, September 8th

7:00 p.m. Fight Night
Location: Showboat Hotel (Bourbon Room)
801 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08041
6:00 p.m. Doors Open
7:00 p.m 1st Bout

Media Credentials are to be picked up at table outside of Bourbon Room beginning at 6 PM

Rising Star Promotions would like to thank the following Sponsors:

Ticket Prices are $55 I $80 I $125 and are available at www.RSPBoxing.com

NEW YORK (September 7, 2018)–Boxing’s deepest management stable just got richer as Split-T Management is proud to announce the signing of amateur standout Eric Puente to an exclusive management deal.

Puente, 19 years old of Vista, California by way of Sinaloa, Mexico will campaign in the lightweight division.

Puente started boxing at the age of eight years-old by his father/trainer, Ivan.

He went on to win the 2016 National Youth Open Championship, and was a member of Team USA. Puente was a favorite to be a member of the 2020 United States Olympic Team.

Puente, who stand 5’8″ likens his style to a cross between Danny Garcia and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

“Boxing is everything to me! I live, eat and sleep boxing 24/7. Boxing is always on my mind,” said Puente. “”When the boxing world sees me fight, they will see and old school warrior that will do everything he can to come out victorious,” said Puente. “I take a lot from all the great fighters of the past like Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales and Sugar Ray Leonard, and put into me: Eric Puente, future superstar in boxing!”

“In the midst of talking to all the promoters and managers, David McWater stood out. My dad and I felt we can trust him. We had a lot of people saying they can do this and that, but David came thru with everything he has promised.”

Said Split-T Management CEO, David McWater, “From the first time I saw Eric, he had superstar written all over him. He just gets better and better every time I see him.
He has the passion, the skills and work ethic to become a big attraction in boxing.
This kid is going to be a star!”

ABOUT SPLIT-T MANAGEMENT

Headed by David McWater, Split-T Management has amassed one of the top stables in boxing.

Their impressive roster includes:

World Rated Contenders

IBF Super Lightweight Mandatory Title Challenger Ivan Baranchyk

Welterweight “The New” Ray Robinson

Former Bantamweight Title Challenger Antonio Nieves

2016 Olympians

Lightweight Teofimo Lopez

Junior Middleweight Charles Conwell

Bantamweight Antonio Vargas

Undefeated Prospects

Heavyweights: Stephen Shaw, Marcus Carter, Yegor Plevako

Cruiserweights: Joshua Temple, “Mighty” Joe Jones

Light Heavyweights: Joseph Williams, Bortirali Mamajonov

Super Middleweights: Isiah Steen, DeAndre Ware, Isiah Jones, Anthony Barnes, Tyler Howard

Middleweights: Marquis Moore, Raquel Miller

Junior Middleweights: Ardreal Holmes, Hurshidbek Normatov, Fred Wilson, Jr.

Welterweight’s Janelson Bocachica, Poindexter Knight, Mark Dawson, Boubacar Sylla, Brian Ceballo,

Junior Lightweight: Erick De Leon

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 7, 2018) – Maxim “Mad Max” Dadashev suffered a torn bicep in training and has been forced to postpone his originally scheduled Sept. 14 NABF super lightweight title defense against Antonio DeMarco. Jamel Herring versus John Vincent Moralde for the vacant USBA junior lightweight title has been elevated to the ESPN-televised co-feature underneath Jose Ramirez’s WBC super lightweight title defense against Antonio Orozco at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

Dadashev-DeMarco has been moved to the co-feature slot on Oct. 20 when Ryota Murata defends his WBA middleweight world title against Rob Brant at the Park Theater in Las Vegas.

“I just want to say I’m honored to fight on ESPN,” Herring said. “I was already excited to fight on the same card as my Olympic teammate, Jose Ramirez, but to be placed as the co-main event right before he steps in the ring is a big deal. A win here will land me in position for a world title, so I’m not losing any focus at the real task at hand.”

Ramirez-Orozco and Herring-Moralde will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET.

Murata-Brant and Dadashev-DeMarco will stream live in the United States beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

In other news, Top Rank is pleased to announce it has signed the following fighters to promotional agreements, all of whom will see action on Top Rank on ESPN cards in 2018.

Jonathan Guzman (22-1, 22 KOs) — Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Guzman is a former IBF junior featherweight world champion, having knocked out Shingo Wake in the 11th round in July 2016 to capture the title. In his first title defense, on Dec. 31, 2016, he dropped a competitive unanimous decision to Yukinori Oguni in Japan. Guzman has not fought since the Oguni defeat, but he is targeting a return to title contention at 122 pounds.

“I want to thank God for this opportunity. I am excited and fortunate to be given this opportunity by Top Rank,” Guzman said. “This will give me better opportunities in the boxing world. I want to get back to the championship level, and I know Top Rank can get me there.”

Tyler Howard (15-0, 10 KOs) — The 24-year-old from Crossville, Tenn., will fight as a middleweight after spending most of his career at super middleweight. A six-year pro, he last fought on July 14 in New Orleans, knocking out Javier Frazier in the second round.

“Signing with the premier promotional company in the sport of boxing is a huge accomplishment for my team and I,” Howard said. “I trust that my career is in great hands with my manager (Tim Van Newhouse) and Top Rank. I know my team will present me with many opportunities to catapult my career into world contention status.”

Michael Perez (25-2-2, 11 KOs) — A longtime contender at 135 and 140 pounds, Perez will campaign at 140 pounds as he seeks his first career title shot. A native of Newark, N.J., Perez last fought in April 2017 when he defeated Marcelino Lopez via split decision.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank God for this opportunity to become part of the Top Rank family,” Perez said. “I have always respected the way they treat their fighters. I look forward to adding value and excitement to their already amazing shows.”

Eric Puente (0-0) — A decorated U.S. amateur from Vista, Calif., Puente will make the leap to the professional ranks and campaign as a lightweight. He was a gold medalist at the 2016 USA Boxing Youth Championships (132 pounds).

“I’m extremely happy to be signing with Top Rank,” Puente said. “This is an exciting chapter in my life, and I want to make my family and fans happy and hopefully one day become world champion. I know I have the very best promotional company behind me!”

DANNY GARCIA vs. SHAWN PORTER – WBC Welterweight World Championship

Danny Garcia – 146 ¾ pounds

Shawn Porter – 147 pounds

Referee: Steve Willis; Judges: Don Ackerman (N.Y.), Julie Lederman (N.Y.), Eric Marlinski (N.Y.)

YORDENIS UGAS vs. CESAR MIGUEL BARRIONUEVO – WBC Welterweight World Title Eliminator

Yordenis Ugas – 146 ¾ pounds

Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo – 146 pounds

Referee: Ricky Gonzalez; Judges: John McKaie (N.Y.), Kevin Morgan (N.Y.), Tom Schreck (N.Y.)

ADAM KOWNACKI vs. CHARLES MARTIN – 10-Round Heavyweight Bout

Adam Kownacki – 263 ¼ pounds

Charles Martin – 246 pounds

Referee and judges for Kownacki-Martin are not yet determined and will be provided on Saturday

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Streaming Live On SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel & SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page

AMANDA SERRANO vs. YAMILA REYNOSO – WBO Junior Welterweight World Championship

Amanda Serrano – 138 ½ pounds

Yamila Esther Reynoso – 138 ¾ pounds

Referee: Eddie Claudio (N.Y.); Judges: Joseph Pasquale (N.J.), Larry Hazzard Jr. (N.J.), Waleska Roldan (N.Y.)

FLASH QUOTES

Danny Garcia:

“It’s a matter of time before I fight everybody. It’s how the sport is. It’s all about timing and the time is now. I’m ready to go in there and reclaim what is mine. I’m excited for all my fights. This is another fight for my legacy. I plan on going in there and giving 150 percent and giving my all, my blood, sweat and my tears and make my family and my friends proud. Danny Garcia, baby. Win by under 9.”

Shawn Porter:

“It’s hard to put it into words how bad I want this. The best way I can describe it in words is that I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. To some, it’s just a belt, but for me it’s my world. Like I said, I’m not leaving Brooklyn without this belt. Shawn Porter will be victorious tomorrow night.”

Yordenis Ugas:

“I’m a tough fighter and I like to fight the best. They say he’s a big puncher and that’s what I like. I like guys that can stand in there and fight. Hopefully it’s going to be a war and a great fight for the fans.”

Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo:

“Tomorrow for sure, everyone will know my name. I’m ready to give a great show to everybody.”

Adam Kownacki:

“I’m from Brooklyn, man, so I’m not afraid of anything. He ain’t got no heart, so I’m going to get in there early and hurt him.”

Charles Martin:

“He’s been saying the same [stuff], but we’ll see tomorrow. This is everything. I’m coming. That’s all I have to say.”

Amanda Serrano:

“I feel great. I love fighting at Barclays and once again I’m going to make history. I’ve won all my titles by knockout so I’m looking to do it again. Brooklyn’s my second home – my home away from home. I’m excited to do this in Brooklyn at Barclays Center and hopefully there’s more to come.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

https://www.facebook.com/RSPBoxing/videos/1025760047597556/

Croatian heavyweight sensation Filip Hrgovi? (5-0, 4 KOs) and his opponent Amir Mansour (23-2-1, 16 KOs) weighed in today ahead of their WBC International Championship clash tomorrow night at the Arena Zagreb in Croatia.

Hrgovi?, the Rio 2016 Olympic Bronze Medallist, will be boxing in his home country for the first time as a professional as he looks to claim his first major title against the experienced former WBC United States Champion Mansour.

WBC International Heavyweight Championship:
Filip Hrgovic: 105.7 kg
Amir Mansour: 102.6 kg

The undercard fighters also took to the scales including IBO Female World Middleweight Champion Ivana Habazin, who makes the first defence of her title against Ghana’s Gifty Amanua Ankrah, and rising German light heavyweight star Leon Bunn.

IBO Female World Middleweight Championship:
Ivana Habazin: 70.7 kg
Gifty Amanua Ankrah: 70.2 kg

Light Heavyweight – 8 Rounds:
Leon Bunn: 79.5 kg
Emmanuel Feuzeu: will weigh-in later

Cruiserweight – 10 Rounds:
Damir Beljo: 89.5 kg
Lukas Paszkowsky: 89.5 kg

WBC Silver Female Super Middleweight Championship:
Ema Kozin: 75.7 kg
Irais Hernandez: 73.3 kg

Heavyweight – 6 Rounds:
Agron Smakici: 108.5 kg
Gabriel Enguema: 102.5 kg

Cruiserweight – 4 Rounds:
Josip-Bepo Filipi: 91.0 kg
Predrag Jevtic: 88.9 kg

Heavyweight – 6 Rounds:
Ivica Perkovic: 123.5 kg
Laszlo Toth: 128.7 kg

Cruiserweight – 6 Rounds:
Edin Puhalo: 90.7 kg
Janne Forsman: 84.7 kg

Cruiserweight – 6 Rounds:
Ivica Bacurin: 92.3 kg
Tamas Bajzath: 105.3 kg

The WBC International Heavyweight Championship contest between Filip Hrgovi? and Amir Mansour tops the bill at the Arena Zagreb on Saturday. All the action will be broadcast live on RTL in Croatia. Limited tickets are still available via www.eventim.hr.

NEW YORK – September 7 – Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman will serve as a guest analyst this Saturday on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN, providing insight and analysis during undercard streaming fights in advance of this Saturday’s Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter WBC Welterweight World Championship. Live streaming coverage from Barclays Center begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page and features multiple live fights and analysis preceding the evening’s three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).

In the featured bout of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN, Amanda Serrano (34-1-1, 26 KOs) will attempt to make women’s boxing history as the five-division world champion faces Yamila Esther Reynoso (11-4-3, 8 KOs) the vacant WBO Junior Welterweight World Title. A win will place Serrano in elite company alongside Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya as boxing’s only six-division world champions.

Thurman will join host Ray Flores and analyst Chris Mannix to call the streaming action Saturday from Brooklyn. The reigning WBA Welterweight Champion, Thurman has previously defeated both of Saturday’s headliners. “One Time” edged Porter in a 2016 Fight of The Year Candidate, and narrowly defeated Garcia in a split-decision win to unify the division in 2017.

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN will feature multiple bouts in what will be the seventh digital presentation of live fights from SHOWTIME Sports in 2018. For the third straight year, the network continues to deliver industry-leading livestream coverage of boxing free to all U.S. consumers with internet access.

Polish slugger Adam Kownacki and former heavyweight champion Charles Martin will open up Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast with a 10-round heavyweight attraction. In the co-feature, 147-pound contender Yordenis Ugas will battle against Argentinian favorite Cesar Barrionuevo in a welterweight world-title eliminator showdown.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, subscribe to the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

NEW YORK (Sept. 6, 2018) – After a 17-show inaugural campaign that attracted 84,000 views per event and nearly 1.5 million views for the series, Facebook FIGHTNIGHT LIVE next turns the corner to year two, looking to build upon its meteoric rise. Season II of the interactive and free fight series opens in the Fighting City of Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 14, with an action-packed King’s Boxing card live from 2300 Arena.

The fan-friendly series that – among other aspects – prides itself on the real-time conversations held between fight commentators and the viewing audience showcased more than 300 fighters during 17 live event broadcasts in its first 12 months. In doing so, the interactive platform has generated the loyal interest of fight fans from across the United States and around the globe, including significant audiences in Mexico, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, and even fans in South America, Asia and Australia.

“We are extremely proud of what FIGHTNIGHT LIVE accomplished since May 2017. We’ve had 17 shows originating from New York, Boston, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, New England, Phoenix and America’s Heartland, where many different promotions gained an incredible amount of exposure via this exciting, truly social platform. To be able to have several events where more than 150,000 people have tuned in only scratches the surface on the market interest for these events, and we are ready to take FIGHTNIGHT LIVE to the next level in year two,” said Mark Fratto, Principal and Director of Business Development, Linacre Media.

“Beyond the numbers, we’re really pleased with the way the shows have been presented and produced,” Fratto continued. “We’ve been able to showcase more than 300 up-and-coming fighters to fight fans all over the world, and help them expand their bases. And we’ve been able to invite our viewers to be part of the action by fostering real-time interaction between our broadcasters and viewers on the fight activity, the decisions and the knockouts; it’s the next-best thing to having a ringside seat.”

“King’s Promotions is very excited to be working with Mark and the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE team,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Boxing, the eleventh promoter FIGHTNIGHT LIVE has showcased over its first 18 shows. “I believe we will bring the best-quality boxing to FIGHTNIGHT LIVE.”

In the main event, rising super middleweight prospect, Brandon “B-Rob” Robinson (10-1, 7 KOs) steps up in class when he takes on knockout artist Ernest Amuzu (24-3, 22 KOs), originally from Ghana. Also on the bill, undefeated three-time Olympian Anvar Yunusov (4-0, 1 KO) takes on 21-fight veteran Angel Monreal (10-10-1, 3 KOs). Other undefeated fighters seeing action will be Shyngyskhan Tazhibay (6-0, 2 KOs), Daiyann Butt (1-0), Alejandro Jimenez (2-0, 1 KO),Chrystian Peguero (2-0, 1 KO) and Keeshawn Williams (2-0-1, 1 KO).

Now at more than 1.4 million views for the series, FIGHTNIGHT LIVE has continued to deliver impressive numbers throughout its rookie season, which included seven live shows in the first five months of 2018:
Over the first 11 months of Season I programming, the numbers on the 17-show FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series showed promise and potential for the new platform with an average of 83,714 fight fans tuning in per event and more than 1.4 million fans served.
The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” from Resorts World Casino (225,000), the August CES “Super Saturday” from Foxwoods (203,000), the Sept. CES “Twin River Twinbill” from Lincoln, R.I. (157,000) and the March 17 Murphy’s “St. Patrick’s Day Clash” (150,001) all logged 150,000 or more views, and collectively the 17-show series has seen a total of more than 30,000 total hours of Facebook video consumed by 1,423,132 users across all devices.
In addition to the raw viewership numbers, the fully-interactive, fan-friendly productions have seen more than 173,000 collective live post engagements (more than 10,200 per show), including more than 116,000 “likes” or “loves,” almost 30,000 comments and nearly 10,000 shares.
FIGHTNIGHT LIVE broadcasts are viewed by 76 percent men, 24 percent women. The top demographic is comprised ofmales ages 25-34, which encompasses approximately 30.0 percent of the audience, on average.
The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” set a new bar with 224,658 views and the Sept. 15-16 DiBella-CES doubleheader carried the series to three-quarters-of-a-million views in just over four months. The Feb. 10 Hard-Hitting Promotions “Philly Fight Night” show stands out individually with 3,421 live hours of content viewed, while the Sept. 15 DiBella card saw more than 40,000 viewer interactions including almost 39,000 “likes” or “loves” and the March 17 Murphy’s “St. Patrick’s Day Clash” set a new high-water mark for shares with 2,182.
The FIGHTNIGHT LIVE page on Facebook has more than 79,000 fans and more than 82,000 followers. And Facebook itself has taken notice – the world’s No. 1 social network recently profiled FIGHTNIGHT LIVE on its “Success Stories” media blog, noting the series’ use of industry best practices for production and interactivity: https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/success-stories/fightnight

Created and produced by Linacre Media out of New York City, the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series features professional announcers, multiple camera angles, television graphics, replays and behind-the-scenes access and interviews. The streamed shows are available globally wherever Facebook is available. The initiative not only enables fans from around the world to tune in, but also gives up-and-coming fighters a global platform to showcase their abilities, gives promoters an accessible “broadcast” solution and gives sponsors the ability to reach a mass audience via branded content.

More FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Fall 2018 dates will be officially announced in the coming weeks.

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE is available online at: https://www.facebook.com/FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE/

Follow all the action via social media at FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Facebook, @FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Instagram and@FIGHTNIGHTLIVE_ on Twitter, or by using the hashtag #FIGHTNIGHTLIVE. For the latest Linacre Media events and broadcast schedule, follow @LinacreMedia across all social platforms or use the tags #LinacreMediaEvents or #LinacreMediaOnTV.

BROOKLYN (September 6, 2018) – Coming on the heels of Premier Boxing Champions’ (PBC) groundbreaking deals with both FOX Sports and SHOWTIME Sports, many of the brightest stars in the PBC galaxy will be ringside Saturday night to see one of the biggest fights of the year live and in person as Danny Garcia takes on Shawn Porter in a welterweight world title fight. Expected to be seated ringside at Barclays Center will be several current or former world champions in a variety of weight classes.

“Ringside will be well represented Saturday night with PBC champions,” said Tim Smith, VP of Communications for PBC. “It is great that so many of our fighters will be supporting Danny and Shawn for this tremendous welterweight championship. This is just another reason that Garcia vs. Porter will be one to remember.”

Some of the biggest names, all of whom have fought on SHOWTIME in the past, include the below (in alphabetical order by first name):

– Adrien Broner – (33-3-1, 24 KOs), Former Four-division world champion
– Andre Berto – (32-5, 24 KOs), Former welterweight champion
– Errol Spence Jr. – (24-0, 21 KOs), IBF Welterweight Champion
– Gervonta Davis – (20-0, 19 KOs), WBA Super Featherweight Champion
– Jarrett Hurd – (22-0, 15 KOs), Unified 154-Pound Champion (IBF/WBA)
– Jermall Charlo – (27-0, 21 KOs), Former junior middleweight champion
– Jermell Charlo – (31-0, 15 KOs), WBC Super Welterweight Champion
– Keith Thurman – (28-0, 22 KOs), WBA Welterweight Champion and Former Unified Welterweight Champion

In addition to the pugilists, several celebrities can be expected including star of Black Panther Chadwick Boseman as well as two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields and others.

ABOUT GARCIA vs. PORTER
Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter pits elite welterweight stars against each other in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBC 147-pound World Championship. The Premier Boxing Champions event takes place Saturday, September 8 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and headlines action live on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight world title eliminator betweenCuba’s Yordenis Ugas and Argentina’s Cesar Barrionuevo, plus heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin.

Tickets for the September 8 event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with DSG Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP

BROOKLYN (September 6, 2018) – Welterweight stars Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they battle for the vacant WBC Welterweight World Championship this Saturday, September 8 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight title eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and Cesar Barrionuevo and heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Polish slugger Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin, all of whom participated in Thursday’s press conference.

The press conference also featured fighters competing in streaming action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) as five-division world champion Amanda Serrano attempts to win a world title in her record sixth weight class when she faces Yamila Esther Reynoso for the WBO 140-pound title. The social media offering will be available on SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and on the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with DSG Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from Dream Hotel Downtown in Manhattan:

DANNY GARCIA

“I know I’m the better all-around fighter. I can just do more in the ring than Shawn Porter, period. I’m going to prove it on Saturday.

“It means the world to me to get this belt back. This is a new chapter in my career. I’ve been in a lot of great fights. I’m a seasoned champion. This is a chance to regain something that was mine. This is one of the moments where I have to just go out there and prove myself.

“My style is totally different than Keith Thurman, so I hope Shawn isn’t going off of that fight. I know I’m a better boxer than Shawn Porter and I’m going to make sure everyone else knows it too.

“I absolutely want to unify with Errol Spence Jr. after I win. I want the biggest fights. This would be my fourth world title. All I’ve ever done is face everyone they put in front me and I’ve earned those huge fights.

“This is nothing new to me. I’ve performed at this level for a long time. I’ve put in the hard work. Come Saturday night I’m going to get this victory because I’m the better fighter and a true champion.

“I’m incredibly motivated, but I know that sometimes in life if you want something too much, you don’t get it. I’ve achieved a lot in this sport. This will just add more hardware to my collection.

“I didn’t take any punishment in the Thurman fight. I could have come back two months later. I know that I could have started earlier and been more relentless, but I’m just going to take that into this fight and make the best of it.”

SHAWN PORTER

“The way I’m going to win this fight will change the conversation at welterweight. You’re going to have to wonder whether Errol Spence Jr. and Terrence Crawford have what it takes to beat me. I’m here to put on a great show, win this title and do it in spectacular fashion

“I’m used to being the underdog. I’ve upset people before. I’m looking forward to doing what it takes to be that one to pull it off.

“Styles make fights. One way or another, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win this fight. There’s nothing I’ve ever wanted in my entire life more than this. I’m out here to take it.

“Anything Danny is coming with, I’m taking it. It’s mine. Whatever it takes, I will not be stopped on Saturday night.

“This means the world to me. This is my goal. I’m a goal-oriented person. I didn’t know when I was going to be fighting for this WBC title, I knew this was my time. This title has so much lineage and history to go along with it and I want to be a part of it.

“I’m setting the tone now for what Danny should expect from fight night. He’s had this before, but this is my goal and this world title is mine to take.

“Danny has to know that he’s getting in the ring with a bull. This isn’t going to be an easy 12 rounds. I’m going to make him earn every inch.”

YORDENIS UGAS

“It’s an honor to be a part of such a big card at Barclays Center. I’m going to do what I need to do. I’m going to put on a great performance, and the rest will take care of itself.

“I think I’ve been the most consistent fighter at welterweight for the last two years. If I take care of business on Saturday, a world title shot will be next.

“My opponent is going to try to make a big name for himself, but it’s my job to study him and make adjustments in the ring to get him out of there.”

CESAR BARRIONUEVO

“I’m very happy to be in this position. It’s going to be a great fight and it’s going to be my announcement to the U.S. I’m very ready to perform on that stage.

“I know that my power and my relentlessness will make this an exciting fight for the fans. I hope that Ugas is not underestimating me, because I want him to be at his very best.

“Fighting in Brooklyn is exciting. I could not be on a more exciting or perfect stage for this fight. Saturday will become the night that everyone remembers for my arrival.”

ADAM KOWNACKI

“After Saturday night, everybody will know my name. I’m the next great heavyweight here in America. I want to make my splash on the national scene.

“Last year against Artur Szpilka was an appetizer and this is my main course for really making myself known as a threat to everyone at heavyweight.

“I can’t wait to hear the Polish fans and see the red and white. It’s going to be another awesome atmosphere and I’m definitely coming to send those fans home happy.

“I feel like I’ve been getting better and better as I get more recognition. A world title fight is not that far in my future. I’m focused on beating Charles Martin first and letting my performance speak for itself.”

CHARLES MARTIN

“I’m going to go in there and put on a show. I’m going to get myself back to the position I want to be. That’s at the top of the heavyweight division.

“I’m in phenomenal shape. I’ve been working hard for two and a half months. We’re back to where we need to be and you’ll see it on Saturday.

“Training in the altitude in California is rough, but it’s great once you get here and feel great. That’s why you work so hard to get in shape, so you can be twice as good on fight night.

“There are a lot of great heavyweight out there. I’m glad that people are giving it the acclaim they deserve. I think all of those guys are beatable and I look forward for my chance to prove it.”

AMANDA SERRANO

“I’m so thankful to have this great opportunity to make history again. I’m going to put on a tremendous show like I always do and give my hometown fans something to cheer for.

“Come Saturday night, I’m super excited to grab this title in a sixth division. It puts me up there with two of the best fighters of all time in Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. I’ve won all of my titles by knockout and I have to keep that streak going on Saturday night.

“Winning this fight is everything. I hope that I’m doing something great for young Latinas coming up in the sport. I’m going to continue to break down these barriers and one day cement my legacy in the Hall of Fame.”

LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

“This is going to be a sensational show this Saturday night at Barclays Center. This is about as good as it gets. I’ve said that a number of times over recent years, and that’s a good thing. This is another show loaded with talent and has a sensational main event between two of the best fighters in the world, with styles that will mesh really well.

“Garcia vs. Porter is a can’t miss fight. The winner will establish themselves as one of the best in the welterweight division and all of boxing. There will really be no loser, because there’s no way this isn’t an action-packed clash that lifts up both men in the eyes of fans.

“There is really a terrific undercard on this show including amazing talent off of television. We always have a strong representation from Brooklyn and this show is no different with unbeaten rising prospects Chris Colbert, Richardson Hitchins and Chordale Booker. Plus, Brooklyn’s own Amanda Serrano looking to make history once again.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, SVP Sports Communications, Showtime Networks Inc.

“We have established ourselves as an industry leader during an incredible time for boxing. We’ve delivered the largest slate of live boxing, with the best fighters in the most pivotal matchups. Our commitment will continue to be second to none.

“In 2018, we have delivered 26 live boxing events and 22 world title fights, far more than anyone else. It’s not just the quantity, but the quality. We’ve had several of the best fights of 2018 and have presented three world title unifications and four women’s world title fights so far.

“Saturday’s main event is a 50-50 matchup that everyone from Sugar Ray Leonard and Manny Pacquaio to Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman have seen as an all-action fight where it’s hard to pick a winner. Danny and Shawn have been presented by our SHOWTIME team 20 times. We’ve seen them come of age, achieve stardom and even navigate setbacks. It all leads up to this fight on Saturday night.”

BRETT YORMARK, CEO of BSE Global

“It’s been six years since we’ve been in Brooklyn. We’ve hosted 260 bouts, 46 title fights and on September 8, our 30th big night of BROOKLYN BOXING™. From the start we wanted to make a commitment to the sport and we’ve done that.

“Fights like Saturday help us standout from other venues in the marketplace. We have two of the best and brightest stars in the sport Saturday night and we can’t wait for them to enter the ring. We welcome back those who are returning to our ring such as Amanda Serrano, Adam Kownacki and Charles Martin, and we also welcome Ugas and Barrionuevo, for their first fights in Brooklyn.

“This is truly an exciting time for the entire sport of boxing. We’re going to continue to reach the masses and provide unprecedented support for our boxing events. Tickets are moving fast and it should be another electric night. That’s what BROOKLYN BOXING™ is all about.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Reshat Mati will make his professional debut in the first Matchroom Boxing USA show live on DAZN at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on October 6.

The Staten Island, NY. teen sensation is the ultimate fighting machine, having amassed titles across a range of fighting pursuits including Muay Thai, kickboxing and MMA, along with his stellar amateur background in boxing.

The 19 year old believes his future lies at the top of the boxing game, and fresh from Golden Gloves triumph at Welterweight, promoter Eddie Hearn snapped up the ‘Albanian Bear’ to join fellow Atlas Cops and Kids, Brooklyn gym-mates Nikita Ababiy and Nkosi Solomon in turning over in the Windy City and starting their pro journeys live on DAZN.

“My dream was to become a World champion as a pro and now this is a step to that ultimate goal. Boxing is now a job to me, I’m doing what I love as my job and I cannot wait to get out of there and show people who I am. I don’t back down for anybody.

“I wasn’t planning on turning pro, I was looking at the 2020 Olympics and representing Team Albania, but after I won the National Golden Gloves, Eddie Hearn approached me and it was a dream opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

“I am a guy from Staten Island just doing his thing. I’ve been boxing for 16 years, now that I’ve turned pro I have something else to prove. It shows all the hard work I’ve done is paying off.

“When I started, no-one recognised who I was, I had to earn my way. I want to fight the best, I want to show everybody that Reshat Mati is a top-level prospect and is going to be a World champion.”

“Reshat is a born fighter and has the potential to be a huge star,” said Hearn. “He has done it all in the world of combat sports but excels in boxing and I really believe he will go on to become a champion. He has time on his side but we are going to keep him nice and busy boxing all of the U.S and the World – enjoy watching this man in action live on DAZN!”

Mati will take his spot under the bright lights as Matchroom Boxing USA and DAZN usher in a new era in boxing in America.

There are two great World title clashes between IBF World Light-Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev against Briton Callum Johnson and WBA World Super-Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman defending his crown for the third time against Britain’s Gavin McDonnell.

Brooklyn banger Jarrell Miller is right in the mix for the big fights in the Heavyweight division and he takes on Poland’s Tomasz Adamek, the former two-weight World champion who picked up and defended the Polish title in his last two fights in his homeland.

Along with these World stars, Chicago fight fans will be able to back two of their own on the night, with former World Lightweight title challenger Jessica McCaskill in action on the bill along with unbeaten Bantamweight prospect Shawn Simpson.

Tickets for October 6 are on sale now priced $40, $60, $100 and $200 and are available from:

Online at Ticketmaster: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07005506EDA47F37

Phone: (312)791-6900

Philadelphia, PA (September 6, 2018) -Undefeated welterweight Terrel Williams will take on David Grayton in an intriguing 10-round bout that will now be part of an already packed fight card on Friday, September 14th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

In the previously announced main event, Brandon Robinson will take on veteran Ernest Amuzu in the eight-round super middleweight bout.

The nine-bout card is promoted by King’s Promotions.

Williams (16-0,13 KOs) of Los Angeles, California is making his 1st start of 2018, is coming off a 6th round stoppage over Rosemberg Gomez on November 17th, 2017 in Flitny, Michigan.

Grayton (15-2-1, 11 KOs) of Washington, DC is looking to get back in the win column after dropping a 10-round unanimous decision to Miguel Cruz on November 21, 2017 in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Super Featherweight Anvar Yunusov will take on Angel Monreal in a bout scheduled for eight-rounds.

In a six-round welterweight bout, Shyngyskhan Tazhibay (6-0, 2 KOs) of Washington, D.C. battles Virgil Winfield (1-0, 1 KO) from Concord, NC

In four-round bouts:

Jerrod Miner (1-1-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles Alejandro Jimenez (2-0, 1 KO) of New Hope, PA in a bantamweight bout.

Crystian Peguero (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will take on pro debuting Yueri Andujar of Reading, PA in a featherweight contest.

Christopher Burgos (0-2-1) of Philadelphia fights Robert Ramos (1-5-1, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA in a super featherweight scrap.

Keeshawn Williams (2-0, 1 KO) of Washington, D.C. will take on Frahad Fatulla of Salt Lake City, Utah (1-1) in a junior welterweight bout.

Daiyann Butt (1-0) of Philadelphia battles Anthony Smith (1-2-1) of Fresno, California in a junior welterweight bout

There will be a press conference on Wednesday September 12th at The 2300 Arena at 6 PM ET. The weigh in will take place on Thursday, September 13th at 5 PM ET.

Tickets for this great night of boxing can be purchased at www.2300arena.com for $100, $75 and $50

What did you learn about yourself and Canelo in the first fight? Is that going to help you in the rematch?

“So many people show me their true face during and after the first fight with Canelo. I am talking about lots of different people. I know who I am and I know who Canelo is, and what he has become. I know what kind of people I am dealing with in this rematch, what everyone is about. I do not think about the first fight anymore. I did not lose that fight. I walked out of the ring with all my belts, still the world champion. The second fight is much bigger and more interesting. The last fight was a good experience because it was a learning experience. Now it is a different situation. I understand the situation. I now know that boxing is not just a sport. It is a business. That is one thing I learned from the first fight. So from that I learned how to deal with this rematch. I learned how to deal with Canelo and his promoter. Now we have new judges and a new referee. The world will see a new fight and different sides of that fight.

“I have worked very hard in this training camp, building myself up. It has been very exciting because I have been working on new things with Abel. Every day has been a good day. I am very happy and very strong. This will be the biggest fight for boxing. I cannot wait to give the fans a great fight, an exciting fight, a Mexican Style fight. This is a battle between the two best middleweights. To me, it is a fight about honor. This time I am fighting for a lot more than my world championship belts.

Canelo vs. GGG 2 takes place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

OMAHA, Neb. (Sept. 6, 2018) – Terence “Bud” Crawford will return to the scene of many of his greatest professional triumphs intent on stopping a man who has repeatedly lobbied for a fight. Crawford will make the first defense of his WBO welterweight world title against Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the CHI Health Center Omaha (formerly the CenturyLink Center). Crawford-Benavidez will air live and exclusively on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET with undercards streaming live in the United States at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ – the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

It was Benavidez who challenged Crawford in Corpus Christi, Texas, this past February, accusing him of ducking a potential showdown. Crawford invited Benavidez to “step outside” before cooler heads prevailed. They will settle the score in front of a raucous crowd who will be cheering on their hometown hero.

ESPN’s coverage of the event starts Friday, Oct. 12 with the live Top Rank on ESPN Crawford vs. Benavidez Jr. Weigh-In show. Lineup (ET):

TV:
5:30-6:00 p.m., ESPN2 (LIVE, Main and Co-Main Events)
9:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; 1:30 a.m.-2:00 a.m., ESPNEWS (repeat)

Streaming on ESPN+:
5:00-6:00 p.m., ESPN+ (streaming LIVE, entire card)

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets to this world championship event go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. CST. Priced at $178, $103, $63, and $38, not including applicable fees, tickets can be purchased at the CHI Health Center Omaha box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-745-3000, or online at ticketmaster.com.

“The Crawford-Benavidez fight is an old-time grudge match. These are two elite fighters who don’t care for each other, to put it mildly,” said Bob Arum, Top Rank’s founder and CEO. “They will battle each other at a fever pitch. I can’t wait to watch the action.”

“This fight is the fight he has been calling for, and now he will get the chance to see what it’s like to be in the ring with a real champion,” Crawford said. I’ll happily give him his first L.”

“I’ve been wanting this fight for three years. I know I have what it takes to beat him, and I am going to beat him,” Benavidez said. “Crawford has been running his mouth and saying I’m a nobody. I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity.”

Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs) is a three-division world champion, a pound-for-pound elite who was recently named “Fighter of the Year” at the 2018 ESPY Awards. In his first bout of 2018, June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, he defeated defending WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn via ninth-round TKO. Crawford did not miss a beat against Horn despite a nearly 10-month layoff due to a hand injury. Prior to dominating Horn, Crawford became only the third fighter of the four-belt era to unify all the belts when he knocked out fellow unified 140-pound champion Julius Indongo in the third round. Crawford has drawn a total of 44,360 fans in four bouts at the CHI Health Center Omaha, including nearly 11,000 when he knocked down Yuriorkis Gamboa four times en route to a ninth-round TKO to retain the WBO lightweight title in one of the best fights of 2014. Five months after the Gamboa win, Crawford cruised to a wide unanimous decision against Ray Beltran, who went on to win that title more than three years later. In his most recent CHI Health Center Omaha appearance, Dec. 10, 2016 against John Molina Jr., 11,270 fans packed the building as Crawford battered Molina before stopping him in the eighth round. Crawford is 11-0 with eight knockouts in world title bouts and is ranked by many boxing experts as the world’s best fighter.

Benavidez (27-0, 18 KOs), a former WBA interim super lightweight champion, turned pro in 2010 following a standout amateur career that included a 2009 National Golden Gloves gold medal at 141 pounds. His road to this career-defining fight has been anything but smooth, as he was shot multiple times in an August 2016 incident in his hometown of Phoenix. After a nearly 18-month layoff, Benavidez returned on Feb. 3, 2018 in Corpus Christi with an eighth-round TKO against Matthew Strode. It was before the weigh-in for the Strode bout that Benavidez confronted Crawford. Benavidez last fought on the Crawford vs. Horn undercard, knocking out the previously undefeated Frank Rojas at 1:23 of the opening round.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo, @ESPNDeportes. Use the hashtag #CrawfordBenavidez to join the conversation on social media.

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit plus.espn.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to exclusive Top Rank boxing content, programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports from more than 15 conferences), UFC (beginning in 2019), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby, cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

CHELYABINSK, Russia (Sept. 6th, 2018) — Boxing’s preeminent throwback fighter just added another 5,000 miles to his weathered travel log and now hopes to add an elusive world title to his resume.

Philadelphia’s “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy (29-6-1, 14 KOs) returns to the ring Friday night in Russia to face undefeated WBC Silver Lightweight World Champion Zaur Abdullaev (9-0, 6 KOs) in a 12-round bout as part of a stacked fight card at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, less than 1,000 miles east of Moscow.

The event is promoted by RCC Boxing Promotions, owned and operated for two decades by German Titov. Originally named Titov Boxing Promotions, the promotion merged with the Russian Copper Company, a state-of-the-art copper mining company in Yekaterinburg, in 2016 to form RCC Boxing, which helped launch the careers of Russian stars Ruslan Provodnikov, Dmitry Pirog, and former cruiserweight world champion Grigory Drozd.

RCC also co-promoted an event in Yekaterinburg with Main Events in 2016 featuring two-time light heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev, and is now working in conjunction with CES Boxing, which launched Lundy’s career in 2006 and has helped guide the 34-year-old Philadelphia lightweight to two regional titles in addition to a shot at the WBO world super lightweight title in 2016.

“In an era where fighters dodge fights because they don’t want to travel outside of their hometown or they worry about judges, officials and things they cannot control, Hank Lundy is what this sport needs,” CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. said.

“There is no one more deserving of this opportunity. The one thing about ‘Hammerin” Hank is he never quits. He doesn’t listen to the critics. He stays in the gym and remains focused on winning a world title and he won’t rest until he’s the No. 1 fighter in the lightweight division, and we sure as hell won’t rest until we help him accomplish that goal. We’re fully confident we’re leaving Russia with the title and we’re excited about what lies ahead.”

This is Lundy’s second trip to Europe, preceded by his 2013 showdown with former 140-pound world-title holder Viktor Postol in the Ukraine. The well-traveled Lundy has fought everywhere from Memphis to Montreal, including fights in Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Cleveland and Los Angeles, earning the reputation as boxing’s most feared road warrior.

Chelyabinsk, Russia is merely another postcard to add to the collection as Lundy aims to bring a world championship back to Philadelphia, a city rich in boxing tradition with the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Joe Frazier and Sonny Liston, all of whom won multiple world titles during Hall of Fame careers.

The landscape in Philadelphia has changed in recent years with Hopkins’ retirement, ushering in a new cast of rising stars hoping to claim the throne as the city’s best. As one of the area’s elder statesmen, Lundy has the opportunity to add even more clout as a world title-holder with a win over Abdullaev on Friday, which would no doubt be the biggest of his career.

“This fight for me is very big, and when I win it, it’ll put me back on top in the race for the big, green belt,” Lundy said. “The WBC Silver belt will change me and my family’s lives and I’m more than ready. I will not let this slip through my hands.”

The “big, green belt” Lundy is referring to is, of course, the WBC World Lightweight Championship, currently held by undefeated Mikey Garcia. The Silver belt was established by the WBC in 2010 to replace its interim title, and the WBC typically matches its interim champions with its world-title holders, meaning a victory for Lundy on Friday could set the stage for a future showdown with Garcia, a fight Lundy has coveted for quite some time.

“Mike, I’m coming for you,” Lundy said.

But first, Lundy must solve the 24-year-old Abdullaev, recognized as one of the top Russian prospects who competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing before making his official professional boxing debut in 2017. In just his eighth pro fight, he captured the WBC Youth Lightweight Title with a knockout win over Ardie Boyose and then added the Silver lightweight title to his collection two months later with a win over Deiner Berrio.

Born in Dydymkin, which is south of Chelyabinsk, Abdullaev comes from a long line of European fighters who’ve made quick climbs to the top of their weight class. Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko fought for a world title in just his second pro fight and won it in his third, albeit with 397 amateur fights under his belt. Abdullaev amassed an amateur record of 16-8, beginning at the age of 16, before his first World Series of Boxing match in 2016 and then turned pro a year later, making his rapid ascension in the lightweight division equally remarkable.

None of this fazes Lundy, who boasts a resume unlike most in pro boxing and has certainly been forced outside of his comfort zone more so than Abdullaev has in his short career. Lundy’s legendary track record, both at lightweight and super lightweight, includes bouts against pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, Thomas Dulorme, Mauricio Herrera and Raymundo Beltran, who recently fought for the WBO World Lightweight Title.

Lundy also ended the career of former world champion David Diaz in Illinois and knocked off former WBA title-holder Richar Abril in 2010. He enters Friday’s fight fresh off a three-fight win streak, including a dominant performance over former WBO world champion DeMarcus Corley in his hometown in February.

Friday’s fight card also features a 10-round bout for the vacant IBF Youth Super Featherweight Title bout between Mark Urvanov (13-2, 6 KOs) and Nikita Kuznetsov (9-0-1, 4 KOs), plus a 10-round cruiserweight showdown between former world champion Denis Lebedev (30-2, 22 KOs) and former world-title challenger Hizni Altunkaya (30-2, 17 KOs) of Germany.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.

Heavyweight veteran and former World title challenger Kevin Johnson has warned upcoming opponent Daniel Dubois he will be facing ‘a new Kevin Johnson’ when they clash on October 6th at the Morningside Arena, Leicester.

Despite being at the age of 38 years old and over 15 years into his professional boxing campaign, it hasn’t stopped Johnson (32-10-1) from changing his regime and taking a different approach to finding ways to succeed within the sport.

“I’ve been doing strategic work with Richard Dean in the UK, Gary Clark in the US, and Christian Hiller in Germany. I’m experienced and am working in new ways. The mental side is a huge part of it for me now. That’s Richard Dean’s expertise right there, I’ve never worked with anyone better.” said the American.

Johnson’s boxing career has seen him step into the ring a total of 43 times and he has faced some of best heavyweights the division has had to offer in recent years including Tyson Fury and a world title challenge against Vitali Klitschko; something which Johnson believes could prove to be the difference between himself and Dubois (8-0, 8KO) on fight night:

“Look at the facts, he’s fought no-one with anywhere near my experience.” explained Johnson.

He continued: “It’s a massive step up for him. I’ve been in with everybody. He will really have to learn fast while he’s in the fight itself, or he’ll have a bad night.”

Daniel Dubois, who is celebrating his 21st Birthday today, has had a perfect start to his professional boxing career by defeating all eight of his opponents by knockout. Despite what will most certainly be a step up in level for the young heavyweight prospect, he is full of confidence he will beat the veteran American on October 6th.

“I’m happy for him that he thinks that!” chuckled Johnson.

“But, has he accumulated enough skills, abilities to mix at this level? Does he have skills at the next level?

“He definitely will not know until he steps in there. He will feel uncertain, no matter what he says, or what people tell him. He won’t have seen what I will bring. There will be points in that fight where he will feel very unsure, uncertain and unclear, and that is a fact.

“I lost my father last week, and that gives me so much renewed hunger to win this.

“To reiterate; Dubois hasn’t seen anything like me, and the world hasn’t seen anything like the me who has done lots of mental prep.

“The me who has done lots of physical prep and the me who has just lost his father. This is a new Kevin Johnson, but with lots of experience. I really want this, I will be bringing my A-Game.”

‘The Time Is Now’ is headlined by Jack Catterall v Ohara Davies. Leicester’s own, Lyon Woodstock defends his WBO European Super-Featherweight title against Archie Sharp. Heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois takes on former world title challenger Kevin Johnson. Olympian and double gold medallist Nicola Adams will be fighting Isabel Millan for the Interim WBO World Female Super-Flyweight Title and Leicester’s British Super-Featherweight champion Sam Bowen also feature on a major night of boxing televised live on BT Sport.

Tickets are priced at £40, £60, £100, £150, £200 and are available to purchase from Eventbrite and Ticketmaster.