Las Vegas, NV (October 18, 2017)–Roy Jones Jr. Promotions stable is full of youth, dedication and winners and Randy Moreno (9-1-0, 8KO’s) is no exception.

Tomorrow night, Thursday, October 19, 2017, Randy will square off against what potentially can be his toughest opponent to date, Raul “El Ciclon De Miami” Chirino (11-6-0, 6KO’s). A Cuban decent by way of Miami, FL is ready to get inside and make it ugly and uncomfortable for the Roy Jones Jr. young prospect.

Kicking off the night at Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino, Randy looks to continue his winning streak.

“I am ready for this fight in my hometown against a tough opponent,” stated Randy “Training camp has been great and I believe this is another step forward in my career. I know I have a really tough opponent, but I really do not have a game plan for this fight. I just want to go out there and have fun doing what I do. This would not be possible without the support of my coach and my promoter Roy Jones Jr. and Keith Veltre. I want to thank my promotion company for this opportunity.”

VERONA, NY (Oct. 18, 2017) There are just mere few days until Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (22-1-0, 8 KOs) and Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (18-0, 15 KOs) go toe to toe in their highly anticipated 12-round battle for Corrales’ WBA Super World Super Featherweight Title this Saturday, Oct. 21 at Turning Stone Resort Casino. In the most important fight of their professional careers, both fighters shared their thoughts as they wrap up their respective training camps ahead of the championship main event, to be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

Corrales, a 26-year-old native of San Miguelito, Panama, trains at the Irving Saladino
Sports Complez in Panama City. Corrales is working hard to make the third defense of his title in only his second appearance both in the United States and on HBO. Machado, a 27-year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico will look to take advantage of his first world title opportunity and his first appearance on HBO. The bout is sure to produce fireworks as two of the best 130-pounders square off for a spot at the pinnacle of the stacked super featherweight division.

Here’s what the main event fighters had to say regarding their respective training camps:

JEZREEL “EL INVISIBLE” CORRALES, WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion:

“I am working really well in training camp. We are correcting errors detail by detail, and we are trying to get in the best shape for fight night.

“My team consists of former world champion Ricardo Cordoba, Juan Mosquera, and Juancito Malcom Mosquera. All three work on fight tactics and strategies with me. My physical trainer is the Cuban professor, Ismael Ortega.

“We are working a really great strategy, the details of which I cannot share. However, I will arrive in the best shape of my life on Oct. 21.

“My daily routine consists of doing roadwork in the morning. Then, after some rest, I join my team at the gym for the boxing workout. I close my training days with some more road work at around six in the evening.

“I’m working with sparring partners who are southpaws, so training for a southpaw has not been a problem. We have three good sparring partners who help me very much with the work we need to do for this fight.

“A victory would allow me to keep my world title and to retain my status as one of the best in my division. I dedicate this fight to all Panamanians, but especially to those in my home city of San Miguelito.”

ALBERTO “EXPLOSIVO” MACHADO, Unified NABA and NABO Super Featherweight Champion:

“A great fight requires a great training camp and a lot of concentration. That’s what we’ve been doing. Everything is going super well, just as we planned.

“Working with Freddie Roach has been great. He prepares me and gives me the confidence necessary to be successful. His experience working in world title fights, along with the work in the gym, will be the key to winning this fight.

“The first time I came to train with Freddie Roach was with Miguel [Cotto]. This time I’m alone in training camp, which has been a completely different experience. We are preparing for a 12-round fight, and we have been making adjustments based on my last fight against Morales in August and looking at Corrales as well as his fighting style.

“I’ve trained for almost my entire career with southpaws, and I come from a boxing gym where most of the boxers were left-handed. Once you adjust, it is more or less the same fighting as fighting an orthodox fighter. The only thing that changes are the combinations, which we have adjusted according to Corrales’s style.

“Training includes sparring three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with Tuesdays and Thursdays focusing on the technical work. All of this training is for the people of Puerto Rico, who I know will come out of recent events strong.”

Corrales vs. Machado is a 12-round fight for the WBA Super World Super Featherweight Championship, to be held Saturday, Oct. 21 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The main event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Cotto Promotions. The event is sponsored by TECATE, THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING, Casa Mexico Tequila, and Thor: Ragnarok, and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for this highly anticipated match up are on sale now and available for $65 for ringside seats and others priced at $25, $30, $40 and $49, plus any applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

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

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.hbo.com/boxing, and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at
@GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing @TurningStone; and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/hboboxing, and
www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort and visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @TurningStone. Follow the conversation using #CorralesMachado

NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2017) – Undefeated featherweight Luis Rosa will face once-beaten Yuandale Evans in a 10-round matchup of 126-pound prospects looking to make a statement in one of boxing’s deepest divisions in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, Nov. 10 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Masonic Temple & Performing Arts Center in Cleveland.

The quadruple header features eight fighters making their ShoBox debuts, including six undefeated prospects. The four-fight telecast is ShoBox’s first return to Cleveland since 2014.

In the co-feature, former Russian amateur standout Radzhab Butaev (7-0, 6 KOs, WSOB: 9-1) will take on Colombia’s Janer Gonzalez (19-0-1, 15 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Butaev compiled a record of 304-12 in the unpaid ranks, followed by a 9-1 record in the World Series of Boxing, while Gonzalez was a member of the Colombian National Team with an equally impressive 291-29 record as an amateur.

In a televised heavyweight attraction, New Zealand’s Junior Fa (12-0, 7 KOs), who owns two amateur victories over countryman and current WBO Heavyweight World Champion Joseph Parker, will face Pittsburgh’s Fred Latham (9-0-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.

In the ShoBox opening bout, undefeated 2016 U.S. Olympian and Cleveland native Charles Conwell (5-0, 5 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak intact in his hometown debut in a six-round super welterweight matchup with Panama’s Roque “Rocky” Zapata (4-1-3, 0 KOs).

“I am thrilled to bring this talent-filled quadruple header to the ShoBox series, from the Masonic Temple in Cleveland, Ohio,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Undefeated featherweight contender Luis Rosa Jr. faces hard puncher Yuandale Evans. Amateur prodigy Radzhab Butaev and New Zealand heavyweight prospect Junior Fa –who defeated Joseph Parker as an amateur—will be tested by fellow unbeaten opponents. U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell, one of the most exciting young prospects in boxing, will make his national TV debut in his hometown. On November 10, to quote Ian Hunter, ‘Cleveland Rocks!'”

Tickets are priced from $35 to $90 and can be obtained by visiting BoxingCleveland.com. The Masonic Temple and Performance Arts Center is located at 3615 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. Doors will open on the night of the event at 7:00 p.m.

LUIS ROSA vs. YUANDALE EVANS – 10-Round Featherweight Bout
The 26-year-old Rosa (23-0, 11 KOs) is a Puerto Rico native who lives and fights out of New Haven, Conn. The come-forward, aggressive Rosa has recorded four knockouts in his last seven fights.

Trained by his father Luis Rosa Sr. and managed by his mother Marilyn, Rosa is currently ranked No. 10 by the WBC at 126 pounds, and was 95-10 as an amateur. Fighting in one of boxing’s deepest divisions (Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Carl Frampton, Gary Russell Jr.), the U.S. National Silver Medalist is looking to establish himself as a featherweight contender, and has career wins over Luis Orlando Del Valle (18-1) and Jorge Diaz (17-2).

“I’m dedicating this fight to the people who are still suffering from the tragedy of the hurricane,” Rosa said. “We are and always have been very strong people and I take that into the ring with me on November 10. I’ve seen some tapes of Evans. He’s a tough, strong fighter but my skills are much greater and I will be victorious and move one step closer to a shot at a world title.”

The 28-year-old Evans (19-1, 14 KOs) is a Cleveland native fighting in his hometown for the first time. Known as a power-puncher who works fast, Evans has recorded eight of his 14 knockouts in the first round. His only professional loss came against future world title holder Javier Fortuna in April of 2012.

Evans, who took a three-year hiatus following the Fortuna loss, is coming off the best win of his career – a hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision over Billel Dib (21-1; WBO No. 7-ranked coming into the fight) in Miami, Okla., in April.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting at home in Cleveland, the city of Champions,” Evans said. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a home fight. Truly, I’ve been a road warrior fighting all over the world.

“I’ve followed Luis Rosa for a couple years, I know he’s a very tough Puerto Rican fighter. He’s the same height as me and will come to fight, which will make for an all-action fight. But I know I’m the toughest competition he’s had and I’m planning to win in front of the big hometown crowd and everyone watching on SHOWTIME.”

The vacant WBC Continental Americas Title belt is on the line for this fight.

RADZHAB BUTAEV vs. JANER GONZALEZ – 8-Round Welterweight Bout
Russian Radzhab Butaev had a stellar amateur career during which he compiled a record of 304-12 with 164 KOs. A former Russian National Champion, Butaev qualified for the 2016 Olympics but instead elected to turn pro in the United States.

Butaev has progressed quickly since turning professional in March of 2016 – of his seven professional fights, six of his seven opponents have had winning records. The 23-year old is coming into his fifth fight of the year and the eighth fight in his short, 18-month professional career. Five of Butaev’s seven fights have taken place in the U.S, while his other two victories were on his home turf in Moscow, Russia. In his last fight in July, the 23-year-old Butaev knocked out Sherzodbek Alimjanov in Red Square in Moscow.

Said Butaev, “This is a great opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME and I’m looking forward to putting on a tremendous performance. I know that Colombian fighters are well known for their power but I faced many hard hitters in the amateurs and I’ll be ready for victory on November 10.”
A native of Barranquilla, Colombia, the heavy-handed Janer Gonzalez sports a record of 19-0-1 with 15 knockouts. Prior to turning professional in 2011, Gonzalez was a member of the Colombian National Boxing Team, compiling a record of 291-29. Gonzalez, who returned in September following a two and a half-year layoff, will make his U.S. debut against Butaev.

“It’s a dream come true to make my television debut in the United States,” said Gonzalez. “I grew up watching all of my favorite boxers fighting in the U.S. and now it’s my turn. It’s truly surreal how everything unfolded. I was ready to give up on boxing when an opportunity just came my way. I fought in Mexico and here I am.

“I had a long layoff, but I needed it. It has made me more appreciative, more motivated. I work harder now. I had my last fight on a Saturday and on Monday I was back in the gym. I’ve studied my opponent. I’m ready. My style will mold to his. I’ll get on his face and counterpunch. On November 10 boxing fans will see a Colombian warrior that came to America to become a legend.”

Butaev vs. Gonzalez is promoted in association with Fight Promotions.

JUNIOR FA vs. FRED LATHAM – Eight Rounds Heavyweight Bout
Standing 6-feet, 5 inches and weighing 270 pounds, the 27-year-old Junior Fa has compiled a professional record of 12-0 with seven knockouts since turning pro in February 2016. Fa had a successful amateur career, which included two victories over reigning WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker. The native of Papakura, New Zealand has most recently trained in England with heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and has also sparred with Joshua’s Oct. 28 opponent Carlos Takam.

Fa, who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, will fight for just the second time in the United States.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting in the United States again and on SHOWTIME,” said Fa. “I know Latham is undefeated but I also plan on staying unbeaten on November 10. Training with Anthony Joshua improved my boxing in many ways and just as important taught me what it takes inside the gym to become a world champion.”

Fighting out of Pittsburgh, Pa., Fred Latham (9-0-2, 5 KOs) is a former Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Champion. In his last bout on December 3, 2016, the 27-year-old Latham battled to a split decision draw against Alonzo Butler.

Said Latham, “I appreciate the opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME and I am looking forward to facing Fa. I’ve heard a lot about him and the great heavyweight prospect he is but on November 10 I’ll show the world that I’m a much better fighter.”

CHARLES CONWELL vs. ROQUE ‘Rocky’ ZAPATA – Six-Round Super Welterweight Bout
Nineteen-year-old Charles Conwell, who turns 20 on Nov. 2, is 5-0 with all of his victories coming by way of technical knockout. The Cleveland native has a decorated resume – he went 134-14, was the National Gold Gloves Champion in 2015, and a 2016 U.S. Olympian. Conwell has been busy since turning pro last year, having fought all five of his professional fights in the past eight months. In his last fight in August, Conwell earned a technical knockout against Rey Trujillo.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting at home for the first time as a professional and on ShoBox,” said Conwell. “I can’t wait to put on a great performance for the Cleveland fans and those seeing me for the first time on national television.”

The 21-year-old Zapata is a native of Panama City, Panama now fighting out of Culpepper, Va. Having compiled a record of 4-1-3 since turning professional 18 months ago, he is currently riding a three bout winning streak. Zapata is coming off the biggest win of his career, a six-round decision over previously undefeated Justin Steave on June 24 in Pittsburgh.

“This fight with Charles Conwell is an exciting challenge for me. He had a great amateur career and he made the Olympic team,” said Zapata. “I’ve been offered to fight him twice, but at the time I was injured and had to decline. But on November 10, Charles and I will come face-to-face and put on a show for the fans. I’m ready to do my job.”

# # #

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 72 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Errol Spence Jr. and more.

HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 18, 2017) – Fight week for the final World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-final kicked off Wednesday with media workouts at the Everlast Lab in Hoboken, N.J. before the clash between IBF champion Murat Gassiev and former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk headlines action this Saturday, October 21 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. live on AUDIENCE Network.

Promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series, tickets for the live event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available to purchase at the Prudential Center box office.

Also in attendance Wednesday and competing in featured bouts on October 21 were Polish contender Mateusz Masternak and once-beaten Stivens Bujaj, who meet in a WBSS cruiserweight reserve match and unbeaten Polish contender Maciej Sulecki and former title challenger Jack Culcay, who square-off in super welterweight action.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

MURAT GASSIEV

“I’ve been working very hard in Big Bear, California with Abel Sanchez for about 10 weeks preparing for this fight. We are like a family up there. I have my Russian brothers, plus Gennady Golovkin, who is definitely like an older brother to me.

“Abel has helped me so much. He hasn’t tried to change my style. He’s just gone in and made my style better. He means so much to me.

“My last fight was my first title shot and I felt great in the moment. My nerves were calm and I feel like this is what I was made for. I want to be in this position for a very long time.

“I’m very thankful to be a part of this tournament. I’m very happy to be a part of this. This is an opportunity to be a unified world champion and prove that I’m the best in the division.

“My opponent has a lot of experience and has been in a lot of tough fights. He’s been in more fights than me, so I just need to be ready. I’m prepared for 12 rounds or a short fight. This is what I train for.

“I will show everyone what I am all about on Saturday night. I’m not a big talker, but I will speak loudly with my fists on Saturday.”

KRZYSZTOF WLODARCZYK

“Training camp went very well and I am physically ready for this challenge. You will see how strong I am mentally when I get in the ring on Saturday.

“I have to be ready for anything. I know that he worked hard to get in there and hurt me so I’ll have to be ready to fight back against anything he does.

“Everyone knows that my experience will help me. I’ve had a lot more pro bouts than Gassiev. But I also will need to display smart boxing. I think I am the more intelligent fighter and will show it on Saturday.

“My first goal is to win and become IBF world champion. That would put me in a special place in the history of Polish boxing as a three-time world champion. Winning this tournament would be very prestigious and lucrative for me.

“It’s always great to have the support of the great Polish fans. They really support all of their guys from Poland. But I have lots of experience fighting on the road with no Polish fans so it will just be a nice bonus.

“It’s going to be a clash of styles, I don’t know exactly what it will look like, but I can guarantee that it’s going to be exciting.”

MATEUSZ MASTERNAK

“I had a good camp. My sparring was strong and I was very happy with the training in Poland. I finished my camp in London for some new sparring and everything is all set for Saturday.

“I have a very good opponent. He’s going to use his boxing skills. We sparred with each other a few years ago and it was good, hard sparring for eight rounds. It could help me on Saturday but sparring is different from a real fight.

“It’s very important for me to fight in the U.S. and to perform well. I haven’t fought in the U.S. in seven years so I’m excited to be back. I’m motivated to do well and keep getting big fights.

“I’m fully concentrated on this opponent. I have to get in there and take care of my strategy. I don’t know exactly how the fight is going to go, but I will be ready and have a plan for everything.”

STIVENS BUJAJ

“I feel perfect physically. I’m ready to rumble on Saturday night. We’ve done all the conditioning, sparring and dieting to be in the right position on fight night. I did what I had to do.

“I’ve been training here in New York, mostly in the Bronx but also moving around and finding the best possible sparring to prepare for Saturday.

“He’s a tough opponent and I can’t underestimate him. I’ve trained to win. I’m going to come out on top one way or another.

“I’ve sparred with Masternak before, so I know what I’m dealing with. I’m going to go in there and pick him apart. He’s an aggressive fighter who will come forward and throw power punches, but I’m ready for that.

“I’m so happy with where my body is at heading into this fight. This is the best I’ve felt in a long time. The shoulder injuries are behind me and I’m healthy now.

“I can’t really say what the fight will look like but I hope everybody comes out Saturday to see the show. I feel comfortable fighting in the New York/New Jersey area and I can’t wait to go get this win.”

MACIEJ SULECKI

“Everything was perfect in training camp and I feel very strong. I worked well with my coach and we were on the same page all of camp. I worked very hard and I’m ready to show-off on this big card.

“I know that Culcay was a great amateur champion and an interim champion in the pros, so he’s obviously a very good fighter. But I will win this fight because I’m better and stronger more determined to get the win.

“I saw Culcay fight Demetrius Andrade. It was a good fight, but I don’t think Andrade performed well. Culcay lost but he made it very competitive so I know that he will be a challenge.

“I feel better at super welterweight than I did at middleweight. I always knew I could go down in weight and now was the time. So far I have felt much stronger at this weight.

“I am fully focused on fighting Culcay. First I must beat Jack Culcay, but I want to fight all the best fighters in the division. Jermell Charlo, Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd, I’m ready for all of them.

“It’s a lot of extra motivation to fight in front of the Polish fans. They are the best fans in the world and I’m ready to perform.”

JACK CULCAY

“I feel perfect physically. This was one of my best training camps ever. I trained for about five months in Germany. I had four or five very tough sparring partners to get me prepared for this.

“Sulecki is undefeated and that’s the most important thing I know about him. I trained my hardest for this and on Saturday you will see the best versus the best.

“I have speed, I have gained strength and I will show the mix of Ecuadorian and German styles. I was an amateur champion and now I’m going to be a champion in the pros.

“I learned against Demetrius Andrade that I can fight with anybody. I can compete with anybody in this sport. I’m going to show my experience on Saturday night.”

# # #

For more information visit worldboxingsuperseries.com or www.ringstar.com

Follow on Twitter @WBsuperSeries, @Ringstar and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/WBSuperSeries and facebook.com/RingstarSports. Tonight’s fight was promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series.

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle in Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES
Organized by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

About Prudential Center
Prudential Center is a world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of theNational Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 10 nationally by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and welcomes 1.75 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit PruCenter.com and follow the arena on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PruCenter.

NEW YORK – October 18 2017 –Combate Americas today announced the addition of a women’s strawweight (115 pounds) showdown between undefeated knockout artist Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) and Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (4-2) that will serve as the co-main event on the highly-anticipated, live Telemundo broadcast (11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT, or following “Titulares y Mas”) of the “COPA COMBATE” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) extravaganza from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The battle between the 20-year-old Martinez of Mexico City, Mexico and the 31-year-old Bravo, of Santiago, Chile, will immediately precede the championship stage bout and finale of the one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) “COPA COMBATE” tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000 and that, for the first time ever, will see top-ranked fighters from the U.S., Latin America and Spain represent their respective countries in a quest for glory.

“This is a phenomenal addition to an already stellar and historic fight card created for the Telemundo broadcast television platform,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

“With the incredibly relentless and hard-hitting action we have seen from the women of Combate Americas,” continued McLaren, “it is only fitting that we showcase a matchup between two of the sport’s brightest and fastest rising female stars like Melissa Martinez and Gloria Bravo on the ‘COPA COMBATE’ platform.”

“COPA COMBATE” takes place on the 24th anniversary of McLaren’s now legendary UFC 1 event that he executive produced as the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The storied event set off a combat sports revolution, and changed the martial arts fight world forever.

The 5-foot-2 Martinez will return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, for the second time in her career after shelling out a stunning, highlight reel knockout of Yajaira “Shokolate” Romo in the second round (2:45) of battle at Combate 15 in Mexico City on June 30.

Following the promotional debut victory, Martinez, also a decorated Muay Thai competitor, earned a second-place finish at WAKO Kickboxing’s “The World Games 2017 – Wroclaw” tournament in Poland on July 30.

The 5-foot-5 Bravo will enter La Jaula for the first time ever and put a three-fight winning streak on the line. All three of her latest victories came by way of armlock submission.

Bravo recently ventured from Chile to Las Vegas, Nev. to train for the upcoming matchup with famed, retired, former UFC world champion Miesha Tate.

In addition to the “COPA COMBATE” tournament championship bout and the featured women’s fight between Martinez and Bravo, Telemundo’s live broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the tournament’s semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage bouts in each tournament bracket against one another. The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com.

Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of sports content in Spanish in the United States, is home to two of the world’s most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams’ away matches and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to “Boxeo Telemundo Ford,” the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and “Titulares y Más,” the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.

ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 18, 2017) – Super bantamweight Isaac Zarate (13-3-2, 2 KOs), fresh off routine sparring sessions with WBA world champion Danny Roman, looks to capitalize on his latest win against recent world title contender Carlos Carlson when he headlines the latest edition of “Path to Glory” this Friday, Oct. 20, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Zarate faces Christian Esquivel (29-12, 22 KOs) in the 8-round main event.

Zarate, fighting out of the Los Angeles port city of San Pedro, Calif., is going up against a big puncher in Esquivel.

“I’m not worried about his power,” said Zarate, who turned 26 in September. “I’m a pressure fighter so I won’t give him the chance to throw anything big.”

The southpaw is only now entering his prime and is peaking at just the right time. His convincing win in July against Carlson and his frequent sparring with top-flight talent such as Roman has him feeling supremely confident heading into Friday night.

“It’s the perfect time to start another winning streak,” said Zarate, who is trained and managed by Eddie Gonzalez. “I’ve had some recent setbacks, but I feel as though I’ve elevated my game in the last five months. I’m ready to put on a show.”

To access the “Path to Glory” promotional video, please click here, or on the graphic above.

In the co-feature, junior welterweight Mohammed Rodriguez (10-4, 4 KOs) of Mexico makes his second appearance on a Thompson Boxing card when he fights Colombian Cesar Villarraga (9-3-1, 4 KOs) in a bout set for 8-rounds.

Tickets for “Path to Glory” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900, or visiting ThompsonBoxing.com.

All six fights will be live streamed on TB Presents: Path to Glory via our Facebook page and ThompsonBoxing.com.

The livestream starts at 8:00 p.m. PT / 11:00 p.m. ET with Beto Duran as the blow-by-blow announcer and Steve Kim providing expert color commentary.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bout at approximately 8:00 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at 909-937-0900.

“Path to Glory” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

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

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 18, 2017): Christmas will come early for boxing fans this year as WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) will put his belt on the line on Saturday, December 16 against former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) at a soon-to-be announced venue in Montreal, Canada. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.

Saunders, 28, from the United Kingdom, is undefeated and coming off back-to-back defenses of the WBO belt he won against “Irish” Andy Lee in late 2015. Over a standout career, Saunders has defeated the likes of former WBA Interim World Middleweight Champion Chris Eubank, Jr., then-undefeated Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan and longtime contender Willie “The Mongoose” Monroe Jr.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank Golden Boy Promotions for putting the show on,” said Saunders. “Lemieux looks good against ‘B level’ fighters, but he is now getting in the ring with someone who is far more superior and slick than anyone he has ever been in with. I don’t just want the dog meat that Golovkin has left behind. I want the dog himself, and when I come through this fight I will have him. He is a mandatory and we’ve agreed to a deal to go over to foreign soil and get it on. I have a lot of friends in Canada, and I’ll be bringing a lot of supporters over to Canada from the UK. It has all the makings of a good fight. I’m expecting a good, clean, fair decision. Once I beat Lemieux, I’ll be moving onto bigger fish: the winner of the rematch between Canelo and Golovkin. I’m looking forward to a great fight.”

Lemieux, 28, and from Montreal, is a thunderous puncher with tremendous power in both hands who captured the IBF World Middleweight championship against Hassan N’Dam in 2015, knocking the then-world titleholder down four times en route to a unanimous decision victory. This year alone, Lemieux blasted out title contender Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens in a third-round knockout-of-the-year contender before earning a unanimous decision win against Marcos “Dorado” Reyes.

“It’s time to be world champion again,” Lemieux said. “Saunders is about to get destroyed. I’m going to be extremely ready for this fight and I’m going to inflict a lot of pain on Saunders. His 0 must go.'”

“Saunders vs. Lemieux is exactly the right way to end a year that has been tremendous for boxing,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “Will Saunders be able to use his speed and craftiness to outbox Lemieux, or will David land a massive shot to end it in short order? We’ll find out December 16.”

“This has ‘great fight’ written all over it,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “I know David is extremely motivated and viscerally dislikes Saunders. When he’s in that state, watch out. This promises to be a war. We are thrilled to have the opportunity for David to fight for the WBO title at home and keep it here. ”

“We’re delighted to be working again with Golden Boy Promotions, who we continue to enjoy a fantastic relationship with,” said Frank Warren. “Billy Joe Saunders is going into the lions’ den as he believes he has the beating of David Lemieux. It’s a great opportunity for Billy Joe to defend his WBO World Title against a big-name opponent and headline his first bill on HBO at American prime time. He is looking forward to making a statement to the American audience to ensure he secures a fight with the winner of the Canelo vs. Golovkin rematch, for the Undisputed Middleweight World Championship. Billy Joe is out to prove he is the best Middleweight in the world. He has been continually avoided and if it means he has to go to Canada to ensure he can no longer be overlooked, then that is what he is prepared to do!’

“The middleweight division is stacked with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, and Daniel Jacobs, and on December 16, fans will see champion BJ Saunders travel across the Atlantic to fight one of the divisions biggest punchers in David Lemieux on his home turf in Montreal,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports.

Saunders vs. Lemieux, a 12-round fight for the Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Frank Warren. The event is sponsored by Tecate,”THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING.” The event will take place December 16, in Montreal, Canada and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.eottm.com, www.frankwarren.com and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EOTMVD, @hboboxing, @bjsaunders_, @LemieuxBoxing, @frankwarren_tv and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @eottm_boxing, @saundersbillyjoe, @davidlemieuxboxing, and follow the conversation using #SaundersLemieux.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2017) – Witness Sports Management (WSM) has come to a managerial agreement with undefeated prospect, Marcus “The Dream Crusher” Bates (7-0-1, 6 KOs). Greg Hannely and Jared Shaw will now be managing the career of Bates, who hails from Washington DC. Bates, who is signed with King’s Promotions on the promotional side, will work closely with WSM’s Hannely and Shaw, as they jointly look to keep Bates busy, while guiding him toward a world title.

“My team is complete now that I have a management team looking out for my best interest,” said Marcus Bates. “I’m very happy with the direction my career is heading. I know if I put in the hard work, everything will be there at the end. Greg and Jared are two guys I trust, and I know they will get the job done managing my career. I’m looking forward to my next fight.”

“Greg and I are extremely happy that Marcus Bates is part of our team.” Jared Shaw said. “We believe he has the power and speed to be a force in the featherweight division. We have big plans for him and will work harmoniously with Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions. The sky is the limit for this kid.”

“Mr. Bates is a bright young man with astonishing talent.” stated Greg Hannely. “He has the punching power to end a fight with one punch, and that type of power is what sells. We are happy that we were able to sign him to our stable of fighters.”

October 18th, RENO — Let’s Get It On Promotions and the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa are pleased to announce an exciting night of world-class professional boxing Saturday, November 17th, 2017 at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center. The card will be co-headlined by lightweight sensation Gabriel Flores Jr., and Reno’s own Oscar Vasquez in separate bouts.

The youngest-ever Top Rank Inc. signed fighter, Gabe Flores Jr. (4-0, 3KOs) is on a meteoric rise in the fight game. The Stockton, CA seventeen-year-old manages to fight as he is completing high school. For the third time he will fight in Northern Nevada, where he regularly draws hundreds from his hometown. Flores will fight in a four-round lightweight bout.

Reno’s own Oscar Vasquez (14-1) is coming off an impressive ten-round unanimous decision victory this August in Fallon against the tough Javier Gallo. Vasquez is currently ranked fifteenth in the world in the flyweight division by the World Boxing Organization. Vasquez will be fighting Victory Ruiz (22-7) in a ten-round fight.

Ricardo Lucio Galvan, also from Reno, will be making his pro debut on November 17th. Galvan, a second-year business major at UNR, is also a Dreamer. He is enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and hopes he can use his boxing career to bring awareness to the issue. He is an experience amatuer with nearly eighty bouts. Galvan will be fighting in a four-round jr. lightweight bout.

Carson City’s Diego Elizondo (1-0) will be returning to the ring on November 17th after beating Chandler Clements via unanimous decision in Fallon in August. Elizondo attributes his toughness to his Basque and Mexican heritage. He will be fighting in a four-round lightweight bout.

Super flyweight Bruno Escalante (14-3-1) of Redwood City, CA is slated to fight in a six-round bout in Reno. Escalante is trying to get his world title run back on track after some recent bumps in the road. Born in Cebu City, Philippines, Escalante is one of a handful of young Filipino boxers who are carrying the torch for Pinoy boxing. Escalante will be fighting the tough Alex Rangel (17-7).

Rounding out the card is bantamweight Brent Venegas (3-0) of Stockton, CA. Venegas is scheduled for a four-round scrap.

More information will be announced soon. Fight card subject to change.

First bell is at 7pm. Tickets are available and can be purchased at the Atlantis Gift Shop $35, $65, $100, by calling Atlantis Special Events 888.551.7007 or 775.824.4467, or via ticketmaster.com.

Paul Hyland Jnr believes beating Stephen Ormond in style will prove he’s ready for the British Lightweight title as they clash at the SSE Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Hyland Jnr puts his IBF European strap on the line for the first time against the experienced Dubliner, and the champion says this is his first big test in his 17th pro outing.

The 27 year old won the belt in fine fashion in June, blasting Adam Dingsdale away inside the opening round in the Arena where he faces Ormond in three days.

Lewis Ritson wrestled the British crown from Robbie Barrett in Manchester earlier in the month and the Newcastle talent was promptly snapped up by promoter Eddie Hearn. ‘Hylo’ wants to put on an impressive display in front of the Matchroom boss to get to the front of the queue to face Ritson next year.

“Next year I’d love to fight for the British title,” said Hyland. “I’m in the top ten in Britain now and I know Matchroom have just signed Lewis who had a good win over Barrett. I feel like he wouldn’t be able to push me back as easy so it would make for a cracking fight.

“He’s definitely my toughest opponent to date. I respect what he’s done and am expecting a tough fight but it’s my time to take over now.

“He’s had an up and down couple of years but there’s no doubt he’s boxed at a higher level than I have at present. It’s a good measuring stick for me to get in and see where I am at.

“Everything has gone well. I’ve done some great strength and condition work for this camp. I’m feeling fit, strong and sharp for this one.

“I wasn’t expecting the fight to finish so early against Dingsdale. The game plan was to push him back early and show him he was in for a tough night from the start. But I just caught him, I knew as soon as I hit him he was in trouble. His legs and eyes were gone and I just jumped on him.

“I’ve done a proper programme this time with a friend of mine who is qualified. I can feel my power and strength improving. It’s very specialist. It’s all going to plan so far and I’m excited to get in there and test it all out.

“It’ll be a cracking atmosphere in the arena. I have sold a lot more tickets than last time. The Dublin fans for Ormond will be vocal too.”

Hyland’s clash with Ormond is part of an historic night of action in Belfast as hometown star Ryan Burnett clashes with Zhanat Zhakiyanov in a unification battle for the IBF And WBA Super World Bantamweight titles.

James Tennyson puts his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor, Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

The boxing action heats up when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: JEZREEL CORRALES VS. ALBERTO MACHADO, DEMETRIUS ANDRADE VS. ALANTEZ FOX AND RYAN BURNETT VS. ZHANAT ZHAKIYANOV is seen SATURDAY, OCT. 21 at 10:05 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from two locations, Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY and SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

In the main event from Turning Stone, Jezreel Corrales (22-1, 8 KOs) of San Miguelito, Panama takes on Alberto Machado (18-0, 15 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a scheduled 12-round super featherweight title contest.

Corrales, 26, who has spent the majority of his career in Panama, is fighting in the U.S. for only the second time and making his third title defense. His only ring loss came in 2009, in his second pro bout. Last July, Corrales defeated the formidable veteran Robinson Castellanos to set up this encounter with the unbeaten Machado.

Known for his power, the 27-year-old Machado has an 83% knockout-to-win ratio and has been rising through the ranks of the 130-pound division. He previously scored a convincing decision victory over Carlos Morales and now faces his first shot at a title.

The co-main event from Turning Stone is a battle of undefeated fighters, as Demetrius Andrade (24-0, 16 KOs) of Providence, RI takes on Alantez Fox (23-0-1, 11 KOs), from Forestville, Md., in a scheduled 12-round middleweight contest. Two-time junior middleweight champion Andrade, 29, is moving up in weight class to battle Fox, 25, in a showdown both fighters hope leads to a title fight. A member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, Andrade has a deep amateur resume, having won a gold medal at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships. The six-foot-four Fox will look to exploit his height advantage over the six-foot-one Andrade.

The night opens with a same-day, tape-delay presentation of the scheduled 12-round bantamweight unification bout at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland between undefeated hometown favorite Ryan Burnett (17-0, 9 KOs) and Zhanat Zhakiyanov (27-1, 18 KOs) of Petropavl, Kazakhstan. Burnett, 25, is putting his title and perfect record on the line against fellow belt-holder Zhakiyanov, 33, who has compiled a 22-bout win streak since his only ring loss. The fight marks HBO Boxing’s first visit to Northern Ireland.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jonathan Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Unified Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua worked out for the media on Tuesday in Sheffield, England, as the undefeated British sensation continues preparation for his showdown against IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

“This is a must-win for myself and for Carlos Takam,” Joshua told Sky Sports, which will present the fight in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Box Office. “As much as my supporters want to see me win, there are still a few people who doubt me and want me to lose and disrupt our plan. They don’t want to see the cream rise to the top.”

Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) is not taking Takam (35-3-1, 27 KOs) lightly, and said he feels added pressure taking on a new opponent on short notice as Takam replaces the injured Kubrat Pulev.

“Twenty wins, 20 knockouts ain’t bad, but boxing’s unforgiving. So don’t ask me what you do for your 21st fight,” Joshua said. “I can’t afford to lose, and I don’t want to lose.

“Boxing is a sport that’s unforgiving in a sense that if Takam beats me, that loss will stay on my record for a lifetime. That will always be my legacy. It will not be, ‘Oh, he was a world champion, and he did well for the sport of boxing.’ No, no, no, no no. It would be, ‘He’s 19-1.’ That’s the new legacy and I just don’t want that blemish on my record right now.

“I’ve known about Carlos Takam for a long time and he’s a very, very well-rounded fighter. He’s been moving his way up the IBF rankings, so I’ve always had my eye on him anyway.

“I think Eddie did a great job to have someone in place in case these mishaps happen. And when I heard the news I was fighting Takam, of all people, he’s a very strong, game fighter. This is his chance to kind of shock the world.

“Takam is already as tough as they come. He’s so tough. He just keeps on walking forward, and that’s disheartening for a fighter.

“When I’m in there with him, it will be interesting to see how game and ready he is, and what fire he is ready to go through.”

Atlanta, GA (October 18, 2017) The Real Deal Boxing, the promotional entity of Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Sports and Entertainment, has finalized details for an action packed card Thursday night, October 19 at The Georgia Freight Depot in a ‘Special Edition’ Hall of Fame Tribute and Birthday Celebration.

Inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame this past June, boxing legend Holyfield will turn 55 years old on fight night.

Tickets priced at $150, $100 and $60 can be purchased in advance at TheRealDealBoxing.com. VIP Tables for $2500 and $1500 are also available for purchase. The historic Georgia Freight Depot is located at 66 Martin Luther King Dr. in Atlanta, GA 30303. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:00 p.m. with the first bell at 7:00 p.m.

Four fights will be telecast nationally on CBS Sports Network starting at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday night. Featured on the call will be International Boxing Hall of Famer BARRY TOMPKINS, two-time world champion PAULIE MALIGNAGGI and the nationally known ring announcer DAVE DIAMANTE.

Headlining the October 19 special event, top featherweight contenders will battle over 10-rounds as Providence, Rhode Island’s TOKA KAHN “T-Nice” CLARY, (22-1, 15 KO’s) faces hard hitting DAVID BERNA (13-0, 12 KO’s), of Budapest, Hungary for the vacant WBA/NABA Featherweight Title.

The 25-year-old, all-action Clary returns to battle following his dominant performance in an eight round decision victory over Angel Luna on June 24 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Fighting for the first time in the United States, the 27-year-old Berna will be looking to impress boxing fans in this country as he makes the sixth start of his 2017 campaign. His last four victories have come by knockout.

Featured in the eight-round televised co-main event, local fan favorite and former world title challenger RAYONTA ‘Stingray’ WHITFIELD, (28-1, 15 KO’s), of Augusta, GA will face off against MARIO “EL Triturador” DIAZ, (16-1, 6 KO’s) of Aguascalientes, Mexico for the WBC Continental Americas Featherweight Title.

Riding a six bout winning streak, Whitfield will be looking to continue his path towards a world title opportunity against the battle tested Diaz.

Fighting for the first time in the United States, the 22-year-old Diaz is on a remarkable fourteen bout winning streak.

In a fantastic eight round clash of top super featherweight prospects, Washington D.C.’s JOSHUA DAVIS, (11-1, 5 KO’s), will battle RAY “Lightning Jr.” LAMPKIN, (10-0, 4 KO’s) of Portland, Oregon.

Undefeated cruiserweight prospects will also see action as The Real Deal Boxing’s newly-signed JOSHUA TEMPLE, (4-0, 4 KO’s), of St. Louis, Missouri, faces Worcester, Massachusetts’ BRYAN DANIELS, (5-0, 3 KO’s) in a scheduled six rounder.

Among the top national and local prospects featured on the off-TV undercard in separate bouts include middleweight MARQUISE MOORE, (5-0, 3 KO’s) of Colorado Springs, CO, welterweight JANELSON BOCACHICA FIGUEROA, (7-0, 4 KO’s), of Detroit, MI, junior featherweight LAWRENCE NEWTON, (7-0, 5 KO’s), of Boynton Beach, FL, and more!

Real Deal Sports & Entertainment is proud to partner with Medical Arts Radiology (www.medicalartsradiology.com) and Venum (www.venum.com). Superior Plumbing is a proud sponsor of this event.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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Website: www.TheRealDealBoxing.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Oct. 18th, 2017) — When he used to rummage through his father’s boxing memorabilia as a child, or sit next to him on the couch years later watching mixed martial arts, John Gotti III had no idea he’d one day step through those cage doors himself, alone, face-to-face with every fighter’s biggest adversary.

The idea, at first, was to find a way to make up for lost time with his father after the elder Gotti returned home from prison in 2004, so the two would watch all the big fights together and even attend live shows in New Jersey, just a stone’s throw from their home in Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Only 11 years old at the time, Gotti III took an immediate liking to the raw, unfiltered drama of mixed martial arts — combat in its purest form, as he calls it.

Following a successful, three-year trial run on the New York amateur circuit, the 24-year-old Gotti III makes his long-awaited professional debut Friday, Oct. 27th, 2017 on the preliminary card of “CES MMA 46” at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., joining forces with the hottest promotion in the northeast.

Tickets for “CES MMA 46” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.cagetix.com/ces by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

His father, John A. Gotti — nicknamed “Junior” — never envisioned his own son fighting professionally, but has since cast aside any reservations knowing this is more than just a passing interest for Gotti III, who has changed his life both in and out of the gym in anticipation of what he hopes is a long, successful career in a sport often unforgiving for young, up-and-comers.

“I think now as I have chosen this as a profession, although my father is proud of me, I think he regrets fostering my interest,” Gotti III said. “I don’t think he ever thought this would be the end result.

“What father wants to watch his son in this type of environment?”

Gotti III takes his pride in his craft. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not a partier. He briefly boxed as a child, but eventually segued into more traditional team sports before falling in love with MMA. He even tried a stint at bodybuilding, walking around at a heavily-muscled 250 pounds before settling into a more comfortable lifestyle in the welterweight division, where he’ll face Johnny Adams (0-1) of Rutland, Vt., on the 27th.

Naturally, Gotti III faces more than just the opponent standing across from him once the bell rings. He’s a naturally-gifted 24-year-old amateur standout about to enter his prime while looking to carve his own legacy under the shadow of the Gotti name.

There’s a certain pressure that comes with such a distinction — not to mention the fact Oct. 27th is the birthdate of his late grandfather, John Gotti, which is part of the reason he chose to fight on this date — but Gotti III is polished, wise beyond his years, and has cautiously climbed the ladder in anticipation of this day, from working more on his jiu-jitsu in recent months to hiring a strength coach. His last amateur fight was in February, so this will be the first time he steps back into the cage in six months with the hope that all the extra preparation and attention to detail will pay dividends on the 27th.

“I’m excited to be doing something I love,” Gotti III said. “For me to possibly move forward and see what I’m capable of achieving, I need to be tested by the likes of Adams.”

Choosing CES MMA as the destination for his first pro fight made perfect sense for Gotti III. The promotion is in its fourth year with AXS TV as its broadcast partner (the main card of “CES MMA 46” airs on the network beginning at 9 p.m. ET on the 27th) and has a reputation for paving a path to the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) for several prominent fighters, among them Rob Font, Andre Soukhamthath and Charles Rosa.

“I know several fighters who had fought for them and they said they were good guys to work with and they put on a great show,” Gotti III said. “It was a natural.”

The main event of “CES MMA 46” features the return of former CES MMA Middleweight World Champion “Doomsday” John Howard (24-13, 9 KOs) of Boston, who faces submission specialist Roger Carroll (16-14) of Claremont, N.C.

“CES MMA 46” also features the return of rising welterweight prospect Gary Balletto Jr. (4-1, 2 KOs) of Cranston, R.I., who battles Philadelphia’s Sharif Jones (3-2, 1 KO), plus the return of East Providence, R.I., bantamweight Dinis Paiva (9-6, 5 KOs), who faces Pennsylvania vet Brandon Seyler (7-5, 1 KO), both of whom will be fighting on the televised main card.

Also on the main card, lightweight Josh LaBerge (11-6, 5 KOs) of Fall River, Mass., returns to face Jonathan Lemke (6-8, 5 KOs) of Auburn, Maine, and bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (7-1, 3 KOs) of Peabody, Mass., faces Justin King (6-5) of Lawrence, Ind. Justin Sumter (3-1, 2 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., returns in a lightweight bout against Rahway, N.J., vet Shedrick Goodridge (6-9, 2 KOs).

Also returning Oct. 27th, Providence featherweight Marquis Brewster (3-0) battles Raymond Yanez (4-11, 1 KO) of Marion, Ohio, on the preliminary, where joining featherweight Pat McCrohan (2-1, 1 KO) of Berkley, Mass., who faces Buck Pineau (1-3) of Ashland, Maine. New Bedford bantamweight Jessie Pires makes his professional debut in the prelims against Syracuse, N.Y., newcomer Michael Taylor.

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

WBC Bantamweight champion Luis Nery will take on Arthur Villanueva on November 4 in Tijuana. Mexico.

Nery won the title in Japan in August but failed a post fight drug test, and he is taking the stay busy fight while he waits for an outcome by the WBC.

“Personally, and on behalf of my company Zanfer, we thank Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the World Boxing Council, for the opportunity that was given to Nery to become world champion,” said promoter Fernando Beltran said at a news conference announcing the fight. “We will wait and respect the resolution made by the WBC, but for now, we announce that Nery will face a tough opponent, Artur Villanueva.”

“It is a joy to fight in Tijuana. It was always my dream to fight before my people as world champion, and I will be granted this opportunity on Nov. 4,” Nery said. “I hope that the fans of Tijuana will be present at the Gasmart Stadium and we’ll be able to give them a great fight.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 17, 2017) – Undefeated prospects, super-flyweight Damien “Sugar” Vazquez (12-0, 6 KOs), super-lightweight, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (7-0, 5 KOs), and light-heavyweight Tye Brooks (1-0, 1 KO), all who fight under the Prince Ranch Boxing (PRB) management banner, were victorious this past Saturday at the Palenque de la Feria in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The card was promoted by Damien Vazquez’s “Sugar Promotions” in associations with Malibu Films and SOBA Recovery Centers.

In the scheduled 8-round main event, Damien Vazquez, stopped his opponent Ivan Galicia Morelos, retiring the Mexican native who didn’t come out for the fifth round. Blair Cobbs went the distance with Hugo Padilla, winning a unanimous 6-round decision. Tye Brooks won his pro debut with a first round knockout over Ivan Najera. New signee’s, flyweight Maryan Salazar (6-2, 4 KOs) and lightweight Issac Avelar (13-0, 8 KOs) were also victorious. Avelar went the distance for the first time winning an 8-round unanimous decision, while Salazar won a 4-round unanimous decision.

“I was very happy that the Prince Ranch Boxing team went out there and got victories, going 5-0 in Mexico,” said Greg Hannely president of Prince Ranch Boxing. “The goal is to keep our stable of boxers constantly fighting. With each bout they are getting the experience they need to help them prepare fight bigger fights. We have big plans moving forward and as we grow, the boxing world will take notice.”

“It was a great show with a lot of up and coming talent,” said president of Sugar Promotions Oscar Vazquez. “Sugar Promotions is just getting started and we are off to a great start. We will be making an announcement shortly about our next show.”

“Vazquez, Cobbs and Brooks, all gained quality experience and confidence with these victories,” said head trainer Clarence “Bones” Adams, “All the hard work in the gym is paying off. All three of them will be back in the gym next week, ready to put in more work.”

WBO Middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders will defend his title against David Lemieux on December in Quebec, Canada in a bout that will be televised by HBO, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s a done deal, live from Montreal on HBO,” Lemieux promoter Oscar De La Hoya said, adding that he is speaking with two venues about hosting the fight — the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal or the new Place Bell, a 10,000-seat arena that opened earlier this year in Laval, which is just outside Montreal.

“Like gentlemen, we worked out the agreement and we’re on the same page with Warren,” De La Hoya said. “We want to see this year finish strong for boxing. It’s been a great year for the sport and for Golden Boy. We’re extremely proud we can deliver not only Miguel Cotto’s final fight but also Saunders-Lemieux, both live on HBO.

“We’re willing to work with everybody. We believe that David Lemieux has a great shot to win this fight. Frank Warren believes that his guy, Saunders, has a great shot as well. It was a matter of a little give and take and we made the deal. But all business aside, it’s great for both parties what we negotiated. Both sides are happy. We wanted to make sure we delivered an exciting fight to end the year.”

“I strongly believe David Lemieux is the missing piece of the puzzle in the middleweight division,” De La Hoya said. “David Lemieux looking great against Billy Joe Saunders will create excitement in the division.”

“David Lemieux against a fighter who is tough, who is durable and who is a trash-talker will make the fight week quite interesting. We’re looking forward to it,” De La Hoya said. “When David heard we had a deal for him to fight Saunders, he was ecstatic. He cannot wait to bring the title back to Canada.”

“Saunders is a middleweight who is dangerous, who can box, who can move, who can make things difficult for you,” De La Hoya said. “Obviously, David Lemieux cannot take this guy lightly whatsoever. David Lemieux has to make a statement on Dec 16 by knocking out Saunders.”

The World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Final will be held in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in May 2018 following an agreement signed in London between World Boxing Super Series organiser and owner Comosa AG and The General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia. The date and venue for the Final will be announced in due time.

The Muhammad Ali trophy will be awarded to the winner of the contest in the final stage of the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series, which has seen growing worldwide attention and broadcast coverage across more the 60 countries since its launch and Gala Draw in Monaco back in July.

Turki Al-Alsheikh, President of The General Sports Authority: “This agreement is part of our broader commitment and work to develop the sport of boxing in Saudi Arabia. Having the first final of such a high profile and groundbreaking tournament take place in Saudi Arabia is a key milestone for us, and will be one of many major sports events to take place in the Kingdom next year.”

“The interest in boxing amongst the young generation is there and growing rapidly, which is why the GSA is also working to form a grassroots partnership with one of the largest international boxing federations to promote the sport. Our involvement in the Muhammad Ali trophy is the perfect way to step up our engagement in boxing, given how popular and well respected this great sporting athlete has always been.”

Roberto Dalmiglio, CEO of Comosa: “This is fantastic news, not just for World Boxing Super Series but for boxing and for the sport in Saudi Arabia. We have seen huge and growing interest in the World Boxing Super Series from fight fans, broadcasters, commercial partners and venue owners from the major boxing markets around the world. The competition to host the cruiserweight final has been fierce, and we are delighted to be able to announce the winner.”

“I am sure that Saudi Arabia will lay on a fitting finale to the first year of the WBSS and first award of the Muhammad Ali trophy! We are proud to be working with the Saudi General Sports Authority on what will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the 2018 sporting calendar in Jeddah.”

Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer: “The Muhammad Ali trophy is going from strength to strength and, with the cruiserweight division featuring all four federation world champions, the undisputed champion will be crowned next May. We will also feature local fighters on the undercard to help promote the sport locally.“

“The Muhammad Ali name and legacy is so revered in Saudi Arabia, and Ali himself fought his greatest battles (‘The Thriller in Manila’ and ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’) in locations not normally associated with boxing, so it is fitting to bring big-time boxing to Jeddah in the name of the Greatest of All Time.”

The first fights of the World Boxing Super Series took place in September and three of the four quarterfinals in the Cruiserweight division has already taken place. 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist and current WBO World Champion Aleksandr Usyk kicked off the cruiserweight tournament by spectacularly stopping Marco Huck, a former record-breaking World Champion himself, in the 10th round in Berlin.

WBA World Champion Yunier Dorticos defeated number one ranked Dmitry Kudryashov with a sensational second-round knockout in San Antonio. Finally, hometown hero Mairis Briedis outpointed Cuba’s Mike Perez in Riga to retain his WBC world title belt and set up a semi-final clash with Aleksandr Usyk.

Next up is Russia’s IBF World Champion Murat Gassiev against Poland’s former world champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, with the winner to face Yunier Dorticos. The venues of both semi-finals, which are expected to take place in the second half of January next year, will be announced in due course.

NEW YORK CITY (Oct. 17, 2017) Four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) and WBA International Welterweight Champion Sadam “World Kid” Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) hosted a press conference today to formally announce their 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship. The action will take place at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Cotto will make his 24th appearance on the network and his 10th showcase at MSG in the final fight of his historic career as one of the most decorated and significant Puerto Rican fighters in boxing history.

Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say at today’s press conference:

MIGUEL COTTO, Four-Division, Six Time World Champion, Future Hall of Famer and Current WBO Junior Middleweight Champion:
“It’s nice to be back. It is nice to be at this place; it made me the big boxer than I am now. All I can say is that I’m going to Los Angeles tonight to start my training camp. I’m going to do my best with Freddie, as always. I know Sadam Ali will do his best. We are going to bring a good show here on December 2.”

SADAM ALI, Current WBA International Welterweight Champion:
“I know I’m the underdog. I know a lot of the media are throwing bad words at me. But if you work hard, you never know what’s going to come. It’s not about the money. It’s about the opportunity. I know if I want to win, I have to come at 100 percent and fight smart. Cotto has tremendous power, so I’m going to fight smart. I’m going to use all of my abilities, my speed, my strength, my feet. I’m ready to shine. For those of you who don’t think I have a chance: all you got to do is wait and see. I promise you that you will see a great fight.”

ANDRE ROZIER, Trainer to Sadam Ali:
“We wanted to show the world that Sadam Ali is a special athlete. He is a special boxer. At this point, it’s been written that he doesn’t belong here or stand a chance. but we’re going to show the world that he does. He’s coming to win. It’s not a money thing. I told him, if he didn’t want to win the fight, then we don’t want the fight. It’s nothing more than. There is a stern test before us, but we plan to ascend to that challenge. We will be victorious.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“This is a classic event: as one star says goodbye, another tries to fill the void. What can you say about Miguel Cotto that hasn’t already been said during his two decades in boxing?On December 2, Cotto will look to go out as a champion as he defends his WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship. Sadam Ali is a hungry fighter who is young and fresh, and he knows this is an amazing opportunity against a great legend. I know he will put on a great show. I’m very happy to announce that for every ticket sold, a portion of ticket sales will go to various charities that Miguel Cotto and his promotional company will choose.”

HECTOR SOTO, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions:
“On December 2, Miguel Cotto will enter Madison Square Garden a champion and will leave a champion. And what else can we give to Puerto Rico, who is going through a terrible time right now than a victory from Miguel Cotto?”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice President at HBO Sports:
“We commend what Oscar and Miguel Cotto Promotions are doing. This fight is an inflection point for the sport. We have a legend leaving the sport. Miguel began with HBO in 2003. This will be his 24th appearance on our network. This is a historic run. We’re excited to see this last fight with us. On the other side, we have a young, hungry fighter in Sadam Ali who is looking to be a world champion and moving up a weight class. He deserves recognition for stepping up and taking this fight.”

JOEL FISCHER, Executive Vice President of Marquee Events:
“I want to take this moment to welcome Miguel back to the Garden. This is his home. We are truly thrilled to host his last fight. We want to welcome him back for his tenth and final fight. I also want to welcome Sadam Ali back to the Garden. He has fought here several times, and even won the Golden Gloves here.”

Cotto vs. Ali, a 12-round fight for the Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle”, and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will take place Saturday, December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Cotto vs. Ali are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50 and are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.goldenboytickets.com or www.MSG.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter at @cottopromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/realmiguelacotto. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @realmiguelacotto and follow the conversation using #CottoAli.

https://www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing/videos/10155201908960756/

Team Sauerland and Sport1 GmbH have signed a ground-breaking three-year-deal to lift boxing to the next level in Germany. From 2018 onwards, Team Sauerland will exclusively deliver boxing content to SPORT1, Germany`s leading 360° sports platform, which each year will broadcast at least 20 events with German participation and a total of roundly 100 fights live and exclusive on free-TV and its digital platforms.

“Team Sauerland has been continuously on Free to Air Television in Germany since 1992. We are delighted to continue that tradition and provide the sport with a huge free-to-air presence over the next three years,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland. “With a total of at least 60 free-to-air events with German participation until 2020 we now have a perfect platform for our current stars and the next generation of boxing heroes.”

Olaf Schröder, CEO of Constantin Medien and Chairman of the Management of Sport1 GmbH: “Thanks to this extensive and exclusive partnership with Team Sauerland, SPORT1 is set to become the new home for all boxing fans in the German-speaking countries. Together with Team Sauerland, we are opening the next chapter for boxing in Germany. As the leading sports dedicated platform, we will showcase this popular sport with its present and future stars, not only with extensive live broadcasts on free-TV but also on all digital platforms, giving it even more of the spotlight.”

The deal will also change the way boxing is viewed in Germany. SPORT1 will exclusively broadcast “Team Sauerland Championship Boxing” as well as “Next Generation Boxing” and “International Boxing Nights.” Prior to all big fights, there will be exclusive countdown programming – all available on free-TV. On top of that, SPORT1.de, Germany’s leading sports platform, will sync its boxing channel with Team Sauerland´s webpage, boxen.com, to expand the digital boxing coverage in the Online, Mobile and Social Media sector.

Said promoter Nisse Sauerland: “This 360-degree approach on free-to-air television will help boxing win many new fans and make sure it stays where it belongs: among the top three TV sports in Germany. Team Sauerland’s young talent pool has never been so strong. This historic deal with SPORT1 will give our fighters never-seen-before exposure and the unique chance to fight their way to the top and win the hearts of the public.”

Ricky Hatton plans to ruin old charge Ryan Burnett’s big night with the perfect game plan for Zhanat Zhakiyanov to unify the Bantamweight division when they clash for the IBF and WBA Super titles at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Hatton brings Zhakiyanov to Belfast in an historic unification battle that sees the Manchester legend in the opposite corner to the man he introduced to the paid ranks.

The IBF king turned pro with Hatton in 2012 but a stuttering start to his career saw him leave the ‘Hitman’ in 2014 after just four pro fights and team up with Adam Booth.

Hatton has admitted that Belfast was right to move onto pastures new and was proud to see the 25 year old claim the IBF crown – but warns that he will have his hands full against the WBA Super king Zhakiyanov.

“I knew 100 per cent that Ryan had the ability to go all the way when I was training him,” said Hatton. “I was having a lot of problems at the time, I wasn’t in a good place at all, and Ryan felt the training was better elsewhere.

“I wasn’t the trainer I am today. I understand why he left. There are no hard feelings. The Ricky Hatton of today is in a miles better place than the Ricky Hatton back then.

“I text him before his World Title fight with Haskins to say good luck and text him straight after to say congratulations. I think the world of Ryan and his family. He’s a great lad and a wonderful talent but I don’t think he’s going to beat us on the night.

“Ryan’s done everything asked of him so far but he’s going to have to show more than his talent in this one. If he doesn’t nail Zhanat to the canvas in the first few rounds he’s in for a very tough night. But if he doesn’t put Zhanat over in the first few then goes on to win, I’ll be the first one to shake his hand.

“They’ve sparred together and he probably just edged the sessions with those big gloves and head guard but times and circumstances change. Ryan’s in for a heap load of trouble once that bell goes.”

Zhakiyanov was the man in trouble early in his World title clash with Rau’shee Warren in February, hitting the canvas twice in the opening round in Ohio. The hometown star was unable to put the visitor away though and Zhakiyanov recovered and pulled away from Warren to rip the WBA Super strap from him via split decision – a proud night for Hatton and one he feels will serve them well against Burnett.

“He was never going to beat Warren on just boxing ability alone,” said Hatton. “He was going to beat him with a lot of heart and will to win the World Title. We had a good game plan overall but he made fundamental mistakes in the first round. I told him not to stand off Warren because he’ll ping you and what happened – he stood off and ended up on his arse. He can’t start the same against Ryan with all his skill.

“He’s learnt lessons from it and come away with a World title. He went to Ohio in Warren’s backyard to take his belt and this time he goes into Ryan’s backyard so it’s nothing new to him and the experience will help.

“He’s never looked better to be honest with you. I know you hear trainers say that a lot, but he has never looked this good. He couldn’t be any sharper.

“He’s got an extra bit of ambition and determination for this one. There’s always been that bit of rivalry between the two. The fact he used to share a gym with Ryan and spar with him at the same weight.

“Ryan hasn’t fought anyone as good as who Zhanat has been in with. He’s beat Karim Guerfi for the European who is a very, very good fighter – potential World class. Rau’shee Warren is an absolutely outstanding fighter. As good as Lee Haskins and Ryan Farrag are, they aren’t big power houses who can pack a huge punch.”

Zhakiyanov’s clash with Burnett tops a huge night of boxing in Belfast as Paul Hyland Jnr defends his IBF European Lightweight title against Stephen Ormond and James Tennyson puts his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor.

Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

17 October 2017 – Manila, Philippines: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced additional bouts for ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD, set for 10 November at the state-of-the-art Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Fans will be treated to another exciting evening of authentic martial arts action as the best martial arts talent in the world take the ONE Championship cage. In the main event, reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang will defend his title against ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen. In the co-main event, ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes will take on rising star Danny Kingad of Team Lakay.

Ticket information for ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD is available at www.onefc.com.

Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, of the legendary Team Lakay in Baguio City, is one of the Philippines’ most experienced martial artists. After nearly a decade of competing in various promotions, the multiple-time SEA Games Wushu gold medallist has amassed an impressive 18-5 professional record. The 33-year-old veteran is currently riding a four-bout winning streak against high-profile opponents, including an emphatic technical knockout victory over Japanese legend Shinya Aoki to capture the ONE Lightweight World Championship in 2016. Showcasing a highly-improved wrestling and grappling arsenal, Folayang then defeated top challenger Ev Ting in his first title defense last April. Now set to return to the ONE Championship cage in Manila, Folayang will face ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen in a cross-divisional showdown.

28-year-old Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Sydney, Australia, is a highly-skilled finisher and one of the most talented featherweights in martial arts. In his most recent bout, Nguyen stepped into the ONE Championship cage last August, scoring the biggest victory of his career when he stopped former undefeated featherweight champion Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in Kuala Lumpur to capture the ONE Featherweight World Championship. Sporting a 9-1 professional record, Nguyen’s all-around skill set allows him to compete at the highest level of competition. In a much-anticipated battle between division champions, Nguyen is set to challenge the Philippines’ Eduard Folayang for the ONE Lightweight World Championship, and attempt to become the first double-division World Champion in ONE history.

28-year-old Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes of Brazil is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with well-rounded striking and grappling skills. He is the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Champion, and one of the most highly-skilled and dominant world champions in martial arts. Rarely opposed in the ONE Championship cage, Moraes thoroughly defeated former champion Kairat Akhmetov in an epic rematch last August, snapping the Kazakhstani’s perfect 23-bout win streak and reclaiming his belt. He is now set to defend his title against rising star Danny Kingad.

An unbeaten flyweight from Team Lakay, Danny “The King” Kingad is a regional wushu champion and martial artist with a perfect professional record of 5-0. A true warrior from the mountains of the Philippines and one of the top prospects to come out of Baguio City, Kingad is a tremendous striker who possesses well-rounded grappling skills. In his most recent bout, Kingad turned in a complete performance, putting his wide range of techniques on full display in a unanimous decision victory over Malaysia’s Muhammad Aiman. The impressive victory earned Kingad a shot at the ONE Flyweight World Championship, as he next meets defending champion Adriano Moraes.

Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the famed Team Lakay in Baguio City, Philippines, is one of the country’s most talented martial artists. With a professional record of 16-5, the Filipino champion and former world title challenger is known as a fierce competitor with the ability to finish opponents in a variety of methods. The 29-year old wushu stalwart owns seven huge knockouts on his resume, and is one of the most feared strikers in ONE Championship’s deep bantamweight division. In his last bout, Belingon stopped a top contender in Reece McLaren of Australia with a volley of devastating strikes. He now takes on another tough task ahead in Kevin Chung.

Kevin “Old Boy” Chung is a 24-year-old South Korean martial artist who was born and raised in the United States. He began his amatuer career in his adoptive hometown of Centreville, Virginia, in 2010, and has since impressed with his spectacular performances inside the cage. Chung turned professional in 2015, and currently holds a perfect professional record of 4-0, with two of his four career wins having come by way of spectacular stoppage. Chung prides himself on being an exciting competitor, willing to please the crowd by constantly seeking the highlight-reel finish. He is set to face feared striker Kevin Belingon next.

34-year-old Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and world champion with a professional record of 5-1. Silva is riding high on a four-bout winning streak, rapidly climbing ONE Championship’s stacked flyweight ranks. He is a technical grappling specialist with a penchant for securing highlight-reel submission finishes. With steadily increasing confidence, Silva’s last four victories have ended in spectacular fashion. In his next outing, Silva takes on Japanese warrior Hayato Suzuki.

31-year-old Hayato Suzuki of Saitama, Japan, is a veteran martial artist with an unblemished professional record of 17-0 with two draws. Spending the majority of his career competing in his native Japan, Suzuki is known as a highly-skilled competitor with the ability to finish his foes with heavy knockout power and technical grappling skills. Out of 17 wins, Suzuki has finished 12 of his opponents, including seven by submission and five by knockout. In his most recent bout, Suzuki submitted former world title challenger Joshua Pacio in the first round. He is now set to face fellow grappler, Alex Silva.

Top Filipino women’s martial arts contender Gina “Conviction” Iniong of Baguio City, Philippines, is a six-time national wushu champion and member of the renowned Team Lakay. She owns a professional martial arts record of 5-2, with three of her five victories coming by thrilling finish, including two highlight-reel submissions and one knockout. In her last bout, Iniong impressed in her ONE Championship debut, defeating tough competitor Natalie Gonzales Hills by unanimous decision.

Female martial artist Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol of Jakarta, Indonesia, is an Indonesian national wushu champion who has trained in various striking disciplines such as kickboxing and wushu. The 29-year-old made her ONE Championship debut against Singapore’s Tiffany Teo at ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS last February, joining a growing list of elite female martial artists in Asia. Gaol will look to emerge triumphant in her next appearance inside the ONE Championship cage, when she takes on the Philippines’ Gina Iniong.

31-year-old Anatpong Bunrad of Thailand is one of the most talented strikers in the promotion’s deep flyweight division. He utilizes lightning quick and powerful strikes to subdue his opponents with sheer aggression, but also possesses the ability to finish on the ground with solid submission skills. In his most recent bout, Bunrad dropped a close split decision to Filipino rival Geje Eustaquio. Bunrad is looking for redemption inside the ONE Championship cage, as he takes on the highly-regarded Reece McLaren.

26-year-old Reece “Lightning” McLaren is a Filipino-Australian martial artist from Toowoomba, Australia, who sports a professional record of 9-5. He made his ONE Championship debut in 2015 with a spectacular submission victory over top bantamweight contender Mark Striegl, and then followed up that win with a unanimous decision victory over highly-regarded talent Muin Gafurov. In December of 2016, McLaren challenged Bibiano Fernandes for the ONE Bantamweight World Championship, falling just short of victory by way of split decision. Next for McLaren is a move to the flyweight division, as he faces top divisional talent Anatpong Bunrad.

21-year-old Joshua Pacio of Baguio City is a top martial arts talent with a professional record of 9-2. He is one of the Philippines’ most talented strawweights and a member of the famed Team Lakay. A rising star in Asian martial arts, Pacio is a wushu practitioner with a solid grappling repertoire. All but one of his career victories have come by spectacular finish, which includes five wins by submission and three by devastating knockout. A former ONE Strawweight World Championship Title Challenger, Pacio is looking to bring himself back to title contention with a victory. A tough task is ahead of Pacio, however, as he is slated to lock horns with countryman Roy Doliguez.

35-year-old Roy “The Dominator” Doliguez is considered one of the top strawweights in ONE Championship. Doliguez, a former professional boxing champion with more than 40 pro bouts, made his ONE Championship debut in 2015, vying for the inaugural ONE Strawweight World Championship against former champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke. In his most recent bout, Doliguez scored the biggest win of his career, stopping Brazilian stalwart Yago Bryan via third-round knockout. His next bout will be against fellow Filipino warrior Joshua Pacio.

Kicking off an exciting card at ONE: LEGENDS OF THE WORLD, Chinese featherweight Xie Chao will take on Malaysia’s Kelvin Ong. Xie was victorious in his most recent contest, submitting Marc Marcellinus with a first-round kimura in his promotional debut at ONE CHAMPIONSHIP: SHANGHAI. Ong, who trains alongside Ann “Athena” Osman and AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor at Borneo Tribal Squad, will try his best to derail Xie’s winning ways in one of the evening’s preliminary bouts.

Also featured in the prelims is a classic clash of grappler versus striker, as China’s national wrestling champion Peng Xue Wen takes on three-time national Kun Khmer champion Phat Soda of Cambodia in a three-round strawweight bout.

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 sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. 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 billion potential viewers across 128+ 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.

Mikaela Laurén (29-4, 13 KOs) believes her power could prove too much for Cecilia Brækhus (31-0, 8 KOs) when she challenges for the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO World Welterweight titles on Saturday at the Oslofjord Convention Center in Stokke, Norway.

The Scandinavian rivals meet in a repeat of their 2010 World title contest, and Laurén, the former WBC Super Welterweight Champion, is confident she can hurt the female pound-for-pound number one and put an end to her 31-fight unbeaten streak.

“Cecilia is a very arrogant person but when she feels my power she won’t be so cocky. She might be confident now, but once I hit her, it’s going to wake her up. It’s going to scare her and then I’m going to get her respect,” said Laurén.

“She’s been in the ring with some strong fighters before like Anne Sophie Mathis and Oxandia Castillo, and in those fights you can see she’s not comfortable when she gets caught with heavy punches. I’ve got heavy punches but I’ve also got better technique than both those girls. I’m going to be cleverer in the ring.

“Cecilia has never been down before but if anyone can do it, it’s me. Klara Svensson shook her in their fight, and Klara’s not even a big puncher. She landed the heaviest punch of the fight and you could tell Cecilia was hurt.

“I’ve spoken to Klara and she’s given me some advice. She’s on my side and she thinks I can beat Cecilia. I won’t mention everything she told me but she did say that Cecilia doesn’t really punch hard, and that shows on her record. She has hardly any knockouts.

“I think she is underestimating me. Maybe she thinks I’m still the same fighter I was seven years ago, but I wouldn’t even call myself a boxer back then. I was a novice. I’ve developed so much since our first fight. I’m a completely different fighter now and she is going to see just how much I’ve improved on Saturday.

“I know it will be tough but I’m used to doing it the hard way. Cecilia has had it much easier than me. She’s had a silver spoon in her mouth. She had a big promoter behind her from her first fight. I didn’t get a promoter until after my thirtieth. I’ve had to do everything on my own, and that’s made me hungrier and even more determined to win.

“She’s said I talked myself into this fight but I deserve it, and she knows it. I’ve been waiting a long time for this opportunity. This is my Olympics, and I will do everything I can to win. No one is unbeatable. Look what happened to Klitschko who she has been working with. Anyone can fall from the throne.”

Cecilia Brækhus vs. Mikaela Laurén is available to watch live and exclusive on Viaplay Pay-Per-View. For more information please visit: https://viaplay.se/ppv

Hockessin, DE (October 16, 2017) – Popular lightweight Joey Tiberi will headline a great night of professional boxing at the Hockessin PAL in Hockessin, Delaware on Saturday night, November 11th.

The eight-round battle, which is promoted by Night Night Promotions, will be contested for the USBU title.

Tiberi of Newark, Delaware has a record of 15-2 with eight knockouts.

The 31 year-old Tiberi is on a three fight winning streak, and coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Marlon Lewis on June 23rd in New Castle, Delaware.

Tiberi’s opponent will be announced shortly.

In the eight-round co-feature, Lamont Singletary will take on Hafiz Montgomery for the USBU Cruiserweight title.

Singletary of Dover, Delaware has a record of 8-2 with five knockouts.

The 32 year-old Singletary is a six-year professional, who has a win over undefeated Earl Platt (3-0). Singletary os coming a off a no-contest with Ernest Reyna on June 23rd in New Castle, Delaware.

Montgomery of Toms River, NJ has a record of 4-1 with two knockouts.

The 36 year-old Montgomery is a two -year professional who is coming off his biggest win when he took a six-round majority decision over previously undefeated Austin Bryant on June 22nd in Durham, North Carolina.

In a six-round super bantamweight bout, Ariel Lopez (7-0, 5 KOs) of Puebla, Mexico will fight against an opponent to be named.

In four-round bouts:

Shamelle Baldwin will make her pro debut against Chrystal Beyers (0-1) of Ohio in a Welterweight bout.

Weusi Johnson (2-5) of Wilmington, DE will face Edgar Cortez (4-4) of Vineland, NJ in a super bantamweight fight.

Michael Crain of Smyrna, DE will make his pro debut against Anthony Wood in a middleweight bout.

Maurice Horne (1-0, 1 KO) of Middletown, DE battles Maurice Amaro (2-10, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, PA in a light heavyweight bout.

Stanley Harvey (1-6, 1 KO) of Norfolk, VA will fight pro debuting Dino Peralta in a middleweight scrap.

Brandon Mullins will make his pro debut in super middleweight bout.

Warris Armany will make his pro debut against Joshua Cook (0-1) of Newark, NJ in a welterweight contest.

Tickets for this outstanding night of boxing range from $60 for General Admission ($65 at the door) and $45 for General Admission ($50 at the door) and can be purchased by calling 302-540-7203, 302-339-0648 or 302-650-8678.

Service members will receive a $10 discount with ID

World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Quarter-finals Conclude Saturday with IBF Champion Murat Gassiev Facing Former Champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk From Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. & on AUDIENCE Network

Winner Moves on to Face WBA Champion Yunier Dorticos in
WBSS Cruiserweight Semi-final

NEWARK, N.J. (October 17, 2017) – IBF champion Murat Gassiev and former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk will square-off in the closing matchup of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-finals as both men look to move one step closer to capturing the Muhammad Ali Trophy Saturday, October 21 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. and on AUDIENCE Network.

Promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series, tickets for the live event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available to purchase at the Prudential Center box office.

The winner of this explosive showdown will be on to the WBSS semi-finals and a unification showdown against WBA champion Yunier Dorticos. The cruiserweight semi-finals will feature four world titleholders as these 200-pound champions each look to prove they’re the class of the division.

Click HERE for video highlights from the first round of WBSS action and see below for recaps of the cruiserweight action so far.

September 9, Berlin – Usyk-Huck, Ali Trophy cruiserweight quarter-final

The first contest of the World Boxing Super Series was the cruiserweight quarter-final between WBO World Champion Aleksandr Usyk and Marco Huck at the Max-Schmeling-Halle.

Ukranian Usyk retained his WBO cruiserweight title and moved on to the next round of the Ali Trophy tournament by stopping German Huck in the 10th round.

The Olympic gold medalist from London 2012 forced his German opponent backwards and dominated with his power throughout the fight which proved why the number one seed is the tournament’s favorite.

In addition, the Ukrainian got new fans all around the world with his charisma inside and outside the ring.

September 23, San Antonio – Dorticos-Kudryashov, Ali Trophy cruiserweight quarter-final

With a combined 41 knockouts over 42 victories, Yunier Dorticos vs. Dmitry Kudryashov at the Alamodome promised an all-action fight. In a fight between two KO artists, Cuban Dorticos showed that he mastered his skill better than his Russian opponent.

The WBA World Champion proved that he is a dangerous challenger for everyone in the tournament when a perfect right hand sent Kudryashov crashing to the canvas in round two. Kudryashov was counted out and Dorticos lived up to his nickname: ‘The KO Doctor’.

September 30, Riga – Briedis-Perez, Ali Trophy cruiserweight quarter-final

10.000 ecstatic fans at the Arena Riga got what they came for: A victory for their hero, WBC World Champion Mairis Briedis when beat Cuban Mike Perez (22-3, 14 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision in a very competitive fight.

The judges scored the fight 116-110, 115-111, and 114-112 and paved the way for an explosive quarterfinal: Usyk vs. Briedis!

Featured bouts on October 21 will see Polish contender Mateusz Masternak facing once-beaten Stivens Bujaj in a WBSS cruiserweight reserve match and unbeaten Polish contender Maciej Sulecki taking on former title challenger Jack Culcay.

For more information visit worldboxingsuperseries.com or www.ringstar.com

Follow on Twitter @WBsuperSeries, @Ringstar and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/WBSuperSeries and facebook.com/RingstarSports. Tonight’s fight was promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with World Boxing Super Series.

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle in Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES
Organized by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

About Prudential Center
Prudential Center is a world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of theNational Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 10 nationally by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and welcomes 1.75 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit PruCenter.com and follow the arena on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PruCenter.

Bethlehem, PA (October 13, 2017) – Local favorite Frank De Alba will take on battle-tested Ivan Najera in the ten-round super featherweight main event on Tuesday night, November 21st at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

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

De Alba of Reading, Pa. has a record of 22-2 with nine knockouts.

The 30 year-old De Alba has is 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), and 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.

Najera of San Antonio, Texas has a record of 17-3 with eight knockouts.

The 24 year-old Najera is also a six year veteran, who has amassed wins over Pedro Martinez (2-0), Jerry Fuentes (2-0), Angel Hernandez (8-1), Stan Martyniouk (13-1), and his last bout when he won an eight-round majority decision over Francisco Valdez on March 25th in Guadalajara, Mexico

In the eight-round co-feature, undefeated Mykal Fox will battle Marlon Aguas in a welterweight bout.

Fox of Forestville, Maryland has a record of 14-0 with four knockouts.

The 21 year-old Fox continues to step up the competition, and he is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Damiel Sostre on June 3rd in Fort Washington, Maryland.

Aguas of Ecuador has a record of 9-1 with six knockouts, and is looking to get back in the win column after being stopped by undefeated Ivan Golub on March 25th in Miami, Oklahoma.

Also in an eight-round bout, Victor Vasquez (8-3, 3 KOs) of Yonkers, NY will square off with undefeated Ricardo Garcia (14-0, 9 KO’s) of Santo Domingo, Domincan Republic in a lightweight fight.

An exciting undercard has been put together that will features some of the best prospects in the Lehigh Valley:

In four-round bouts:

Highly-touted prospect Joseph Adorno (4-0, 4 KOs) of Allentown, PA will take on an opponent to be named in a super featherweight bout.

Juan Sanchez (3-0, 1 KO) of Bethlehem, PA will take on pro debuting Derrick Pitts of Cincinnati, OH in a featherweight contest.

Josephat Ortiz (2-0, 1 KO) of Reading, PA will fight Bryan Perez (2-8-1, 1 KO) of Carolina, Puerto Rico in a featherweight bout.

Jose Elizondo (2-3-1) of San Antonio, Texas will fight Hector Bayanilla (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA in a super bantamweight affair.

Michael Polite-Coffie of Brooklyn, NY will make his pro debut against an opponent to be named in a heavyweight fight.

Harold Lopez (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA will take on an opponent to be named in a bantamweight fight.

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.

Undefeated Houston-based heavyweight contender Justin “Jawbreaker” Jones says he’s had his eyes opened to what it takes to be successful at the top of the boxing world.

For the past month, Jones (22-0-2, 12 KOs) has been in camp in Big Bear, California, with IBF Cruiserweight Champ Murat Gassiev, and his trainer Abel Sanchez, helping him prepare for his October 21 defense against former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk. Gassiev and Wlodarczyk will meet at the Prudential Centerin Newark, New Jersey, as part of the WBSS (World Boxing Super Series) Cruiserweight Tournament.

“Camp is going great. I’m learning a lot of things,” said Jones. “The most important thing I’m learning is that the conditioning these guys do is unreal. I’ve never seen a guy train this much. These guys are in tremendous shape. The training routines they do are unbelievable. I’m in the shape of my life. In the past, I wasn’t doing anything close to what they are doing in training. Now that I’m adding it to my training, it’ll make me a different fighter. I won’t be pacing myself. I can just go get it.”

Justin Jones with noted trainer Abel Sanchez at Big Bear, California.

Jones says he’s thankful that sparring with top-level fighters like Gassiev has brought to light his weak spots.

“Sparring with Murat is helping me dissect my style,” he explained. “The guys I was sparring with before, I could normally get away with a lot of bad habits. You can’t do that with these guys. If I move a certain way or bend a certain way, I’m getting hit, so I’m evaluating my style and perfecting it.”

According to Jones, world-renowned trainer Abel Sanchez is also proving beneficial.

“He’s (Sanchez) helping me out. Obviously, his focus is Murat, but he tells me things to help me about balance and how to punch. They focus a lot on power punches here. Solid punches every shot. I see a lot of flaws in my own punching ability through them and I love improvement, so every chance I get I’m asking them questions.”

Jones adds that he’s very impressed with Gassiev’s abilities and predicts big things for him.

“He’s definitely a power puncher. He hits like a heavyweight to the body and head. He stalks and hunts and figures you out. He’s kind of like GGG. He pressures you, but he stays strong the whole fight. His conditioning is so good he doesn’t wear down.”

With the momentum of world-class training in Big Bear, and promotional firm Warriors Boxing in his corner, Jones says he’s looking to challenge somebody in the top 15 this year. “I’m so eager to get back in the ring against a top guy to see how I’ve improved. I could see it in sparring and in my body, but I want to see it in a big fight.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Oct. 16th, 2017) — As one of the founding fathers of the CES MMA brand, bantamweight Dinis Paiva has arguably grown more, both personally and professionally, than anyone who’s stepped through those cage doors over the past seven years.

With a full-time job as a supervisor, a wife at home, and the desire to one day start a family of his own, Paiva is juggling more than just fight night strategy and sparring sessions. He doesn’t need to fight — he does it because he wants to — yet he continues to make the sacrifices all fighters must make in order to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

“You have to find a way in order to succeed,” said Paiva (9-6, 5 KOs), the East Providence, R.I., native who returns to the cage for the first time since January on the main card of “CES MMA 46” Friday, Oct. 27th, 2017from Twin River Casino.

“Between work, sparring, training, I put in close to 60 hours a week. My wife is the one who suffers the most, but it’s part of the sacrifice. It’s part of my story. It’s part of who I am.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 46” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.cagetix.com/ces by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The irony is Paiva, now 29, is a better fighter now than he was as a 23-year-old up-and-comer when he debuted with CES MMA on the promotion’s sixth show in June of 2011. Making his 16th appearance with the promotion later this month in a nationally-televised bout against Brandon Seyler (7-5, 1 KO) on AXS TV, Paiva has endured almost every peak and valley that comes with being a professional fighter.

He lost three of his first four fights, including an unfortunate disqualification when he inadvertently kneed a grounded opponent, then won his next two to even his record, only to drop two more in 2013.

The following year, Paiva switched coaches, opting to work with veteran Mike Gresh from Cape Cod Fighting Alliance, won both of his fights and earned the award for New England’s Most Improved Fighter, igniting a four-fight win streak that ultimately thrust him into the AXS TV in a win over Matt Doherty at “CES MMA 27.”

A loss to Kody Nordby in 2015 broke Paiva’s career-best win streak and, more importantly, brought him down a peg, teaching him to refrain from getting too ahead of himself either during unprecedented success or unexpected failure. Nordby actually helped Paiva prepare for Paiva’s return bout at “CES MMA 40,” a knockout win over Zane Behrend.

“It goes to show you that’s how this sport brings people together,” Paiva said.

“Every fighter in the world, we’re all a work in progress. There’s no such thing as a perfect fighter,” he continued. “The sport is constantly changing. Guys like [UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson] are now turning a suplex into an armbar. That’s just some of the mind-boggling stuff you see now, and now you’re going to see every guy in camp trying to suplex guys into an armbar.”

As much as Paiva has changed inside the cage, life outside the lines has been a whirlwind over the past few years. He got married in 2016, then returned to his old job at Morris Maintenance the day he and his wife got back from their honeymoon. Paiva started at the company years ago as a third-shift janitor and is now the Director of Warehousing and Maintenance, a position that requires him to travel throughout New England as a supervisor.

Much like his MMA career, the job has had its ups and downs through the years, but Paiva stuck with it, often sacrificing sleep and family time to continue chasing a greater goal.

“Work and MMA, they coexist,” Paiva said. “I’ve accomplished a lot through the years in both. I haven’t always been the top dog, but I know what I’m capable of and I know what I have to offer. I always want to be the best version of myself.”

Hitting the gym after work and unloading on the heavy bag helps Paiva relieve some of the stress associated with his job, but the sport, despite all its flaws, continues to lure back into the spotlight. He’s thought of retiring – he even contemplated it after losing to Nordby – but still can’t walk away, not because he needs to the money, but because he genuinely loves the thrill of competition and wants to chase a title at 135 pounds.

“That’s what sets me apart. I don’t have to fight,” said Paiva, who was supposed to fight in August, but suffered a fractured foot that postponed his appearance at “CES MMA 45.”

As for making a run at a title, Paiva said, “It’s time.” He’s fighting Seyler at 145, but has no problem committing to 135 in order to fight for a belt. Seyler is a tough opponent, coming off a big win over previously unbeaten Kris Moutinho at “CES MMA 45,” but Paiva has struck that delicate balance between MMA and his full-time job, managing to successfully juggle both while preparing for yet another televised bout on MMA’s biggest stage.

“Putting my foot on the gas pedal now is what will get me to where I eventually want to be,” Paiva said. “This is a great matchup. I’m going in there throwing bombs. He’s going to get the best version of me.”

The main event of “CES MMA 46” features the return of former CES MMA Middleweight World Champion “Doomsday” John Howard (24-13, 9 KOs) of Boston, who faces submission specialist Roger Carroll (16-14) of Claremont, N.C.

“CES MMA 46” also features the return of rising welterweight prospect Gary Balletto Jr. (4-1, 2 KOs) of Cranston, R.I., who battles Philadelphia’s Sharif Jones (3-2, 1 KO), plus the long-awaited professional debut of Oyster Bay, N.Y., welterweight John Gotti III in a three-round bout against Johnny Adams (0-1) of Rutland, Vt.

Lightweight Josh LaBerge (11-6, 5 KOs) of Fall River, Mass., returns to face Jonathan Lemke (6-8, 5 KOs) of Auburn, Maine, and bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (7-1, 3 KOs) of Peabody, Mass., faces Justin King (6-5) of Lawrence, Ind. Justin Sumter (3-1, 2 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., returns in a lightweight bout against Rahway, N.J., vet Shedrick Goodridge (6-9, 2 KOs).

Also returning Oct. 27th, Providence featherweight Marquis Brewster (3-0) battles Raymond Yanez (4-11, 1 KO) of Marion, Ohio, and featherweight Pat McCrohan (2-1, 1 KO) of Berkley, Mass., faces Buck Pineau (1-3) of Ashland, Maine.

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