According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the undercard for the May 12th showdown between lightweight champion Jorge Linares and Vasily Lomachenko has been finalized.

Welterweight Carlos Adames will take on Alejandro Barrera.

Two-time Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (6-0, 5 KOs), with a large fan following in New York’s Irish community, will face Ibon Larrinaga (10-1, 2 KOs), of Spain, in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Las Vegas lightweight Teofimo Lopez Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs), who was on the 2016 Honduras Olympic team representing the home country of his parents and who has emerged as one of the best prospects in boxing, will face Vitor Jones Freitas, of Brazil, in an eight-round fight. Jones Freitas (14-1, 8 KOs) is the nephew of Brazilian legend and former junior lightweight and lightweight world titleholder Acelino “Popo” Freitas.

Lightweight Jamel Herring (16-2, 9 KOs), of Coram, New York, a 2012 U.S. Olympian and a former U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, will face Juan Pablo Sanchez (30-15, 14 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round bout. The fight will be the first for Herring, who is trained by McIntyre and friends with Crawford, since signing with Top Rank.

Junior welterweight Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (3-0, 1 KO), who won Olympic gold in 2016 for Uzbekistan, will face Jesus Silveyra (8-5-2, 3 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round fight. Gaibnazarov will be fighting for the first time since a shoulder injury sidelined him in September.

Lightweight Mikaela Mayer (4-0, 3 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian from Los Angeles, will face Baby Nansen (6-2-1, 0 KOs), of New Zealand, in her first scheduled six-round fight. Mayer needed only 35 seconds to notch a first-round knockout of Maria Semertzoglou in her last fight on March 10 on the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg undercard.

LOS ANGELES (April 10, 2018) – Featherweight world champions Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares met face to face at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday and discussed their world championship rematch taking place Saturday, June 9 live on SHOWTIME from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Santa Cruz and Mares first battled in August 2015 at STAPLES Center with Santa Cruz earning the majority decision and a vacant featherweight title. Now, Santa Cruz will put his WBA Super World Featherweight Title on the line against the WBA Regular Featherweight World Champion Mares.

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.

Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday at the open to the public press conference from STAPLES Center in Star Plaza in Los Angeles:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“It was a really close fight the first time. Before the fight, I told him I would give him the rematch, just like I would have wanted if I lost. Now is the time and I think this fight is going to be even better than the first fight. Mares will be better with Robert Garcia. He has many champions and I’ve seen the improvement. That’s great motivation for me.

“I know he’s going to seek revenge, but I’m not going to let that happen. My dad is a smart man too and he always knows how to send me to the ring with the right style.

“When two Mexicans get in there, you know it’s going to be a war. I hope everyone comes out June 9 because it’s going to be a fight to remember.

“Every time I step into the ring, I do it for the fans. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. I always want the fans to go home happy. I want to give the fans a great show on June 9 just like in the first fight.

“I think that Abner is going to be a little smarter than the first fight. He said in the first fight he didn’t train for the right fight. I know Robert Garcia will have him bring a smarter fight. We’ll be able to adjust and do what we have to do to win this one.

“I have to make some little changes. There will be adjustments. We have to be prepared to box. I’ll listen to what my dad tells me to do. We’ll know early and take it from there. I know how to fight different styles, but brawling is what the fans love. I’m going to do that while still being smart in the ring.

“This fight is dedicated to my dad as he battles cancer. The only way I can pay him back or try to lift his spirits is to train hard in the gym and give him this win. If he sees me not giving up, I think it will give him the courage to keep fighting his battle.

“It was hard after the loss to Carl Frampton. I got a lot of fan support that inspired me to get back to training and win my title in the rematch. My plan was to retire undefeated, but at the end of the day, the loss means nothing. As long as I give the fans great fights, that’s all that matters.”

ABNER MARES

“This is going to be another great one. Leo Santa Cruz is a great person and a humble guy. You have to be the bad guy against Leo. I could talk about what I’m going to do in the ring, but my fists and my brain will do the work for me.

“Once we get in the ring, you already know what it’s going to be. It was war from the first bell last time. Nothing could stop either of us. We pleased the fans and gave them a great night. This is going to be the same thing. We’re two young fighters, fighting for pride.

“The fight is here now and it’s official. I’m eager to get this win and get redemption. There were things I could have done that would have made the fight easier for myself. Once you get in there, I know we all have a plan, but once you hear the crowd, it can go out the window. I’m a warrior and that type of fighter who’s looking to get the win no matter what.

“I’m not worried about the decision in the first fight. I think he landed the clearer punches but it was definitely a close fight. I was happy with my performance as far as pleasing the crowd. I’ve moved on to the rematch. I’m going to make adjustments and get the win.

“I can talk about how I’ve changed, but you just need to look at my last two performances. People thought Jesus Cuellar was going to knock me out, but I was the one who dropped him That lets you know what type of team I have and what kind of Abner Mares you will see on June 9.

“It feels good to be back fighting Leo for the second time at STAPLES Center. Every time I fight here in Los Angeles the people show me love. This is my hometown and STAPLES Center is my house.

“I’ve always seen holes in Leo’s game that I can take advantage of. It’s a matter of going in there with the perfect game plan. I feel like there’s no way I can lose this fight. That makes it a more exciting fight. If he wants to box, I’m more natural than him doing that. We’ll see who’s done their homework and who can translate it to the ring.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’s Father & Trainer

“My fight with cancer is the toughest one of all. But I’m fighting very hard and I’m not going anywhere. I’m right there by Leo’s side all the way for this fight.

“For the first fight for Frampton, I had to try to prepare Leo from a distance. This fight is different because I’m right there every step of the way. I’m telling him what to do and guide him every day.

“I think Leo is even more prepared this time than for the first fight with Mares. Leo is doing great mentally because he’s such a brave kid. I tell him not to worry about me and to keep working hard. He seems really motivated right now. He knows he’s doing well.

“Right now we’re working on maintaining speed, being smart and not looking for too much of a clash of a fight. I know Leo can win with his speed and his brain. He’s learning and growing as a fighter. I think Mares has reached his peak. Robert Garcia is a great trainer, but at a certain point, there’s nothing the fighter can do to surprise anyone.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Mares’ Trainer

“I was there live for the first fight and it was a great matchup. I knew then that Abner was much better than the fight he gave that night. He left the fans happy, which is all that matters to him. But with me in the corner, it should be a different fight.

“I think the fans have seen what we’ve done with Abner for his last two fights and they know that it’s going to lead to a totally different outcome in this fight.

“Abner tried to blitz Leo from the first bell and he knows that was a mistake. Leo is a tremendous fighter and you can never count Leo out. He takes a great punch and throws a lot. I think working with me for three years now will work out in Abner’s favor.

“Leo always goes out and pleases the crowd. That’s what he loves to do. It’s my job to get Abner to fight smart and not focus on the crowd. He has to focus on what I’m telling him. I’ll do what I have to to make sure he is.

“We’ve been training already for a little over a month. Sparring will start next week. Having Abner in the gym, we’ve taken his strength and conditioning to a level where he’s really doing the right work. He’s giving me good work each day so I know he’s focused.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“This is one of the most anticipated fights of the sport. It’s a rematch we’ve all been waiting for between great warriors in Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares.

“STAPLES Center has a rich tradition of bringing the best and biggest fights in Los Angeles here to this fantastic venue. STAPLES Center always seems to bring out the best in fighters as they fight under the brightest lights.

“Week after week we are witnessing great battles and great matchups on SHOWTIME. Every week is another ‘Fight of the Year’. They are pushing the best to fight the best and that is what we are going to see with these two great fighters on June 9 in Los Angles.

“We all witnessed the great first fight. Over 2,000 punches were thrown between these two fighters. It’s impossible when you have Leo and Abner in the ring to see a boring fight. We are going to have the pleasure of seeing these two guys going again. Once again, it’s a 50-50 fight. We don’t know who’s going to win, but we do know it will be all action here at STAPLES Center.

“Abner is a tremendous fighter inside of the ring and one of the most decorated fighters in recent history to come out of Mexico, but he’s equally impressive outside of the ring. He has a fantastic family and is truly one of the good guys in the sport of boxing.

“I’ve known Leo and his family for a long time and have been involved in many of his fights. He is truly, just like Abner, a family man who just so happens to be one of the best fighters in the world. He’s certainly one of the most exciting fighters in the world and it’s my pleasure to be able to watch him fight again on June 9.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“This is going to be an incredible night. Los Angeles has always been a great fight town going back more than a hundred years. Any time you put two Mexican warriors together like this, you can’t help but get another great fight night in Los Angeles.

“In the first fight, Santa Cruz won an incredibly hard fought decision over Mares. From the opening bell they blasted away at each other, the crowd went wild and there was an all-out brawl underway for 12 grueling rounds.

“The last fight with this kind of significance in Los Angeles was when Bobby Chacon stopped Danny ‘Little Red’ Lopez in a now legendary featherweight fight in 1974. They fought for the mythical city championship on that night. While there are world titles on the line in this fight, I also know that these fighters have a lot of pride in Los Angeles and they’ll be fighting for the championship of this city on June 9.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.staplescenter.comfollow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @LeoSantaCruz2, @AbnerMares, @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.

It takes a big man to go into another undefeated fighter’s hometown and take him down, but as the biggest super welterweight in boxing history, Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora is more than up to the task.

The 6-foot-6 Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) will face Minnesota-based KO artist Veshawn Owens (9-0, 9 KOs) this Friday, April 13, in an eight-round showdown at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pair will meet on the undercard of the Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes event featuring hometown welterweight Jamal James taking on Abel Ramos (9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT)

Presented by Warriors Boxing and TGB Promotions, the event will also see rugged veteran Edner Cherry battling rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout and Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert clashing in an eight-round match between unbeaten super featherweight prospects. Also appearing on the card is sensational 17-year-old 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion.

Tickets for the live event, which is, are on sale now and are available by visiting www.ArmoryMN.com.

“I’ve fought in other people’s backyards and I’ve already beaten undefeated fighters too, so I’m used to this,” said Fundora, a confident 20-year-old southpaw from Coachella, California. “I don’t know much about Owens, but it feels great being able to fight tougher opponents. People are now able to view my full capabilities, instead of knocking guys out in the first round and it doesn’t mean as much.”

With a heavyweight’s reach and height, Fundora is massive for a 154-lb fighter… a natural gift he works on in the gym to its full advantage.

“We trained hard and worked a lot on distance and a lot more power and strength for this fight. I’m not just the biggest, I’m also stronger than anybody else. We started training for this in January. After my last fight, in Argentina, I took a week off and then started working on conditioning in Big Bear. It’s been a great camp.”

Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, says “The Towering Inferno” is more than a “gimmick fighter.”

“He’s for real,” said Lewkowicz. “He’s already beaten some good fighters. How he puts all that size and strength into 154 lbs., I do not know, but Fundora is too big for anyone at this weight. You have to get inside on him and it’s just too far to go because he’s punishing you for every inch you try to take.”

“I’m more than happy with the way things are going,” continued Fundora. “A victory in this fight would be a good stepping stone to hopefully fight for a regional belt next. I will have a lot of opportunities after I win.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

MINNEAPOLIS (April 10, 2018) – Premier Boxing Champions kicks off the 2018 season on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Friday, April 13 with five action-packed bouts on a three-hour televised show from the Armory in Minneapolis, featuring welterweight contender Jamal James battling Abel Ramos in a 10-round main event in front of his hometown crowd.

In the co-main event, rugged veteran Edner Cherry clashes with rising lightweight Dennis Galarza in a 10-round bout and unbeaten super featherweights Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert square off in an eight-round match.

Plus, exciting 6-foot-6 super welterweight Sebastian “Towering Inferno” Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) will take on Veshawn Owens (9-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round match of unbeaten prospects. Sensational 18-year-old, 154-pound prospect Joey Spencer (1-0, 1 KO), a former No. 1 ranked amateur and nine-time national champion, battles Ousmane Sylla (1-2, 1 KOs) in a four round match. The televised action starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The event marks the return of boxing to the Minneapolis Armory, a historic venue that hosted nearly 100 cards between 1915 and 1973, including a show headlined by all-time great Sugar Ray Robinson in 1942.

“This show is the perfect example of what Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes is all about – boxers at various stages of their career, each with something to prove in all action matches,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing. “The stakes are raised for Jamal James because he’s fighting in front of his hometown crowd and yo get in title the mix at 147 pounds and Abel Ramos wants to spoil all of that.

“Veteran Edner Cherry, who has tangled with Paulie Malignaggi and Timothy Bradley, and Dennis Galarza are both looking fighting to get into title contention. And it’s rare for unbeaten prospects like Austin Dulay and Chris Colbert to clash this soon in their careers. It all promises to be an exciting night of boxing on a night when the sports calendar isn’t crowded.”

James (22-1, 10 KOs) is coming off the biggest victory of his career – a knockout over tough veteran Diego Chaves on Dec. 15. The 29-year-old James joined unified 147-pound champion Keith Thurman as the only boxer to have knocked out the durable Argentine. It was James second straight victory since suffering the only loss of his career – a unanimous decision defeat to Yordenis Ugas on Aug. 12, 2016. James hasn’t fought in his hometown of Minneapolis since he scored a unanimous decision over Mohammed Kayongo in 2013.

Ramos (18-2-2, 13 KOs) will complete his move to the welterweight division by taking on James after making his welterweight debut with a stoppage of Emmanuel Robles last July. The 26-year-old out of Arizona has won three of his last four fights and his only pro defeats have come at the hands of top 140-pound contenders Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk.

Cherry (36-7-2, 19 KOs) has defeated once-beaten contenders Haskell Rhodes and Omar Douglas since losing a split decision to Jose Pedraza in a 130-pound world title match in 2015. The 35-year-old Cherry of Wauchula, Florida has previously challenged Tim Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi during his career that included a 10-fight win streak after the Bradley bout.

Galarza (16-2, 9 KOs), an outstanding amateur boxer, is stepping up in competition with this matchup against the more experienced Cherry. The 25-year-old Galarza, who’s from Brooklyn but trains in Orlando, has won three straight fights since losing a split decision to Cesar Alan Valenzuela on Sept. 16, 2016.

Dulay (11-0, 8 KOs) was busy last year, fighting four times with only one fight going the distance. The 22-year-old southpaw from Nashville, Tennessee most recently scored a TKO victory over Carlos Padilla last August.

Colbert (7-0, 2 KOs) has one of the most decorated amateur careers in New York City as he fights out of the renowned Atlas Cops and Kids Gym in Brooklyn. The 21-year-old is noted for his blazing hand and foot speed and he enters this fight coming off a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Titus Williams last November.

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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @WarriorsBoxProm, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 10, 2018) Irish welterweight prospect PADDY ‘Pat-Man” GALLAGHER,(13-3-0, 8 KO’s) of Belfast, Northern Ireland will now battle BRAD SOLOMON, (27-1-0, 9 KO’s), of Douglasville, GA in the first round of ‘The Jose Sulaiman World Invitational Tournament’ set for Friday, April 27, 2018 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY.

Gallagher replaces the injured RADZHAB BUTAEVwho suffered a right shoulder injury this past week.

“Radzhab Butaev was very much looking forward to competing in the ‘Jose Sulaiman World Invitational Tournament’ but unfortunately he suffered a shoulder injury in training that will require treatment and possibly surgery,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, promoter of Butaev. “He’ll be out of the ring for some period and hopes to be back as quickly as possible.”

“It’s unfortunate that Butaev injured his shoulder in training however Paddy Gallagher was training to fight Francisco Santana as alternates on April 27 and he’s very excited now to be fighting in the first round of the tournament against Brad Solomon,” said Evander Holyfield.

Presented by Evander Holyfield’s The Real Deal Boxing, in association with the World Boxing Council and Louisville’s Top Knotch, tickets starting at $35 are now on sale and be purchased through the KFC Yum! Center box office, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. The KFC Yum! Center is located at 1 Arena Plaza, Louisville, KY 40202. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:00 p.m.

Said Gallagher, “This is a dream opportunity to fight in this tournament. It was a big risk taking the alternative position but a risk that has paid off – sums up my career! The fight with Solomon will be a quality fight and one where I will come out on top.”

“A massive thanks to The Real Deal Boxing, the World Boxing Council and my management team MTK GLOBAL. The past year has been my best as a professional so far and this year will be even better.”

The 28-year-old Gallagher, a professional for six years will be making his United States debut when he battles Solomon. Two fights ago, he scored the biggest victory of his career stopping then undefeated Gary Murray in the tenth round on October 6, 2017 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The win earned Gallagher the British Boxing Board of Control Commonwealth Celtic Welterweight Title.

Gallagher has also beaten three other undefeated prospects; Tamuka Mucha, Tony Dixon and Johnny Coyle.

The updated schedule of first round fights for the tournament representing eight countries are;

#1 ranked FELIX DIAZ, (19-2-0, 9 KO’s) of Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic will clash with #8 ranked FRANCISCO SANTANA, (26-6-1, 12 KO’s), of Santa Barbara, CA, representing Mexico.

#2 ranked CHRIS VAN HEERDEN, (25-2-1, 12 KO’s) of Johannesburg, South Africa, faces #7 ranked TIMO SCHWARZKOPF, (18-1-0, 10 KO’s) of Stuttgart, Germany.

#3 ranked FREDRICK LAWSON, (26-1-0, 21 KO’s), of Accra, Ghana, battles #6 ranked BAISHANBO NASIYWULA,(13-1-1, 6 KO’s), of Urumqi, China.

#4 ranked PADDY GALLAGHER, (13-3-0, 8 KO’s), of Belfast, Northern Ireland, faces #5 ranked BRAD SOLOMON,(27-1-0, 9 KO’s), of Douglasville, Georgia.

All bouts are scheduled for ten rounds. A new alternate will be announced shortly.

Included among the unique judging aspects set forth for the tournament;

–Development and implementation of a standardized scoring process that clearly defines how the judges should score each bout.

–Additional judges to minimize margin of error. A fourth judge will be placed at ringside and a fifth judge will be placed in front of a TV monitor with no audio commentary. All five judges’ scorecards will be used if the fight goes the distance.

–Employment of an Open Scoring concept to allow fighters the knowledge if they are winning or losing a fight.

–Assignment of Neutral and Experienced Judges throughout the tournament.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: @TheRealDealPromotions, @WBCBoxing @KFCYumCenter

Twitter: @TheRealDealBox, @Holyfield, @WBCBoxing, @KFC_YumCenter

Instagram: @TheRealDealBoxing, @WBCBoxing, @KFCYumCenter, EvanderRDHolyfield

Websites: www.TheRealDealBoxing.com, www.WBCBoxing.com, www.KFCYumCenter.com

New York City, April 10, 2018

Star Boxing returns to Mohegan Sun on June 30th, for another edition of the exciting “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster!

“SLUGFEST at the SUN” promises to bring the summer heat, to Mohegan Sun. Be sure to get your tickets now, through Ticketmaster, HERE.

ABOUT “SLUGFEST at the SUN”:
Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing “SLUGFEST at the SUN” series is the premier professional boxing experience in Connecticut. Live from the beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena, “SLUGFEST at the SUN” has seen some of the best and brightness 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 northeast’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, 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” experience.
GET YOUR “SLUGFEST at the SUN” TICKETS TODAY!
FIGHT NIGHT: SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2018
BUY TICKETS HERE!
TICKETS:
Tickets starting at $30.00 are now on sale through Mohegan Sun Box Office, Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1 (800) 745-3000. Additional information and ticket links available by visiting www.starboxing.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
For more information follow Star Boxing on Twitter and Instagram; @StarBoxing, Facebook; www.facebook.com/StarBoxing; visit www.StarBoxing.com or Mohegan Sun on Twitter and Instagram; @MoheganSun, Facebook; www.facebook.com/MoheganSun. Follow the conversation by tweeting #SLUGFESTattheSUN

Philadelphia, PA—Super middleweight contender Jesse Hart wants to be a world champion, not only for himself, but also for his dad, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, the power-punching Philadelphia middleweight from the 1970s who never got his chance.
The younger Hart, 28, puts his world championship hopes on the line when he boxes Demond Nicholson, of Laurel, MD, in one of three ESPN-televised fights Saturday, April 28, from the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University.
“Before I’m finished boxing, I want to win the world title for my dad since he never got a chance himself,” Jesse said. “It would mean everything to me.”
The Hart-Nicholson 10-rounder is for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title and will serve as the semifinal to the 12-round World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title fight between champion Jessie Magdaleno, of Las Vegas, NV, and mandatory challenger Isaac Dogboe, of Accra, Ghana. The 7pm (EST) televised opener features a pair of Philadelphia heavyweights, Bryant Jennings and Joey Dawejko, for the vacant Pennsylvania Heavyweight Title, also set for 10 rounds.
The nine-fight card, which begins at 4 pm (EST), is being promoted by Top Rank, Inc., in association with Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc.
After turning pro in 1969, “Cyclone” Hart knocked out his first 19 opponents and 17 of those fights were promoted by Peltz. Overall, Peltz promoted 27 of Hart’s 41 fights.
“I began watching fights on TV in 1959,” Peltz said. “I was in Madison Square Garden the night Bob Foster knocked out Dick Tiger with that big left hook in 1969 and I also was the Garden when Joe Frazier dropped Muhammad Ali in the 15th round in 1971, but I still consider ‘Cyclone’ Hart to be the deadliest puncher with the left hook I ever saw. No one in my memory could turn a left hook over with power and speed and accuracy the way Hart did. No one!”
One month after knocking out veteran contender Stanley Kitten” Hayward in 60 seconds, ‘Cyclone’ had his knockout streak broken by Don Fullmer in June, 1971, though he still won by 10-round decision. He followed by knocking out Fate Davis in five rounds and he was 21-0, 20 K0s, and heading toward the middleweight title when his world turned upside down—literally.
In September, 1971, during a fight with veteran contender Denny Moyer, Hart and his Portland, OR, opponent were trading shots in close during the sixth round when both men fell through a sagging rope and landed on the concrete floor of The Spectrum. Moyer injured an ankle and Hart was knocked temporarily unconscious. The fight was declared a No Contest. Two fights later, Moyer challenged world champ Carlos Monzon and was stopped in five rounds in Rome, Italy.
Hart was never the same after fighting Moyer, going 9-9-1. He knocked out Matt Donovan in his next match, then was stopped twice by Nate Collins and Jose “Monon” Gonzalez. He beat Sugar Ray Seales in the summer of 1975 and followed that with a career-best 10-round draw against Bennie Briscoe at The Spectrum that November. Knockout losses to Briscoe (in the rematch) and to future world champs Marvin Hagler and Vito Antuofermo ended his career in 1977 at the age of 25. He made one ill-fated return in 1982 and lost to Tony Suero in Atlantic City. At the end, he was 30-9-2, 28 K0s.
The younger Hart is trying to win a world title for dad, even if it’s in an era where world titles are more plentiful. “Cyclone” had only one champion to deal with—Monzon–and there were plenty of quality challengers around—Briscoe, Tom Bogs, Emile Griffith, Jean-Claude Bouttier, Jose Napoles, Tony Mundine.
Jesse fought bravely last September in Tucson, AZ, getting off the canvas in round two to give Gilberto Ramirez all he could handling before losing a 12-round decision for the WBO 168-pound title. He is back as the No. 1 contender for Ramirez and as high as No. 3 for WBC champion David Benavidez.
If he is successful against Nicholson, chances are Hart will find himself in another world championship fight before the end of 2018.
And that should make him and dad happy.

Hailing from Northampton, Ultimate Boxxer contender #6 Drew Brown aims to show he’s the real deal.

ULTIMATE BOXXER I will take place at the Manchester Arena on April 27. Tickets are available from www.ultimateboxxer.com

Boxing since the age of 10, Drew Brown, a volume puncher believes he has the pedigree & passion to bring the trophy home to Northampton. Follow his journey @ultimateboxxer as all roads lead to the Manchester Arena on 27th April 2018.

Punching machine Drew Brown aims to stick the boot in and put Northampton on the world stage again by winning boxing’s exciting new tournament Ultimate Boxxer.

The undefeated 21-year-old enters the debut Ultimate Boxxer event on Friday 27th April at the Manchester Arena and believes he can win the tough one-night elimination contest and be crowned the first ever winner.

Usually boxers are born out of tough inner-cities, where hardship and few opportunities in life force them to fight their way out of poverty in a rags-to-riches story of world title glory.

However, Brown hails from the quiet market town of Northampton in the heart of England, often described as the Rose of the Shires, more known for its beautiful countryside, thatched cottages and parish churches.

Northampton was once the centre of the world’s boot and shoe making industry which gave rise to the nickname The Cobblers of the local football team. And Nearby Silverstone hosts the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the iconic race track.

There’s never been a British boxing champion from Northampton and Brown intends to change that. The last Northampton fighter to challenge for the British title was hard-as-nails Alan Bosworth way back in 2002, Like Bosworth, Brown is a product of Far Cotton Amateur Boxing Club.

The diversity of contenders in Ultimate Boxxer gives all fighters who have not had the golden opportunities in their careers to really punch their way to glory and become boxing’s next big star – and Brown aims to be that man.

Brown, who has won all seven pro fights with exciting all-action style, said: “I can’t wait for Friday 27th April in Manchester and show everyone that I’m the Ultimate Boxxer,”

“I’m a fighter from a small town, maybe some people or my rivals in Ultimate Boxxer have never heard of Northampton, but they will do after this tournament,”

“I might not come out of an inner city, but I’ve still got the heart and desire for a fight, I’d warn them don’t mistake where I come from as weakness, underestimate me at your peril,”

“Ultimate Boxxer has given me an opportunity, regardless of my background, to be discovered, it’s a platform to showcase my talent to the world. When opportunities like this present themselves you have to grab it and that’s what I intend to do,”

“People in Northampton will remember me forever if I win it. That would put me in the history books,”

“I’ve been going to the boxing gym since I was 10 years old and I’ve been going there every day since with the aim of becoming a champion one day, the dream is the British title.”

The Danny Garcia fan won 32 of 42 amateur bouts and still trains at the gym where he started with ex-pro John Daly.

His gym mates include women’s world champion Chantelle Cameron, super-flyweight contender Nathan Reeve and Carl Fail, who last month won silver at the European Under-22 Championship.

“The vibe at the gym is amazing,” said Brown. “Everywhere I look I see champions and we all push each other.

“Chantelle is a machine. She is a real inspiration.”

“As soon as I heard about ‘Ultimate Boxxer,’ I thought; ‘This is right up my street.’

“The other fighters are six, eight and 10-round fighters. They want to jab and jab and walk you down, while I like to get stuck it and throw lots of punches.

“I’m confident I will be able to outwork them all and win this.”

BIO-FILE
Age: 21
Record: 7-0-0
Amateur pedigree: 42 bouts for Far Cotton Amateur Boxing Club in Northampton
Trainer: John Daly/Spencer McCracken
Cutman: Jon Pegg
Strengths: Loves to fight. Starts fast and throws lots of combinations. He will be big for the weight. Brown has been campaigning at super-welterweight
Weaknesses: His tendency to get into a fighter means he sometimes forgets to jab
Punch power: No KOs yet in his pro career, but scored a knockdown in his last fight and throws plenty of punches.
Speed: Good hand speed and pumps out punches in threes and fours
Stamina: Drew likes to start fights fast, win the opening round, and has proved he can fight at a good pace in shorter fights
Anything else: He started boxing aged 10 and trains at the same gym as women’s world champion, Chantelle Cameron

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

Football team: “You’ve got to back your local team so Northampton Town, but I also support Liverpool.”
Personal & Family life: “I’ve got a younger brother and sister. I live with my missus and our young son, Hunter. I work as a painter and decorator.”
Music: “I like a bit of everything but Kid Rock is my favourite.”
Fashion: “T shirt and trainers, designer labels.”
Shoes: “Trainers.”
Toughest moment: “I snapped my wrist during an amateur fight, but I didn’t tell my coach, carried on fighting – and I won.”
Best moment: “Beating (England international) Louis Claridge in the amateurs and boxing as a pro in Northampton.”
Aspirations: “One day I want the world title, but that’s a long way away. I’ve got to go for the Midlands title, then the English and work my way up.”
Nutrition: “Spence (McCracken) helps me with this. I eat a lot of chicken salad.”
Family Make-up: “I live with my missus and our little boy. He’s mad !”

Q&A
What got you into boxing? “It’s not all countryside and cottages were I’m from in Northampton, it was a tough area where I grew up and my mum and dad wanted me to be able to look after myself, so they took me to the gym.”
Who was your favourite fighter? “Danny Garcia does it for me.”
Amateur record and achievements? “I had 42 bouts for Far Cotton and won 32.”
Who’s the best boxer you have sparred? “Frankie Gavin and Sam Eggington.”
What are your best assets as a fighter? “I’ve got a high workrate and I’m big for the weight. I’m coming down from super-welterweight.”
What do you know about other fighters in Ultimate Boxxer? “They are all good lads, but I’m not thinking about them too much.”
Goals in boxing? “To be world champion one day.”
Who would you like to fight after UB? “I’m looking to step up to six rounds.”
Favourite TV show? “Big Bang Theory.”
Favourite meal when not in camp? “Indian.”
Hobbies? “Shooting game and taking out my four dogs.”

For an introduction to yesterday’s Ultimate Boxxer Contender #5 Jimmy Cooper CLICK HERE

For latest news and exclusive content on ULTIMATE BOXXER I go to www.ultimateboxxer.com; you can follow us on all social media @ultimateboxxer and join in the conversation with #ultimateboxxer

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Philadelphia, PA (April 10, 2018) – This past Friday night, super middleweight Brandon Robinson won his 10th straight bout as he won a eight-round unanimous decision over Oscar Riojas in the headline bout of a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The show was promoted by King’s Promotions.

Robinson dropped Riojas with a left hand in the first round, and he was never challenged against the awkward veteran Riojas.

Robinson, 167.3 lbs of Philadelphia, PA won by scores of 80-71 twice, and 79-72 to rise his mark to 10-1. Riojas, 168.8 lbs of Monterrey, Mexico is 16-9-1.

In a battle of undefeated super bantamweights Raeese Aleem was impressive in winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Marcus Bates.

Aleem scored a knockdown in the opening frame from a left hand. Aleem continued to push the action by taking the lead, while Bates tried to counter, but it was the effective punching Aleem. Aleem won by scores of 80-71 & 79-72 twice.

Aleem, 121.9 lbs of Las Vegas is now 11-0. Bates, 122.9 lbs of Washington, DC is 8-1-1.

Colby Madison and Guillermo Del Rio battled to a six-round majority draw in a heavyweight bout.

Madison was able to draw blood from Del Rio’s right nostril in round three, but Del Rio was able to match Madison punch for punch. Madison took a card 58-56, while two cards read even at 57-57.

Madison, 247.9 lbs of Owings Mills, MD is 6-0-2. Del Rio, 198.8 lbs of South Houston, Texas is 2-2-1.

Poindexter Knight went the distance for the first time, but still came out with an a easy four-round unanimous decision over Vincent Floyd in a welterweight bout.

Knight knocked Floyd down in round one with a nice left-right combination.

Knight, 149.3 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 3-0. Floyd, 148.3 lbs of Philadelphia is 3-5-1.

Joshafat Ortiz remained undefeated by pounding out a four-round unanimous decision over Evgueny Metchenov in a junior light bout.

Ortiz landed hard shots that drew blood from the nose of Metchenov in round two. Ortiz won by 40-36 scores on all cards.

Ortiz, 131.5 lbs of Reading, PA is 3-0. Metchenov, 130.7 lbs of Forrestville, MD is 0-2.

Denis Okoth won a four-round split decision over Rasheed Johnson in a welterweight fight.

Okoth took two cards by scores of 40-36 and 39-37, while Johnson won a card 39-37.

Okoth, 143.9 lbs of Siaya, KEN is 2-0-1. Johnson, 147.3 lbs of Philadelphia is 3-2.

Kendall Cannida won a four-round unanimous decision over Carlos Villenueva in a light heavyweight bout,

Cannida sealed the fight with a final round knockdown that came from a nice three-punch combination, and won by scores of 39-36 on all cards.

Cannida, 178.1 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-0. Villenueva, 173.2 lbs of Philadelphia was making his pro debut.

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NEW YORK (April 10, 2018) – SHOWTIME Sports added two featherweight bouts to its robust boxing schedule with two high-stakes matchups from the U.K. streaming live on SHOWTIME Sports social media platforms, free to boxing fans in the U.S.

Former two-division world champion Carl Frampton will battle former four-division champion Nonito Donaire on Saturday, April 21 in Belfast, Ireland for the interim WBO Featherweight Title. Then, on Saturday, May 19, IBF World Champion Lee Selby will defend his 126-pound title against undefeated Josh Warrington live from Leeds, England. Both SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® social media offerings will stream live in the U.S. on SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel. The events are promoted by Frank Warren with live coverage provided by BT Sport and BoxNation.

The previously announced rematch between WBA Featherweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz and former three-division champion Abner Mares will take place just a few weeks later on Saturday, June 9 live on SHOWTIME® from the Staples Center in L.A.

In all, five of the consensus top-10 ranked featherweights will clash on SHOWTIME platforms in two months, including two world champions and four former multi-division champions. These matchups between titleholders and top-ranked featherweights will give further clarity to a stacked division.

“As we’ve seen at welterweight, super welterweight and even heavyweight, the top fighters in the featherweight division are looking to prove that they are undoubtedly the best in the world,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for SHOWTIME. “They are doing so by facing their toughest challengers and ultimately seeking to unify world titles. SHOWTIME proudly leads the industry with fights like these—the most competitive and important fights in boxing’s most talent-laden weight divisions. We commend the fighters who have dedicated themselves to this simple, yet dangerous premise. Their effort has been inspiring and contagious.”

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

April 21: Frampton vs. Donaire – SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Two Fighter of the Year award winners will meet in a 12-round bout for the interim WBO Featherweight Title. Carl Frampton (24-1, 14 KOs), of Northern Ireland, will face Nonito Donaire (38-4, 24 KOs) of General Santos, Philippines, on Saturday, April 21 from SSE Arena in Belfast live in the U.S. via SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page.

Frampton’s all-action style and willingness to take tough challenges has made him a fan favorite all around the world and the 2016 Fighter of the Year. He handed featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz his only defeat after conquering rival Scott Quigg in their 122-pound unification bout in 2016. Fighting out of Belfast, the Irish national amateur champion became a world champion in 2014 when he defeated Kiko Martinez to earn a super bantamweight title. Frampton, 31, lost his featherweight belt in a hard fought rematch against Santa Cruz on SHOWTIME in January 2017. He defeated Horacio Garcia via unanimous decision last November.

Donaire, the consensus 2012 Fighter of the Year, is working his way back to another world title fight. The two-time winner of The Ring’s Knockout of the Year award, “The Filipino Flash” turned pro in 2001 and has won championships in four weight divisions. Donaire has participated in nearly two dozen world title bouts thus far in his career. He lost his featherweight title to Jesus Magdaleno in 2016 and is coming off of a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision win over Ruben Garcia Hernandez at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The winner of this fight will be in position to challenge WBO Featherweight Champion Oscar Valdez, who is recovering from injury following his fourth title defense, a UD win over Scott Quigg on March 10.

The livestream of Frampton vs. Donaire will precede that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader that features former four-division champion Adrien Broner and former champion Jessie Vargas in a 12-round welterweight bout live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. In the co-feature, Jermall Charlo will face Hugo Centeno Jr. for the interim WBC Middleweight World Championship and Gervonta Davis will meet Jesus Cuellar for the WBA Super Featherweight World Championship.

May 19: Selby vs. Warrington – Elland Road Football Ground, Leeds, England

Featherweight world champion Lee Selby (26-1, 9 KOs) of Cardiff, Wales, will make his 2018 debut when he puts his IBF belt on the line against undefeated Josh Warrington (26-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday, May 19. This main event bout will stream live in the U.S. via SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page. The fight will take place in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, at the Leeds United’s Elland Road Football Ground.

Selby, the 31-year-old Welshman, has held the IBF Featherweight Title since 2015 when he wrested it from Evgeny Gradovich with an eighth-round TKO. He has since made four successful defenses, the latest being a unanimous decision over Eduardo Ramirez last December.

Warrington, 27, won the British Featherweight Title in just his twelfth outing as he outpointed Chris Male in 2012. He stopped Samir Mouneimne in his hometown of Hull to win the Commonwealth Championship in 2013 and continued his campaign with victories over Martin Lindsay, David Dieli and Dennis Tubieron. He defeated Dennis Ceylan via stoppage in the 10th round in his last outing to earn his shot at the IBF title.

ORANGE, Calif. (April 9, 2018) – Lightweights Max Becerra (13-2-2, 8 KOs) and Pedro Moreno (7-0, 5 KOs), both recently signed to Thompson Boxing Promotions, are showcased in separate bouts on the “New Blood” undercard this Saturday, April 14, from the Salinas Storm House in Salinas, Calif.

Becerra, a three-time Golden Gloves winner (2005-2007), faces Erick Martinez (14-11-1, 8 KOs) of Mexico in a 6-round bout.

Moreno, a former Silver Gloves champion, meets once-beaten Sergio Martinez (3-1, 3 KOs) in a 6-round fight.

Becerra and Moreno will have substantial support in the crowd, as both grew up in Northern California.

“It has been almost six years since I’ve last fought in this area,” said Becerra, who was born in the Bay Area enclave of Hayward. “It’s nice to fight close to home and not have to deal with the travel and the distractions that comes from it.”

“I hear the Salinas Storm House gets loud so I’m going to be looking forward to that,” said Moreno, who calls Sacramento home. “I haven’t fought since August so I’m more than ready to fight.”

The distinctively Northern California card was by design, according to matchmaker and general manager of Thompson Boxing, Alex Camponovo.

“We wanted to give Max and Pedro an opportunity to fight close to home,” Camponovo said. “Additionally, it’s an opportunity for us to gain a foothold in this area.”

Anchoring “New Blood” is Salinas native and undefeated featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (10-0, 4 KOs). Villa is in a showdown with Colombian Marlon Olea (13-2, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBO Youth Title (8-rounds).

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $75 & $125, 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 our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 6:00 p.m. The Salinas Storm House is located at 185 Maryal Dr. Salinas, CA 93907.

“New Blood” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and Banner Promotions.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. To follow the conversation on social media, please use #NewBlood, #TBPresents, and #ThompsonBoxing.

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.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (April 9, 2018) – Prince Ranch Boxing (PRB) is happy to announce the signing of undefeated flyweight contender, Casey “The Lady Hawaiian Punch” Morton (7-0-3, 1 KO). Morton joins a stellar group of fighters under the (PRB) management team, which include Damien “Sugar” Vazquez (13-0, 7 KOs), Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (8-0-1, 6 KOs) and Issac “Canelito” Avlar (14-0, 9 KOs) to name a few.

“After signing with Greg Hannley and Prince Ranch Boxing, I feel my career is headed in the right direction,” said Casey Morton, of San Francisco by way of Honolulu, Hawaii. “I’m going to take full advantage every opportunity that comes my way. I’m hungry to get to the top and I’m hoping to be fighting for a world title by the end of the year.”

“Casey is a sensational fighter with a great team behind her,” stated Greg Hannely, president of (PRB). “In addition to her tremendous fighting talent, she’s also got the image to transcend across all aspects of multimedia. She’s knocking on the doorstep of a world title and we want to get her in back in the ring as soon as possible.”

Morton, who trains out of the SNAC Research & Training Facility owned by Victor Conte, is coached by Nonito Donaire Sr., father of 2012 Fighter of the Year, Nonito Donaire Jr. Morton and Donaire Sr. have two fights together, and she couldn’t be happier.

“Working with Nonito Sr. has been a tremendous blessing to my career,” Morton continued. “Although we’ve only been together for a couple of fights, I’ve learned so much in that short period of time. I’m starting to sit down on my punches, which has added a significant amount of power to my punches. We are working great together.”

In her last fight on March 25, 2018, Morton, with Donaire Sr. in her corner, traveled to Manila, Philippines, and captured the WBO Asia Pacific title, winning by a shutout unanimous decision against Nongmuay Kokietgym (13-4-3).

“I have a tremendous team behind me,” Morton concluded. “I want to thank Victor Conte, Nonito Donaire Sr., all my family and friends, and last by not least, Greg Hannley for supporting me on my journey to become a world champion. I give all credit to God for my blessed career.”

Bethlehem, PA (April 9, 2018) – A terrific eight-bout card has been assembled for THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!! at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

6 undercard bouts have been added to the already announced eight-round super featherweight main event that will pit Frank De Alba (22-2-2, 9 KOs) of Reading, PA taking in O’Shaquie Foster (12-2, 8 KOs) of Houston, TX.

Also previously announced is the six-round co-feature pitting cruiserweights Luther Smith (9-2, 8 KOs) of Bowie, MD taking on Elvin Sanchez (8-3-1, 6 KOs) of Paterson, NJ.

The show is promoted by King’s Promotions.

The 30 year-old De Alba has a six-year professional who has wins over Andrew Bentley (1-0), Jose Bustos (8-2-3), Bernardo Gomez Uribe (16-3), Kiun Evans (12-2-1), De Alba has had some tough luck as he has had several fights fall through for different reasons. This will be his 1st bout in just over a year as in his last bout where he won a eight-round unanimous decision over Ryan Kielczewski (26-2) on April 4th at The Sands Bethlehem Event Center. De Alba has won five straight.

Foster, 24 years-old, was a highly decorated amateur standout. Foster advanced to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials where he lost to unbeaten contender, Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz. Before that, Foster was a 2010 PAL National Champion, a five-time Ringside National Champion and two-time National Junior Golden Gloves Champion.

Foster is a six-year professional who won his first eight bouts. Foster has wins over three undefeated fighters including Devin Parker, Lavisis Williams, and his last bout when he defeated Kaylen Alfred on January 20th in Houston.

Smith, 39, is a three-year professional, who has stoppage wins over two undefeated foes Mike Marshall and Darnell Pierce.

Smith is coming off a 4-round split decision loss to perennial spoiler Lamont Capers on November 30, 2017 in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The 37 year-old Sanchez is a 10 year professional who has knockout wins over undefeated Venroy July (13-0-2) and in his last bout when he stopped Khalib Whitmore (6-1) on August 11, 2017 in Philadelphia.

In an eight-round welterweight fight, Craig Callaghan (17-1, 7 KOs) of Houston, TX will fight Cesar Soriano Berumen (28-37-2, 17 KOs) of Iztacalco, MX.

In six-rounds bouts:

Juan Sanchez (5-0, 2 KOs) of Allentown, PA takes on Vincent Jennings (5-4, 4 KOs) of Grand Rapids, MI in a featherweight bout.

In a battle of undefeated welterweights, Jesus Perez (3-0, 1 KO) of Reading, PA squares off against Anthony Sonnier (3-0, 2 KOs) of Seattle, WA

In four-round bouts:

Denis Okoth (2-0-1) of Siaya, KEN fights Greg Jackson (8-5, 4 KOs) of Philadelphia in a welterweight bout.

Martino Jules (3-0) of Allentown, PA will take on Phillip Davis (1-1-1) of Worcester, MA in a featherweight bout.

James Robinson (4-9-4, 1 KO) of York, PA will look to upend Laured Stewart (3-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY in a junior middleweight bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $50, $75 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

ESPN and Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International today announced today an extensive line up of exclusive boxing programming for ESPN+, the new direct-to-consumer sports streaming service launching April 12. Additionally, through an expansion of ESPN’s agreement with Top Rank, ESPN+ will add 12 exclusive world-class Top Rank on ESPN cards to the annual line up.

The monthly live ESPN+ events start Saturday, June 9, with a world championship bout showcasing pound-for-pound superstar Terence “Bud” Crawford as he seeks to win a world title in a third weight class when he challenges welterweight world champion Jeff “The Hornet” Horn at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. ESPN+ will also exclusively stream six international Top Rank on ESPN cards per year, giving subscribers access to some of the sport’s best international fights. The first international live event to stream on ESPN+ will be Saturday, April 21, when former unified junior welterweight world champion Amir Khan faces Phil Lo Greco in a welterweight battle, live from Liverpool, England.

The agreement sets the table for an integrated alliance between Top Rank and ESPN’s industry-leading networks and platforms to allow all forms of Top Rank content, including additional original programming and library content, to reach more fans in a variety of new ways.

The 12 additional Top Rank on ESPN cards and six international live events are exclusive to ESPN+. Subscribers of ESPN+ will also have access to a variety of new and existing boxing content throughout the year, including:

· A consistent studio show covering all the latest news, results and storylines

· The unmatched, on-demand treasure chest of the greatest fights of all time, including hundreds of fights from the ESPN Big Fights Library and the Top Rank archive, including Ali vs. Frazier I-III, Ali vs. Foreman, Leonard vs. Duran I-III, Hagler vs. Hearns and Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, among many, many more

All Top Rank on ESPN undercard fights
· Re-airs of all Top Rank on ESPN and Top Rank on ESPN PPV bouts

· Weigh-ins, post-fight interviews and press conferences

· News, information and opinion across ESPN platforms

“ESPN is thrilled to take our relationship with Top Rank to a new level via this innovative and exclusive distribution on ESPN+,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling. “By distributing more Top Rank events and boxing content than ever before, we are showing fans our commitment to boxing through a more personalized and targeted manner.”

“Top Rank is thrilled to extend our agreement to include these additional world-class events for ESPN+,” said Todd duBoef, Top Rank President. “This addition offers a 360 approach to the entire boxing vertical, including live world class events, unparalleled coverage, as well as access to historical moments in the sport.”

Launching April 12, ESPN+ will be an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App will be 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 will curate all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ will also be available through ESPN.com.

ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International in partnership with ESPN and featuring ESPN branded content. It will offer fans 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 a discounted annual price of $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

Last August, ESPN and Top Rank announced a vast and exclusive, multimedia agreement to make ESPN the home of Top Rank in the U.S. and Canada. Under the agreement, ESPN currently televises live fights on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and streams them on the ESPN App. It also airs all Top Rank content in English and in French on Canadian sister networks TSN and RDS.

–30–

About Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International

Comprised of Disney’s international media businesses and the Company’s various streaming services, the Direct-to-Consumer and International segment aligns technology, content and distribution platforms to expand the Company’s global footprint and deliver world-class, personalized entertainment experiences to consumers around the world. The recently announced segment is responsible for The Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer businesses globally, including the ESPN+ sports streaming service, programmed in partnership with ESPN; the upcoming Disney-branded direct-to-consumer streaming service; and the Company’s ownership stake in Hulu. As part of the Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, BAMTECH Media, developer of the ESPN+ and Disney-branded streaming platforms, oversees all consumer-facing digital technology and products across the Company.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN Plaza includes 950,000 square feet in 16 buildings on 123 acres (116 contiguous), with additional office space (400,000 sq. ft.) rented nearby. The company is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN. For more information, visit www.espn.com/boxing, @ESPN and @ESPNBoxeo.

About Top Rank

Innovation has been the mantra at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors and television networks, Top Rank launched in 1980, Top Rank on ESPN which ran for a historic 16 years. Top Rank then launched another very popular televised boxing series in 1996 titled Solo Boxeo.

Some of the most legendary and spectacular events in boxing history were promoted by Top Rank, including: 26 Muhammad Ali events; Leonard vs. Hearns, Arguello vs. Pryor, Duran vs. Leonard; Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights and dates back over 50 years.

Top Rank has been an architect of the global growth of the sport by staging high profile events in landmark settings around the world, including every major arena in Las Vegas, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The “Fabulous” Forum and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans while also producing live telecasts that generate high ratings for television partners.

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, @TRBoxing, and www.facebook.com/trboxing.

Amir Khan says that the personal attack from Phil Lo Greco in the build-up to their clash on April 21 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, live on sky Sports, has fuelled his fire in training camp.

Khan is back in England from training in San Francisco and is ready to lace them up for the first time in nearly two years – and in his first fight at home since April 2013 – against the Canadian.

Lo Greco and Khan clashed at the launch press conference for the fight, where Lo Greco made comments about Khan’s personal life that riled the former unified Super-Lightweight king, and the Bolton ace says those comments and subsequent altercation lit a fire under him to get in great shape and deal with Lo Greco in brutal fashion on Merseyside.

“I am going to make a big statement on April 21,” said Khan. “I’m not going to make any mistakes. No fight is easy and I’m very focused on beating Phil and beating him well. The hard work has been done and I hope he’s in the best shape he’s ever been in – we gave him enough notice so there’s no excuses, he’s had 11 weeks so he better be looking good because I want to beat him badly at his best.

“He got personal at the press conference and that’s not right – he’s going to pay for that. Talk about boxing, talk about me getting KO’d or getting beat – but going into my personal life is disrespectful and that’s made me angry.

“I wanted to show him who’s boss and put it on him, he needs to watch what he says. He’s an idiot and he’s going to be put in his place on April 21.

“The fans hate him now and he’s going to be in for a hostile night from the fans in Liverpool. British fans are the best in the world and he should’ve come here wanting to getting them on his side, but there’s no chance that will happen.

“There’s pressure in every fight and I know that lose and it’s game over for getting those huge fights. I cannot make any mistake and what he’s said in the press conference has only added more fuel to the fire.

“I’ve felt great in camp and I know that I need to be at my sharpest as I’ve been out for a while and I know that he’s going to think he can take advantage of that and upset the odds – but that’s not happening.

“Welterweight is where I want to be winning World titles at. The next two fights are going to be huge marquee names that make me a two-weight World champion. Eddie knows what I want and he’s got the plans down, I know I can win that World title this year but I cannot look past Phil, he’s coming to smash my dreams.”

Khan’s clash with Lo Greco is part of a huge night of action on Merseyside as Birkenhead’s Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd defends his Commonwealth Lightweight title against Tommy Coyle and Ryan Mulcahy defends his Central Area Super-Lightweight title against Bilal Rehman.

Former Team GB Olympians Natasha Jonas and Anthony Fowler box in front of their hometown fans for the second time as pros and are joined by fellow Mersey hitters Tom Farrell and Craig Glover. Exciting Welterweight Conor Benn returns, Qais Ashfaq is in his second pro fight, and former European Welterweight king Sam Eggington, unbeaten Bolton Super-Bantamweight Osman Aslam and unbeaten Super-Welterweight Scott Fitzgerald are all in action.

Limited tickets remain on sale priced £40 and £80 via the Echo Arena at www.echoarena.com and on 0344 8000 400.

Face value tickets for April 21 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.

ENDS

Leeds United and Frank Warren are delighted to confirm the Kaiser Chiefs will be playing live at Elland Road, during the unmissable night of World Championship Boxing on Saturday 19th May.

Josh Warrington is looking to become IBF Featherweight World Champion when he takes on Lee Selby, in what is set to be one of the biggest sporting events of the summer.

Warrington famously walks into his fights to ‘I Predict a Riot’ and the Leeds Warrior will enter the ring in May with the Kaiser Chiefs playing the track live at Elland Road.

The event will mark nearly ten years to the day since the Kaiser Chiefs played live at Elland Road, with their last appearance at the venue coming on 24th May 2008, in front of a capacity crowd of over 30,000.

With six studio albums to their name, their first, ‘Employment’, released in March 2005, sold over two million copies alone.

Other Kaiser Chiefs hits including ‘Never Miss a Beat’, ‘Modern Way’ and ‘Ruby’ and the band are one of the most successful to come out of the city of Leeds.

With a packed undercard, entertainment around the stadium and concourses, it promises to be a night to remember.

Fans wishing to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets for this unmissable event as soon as possible, to avoid disappointment.

Further pre-fight entertainment will be announced in the coming weeks.

General admission tickets are available from just £40 per person.

For more information please contact the Leeds United Ticket Office on 0371 334 1992.

Hospitality is available starting at £130+VAT.

Tickets are available to purchase online via the club’s official website www.leedsunited.com and via the Leeds United Ticket Office on 0371 334 1992

Jimmy Cooper carries his family name and honour into battle when he enters Ultimate Boxxer: New Era, New Fighter, Same Name?

ULTIMATE BOXXER I will take place at the Manchester Arena on April 27. Tickets are available from www.ultimateboxxer.com

?Previously in sparring, Southampton’s Jimmy Cooper has impressed three-weight world champ Ricky Burns. Known for his sharp jab & explosive pace Jimmy continually excites the fans. Follow his journey @ultimateboxxer as all roads lead to the Manchester Arena on 27th April 2018.

Ultimate Boxxer contender Jimmy Cooper aims to emulate his uncle and become a British Champion through winning the exciting new tournament set to revolutionise British boxing.

The towering featherweight from Southampton competes in the premier of Ultimate Boxxer I on Friday 27th April at the Manchester Arena and wants to continue the family boxing success.

His uncle Gary reigned as British Light-Middleweight in 1988 in a tough and hard era with very few title opportunities. He only earned his first title shot seven years and 17 fights after turning professional when he challenged for and won the Southern Area belt – then still considered a major domestic title.

Three years later, Gary got his British shot and defeated Michael Harris on points at Wembley’s Grand Hall to win the vacant crown, but he cruelly lost it in his first defence against 80s golden boy Gary Stretch.

His next and final fight was probably his biggest win against future British champion and World title challenger Ensley “Bingo” Bingham who he defeated on points before hanging up his gloves.

Considered one of the most under-rated British Champions, Gary would have been more than a match for most of today’s British 154lb division fighters.

Jimmy, 25, now looks to carry the Cooper name into the new era and be crowned the first ever Ultimate Boxxer.

Standing at 6ft, Jimmy has a massive reach, but also carries heavy hands with it. A top amateur with 83 bouts, he defeated some big names like Mitchell Smith (2015 Boxing Writers’ Best Young Boxer), current Commonwealth Featherweight Champion Reece Bellotti and represented England.

“I’m extremely proud of my uncles achievements, to challenge for a British title, let alone win one was a massive feat in that era,” Said Jimmy.

“They were very hard and tough men in that time and my uncle had to duck and dive until he worked his way to get his opportunities and breaks,”

“I think now there are more opportunities in boxing and you can win titles a lot earlier, but it’s still a very tough world unless you’re with a top promoter who can give you the breaks and guide you”

“So in that respect it’s still like my uncle’s era, but that’s why Ultimate Boxxer is a fantastic concept because it gives a fighter like me a golden shot,”

Ultimate Boxxer I matches eight undefeated welterweight fighters to go toe-to-toe in an exhilarating elimination tournament – backed by ambassadors Ricky Hatton, Anthony Crolla and Paulie Malignaggi – to win a cash prize from a pool of £50,000 – and the chance to become boxing’s newest star.

The event offers fans more that just boxing with live entertainment acts and celebrities at ringside to give a transformed boxing experience for the next generation.

“I’m young, hungry and determined to win Ultimate Boxxer, I don’t care who I’m matched against and I’m sure that a lot of them won’t want to get me in the draw,”

“I believe I have the ability to go all the way to the top and this is just the sort of exposure I was looking for in my career,”

“My plans for this year were to step up to six rounds and target the Southern Area title, but now this fantastic opportunity knocked on my door and I’m going to smash it down,”

“I’m stepping up a couple of weights, but I believe in myself and the three-round distance suits me down to the ground. I’m fast and explosive and I’m going to enjoy the experience.”

BIO-FILE
Age: 25
Pro-record: 6-0-1 (1 KO)
Amateur pedigree: Started boxing at 11 and went on to have 83 bouts and represented England. Defeated Mitchell Smith and Reece Bellotti.
Trainer: Steve Tyrell
Cutman: Glenn Bradley
Strengths: Height, reach and heavy hands. Is a skilled combination puncher with a wealth of three-round experience from the amateurs
Weaknesses: Is just settling into the weight having started his pro career at super featherweight, but more weight could mean more power.
Punch power: Has a whirlwind 27-second win on his record, but every other fight has gone the distance. Throws lots of quality punches.
Speed: Throws fast rat-a-tat combinations
Stamina: Has yet to go beyond four rounds in pro career, so untested.
Anything else: Jimmy’s uncle, Gary Cooper, was British light-middleweight champion in the 1980s. Jimmy had a spell training with Tony Sims and sparred the likes of Ricky Burns.

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW
Walk on music: “Usually ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond
Football team: Manchester United
Personal & Family life: “I’m from a Travelling background, so I have lots of relatives. I have two sisters and loads and loads of cousins.”
Music: “Blossoms and The Courteeners and Manchester bands.”
Fashion: “I’m a tracksuit man!”
Shoes: “Trainers.”
Toughest moment: “Once when I was an amateur, the scales were wrong and I ended up having to lose 3kgs before a fight. I didn’t have anything left after the first round.”
Best moment: “Boxing for England as an amateur.”
Aspirations: “I want the Southern Area, then English title – and then work my way up.”
Nutrition: “I have a nutritionist and sports scientist who put wires on me and tell me how much water and protein I need.”

Q&A
What got you into boxing? “I played in a football team that won the league three or four years on the trot and then they split up. My dad and uncle were boxers and I ended up going to the gym to box.”
Who was your favourite fighter? “Sugar Ray Leonard and now it’s Jorge Linares.”
Amateur record and achievements? “I had a 72-11 record, won the NABCs twice, Haringey Box Cup and boxed for England and had a spell up in Sheffield with the Great Britain squad.”
Who’s the best boxer you have sparred? Former Three-Weight World Champion Ricky Burns
What are your best assets as a fighter? “My hand speed, work rate and feet.”
What do you know about other fighters in the comp? “I don’t need to study them, I will work them out on the night.”
Goals in boxing? – “The pinnacle is the world title and every boxer aims for that.”
Who would you like to fight after UB? “I want 50-50 fights that will push me on. I feel I’ve served my apprenticeship.”
Nickname? “Super Cooper or Golden Boy.”
Favourite TV show? Ibiza Weekender
Favourite meal when not in camp? Roosters’ piri piri
Hobbies? Football, running, golf

09 April 2018 – Tokyo, Japan: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced that it has partnered with Japanese internet TV station AbemaTV. With the partnership, ONE Championship live events and digital content will be broadcast to AbemaTV subscribers.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am pleased to announce ONE Championship’s partnership with AbemaTV. As sports media distribution experiences a digital shift, more and more viewers are opting for live digital content over traditional television mediums. Our mission is to unleash superheroes across Asia to ignite passion, hope, strength and dreams across all segments of society, and offering our unique Hi-Definition content for digital consumption is an integral part of that mission. We hope to provide AbemaTV subscribers compelling and engaging high quality content on their mobiles and computers. We are thrilled to partner with the largest internet TV station in Japan.”

Yuji Kitano, Executive Producer of AbemaTV, stated: “AbemaTV is proud to partner with ONE Championship, the worldwide leader of martial arts. Martial arts is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. We have a very rich background and history of martial arts, and our people embody the true values of martial arts in their everyday lives. We are excited to showcase ONE Championship’s world-class content on our live sports channel. And in the second season of Surrogacy Battles, we will be searching for the next ONE Championship superstar in Japan.”

The partnership will cover more than 20 live ONE Championship events in 2018, as well as offer a reality TV series called “Surrogacy Battles”, which aims to discover fresh young Japanese martial arts talent. The program will run 12 1-hour episodes featuring young martial arts prospects no older than 22 years of age. The winner of the show will receive JPY 3 million and a ONE Championship multi-bout contract amounting to over USD $100,000.

ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosts 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. It is home to some of the biggest names in martial arts, including Japanese superstars Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki, Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito, Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, and Koji “The Commander” Ando, among others.

Established by Cyber Agent in conjunction with TV Asahi, AbemaTV was created to provide millions of Japanese consumers with a content streaming service that offers scheduled and live programming for a wide range of smart devices which include Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, as well as PC and Mac machines. Content streams in Hi-Definition and links with Twitter to provide viewers an interactive platform. As of 2018, AbemaTV has become the largest internet television provider in Asia with over 28 million app downloads.

AbemaTV offers a linear programming schedule, as well as Video-on-Demand (VoD) featuring a large variety of shows including news, drama, anime, family-friendly programs, music, radio, live sports, and martial arts.

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.

About AbemaTV

“AbemaTV” is the biggest Internet TV station in Asia. And a joint venture between CyberAgent and TV Asahi, creating an Internet TV station based on a new type of video broadcasting business model launched on April 11, 2016. “AbemaTV” will offer original live programming, news, music, sports, and a variety of other programming across a range of genres. In all, over 20 different channels are available to consumers free of charge. Content will be available for smartphones, PCs, tablets, and other devices, delivering convenient TV-like viewing experience at any time, in any place towards many viewers.

DERRY, N.H. (April 8, 2018) — The official weigh in was held today for tomorrow (Saturday) evening’s “Fight Night at the Zone,” presented by Granite Chin Promotions, at The Sportszone in Derry, New Hampshire.

In the main event, Dorchester, MA junior middleweight Gabriel Duluc (12-3, 3 KOs) used a vicious body attack to stop veteran Texas fighter Larry “Slomoshun” Smith in the fifth round. A right to the liver put Smith down, but he beat the referee Mike Ryan’s count. Smith was unable to recover as he was pinned on the ropes by Duluc, who reeled off a dozen unanswered punches, forcing referee Ryan to end the fight.

New England’s hardest hitter is unquestionably UBF N.E. light heavyweight champion Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (7-0, 6 KOs), who knocked out cruiserweight Randy “The Rattler” Campbell (3-19, 2 KOs) with the first punch in their non-title fight, a lethal right that broke Campbell’s lower right ankle.

Flashy Worcester, MA prospect Irvin Gonzalez (9-0, 8 KOs) overwhelmed his Mexican opponent, junior welterweight Francisco “El Mono” Medel (12-13, 8 KOs), blasting him from every angle en route to a first-round technical knockout, in which Medal went to the canvas twice.

New England cruiserweight champion Chris Traietti (26-4, 21 KOs), also the co-promoter, pounded “Jammin” James Morrow (12-23-3, 5 KOs) from pillar to post until referee Leo Gerstel halted the action in their non-title fight for a third-round technical knockout.

Irish junior welterweight Paddy McGee, fighting out of Dorchester, MA, landed only two punches in his pro debut, both flooring Bardraiel Smith (0-4), for a quick first-round knockout.

Stoughton, MA welterweight Travis “The Outlaw” Demko (6-1, 1 KO) outclassed Paul DeSouza (0-11), of Somerville, pitching a six-round shutout decision.

With former world champion Wilfredo, Vasquez, Jr. supporting him, Springfield, MA welterweight Anthony Velasquez (2-0, 2 KOs) needed only 43 seconds to finish off Shavonte Dixon (0-3).

Danbury, CT junior welterweight Omar “The Beast” Bordoy, Jr. (5-0, 1 KO) remained undefeated, taking a four-round unanimous decision from a game Carlos Galindo (0-2).

Local favorite, Ricky Ford (2-1-1), fighting out Claremont, NH, dropped Woburn, MA junior middleweight Jaco Matsos (0-2) twice before the fight was stopped by referee Mike Ryan.

New Jersey super middleweight Chris “Sandman” Thomas improved his pro record to 8-0-1 (5 KOs), when John Hantzopoulos (0-2) failed to answer the bell for the third round.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Gabriel Duluc (12-3, 3 KOs), Dorchester, MA
WTKO5 (1:40)
Larry Smith (10-35-1, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX

CO-FEATURE – CRUISERWEIGHTS
Richard Rivera (7-0, 6 KOs), Hartford, CT
WKO1 (0:37)
Randy Campbell (3-19, 2 KOs), Bowerston, OH

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Chris Traietti (26-4, 21 KOs), Quincy, MA
WTKO3 (0:53)James Morrow (12-23-3, 5 KOs), Lafayette, IN.

SUPER MIDDEWEIGHTS
Chris Thomas (8-0-1, 5 KOs), Beechwood, NJ
WTKO2 (3:00)
John Hantzopoulos (0-2), Lynn, MA

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ricky Ford (2-1-1, 1 KO), Claremont, NH
WTKO1 (1:47)
Jaco Matos (0-2), Woburn, MA

WELTERWEIGHTS
Travis Demko (6-1, 1 KO), Stoughton, MA.
WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)
Paul DeSouza (0-11), Somerville, MA

Anthony Velasquez (2-0, 2 KOs), Springfield, MA
WTKO (0:43)
Shavonte Dixon (0-3), Philadelphia, PA

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Irvin Gonzalez (9-0, 8 KOs), Worcester, MA
WTKO1 (1:57)
Francisco Medel (12-13, 8 KOs), Sonora, Mexico

Paddy McGee (1-0, 1 KO), Dorchester, MA
WTKO1 (1:12)
Bardraiel Smith (0-4), Philadelphia, PA

Omar Bordoy, Jr. (5-0, 1 KO), Danbury, CT
WDEC4 (40-35, 40-35, 40-36)
Carlos Galindo (0-2), Woburn, MA

Sponsors included Betley Chevrolet, Tobin Scientific, Matrix Aerospace, TownPlace Suites, Manchester Monarchs and Cars.com

INFORMATION:
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Follow all the action as Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd fight in an IBF/WBA Junior Middleweight unification bout.  The co-feature will be a rematch for the IBF Super Middleweight belt between Caleb Truax and James DeGale.  The card kicks off at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT with a Junior Middleweight contest between Julian Williams and Nathaniel Gallimore.

NOW BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY 

Round 1: Left from Lara…2 more lefts..Counter left

Round 2 Right from Lara..left..Left to body from Hurd..Combination..Left uppercut and another left..Left..Uppercut from Hurd..right

Round 3 Counter left and right from Lara..Right and left..Good left..Counter right from Hurd

Round 4 Hurd landing a nice combination..Lara looks at Hurd..Nice combination from Hurd..Good right..4 punch combination..Good right

Round 5 Hurd lands a right..Chopping right from Lara..2 rights from Hurd..Left to body and right to Hurd..Combination from Lara..right from Hurd..Right from Lara..

Round 6 Right from Hurd..Left from Lara,,Nice right from Hurd..

Round 7 Good right from Hurd..Short uppercut..Good right from Lara..Left..Uppercut from Hurd..Combination from Lara..Good Hook from Hurd at the bell

Round 8 Body shot from Hurd..Right..Nice combination..Good right from Lara..Good right from Hurd..Nice uppercut..good left to the body

Round 9 5 jabs from Hurd..good straight right..3 Jabs..Good straight left from Lara..Swelling around the right eye of Lara..Body shots from Hurd..Left from lara..2 lefts from Hurd..Nice uppercut..2 shots from Lara..

Round 10 Hurd opening up..Left from Lara..Counter left from Lara,,.Left..Right

Round 11 Nice left from Lara..Body work from Hurd..Big left from Lara

Round 12 5 punches from Hurd..Nice work from Lara on the inside..Uppercut from Hurd..Straight right from Hurd..left from Lara..Uppercuts from Hurd…right to head..Big right from Hurd..2 rights and and a uppercut..left and right from Hurd..combination..Left from Lara..Right from Hurd…SHORT LEFT AND DOWN GOES LARA..2 Uppercuts from Lara

114-113 for Lara; 114-113 Hurd; 114-113 for HURD

Round 1 Good double right from Truax…Hard left from DeGale..

Round 2 Combination from DeGale..Left from Truax..Uppercut from DeGale..Uppercut..Body work from Truax..Good right..Good body shot from DeGale..Right from Truax

Round 3 2 jabs from Truax..Good right drives DeGale into ropes..DeGale cut around the right eye of DeGale..Right from Truax

Round 4 Good right from Truax..Jumping left from DeGale..

Round 5 Double left hook from Truax..Good right..Jab from DeGale..Right from Truax..Body shot from DeGale..

Round 6  Body punches and good left from DeGale..right

Round 7 Right from Truax..Left from DeGale..Truax is cut along the left eye from a headbutt.

Round 8 Left from DeGale.  Right.  Right..Right uppercut..Short right..Left.. Truax cut over his right eye.

Round 9 Good body shot from DeGale

Round 10  Uppercut from Truax..another uppercut…Left hook..Right from DeGale..DEGALE DOCKED A POINT FOR HOLDING..Left and combination from DeGale…

Round 11 Good left from DeGale…Nice right..Combination..Good combination

Round 12 3 Punch combination from DeGale..2 Punch combination from Truax

117-110 AND 114-113 TWICE FOR DEGALE

Round 1 Quick right from Williams..Hard jab..Jab/Right..Right from Gallimore

Round 2: Left hook and right from Williams..Jab ad right hand..Counter right from Gallimore..

Round 3 Jab and right from Williams…Body work..Left to body..4 punch combo..left and uppercut from Gallimore..

Round 4 Combination from Williams..3 body shots..left and right from Gallimore..3 punch combination..Good body shot..Hard left..Right from Williams

Round 5 2 jabs from Williams..Williams cut over the left eye..Combination and right from Gallimore..Uppercut and right and a uppercut

Round 6 Counter left from Gallimore..3 punch combination..

Round 7 Right from Gallimore..Nice left hook from Williams..uppercut

Round 8  Left from Gallimore..Chopping right from Williams

Round 9 Good left from Williams..Combination and big uppercut..2 Body shots from Gallimore..Right..Good right from Williams

Round 10  Good body shot from Williams..uppercut..Body shot..right over the top..Good right from Gallimore

Round 11 7 straight punches from Williams..Right hand..Right and uppercut from Gallimore..Right from Williams and 2 uppercuts..Big left and right..Gallmiore is hurt..Right..left..2 uppercuts..chopping right..Chopping right..staright right..6 punch combination,..Gallimore on shaky legs..

Round 12  4 Punch combination from Williams…Body shot.Double jab and right hand…Uppercut from Gallimore

117-110, 116-112 and 114-114 ..MAJORITY DECISION FOR WILLIAMS

Karolina Kowalkiewicz won a split decision over Felice Herrig in a strawweight bout.

Kowalkiewicz won on two cards by 29-28 cards, while Herrig took a card 29-28.

Kowalkiewicz, 115 lbs of Lodz, POL is 12-2.  Herrig, 115.5 lbs of Crystal Lake, IL is 14-7.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier stopped Evan Dunham in the 1st round of their lightweight bout.

Mercier landed a body shot wih his knee that hurt Dunham, and six strikes later the bout was called at 53 seconds.

Mercier, 155 lbs of Montreal is now 12-2.  Dunham, 156 lbs of Las Vegas is 18-7-1.

Ashlee Evans-Smith defeated Bec Rawlings via unanimous decision ina flyweight bout.

In round two, Evans-Smith was bleeding from her forehead.

Evans-Smith, 126 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 6-3. Rawlings, 126 lbs of Brisbane, AUS is 7-8.

Devin Clark won a unanimous decision over Mike Rodriguez in a light heavyweight bout.

Clark, 205 lbs of Sioux Falls, SD won by scores by 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 9-2. Rodriguez, 203 lbs of South Easton, MA is 9-3.

Jarrett Hurd needed a final round knockdown to pull out a 12-round split decision over Erislandy Lara to retain his IBF and capture the WBA Junior Middleweight titles at The Joint at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Lara started out well as he was able to land solid left hands on the inside.  Hurd came back as he stalked the whole fight, and his pressure started to catch up to Lara.

Lara started to swell and the bleed around his left eye in round nine.  In round twelve, with Lara now bleeding badly around the right eye, Hurd landed a short left hook on the inside that sent Lara to the canvas.  Lara was not only able to get up but stood toe to toe with Hurd up until the final bell.

Hurd took two cards by the razor thin tallies of 114-113, while Lara won a card 114-113.

Hurd, 153 lbs of Accokeek, MD is now 22-0.  Lara, 153.5 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 25-3-2.

It was a tough one, but I went out there and did exactly what I said I was going to do – fight all 12 rounds and get the victory,” Hurd said. “I didn’t feel like that (I needed the knockdown). I feel like I was in control the whole fight, applying the pressure.

“I don’t think it had anything to do with age. I think it was me and the game plan we had to apply the pressure.”

“’Swift’ isn’t ducking anyone,” Hurd responded. “I’m No. 1 now. We’re calling the shots.”

“Besides the last round, I thought I was winning this fight easily,” Lara said. “That’s not to decide the fight. I was winning the fight. One punch in a fight doesn’t determine the fight.

“It was a great fight for the fans. I stood there, fought and it was fun. I thought I clearly won the fight. Once again a decision goes against me, but h?ey we just have to do the rematch.”

In a ugly and bloody battle, James DeGale regained the IBF Super Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous  decision over Caleb Truax.

The bout featured a lot of holding and headbutts, but DeGale was able to land the flashier punches in spots during the fight.

In round three, DeGale was cut around the right eye from a punch.

In round seven, Truax was cut along the left eye from an accidental headbutt.  A round later, Truax was cut over his right eye.  In round ten, DeGale was deducted a point for using his shoulder.

DeGale took most of the second half of the fight, and won by scores of 117-110 and 114-113 twice.

DeGale, 167.2 lbs of Haresdon ENG is now 24-2-1.  Truax, 167.8 lbs of Osseo, MN is 29-4-2.

“Two-time world champion. It feels great,” DeGale said. “But full credit to Caleb – he shows he can mix it with the top fighters.

“I’m just happy that I’m a two time world champion and I got my IBF world title back. I’m back, Team Chunky, we’re back. Two-and-a-half years I had it and I lost it to Caleb. He embarrassed me, but we’re back.”

“I couldn’t see from my right eye, DeGale said. “I like Robert Byrd (referee), but today he was a bit wrong. I couldn’t see. But I’m just glad I got through it. I showed some heart. In my last fight, I was like a weak little kid.”

“I thought I did enough to win the fight, but I also thought I was pretty flat and didn’t get my shots off like I wanted,” Truax said. “I was just a little bit flat. I felt really good coming in but I just couldn’t get my shots off like the last fight. He never hurt me, but it is what it is.

“I gave him a rematch straight away so why not do it again.”

Julian Williams won a 12-round majority decision over Nathaniel Gallimore in a junior middleweight bout.

In round five, Williams was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt.

Williams had a big round eleven when he landed a big left hook that started an onslaugh of punches that had Gallimore wobbling for much of the round.

Williams, 154 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 117-110, 116-112 and 114-114, and is now 25-1-1.  Gallimore, 153 lbs of Chicago is 20-2-1.

Williams outlanded Gallimore 191-107.

“I wasn’t surprised a judge had a draw,” Williams said. “Sometimes when you’re fighting real close like that, it is hard for judges to score. I knew I won. Once I heard 116-112 and 117-111, I knew I won because I knew he didn’t win eight rounds.

“He is a strong fighter, but I knew he was going to do what he did. Start strong early, but I knew he wasn’t strong after six rounds.

“The hits to the body was all in the game plan. You have to go to the body in a 12 round fight.

“I didn’t really think I won the fight,” Gallimore admitted. “I just let too many early rounds go. I just gave him too many rounds. I had him hurt a couple of times, but he was tough. I should have done more combinations. I will look at the fight and review it, and will make adjustments.”

Emanuel Medina defeated Saul Corral via eight-round unanimous decision in a welterweight bout.

Medina, 146.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 to keep perfect at 14-0.  Corral, 146 lbs of Sonora, MX is 27-11.

Xavier Martinez remained undefeated by stopping Jairo Vargas in round two of their scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.

Martinez dropped Vargas in round one. In round Martinez landed a left hook that sent Vargas down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:22.

Martinez, 131 lbs of Sacramento, CA is now 11-0 with 7 knockouts. Vargas, 131.8 lbs of Richmond, VA is 6-4.

Sharone Carter scored a eight-round unanimous decision previously undefeated Ahmed Mahmood in a featherweight bout.

Scores were 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 for Carter, 125.4 lbs of St. Louis to raise his record to 9-2. Mahmood, 124.5 lbs of Detroit, MI is 7-1-1.

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Ostend, Belgium (April 6, 2018)

On Saturday, May 12th, Belgium cruiserweight sensation JOEL ‘BIG JOE’ DJEKO (12-2-1 7KO’s) will take on undefeated Argentinian, MARIANO ANGEL GUDINO (12-0 7KO’s) for the IBO CONTINENTAL CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE at the Versluys Dôme in Ostend, Belgium.

Djeko is coming off of a dominate TKO performance over Tamas Kozma in his hometown of Belgium in September. Ahead of the May 12th tilt, Djeko went abroad to train in Cypress at the famous Touch Glove Gym. As a highly regarded prospect in the Cruiserweight division, Djeko knows that a victory on May 12th will not only win him a title, but will be the next step towards the ultimate goal of fighting for a world title.

Djeko will look to use his massive frame, and quick feet to cut the ring off to attack Gudino. With seven KO’s in twelve wins, Djeko will certainly bring the power to the Versluys Dôme, on May 12th.

Djeko had this to say about his upcoming bout, “It is an important date because a victory would bring me closer to my ultimate goal, which is a world chance. He is a high level opponent but I advise the public to be on time because I intend to solve the problem very quickly.”

The undefeated, thirty year old, Gudino, is currently ranked 39th by the WBC, holds the WBC Latino Cruiserweight Title and will be fighting in Belgium for the first time. This bout will have no shortage of power as Gudino has knocked out more then half of his opposition during his undefeated streak. As his first bout outside of Argentina, Gudino looks to use a victory to increase his global appeal.

Gudino had these comments about May 12th, “Joel Djeko is a very good boxer. Despite his height, he is very fast and very mobile. I think it will be a very intense fight that should please the public. He must know that I am ready for war and that I intend to add this title to my record.”

YASSINE MAATALA, Djeko’s manager had this to say about Djeko’s opportunity, “We know that the task will be tough in front of us because we have a very well ranked opponent who is undefeated and holds a WBC title. We also know that a victory would give us a lot of opportunities and we are doing our best to keep the belt at home.”

President of Star Boxing, JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say, “We are excited about Djeko’s upcoming bout, and the future of his career. A win on May 12th is another stepping stone to the ultimate goal of fighting for a cruiserweight world title. I expect a very exciting fight and congratulate both fighters. It’s refreshing to see two highly regarded prospects put their great records on the line. It is a testament to their desire to get to the top.”

The Co Main Event will be a much anticipated fight for the Middleweight IBO Mediterranean title between two undefeated rising stars when, Danish, Landry “Hard” Kore (7-0 3KO’s) faces Armenian, Armen Ypremyan (8-0-2 3KO’s).
Pound 4 Pound Boxing is presented by Maatala Production and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

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WBA and IBF 154-Pound World Championship Unification

Erislandy Lara – 153 ½

Jarrett Hurd – 153

Referee: Kenny Bayless; Judges: Burt Clements (Nev.), Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Dave Moretti (Nev.)

IBF Super Middleweight World Championship Rematch

Caleb Truax – 167 ¾

James DeGale – 167 ¼

Referee: Robert Byrd; Judges: Robert Hoyle (Nev.), John McKaie (N.Y.), Don Trella (Conn.)

IBF Junior Middleweight World Title Eliminator

Julian Williams – 154

Nathaniel Gallimore – 153

Referee: Tony Weeks; Eric Cheek (Nev.), Max Deluca (Calif.), Patricia Morse Jarman (Nev.)

NOTE: Full bout card with weights attached.

FLASH QUOTES:

ERISLANDY LARA: “He’s not in the top 10 fighters I’ve fought. I fight for my family and for my kids. And that belt is coming home with my kids.”

JARRETT HURD: “They are over here saying I’m not ready. I went from fighting a top contender to an Olympian to another world champion contender to a former world champion and now fighting a world champion. I’m more than ready. This is my time right now. I’m ready to get on that stage and show the world why I’ve been asking for this fight. We know he’s going to use the entire ring, but you can’t run from ‘Swift’ Jarrett Hurd for 12 rounds. We know we are going to be in his face and know he’ll have to engage at some point.”

CALEB TRUAX: “I thought I did the job pretty well last time and beat him pretty convincingly. From what I see I’m a 6-to-1 underdog, so there are a lot of people who are going to make some money on me. There are some things that I could have done better, and there are things that he could have done better. So I’ll be prepared for those things and adapt to whatever he throws at me.”

JAMES DeGALE: “I don’t know why [I’m favored]. The boxing people know that I’m above Truax. He did the job, so you’ve got to give the man the credit. But I believe I’m so much better than him and on Saturday night I have a chance to get back my title and show the world that I’m back. My career is in the balance right now. If I lose, where do I go? For the past two and a half years I was the world champion and I fought the best and I got the results. Then I lost to a guy that is not on my level. I’m so honest to myself and I’m very real, and if I can’t deal with Truax in a good way, then we’ll have to see.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS: “I don’t really care about it getting personal, but we could do one thing: we could bet his purse. Let’s bet the purse. I’m talking about the whole purse. Where’s your manager? I don’t want to fight now, I want to fight tomorrow.”

NATHANIEL GALLIMORE: “[Holding a box of Fruity Pebbles cereal]. He ain’t serious. He ain’t no rock. I’m gonna eat him come Saturday. Saturday night you’re going to have to tune-in to see it. It’s going to be a fight to remember, but it’s not going to go the distance.”

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