Tyron Zeuge (22-0-1, 12 KOs) defends his WBA World Super Middleweight title against Rocky Fielding (26-1, 14 KOs) on July 14 at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany.

Zeuge, who captured the WBA belt with a twelfth-round knockout victory over Giovanni De Carolis in November 2016, returns for a fourth defence of his title following the second-round destruction of Isaac Ekpo at the Inselparkhalle in Wilhelmsburg in March, and is set to face his second British challenger having previously recorded a unanimous points win over Paul Smith at the Rittal Arena in Wetzlar last June.

“I’m really looking forward to the fight,” said Zeuge, the 26 year-old from Berlin. “It takes place on the same day as the World Cup third-place play off in Russia, but I promise to my fans that they won’t see anything but the best from me, a real final, and another successful defence of my WBA World Super Middleweight title. I’m in full training and I feel strong!”

Fielding, the former British, Commonwealth and WBC International Champion, has impressed against domestic rivals John Ryder and David Brophy while awaiting his World title opportunity, and having narrowly missed out on a shot at WBC supremo Gilberto Ramirez, the 30 year-old is eager to make this chance count.

“I’m very excited for this. It’s what I have dreamed of since being a young kid – to become World Champion and we’re nearly there,” said Fielding. “To have the date locked in makes it all the more real and it’s something now to focus and aim towards. I have watched and tracked Zeuge since he won the World Title against De Carolis. He’s a good fighter with decent foot work in particular. He’s undefeated and has done everything they have asked of him so far.

“I boxed on the recent Brook card and been ticking over and working with my coach Jamie Moore since. The Ramirez fight fell through which was disappointing but everything happens for a reason, my promoter Eddie Hearn said I’ll be in big fight in July so that kept me going. I can’t wait for the opening bell.”

“We’re delighted to be bringing World Championship boxing back to the Baden Arena,” said promoter Nisse Sauerland. “This is going to a fantastic match up between two of the division’s most exciting talents. Tyron is coming off the back of a great win against Ekpo, and is improving with every fight. Rocky is a good boxer who has been on our radar for some time. He will be coming to Offenburg to win. Stylistically they are well suited, both can box, both can bang, and that should guarantee a great fight for the fans.”

“I’m delighted Rocky has finally got his shot, it’s well deserved,” said Fielding’s promoter Eddie Hearn. “He has always fought everyone that’s been put in front of him and I believe this is great timing for him to take this opportunity. It’s a great fight between two young, hungry 168 pounders and the fans can expect a cracking match up.”

The WBA World Super Middleweight title contest between Tyron Zeuge and Rocky Fielding will be shown live and exclusive on Sport1 in Germany and Sky Sports in the UK. Tickets are on sale now and available via www.eventim.de or by calling +49 (0)1806-533933.

After announcing he had signed with Top Rank, WBC Super Middleweight champion David Benavidez has reverted back to Sampson Boxing, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Benavidez had accepted a check for $250,000 from Top Rank.

“He returned the money, a cashier’s check, with a nice letter saying he wanted to stay with Sampson, so we decided to honor the request even though he signed with us and we wished him good luck,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum said. “The only reason we signed him is because he came up to the office and he said [Lewkowicz and adviser Al Haymon] were doing bad by him and he wanted to sign with us. He said they had breached the contract and he wanted to come with us. He changed his mind. We said fine and he sent us back the $250,000.”

“Look, I say always that he would come home,” Lewkowicz told ESPN. “He is young man who was with no experience, only 21. He was misled by Billy Keane. This Billy Keane tried the same thing with [former middleweight champion] Sergio Martinez several years ago, but Sergio had more experience and he understood the bull—- of a con man like Keane. He took David to Top Rank, he told him that he would make a lot of money, get $250,000 and they make him more famous. He told him that I would still be involved as his co-promoter, and that was a lie. Keane misled Bob Arum, Top Rank and the whole Benavidez family.

“David called me and he apologized, and my lawyers will drop the lawsuit this week. But Billy Keane misled everyone. I will sue him individually and I will teach him a lesson not to steal anymore.”

“At this stage, particularly carrying the ESPN banner with our deal, we are not going resort to litigation when we don’t have to,” Arum said. “We’re not going to bully a kid. He said he made a mistake when he signed with us. You let him go. We don’t need an unhappy kid. David, from what I know, is a lovely kid. He’s a little confused but a lovely kid. He’s not a wise guy. He’s a nice young man who said he made a mistake. OK. We’re not going to hold anything against him. He decided to stay with Sampson and I don’t need the hassle. I don’t hold anything against the kid.”

Lewkowicz said Arum had previously offered him seven figures to bring him in as a co-promoter, but he turned it down only to have Benavidez suddenly sign with Top Rank.

“I turned it down because I believe that finally after 10 years of my company — I gave up Sergio Martinez for many years to Lou DiBella, I give up Manny Pacquiao and Javier Castillejo. I give up Lucas Matthysse to Golden Boy and I finish [with] empty hands,” he said. “Now that I have my own company and I find a superstar in David Benavidez why should I give him away? I am not a poor man. Seven figures doesn’t blind my eyes.

“Now I hope our relationship between Top Rank and Sampson Boxing will work as well as it did before. I have the most respect for Bob Arum.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder accepted terms sent by the team of fellow champion Anthony Joshua for a possible mega-showdown this fall.

“We have agreed to the terms that Eddie has put out to us for a fight in the U.K. Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the U.K.,” said Wilder adviser Shelly Finkel said. “Deontay sent an email to Joshua [Sunday] night, and I sent one [Monday] to Barry Hearn and Eddie telling them that we officially accept the offer to fight under the terms they gave us and to send us the contract.”

“Now we will see if they live up to it or if they try to go through with the fight with [mandatory challenger Alexander] Povetkin first. Hopefully, we’ll get an answer in the next couple days,” Finkel said. “If they change their mind, the $50 million [against 50 percent of the event] we offered them [to come to the United States] is still on the table. That is still for them if they want it.”

“There’s no [percentage] split, but they’ve offered us a good purse. Not as good as we feel it should be, but we want the fight, and we’re willing to take what they offered,” Finkel said. “We wanted a percentage, but we didn’t think we could get it done in a quick time frame, so we said let’s take what they’ve offered us. Deontay wants this fight.”

Wilder addressed Joshua’s fans on social media on Monday, writing, “The $50M offer for him to fight me next in the U.S. is still available. Today I even agreed to their offer to fight Joshua next in the UK. If he prefers the fight in the UK, the ball is in their court. It’s up to them to choose.”

“The U.S. TV is Eddie’s call,” Finkel said. “We have a preference for Showtime because we’ve been with them.”

According to Dan Rafael of espm.com former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will be back in action on August 18th in Dublin on a card headlined by Carl Frampton.

“It means the world to me. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time(To be fighting in Windsor Park) ,” Frampton said. “I feel it should’ve happened last year, but it’s happening now.

“I’ve loads left. My last performance was the second-best of my career after the first Leo Santa Cruz fight. I feel like I’m enjoying it more, and while I’m still performing, I’ll do it as long as I can. It’s great to have Tyson Fury on the undercard. To have someone of his stature on the undercard is massive, and he’ll be up against a more serious opponent this time, so it’s good for everyone.”

An encore presentation of last Saturday’s “scintillating” (ESPN) “slugfest” (Yahoo) between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares will air tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and is available on SHOWTIME ANYTIME and SHOWTIME ON DEMAND platforms.

Santa Cruz and Mares combined to throw nearly 2,000 punches Saturday in a rematch of their 2015 thriller. After the 12th and final round of their “electrifying war” (Boxing Scene), fans at STAPLES Center, also site of their first meeting, were once again on their feet clamoring for more.

Tonight’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® replay also features WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Jermell Charlo’s title defense against Austin Trout. VIDEO RECAP: https://youtu.be/SkaSBnE9VGE.

Saturday’s event was the 10th SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event of 2018, an unrivaled schedule televising the brightest stars in boxing’s most meaningful events. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING returns this Saturday (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) as consensus top-10 pound-for-pound champion Errol Spence Jr. defends his welterweight world title in a Dallas homecoming fight against undefeated IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo.

Las Vegas – The week is finally here as UFC FIGHT PASS® exclusive, DANA WHITE’S TUESDAY NIGHT CONTENDER SERIES, returns live on Tuesday, June 12 at 8pm ET. 10 promising MMA athletes will enter the Octagon® looking to capitalize on the world’s toughest job interview as they vie to fulfill their dreams of earning a UFC contract.

Undefeated light heavyweight prospects Dashawn Boatwright (3-0, fighting out of Richmond, Va.) and Alonzo Menifield (6-0, fighting out of Dallas, La.) headline an incredible card setting the tone for the rest of the competition. Coming off two straight finishes, Boatwright has started his pro career with a vengeance in keeping his record unblemished. Menfield, a Contender Series season 1 veteran, has continued his winning ways since his victory in front of Dana White in July of last year, with dominant stoppages against dangerous opponents.

Also featuring on the first episode is a clash of giants when former NFL players Greg Hardy (0-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) matches up against Austen Lane (2-0, fighting out of Jacksonville, Fla.) in a heavyweight tilt that could steal the show. For Hardy, this opportunity marks his first professional bout after an undefeated amateur career saw him reel off three straight wins. Looking to sour his welcome to the professional ranks is Lane, an undefeated former Defensive End, who’s four wins have all come via first round KO.

A star-studded broadcast team returns for the series. Former NFL Network’s Total Access host and Emmy award winner Dan Hellie will be handling play-by-play duties, sharing the call on alternating weeks with former ESPN host and current UFC broadcaster Brendan Fitzgerald, whom both earned rave reviews in last summer’s edition of Contender Series. The show’s color commentary panel will be manned by current 155-pound standout Paul Felder and the debut of former middleweight champion of the world Michael Bisping.

Get your access pass to the entire second season of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series and all live & exclusive events on UFC Fight Pass this summer, as well as the largest MMA library in the world by visiting http://fightpass.ufc.tv/fp/contender/summer All bouts live and subject to change.

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

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.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 11th, 2018) — Gary Balletto Jr. never saw it coming. Jon Manley doesn’t anticipate getting in the way.

The punch heard ’round New England — the right cross from Jeremiah Wells that broke Balletto’s jaw at “CES MMA 49” and sent the Rhode Island welterweight to his first loss in five fights — has become sort of a talking point as Manley prepares to face the hard-hitting Philadelphia native who halted the progress of one of the region’s hottest prospects just two months ago.

Manley battles Wells on Friday night in the highly-anticipated co-feature of “CES MMA 50” live on AXS TV from Twin River Casino in a matchup of two fighters with contrasting resumes. The Massachusetts-born Manley (11-4, 2 KOs) boasts three times as many pro fights as his opponent, including a stint on Season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, but those who get too comfortable in front of Wells (4-1, 2 KOs) tend to pay the price.

Manley has watched enough of the video from “CES MMA 49” — all 57 seconds of it — to know what not to do Friday when he sees for himself whether or not Wells hits as hard as advertised.

The televised main card of “CES MMA 50” airs live on AXS TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

“Good, straight one-two. Good jab, good right cross,” Manley said of the shot that ended Balletto’s five-fight win streak, “but I’m not going to be there.

“No fucking way.”

Manley makes his first appearance with CES MMA since May of 2017 when he lost a unanimous decision to Manny Walo at “CES MMA 44.” Since then, he’s won his last two on the regional circuit, but missed the fanfare of fighting under the bright lights of AXS TV. When a scheduled bout against longtime UFC vet Drew Fickett fizzled several weeks ago, Manley signed up to make his Twin River return on CES MMA’s 50th anniversary show, a stacked fight card featuring 12 pro bouts.

“This is awesome!” Manley said. “I kind of got lucky. CES jumped in and gave me Jeremiah, who’s obviously a super tough dude. Big show, obviously the top promotion around and all the exposure — it’s just awesome.

“My last fight [against Ryan Sanders in March] was pretty good, but it’s not like people will see it as much when it’s for CES.”

Don’t expect Wells to be star-struck come Friday. The Philadelphia looked cool and calm in April as the underdog against Balletto and used quick thinking inside the cage to expose a flaw in his opponent’s defense, leading to the biggest win of his young career.

“I saw him coming in with that leg kick and I just wanted to show what I’ve got,” Wells said. “I showed my power. When I hit him the first time, I saw him try to breathe a little more. Then as soon as he kicked me, I came in with the right cross.”

Wells expects more of the same against Manley despite a significant difference in height between he and Balletto. The 6-foot-1 Manley boasts an impressive height and reach advantage over the shorter, more compact Balletto, which means Wells will have to adjust his attack. The same goes for Manley, however, who has to strategize against the shorter, 5-9 Wells.

“If he stands up, that just leaves him vulnerable. I can catch him with the overhand,” Wells said.

“I know he used to be on The Ultimate Fighter and he’s well-rounded, tall, and probably has a lot of cardio. I know he likes to brawl and grind it out, take fighters down. Once he feels my power and sees my speed, I think he’s going to crack. He’s going to fold.”

Manley may have to lean on his experience to get him over the hump. While he doesn’t necessarily draw on technique or any other details from his UFC stint, Manley has learned to simply have more fun with MMA than he did in the past. The schedule for TUF was brutal at times — four fights in six weeks — so the pressure Manley faces now pales in comparison, even under the coveted bright lights associated with CES MMA and AXS TV.

“This shit is serious to me. I want to win and I want to advance my career,” Manley said. “I used to get really nervous — and I still do a little bit — but now it’s just fun.

“I’ve been in so many fights the process of dealing with the fight itself has gotten easier. The Ultimate Fighter helped a bunch. I’m not putting as much stress on myself. I have a lot more tools now. On The Ultimate Fighter, I tried to throw heavy hands, but I wasn’t too technical. Now I’m well-rounded. I can have fun anywhere instead of being tense.”

East Providence, R.I., native Dinis Paiva (11-6, 6 KOs) faces California’sAndre Ewell (12-4, 7 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA Bantamweight World Title in the five-round main event.

Tickets for “CES MMA 50” start at $40 and are available to purchase online at www.cesmma.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253 or at the Twin River Box Office. The preliminary card begins at 7 followed by the televised main card at 9.

Also on the main card, female flyweight sensation Maria Rivera (2-0, 1 KO) of Framingham, Mass., puts her unbeaten record on the line against Mallory Martin (3-2, 1 KO) of Denver.

Woonsocket, R.I., flyweight Jose Lugo (2-0, 1 KO) makes his network television debut against Cortland, N.Y., native Michael Taylor (1-0, 1 KO) while middleweight Pat McCrohan (3-1, 2 KOs) of Berkley, Mass., returns to face red-hot Worcester, Mass., prospect Reginaldo Felix (5-3, 2 KOs). Bantamweight John Douma (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence also debuts on the AXS TV platform in a highly-anticipated showdown against Nevada’s Adam Acquaviva (5-3, 1 KO).

The preliminary card features a welterweight scrap between veteran Toby Oden (2-2, 1 KO) of Milford, Mass., and newcomer Jeremy Puglia of Long Island, who makes his professional debut. Decorated light heavyweight Fabio Cherant (1-0) returns to face Mansfield, Ohio, native Marquis Allen (1-0, 1 KO) and featherweight Brandon Marotte (1-0, 1 KO) of Hempstead, N.H., battles debut Arslan Otchiyev of West Haven, Conn.

Also on the preliminary card, Milford, Mass., bantamweight Kris Moutinho makes his long-awaited return against New York’s Alfred Jones (3-3, 1 KO) and flyweights Hilarie Rose (0-1) of Norfolk, Mass., and Thais Sousa (0-2) of Miami search for their first career victories in a special female attraction. Light heavyweight Yorgan De Castro (1-0) of Fall River, Mass., faces David White (0-2) of Cumberland, Md.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, or follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA.

NEW YORK (June 11, 2018) – SHOWTIME Sports® veteran reporter Jim Gray was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday in Canastota, N.Y., joining former colleague and longtime SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING play-by-play announcer Steve Albert in receiving boxing’s most prestigious honor.

Gray and Albert became the fifth and sixth SHOWTIME Sports talent enshrined in the Hall of Fame since 2012. They join boxing analyst Al Bernstein (2012), ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. (2013), analyst and historian Steve Farhood (2017) and play-by-play announcer Barry Tompkins (2017).

In front of a large crowd that included close friends Mike Tyson, Don King, Deontay Wilder, Julius Irving, Jerry Richardson, Stedman Graham, Bob Costas and many others, the 59-year-old Southern California resident Gray reflected on 40-plus years of covering the sport of boxing. “My journey today has been an unlikely one,” Gray said during his induction speech. “The Boxing Hall of Fame immortalized all of these great fighters. So this magnificent honor comes with tremendous humility. How could this happen? I never took a punch.”

Gray, who started with SHOWTIME in 1994, was honored with a Special Individual Achievement Emmy Award – he currently has 12 Emmy’s in total – in 1997 for his interview of Mike Tyson following the heavyweight’s second loss to Evander Holyfield, the infamous “bite fight.” The National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association also named that interview the “Sports Broadcast Story of the Year.” Additionally, the American Sportscasters Association has voted Gray “Sportscaster of the Year” in 1998 and ‘99.

Gray chose Tyson to introduce him on Sunday during the induction ceremony. “It’s ironic,” said Gray. “The man who threatened to kill me in public is now inducting me into the Hall of Fame.”

“This award is way, way overdue,” an emotional Tyson said of his good friend. “I’m very proud of you. Well-deserved.”

With this past weekend’s induction ceremony, SHOWTIME Sports now boasts five current Hall of Famers featured on the network: Gray, Bernstein, Farhood, Tompkins and Lennon Jr.

“I am so pleased for Jim and Steve that they received this great honor,” said David Dinkins Jr., Senior Vice President and Executive Producer of SHOWTIME Sports. “Jim Gray’s interviews and reporting have been an integral part of our SHOWTIME telecast from the beginning. Because of his skills and instincts we have been able to cover the events in depth. There have been countless times that Jim’s dogged pursuit of a story has enabled us to paint the complete picture of the event.”

Gray has forged one of the most memorable sports broadcasting careers in recent history, which includes a deep boxing resume. Gray has worked more than 1,200 fights and interviewed over 1,500 fighters throughout his career, including 20 of his fellow Hall of Famers, such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and many others ringside.

Outside of the ring, Gray has covered nearly every sport and landed some of the industry’s most lucrative interviews, including sit-downs with Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Tom Brady and Michael Jordan.

Albert spent two decades calling fights for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Albert called more than 300 fights during his tenure with SHOWTIME, including Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Greg Haugen in front of 130,000 fans at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Tyson-Holyfield I & II and the epic Corrales vs. Castillo series.

“Steve Albert’s incredible preparation and perfect timing were the reasons for his memorable fight calls,” Dinkins said. “Steve was the voice of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING through the high profile fights of the Tyson and Chavez eras. He will be forever linked to those shows which helped establish our network as a major broadcaster of boxing.”

Both Gray and Albert earned induction into the Observer category, which recognizes outstanding achievements of print and media journalists, publishers, writers, historians, photographers and artists.

Chicago, Illinois (June 11, 2018) -Newly crowned NABO Light Heavyweight champion Mike Lee is eyeing a future world title opportunity after his latest conquest, where he fought through a broken rib in his 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Hernandez this past Friday night at AllState Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

“And the NEW NABO Champ! Tough fight last night. I fractured my RIB in Round 2 and kept fighting 8 more rounds to a victory. It was not a pretty fight, and FAR from my best performance, But I’m proud of myself for pushing through the pain and doing whatever it took to get the W. THANK YOU for all the love and support last night. It means the world. 21-0 !! @ Allstate Arena.”, Lee said on his Facebook account after the fight.

COVERAGE to the “Fight of Champions” mega-showdown between belt holder
Lucas Matthysse and challenger Manny Pacquiao is already pegged at 170
countries and is fast shaping up to become a blockbuster of an event
dubbed as the World Cup of Boxing.

From Asia to South America, to Europe and Africa, to the Middle East,
Asia Pacifica, Oceania and the Far East and the Caribbean, fans all
over the world will be treated to a whole day of sports festivities on
July 15 starting in the morning and throughout the afternoon.

The Pacquiao Vs Matthysse event will be beamed live at 12 noon from
the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur (around 8 PM, July 14 in the US and
Mexico) via satellite.

With World Cup fever undeniably in the minds of many, boxing also has
its version of the World Cup, with the Philippines and Argentina vying
for the World Boxing Association welterweight belt in the main event
featuring the legendary Pacquiao and Matthysse.

Other championship bouts presented by promoter Manny Pacquiao of MP
Promotions include the WBA world title matches between Venezuela and
China, (Carlos Canizales Vs Lu Bin for the WBA light flyweight belt),
as well as South Africa (Moruti Mthalane) against Pakistan (Muhammad
Waseem) for the International Boxing Federation flyweight crown.

In the main supporting bout, it will be Mexico against the Philippines
as the WBA, through president Gilberto Mendoza Jr. and ratings
chairman Jose Oliver, has just sanctioned the fight between Mexican
Edivaldo Ortega (26-1-1) and Jhack Tepora (21-0, 16 KOs) of the
Philippines for the WBA featherweight title.

Host Malaysia will feature its best fighters Muhammad Farkhan, Theena
Thayalan and Alman Abu Baker battling fighters from Thailand and 2
Indian boxers, respectively, in the undercards stacked deep by the
organizers, who are trying to impress a worldwide audience.

Other countries represented in the event include Australia and Japan.

Kissimmee, Fla. (June 11, 2018) — Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz wants to add his name to the storied list of Puerto Rican world champions. He will get that chance July 28 at the Kissimmee Civic Center, when he squares off against Masayuki Ito for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight title.

And, in the 10-round co-feature, undefeated welterweight prospect Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames will face Artemio Reyes of San Bernardino, Calif.

Diaz-Ito and Adames-Reyes will stream live and exclusively in the United States at 9:30 ET on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. Undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. ESPN+ is available to all fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Teiken Promotions, tickets to this world championship event will go on sale Tuesday, June 12 at 10 a.m. ET. Priced at $100 (red carpet ringside), $50 (lower bowl), and $30 (general admission), tickets may be purchased at the Kissimmee Civic Center box office, online at ticketerapr.com, or charge by phone at (787) 305-3600.

“This fight is dedicated to all of Puerto Rico and to my family that has always been there to support me,” Diaz said. “Now it’s my time to become a world champion, and I promise that I will bring home the world title. I love you, Puerto Rico. This one’s for you!”

“I am really pleased to be able to fight a great fighter like Christopher Diaz for the WBO title. Diaz is a very good fighter with power and speed, but on July 28, I will become the champion,” Ito said. “I will bring the belt home back to Japan without fail. I have promised my wife and children. I will fight as if my life depended on it.”

“I am happy and excited to return to the ring quickly because I want to keep as active as possible. This will be my second fight with Top Rank, and now I will return to the ring much better prepared because I have the experience and the confidence of fighting on big stages,” Adames said. “I will come ready to give the public what they always expect from me… a spectacular knockout! On July 28, ‘Caballo Bronco’ will come to Kissimmee with all the ‘Platano Power’ from the Dominican Republic.”

Diaz (23-0, 15 KOs), from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, is entering his first world title match riding a four-bout knockout streak. The WBO’s No. 1 junior lightweight contender, Diaz won the vacant NABO junior lightweight title last December with a third-round knockout of Bryant Cruz, knocking Cruz down five times en route to the stoppage. In his last bout, March 17 on the Jose Ramirez-Amir Imam undercard at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Diaz defeated Braulio Rodriguez via fourth-round TKO to earn the shot at the world title. For Diaz, this world title opportunity is beacon of hope, as his home and most of his possessions were destroyed when Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico last year.

Ito (23-1-1, 12 KOs), from Tokyo, is the WBO’s No. 2 junior lightweight contender. He has won seven consecutive bouts since the lone defeat of his career, a 10-round majority decision to then-undefeated Rikki Naito in February 2015. Ito, who has fought all of his professional bouts in Japan, has won four of his past five bouts via knockout, including a ninth-round stoppage of Lorenzo Villanueva in April of last year. In his last bout, on March 3 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Ito stopped Vergil Puton in the ninth round.

Adames (14-0, 11 KOs), one of the welterweight division’s fastest rising contenders, made his Top Rank debut as the ESPN-televised co-feature May 12 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jorge Linares card, rolling to a unanimous decision win over Alejandro Barrera. The Dominican Republic native will be fighting for the second time under renowned trainer Joel Diaz and is training in Palm Springs, Calif. Reyes (25-2, 20 KOs) is 10-0 with eight knockouts since his last defeat, a first-round TKO at the hands of Alan Sanchez on April 13, 2012 in Las Vegas. In his previous bout, in August of last year, Reyes knocked out Steve Marquez with a body shot in the fourth round.

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

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. ESPN+ offers fans two exclusive, original boxing programs The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays, weekly) and In This Corner (twice monthly). In addition to boxing content, fans can watch thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, 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.

LOS ANGELES, (June 11, 2018) – WBC Lightweight World Champion Mikey Garcia and IBF Lightweight World Champion Robert Easter Jr. will square-off in a 135-pound unification showdown between unbeaten stars Saturday, July 28 live on SHOWTIME from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) will see Garcia look to become a unified champion for the first time in a career that has seen him win titles in four weight classes. Easter, who enters with a 5-inch height and 8-inch reach advantage, looks to stamp his name amongst boxing’s elite by unifying titles at 27 years old, less than two years after capturing his first belt.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, begin at $50, plus applicable fees, and are on sale today at 12 p.m. PT. To purchase tickets, visit AXS.com.

“SHOWTIME Sports continues to lead the industry with the biggest events, the most important matchups, week after week, month after month,” said Stephen Espinoza, President Sports & Events Programming, Showtime Network Inc. “Mikey Garcia vs. Robert Easter Jr. is the third world championship unification match on SHOWTIME this year. A consensus top-10 pound-for-pound champion facing an undefeated young champion while both are in the prime of their careers. July 28 has all the makings of an instant classic.”

“Mikey Garcia vs. Robert Easter is an outstanding lightweight matchup that is sure to deliver drama for fight fans at STAPLES Center and on SHOWTIME,” Said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Garcia will look to unify in his hometown and further solidify his credentials as boxing’s pound-for-pound best. He’ll have perhaps the toughest test of his career in the unbeaten Easter, who has a lethal combination of size, speed and power that he brings to the ring. With both fighters defending their titles and undefeated records, this is shaping up to be a can’t-miss night of boxing in downtown Los Angeles.”

“This is the kind of matchup that boxing fans love and a fight that I believe will certainly live up to expectations,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “With two undefeated world champions, and two of the top guys at 135 pounds, this fight is guaranteed drama. Mikey Garcia will look to become a unified world champion and add another accolade to a career that is already shaping up to be historic. Robert Easter Jr, a proud champion in his own right, is coming to STAPLES Center on July 28 to upset Mikey Garcia in his hometown. This is the quality of matchup that fans watching on SHOWTIME have come to expect and I suspect they will be fulfilled once again when these two warriors meet in the ring.”

“We are really looking forward to this incredible fight at STAPLES Center,” said Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center. “These two fighters will undoubtedly headline an amazing night of fights for boxing fans in Los Angeles and we are looking forward to welcoming back Premier Boxing Champions and SHOWTIME for the second time in just two months.”

One of Southern California’s most popular fighters, Garcia returns to STAPLES Center for his first fight since becoming a world champion, and his first in California in seven years. Easter returns to the site of his professional debut, having started his career at STAPLES Center in 2012 after serving as an alternate in the London Olympic Games.

Garcia (38-0, 30 KOs), of Moreno Valley by way of Oxnard, Calif., became only the third fighter in modern history to become champion at 126, 130, 135 and 140-pounds, joining future Hall of Famers Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, when he defeated Sergey Lipinets for the IBF 140-pound title in March. The 30-year-old relinquished that title so that he can unify the WBC Lightweight World Championship that he won in January 2017 with a highlight reel knockout of Dejan Zlaticanin (Click HERE to watch Garcia-Zlaticanin KO video)

These wins, combined with a summer 2017 victory over Adrien Broner, have seen Garcia return to the top of pound-for-pound lists after a layoff of two and a half years. Garcia accrued wins over a list of notable names while winning his first two titles at 126 and 130-pounds, including Orlando Salido, Roman Martinez and Juan Manuel Lopez.

“This is the toughest fight of my career to date,” said the four-division champion Garcia. “Robert Easter Jr. is an undefeated world champion who presents serious challenges that I’m going to have to work hard to overcome. Unifying titles is something I’ve dreamed of doing for many years, and to do it at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles will make it even more special. This is the kind of fight that will help my legacy. To be the best you have to beat the best, and Easter is certainly one of the best out there. I’m very thankful to have this opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it on July 28.”

Representing his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, Easter (21-0, 14 KOs) has made three successful defenses since winning his world title in an exciting contest over Richard Commey in 2016. The 27-year-old delivered a fifth-round destruction of former champion Argenis Mendez to earn the title shot, and since winning the title has held off challenges from Javier Fortuna, Denis Shafikov and Luis Cruz to retain his 135-pound belt.

Easter will be making the move to work with Kevin Cunningham for the first time for this fight and conducting training camp in West Palm Beach with him. Cunningham, the longtime trainer of former world champions such as Devon Alexander and Cory Spinks, spurred Adrien Broner to a strong performance in a draw against Jessie Vargas and Gervonta Davis to a dominant knockout of Jesus Cuellar in their first fights together in April.

“This is a fight I’ve been waiting for and I’m really excited that the time is now,” said Easter. “This is the best fighting the best. These are the fights that boxing is all about. I made the move to train with Kevin Cunningham down in Florida and I think it’s going to help me reach another level. It’s just eat, sleep and train down there. We’re going to be ready on July 28 to put on a show and deliver fireworks.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.staplescenter.com follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @MikeyGarcia, @RobertEaster_Jr, @Ringstar, @TGBPromotions @STAPLESCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Brooklyn, NY (June 11, 2018) – Mathew Gonzalez and Cesar Francis remained perfect by scoring stoppage wins in welterweight bouts this past Saturday night at the King’s Theatre in Brooklyn.

Both Gonzalez and Francis are managed by El Matador Management.

Cesar Francis remained undefeated by stopping Victor Manuel Abreu in round two of their scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.

Francis dropped Abreu with a right to the body for which Abreu got up just after the ten-count, and the bout was halted at 39 seconds of the 2nd frame.

Francis, 142.6 lbs of Brooklyn is now 5-0 with four knockouts.

Gonzalez dominated Jimmy Rosario and registered at stoppage after round three of their scheduled four-round bout.

Gonzalez dominated the fight by working behind a pinpoint jab, and beat up Rosario until he retired on his stool following the 3rd round.

Gonzalez, 144.6 lbs of Queens, NY is now 6-0 with 4 knockouts.

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The un-televised undercard of the “Shields vs. Gabriels” event on Friday, June 22, at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, is stacked with great fights between local and international prospects.

Salita Promotions has put together several strong match-ups in addition to the nationally televised SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION (10 p.m. ET/PT) portion of the show, which features two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and current Unified Women’s Super-Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields (5-0, 2 KOs) taking on unified 154-pound champion Hanna Gabriels for the vacant IBF and WBA Women’s Middleweight World Championships.

Topping the off-TV action will be worldwide fan favorite Bakhtiyar “Bakha Bullet” Eyubov (13-0, 11 KOs) of Aktjubinsk, Kazakhstan, taking on Nicholas “King Beamen” Givhan (21-1-1, 11 KOs) of nearby Kalamazoo, Michigan, in a 10-rounder for the USBA Great Lakes Region Welterweight Championship

The action will further heat up with a 10-round light heavyweight showdown between Grozny, Russia’s Aslambek Idigov (12-0, 5 KOs) and Detroit’s own James “The Equalizer” Ballard (10-1, 3 KOs).

Detroit bantamweight favorite Ja’Rico “Great Lakes King” O’Quinn (8-0-1, 5 KOs) will bring his monstrous legion of fans in to watch him go eight rounds for the first time while taking on West Bloomfield, Michigan, veteran Yaqub Kareem (14-9-1, 8 KOs).

The sensational Franchon Crews Dezurn (3-1, 1 KO) of Baltimore will put on a six-round showcase against Ohio’s Crystal Byers; and in an eight-round heavyweight match-up,
Kurchaloi, Russia’s Apti Davtaev (14-0-1, 13 KOs) will attempt to continue his tear through the big man’s division against Catlettsburg, Kentucky, veteran Cory Phelps (16-10-1, 8 KOs).

Appearing in match-ups that are still being made, “Lethal” Leon Lawson (6-0, 4 KOs) of Flint will fight in a super welterweight six-rounder and Detroit’s undefeated Joseph Bonas (3-0, 3 KOs) will go four welterweight rounds. Both opponents are currently TBD.

Also on Showtime, Unified Women’s Middleweight Champion Christina Hammer (22-0, 10 KOs) of Germany defends her WBC & WBO Titles in her U.S. debut against former world champion Tori Nelson (17-1-3, 2 KOs) and in the 10-round opener, Russia’s Umar Salamov (20-1, 15 KOs) will face Georgia’s Brian Howard (13-1, 10 KOs) for the IBF North American Light Heavyweight Championship.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Masonic Temple Box Office at (313) 832-7100. VIP tickets are priced at $300, ringside tickets at $125, and remaining tickets at $75, $50 and $35.

Paul Hyland Jnr is aiming to seal a hat-trick of huge wins for his manager Mark Dunlop when he challenges British Lightweight champion Lewis Ritson at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Saturday night (June 16), live on Sky Sports.

Hyland Jnr is aiming to stop Ritson winning the title outright after the local star picked up the belt stopping Robbie Barrett in seven rounds in Manchester in October and blasting away Joe Murray and Scotty Cardle in one and two rounds respectively in February and March.

The unbeaten Belfast man knows stopping Ritson’s run would open doors to more major honours in the winter, and buoyed by wins for Dunlop-led pals Ronnie Clark over Zelfa Barrett and James Tennyson over Martin J. Ward, ‘Hylo’ could wake up on his 28th birthday on Sunday as the first Northern Irishman to hold the Lord Lonsdale belt at 135lbs since Charlie Nash in 1978.

“Mark is on a bit of a roll with Ronnie beating Zelfa and James stopping Martin so it’s down to me to make it a treble,” said Hyland Jnr.

“The winner of this will push on towards a shot at the World title so it’s sort of like a World title eliminator in theory, there’s a lot riding on this. You win this, it puts you in the mix. That’s what we all dream about, to fight for a World title and this firmly puts me in a good place for that.

“I know Ritson is a tough bloke, he’ll come at me. Whatever he brings, I’ll take it. I believe I have a better boxing ability him that will show on the night, it’ll be a complete war.

“Cardle landed with some big blows in the first round when they fought, so it shows he can be hit. Cardle also only had three weeks to train for the fight so it was all or nothing for him in the first few rounds. He knew he couldn’t go the distance. I will be a totally different proposition.”

Hyland Jnr’s clash with Ritson is part of a huge night of action in Newcastle Josh Kelly challenges Kris George for the Commonwealth Welterweight title.

Gavin McDonnell defends his WBC International Super-Bantamweight title against Stuart Hall in a must-win clash for both men, Charlie Edwards and Anthony Nelson meet for the vacant WBA Continental Super-Flyweight title and Arfan Iqbal defends his English Cruiserweight belt against Simon Vallily.

Tickets priced £40, £60, £80 and £100 are on sale now from the Metro Arena at http://www.metroradioarena.co.uk, on 0844 493 6666 or in person from the Metro Radio Arena Box Office. Please note venue facility and booking fees will apply. VIP tickets are on sale priced at £200 from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/tickets

Face value tickets for June 16 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

New York, NY (June 11, 2018)-DeAndre Ware scored the biggest win of his young career as he won an eight-round majority decision over 2012 Olympian and previously undefeated Enrique Collazo in a super middleweight bout at King’s Theatre in Brooklyn, New York.

After a tactical first three rounds, Ware took over the fight with relentless pressure while landing powerful shots to the head and body that forced Collazo to wilt.

Ware, who is a full-time fireman, specifically asked to fight Collazo, and he came through with flying colors as he won by the scores of 77-75 twice, and 76-76.

The bout was the 1st time that Ware navigated the 8 round distance, and he got stronger with each passing round.

“This was the biggest fight of my career,” said Ware. “I am thankful for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to my career taking off after this big win. We are on our way to the top.”

Said David McWater, CEO of Split-T Management, “This was a great win for all of us. DeAndre has been working hard, and was patiently waiting for his opportunity to come, and when it did, he came up with a big performance. He should be a player in the super middleweight division real soon.”

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

Long Island, New York, June 10, 2018

Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” lit up The Paramount Friday night featuring a main event between rising super lightweight DANNY GONZLAEZ vs veteran JUSTIN SAVI.

MAIN EVENT: DANNY GONZALEZ vs. JUSTIN SAVI
8-ROUND JR. WELTERWEIGHT

DANNY “EL GALLO” GONZALEZ did not wait long to show his dominance in Friday nights main event against JUSTIN SAVI. The first round saw exchanges from both men, attempting to find their distances. However in the second, Gonzalez took over, landing hard combinations to the body and the head of Savi, at one point so severe the ref stepped in to give a standing count. With only 1 second left in the 2nd round, Gonzalez unloaded on Savi, who he had pinned in the corner, until the ref stopped the bout as Gonzalez earned the TKO victory. Danny Gonzalez improves to 16-1-1 7KO’s.

TYRONE JAMES vs. KAESEN FREEMAN
6-ROUND WELTERWEIGHT BOUT

TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES put the fans at The Paramount on their feet against, KAESEN FREEMAN. James used his length to find his distance against Freeman, and once he did, there was no looking back. A beautiful counter right dropped Freeman midway through the first, and with blood in the water, James refused to let it get away, viciously dropping Freeman with a straight right hand a second time, causing the referee to call a stop to the action, earning a KO victory. James improves to 8-0 5KO’s.

JOHNNY HERNANDEZ vs. JUAN RODRIGUEZ
6-ROUND WELTERWEIGHT BOUT

JOHNNY “THE HITMAN” HERNANDEZ was in grudge match with Haymarket, Virginia native, JUAN de la cruz RODRIGUEZ. It seemed as the fight went on, Hernandez’s combination became more crisp and more damaging. Rodriguez was unafraid to go toe to toe with Hernandez, and many time throughout the fight the two exchanged even blows at the center of the ring. When all was said and done, the judges scored a unanimous decision victory for John Hernandez.

MICHAEL STOUTE vs. ANDREW STRODE
6-ROUND FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT

Both MICHAEL STOUTE and ANDREW STRODE entered the ring, on Friday, without a blemish on their record. Both Stoute and Strode went into full tactical warfare, slipping punches, countering, and attempting to command the ring. Both fighters found success in different rounds in a number of ways, including Strode’s quick straight right, and Stoute’s body work. The fight was a true deadlock most of the way through, however, after the final bell, the judges scored majority decision win, in favor of Andrew Strode. Strode improves to 4-0 1KO.

JOHNATHAN ARROYO vs. ANTHONY WOODS
4-ROUND WELTERWEIGHT BOUT

JOHN ARROYO and ANTHONY WOODS opened the night of action with a four round fight that mainly included blood and bombs in which Arroyo was cut over his eye from a head butt, courtesy of Anthony Woods. The back and forth action from both men led to the scores of 38-38 on all three judges cards, a rare unanimous decision draw.

DANNY GONZALEZ (LEFT) LANDING ON JUSTIN SAVI (RIGHT)

TYRONE JAMES (LEFT) LANDS A FLUSH LEFT HAND ON KAESEN FREEMAN (RIGHT)
CREDIT: STAR BOXING/NICK SIDERIS

FACTS:
Featured in the main event is Queens native, DANNY “EL GALLO” GONZALEZ who is in search of his eighth consecutive win at The Paramount. See the next generation of New York rising stars such as TYRONE JAMES, MICHAEL STOUTE, JOHNNY HERNANDEZ and JOHN ARROYO.

*If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please email us at TonyPalmieri@StarBoxing.com
PAST RELEASE:
Rockin Fights 31 Announcement
Karperis vs. Gonzalez Main Event Announcement
Tyrone James The Next Undefeated Prospect to Come Out Of The Paramount?
New Main Event: Danny Gonzalez vs Justin Savi
Johnny Hernandez Fight Announcement
SOCIAL MEDIA:
For more information visit www.StarBoxing.com, follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/starboxing, follow along on Instagram at @StarBoxing, @TheParamountNY, or on Twitter @StarBoxing, or @TheParamountNY.

Please see below for quotes from Mikey Garcia and Robert Easter Jr. from tonight’s interview on the SHOWTIME telecast ahead of their Saturday, July 28 matchup live on SHOWTIME from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

MIKEY GARCIA

“We were fighting at 140 but I always had my mind set on coming back to lightweight. The only fight that made sense was a unification and the only fighter available was Robert Easter. He’s a champion and the man to beat.

“It’s great to be back to finally give my fans here in Southern California a fight. Now that we are I get to give them a unification match and the biggest fight of my career to date.

“I got my fight on July 28, but there’s been a lot of talk about Lomachenko and me over the past year. If I get through Robert Easter Jr. I’d be unified champ and the only other fight that makes sense is Lomachenko.”

ROBERT EASTER JR.

“Lomachenko and Mikey are two skillful guys in the lightweight division and two guys I want to fight. Me and Mikey will do the talking in the ring.

“My height and my reach will give anyone problems as long as I use it skillfully. It will give anyone problems.

On changing trainers to Kevin Cunningham:

“There were some adjustments we needed to make. I was getting too comfortable. I had to do something to take me out of my comfort zone. Coach Cunningham was the guy to pull me in and get on my tail.”

Las Vegas – UFC® today announced that former UFC and Strikeforce® women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Modern Wing’ as a member of the class of 2018. The 2018 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 5, at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS® starting at 7 p.m. PT.

“There would be no women in UFC without Ronda Rousey,” UFC President Dana White said. “Ronda is an absolute pioneer who helped me personally, and a lot of other people, look at women in combat sports differently. She accomplished everything she set out to do with UFC and became a global icon and role model in the process. Today, the women’s divisions are packed with incredibly talented fighters and they produce some of the best fights you’ll ever see. We’re proud to announce Ronda as the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.”

Rousey will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Modern Wing, joining Forrest Griffin (2013), BJ Penn (2015) and Urijah Faber (2017) as the only members of this distinguished category. Rousey also joins Faber as only the second athlete to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame from the bantamweight division. The “Modern Era” category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000 (when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held), are a minimum age of 35 or who have been retired for one year or more.

“This is an immense honor, to not only take part in bringing women to the forefront of this sport, but now the UFC Hall of Fame,” Rousey said. “May I be the first of many.”

As the first female fighter signed to UFC following the global brand’s purchase of Strikeforce, Rousey was named the promotion’s first-ever women’s bantamweight champion in November of 2012, and she debuted inside the world-famous Octagon® at UFC® 157: ROUSEY vs. CARMOUCHE, on February 23, 2013 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Ronda defeated Liz Carmouche in the first round via armbar, becoming the first woman to win a UFC bout while defending her title in the process.

A veteran of 14 professional fights during her five-year career, Rousey, the last Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion and first-ever UFC women’s champion, compiled a record of 12-2, setting numerous records, highlighted by her six consecutive successful title defenses, the most by any female champion in UFC history. During her tenure in UFC and Strikeforce, Ronda secured seven submission victories via armbar, tying UFC Hall of Famer Minotauro Nogueria for most armbar submissions in the combined history of UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce and WEC.

A prolific finisher, Rousey owns records for four of the five fastest finishes in UFC women’s bantamweight history, while her three wins by KO / TKO rank as the second most in UFC women’s bantamweight history. No other fighter in UFC history owns more than two of the five fastest finishes in their respective division.

Rousey’s average cumulative UFC fight time of 3:06 ranks as the second shortest in UFC history (min. five fights) and her collective Strikeforce fight time of 1:36 ranked as the shortest in company history (min. three fights). Ronda’s 14 second armbar submission victory over Cat Zingano at UFC® 184: ROUSEY vs. ZINGANO, was the fastest submission of the Modern Era and of any title fight in UFC history. Rousey also holds the record for fastest submission in Strikeforce history with her 25-second victory over Sarah D’Alelio during her debut at Strikeforce Challengers: Gurgel vs. Duarte on August 12, 2011.

As one of the most complete mixed martial artists in combat sports history, Ronda also holds numerous records for finishing her opponents via knockout. Her 16 second knockout of Alexis Davis at UFC® 175: WEIDMAN vs. MACHIDA is tied as the third-fastest knockout in a title fight in UFC history. Lastly, her 34-second knockout of Bethe Correia at UFC® 190: ROUSEY vs. CORREIA and 1:06 knockout of Sara McMann at UFC® 170: ROUSEY vs. MCMANN, are the second and fourth-fastest knockouts in UFC women’s bantamweight history, respectively.

Ronda headlined six UFC events during her career, including UFC® 193: ROUSEY vs. HOLM, which was held at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on November 15, 2015. UFC 193 recorded a total attendance of 56,214 fight fans, which stands as the largest-attended event in UFC history.

Outside the Octagon, Rousey’s global popularity continued to rise as she was recognized by both her peers and the media with some of the most highly acclaimed awards in sports.

In 2015, Ronda became the first mixed martial artist to win an ESPY award for “Best Fighter,” and she was also acknowledged by ESPN with the ESPY for “Best Female Athlete” in 2014 and 2015, and in 2012 for “Submission of the Year” after her first victory over former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate.

In May of 2015, Sports Illustrated recognized Ronda as “World’s Most Dominant Athlete” as she graced the cover of that month’s issue. Later that month, Rousey also became a published author with the release of her autobiography entitled, “My Fight, Your Fight”, which chronicled her inspiring path from Olympic judo medalist to Hollywood star.

In November of 2015, Ronda became Electronic Arts’ first female global cover athlete with the release of EA SPORTS UFC 2 and also made history as the first woman to be featured on the cover of Men’s Fitness Australia.

While an active UFC athlete, Rousey also became a global movie star, appearing in films such as The Expendables 3, Furious 7 and Entourage, which collectively grossed more than $1.8 billion dollars combined in worldwide sales. She has also headlined popular television shows and series in primetime, hosting Saturday Night Live in 2016 and making a cameo appearance on Blindspot in 2017. Later this year, Rousey will co-star in Mile 22 with Mark Wahlberg and Academy-Award nominated actor John Malkovich.

Along with acting, Rousey is also currently a performer with World Wrestling Entertainment, where she competes weekly as one of the company’s top superstars on Monday Night Raw.

A native of Riverside, California, Rousey’s martial arts career began at age 11, when she started training judo with her mother, AnnMaria, a highly-decorated judoka who became the first American to capture a World Judo Championship in 1984. In 2004, at the age of 17, Ronda won the Gold medal at the World Junior Judo Championships. That same year, she qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games, becoming the youngest judoka to compete in the games that year. In 2006, Rousey won the Bronze medal at the World Junior Judo Championships, becoming the first U.S. athlete to capture two medals at the World Junior Judo Championships. Her ascent as a judoka continued in 2007, as she won the Gold medal at the Pan American Games and Silver medal at the World Judo Championships. In 2008, Ronda captured the Bronze medal at the Olympic Games, making history as the first American to win an Olympic medal in women’s judo since the sport joined Olympic competition in 1992. Overall, Ronda won more than 30 medals and represented the U.S. Judo team in over a dozen international tournaments. She currently resides in California with her husband, UFC heavyweight Travis Browne.

To view Rousey’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://www.ufc.tv/category/ufc-hall-of-fame-ronda-rousey-2018.

To view the UFC Hall of Fame fight library, please visit UFCHOF. To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOFFAQ. For additional information, please visit 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.

Follow all the action live as Jeff Horn defends the WBO Welterweight Title against 3-division world champion Terence Crawford.  The action kicks off at 9:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM PT /11:30 AM in Brisbane with a lightweight battle between Jose Pedraza and Antonio Moran.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Left from Crawford…Right by Horn..Right hook from Crawford..Good exchange..Crawford lands a combination

Round 2 Left to body from Crawford..Straight left..Left from Horn

Round 3 Right Hook from Crawford..Exchange in middle of ring..Double jab..Right from Horn…Left from Crawford,,Hard left..Jab..Left..Jab…good left and a combination..Blood over right eye of Horn

Round 4 Left by Crawford

Round 5 Combinations from Crawford…Horn trying but not getting much done

Round 6 3 punch combination..Uppercut with the left hand.Good body shot..Hard body shot

Round 7 Double right from Horn..Inside left from Crawford..Lead left..Left to body..Left uppercut

Round 8  Crawford lands a left to the body..left hook..Left..3 huge shots wobbles Horn..Huge shots Rocks Horn at the bell

Round 9 Left from Crawford…left..big RIGHT AND A BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES HORN...2 BIG LEFTS..HORN GOING BACK TO THE ROPES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Left from Pedraza..Right drives Moran off balance..Moran lands a body shot..Combination..Left..Right from Pedraza..

Round 2  Blood from the bridge of nose from Moran..Uppercut from Pedraza..Moran landing combinations..Good exchange

Round 3 Pedraza lands a right

Round 4 Over hand right from Pedraza..Moran lands a right over the top..Hard right..Body shot..Nice left from Pedraza

Round 5 Lead right from Pedraza..jab and right

Round 6 Right from Pedraza…

Round 7 Right from Moran..Right..Hard body shot and combination from Pedraza..Jab from Moran..Pedraza landsa left to the body

Round 8 Body shot from Pedraza..Right..Hard left..Double drives Moran back

Round 9 Pedraza lands a short left on inside..uppercut..Sweeping left

Round 10 

96-94 ON ALL CARDS FOR JOSE PEDRAZA

Carlos Vidal stopped Esteban Aquino in round three of a scheduled six-round featherweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 38 seconds of round three, for Vidal, 125 lbs of San German, PR who is now 13-0 with 12 knockouts.  Aquino, 123.2 lbs of Lo Romana, DR is 12-5.

Frederick Julan stopped Eric Abraham in round two of their scheduled six-round cruiserweight bout.

Julan pounded Abraham until the fight was stopped at 2:29.

Julan, 179.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 10-0 with 8 knockouts.  Abraham, 180.8 lbs of Schenedtady, NY is 3-3.

Cesar Francis stopped Victor Manuel Abreu in round two of their scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

Francis, 142.6 lbs of Brooklyn won via a body shot knockout, and is now 5-0 with 4 knockouts.  Abreu, 144.4 lbs of Lo Romana, DR is 9-4.

Orlando Gonzalez stayed perfect by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Rennard Oliver in junior lightweight fight.

Gonzalez, 127.6 lbs of Aguadilla, PR won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 8-0.  Oliver, 127 lbs of New Orleans, LA is 7-2-2.

Erik Ruiz stopped Mario Diaz in the final round of their eight-round junior featherweight bout.

Ruiz dropped Diaz in round four, and finished him in round eight when Diaz took a knee, and the fight was stopped at 2:38.

Ruiz, 118.8 lbs of Oxnard, CA is 16-8-1.  Diaz, 119.8 lbs of Aguassclientes, MEX is 17-2.

Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury ended nearly a 3-year layoff as he stopped Sefer Seferi after 4 rounds of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout at The Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Fury looked flabby, but dominated the action and landed hard shots that forced Seferi to bow out of the fight after 4-rounds.

Fury, 276.7 lbs of Manchester, England is 26-0 with 19 knockouts.  Seferi, 210.2 lbs of Switzerland is now 23-2.

Maurice Hooker won the vacant WBO Junior Welterweight title with a split decision over former lightweight champion Terry Flanagan.

In round seven, Flangan was cut on his forehead from a headbutt that he initiated.

Hooker, 139.4 lbs of Dallas, Texas won by scores of 117-111 and 115-113, while a 3rd judge had it for Flanagan 115-113.

Hooker is 24-0-3.  Flanagan, 139.5 lbs of Manchester, England is 33-1.

Follow all the action as former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury makes his return after almost 3 years out of the ring when he takes on Sefer Seferi.  The action kicks off at 4:30 PM ET / 9:30 PM in the UK with the WBO Junior Welterweight title bout between undefeated fighters Terry Flanagan and Maurice Hooker.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1:Good jab from Fury

Round 2 Right from Seferi..Fury warned for too much clowning..Good right from Fury..Short right

Round 3  Right and left from Seferi..Right from Fury

Round 4 Body shot from Fury..Right from Seferi..Combination from Fury…Uppercut

Round 5 FIGHT STOPPED IN CORNER…WINNER VIA TKO—TYSON FURY

Round 1 Jab from Flanagan…Right from Hooker..Jab..Left..

Round 2 Left from Flanagan..Right from Hooker..Good left..Left to body from Flanagan..Right from Hooker..Good straight left from Flanagan..Right from Hooker

Round 3 Left from Flanagan..Left to body..Left..left

Round 4 Left from Flanagan..Right from Hooker…Right

Round 5 Good right from Hooker..Referee warns Flanagan for headbutts…Good left from Flanagan..2 rights from Hooker and another one..Body shot..body shot

Round 6 Right from Hooker..Body shot from Flanagan..Right from Hooker..Body shot from Flanagan

Round 7 Big left from Flanagan..Flangan is cut on forehead and around right eye..Straight left from Flanagan..Uppercut..Straight left..Big left..Good right and combination from Hooker..

Round 8 Good right from Hooker..Right..Good body shot..Right on ropes from Flanagan..Left..Combination and right from Hooker

Round 9 Good body shot from Flanagan..Combination from Hooker

Round 10 Left hook from Hooker..Left from Flanagan..Left from Flanagan

Round 11 Flanagan lands a body shot

Round 12 Flanagan lands a big flurry..Big uppercut from Hooker..Good left hook..Body shot..Good right..

115-113 Hooker…117-111 Flanagan…117-111 Hooker

Roberto Garcia will defend his WBC Silver Middleweight title against Martin Murray at The O2 in London on June 23, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Murray will be looking to put the frustrations of missing out on a shot at the WBO Middleweight World Title behind him when he challenges Mexico’s 41-3 Garcia later this month.

Garcia is currently enjoying a 13-fight winning streak that stretches back to 2010 and will be heading to London full of confidence.

“I was gutted about Billy Joe Saunders pulling out of our fight for a second time but this is a great replacement,” said Murray. “Roberto Garcia is the Champion and he’s willing to travel to the UK so we know he is well up for it.

“He’s been calling me out on Twitter for a while and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to make the fight so quickly. This means that several months of hard training won’t got to waste and I’ll be out on June 23 topping a great show.

“A good win against Garcia will put me in a strong position with the WBC so there’s everything to fight for. It has been a frustrating period of my career and I’ll be taking my anger out on Garcia on June 23 before moving on to even bigger fights.”

“I’m not like Saunders,” said Garcia. “I’m not afraid of Murray. I’m willing to risk my title and come to London to beat Murray in front of his own fans. My promoter Don King will be in London to watch me win in style. Let’s get it on!”

Garcia v Murray tops a talent-packed card that features some of the UK’s finest young fighters including Light-Heavyweight KO artist Anthony Yarde, Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois in English title action against Tom Little and Hackney talent Ohara Davies.

Further updates to the card will follow this week.

Tickets for Garcia v Murray are available to purchase via www.axs.com

Brooklyn, NY (June 9, 2018) – Tonight, two undefeated member from the El Matador Management stable will be on display at The King’s Theatre in Brooklyn, New York.

Mathew Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) Of Ridgewood, New York will take on Jimmy Rosario (3-6, 2 KOs) in a four-round welterweight bout.

Cesar Francis (4-0, 3 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York battles Victor Abreu (9-3, 5 KOs) in a super lightweight bout scheduled for six-rounds.

“I am excited to see two of my top young undefeated prospects back in action, especially on a show that is geared to the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City,” said manager Felipe Gomez of El Matador Management. “A lot of Puerto Rican boxing legends used to fight on major boxing events the night before the Puerto Rican Day Parade and this is what makes it special. I want to give a special shout out to Real Deal Boxing for giving my guys the opportunity to showcase their talents.”

WBO number-3 ranked light heavyweight contender Mike Lee Broke his rib in the 1st round, but still claimed the NABO Light Heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Hernandez at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

Lee pressed the action as he looked to land power shots early. Hernandez fought gamely, but Lee was consistent with his right and left hands.

Lee showed incredible heart, as in round one, he suffered a broken rib and had trouble breathing throughout the whole ten round fight.

Hernandez was cut from Lee’s work, and the Notre Dame graduate cruised home with the victory by scores of 97-93 on all judges cards.

With the victory, Lee remains perfect with a record of 21-0, and will now look to face any of the world champions in either the light heavyweight or super middleweight divisions.

“I came out wanting the knockout,” said Lee. “I give credit to Jose, he was tough. I got a little excited early, and I was a little sloppy. In the beginning, I was just throwing power shots, I wasn’t double jabbing and using my athletic ability. Every fight is a learning lesson, and tonight I had to bite down and get the win.”

With the win, Lee will now look to challenge any of the champions and big names in and around his weight class.

“Let’s go. I want a shot at the world title. Whether it is at 168 pounds or 175 pounds, I am just waiting on a phone call. We wanted to fight Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., but I don’t know what happened with that. I just want someone with the belt.”

2012 Olympic Bronze Medal winner Tervel Pulev stopped Armando Ancona in round one of their scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout.

Pulev dropped Ancona with a hard left hook. Ancona got to his feet but ate a hard straight right, and the bout was stopped at 2:06.

Pulev, 209.5 lbs of Sofia, BUL is 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Ancona, 209 lbs of Columbus, OH is 8-8-2.

Damar Singeton stopped previously undefeated Tommy Hughes on cuts in the final round of their 6th round super middleweight bout.

In round five, Hughes was cut around the left eye from a straight right hand. The stopped the bout was just 2:30 of round six.

Singleton, 168.5 lb of Toledo, OH is 10-2 with 6 knockouts. Hughes, 168 lbs of Chicago is 6-1.

WBA Featherweight World Championship

Leo Santa Cruz – 125 ¼ lbs.

Abner Mares – 125 ½ lbs.

Referee: Thomas Taylor (Newport Beach, Calif.); Judges: Reynante Danseco (California), Zachary Young (California), Steve Weisfeld (New Jersey)

WBC Super Welterweight World Championship

Jermell Charlo – 154 lbs.

Austin Trout – 154 lbs.

Referee: Jack Reiss (Oxnard, Calif.); Judges: Tom Carusone (Connecticut), Eddie Hernandez Sr. (California), Fernando Villarreal (California).

FLASH QUOTES:

LEO SANTA CRUZ: “I always fight for the fans. If I lose, I know I came and gave a great fight for the fans, because that’s what I care most about. I want them to go home happy.

“For me this is not personal. We’re both the best, and we want to prove who is the best and who is No. 1 and who is the best from L.A. There’s no disrespect. Mares is a great guy and a good person; it’s just business. We have to do this.

“I have to be smart. It’s not going to be easy, because I want to please the fans and I have to make it a war and go out there and trade punches. It’s going to be hard because I always try to please the fans. But I have to do it for myself too. We’ll see what happens.”

ABNER MARES: “I let the emotions get the best of me in the first fight, but I have more experience now than three years ago and I’m a more mature fighter, and I’m going to show that come tomorrow night.

“I have to give a good show; there’s no way I’m going to give a bad show. That’s the type of style I bring, and I’m ready for this. Leo’s ready, I’m ready, and it is now just time to show the world that we have reunited and we are both ready to go.”

JERMELL CHARLO: “He says I’m little, but you know I’ll be big tomorrow. My brother just told me, ‘Do what you do.’ Mell and Mall. That’s all.”

AUSTIN TROUT: “I just told him I was ready; he knows we’ve been working and it’s time to go. There’s really not that much talking going on. I’m going to go in there and put on the action.

“Size doesn’t matter. You know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. We both hit 154 on the button. Head to head. Nose to nose. I’ll push around the bigger guys; I’m ready for this guy. I’m ready for this little guy.

“I’ve felt a sense of urgency my entire career, even when I was undefeated I felt like I can’t lose a fight so I’ve felt that urgency my whole career and that my back’s to the wall and this is what we have to do for every fight.”

Prediction? “My hand’s raised!”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, begin at $50, plus applicable fees, and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit AXS.com or click HERE.

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