Former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal’s bout with former UFC fighter Steve Bosse will now take place on July 20th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

We have a new partner in Olivier Primeau, owner of the Beachclub. We already talked about doing business together a short while ago when he hosted us and Floyd Mayweather at this venue. We considered it was the perfect occasion to do it,” said promoter Yvon Michel said. “He asked us a little more time to maximize the promotion of the event and we agreed.”

“We are not here to do miracles, but to make sure boxing will be known by more people, to develop a younger crowd and a new clientele,” Primeau said.

Las Vegas (June 26, 2018) – Three-Time world champion Fernando Vargas has confirmed that he and his Feroz Fight Factory Gym will appear, have a booth and hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the fourth Annual Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday September 15, 2018 from 10a.m to 5pm, during Mexican Independence weekend. The Boxing Expo will also coincide with the highly anticipated rematch between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin, that will take place later that evening.

Vargas and the Feroz Fight Factory will have merchandise to sell to his fans, as well as photos and memorabilia.

Fernando Vargas, is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent and 3 Time world champion with a Pro record of 31 wins 5 losses and 22 KO’s. He who won a bronze medal as an amateur at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata. His nicknames include “Ferocious”, “The Aztec Warrior” and “El Feroz”. Vargas was the youngest open national champion at 16 yrs old. The youngest boxing Olympian at 18yrs old and holds the record in boxing history as the youngest to become jr. middleweight champion at 21 years old.

Some of Fernando’s notable wins came against 5 world champions which includes, Raúl Márquez, Yori Boy Campas, Ike Quartey, Javier Castillejo and Winky Wright. His losses to Oscar De La Hoya, Félix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, and Ricardo Mayorga remain his only career defeats and he is a favorite of American cable TV giant HBO.

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

Exhibitors such as boxing gear, apparel, new equipment’s, energy drinks, alcohol, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies and other companies who wish to participate will once again have a chance to showcase their brand to fans, media and the boxing industry.

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

Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to Meet and Greet Boxing Superstars of today, current and former world champions, Legends of the sport and other boxing Celebrities at their booth. On Site, fans will experience different activities from Autograph Sessions, Photo Sessions, FaceOff with your favorite boxers, as well as a chance to purchase merchandise and memorabilia from their booth, plus so much more… you won’t want to miss this must-attend Expo!

Box Fan Expo will also feature top boxing organizations, promoters, ring card girls, famous trainers and commentators as well as boxing gear companies “ALL UNDER ONE ROOF”.

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

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

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

More information on the Box Fan Expo is available at: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

You can follow Box Fan Expo on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BoxFanExpo

and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BoxFanExpo

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (June 26, 2018) – In advance of her fight this Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, three-time world champion Kali “KO Mequinonoag” Reis held an open media workout today at Big Six Academy in Providence, Rhode Island.

Fighting out of nearby Cranston, RI, Reis (13-7-1, 4 KOs) will face former world title challenger Patty “La Elegante” Ramirez (11-5, 5 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Reis vs. Ramirez is the co-featured bout on the “SLUGFEST AT THE SUN” card, presented by JOE DEGUARDIA’S STAR BOXING, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Reis is coming off a historic fight last month versus undisputed women’s world welterweight champion and pound-4-pound Queen, 33-0 Cecilia Braekhus, in the first female bout ever featured on HBO. Reis dropped Braekhus for the first time in her professional career, however the judges scored the fight in favor of Braekhus, over ruckus boo’s from the crowd.

In the main event, after eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
QUOTES AND PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S MEDIA WORKOUT:

“I’m so excited to be back fighting at home, especially after our history making fight on HBO. I fought Cecilia Braekhus. We were the first women to ever fight on HBO and there were more than a million viewers. If I knew that many people would be watching, I would have been a lot more nervous.”

“On paper, it was a loss, but it was really a win-win for me, and women’s boxing. It’s already opened a lot of doors for me. There’s been so much growth for me and women’s boxing. It’s going to open the door for other women to fight on networks. It was a step up for women’s boxing, not just for one event, but forever.”

“I’m the first female Native American to fight in New England.”

“I’ve been fighting 18 years. I played basketball and volleyball in high school, but I love boxing.”

“I showed in my last fight that I belong to be with the elite. I want to get a rematch (with Braekhus).”

“Being a road warrior, I’m familiar fighting away or at home, but it’s more comfortable fighting here at home. My hometown crowd is always very supportive.”

“(Saturday) I am going to come out with a victory. My opponent’s taller, but I just need to follow the game plan and execute.”

KALI REIS PREPARING FOR HER CO-FEATURE BOUT AT MOHEGAN SUN THIS SATURDAY AT TODAY’S MEDIA WORKOUT
CREDIT: STAR BOXING
MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.

INFO:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN”: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.

Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.

The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.

On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
PREVIOUS RELEASES
June 30th Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. Main Event Announcement
Kali Reis Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. vs Melvin Russell Main Event
Media Credential Application –Accredited Media ONLY
Anthony Laureano Mohegan Announcement
Undercard Bout Announcements
Ringside Seats Sold Out
Joe Smith Jr. & Joe Farina; The Definition of Working Man
TICKETS:
Tickets for the live event start at $30 (plus $5 venue fee) and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com by clicking HERE or by going to www.StarBoxing.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
MOHEGAN SUN:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
MONTAUK ULTRA H20:
Montauk Ultra H20, a new Chlorine and Florine free alkaline water, with a pH of 9.5. Hydrate like the pro’s.

New York, NY (June 26, 2018) – New Orleans-based undefeated heavyweight prospect Jonathan Guidry (10-0, 2 KOs) will face Aaron Chavers (8-4-1, 3 KOs), of Oklahoma City, OK, in a six-round clash Saturday, July 14, at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans.

Presented by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, Guidry vs. Chavers will be a featured undercard fight to the highly anticipated main event between WBC interim super lightweight champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis, of New Orleans, and undefeated challenger Juan Jose Velasco, of Argentina, with the WBC Diamond super lightweight belt at stake. Prograis vs. Velasco and Teofimo Lopez vs. William Silva will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7 p.m. ET, while the undercard, including Guidry vs. Chavers, will be broadcast on ESPN+ beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets, priced at $200 (ringside), $125 (floor), $75 and $40, can be purchased in advance at the Lakefront Arena box office, Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at 800-745-3000. Discounts for military, students and the New Orleans Police Department members – $75 tickets for $50 and $40 seats for $25 – are available when presenting valid ID at the UNO box office.

A native of Dulac, Louisiana, the 28-year-old Guidry comes from a family of professional and amateur boxers. Starting as an amateur at the age of 14, the high school football standout compiled a record of 38-8, highlighted by winning the Ringside World Tournament.

Guidry made his professional debut on April 11, 2014, with a first-round knockout of Roosevelt Hudson. Trained and managed by the team of Les Bonano and Jonathan Liberto, Guidry has become one of the most popular fighters in the state of Louisiana and is coming off a second-round knockout of Lemarcus Tucker on June 2, in Metairie, LA.

The upset-minded Chavers looks to bounce back into the win column following a battle with Niall Kennedy on February 24.

IBF Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev will defend his crown against Callum Johnson on October 6th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said the bout could take place in Chicago.

Beterbiev-Johnson will be on the undercard of a show that Hearn told ESPN will be part of his new series of fights in the United States that will stream on Perform Group’s DAZN sports streaming service, which is due to launch in the U.S. this fall.

Beterbiev will be fighting for the 1st time since losing litigation to get out of his contract with promoter Yvon Michel.

“I have not met with Beterbiev but we are communicating through his management’s team,” Michel told ESPN. “After the court decision I had an excellent and cordial meeting with them. Our contract has been declared valid. We both have obligations and responsibilities and we will continue to honor it. You can expect the IBF light heavyweight champion to be very active defending his title or in unifications.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the World Boxing Super Series added the junior welterweight division for their 2nd season of tournaments.

“We are very delighted to announce [junior welterweight] as our second weight class of the upcoming season,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland, the chief boxing officer for tournament organizer Comosa AG. “[Junior welterweight] is without a doubt one of the most action-packed weight divisions in boxing and we have a sensational lineup to be announced.”

The field for the 140-pound tournament has not yet been announced, but it is an open secret throughout the industry that it is expected to include Regis Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs), 29, a Houston southpaw, as long as he defeats Juan Jose Velasco on July 14 in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card; Cleveland contender Ryan Martin (22-0, 12 KOs), 25; world titleholder Kiryl Relikh (22-2, 19 KOs), 28, of Belarus, who likely will take on former titlist and mandatory challenger Eduard Troyanovsky (27-1, 24 KOs), 37, of Russia, in the quarterfinals; and Russia’s Ivan Baranchyk (18-0, 11 KOs), 25, and Anthony Yigit (21-0-1, 7 KOs), 26, of Sweden, who would meet for a vacant world title in another quarterfinal.

Two other fighters who have been prominently mentioned as possible entrants:

• Maurice Hooker (24-0-3, 16 KOs), 28, of Dallas, who won a vacant world title by split decision over Terry Flanagan on June 9. His team told ESPN it is considering an invitation to join the tournament.

• Josh Taylor (13-0, 11 KOs), 27, a southpaw from Scotland, who on Saturday won a hard-fought unanimous decision against former world titleholder Viktor Postol in a title elimination fight.

Las Vegas – UFC® will debut in Lincoln, Nebraska with a battle of lightweight contenders guaranteed to deliver fireworks, as No.7-ranked Justin Gaethje faces No.10 Al Iaquinta. Plus, it’s a clash of dynamic flyweight contenders, as No.6-ranked John Moraga goes for his fourth straight win when he takes on undefeated No.14 Deiveson Figueiredo. UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: GAETHJE vs. IAQUINTA goes down Saturday, Aug. 25 from Pinnacle Bank Arena and will air live on FS1.

Though he’s only made three trips to the Octagon®, Gaethje (18-2, fighting out of Arvada, Colo.) has already proven to be must-watch television. Each of his UFC outings have earned Fight of the Night honors, with ‘The Highlight’ also taking home a Performance of the Night bonus for his spectacular TKO win over Michael Johnson in his UFC debut. Following consecutive wars with Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier, Gaethje is set to re-assert himself as a title threat in the stacked lightweight division.

A heavy-handed striker, Iaquinta (13-4-1, fighting out of Wantagh, N.Y.) turned heads this past April when he stepped in on one day’s notice to face Khabib Nurmagomedov. Though he came up short, Iaquinta put on a gutsy performance that firmly established himself as a 155-pound contender. During his UFC run, Iaquinta has netted impressive wins against Kevin Lee, Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon, Jorge Masvidal and Diego Sanchez. Iaquinta now looks to crack the division’s top 10 with a show-stealing win over Gaethje.

A former flyweight title challenger, Moraga (19-6, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) has fought the 125-pound division’s best. Over the course of his UFC stint, he’s delivered impressive victories against Wilson Reis, Magomed Bibulatov, Justin Scoggins, Dustin Ortiz and Chris Cariaso. Moraga hopes to continue his ascent to another championship opportunity by handing a surging prospect his first loss.

Though he only made his UFC debut one year ago, Figueiredo (14-0, fighting out of Soure, Brazil) has already turned heads in the flyweight division. After stopping Marco Beltran in his debut last June, the rising star edged out Jarred Brooks before earning a dominant TKO win over Joseph Morales. Figueiredo is now poised to crack the top 10 if he can score a spectacular victory against Moraga.

Additional bouts on the card include:

In a battle of strawweight contenders, No.11-ranked Alexa Grasso (10-2, fighting out of Guadalajara, Mexico) takes on No.15 Angela Hill (8-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)
The Ultimate Fighter season 23 winner Andrew Sanchez (10-4, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J.) looks to get back in the win column against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Antonio Braga Neto (9-3 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Former Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Eryk Anders (10-1, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) locks horns with Tim Williams (15-4, fighting out of Millville, N.J.)
Omaha native Drew Dober (19-8 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) aims to keep his momentum going when he meets The Ultimate Fighter veteran Jon Tuck (10-4, fighting out of Hagatna, Guam)
Submission ace Rani Yahya (25-9 1NC, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) goes for his third straight win against tough prospect Luke Sanders (13-2, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn.)

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

Visit the UFC® Press Portal for information and content to support your UFC coverage.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: GAETHJE vs. IAQUINTA will air live on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, August 25, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: GAETHJE vs. IAQUINTA go on sale Friday, June 29 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $143, $113, $88 and $63 (does not include fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, June 27 at 10 a.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, June 28 starting at 10 a.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

###

About UFC®

UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, UFC boasts more than 284 million fans worldwide and has produced over 400 events in 21 countries since its inception in 1993. Acquired in 2016 by global sports, entertainment and fashion leader Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG), together with strategic partners Silver Lake Partners and KKR, UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas with a network of employees around the world. UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe, while programming is broadcast in over 165 countries and territories to more than 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 40 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

Belfast beanpole Tyrone McKenna believes that a clinical victory over world-rated ex British champion Jack Catterall at The Odyssey Arena in his home city this weekend, could catapult the former Junior Olympic medallist into a world title gig with Dallas’s angular WBO king Maurice Hooker.

‘Hooker v McKenna. Freak against Freak! I’m just concentrating on Saturday but, yeh, let’s bring ‘Mighty Mo’ to Belfast. He’s definitely beatable,’ states the 6ft 1in southpaw – known as ‘Bones’ – who is unbeaten in 17 (one TD) since kickstarting his pro innings on the US East Coast back in August 2012.

‘Once I beat Catterall and establish my name, I want the big fights as soon as possible. I’ve been pleading for these types of fights for a while. I’m ready to take on the world!’

Eight months back, the former six-time All Ireland amateur king was still to venture beyond round six in a slow burning career. However, subsequent gritty and educational 10 round wins over French nugget Renald Garrido and 17-1 city rival Anthony Upton have plugged the gap.

‘You could throw a stone from my garden and hit Upton’s house so there was a lot of west Belfast pride involved; a bit of needle. There’s no way I could’ve shown my face around here, if I’d lost to him,’ says the swift and slingy sharpshooter.

‘Anthony is a tricky, sharp switch hitter, a very good boxer but, on the night, he just wanted to move. It was a bit frustrating because I trained very hard and sparring went unbelievably well. Still, I demonstrated a bit of power to drop him in the ninth and won comfortably enough on the cards. It told me a lot about where I’m at, in fighting terms. He’d beaten me in the amateurs but I got my revenge where it mattered.’

Nevertheless, the crossroads clash against 21-0 ‘El Gato’ Catterall, ranked fifth by the WBO, represents another sizeable step-up.

‘Basically, I’ve had to step in because that mouthpiece Ohara Davies didn’t have the balls. One hundred per cent Davies can have it next, after I win on Saturday. I’ll gladly end his career,’ says the 28 year old Ulsterman who is managed by MTK Global and coached by Danny Vaughan in Glasgow.

‘Jack and I have sparred in the past and we get along, talk quite often on social media. As a fan, I enjoy watching him fight. He’s always entertaining and he’s a solid all-rounder. It’s sure to be a tough night for me.

‘But it’s a test I’m more than ready for. Since switching to Danny two years ago, I’ve grown as a fighter. He’s got me training very hard and eating right. My defence is much improved and I’m finally sitting down on my punches.’

The odds setters enlist McKenna as a generous 4-1 outsider, remarkable given that the southpaw enters with a six inch reach height advantage and enjoys home court……and there’s no home advantage quite like a Belfast home advantage!

‘The size differential makes no difference. I have to punch down but I had well over 100 amateur contests and encountered every style and size. Some highlight that I’ve ‘advantages’ but I’ve never been in the boxing game to jab and move. I love to entertain the fans,’ claims ‘The Mighty Celt’.

‘Boxing a fellow southpaw won’t be an issue either. I’ve done most of my sparring with Tom Stalker, Jono Carroll and Sam Maxwell, who switches. Sometimes I prefer a southpaw for a change.

The collision with Catterall represents Tyrone’s sixth successive start in the Ulster capital.

‘There’s zero pressure on me. Jack holds the belt, he’s the odds -on favourite, he’s the one saying I’m ‘easy work’,’ he says.

‘I’ve fought before at the Waterfront and SSE in Belfast and the fans give you a big, big drive. Our fight is likely to be just before Mick (Conlan)’s big homecoming so the hall should be rammed and I guarantee it’ll daunt Jack Catterall. I believe it’ll affect his performance and inspire me.

‘I’m fit and ready to rumble. If Catterall wants to war, we war!’ He’s talking of making it a hat-trick of one round wins in a row so maybe he’ll steam out for an early ‘kill’. However, if he tries to box instead, I’ll outsmart him. I’ve far greater amateur experience and I’d pitch my boxing brain against anyone else’s in the division. Either way, baby!

‘Jack says he’s not underestimating me but he keeps talking about future fights with Ohara Davies and Maurice Hooker. Hold on …..! First, he’s got to get past a 6ft 1in southpaw who’s a nightmare for any one.

‘I’ve faster hands, faster feet and think speed will be a key factor. With 8oz gloves on, a stoppage is possible. I won’t be looking for it, but I certainly punch hard enough. If I execute my game plan, I expect it to be a comfortable night for me.’

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. / ORANGE, Calif. (June 26, 2018) – Unbeaten featherweight standout Ruben Villa (11-0, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif stars in the main event this Saturday when he takes on Mexico’s Ricardo Lopez (7-2-2, 6 KOs) in an 8-round fight that will mark his third start of the year.

The bout will take place this Saturday, June 30, from Omega Products International in Sacramento.

The slick southpaw defends his WBO Youth title that he won in April in his hometown. Villa thoroughly outpointed Marlon Olea for his first championship as a professional.

“I’m anxious to get back in the ring,” said Villa, who is managed by Danny Zamora. “I like being active. I’m defending my title for the first time. I’ll have a lot of fans in attendance so I’m ready to put on a great show.”

Villa is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100, and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900, or online at ThompsonBoxing.com.

All fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: New Blood via Thompson Boxing Facebook and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 7:45 p.m. PT / 10:45 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert, color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 7:45 p.m. Omega Products is located at 8111 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA 95826, and can be reached at 916-635-3335.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check Banner Promotions Facebook Page , and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing

If unbeaten ex British light-welter king Jack Catterall has any shortcomings as he storms towards a world title shot, lack of self-belief is clearly not among them.

The power-packed Chorley southpaw is currently ranked fifth and rising in the queue to face WBO boss Maurice Hooker from Dallas. However, this weekend, ‘El Gato’, still only 24, gambles all against a much avoided 6ft 1in southpaw, performing in their home city.

When said southpaw is 16-0-1TD ex amateur standout Tyrone McKenna and the home crowd hails from Belfast, the task clearly magnifies.

‘Beating Tyrone in his own backyard will just make the victory so much sweeter,’ quips the clearly non-plussed Lancastrian who has eliminated all 21 prior pro opponents, stopping a dozen (often in spectacular fashion!)

‘I’ve never been to Belfast so that’s a new experience but I’m very aware of how hostile the Fighting Irish crowd is. I don’t particularly want any cups of p*** chucked over me but I’m actually excited by experiencing their passion. They’re a proper fight crowd who’ll make a lot of noise and, whether that’s for me or their man Tyrone, it’s a good thing.’

It isn’t just the crowd that Catterall will need to conquer. ‘Bones’ McKenna is a six-time All-Ireland amateur champion and Junior Olympic medallist who has also swept all before him since shedding his singlet.

‘I’ve studied Tyrone a great deal yet I’ve never seen him in a fight against anyone good enough to cause him problems,’ claims the Jamie Moore coached, MTK Global managed bulldozer who flattened both of his previous 2018 opponents inside the opening frame.

‘We’ve been working on stuff we need to combat and expose the flaws McKenna’s known to have. He seems to keep his hands low yet his past history suggests that he’ll come to slug. Against me, that’s the wrong thing to do. Even if he TRIES to box me, he’ll soon return to type. I’ll not have to go looking for him.’

Just 5ft 7in on his tiptoes, Catterall might require a step ladder to locate McKenna’s whiskers but he has always exhibited a relentless and remorseless body attack.

‘I’ve been sparring plenty of tall southpaws for this,’ says joltin’ Jack, a former national CYP champ and England amateur international.

‘I’ve never been the tallest for my weight so I’m used to conceding. Anyway, Tyrone doesn’t make the best of the (physical) advantages he enjoys. He’s no Bradley Skeete. The way Tyrone fights, he’s not the hardest to find. Besides, Nathan Brough was the same size as Ty and what happened to him? Left snoozing! (Catterall iced the World Junior medallist with a single left hand back in 2014).

‘And I’ve beaten several southpaws before. Tom Stalker was a southpaw (stopped in eight). All our preparation has been geared towards southpaws. That said, if Tyrone was foolish enough to come out orthodox I’d quickly adapt. That’s one of my best qualities.

‘Tyrone’s a good fighter but he’ll find I’m better. Yes, he’s older and brings a better amateur pedigree but I’m the more experienced professional, I’ve come through trickier fights. I’ve better speed, power, timing. I’ve got it all.

‘I’ll not be remotely concerned about what McKenna tries to do. I’ll go into the fight and establish myself. He can react to me. If he wants a phone box war, he’ll get one. I’ll be too strong, too powerful and once I land one on his whiskers, he’ll not want to engage.

‘I’m fit and ready for 10 very hard rounds. I’m not daft. I know I’m not Gennady Golovkin and you have to have a strategy. But there’s a good chance I’ll stop him.

‘I’ll need to put on a masterclass to beat a Belfast boy in Belfast and that’s exactly what I intend to deliver.’

FRESNO, Calif. (June 26, 2018) – The Mean Machine, Egidijus Kavaliauskas, is looking to cement his name as a welterweight to watch when he defends the NABF title against Juan Carlos Abreu, July 7 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno as the ESPN-televised co-feature to Jose Ramirez’s WBC super lightweight title defense against Danny O’Connor.

The undercard will also feature heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. against veteran Kevin Johnson in a 10- round bout, 18-year-old wunderkind Gabe Flores Jr. versus James De Herrera in a six-round lightweight bout, and Andy Vences defending the WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title against Frank De Alba.

Ramirez vs. O’Connor and Kavaliauskas vs. Abreu will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The entire undercard, including Vences-DeAlba, Ruiz-Johnson and Flores-De Herrera will be streamed on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Star Boxing and Murphys Boxing, tickets to this world championship event, priced at $150 (floor), 90, $60, $35, $20, and $10, plus applicable fees, are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000, or at the Save Mart Center box office. For more information and box office hours, visit www.savemartcenter.com.

“This is a great opportunity to show everyone watching on ESPN what the ‘Mean Machine’ is made of,” Kavaliauskas said. “I want a title shot soon, but I have to take care of business against Abreu to make my dreams a reality. It’s going to be a toe-to-toe battle, and I know I will be victorious.”

“I am excited to show what I’m capable of doing. I’m more anxious than anything to show everyone the improvements I’ve made,” Vences said. “I am fighting another southpaw, so I feel like I’m picking up where I left off. I have a lot of family and friends coming out to support me, which gives me extra motivation.”

“This is my first fight in California as a pro, and I can’t wait to entertain my people,” Flores said.

Kavaliauskas (19-0, 16 KOs), ranked in the top 10 by three of the four major sanctioning organizations, is on the precipice of a world title shot. A native of Lithuania who trains out of the Boxing Laboratory in Oxnard, California, Kavaliauskas has won four consecutive fights by stoppage. He won the NABF title last September with a seventh-round TKO over Mahonri Montes and defended the title in February with a sixth-round TKO over former WBA welterweight world champion David Avanesyan. Abreu (21-3-1, 19 KOs) has won two in a row since a split decision loss to then-unbeaten Alex Martin in June 2016.

Ruiz (30-1, 20 KOs) is on the comeback trail after dropping a majority decision to Joseph Parker on Dec. 10, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. He took 15 months off after the Parker loss, but came back March 10 in Carson, California, knocking out Devin Vargas in the opening round. Johnson (32-9-1, 16 KOs) is a 15-year pro who challenged Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title in 2009, losing a unanimous decision.

Flores (8-0, 5 KOs), an 18-year-old recent high school graduate from Stockton, California, signed with Top Rank in November 2016 at 16 years old, becoming the youngest fighter ever to sign with the promotional company. He is seeking his fourth win of 2018, most recently scoring a four-round unanimous decision June 9 in Las Vegas on the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn undercard.

In his last bout, Vences (20-0-1, 12 KOs) fought to spirited draw against Erick De Leon as the ESPN-televised co-feature to the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg bout March 10 in Carson, California. De Alba (22-3-2, 9 KOs) is looking to get back into the win column following an eight-round majority decision defeat to O’Shaquie Foster on April 13 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

In other undercard action:
19-year-old phenom Joseph Adorno (7-0, 7 KOs) will face Guadalupe De Leon in a six-round super featherweight bout. Adorno has six first-round stoppages on his ledger.

130-pound prospect Bryan Lua (5-0, 2 KOs) of Madera, California, will take on Sergio Ramirez (4-2, 4 KOs) in a six rounder. Lua is riding a two-bout knockout streak.

Indio, California, native Ruben Rodriguez (2-0, 1 KO) returns to action after a nearly nine-month layoff against Richard Howell (2-1-2 1 KO) of Dallas in a six-round super lightweight fight.

Super bantamweight Santos Ortega (1-0, 1 KO) will put his unbeaten record on the line against Ivan Martino (2-1, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder.

Fresno native Manuel Manzo (3-6-1, 1 KO), winner of three straight, will look to thrill the home fans against Sergio Lopez (3-5-1, 0 KOs) in a four-round super bantamweight bout.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks.

The ESPN+ lineup includes 18 exclusive, live Top Rank events per year, dozens of fights from other Top Rank undercards, an unmatched library of the greatest fights in boxing history, and two exclusive, original boxing programs: The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays) and In This Corner (twice monthly).

It also features hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, PGA TOUR golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App is the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans and is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation. With a richer, increasingly more personalized experience, the new ESPN App curates all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.

MICHAEL CONLAN believes Irish professional boxing is the strongest it has ever been and warned the world: The best is yet to come.

Conlan returns home to Belfast on Saturday when he meets Brazil’s former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos at the SSE Arena (Live on BT Sport) in a non-title ten rounder.

He has become one of the ?ag bearers for Irish boxing and the 2015 world amateur champion, boomed: “Irish boxing is just getting better”

Conlan who hasn’t boxed in his home city since February 2011 added: “I think Irish professional boxing is the strongest it has ever been.

“We had the golden age of Irish amateur boxing, and right now it is the golden age of professional boxing.”

Besides Conlan’s march to the top, two-time world champion Carl Frampton is in the form of his life and close friend Paddy Barnes challenges for the WBC ?yweight title at Windsor Park in August.

Besides those success stories Ryan Burnett holds a WBA version of the world bantamweight title.

Conlan, 26, who has won all seven ?ghts since turning professional in the United States insists he will be home to ?ght once a year despite being a boxing darling in New York.

And he is dreaming of a triple world title bill boxing alongside Frampton and Barnes.

He said: “Guys like myself and Paddy have turned professional and Carl turned over earlier, but we have all added to this era which is going to take Irish boxing up another level.

“It would be unbelievable if Carl, Paddy and myself could all defend world titles on the same bill.

“It will be hard because of timing and stuff, but we are all with the same management team so it’s de?nitely a possibility.”

The undercard has produced one of the most competitive undercards ever seen in Belfast with a catalogue of 50-50 needle showdowns. World ranked Jack Catterall risks his WBO super-lightweight title against Belfast’s Tyrone McKenna.

There is a brilliant all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental crown against Declan Geraghty. When the warring rivals met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead on the cards when he was disquali?ed in the fourth round.
In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls,

Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Sean McComb, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds and recent world title challenger Gary Corcoran.

Tickets prices £250 (Inner Ring Hospitality), £200 (Outer Ring Hospitality), £120, £100, £80, £60, £50, £40 are available from the SSE Arena website.

NEW YORK (June 25, 2018) – A battle of unbeaten welterweight prospects will headline a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader on Friday, July 20 live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT when Jaron Ennis squares off against Armando Alvarez in the 10-round main event from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa.

Philadelphia’s Ennis (20-0, 18 KOs) has knocked out 10 consecutive opponents and was the 2015 National Golden Gloves Champion before turning professional in 2016. The 20-year-old former amateur standout will face his first undefeated opponent in Alvarez (18-0, 12 KOs), a native of the Florida Keys who has knocked out six of his last seven opponents.

The three-fight telecast features six prospects with a combined record of 82-1, with all six fighters facing what is likely the toughest tests of their careers.

In the co-feature, undefeated lightweight Thomas Mattice (12-0, 10 KOs) returns to Iowa for his second ShoBox appearance of the year when he clashes with former Armenian amateur standout Zhora Hamazaryan (9-0, 6 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

Also on the card, undefeated super lightweight prospect Montana Love (11-0, 5 KOs) will take on former national amateur champion Kenneth Sims Jr. (12-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight bout.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by GH3 Promotions, Victory Promotions, Ringside Ticket Inc., Banner Promotions & Thompson Boxing are priced from $10-$60 and can be purchased at winnavegas.com.

JARON ENNIS vs. ARMANDO ALVAREZ – 10-Round Welterweight Bout
Ennis will debut on ShoBox following a statement second round knockout of former junior welterweight contender Mike Arnaoutis earlier this month, his 10th consecutive KO victory. The Philadelphia native had a standout amateur career, notching an impressive record of 58-3 and winning the 2015 National Golden Gloves tournament. Ennis, who was ranked No. 1 as an amateur at 141 pounds, narrowly missed the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the 2016 Olympics after losing a box-off to Gary Antuanne Russell at the Olympic Trials.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for,” Ennis said. “I can’t wait to show the world my talent.”

Just 20 years old, Ennis currently trains under his father Derek “Bozy” Ennis Sr., who also trained his other sons Derek Jr. and Farah. The 5-foot-10 Ennis will be the third brother to appear on ShoBox; Derek Jr. appeared on the series in 2007, and Farah faced Badou Jack on the series in 2013.

“A win on this platform would mean everything,” Ennis continued. “From here on out, I want to fight only the big names in the division. I feel grateful for this opportunity to show the world my talents and skills. It’s great to follow in my brother’s footsteps, and I am ready to take the Ennis last name to the next level.”

The 28-year-old Alvarez turned professional in 2014 and has gradually increased his level of opposition. Alvarez, who now lives in Key West, compiled a 26-4 amateur record and won the Florida State Championship in 2013. His headlining fight with Ennis will be his second fight of 2018 and by far his toughest test to date.

“This is the biggest opportunity I have ever received,” Alvarez said. “This is it. It’s on. Ennis is a great young fighter, but I think he has stepped out of his league. He is just a kid. The world will find out who Armando Alvarez is on July 20.”

THOMAS MATTICE vs. ZHORA HAMAZARYAN – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout
A 27-year-old from Cleveland, Mattice turned pro in 2014 and had an amateur record of 72-18. He was a three-time Ohio State Golden Gloves Champion and bronze medal winner in the USA National Tournament in 2014.

Mattice will be making his second ShoBox appearance following a strong debut Feb. 2, when the undefeated lightweight rallied from behind to score a seventh round TKO of ShoBox veteran Rolando Chinea. Mattice has recorded five straight KOs and nine overall in 11 professional fights.

“I am excited for the opportunity to showcase my talent again on ShoBox,” Mattice said. “I’m going to go out there and do what I did before. I’m going to get a win, hopefully in knockout fashion. This guy (Hamazaryan) doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.”

Undefeated lightweight prospect Hamazaryan, who signed with Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing in February, is originally from Armenia but fights out of Los Angeles. Part of a long line of Armenian fighters who have fought in the U.S., Hamazaryan won his U.S. debut on Feb. 16, when he scored a unanimous decision win over the previously unbeaten Sergio Ramirez. Prior to his win against Ramirez, all of Hamazaryan’s victories were earned in Russia.

The 22-year-old was considered the No. 1 fighter in Armenia after an amateur career that spanned over 200 fights. Hamazaryan turned professional in 2015, turning down an opportunity to fight for the Armenian Olympic Team in 2016.

“This fight is very important for me, and I am very excited to be fighting on national television in America,” Hamazaryan said. “I know [Mattice] is undefeated but I normally don’t look at my opponent. I’m just looking to put on a great performance and make a statement for fans in the U.S.”

MONTANA LOVE vs. KENNETH SIMS JR. – Eight-Round Super Lightweight Bout
Cleveland native Love was an accomplished amateur who compiled a 174-13 record and won a bronze medal at the 2012 National Golden Gloves Championships. The 22-year-old recently sparred with Adrien Broner, and served as head sparring partner for Robert Easter Jr. before his lightweight title defense against Javier Fortuna on Jan. 20.

Love has won two consecutive bouts against lesser opposition since defeating Samuel Teah in his ShoBox debut on Feb. 2.

“I am excited and happy to be back,” Love said. “I want to put on another great performance. Sims and I grew up as amateurs together. He’s a good fighter, but I am hungry and want to keep rolling. I can’t let anything get in my way.”

Chicago native Sims makes his return to ShoBox just over a year after suffering the first loss of his career against Rolando Chinea via close majority decision in what was his toughest test to date. The 24-year-old Sims, who has sparred with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, was a 2013 U.S. National Amateur Champion and a 2012 Olympic Trials semifinalist.

“I am happy to be back fighting after having surgery on my elbow that had been bothering me for the last year and a half,” Sims said. “This is my chance to prove that I’m back and the loss onShoBox was a fluke. I remember Love from the amateurs and I know I have what it takes to beat him.”

# # #

For more information visit www.sho.com/sportsfollow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 76 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

LOS ANGELES (June 25, 2018): Rising featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (19-0, 11 KOs) will battle for the vacant NABO 126-pound title against Rafael ‘Big Bang’ Rivera (25-1-2, 16 KOs) in the 10-round main event of the July 13 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Doors to the event open at 3:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

Gonzalez isa native of Glendora, Calif. who was a decorated amateur before turning professional in 2012. After several years of steadily climbing the featherweight rankings, the 24-year-old blossomed into a legitimate contender in 2017 after scoring stoppage victories against the likes of Derrick Murray, Deivi Bassa and Isao Carranza. Gonzalez is coming off a fifth-round knockout victory against Rolando Magbanua in March of this year and will be inches away from a world title opportunity if successful on July 13.

“This has been one of my goals and thank God I’ll be fighting for my first regional title,” said Joet Gonzalez.”I’ve worked too hard over the past few years to not make the most of this opportunity, and I promise to make the most of it against Rafael Rivera. I have all the tools to be the best fighter in this division. Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions and my manager Frank Espinoza for allowing my step up and showcase my skills.”

Rivera, of Tijuana, Mexico, debuted as a professional only a few months before Gonzalez and shares a similar career trajectory. The 24-year-old has spent the last six years fighting in Mexico and the United States and has wins against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and then-undefeated Ruben Garcia Hernandez. This will be Rivera’s second opportunity to fight for the NABO title after giving a tough fight to former title challenger Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz, Jr. in the co-main event of Canelo vs. Golovkin in September 2017.

“I had a last-minute chance against Jojo Diaz back in September, and I missed it,” said Rafael Rivera. “This fight against Joet is the best opportunity to show what I’m capable of. I’ll be ready to take the NABO belt back home.”

Local favorite Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (18-2, 15 KOs) of Buena Park, Calif. will return in a six-round lightweight fight. This will be Gonzalez’s first fight under the tutelage of renowned trainer Joel Diaz, who is working with Gonzalez to improve his craft in a way that will complement his knockout power. Gonzalez is now rubbing elbows with the likes of Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse, Marcelino “Nino” Lopez and other Golden Boy fighters at the Diaz training camp in Indio, Calif.

Richard “Kansas Kid” Acevedo (2-0, 2 KOs) will return in a four-round super welterweight fight. Acevedo is the brother of Herbert “Ace” Acevedo and Oscar “Motorcito” Acevedo,” a trio of brothers who are originally from Garden City, Kansas. All three train at the Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, where they are gaining a lot of attention fighting on Golden Boy Promotions events.

Opponents for both fighters along with a full undercard will be announced shortly.

Gonzalez vs. Rivera is a 10-round fight for the vacant NABO Featherweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place on Friday, July 13, 2018 at The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. LIVE. Doors to the event open at 3:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Gonzalez vs. Rivera are priced at $20, $40, and $60, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, June 26 at 10:00 a.m. PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849) or The Novo Box Office (213) 765-7000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com, www.thenovodtla.com, www.axs.com, and www.lalive.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and http://www.espn.com/boxing/; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting link: http://bit.ly/GonzalezRivera into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 25, 2018) – Undefeated prospect, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (7-0-1, 5 KOs), who is managed by Prince Ranch Boxing’s Greg Hannley and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, is gearing up for his second fight of 2018, when he faces Jhon Sanchez Leon (3-1-1, 2 KOs) at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, CA, on the July 6 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB. The 4-round bout will be off TV.

Cobbs, who hails from Philadelphia but now trains in Las Vegas with former two-time world champion, Bones Adams, is excited to be making his return to the ring.

“Training camp is going great and I’m healthy,” said Blair Cobbs. “I’ll be ready and willing to let my hands go when I step in the on July 6th in LA.”

Blair will be making the move up to welterweight, where he will be campaigning moving forward in his career. At 6’0, Cobbs was struggling to make weight at 140 lbs. With the move, Cobbs feels he’ll be at his optimum weight class.

“I feel a lot stronger now that I’ve moved up in weight,” said Blair Cobbs. “Fans can expect me to be a lot more explosive and electrifying. I need to make a statement in this fight to let the entire welterweight division know that I have arrived.”

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB start at the fan-friendly price of $25 and are available for purchase now at http://www.goldenboytickets.com/ and the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page. For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.thebelasco.com and www.estrellatv.com.

Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA and www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV. Follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 25, 2018) – Undefeated WBC Youth middleweight prospect Mekhrubon Sanginov (6-0, 4 KOs), scored an impressive third round TKO over Carlos Lopez, this past Saturday in Tijuana, MX.

Sanginov, who trains out of Las Vegas by way of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, took the fight to Lopez from the opening round. Sanginov, who has power in both hands, landed some devastating hooks to the head of Lopez in the first two rounds, softening up him up. After landing a powerful straight right cross to the face of Lopez in the middle of round three, Sanginov was able to end the fight with a TKO victory. With the win, Sanginov extends his winning streak to six in a row.

“This was my first time fighting in Mexico and I wanted to make it a memorable one,” said Mekhrubon Sanginov. “I landed some powerful blows in the early rounds and got him out of there in round three. Right now, I’m focused on getting back in the gym to get ready for my next fight. There is no time to relax, I need to stay busy.”

Sanginov is a promotional free agent. His goal is to sign with a promoter and stay busy, fighting at least three more times before the end of the year.

“I want to prove to all the promoters in boxing that I’m a special fighter who will work hard to get to the top,” Sanginov continued. “I’m dedicated and I’m willing to fight anyone. All I need is a chance to prove myself.”

Uncasville, Connecticut (June 25th, 2018)

With June 30th rapidly approaching, the hype for STAR BOXING’S “SLUGFEST at the SUN” continues to build as two of the premier fighters on the card will be making their New England homecoming. In the co-feature bout, KALI “KO MEQUINONOAG” REIS (13-7-1 4KO’s) of Providence, Rhode Island will be making her third appearance at Mohegan Sun against PATY “LA ELEGANTE” RAMIREZ (11-5 5KO’s). Adding to the excitement, Connecticut’s own “ACTION” ANTHONY LAUREANO (7-0 3KO’s) of East Hartford is set to make his return home at Mohegan Sun in his bout against JUAN de la CRUZ RODRIGUEZ (8-9-1 6KO’s).

Rhode Island’s Native Warrior, Kali Reis, is no stranger to bright lights and pressure. Coming off an impressive performance on HBO against undisputed champion and #1 pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Cecilia Braekhus, Reis looks to return home, back to New England and put her full warrior spirit out on display at the Mohegan Sun.

When commenting on her upcoming fight, Reis had this to say, “Fans can expect to see an even more determined, skilled, hungry, evolving WARRIOR in there! The fight on HBO with Braekhus was such a learning experience and I am grateful for making history in not only women’s boxing but my own personal journey as well.”

The last time Reis fought at Mohegan Sun was in November of last year. She is thrilled to be making this homecoming.

“I am excited to be back ‘home’ at Mohegan Sun June 30th,” said the Rhode Island native. “Star Boxing always has action packed fights lighting up this beautiful area. My fans love coming to Mohegan Sun. There isn’t a bad seat in the house and their hospitality is fantastic. Joe DeGuardia is keeping me very productive since we signed with him back in November. I am so pleased with the decision myself and manager Brian made to sign with them.”

Another local warrior on the card to watch is Anthony Laureano. Laureano earned the nickname “Action” for his relentless, coming-forward fight style. If the East Hartford native is in the ring, fans can always expect an exciting show from start to finish. Star Boxing’s “Slugfest at the Sun” always brings fireworks to Connecticut, and Laureano looks to continue the tradition with his homecoming at Mohegan Sun.

Laureano was asked what he will provide the fans at Mohegan Sun, and his response was simply, “The same thing they always see, action. Action, that’s it. The people are coming to pay money and they are going to get what they paid for. Even in my last fight, people got what they paid for. They came to see action and to see somebody come forward. They don’t want to see nobody dancing around. I’m not saying that style is bad, I can do it too, but people like two guys who come forward and want to fight. I’m that fighter. I’m that fighter that always wants to fight.”

This bout against Rodriguez will mark the third time in his career that Laureano is fighting at Mohegan Sun.

When asked about the venue, this is what Laureano had to say, “I love Mohegan…Mohegan is my home. There is no place like it. I love the ring, everything is just so beautiful. The atmosphere, the crowd, my hometown crowd is there, and when they’re there it’s loud…Mohegan is my home, no doubt. The casino treats me good, and when I go there I feel this is where I belong. I’ve never felt that anywhere else.

In the main event of “SLUGFEST at the SUN” on June 30th, JOE SMITH JR. will make his long anticipated return to the ring against tough Kentuckian, MELVIN RUSSELL. After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
Get your tickets to JUNE 30th, #SLUGFESTattheSUN live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets start at JUST $30. (plus $5 venue fee)
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MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.

SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
INFO:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN”: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.
FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.

Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.

The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.

On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
PREVIOUS RELEASES
June 30th Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. Main Event Announcement
Kali Reis Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. vs Melvin Russell Main Event
Media Credential Application –Accredited Media ONLY
Anthony Laureano Mohegan Announcement
Undercard Bout Announcements
Ringside Seats Sold Out
Joe Smith Jr. & Joe Farina; The Definition of Working Man
TICKETS:
Tickets for the live event start at $30 (plus $5 venue fee) and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com by clicking HERE or by going to www.StarBoxing.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
MOHEGAN SUN:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
MONTAUK ULTRA H20:
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Philadelphia, PA (June 25, 2018) – Tomorrow, Hall of Fame Promoter J Russell Peltz will be the guest on The Abrams Boxing Hour beginning at 6:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM PT. The show will originate from The Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia.

The show can be viewed LIVE all over the world on ABRAMS BOXING FACEBOOK PAGE; ABRAMS BOXING YOUTUBE PAGE & ABRAMS BOXING LIVESTREAM PAGE.

Peltz will discuss the June 29th fight card at The Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA. The card will feature Miguel Cartagena (15-4-1, 6 KOs) taking on Carlos Maldonado (10-2, 7 KOs) plus the rematch between Anthony Prescott and Isiah Wise.

Peltz will also talk about some of the highlights of his nearly 50 year Hall of Fame Career as well as some of today’s hottest boxing topics.

ABOUT THE ABRAMS BOXING HOUR

The show, will feature 1-on-1 sit-down interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport, and will also go over the latest boxing news and opinions. The Abrams Boxing Hour will originate from boxing-centric venues throughout the country.

The debut show will originate from The Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia.

TYRONE MCKENNA is refusing to ask Carl Frampton for secrets on big ?ght rival Jack Catterall.

He challenges for Catterall’s WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight crown at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday in a ?ght where Frampton must be dreading which side to support.

The two-weight world champion is a close friend of McKenna and trains alongside Catterall at their trainer Jamie Moore’s gym on the outskirts of Manchester.

Catterall has taken the BT Sport televised ?ght at short notice and replaces injured Phil Sutcliffe.

McKenna, 28, said: “Carl was actually supposed to walk me out to the ring for the ?ght when Phil was the opponent, but that has changed. I wouldn’t want Carl in an awkward position.

“I was going to ?ght Tommy Coyle before and he was in camp with Carl. I always seem to be ?ghting friends or friends of friends. Everyone in boxing seems to know each other.

“I would never put Carl in the position where he talks about one of his gym mates. I wouldn’t like him to ?ght one of my team mates and ask about them.

“There is a line which you never cross during camp and I would never ask Carl, ‘How is Jack getting on in sparring? How is he doing with his weight?’

“I wouldn’t expect him to say to Jack what he knows about me and he wouldn’t get involved in that. There has to be respect.”

McKenna who is unbeaten in 17 ?ghts has seen his pro?le grow in the last 12 months and the 6ft 1in southpaw believes his popularity will mushroom after this weekend’s ?ght that has captured the imagination.

Tyrone who outpointed Anthony Upton in his last ?ght added: “My last six ?ghts have been on TV and I have a big fan base now.

“I have never taken an easy ?ght or turned down a ?ght. I was offered Jack when Phil pulled out and straight away I said, ’Yes’”.

The bill is topped by Michael Conlan’s Homecoming bout against Brazil’s former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos.

There is an all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental super featherweight crown against Declan Geraghty.

When they met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead before he was disquali?ed in the fourth round. In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls,

Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in a vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects including Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds.

Tickets prices £250 (Inner Ring Hospitality), £200 (Outer Ring Hospitality), £120, £100, £80, £60, £50, £40 are available from the SSE Arena website.

OHARA DAVIES is hoping for a sensational double knockout when his arch rivals Jack Catterall and Tyrone McKenna clash this weekend.

Chorley’s Catterall heads into enemy territory to defend his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight crown against local boy McKenna at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday night.

Controversial Davies said: “At ?rst I wanted Catterall to win, but I don’t give a damn. I want them both to lose so hopefully there is a double knockout or a draw.

“If there was a double knockout that would be perfect. I would be the happiest man alive if that occurred. “To be honest, I don’t think McKenna is very good and he is going to get spanked inside ?ve rounds by Catterall.

“McKenna knows how to talk a good game, but I don’t think he has any talent whatsoever.

“He hasn’t fought anyone good in his boxing career and when he fought anyone half decent he had life and death.

“I was going to go to Belfast and watch the ?ght, but I have decided to stay safe and watch on TV. I don’t think I am a fans favourite in Belfast.”

Davies delivered one of the knockouts of the year on Saturday when he knocked out Paul Kamanga to claim the WBC International crown.

Promoter Frank Warren is likely to match the winner of this weekend’s mouth watering clash which is televised by BT Sport against Davies in their next ?ght.

Davies added: “I will ?ght whoever Frank puts in front of me – the winner of Catterall v McKenna, even Maurice Hooker who beat Terry Flanagan.

“I have passed Catterall and McKenna pro?le wise so I am not looking up to them. They are looking up to me. Beating me does them more good then me beating either of them.

“They are both jealous that I have signed to Frank and I am getting all the exposure on a platform they have been on for longer.

“They have to accept sometimes that I am a bigger ?ghter than them both. I am more known than them and I sell more tickets than them.

“Catterall – I do think he is such a good ?ghter but he isn’t known and cannot sell. Sometimes you have to accept that, but he hates on me because I sell.”

The bill is topped by Michael Conlan’s Homecoming bout against Brazil’s former world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos.

There is an all Dublin rematch when Jono Carroll defends his IBF intercontinental crown against Declan Geraghty.

When they met in November 2014, Geraghty was ahead before he was disquali?ed in the fourth round. In a clash of unbeaten hopefuls, Derry’s Tyrone McCullagh meets Glasgow’s Joe Ham in a vacant Celtic super-bantamweight title clash that doubles as a British championship eliminator.

The undercard is stacked with top prospects including Lewis Crocker, Sunny Edwards, Padraig McCrory, Taylor McGoldrick, Neslan Machado, Garry Cully plus Johnny Coyle and Lewis Benson who clash over ten rounds. Tickets prices £250 (Inner Ring Hospitality), £200 (Outer Ring Hospitality), £120, £100, £80, £60, £50, £40 are available from the SSE Arena website.

25 June 2018 – Guangzhou, China: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), has just announced the main event of ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS, set for Saturday, 7 July, at the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China. Yodcherry Sityodtong of Thailand will take on Kaiting Chuang of Chinese Taiwan for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship.

Ticket information for ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS is available at www.onefc.com.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “World-class martial arts makes a triumphant return to the beautiful city of Guangzhou with another spectacular event. ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS will feature a titanic clash between superstar strikers, as Thailand’s Yodcherry Sityodtong faces Chinese Taiwan’s Kaiting Chuang for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship. The two will be joined by several of the very best martial arts talent from China and the world, so don’t miss this awesome evening of authentic martial arts action.”

19-year-old Muay Thai phenom Yodcherry Sityodtong makes her long-awaited ONE Championship debut when she competes for the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship. Sityodtong, who represents Evolve MMA in Singapore, features an impressive professional Muay Thai record of 81-18-1. At such a young age, Sityodtong has already garnered many achievements in the ring, having won various Muay Thai world championships throughout her young career. Now, Sityodtong looks to make her first appearance in ONE Super Series, taking on Kaiting Chuang.

23-year-old Kaiting Chuang of Taipei, Chinese Taiwan is making her ONE Championship debut at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS. A professional kickboxer with a record of 16-5, Chuang represents Iron Boxing, and is a Chinese Taiwan Kickboxing Champion. Nicknamed “Killer Bee,” Chuang will go up against Yodcherry Sityodtong in the main event, which is set to crown the first-ever ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Champion.

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

About ONE Championship

ONE Championship is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. The world’s most exciting martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world’s best martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 136 countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, and more.

ORANGE, Calif. (June 24, 2018) – Super bantamweight Isaac Zarate (15-3-3, 2 KOs) defeated fellow lefty Ramiro Robles (15-8-1, 8 KOs) by unanimous decision in Friday night’s “New Blood” main event from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Zarate, fighting out of San Pedro, Calif., adjusted his game plan as the fight went on showing patience in the opening rounds, and turning up the pace the rest of the way.

“I didn’t know a great deal about him going in so I needed to know what he could do before I started my attack,” Zarate said. “He was hard to hit at first, but I found the angles once I got comfortable.”

Going in, Zarate understood the difficulty in facing a tough boxer like Robles, who had previously seen action against world champion Danny Roman. Robles made things interesting by sustaining punches and going on the counter attack. His work rate, however, did not match that of Zarate’s, which was his ultimate unraveling.

Zarate won with scores 77-75 twice and 78-74.

In the “New Blood” co-feature, lightweight Manuel Mendez (16-2-3, 11 KOs) of Indio, Calif. power punched his way to a unanimous decision win over Gilberto Espinoza (9-1, 5 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico.

The fight featured excellent action with very little holding with both boxers landing strikes inside the pocket. Mendez, using his trademark pressure, preferred to load up with power punches to the head and body, while Espinoza was more active with a jab and countered well.

Espinoza, sensing he had to turn the tide, switched back and forth between orthodox and southpaw in the middle rounds in an effort to confuse the stronger Mendez. Mendez, however, didn’t bite on the tactic and stayed disciplined with his game plan.

Top bantamweight prospect Saul Sanchez (9-0, 5 KOs) of Pacoima, Calif. showed why he’s among the finest young boxers in the bantamweight division by dispatching Leonardo Torres (4-12, 1 KO) at the 2:24 mark of the third round.

Sanchez scored pay dirt at the end of the second round when a bevy of punches nearly sent Torres through the ropes. Torres would beat the count, but was badly wounded.

In the third, Sanchez consistently backed up Torres with a strong jab and excellent body work. He scored a knockdown midway through the round and promptly finished him toward the end with a series of heavy punches.

Brandon Valdes (11-0, 6 KOs), a talented super bantamweight from Colombia, showed a diverse skill set in his unanimous decision sweep of Mexico’s Jose Fabian Naranjo (3-9-2, 1 KO). Valdes’ hand speed was of the superior variety and his shifty defense made him close to impossible to hit.

Valdes also showed tactical patience in waiting for clear openings to materialize, while never really forcing the issue. Scores 40-36 all around.

Lightweight prospect George Acosta (6-0, 1 KO) of the southern Los Angeles city of Whittier cruised to a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Juan Alberto Castillo (1-1, 1 KO) in the night’s second bout.

Acosta owned a sizeable height advantage over Castillo and used it to control the fight. He knocked down Castillo in the first and never looked back. Acosta used an active jab to set up a body attack that had Castillo gassed by the fourth round. Scores: 40-35 twice, 39-36.

Featherweight prospect Anthony Chavez (6-0, 2 KOs) of San Bernardino, Calif. wasted no time in getting the action started. He pounced on the slow-footed Josafath Vazquez (5-4, 3 KOs) in the opening moments of the first round. A strong combination forced Vazquez onto the ropes where Chavez scored a knockdown.

Chavez then carefully stalked Vazquez and put him down for good with another batch of punches at the 1:45 mark of the first round. Chavez is managed by Henry Ramirez.

To watch the “New Blood” show with Beto Duran and Steve Kim on the call, please access these links: PART I and PART II.

“New Blood” was presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Everlast.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, watch our YouTube channel on Thompson Boxing TV, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

New York, NY (June 24, 2018)-Junior Middleweight Ardreal Holmes (6-0, 4 KOs) of Flint, Michigan remained undefeated as he stopped Dominque Foster after the 2nd round of their scheduled four-round bout at The International Banquet and Conference Center in Detroit.

Holmes landed hard straight shots from the southpaw stance on Foster, who had to retire on the stool after the 2nd round with a possible broken nose.

“I am very happy to get back in the ring and get some of the rust off,” said the victorious Holmes. “Hopefully my promoters can put me right back because I want to make up for lost time. It’s only a matter of time when everyone in boxing will know the name, Ardreal “Bossman” Holmes! ”

Holmes is managed by Split-T Management, and CEO David McWater was very happy to have 6’2″ junior middleweight prospect back in the ring.

“Ardreal did what I expected him to do, which was impress the fans with an impressive stoppage. He has the frame, skills and power to win titles in 4 weight divisions and I expect him to do just that.”

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

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

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai will take on Young Gil Bae in a non-title bout on July 21st in his native Thailand, rather then headline Superfly 3 in September in Los Angeles, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Miguel Berchelt defended the WBC Junior Lightweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Jonathan Barros in Mexico.

In round two, Berchelt dropped Barros with a left hook to the jaw. In round three, it was an overhand right that put Barros down. Berchelt put Barros down for a 3rd time and Barros’ cornerman walked in the ring and stopped the bout at 1:53.

Berchelt of Meridia, MEX is 34-1 with 30 knockouts. Barros, who was a former featherweight champion from Argentina is now 41-6-1.

Vergil Ortiz, Jr. remained unblemished with a 3rd round stoppage over former two-time world champion Juan Carlos Salgado in a junior welterweight at The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.

Ortiz battered Salgado and then landed a perfect left to the liver that sent Salgado down, amd the bout was stopped at 1:51.

Ortiz, 139.4 lbs of Dallas, TX is 10-0 with all wins coming by knockout. Salgado, 139.8 lbs of Mexico City is 27-9-1.

“I felt I was posed in there,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. “Salgado has a lot of experience, and he showed it. He got me a few times, but I learned from this fight, and I’m thankful for the opportunity. I want to continue facing experienced fighters like Salgado. Obviously, I’m not ready for a world title fight yet, but in two years I will be. The left hook to the body is definitely my best punch. I’ve been working on it since I was a kid. It’s not common for an amateur to be dropping his opponents at only nine years old, but that’s what I was doing and what I’m still doing today.”

Hector Tanajara, Jr. won an eight-round unanimous decision over Roger Gutierrez in a lightweight bout.

In round eight, Gutierrez was cut around the left eye.

Tanajara, 135 lbs of San Antonio, TX won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 to raise his mark to 14-0. Gutierrez, 134.2 lbs of Maracaibo, VEN is 18-2-1.

“He came out swinging, so I had to stay composed in there,” said Hector Tanajara Jr. “I had to listen to my corner and stay tight. Every time a round ended, my corner would tell me to not take any risks early in the fight, so I stuck to the game plan in order to win.”

Ferdinand Kerobyan stopped Edgar Garcia in round two of a scheduled six-round super welterweight bout.

Kerobyan landed a hard flurry of punches that sent Garcia to the canvas in round two, and the bout was stopped at 2:48.

Kerobyan, 154 lbs of North Hollywood, CA is 9-0 with 5 knockouts. Garcia, 150.4 lbs of Sonora, MEX is 7-17-1.

“I wanted to show that not only am I powerful, but I’m also very fast,” said Ferdinand Kerobyan. “I never consider any opponent easy, especially since anyone in the ring can hurt you if you’re not careful. I want a world title in the future, and I’m ready to do what’s necessary to get that.”

New York, NY (June 23, 2018)-Undefeated junior middleweight Ardreal Holmes (5-0, 3 KOs) of Flint, Michigan will be back in action tonight, when he takes on Dominque Foster in a scheduled four-round bout at The International Banquet and Conference Center in Detroit.

At Friday’s weigh-in Holmes weighed in at 155.4 lbs. Foster checked in at the same weight as Holmes.

“I am so excited to get back in the ring because I want to show everyone why I am looked at as one of the best prospects in the country,” said Holmes.

“The fans who attend will get to see one of the best fighters to come out of Michigan in a long time.”

Holmes, who was the number-one ranked welterweight in the U.S., had an outstanding amateur career that culminated in reaching the finals of the Olympic trials.

Holmes competed in over 80 amateur fights, and won several major tournaments including the 2015 USA National Elite Championship.

Holmes is managed by Split-T Management, and CEO David McWater said, “Going into the 2016 US Olympic Trials, I thought Ardreal was the favorite in the welterweight division, and would go on to represent the United States. He is so physically gifted and naturally talented, I can’t see anything stopping him from being a world champion.”

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

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

Martin Murray won a 12-round unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia in a middleweight bout at the O2 Arena in London.

In round two, Garcia was deducted a point for a low blow.

In round nine, Garcia was deducted another point for hitting on top of the head.

Murray, 159.9 lbs won by scores of 118-108, 118-109 and 116-111 t raise his record to 37-4-1. Garcia, 158 lbs is 41-4.

Anthony Yarde remained undefeated by stopping Dariusz Sek in round seven of their scheduled ten-round light heavyweight bout.

Yrade scored a knockdown in round one from a body punch.

In round seven. Yarde was all over Sek, and wobbled him throughout the round, and the bout was stopped at 2:17.

Yarde, 174.7 lbs of Elford, UK is 16-0 with 15 knockouts. Sek, 174.7 lbs of Poland is 27-4-3.

Daniel DuBois remained undefeated by stopping Tom Little in round five of their ten-round heavyweight bout.

In round four, DuBois dropped Little with a perfect left to the body. In found five, DuBois was all over Little, and after a flurry the bout was stopped at 58 seconds.

DuBois, 236.8 lbs of Greenwich, UK is 8-0 with 8 knockouts. Little, 250.3 lbs of Hattfield, UK is 10-6.

Ohara Davies stopped Paul Kamanga in round two of their scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.

Davies landed a booming right hand that sent Kamanga down for the ten-count at 2:41 of round two.

Davies, 139.5 lbs of Hackney, UK is 18-1 with 14 knockouts. Kamanga, 139 lbs of Congo is 21-2.

James Branch, Jr. made a successful pro debut with a 4-round decision over Kevin Williams in a light heavyweight bout.

Branch won on the referee scorecard by a 40-36 total. Williams is 0-3.

Umar Sadiq remained undefeated with a 3rd round stoppage over Kamil El Temimi in a super middleweight fight.

In round three, Sadiq landed a perfect left hook to the body and El Temimi fell for the ten-count at 1:07.

Sadiq, 172 lbs of Elford, UK is 3-0 with 1 knockout. El Temimi, 172 lbs of Poland is 1-3-1.

Uncasville, Connecticut (June 23, 2018)

Like the boots they strap on to wear to work every morning and the boxing gloves they strap on to wear for training every night, both Joe Smith Jr. and Joe Farina know exactly what it means to put in a hard day’s work.

Joe Smith Jr. resides in Mastic, Long Island. His days begin, while most others are sleeping, at the hour of 4:30 AM, and he is on the job site by 6:00 AM. Smith Jr. is a laborer for Union Local 66. Wielding a sledge hammer, busting through concrete, working on projects such as the LIJ hospital in Stony Brook, Smith Jr. puts in a full day’s work, which is usually enough for an average person; however, Joe Smith Jr. is not that.

Post-construction work, the boxing work begins. Training mainly out of “Unique Fitness Xtreme” in Shirley, Long Island, Smith Jr. meets long time trainer Jerry Capobianco to put in hours of conditioning and boxing drills. Working on his devastating strength and speed, Smith Jr. finishes his day long since he first began it, and most impressively, does it all again the next day. It is this work ethic that finds Smith Jr. rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.

Joe Smith Jr. said this about how the Union made him into the fighter he is today, “It was good working around a lot of hard-working people,” continued Smith Jr., “men and women that get up every morning bright and early, drive into work, and work a long day. It was great to build mental toughness and give me motivation to work even harder in the ring and the gym ”

Bursting into stardom from his working man roots, Joe Smith Jr. hit the national stage when he viciously knocked out Andrzej Fonfara on NBC in Chicago, and later knocked out, multi-division world champion, and boxing legend, Bernard Hopkins, out of the ring, on HBO in California.

Born into an Italian family, and raised in South Boston, Joe Farina amassed great amateur experience both state-side and in Ireland. Farina, true to his Boston heritage, still trains and lives in South Boston, and even more impressively is a railroad laborer for Union Local 941. Like Smith Jr., Farina is up before the sun rises, works a full, hard day, and trains by night.

Farina had this to say about how the Union has helped in inside the ring, “Having solidarity behind you in your corner can take you a lot further than going into a fight alone.”

Farina made his professional debut as a late replacement in December 2017. Unfortunately for middleweight Lionel Young, the late notice for Farina was of no issue, stopping Young in three rounds. He is trained by John Curran, longtime cut man for two-time world champion Demetrius Andrade.

Both men trade in their work tools on June 30th in exchange for boxing gloves. Although Smith Jr. is a twenty-five fight veteran, and Farina will be stepping in for his third professional fight, the two have the bond of being true working men, attempting to reach the pinnacle of the American dream. Joe Smith Jr. will be featured in the main event of “SLUGFEST at the SUN” and Joe Farina will appear on the undercard of the stacked card on June 30th.

“SLUGFEST at the SUN” will feature immense talent from the New England area. Along with the much anticipated return of Joe Smith Jr., fans will also see the return of New England’s power punching star, Kali Reis, in the co-feature bout, coming off of a brilliant performance against undisputed women’s champion Cecilia Braekhus. Also highlighted on the undercard are undefeated New England prospects, Anthony Laureano, Cassius Chaney and Joe Farina.

INFO:
After eleven months out of the ring due to a broken jaw, the “Common Man”, Union Local 66 laborer, Joe Smith Jr. returns at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. After coming off a stellar KO win on NBC against Andrzej Fonfara, and knocking out the legend, Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, on HBO, Smith Jr. has his eyes set on winning a world title. Smith Jr. is currently rated #3 (WBC) and #7 (WBA) in the world.

JOE SMITH JR. ON THE JOB SITE WITH UNION LOCAL 66 & LATER AFTER DEFEATING LEGEND BERNARD HOPKINS AT THE FORUM
CREDIT: STAR BOXING
Get your tickets to JUNE 30th, #SLUGFESTattheSUN live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets start at JUST $30 (plus $5 venue fee).
BUY TICKETS HERE!
MEDIA:
SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.

SLUGFEST AT THE SUN: THE RETURN OF JOE SMITH JR.
FACTS:
“SLUGFEST at the SUN” is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. The event takes place Saturday, June 30th at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, CT.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the a premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightest in boxing. This includes, two-time world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez, amongst many others.

Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Joe DeGuardia, has consistently given the boxing fans of Connecticut, world class fights, right in their own backyard. “SLUGFEST at the SUN” also gives the north east’s rising boxing stars an avenue to world title contention. From world title fights, to world class boxing skill, Mohegan Sun has seen it all, delivered by Star Boxing.

The “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series offers an affordable, fan friendly action packed, entertaining night out, that is guaranteed to have you on your feet from the opening bell.

On June 30th, Star Boxing plans to start your summer off right, with yet another thrilling “SLUGFEST at the SUN.”
PREVIOUS RELEASES
June 30th Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. Main Event Announcement
Kali Reis Fight Announcement
Joe Smith Jr. vs Melvin Russell Main Event
Media Credential Application –Accredited Media ONLY
Anthony Laureano Mohegan Announcement
Undercard Bout Announcements
Ringside Seats Sold Out
TICKETS:
Limited $30 and $45 (plus $5 venue fee) tickets for the live event are still available to purchase HERE, going online at www.StarBoxing.com or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
MOHEGAN SUN:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. In 2015, Mohegan Sun took home the IEBA award for “Casino of the Year.” Mohegan Sun also won “Casino of the Year” in 2 categories at the 2013 & 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
MONTAUK ULTRA H20:
Montauk Ultra H20, a new Chlorine and Florine free alkaline water, with a pH of 9.5. Hydrate like the pro’s.