PHILADELPHIA – The art of boxing photography will be celebrated by Philly Boxing History, at the 10th Annual Briscoe Awards, on Sunday for the first time. Ten photographers submitted one shot each from their 2016 body of work to compete for the best boxing “Photo of the Year”. The winning photograph will be chosen by popular vote by all those attending the annual awards ceremony at Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, Sunday, October 15, 2017, at 1:00 PM.

The photos represent a sampling of the 2016 Philadelphia fight scene and include action shots, portraits, training photos, and casual pics. The ten competing photographers include Ray Bailey, Daryl Bughman, Darryl Cobb Jr., Jano Cohen, Daniel Cork, Kent Green, Matthew Heasley, Kenny Ludwig, Tim McCloskey, and Chris Toney.

The subjects of their photos include Danny Garcia, Bernard Hopkins, Tevin Farmer, Jesse Hart, Cyclone Hart, Victor Vasquez, Osnel Charles, Jeremy Cuevas, Christopher Brooker, Antowyan Aikens, Atif Oberlton, Samuel Vargas, Jason Sosa, and Omar Douglas.

Attendees of Sunday’s Briscoe Awards will receive a ballot and be asked to vote for their favorite photograph. The votes will be counted, and the winner will be announced live at the event. The winning photographer will receive a Briscoe Medal.

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, please call John DiSanto, 609-377-6413 / johndisanto@phillyboxinghistory.com.

The 10th Annual Briscoe Awards will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, 1-4 PM, at Xfinity Live!, 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia.

Zhanat Zhakiyanov believes he’s got the bigger heart in his clash unification clash with Ryan Burnett at the SSE Arena in Belfast on October 21, and that will see him add Burnett’s IBF Bantamweight crown to his WBA Super title live on Sky Sports and HBO.

Zhakiyanov climbed off the canvas twice in the opening round in Ohio against Rau’shee Warren in February, but pulled away from the champion to rip his title away via split decision.

The Kazakh enters hostile territory once again in Belfast as he looks to repeat that feat against Burnett, who defends his belt for the first time since claiming it from Lee Haskins in June with a dominant display.

The pair are familiar having sparred when Burnett was beginning his career, and while Zhakiyanov was impressed by Burnett’s win over Haskins, the 35 year old believes his experience and CV shows he’s going to be able to dig deeper and claim both titles next weekend.

“Ryan was a young pro at the time we sparred and has developed into a worthy champion,” said Zhakiyanov. “However, he needs to understand that I have also developed and travelled around the world fighting better opposition.

“I travelled to the U.S to beat Rau’shee Warren in his home town where I went down early and pulled myself off the canvas. I don’t know if Ryan has that experience and heart that I have.

“You have to congratulate Ryan on a good victory over an awkward opponent back in June to win the IBF title, but my style is different to Haskins.

“In comparison to my other opponents, Burnett ranks high but I don’t believe that that he’s the best that I have faced so far. I’d say Karim Guerfi and Rau’shee Warren are better.”

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.

Super-Lightweight contender Joe Hughes is backing Jack Catterall to defeat British Champion Tyrone Nurse when the foes do battle at the First Direct Arena in Leeds next Saturday, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Hughes, 27, is a former opponent of both men and will be keeping a close eye on the outcome of one of the most eagerly-anticipated Lonsdale Belt showdowns in years.

Chorley’s Catterall outpointed Hughes to become the mandatory challenger for Nurse’s title in a hard-fought battle at the Bolton Whites Hotel in May 2016. Both men refused to concede ground and were locked in a battle in the centre of the ring for long periods of the fight.

Hughes dug deep to earn an impressive draw with Nurse at the Leicester Arena back in April. With Nurse boasting a superior reach, Hughes had to box clever on the inside and did well to wrap up his opponent, who had been out of action for nine months.

“It’s a fight I’m really excited about and a tough one to call,” said Hughes. “I fought both so know how good they are.

“It was very hard to land clean on Tyrone. I know he’s been dropped but he can definitely take a shot. To give himself the best chance, he’ll need to stay behind his long jab and use plenty of movement, throw lots of shots from a safe range. He’ll not be able to hurt Jack.

“Jack’s a strong kiddie and, though he never really caught me clean, I could tell he punched hard. He was good all round; good range, clever, knew how to shut the action down when needed. He kept his shape throughout. To win here, he’ll need to apply high pressure, cut Ty off, use his strength, work Ty’s body.

“It really depends on the style that each implements on the night. Jack gave me the harder fight. He deserved his win whereas I thought I beat Tyrone (the fight was scored a draw) so I edge to Catterall. A stoppage is unlikely.”

Main event on the card sees Leeds hero Josh Warrington (25-0, 5 KOs) take on the undefeated Dennis Ceylan (18-0-2, 8 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Featherweight World Title.

Manchester prospect Zelfa Barrett (18-0, 11 KOs) takes on Chris Conwell (9-2, 2 KOs) for the Vacant English Super-Featherweight title; Leicester starlet Lyon Woodstock (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Craig Poxton (13-4, 2 KOs) for the Vacant WBO European Super-Featherweight title.

Undefeated Liverpool Super-Welterweight talent J.J Metcalf (16-0, 8 KOs) takes on Leeds native Damon Jones (15-1, 3 KOs) in an official eliminator for the British title currently held by Warren stablemate Liam Williams.

An action-packed undercard also features British Middleweight Champion Tommy Langford (18-1, 6 KOs); former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and GB squad standout Sam Maxwell (Super-Lightweight, 3-0, 2 KOs); Bradford Welterweight Darren Tetley (14-0, 5KOs); Chapel-en-le-Frith Cruiserweight Jack Massey (12-0, 6 KOs); Doncaster Featherweight Reece Mould (6-0, 2 KOs); Leeds Flyweight Jack Bateson (1-0, 1 KO) and the professional debut of Leeds fighter Jack Daniels.

Tickets for Warrington vs. Ceylan priced at £40 (Upper Tier), £50 (Lower Tier), £70 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £150 (Foor) and £250 (VIP/Hospitality) are now available from:

First Direct Arena
www.firstdirectarena.com
0844 2481585

Josh Warrington is happy to be a homeboy for life having spent his early career years on the road.

He’s now used to selling out First Direct Arena in his home city Leeds, and it will be packed to the rafters again when he face Dennis Ceylan in an IBF featherweight title final eliminator on October 21, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Promoter Frank Warren insists that next summer unbeaten Warrington will box outdoors at Elland Road, home of his beloved Leeds United.

Warrington believes his popularity has made some rivals envious of him, but points out that he boxed in Leeds just once in the first three years of his professional career.

“Some fella asked me on Facebook the other day, ‘Why do you always box in Leeds?’” said 26-year-old Warrington.

“In the first few years of my career I won two titles away from home, sometimes boxed last when people were sweeping up the venues and now I get this chance to box at home.

“It is special and walking out in front of all those people, there is no feeling like it. That hasn’t always been the case.

“It has been a long journey getting there, a lot of hard work and I have had to go in people’s back yards and fight them at short notice.

“Now because there are so many supporters who want to follow the journey it doesn’t make business sense for Frank Warren to have me boxing elsewhere.

“What is the point of putting me on in Sheffield or Manchester when Leeds Arena is on the doorstep?”

If the Yorkshireman defeats Ceylan who is unbeaten in 20 fights a challenge against world champion Lee Selby will be mandated by the IBF early next year.

Warrington is also taking heart from the Dane’s winning performances against Ryan Walsh and close friend Issac Lowe.

Josh added: “He boxed Ryan Walsh and there was some controversy because it looked like it might have been a hometown decision.

“He then boxed Issac Lowe, but a head clash ended that. I do think Issac was starting to get to him.”

Chief support on an unmissable evening of action sees Huddersfield’s British Super-Lightweight Champion Tyrone Nurse (35-2-2,7 KOs) make a highly-anticipated defence of his crown against undefeated Chorley star Jack Catterall (18-0, 10 KOs).

Manchester prospect Zelfa Barrett (18-0, 11 KOs) takes on Chris Conwell (9-2, 2 KOs) for the Vacant English Super-Featherweight title; Leicester starlet Lyon Woodstock (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Craig Poxton (13-4, 2 KOs) for the Vacant WBO European Super-Featherweight title.

Undefeated Liverpool Super-Welterweight talent J.J Metcalf (16-0, 8 KOs) takes on Leeds native Damon Jones (15-1, 3 KOs) in an official eliminator for the British title currently held by Warren stablemate Liam Williams.

An action-packed undercard also features British Middleweight Champion Tommy Langford (18-1, 6 KOs); former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and GB squad standout Sam Maxwell (Super-Lightweight, 3-0, 2 KOs); Bradford Welterweight Darren Tetley (14-0, 5KOs); Chapel-en-le-Frith Cruiserweight Jack Massey (12-0, 6 KOs); Doncaster Featherweight Reece Mould (6-0, 2 KOs); Leeds Flyweight Jack Bateson (1-0, 1 KO) and the professional debut of Leeds fighter Jack Daniels.

First Direct Arena
www.firstdirectarena.com
0844 2481585

Los Angeles – Today, FOX Sports announces multi-division and current 135-pound world champion Mikey Garcia (@mikeygarcia) and former multiple division world champion Robert Guerrero (@GHOSTBOXING) join the broadcast team as analysts for PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS: SANTA CRUZ VS. AVALOS live on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, Oct. 14 (7:30 PM ET), from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Garcia and Guerrero team with blow-by-blow announcer Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) calling the fights. Brian Kenny (@MrBrianKenny) hosts the broadcast.

On FOX Deportes, Jaime Motta (@MottaJaime) joins blow-by-blow announcer Jesse Losada to call the action in Spanish.

The sixth installment of PBC ON FOX and FOX Deportes is headlined by sensational three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (33-1-1, 18 KOs), who defends his featherweight world title against Chris Avalos (27-5, 20 KOs). The co-main event features four-time world champion Abner Mares (30-2-1, 15 KOs) defending his 126-pound championship against once-beaten Andres Gutierrez (35-1-1, 25 KOs).

The television broadcast opens with an exciting 10-round match featuring undefeated rising junior welterweight contender Eddie Ramirez (17-0, 11 KOs) versus former world champion Antonio DeMarco (32-6-1, 23 KOs).

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

For more, visit FOX Sports Press Pass, www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.ringstar.com, www.tgbpromotions.com, and www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Ringstar, @TGBPromotions, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/RingstarSports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Eubank Jr.: Groves’ experience gives him the edge against green Cox

Chris Eubank Jr. is predicting a victory for George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) over his Ali Trophy quarter-final opponent Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) on Saturday at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London.

Eubank Jr. earned his spot in the semi-final of the World Boxing Super Series when he dominated and knocked out Turkish Avni Yildirim in round three in Stuttgart last weekend.

A superb performance that paved the way for a potential semi-final clash with former sparring partner George Groves.

“After my performance against Yildirim, it’s hard to see anyone as the tournament’s favourite apart from me. I can beat everybody in the super middleweight division. Anyplace, anywhere, anytime,” said Eubank Jr. before predicting the outcome of Saturday’s all British match-up.

“Nothing is certain, anything can happen in boxing, but I want George Groves to win. We have a history and this is the fight the public has demanded for many years, so hopefully he gets through the fight and then we can get in the ring in January.

“I am not a betting man, but if I had to put money on one I’d say George because of his experience. Cox is unknown, he is green. I’ll give George the edge of the fight.

“If George is my opponent in the semi-final then we can stop talking about favourites and let the hands do the talking. And my hands will be talking loudly at him!”

Tickets for the quarter-final clash Groves vs. Cox on Saturday in London are on sale ranging from £35 to £130 at axs.com.

Totowa, NJ: Main Events has added another up-and-coming prospect to their already diverse roster with the signing of junior middleweight prospect Ismael Villarreal of the Bronx, New York.

Villarreal grew up on the south side of the Bronx listening to his father, Otilio Villarreal, recount stories of his own professional boxing career and his match-ups against names like Zab Judah, Hector Camacho and Kermit Cintron. Ismael first began training with his father at the age of eight.

Ismael, though, does not want to be known just as his father’s son; he wants to make a name for himself in boxing. After a stand-out amateur career record of 66-7 featuring two New York Daily News Golden Gloves Championships Ismael is set to make his professional debut under the Main Events banner with his father in his corner. When asked about his goals for his career, Villarreal responded, “My goal in boxing is to be special, one of the greats. It’s about winning. People are going to be talking about me who care about boxing and respect me as a Latino boxer. I want to be a world champion at a young age. I don’t want to wait. I want to be champion at a young age.”

In addition to his boxing career, Ismael is currently enrolled in Bronx Community College where he studies physical education. He explained, “I’m studying to be a physical education teacher. I’ve been boxing my whole life. I have an understanding of workouts, cardio, and all that. I think definitely that would be a good job for me. Also, I’ve been going to school my whole life so I know how school works. I think being a gym teacher would be a good career. I box. I work out. I also went to school, so it all works out.”

Ismael admits balancing his boxing career and his education are tough but he said, “Yeah, sometimes it is hard to balance everything. Sometimes it definitely is. Sometimes you have to focus like on studying and it gets in the way of boxing. I have to go to sleep early to be able to run and sometimes I can’t. Sometimes I have to finish my homework or finish a certain assignment. It’s hard but I balance it out. I’m doing good in school so I have no complaints. But it definitely is hard, not easy.”

According to his manager, Jose Santiago, “I always wanted a boxer of the quality of Ismael Villarreal to be signed by the most serious boxing company in the United States. That dream came true at the moment that Villarreal stamped his signature with Main Events. Villarreal will be a great boxing world champion”

Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO, said, “Being located on the East Coast, we’re always looking for local fighters that have the potential to be world champions. Ismael was a standout New York amateur with the kind of come-forward style that we love at Main Events. I’m thrilled that Ismael, his father, Otilio, and his trainer, Jose, chose to sign with us. Now it’s time to get to work!”

WORCESTER, Mass. (October 12, 2017) – Once-beaten Vinnie “American Dream” Carita is preparing in an entirely different way than all other fighters on the October 28th “New England Future 4” card, the fourth and final 2017 installment of the popular professional boxing series, “New England’s Future”, to be held at the DCU Center (Exhibition Hall) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“New England’s Future 4” is presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), which is owned and operated by retired three-time, two division world champion Jose Antonio Rivera and his son, Anthonee (A.J.) Rivera.

“I am happy to have a dedicated, hard-working boxer like Vinnie Carita headlining our boxing event on Saturday, October 28th at the DCU Center,” promoter Jose Antonio Rivera said. “He is a perfect example of why my son, A.J., and I started RPE. We want to be able to help boxers grow their careers and create a platform for them to get bigger and better opportunities.”

A former WBU Americans and IBU North American cruiserweight champion,Carita (16-1-1, 15 KOs) will take on Bolivian heavyweight champion Saul “El Fenjx Asesino” Faraff (64-23-3, 56 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

Carita, fighting out of Pembroke (MA), will move up in weight once again to fight another foreign opponent. In the world of boxing, not only does Carita fight, he’s his own promoter, manager, trainer and matchmaker. Outside of the ring, Carita is a fulltime court officer in Brockton (MA), as well as a part-time security contractor for the Department of Defense (DOD).

Although his incredibly busy schedule leaves little, if any, downtown to relax, Carita thrives because he’s so dedicated, disciplined and driven. He starts each day at 4 a.m., running or doing cardio exercising, works his day job, and hits the gym to train between 9-10 p.m. on a regular basis for a scheduled fight. When he’s had some free time to travel, Vinne has gone to New York, Philadelphia and even Montreal for quality sparring.

He started boxing at seven, when he first walked into a gym, and captured a Southeast Regionals Golden Glove title but, at 14, only boxed sporadically, until he turned pro at 20. “I definitely have a passion for boxing,” the 32-year-old confessed. “I’m a boxing fanatic. If I’m not training, I’m watching fights, live or on television. It’s my love. Boxing will always be part of me and when I finally hang up my gloves, I want to be a referee, so I can still be in the ring, and have the best seat. I don’t want to judge. Bigger guys last longer than smaller fighters. I want to continue doing this until by late thirties, maybe early forties.

“I fell in love with the cruiserweight division when I saw the (Vassily) Jirov-(James) Toney fight (at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut). The cruiserweight division is hot right now with the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS). (Oleksandr) Usyk could win the tournament, unifying all four major belts, and then move up to heavyweight. That could be good for me if I was one of the eight fighting for one of the four vacant (major) titles. I’ll look for the right fights until then, against guys who’ve been around and maybe competed for world or regional titles, like my next opponent (Faraff), who is the WBC Latino heavyweight champion.”

Carita, who occasionally is forced to fight as a heavyweight as he will against Faraff, will still weigh in around 200-205 pounds. He walks around at 208 and usually weighs in at 194-196 for his cruiserweight fights. “I have no plans to compete as a heavyweight,” he said. “I’ve fought some heavyweights and it looks better for me to go the distance, or stop, guys much bigger than me. I try and pick the right guys to advance my career.”

Why has Carita fought so many opponents from countries all over the world? Networking. His job with the DOD, before he started working as a court officer, found him traveling around the world. Wherever he went – South Africa, Dubai, Northern Ireland, etc. – he worked out at boxing gyms and made invaluable connections, establishing working relationships with many managers and matchmakers who he’s remained in contact with throughout his pro boxing career.

Because he trains himself, Carita only has one regular person working his corner, Pittsfield (MA) court officer John Felix, who he first met when they were drill instructors at the academy. Carita adds a cut-man for his fight but he tends to keep things lean and mean, even in his corner.

Nobody knows better or appreciates more what promoter Jose Antonio Rivera accomplished when he was world champion working full-time as a court officer in Worcester.

“To work full-time, raise children, train to be a world-class fighter and become world champion three times speaks volumes about Jose,” Carita commented. “Now, he’s promoting and putting guys like me on his shows.”

“I understand perfectly how hard and demanding his schedule is working a fulltime job as a court officer and training to try to achieve his goals of fighting for and winning world championship,” Rivera added. “I am glad Vinnie has chosen to give RPE an opportunity to be able to help him get closer to achieving his dream.”

In the co-featured event, Hartford’s (CT) popular Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (3-0, 2 KOs) meets Hansen Castillo (0-2) in the four-round bout to be contested at a 180-pounds catch-weight.

The “New England’s Future 4” undercard features many of the best and most popular N.E. fighters, unbeaten East Hartford (CT) welterweight and 2016 N.E. Golden Gloves champion, Anthony Laureano (5-0, 3 KOs), who meets welterweight Clifton Rashad Thames (3-2-1), of Oklahoma City, in a six-round fight.

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga makes his pro boxing debut in a four-round bout versus Washington D.C. heavyweight Alando Pugh (1-10-1, 1 KO).

Other undercard fights, all four-rounders, include two-time national champion and hometown favorite, Bobby “BH3” Harris III (1-0), vs. Troy “Omar KO Artist” Artis (3-7-1, 2 KOs), 2014 N.E. Golden Gloves champion Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (4-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), vs. veteran Norwalk (CT) welterweight Shakha Moore (12-23-3, 2 KOs), New Haven (CT) Edwin Soto (10-2-2, 4 KOs) vs. Anthony Everett (1-6). of Lawrence, at a 150-pounds catch-weight, three-time USA Boxing Nationals champion Elvis Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO), of New Haven (CT), vs. Anthony Bowman (11-63-2, 3 KOs). Southbridge (MA) junior welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (2-0) vs. Oscar Diaz (0-12), of Hartford, and Danbury (CT) junior welterweight Omar Bordoy, Jr. (2-0) vs. Alan Beeman (0-15), of Providence.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $75.00 (ringside) and $45.00 (general admission), are on sale and available to purchase at the DCU Center box office, www.dcu.centerworcester.com, by contacting Jose Rivera (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera
(anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., first bout 7:00 p.m. ET.

Sponsors include Lundgren Honda, Championsofhealth.usna.com, and American Pyramids.

Part of the proceeds will go to Worcester Latino Dollars For Scholars.

INFORMATION:
Facebook.com/RiveraPromotionsEntertainment
Twitter: @RiveraPromoEnt @joseriverachamp @KingRivera_

Burnett makes history by fighting in the first unification clash to be held in Northern Ireland, and the unbeaten starlet is looking to build on a magic night in June where he ripped the IBF strap from Lee Haskins with a dominant performance over the Bristolian.

That was the 25 year old’s first fight in his hometown for three years and he received a rapturous welcome to the ring – and when his hand was raised his win was greeted with a roar of approval from the fans who welcomed a new hero for the famous fighting city.

Burnett has since been honoured with a mural in the city and now the unbeaten champion wants to pay back the great support he’s received with another big performance next weekend and make his city proud.

“My Mum called me up and told me that they were putting a mural up and I couldn’t believe it,” said Burnett. “It’s such an honour. The first time I drove past it I thought, I grew up here as a kid and now my face is on a wall, it’s made me so proud and it’s given me an extra push in training.

“It was touch and go in my first fight if it was going to take off because I had been away from Belfast for so long, but it did. This time the profile has risen so much and this is a massive fight, so this is my moment to really become a name here. I’m living in the moment and enjoying it, I’m not taking it too seriously and putting too much pressure on my shoulders, I’m just lapping it all up.

“When I was growing up there was a lot of trouble and violence. It was installed into me as a kid to be a fighter, to stand up for myself and fight back, my dad would tell me to keep going even when I was just four or five.

“It all depends on how people are brought up, how they are tuned to life. What they’ve had to face. I’ve faced tasks that other people haven’t had to face and that’s given me a hunger that a lot of people don’t have. I know I have got that dark side that I can turn to, it’s been in me my whole life.”

Burnett’s clash with Zhakiyanov 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.

PHILADELPHIA – Local junior middleweight Tyrone Brunson scored the “KO of the Year” for 2016, and will receive the Briscoe Medal in honor of that feat at the 10th Annual Briscoe Awards, on Sunday, October 15, 2017, at Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, 1:00 PM.

Brunson rose from two early knockdowns against Puerto Rican Carlos Garcia Hernandez, before rallying for a 4th round knockout victory. The fight was a rollercoaster ride for boxing fans attending the scrap at South Philly’s 2300 Arena.

“It feels great to get recognized for KO of the year,” Brunson said about his award. “I’m just happy to be a part of Philly boxing history.”

It was a glorious win for Brunson who proved his heart, toughness, and determination.

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, please call John DiSanto, 609-377-6413 / johndisanto@phillyboxinghistory.com.

The 10th Annual Briscoe Awards will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, 1-4 PM, at Xfinity Live!, 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia.

Greg Cohen, promoter of middleweight/super middleweight contender Rob Brant, says his undefeated fighter is headed for a “changing of the guard” fight against Juergen Braehmer.

Brant (22-0, 15 KOs) and Braehmer (48-3, 35 KOs) will meet on Friday October 27, at the Kongresshalle in Schwerin, Germany, as part of the World Boxing Super Series’ super middleweight division.

The 38-year-old Braehmer is a long-time light heavyweight world champion, who hasn’t fought at super middleweight in a decade. A star in his native Germany, where the fight is taking place, Braehmer seems to be on the tail end of a distinguished career.

27-year-old Brant, from Saint Paul, Minnesota, is the dark horse in this tournament. With comparatively much fewer professional titles and accomplishments thus far in his career, Brant would seem to be taking a huge risk with his undefeated career.

Not so, says Cohen.

“We think Robert Brant is going to win this whole tournament,” said Cohen. “You have the perfect ‘changing of the guard’ type of fight here: an undefeated young buck against an aging former champion.”

But, says Cohen, there are some hidden factors at play in this fight.

“Braehmer is coming down in weight for the fist time in eight or nine years and hasn’t fought since losing his title via TKO stoppage late last year. Meanwhile, Rob has shown constant improvement in each of his fights over the past few years. He’s a world-class fighter on the verge of becoming a household name.”

So confident was Team Brant that Cohen says they have no problem going into the old lion’s den to fight.

“Rob doesn’t care where they fight. He knows he’s got too much for Braehmer. This fight will be his FORMAL introduction to the boxing world. He’s in top shape and ready for anything coming his way. After this fight, Rob Brant will no longer be the secret wild card of the tournament. He’s going to win the whole thing.”
About Greg Cohen Promotions
One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.

Cohen currently promotes Undefeated WBO NABO Heavyweight Champion and top 10 world-rated contender Jarrell Miller, Undefeated WBA NABA Middleweight Champion and top 5 world-rated contender Robert Brant, WBO NABO Lightweight Champion and top 5 world-rated contender Mason Menard, former WBA Interim World Lightweight Champion and top 10 world-rated contender Ismael Barroso, top 10 world-rated contender Rico Mueller, undefeated WBA International Bantamweight Champion and world-rated contender Mzuvukile Magwaca, WBO Oriental Super Welterweight Champion and world-rated contender Dennis Hogan, IBO World Featherweight Champion Lusanda Komanisi, former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion Kendall Holt, as well as current top 10 world-rated contenders cruiserweight Olanrewaju Durodola, Filipino Jr. Lightweight star Harmonito Dela Torre, Filipino Super Lightweight Czar Amonsot, and top 15 world-rated contenders featherweight world title challenger Eric Hunter and Guyanese bantamweight Elton Dharry.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing. Twitter: @GCPBoxing.

Weights
Lozano 117.8 vs. Rodriguez 117.6
Lopez 138 vs. Ros 136
Vargas 120.6 vs Rebullosa 118.6
Semidey 142 vs. Ocasio 143.4
Cohen 162.2 vs. Mitchell 168.6

Oct 13 Golden Boy On ESPN Weigh-in Recap from Golden Boy Digital on Vimeo.

CARSON, CALIF. (October 12, 2017) – Fighters entering the ring for Saturday’s Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes tripleheader event went face-to-face at the final press conference Thursday before they compete at StubHub Center.

PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes is headlined by three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz defending his featherweight world title against Chris Avalos, while four-time world champion Abner Mares defends his 126-pound championship against once-beaten Andres Gutierrez. Televised coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT with unbeaten rising contender Eddie Ramirez taking on former world champion Antonio DeMarco.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $30, $50, $75, $100, $150, and $250 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit AXS.com HERE.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Whiskey Red’s in Marina Del Ray:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I’m very happy to be in this position. I’m going to give a great show to the fans. There are a lot of great fighters here and we’re all going to try to put on the best performance of the night.

“I just want to give the fans a great fight. I’m going to bring the fight to Avalos and I hope he stays in there and looks to make it a war as well.

“I’m prepared, motivated and focused. I need to win on Saturday so that I can get the Mares rematch. That’s the fight that we want.

“I’m definitely not overlooking Avalos. I know that I have to fight a dangerous guy. He’s going to come to take my belt and he doesn’t care about any fight I want in the future.

“I hope that all my fans enjoy this fight because I’m going to give it my all. We worked really hard and trained really well for this fight. I have to take care of Avalos before I can worry about any other fights.

“I always prepare the same for my opponents. People have their opinions on each guy, but I respect all of my opponents the same.

“We’ve worked on versatility during training camp. You never know how an opponent is going to come out so I have to be ready to do anything and adjust in the ring.

“It’s important for me to give the fans in Southern California a great fight. These are the best fight fans and I always owe it to them to be at my best.

“This has been another very hard training camp for me and my team. No matter who the opponent is, we work hard every day and build each other up.”

CHRIS AVALOS

“It’s really a blessing to be here. I’m thankful to my team for giving me a strong, hard camp that has me very confident heading into this fight.

“This is a great card to be able to show my skills on. With so many high-level fighters, it’s a chance to do my best with the world watching.

“I’m happy Leo took this fight and gave me the opportunity to prove myself. I know that I still have a lot to give and this is exactly the chance I need to show everyone that.

“I’m very confident heading into this fight. Leo and I sparred a lot when we were amateurs. I’m going to take that experience and use it to my advantage on Saturday.

“I’m going to come to fight and I’m going to come to win. I’m sure Leo will as well. It’s going to be an exciting fight from start to finish.”

ABNER MARES

“I’m really happy to be in this position. I’m fighting a great competitor. He’s a hungry kid who has the opportunity of his lifetime. He’s going to take advantage of it

“I trained really hard. There were no shortcuts. It was hard training every day. Fighters like Gutierrez are the most difficult because they have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

“It feels great to be back in this position fighting in what is basically my hometown. Everyone knows that StubHub Center is the ‘War Grounds.’ After Saturday night, I’m anticipating that everyone will go home happy.

“I can’t wait to get back in that ring. I want to give the fans a great show and make sure they leave satisfied. I’m really excited to take in the atmosphere before I enter the ring and go to work.

“The game plan always changes depending on the opponent, but I’m also ready to adjust during the fight. I have to stay focused and ready. In the end I think it’s going to be a great fight for the fans.

“Robert Garcia has taught me a lot and he’s brought some extra things out of me. I’ve looked great in sparring, but now it’s time for me to bring it into the ring.

“I definitely see some of myself Gutierrez. I was once the young fighter looking to upset the established veteran. That’s why I’ve trained for this fight like I’m facing any of the champions or top fighters. I know that it’s a tough fight and I’ll be ready.

“I think this fight will make me better. I like to entertain and I’m going to give you a really good show on Saturday.

ANDRES GUTIERREZ

“I’m honored to be here and give the fans a great fight on Saturday. What happened before the Frampton fight is behind me. I’m prepared and I feel very strong.

“I know that Abner is the highest level fighter that you can face. I have to be at my very best to win a world title. That’s the kind of challenge that I want and I’ll be ready for anything.

“I hope that Abner is not underestimating me. I want him to be at his very best so that when I win. My plan is to go in there and fight hard until the fight is over and show everyone how I compete.

“There’s no quit in my body. I’ve worked too hard to get to this point of my career. I’m going to absolutely give it everything I have and then some.

“I want to give everyone a great fight. I’m ready for a war. I’m excited to put on a spectacular performance.”

EDDIE RAMIREZ

“I had a great training camp and I’ve put all the hard work in. I stay in the gym so I’m always ready for an opportunity like this.

“My team is really important to me and they get a lot of the credit for getting me to where I am. We work hard and push each other every day in the gym.

“I get better every single time I get in the ring. This is going to be another learning experience for me as I get to where I want to go in my career. This is still only the beginning.

“Fights like these are ones that all champions have to go through before they reach the top level. It’s important to win, but also to impress when I’m in the ring.

“DeMarco is a guy with a lot of experience so I know that he thinks he has that advantage over me. All I can do is be at my best. I’m confident that my youth, speed and power will be the difference in the end.

“I can’t wait to showcase myself this Saturday and I hope to see everyone there. DeMarco is fighting for his career so I know that he is going to come prepared and put on a great fight.

ANTONIO DEMARCO

“I want to thank everyone for being here and I’m thankful to be on this stage. This is another great experience for me in my career and one that I’m not going to take lightly.

“I also want to thank Eddie Ramirez for putting in the work and accepting this fight. I know that he will come prepared to give the fans a great show.

“It’s a blessing to be on a card of this magnitude. With guys like Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares, I can’t stress how blessed I feel. I can’t wait to get in the ring.

“I have put myself through a terrific training camp for what I hope will be a great fight. I’m ready to prove to myself. I want to show the fans that when things get difficult, you can still overcome and come out victorious.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“It’s going to be party time this Saturday from StubHub Center. There will be a lineup of champions, including Mikey Garcia and many more, at the Fan Fest on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. Live music, food trucks and autograph signings for all fans, so make sure you show up early.

“This is a great showcase for the sport of boxing and for these great fighters up here. This action will be seen across the world and we’re thankful to have the chance to lift up these great fighters.

“This is a 12-fight card that is going to be a boxing festival at StubHub Center. Besides the three TV fights we have two rising Olympians in Eimantas Stanionis and Mexico’s Misael Rodriguez, the first Mexican Olympian to bring a medal home in 16 years.

“Eddie Ramirez is rising in the sport and he will face a very familiar name in boxing in Antonio DeMarco. DeMarco knows that this is his chance to prove that he still has a lot left, but Ramirez will try to add another name to his contender resume.

“Andres Gutierrez has an opportunity to go in against a true legend of the sport in Abner Mares. You don’t always get a second chance in this sport so I know that Gutierrez is going to be prepared. This is a fight that you don’t want to miss.

“Abner is a true student of the sport and he’s had a lot of great trainers in his life. We have seen what happened with how Abner reinvented himself by working with Robert Garcia. Some people had written him off, but he proved that he is still among the elite.

“The main event is another fight that will bring non-stop action. Chris Avalos knows that this is his moment, maybe his last chance, to capture a world title. These are the kind of fights that you truly can’t underestimate their opponents, because they are going to come ready to take it from you.

“Leo Santa Cruz is a true champion of this sport and truly on of its’ nicest competitors. He beings non-stop action every time he fights and I know that with this chance to perform on FOX and FOX Deportes, he will be at his best.”

# # #

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

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 12, 2017) – Unbeaten prospects, super-flyweight Damien “Sugar” Vazquez (11-0, 6 KOs), and super-lightweight, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (6-0, 5 KOs), who both fight under the Prince Ranch Boxing (PRB) management banner, give their thoughts on their training camps and upcoming showdowns taking place this Saturday, October 14, 2017, at the Palenque de la Feria in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The card is promoted by Damien Vazquez’s “Sugar Promotions” in associations with Malibu Films and SOBA Recovery Centers. Vasquez will face Galicia Morelos in an 8-round bout, and Cobbs will battle Hugo Padilla in a 6-rounder.

Here is what they had to say…

On his recent training camp…
“I got some good sparring for this upcoming fight. All the hard work is done now. Bones Adams and my brother Israel are doing a great job getting me prepared for the next level. I’m in tip top shape and I’m going to be throwing a lot of punches in this fight. Everyone will see my enhanced skills on fight night.”

On fighting in Mexico…
“I love fighting in Mexico because the fans are loud. You can feel the energy inside the arena. Every time there is an exchange, the crowd goes crazy. This will be my sixth time fighting out there and I know its going to be exciting.”

On the state of the super-flyweight division…
“The division is filled with talented fighters all across the board. Although they have a few losses, Roman Gonzalez and Rau’Shee Warren are some of the big names in the sport. I’m just looking to continue my march up the rankings with the hopes of cracking the top ten in the near future.

On what a win will do for his career…
“A victory gets me one step closer to my goal of become a world champion. I know with hard work, I’ll get there. I’m just going to take it one day at a time.

Unbeaten Super-Lightweight Prospect
BLAIR “THE FLAIR” COBBS

On his recent training camp with former world champion, Bones Adams…
“I’m always pushing myself to be in the best shape possible and this camp was no different. I had a lot of different looks in sparring and I’ll be prepared for any style the comes my way. My weight is good and I’m feeling great. Me and Bones have a great relationship. He knows what it takes to become a world champion so his knowledge is very valuable. I do my best to feed off his energy and listen to his instructions. He’s a great coach and were going to get to the top together.”

On fighting in Mexico…
I”m ready to go out there and a solid victory. I’m going to be aggressive with the thought of ending the fight early. I only got one thing on my mind and that’s to destroy my opponent.”

On the current state of his career…
“Since I signed with Greg Hannely, my career has taken off. This will be my third fight since May of 2017 and I’m glad to be staying busy. I know Prince Ranch Boxing has some big plans coming up. My vision is to stay undefeated and keep climbing up the rankings. I love were I’m at right now.”

On training at the Prince Ranch Boxing Facility…
“Training in Las Vegas at the Prince Ranch Boxing gym is a great experience. A lot of good fighters come through from all around the world. There is never a boring day at this gym. Everyone that trains there is elite. I’m getting the best work in the world.”

NEW YORK (Oct. 12, 2017) – Six of the world’s best 154-pound boxers met face-to-face at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan on Thursday at the final press conference for this Saturday’s world championship tripleheader live on SHOWTIME.

The Premier Boxing Champions event taking place at Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®, features five fighters ranked in the top 10 – and four in the top five – in one of boxing’s deepest divisions. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and is headlined by WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara making the sixth defense of his title against undefeated contender Terrell Gausha.

In the co-feature, WBC Super Welterweight Champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo will defend his title against fellow unbeaten No. 1 contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin. IBF Junior Middleweight Champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd makes the first defense of his title against former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout in the televised opener.

Tickets to the event are on sale now and start at $50 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Thursday:

ERISLANDY LARA

“On Oct.14, I will show why I’m the No. 1 fighter in the division.

“Just another day at work; another day at the office for me. I have to do what I have to do and be a smart boxer to win this fight. I’m going to have to show a little bit of everything: show my boxing, and show my power. He will see a little bit of everything on Saturday night.

“Absolutely I want to unify. That’s what I’m here for – to win all the belts. After this fight, hopefully one of these young guns will step up to the plate and fight me.

“I will show everybody I’m the best in the 154-pound division, and I’m here for a long time. It’s very important to bring this world title back to the people of Houston. There’s been a lot of tragedy in Houston, and I hope with this win it brings just a little bit of joy to my fans and people going through a hard time.”

TERRELL GAUSHA

“This is going to be my best performance to date and I look to be sharp and focused. I love the competition and the tough challenges, and I look to be at point on Saturday night.

“It’s time for the young guys and Olympians like me, Errol Spence and Rau’Shee Warren to take over. It’s our time.

“I’ve got a huge support system in Cleveland and my mom has a busload of people coming to see me. To have fans like that come and support you makes you want to dig down deep and get that win.”

JERMELL CHARLO

“We had a strong camp with my sparring partners in Dallas. We know who’s below us. This young guy here [Lubin] has a big fight coming up. I already know what I have to do. They got to be the ones that try and figure out a game plan. Try and come up with a ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan A.’ You got a lot of hype man, a lot of people around you buzzing. They keep you going, they keep you rowdy. That’s good. We clap too, we love it. We enjoy it. But Saturday night, the fight that I thought should have been the main event of the card is going to be the one that steals the show. We did this before, we will do it again.

“I’m undefeated, he’s undefeated. Regardless of if he has the same amount of fights that I have, he’s hungry. He’s been running his mouth a lot lately. That has a lot to do with the reason why my team gets rowdy. We get rowdy and that’s the kind of energy we feed off of. When you continue to do what you do, I just got to back it up in the ring and I can’t worry about what my opponent says and what his team says, because nobody has to fight but us.

“Let’s get in there and get comfortable in the ring. Hopefully I make him pay for the mistakes he’s making right now.

“It’s so important for me to bring a world title back to Houston. I told my brother [Jermall] that I’m competing with one of his knockouts against an undefeated fighter. It’s not about the world title because my city needs it. My family needs it. My son loves it. Therefore, I’ve got my life on the line.”

ERICKSON LUBIN

“I’m very excited. I’m very confident, I had a great training camp and I’m just ready to go on Saturday.

“I hear it a lot, that I’m younger and he’s more experienced. It doesn’t really get to me, I know it is a huge step up because I’m fighting for the WBC title, not because of my opponent. I’ve seen everything in the ring. I’ve seen all types of fighters through training, fighting and through amateurs so this is definitely a big step up when it comes to me fighting for the WBC title.

“This definitely should have been the main event, but you got an experienced guy like Lara in the main event, which I don’t complain about. I know I got to go in there and take care of business. We’re both young. I’m not even in my prime yet. I’m ready to capture this title and I’m hungrier than ever and I know he’s hungry. He’s fairly young and we’re both undefeated and we both have a huge entourage. We’re just backed up by a lot of people and we got hype behind us. We’re ready to see who’s the hype and who’s the real deal.

“Orlando hasn’t had a champion in a very long time, or maybe never. This means everything. I’ll be a big, huge inspiration to Orlando. I am already a huge inspiration to Orlando. I can’t wait to bring it back to Orlando to give more people hope to go out there and do something positive.”

JARRETT HURD

“I’m feeling great. I’m right on weight. Like I said, this is the fight I’ve been waiting for and that I’ve wanted, so I’m ready to fight.

“I really want to go out here and make a statement and be the first to stop Austin Trout and send him into retirement.

“Here’s the thing, in my last four televised fights I’ve never possessed the same style. Austin Trout doesn’t know what style I’m coming out with in this fight. I never look the same in any of my fights so he can say that he prepared for a toe-to-toe matchup and that he prepared for me moving around, but he doesn’t know what I’m bringing to the table. I’ve got a couple tricks up my sleeve.

“[My height] is going to be a big factor because he’s going to try and move around and box from the outside, but I’m the taller, longer guy. So it’s going to be hard for him to stay on the outside, let alone stay on the inside, which he isn’t going to want to do either because I’m the bigger guy. It’s going to play a big factor and make it more difficult than he thinks.

“They say it’s easier to become a champion than to defend a belt. Right now this is my chance to defend my title and bring it back home. I can’t wait to represent.”

AUSTN TROUT

“When I become champion on Saturday night I will continue to represent this game with class and dignity. I know this sounds like a campaign speech, but the beautiful part about it is that I don’t need your votes. I don’t need anyone to vote me in. I get to go in there and take it with my two hands. I have the faith that I can do it, but we all know faith without works is dead. But I’ve put in the work. So I have faith in the work behind me. My experience is just the icing on top to go in there and become the two-time world champion and stake the claim as the best 154-pounder in this game.

“Honestly, I didn’t see a big frame up there, I just saw a tall guy. His shoulders look lean and his arms look lean. Either he’s sucking down for weight, or he’s just a little guy in a big, tall man’s body.

“He’s right in saying the fight isn’t going to go the distance, but it’s funny because he’s not going to be the one doing the knocking out. You know this man isn’t going to last 12 rounds.

“I’m going to drown this kid. We’re taking him into deep waters. He’s never been there. This is unchartered territory for him.

“Two-time Trout. I like that. I need that belt in order to solidify my legacy.”

LOU DiBELLA, CEO of DiBella Entertainment

“This is as good as it gets in boxing. We hope to have as many regular boxing fans in that room as we possibly can. You can get a great seat for the price of what you pay for a Pay-Per-View telecast. This quality of boxing has been emblematic of SHOWTIME’s boxing program in the last few years.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President/General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports

“This event will be the 25th boxing event at Barclays Center in five years. I need to recognize Barclays Center and their staff because there are not that many venues supporting and contributing to this sport the way Barclays Center is. More than half of those shows have been on SHOWTIME as we’ve done 12, and two have been on CBS.

“We’ve set a very high bar with those events. Fighters know and promoters know – everyone knows that when you fight on SHOWTIME at Barclays Center it’s a big and exciting night in boxing.

“Fight fans sometimes complain that having multiple belts or multiple champions is complicated and confusing. But in this division, it’s not. I’ll make it really simple: these guys up here are the best guys in the division. That’s it. Who’s at No. 1 and who’s the best? I can’t tell you. But it’s one of these six guys. So this coming Saturday you will see the best in the division, and they’ll be fighting each other.”

# # #

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending against undefeated Terrell Gausha in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Coverage on SHOWTIME begins live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions @BarclaysCenter or become a fan on Facebook at:
www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment

PHILADELPHIA – Philly super middleweight Taneal Goyco, returns to the Briscoe Awards for his second-ever trophy for the “Upset of the Year”. Goyco won the same award two years ago and repeats for 2016, with his shocker over rising Maryland prospect Jerry Odom.

The pair met on November 11, 2016, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia, and after a rocky start, Goyco punched his way back into the fight was declared the upset winner by TKO after five rounds.

Often taken lightly for his modest ring record, Goyco, 9-10-1, 4 KOs, has made pulling upsets his specialty. He’s recorded the “Upset of the Year” in two of the last three years.

“We’ve only given this award three times over the past ten years,” said John DiSanto of Philly Boxing History Inc. “And Taneal Goyco has won it twice. If you sleep on this guy, he makes you pay for it.”

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, please call John DiSanto, 609-377-6413 / johndisanto@phillyboxinghistory.com.

The 10th Annual Briscoe Awards will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, 1-4 PM, at Xfinity Live!, 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia.

CHICAGO, IL (October 12, 2017) – Bobby Hitz, the President of Hitz Boxing and co-promoter of Fres Oquendo, together with Roy Jones, Jr.’s Square Ring Promotions, came out swinging this morning after reading reports that the Manuel Charr vs. Alexander Ustinov bout that is being announced for November 25, 2017 in Germany will be for the WBA Heavyweight Title. “We have received the personal assurance from Gilberto Mendoza, President of the WBA, that Charr vs. Ustinov will not be for the WBA championship, but rather will be an elimination bout for the right to fight Fres for the title,” Hitz said.

“I’m not sure what bill of goods Malte [Muller-Michaelis] sold Charr’s financial backer, Christian Jaeger, but if Jaeger believed a guy whose testimony in our Federal lawsuit their own lawyers conceded was not creditable, I guess he’ll figure out soon enough who he is dealing with,” Hitz continued. “It’s ridiculous if you really think about it. Fres was supposed to fight Briggs for the WBA title in June. Briggs tested dirty and was suspended by the WBA. The WBA resolution anticipated this and provided that if Briggs tested dirty, Fres was to fight Ustinov next. There is just no way that after winning in U.S. Federal court and after Briggs tested positive and that fight was cancelled due to no fault of Fres, who tested clean, that the WBA would punish Fres and deny him his shot at the title. That Jaeger drank the Kool-Aid that Charr would be fighting Ustinov for the title before Fres’ shot just blows my mind.”

“In fact, just last week, our team’s attorney sued last Briggs and his promoter, the Heavyweight Factory, over the cancellation of Fres’ fight against Briggs,” Hitz said. “We have demonstrated our commitment to Fres and to protecting his legal rights. Mendoza is smart and a lawyer himself. He is not going to expose the WBA over this.”

“In the past two years since winning our Federal lawsuit, between Hitz Boxing and our partner Square Ring, we have promoted well over 20 events and could have promoted a bout for Fres on any one of them, but didn’t because we didn’t want to make Fres ‘unavailable’ and lose his shot. Now that Ustinov and Charr have decided to fight each other and are ‘unavailable,’ we will be petitioning the WBA to designate a new opponent for Fres to fight for the title. We have some things in the works which we hope to announce soon.”

BROOKLYN (October 12, 2017) – Top heavyweight title contender Dominic Breazeale will take on Eric Molina in a 12-round WBC title elimination match on the undercard of the showdown between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, Nov. 4. The event is presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

The stacked card will also feature former welterweight champion Shawn Porter taking on Adrian Granados and Sergey Lipinets battling Akihiro Kondo for the vacant junior welterweight title in televised bouts. The live three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Plus, five-time world champion Amanda Serrano of Brooklyn takes on Marilyn Hernandez, Long Island’s Seanie Monaghan (28-1-0, 17 KOs) makes his ring return to face Evert Bravo (23-6-1, 17 KOs), from Arboletes, Colombia, and Brooklyn’s Chris Colbert (6-0, 2 KOs) battles Long Island’s Titus Williams (7-0, 2 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout.

New prices have been set for tickets to see the event live at Barclays Center, giving fans an unprecedented opportunity to see the heavyweight champion of the world in a rematch against the only contender who has taken him a full 12 rounds.

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

“We’ve recognized that Deontay’s opponent has changed, and we’ve restructured ticket prices to encourage as many fans as possible to attend a great night of fights, and the Heavyweight Championship of the world,” said Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, the promoter of the card. “Stiverne is thrilled for this second chance and he has nothing to lose. Bermane Stiverne is the only opponent that Deontay hasn’t knocked out among his professional opponents. Deontay wants to fix that and Stiverne is looking to throw a wrench into Wilder’s dream of heavyweight unification.”

Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) dethroned defending champion Stiverne in January 2015 via unanimous decision in what was the promising challenger’s toughest fight to date. With the win, Wilder became the first American heavyweight champion in nearly a decade and he has gone on to defend the title five times. Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) remains the only Wilder opponent to go the distance with the hard-hitting Tuscaloosa, Ala., native who has knocked out every other professional opponent on his long resume.

Dominic Breazeale (18-1, 16 KOs), who lives in Eastvale, California, is coming off a KO victory over Izu Ugonoh on Feb. 25. The 32-year-old Breazeale suffered the only loss of career in a heavyweight championship match against Anthony Joshua in London on June 25, 2016.

Eric Molina (26-4, 19 KOs) has twice fought for the heavyweight world championship. In his first title shot the 35-year-old from Weslaco, Texas was knocked out by Deontay Wilder on June 13, 2015. Molina lost via TKO to Anthony Joshua in his next opportunity on Dec. 10, 2016. Molina bounced back with a majority decision victory against Jamal Woods in his last fight on Sept. 2.

Five-division world champion Amanda Serrano (33-1-1, 25 KOs) will be making her fourth appearance at Barclays Center when she defends her super bantamweight world title against Marilyn Hernandez (26-10, 17 KOs). Serrano, who was born in Puerto Rico and lives in Brooklyn, successfully defended her title with a TKO victory over Edina Kiss in her last fight on July 21. Hernandez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic scored a TKO victory over Maria Hernandez in her last fight on Jan. 10.

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Ahead of his hotly-anticipated rematch with Liam Williams, Liam Smith has been sparring Super-Middleweight Darryll Williams.

Smith meets the Welshman in Newcastle on November 11th, live on BT Sport and BoxNation, after their controversial first fight back in April.

Despite winning the bout, he admitted he had a poor start at the Manchester Arena and also missed weight beforehand. This time around Smith is determined to leave no stone unturned in training.

“Tough spar with Liam Smith. 6 rounds in a gym that has the heat of Jamaica, thanks for the work,” Williams posted on Instagram on Wednesday.

The Londoner, who operates two weight divisions above Smith, won the English Title against Jahmaine Smyle earlier this year and is aiming to return before the end of the year.

“He’s one of the best I’ve been in with to be honest with you,” said Williams. “He likes to fight on the front foot like myself and really put it on his opponent. He has really good punch placement and finds openings well, I can’t fault him.

“He is really strong for his size, I thought I could outmuscle him on the inside but he held his own. I think the rematch will be even better than their first fight which was an absolute barn burner. In a way Smith will know what to expect from Williams this time.

“I think Smith will try and get on the front foot earlier this time and take the fight to Williams, he won’t give him any time. The best way to fight Smith is to keep him long if you can. Williams has got a bit of range on him and can get to Smith with his straight punches. I can’t wait to watch this one.”

Country Durham’s Thomas Patrick Ward (20-0) will defend his British Super-Bantamweight Championship against Brimingham’s Sean Davis (13-1-0)

Guisborough’s Josh Leather (12-0) will face Sunderland’s Glenn Foot (21-2-0) in a what is set to be a pulsating North East Derby for the IBF European Super Lightweight Championship.

Explosive Super-Middleweight Mark Heffron (Oldham, 16-0) another of Ricky Hatton’s excellent young stable of fighters, will also be in action on the card; undefeated Jeff Saunders (11-0) of Sedgefield takes on undefeated Liverpudlian Steven Lewis (14-0)

Undefeated Heavyweight Mohamed Soltby (13-0) fights in the UK for a second time; in addition, local prospects Troy Williamson (Darlington, 3-0) Kalam Leather (Guisborough, 2-0) Joe Maphosa (Thornaby, 1-0) and Michael Watson (Sedgefield, Pro debut) will all appear on the bill.

Tickets for Smith v Williams 2 priced at £40, £50, £70, £100, £150 and £250 are available from:

Metro Radio Arena
0844 493 6666
www.metroradioarena.co.uk
In person from the Metro Radio Arena Box Office

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Lyon Woodstock and Craig Poxton will clash for the WBO European Super-Featherweight Championship at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday 21st October, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Last April, in an emotional homecoming at the Leicester Arena, Woodstock landed the Midland Area Super-Feather strap, after stopping defending champ Paul Holt in round three.

Poxton executed one of the upsets of the year last February when he chopped down Chingford’s previously unbeaten Boy Jones Jr in ten to snare the Southern Area Super-Feather strap at The York Hall.

A top 15 World ranking with the WBO awaits the winner of this highly-anticipated dust up.

“Poxton is my ‘coming of age’ fight, the fight I’ve been working towards since I first turned pro. Everything from here on in is extra,” said Woodstock. “If he comes to knock me out, he’ll come unstuck very quickly. I’m the type who’ll knock you cold when you’re attacking me. I can find that finishing shot in the eye of storm, end any fight at any moment.

“On the night, I’ll put my plan into play. Trust me, I could do what I want with Poxton. I’ve been through far too much in my life for my spirit to be broken by another man, if we go toe to toe. I’ll be leaving the ring with that belt around my waist.”

‘Lyon likes to get in your face and if he needs that to get stoked, good for him,” said Poxton. “But that won’t bother me. I’m not one for mouthing off and won’t get side tracked by who said what. Boxing’s a man’s sport. You don’t need all the BS. Just enjoy the fight.

“I always train as if it’s the hardest fight I’ll ever have, against the best possible version of my opponent. I never take my foot off the gas. I’ve had eight weeks notice and a quality camp; lots of top sparring with the Walshes and Archie Sharp. I’m ready to go to work.”

Main event on October 21 sees local hero Josh Warrington face the undefeated Dennis Ceylan in an Official Eliminator for Lee Selby’s IBF Featherweight World Championship.

Chief support on an unmissable evening of action sees Huddersfield’s British Super-Lightweight Champion Tyrone Nurse (35-2-2,7 KOs) make a highly-anticipated defence of his crown against undefeated Chorley star Jack Catterall (18-0, 10 KOs).

Manchester prospect Zelfa Barrett (18-0, 11 KOs) takes on Chris Conwell (9-2, 2 KOs) for the Vacant English Super-Featherweight title.

Undefeated Liverpool Super-Welterweight talent J.J Metcalf (16-0, 8 KOs) takes on Leeds native Damon Jones (15-1, 3 KOs) in an official eliminator for the British title currently held by Warren stablemate Liam Williams.

An action-packed undercard also features British Middleweight Champion Tommy Langford (18-1, 6 KOs); former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and GB squad standout Sam Maxwell (Super-Lightweight, 3-0, 2 KOs); Bradford Welterweight Darren Tetley (14-0, 5KOs); Chapel-en-le-Frith Cruiserweight Jack Massey (12-0, 6 KOs); Doncaster Featherweight Reece Mould (6-0, 2 KOs); Leeds Flyweight Jack Bateson (1-0, 1 KO) and the professional debut of Leeds fighter Jack Daniels.

Tickets for Warrington v Ceylan priced at £30 (Upper Tier), £40 (Lower Tier), £60 (Floor), £100 (Floor), £120 (Floor) and £200 (VIP/Hospitality) are available from:

First Direct Arena
www.firstdirectarena.com
0844 2481585

ORANGE, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2017) – Lightweight Brandon Trejo (2-0) of Napa is just one of thousands of Northern California residents affected by the deadly wildfires that ignited late Sunday and continue to burn today.

Trejo, who fights one week from Friday on Thompson Boxing’s “Path to Glory” undercard, is one of the fortunate ones. With the death toll sitting at 21 and with hundreds of people still unaccounted for, Trejo has been counting his blessings.

“It’s such a sad situation that we’re dealing with,” Trejo said. “We are lucky in that we live in the center of Napa where the wildfires missed us, but the people who live near the wineries and closer to nature got hit in an instant. The fires were on top of them in a matter of minutes.”

What seemed like a normal training camp for the 20-year-old boxer changed dramatically by the dozens of fires that have charred more than 160,000 acres and destroyed upwards of 3,500 homes or structures at the time of this press release.

Trejo trains out of the Napa County Sheriff’s Dept. Gym, which by Wednesday, was evacuated due to a blaze that was within one mile of the sheriff’s office. His trainer, Lt. Oscar Ortiz, has been called away to assist in evacuations.

“There is no routine to this training camp anymore,” Trejo said. “You can’t run outside because the air quality is close to toxic. The odor of smoke remains strong and there’s ash everywhere. Everyone is being told to stay inside with windows and doors shut. Thankfully a lot of the Napa gyms have opened their doors to the public free of charge. A couple of them have pretty good boxing layouts and equipment so I’ve been getting my work in whenever possible.”

While Trejo and his family are seemingly out of harms way, fire officials have urged residents to be ready for evacuation orders.

“Our bags are packed should we get the call to evacuate,” Trejo said. “Hopefully it doesn’t get to that point. We just want to put this behind us.”

Trejo fights Javier Rojas (1-1, 1 KO) on Friday, Oct. 20 from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. The 4-round fight is the show opener of the 6-bout card.

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 are streamed live 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.

CARSON, CALIF. (October 11, 2017) – Fighters competing on the Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes card taking place this Saturday, October 14 from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. held a media workout Wednesday at Wild Card West Boxing Club in Santa Monica before they enter the ring Saturday.

PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes is headlined by three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz defending his featherweight world title against Chris Avalos, while four-time world champion Abner Mares defends his 126-pound championship against once-beaten Andres Gutierrez. Televised coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT with unbeaten rising contender Eddie Ramirez taking on former world champion Antonio DeMarco.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $30, $50, $75, $100, $150, and $250 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit AXS.com HERE.

Additional undercard action features Ivan Redkach in his super lightweight debut and unbeaten 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis in a welterweight bout against Cesar Hernandez.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday in Santa Monica:

CHRIS AVALOS

“I’ve had a lot of experience with Leo when we were growing up. We really know each other inside and out. It’s going to be a non-stop war. I know that he won’t let up and I’ll never give an inch.

“This has been a really great camp. I feel really strong and fresh and ready for a 12-round battle on Saturday.

“I’m going to try to use my familiarity with Leo to my advantage. Obviously we’ve both grown up, but it definitely gives me some extra confidence.

“It’s very important that I put on a good performance Saturday. A lot of people have written me off and it’s my job to just prove them all wrong.

“It’s going to be a really good fight. It’s going to be action from start to finish. I’ve been on this kind of platform before so my nerves are all calmed. I’m just really excited to get in the ring.”

ANDRES GUTIERREZ

“Everything has gone really smoothly in training camp. I feel 100 percent physically and I’m ready to fight.

“I’m going to have to come forward and fight strong for 12 rounds against Abner Mares. I have to use my power punches and attack the entire fight.

“I’m very happy and motivated heading into this fight. I’m eager to get a chance at a title for the first time.

“The fans are going to love my style. I come forward and throw punches. Fans appreciate that and I want to give them a memorable performance.

“It’s going to be a war. I’m not giving an inch and at the end of the night, I will have both hands in the air and a belt around my waist.”

EDDIE RAMIREZ

“It feels good to be on this platform. This is just the start for me. All the top guys have been in my position and they took advantage of their opportunities. I have to put on a great show to lead up to these two title fights.

“Training camp has been really good. We worked hard every day and I’m ready to fight. I just can’t wait.

“DeMarco is a crafty veteran. I need to be strong and smart. It’s all going to come down to me being the better overall fighter.

“I’m ready to do anything in the ring. If I have to box, I’ll do that. If I need to brawl, I’ll do that. We’ll see how the fight goes but I’ll be prepared to adjust and do what it takes to get the win.

“I’ve tried to make myself a smarter fighter in the last year. I have to work smarter. That’s really going to let me unlock the rest of my potential.

“If I’m able to get a stoppage, I’m going to jump on it. I’m prepared to be the more intelligent fighter and use my brain to get the win.”

ANTONIO DEMARCO

“I came back to the ring because I am 100 percent mentally ready to compete. Any issues that I had in the past are gone. Most importantly, my sister has beaten cancer and she said that if she can come back, then so can I.

“I feel really strong right now. I came back with the team that made me world champion and it’s got me very motivated to enter the ring and give the fans a beautiful fight on Saturday.

“I have no fear of any opponent. I have the normal nervous energy leading up to the fight, but I have been in this situation before and faced a lot of great fighters.

“Ramirez is a young, strong opponent. He’s undefeated and I know that he’s going to be motivated to keep his perfect record. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get the win.”

IVAN REDKACH

“It’s been a very tough training camp. I’m in excellent shape from working in the gym with Leo Santa Cruz for about three months. I’m excited to make my debut at 140-pounds.

“It had been too hard to cut weight for lightweight. It was draining all of my strength. I’m going to have a lot more power and show a lot more of my game on October 14.

“I’ve trained sparring partners of every kind. I also did some work in Jorge Linares’ camp leading up to his fight. I’ve been testing myself every day to get better.

“Being in the gym with Leo gives me lots of motivation. He also helps me with all of the technical parts of my game. He stays on top of me and has helped me get better.”

EIMANTAS STANIONIS

“Working with Freddie Roach has been amazing. He’s shown me so many new things and I’m really blessed to be in this position.

“I just had a fight three weeks ago so I’m excited to get back in the ring. I’ve stayed in shape the whole time, which is what I want to do. I’m always mentally prepared to step in the ring as well as physically.

“It’s a great motivation to be on a big card like this. I can’t wait to perform in front of these fans and show them my skills.

“My style is like a Mexican-style. I like to put pressure on my opponent and throw punches. I can do it all in the ring and I can’t wait to show off all of it.”

# # #

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

Fresh from a finish of Brazilian icon Jose Aldo that earned him the undisputed UFC featherweight championship, Hawaii’s Max Holloway will risk that title against one of the sport’s most respected veterans in Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC 218. Plus, No. 1 heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem will attempt to stop the rise of French star Francis Ngannou in what promises to be an explosive co-main event.

Tickets on sale Thursday, October 12 at 10a ET. Use code CHAMP
Public on-sale starts Friday, October 13 at 10a ET.

BROOKLYN (Oct. 11, 2017) – WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara and undefeated contender Terrell Gausha met with the New York media during a fight week open workout on Wednesday at Gleason’s Gym just days before they headline a Premier Boxing Champions event Saturday, Oct. 14 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.

The night of 154-pound action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with “Swift” Jarrett Hurd risking his IBF Junior Middleweight belt against former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout in the televised opener. In the co-feature, WBC Super Welterweight Champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo will defend against fellow unbeaten No. 1 contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin.

Tickets to the event are on sale now and start at $50 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Also on-hand Wednesday at Gleason’s were several of the top local undercard fighters who will be competing on the card.

Brooklyn’s Cindy Serrano will be making her Barclays Center debut in an eight-round special attraction bout. Brooklyn native 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins will fight in a four-round welterweight bout. Brooklyn’s Julian Sosa will enter the ring for a six-round welterweight attraction and George Arias of the Bronx will be fighting an eight-round heavyweight bout.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Wednesday:

ERISLANDY LARA

“I know that Gausha is a young undefeated Olympian who’s coming to take my title. But I don’t need to worry about him. I’ve got to worry about what I’m bringing into this fight.

“I don’t choose my fights, but I’m going to clean out the whole 154-pound division. There are a lot of young fighters now, but I’m going to just clean it out and show that I’m the best here. The Canelo rematch is there. The Golovkin fight is out there. I have unfinished business that has to be settled. Canelo knows who the true winner of our fight was, and he doesn’t want to do that fight again.

“There’s been a lot of catastrophes in the world lately in Houston, Puerto Rico and Florida. I’m fortunate that it only affected my training for three days so I was able to stay focused. I stayed at my house and I kept training.

“I would love to move up to 160 and Canelo and Golovkin are the top guys. But 154 is much deeper. Those are the two guys we want, but if we can’t get them then we have to stay at 154 and clean it out, like I said. There are just better fights at 154.

“If you look at Canelo’s record there are three marks. There’s Mayweather, me and Golovkin. Great fighters fix the wrongs on their record, and Canelo and his team will have to do that sooner or later.

“I don’t know what [Gausha] does well. I know on Saturday he’s going to have to show me something or he’ll be in trouble. After six rounds, I will be totally dominating. Just like I’ve done in all my fights.”

TERRELL GAUSHA

“I’m real confident that I walk away with the world title. I’m blessed as well as happy that [this fight] is happening. It’s been a long time coming. Hard work pays off.

“I have an interesting fighting style, I really can’t put my finger on it. I can make adjustments and I have that will to win, that hunger.

“[Being a top amateur] gives me a lot of confidence because there are a lot of styles that I’ve dealt with. There’s nothing that I haven’t really seen before. Having that experience, going to the Olympics, having all those people watching me, the pressure – I’m made for the bright lights.

“[Lara] has a lot of experience. He’s crafty. I haven’t been in camp with the type of fighters he’s been in there with. That pressure – I use it to my advantage. When I win, it’s going to be a big notch for me to show that I’m at the top of my division.

“He’s the champion so I know that he knows what he’s up against. I feel like he’s trained real well. I’m looking for the best Erislandy Lara come fight night because I trained hard and I’m ready.

“[Moving up to 160] is definitely a possibility because I’m not a little 154-pounder. It’s taken a lot of sacrifices to make this weight but I did it right this time. I’m not struggling with the weight. First, I’m going to take care of 154.

“Being two-time National Champ, going to the Olympics, fighting overseas, the pressure that came with making the Olympic team just built me for this moment.

“This is not the first time that I’ve been the underdog. I know how to handle those situations. It’s not about what they think. It’s about what I know I can do. Of course they’re going to think that [he’s the favorite] because he’s been in there with guys like Paul Williams and Canelo [Alvarez]. I just haven’t had my chance to display my skills at that level yet, but I’m here now.

“I’ve had a lot of fights, I can’t even count how many. I’ve been doing this since the age of 10. I look forward to these big fights. A lot of guys you fight don’t have the name, but Erislandy Lara has the name and the credentials. I’m looking forward to beating him come Saturday night.”

JERMELL CHARLO

“It’s always great to fight at Barclays Center, but it’s just another arena and stepping stone for me.

“This fight is going to do a lot for boxing, and this fight does a lot for this 154-pound division. There’s just so many positive things coming from this fight card, and hopefully everyone will come out and support it.

“I’m the champion of the world and I’m trying to get the fights that I want. I’ve been avoided and a lot of fighters have been ducking me. There’s nothing we can do about that. This is a living for me, but it’s also a hobby and something that I love.

“I own a home in Houston and California. My area wasn’t too jacked up [by the flooding]. And now you’ve got the wildfires in California. My prayers go out to all those affected. But it has brought Houston together, and we’re getting support from the NFL and NBA guys. And boxing has come together to help too.

“None of the flooding affected my training camp because I train out of town. We had some trees knocked down, but that’s the least of my worries right now.

“I think my fight is the one the people want to see [on the card]. My opponent is a young stud and he comes to win a world title. Is Lubin the best fighter I’ve faced? I’m 29-0 and I’ve fought a lot of great fighters. You can’t talk about what’s on paper and what’s not.

“My style is unique in the ring and so is his. He has a high volume of punches, but that’s what we trained for. He’s expecting fireworks, I’m expecting explosions. So just don’t be surprised.”

ERICKSON LUBIN

“In these types of situations, I feel like I’ve got to keep my composure. There are a lot of cameras, a lot of lights, but I was born to do this. I’m keeping my composure but I’m going to let it all out Saturday night.

“We’re both going to go in there fully prepared. It’s all about who wants it more. I feel like there’s nobody in this division who wants it more than me. Just because he’s been sparring Errol Spence, that doesn’t mean a thing.

“All my previous fights against the veterans and experienced fighters have prepared me for this one. I know how to adjust. I always come ready to fight. I always come with fireworks. I’m definitely going to get my respect early.

“My ability to adjust in the ring is definitely going to give [Charlo] problems. He probably thinks that I’m going to go in there and just box or maybe just bang. I can definitely mix it up and that’s going to give him a problem on Saturday night.

“[Charlo] moves pretty well but I don’t feel like that’s going to harm me. I trained for everything this camp. I’m ready to box. I’m ready to bang. I’m ready for any situation that he brings to me. I’m just ready to become the WBC Champion.”

JARRETT HURD

“I think this fight is more of a mind game than about physical strength.

“This is a display of the top 154-pounders in the world. I asked for this fight because in order to be the best you have to beat the best. I feel like Austin Trout, even with three losses, is the top competition. A win would mean everything. I want to show that I’m much better than the others he’s fought.

“This is my second time fighting in New York and everyone always shows me the love here, so it’s an honor.

“I’ve always rooted for Austin in his fights, but this is business now. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that he’s in the way right now.

“I’m the taller fighter, I’m the longer fighter, and I’m the strongest fighter. I’m also the younger fighter, so those advantages will definitely be the keys Saturday night.

“He uses his jab well and he throws a great left to the body. He uses the ring well and he’s a veteran and he knows how to survive. He’s a crafty fighter, and knows how to win the rounds. But I don’t think that will be a factor because we are expecting it.

“I’m coming to open the show and all the fans should expect fireworks.”

AUSTN TROUT

“I’m smarter than [Hurd], and I’m better than him. What else can he do? He’s no smarter or better than me. I have better footwork, better speed, better placement of shots. The only thing he has is his size, and he overpowers the smaller guys. But I’m not small. I’m just as strong, if not stronger than Hurd.

“The fans can expect fireworks until my man goes down. I don’t think he can take my pressure for 10 or 12 rounds. I expect my arm to be raised in great fashion.

“People have been overlooking me my whole career. Before I was just fighting to get noticed, then I got noticed. Now I’m fighting for respect. But I’m not worried about that.

“I’ve done more after winning the belt than he’s done just getting the belt. No doubt I’m the best. There’s just no doubt the cream will rise to the top Saturday night. Once I clean up at 154 pounds, there’s nowhere to go but north.

“There’s been no talk about what’s next and if the winners [on Saturday] will fight the winners, but I don’t see why not. My goal is to get a belt Saturday night, and then get the rest of them.”

CINDY SERRANO

“This is my first time fighting at Barclays and I’m honored to be fighting on such a prestigious stage.

“I’ve been fighting for 15 years and when I started there were no females fighting. But I’m impressed with some of the women fighters out here now. There are some young ones that I hope stay around for a while because there is incentive and the pay will be there. So I’ll just keep on going after it until my time is up.”

JULIAN SOSA

“I’ve seen a few of his fights online. He’s a traditional Mexican fighter, so he brings a lot of pressure and a lot of angled shots to the head, to the body and uses his uppercut. I haven’t seen a lot of straight punches from him. That’s more my style. I’m more of a counter-puncher, boxer-puncher. When I’m in the ring with him I’ll see what he has, as far as his speed and his power.

“My father was a former boxer and he’s been training me since day one. He’s always been by my side and he’s my role model and just so glad we get to share this moment together.

“It’s surreal that this is my fourth time fighting at Barclays Center. It’s still shocking and humbling knowing that I can fight in big venues like this.”

RICHARDSON HITCHINS

“I know I’m young, but I think once I move up to six rounds my competition will step up. It’s a great card and I think Lara will win, and Lubin all the way. I see the Trout-Hurd fight as 50-50, but I would lean toward Hurd.

“I don’t know anything about my opponent. In the amateurs all you know is the city. You’re fighting a guy from Philadelphia. Or a guy from Vegas. And how you fight is all based on where he’s from. Like if you fight a guy from [California] then he’s going to put on pressure. So I’ll be quick to adapt, and it doesn’t really matter who the guy is or what he brings.

“I’m ready to start building my legacy.”

GEORGE ARIAS

“I’ve put in the work and I’m hoping the results are the same from my last few fights. I’ll be ready to exchange and do what I need to do to get the win.

“I know my opponent has a good jab and he has a lot of experience and he’s strong. They could throw me in there with someone 0-70 and I’d give the same intensity as someone undefeated. Every fighter I face is a world champion in my eyes.

“I predict a second round knockout. I’m always looking for the knockout, at least early on.”

# # #

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending against undefeated Terrell Gausha in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Coverage on SHOWTIME begins live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 11, 2017) – Unbeaten female middleweight prospect, Raquel “Pretty Beast” Miller (4-0, 2 KOs) will now face Lisa Garland (15-8, 8 KOs)
when professional boxing returns to the city of San Francisco, CA, on October 21, 2017. Miller was supposed to battle Sydney LeBlanc (4-4) but the fight fell through. Miller vs. Garland, a 6-round bout, will serve as the co-feature to Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (19-4-1, 11 KOs) vs. Miguel Dumas (10-0, 7 KOs). The card titled “Back To Business” will take place at the historic San Francisco Armory.

“I’m happy they found an opponent for me as I have a lot of family and friends coming to see me fight,” said San Francisco native Raquel Miller. “Garland has a lot of experience and I know it’s going to be a tough fight. I believe my hunger and skill will be to much for Garland to handle though. I’m ready to bring it, and I can’t wait for my hometown fans will see me in action. I’ll be looking to stop Garland before the final bell rings.”

“Back To Business” tickets priced $40 (standing room only), $50 (floor seats tier 3), $60 (floor seat tier 2), $80 floor tier 1, $125 (front seats), and ringside $250, are on sale now at EVENTBRITE.COM or by calling (415) 722-3184. Doors open up at 4:00 p.m. First bout at 5:00 p.m.

The San Francisco Armory is located at 1800 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103. Located conveniently at the corner of Mission Street and 14th Street, the SF Armory is served by Muni routes, major bus lines and is easily accessible by BART that serves the East Bay and the airport. Parking can be arranged using local lots or valet.

Other Featured Bouts:

8-round bout featherweight bout
Xavier Martinez (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Jonathan Alcantara (7-16-2, 1 KO)

6-round bout super-lightweight bout
Stan Martyniouk (17-2, 3 KOs) vs. Luis Alfredo Lugo (14-27-1, 3 KOs)

6-round middleweight bout
Ricardo Pinell (14-3-1, 8 KOs) vs. Carlos Ruiz (8-3, 3 KOs)

4-round bout super-lightweight bout
Will Shaw (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Lenard Davis (1-0-2)

4-round bout super-lightweight bout
Luis Casillas (1-1, 1 KO) vs. TBA

4-round bout featherweight bout
Marquita Lee (3-5) vs. TBA

PHILADELPHIA – Legendary Philadelphia boxing champion Bernard Hopkins will be awarded with an Honorary Briscoe Medal in recognition of his 2016 retirement. The event will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia.

Hopkins, who ended his storied ring career in December, won world titles in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. His run as middleweight champ included a record 20 title defenses, and important wins over Felix Trinidad, Oscar de la Hoya, Glen Johnson, John David Jackson, Keith Holmes, William Joppy, and many others.

Hopkins was named the “Philly Fighter of the Year” for 2008 at the Briscoe Awards, and returns Sunday for this special honorary award.

“Hopkins has been the top dog of Philly boxing for many years,” said John DiSanto of Philly Boxing History Inc. “We could not let his retirement pass without special recognition of everything he’s accomplished, the memories he gave those of us who love boxing, and the history that he made. Bernard Hopkins is boxing history in the flesh.”

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, please call John DiSanto, 609-377-6413 / johndisanto@phillyboxinghistory.com.

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.

Cotto, a surefire first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, has held world titles in the super lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight divisions. The native of Caguas, Puerto Rico has faced a who’s who of elite world champions including Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Zab “Super” Judah, Sugar Shane Mosley, Antonio “El Tornado de Tijuana” Margarito, Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and current Lineal and Ring Magazine Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez.

In his last outing, Cotto defeated the tough and determined Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai to win the WBO World Junior Middleweight Title, which he will look to defend successfully before a packed crowd of his loyal New York supporters as he closes the book on his legendary career.

“I’m very excited to be back in the ring for my final fight at The Garden. I’ve worked really hard my entire career to be at this level,” Cotto said. “I am fully concentrated on getting together with Freddie Roach so we can work hard and have a great victory on December 2.”

Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian fighting out of Brooklyn who has held multiple regional titles, will get his second shot at a world championship after earning victories over top welterweight contenders including Francisco “Chia” Santana, Luis Carlos “El Potro” Abregu and most recently former interim WBA World Super Lightweight Champion Johan “El Terrible” Perez.

“I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to fight a legend in Madison Square Garden in front of all my fans and on HBO,” said Ali. “My time is now. God willing, I will leave the Garden with the championship belt.”

“What can you say about Miguel Cotto that hasn’t already been said during his two decades in boxing?,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “He is a first-ballot hall of famer; a true legend in Puerto Rico, New York and beyond; and a true credit to the sport of boxing. Just like he [Cotto] was given a shot for his world championship, he is now doing the same for Sadam Ali. Who will come out on top? Tune in December 2 to find out.”

“It’s amazing having Miguel Cotto back at The Garden for one last time to finish a brilliant career,” said Hector Soto, Vice President of Cotto Promotions. “Memorable fights and a legacy were built in that building. December 2 will be remarkable for Miguel Cotto.”

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, New York 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 go on sale on Tuesday, October 17 at 12:00 p.m. ET. 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.