Philadelphia, PA. (May 4, 2017) – Christopher Brooker (11-3, 5 KO’s)will take on Oscar Riojas (14-7-1, 4 KO’s) on Friday, May 12th at The SugarHouse Casino.

The scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout will headline a card promoted by King’s Promotions.

Brooker was summoned to San Diego to help Canelo Alavrez prepare for Saturday’s mega showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr that will take place in Las Vegas.

Being that Brooker is a strong super middleweight, and Chavez having a similar build, it made sense that Brooker would get such a call to help out the Mexican Idol for the much anticipated showdown.

“I went to camp with Canelo in San Diego, and we ran in the mountains at 15,000 feet. I was there close to two weeks and sparred twenty rounds with him,” said Brooker.

“It was a great experience to be around a fighter who is one of the elite fighters in the world. He is so composed. I was brought into to pressure him and mimic Chavez, Jr. Canelo is such an experienced fighter, and I learned so much from him. He was showing me how to set up my shots, and even certain exercises with my neck.”

Brooker was very impressed with the whole team, and believes that this camp will take him to the next level.

“His team is so professional and down to earth. I am looking forward to this fight on Saturday. It will be a good fight. I was shocked to know that Canelo watched my last fight on ShoBox. They could tell that I was trying to box more and get a way from my brawling style that I had employed in most of my bouts. They gave me good advice, and told me not to change who I was when I was having a lot of success as a pressure fighter, and then to mix in the boxing aspect to my game.”

“I needed this. This will take my to another level.”

Also in a six-round bout:

Blake Mansfield (5-0-1, 2 KO’s) of Burlington, NC will fight Henry Beckford (4-6, 1 KO) of Coram, NY in a super middleweight bout.

In four-round bouts:

Chaise Nelson (4-1, 3 KO’s) of Dayton, Ohio will take on aBryan Perez Nevarez (2-5-1, 1 KO) of Carolina, Puerto Rico in a featherweight bout.

Sam Orapeza (1-0) of Philadelphia battles Kyle McNutt (1-2, 1 KO) of Battle Creek, MI in a cruiserweight affair.

Jeffrey Torres (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will fight Kashon Hutchinson (2-2, 1 KO) in a battle of Keystone State based lightweights.

Isaelin Florian (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic will take on an opponent to be named in a bantamweight bout.

Harold Lopez (1-0, 1 KO) of Bethlehem, PA will square off with an opponent to be named in a bantamweight fight.

THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY, MAY 9TH AT THE SUGARHOUSE CASINO BEGINNING AT 5 PM

Tickets are on sale for $100, $75, $50, and can be purchased at SugarHouseBoxing.eventbrite.com

ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO
SugarHouse, which opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino, features 1,891 slots, 103 table games, a 28-table poker room, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,700 people, and for six consecutive years has been voted a “Best Place to Work” by the Philadelphia Business Journal and for five straight years a “Top Workplace” by Philly.com. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.

Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis will make the first defence of his IBF Super-Featherweight crown against undefeated Cromer hero Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Davis, known as simply ‘The Tank’ for his brutal knockout power, spectacularly announced himself as boxing’s next superstar with an unforgettable seventh round stoppage win over former Champion Jose Pedraza in January and is relishing making the first defence of his crown on foreign soil.

Slick southpaw Walsh outclassed Andrey Klimov back in October to confirm his mandatory status as the number one contender and has not put a foot wrong in his career to date, winning the British, Commonwealth and WBO European belts along his 21-0 journey.

Ahead of their eagerly-anticipated World Title showdown later this month, Davis and Walsh were joined by promoters Floyd Mayweather and Frank Warren for an unmissable face to face interview.

WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW HERE

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

They say it’s never too late to start a comeback, and for lightweight contender Michael Farenas (41-5-4, 33KOs) the comeback starts Thursday, June 1st when he enters the ring for the first time in nearly two years. The seven round bout will take place on Roy Englebrecht’s FIGHT CLUB OC show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

Having fought some of the top jr. lightweights in the world over the past five years, which include Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jose Padraza, and Fernando Beltran to name a few, Farenas believes he still has some gas left in his tank.

Michael Farenas against Yuriorkis Gamboa

“It’s been a long journey to get back in the ring, but now that time has come,” said Michael Farenas. “I’m in great shape and I feel my skill and experience will help on my comeback.”

Also set to perform on the Thursday, June 1st show that will feature both pro boxing and pro mixed martial arts will be a TOP MMA bout between tough 8-8 MMA veteran Huntington Beach’s John Mercurio vs 6-1 Anthony Hernandez out of Alhambra….undefeated 4-0 boxer La Habra’s Sergio Quiroz vs Mexico’s Jose Fabian Naranjo….and Lakewood’s Matt Martinez at 2-1 meeting Burbank’s tough Hakop Ter-Petrosyan in what will be a stand up MMA brawl.

John Mercurio delivering an elbow to Matt Lagler at FCOC on 4/6/16

The June 1st show will also see the pro debut of six boxers, including three from Orange County. Stepping into the ring for the first time as a pro will be Irvine High graduate De’Von Abraham vs Riverside’s Brennan Benton; Laguna Beach’s Donte Stubbs a former mma pro turning to boxing vs San Bernardino’s Leonard Ruiz; and Costa Mesa’s Arian Sharifi another mma pro turning to boxing vs Monrovia’s Nathan Weston.

De’Von Abraham an Irvine High grad and amateur champion

Tickets for the Thursday, June 1st Fight Club OC show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA are on sale at www.fightcluboc.com.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing® Jr. Welterweight Emanuel “Tranzforma” Taylor and his team arrived in Vegas on Monday evening, May 1st, before one of the biggest fights of his career. This Saturday, May 6th, on PPV, Emanuel will be taking on former Super Lightweight champion Lucas Matthysse in a 10 round Welterweight matchup on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez- Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. mega fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fight will be contested for the WBA and WBO International Titles.

Emanuel Taylor had the honor of walking the red carpet Tuesday, May 2nd, surrounded by numerous boxing fans during the celebrated fighter arrival stroll in the magnificent MGM Grand Lobby accompanied by his fellow PPV fighters. With the days building up to the fight, Emanuel had an amazing media workout open to the public, at the MGM Grand Race & Sports Book on Wednesday, May 3rd, getting ready to head into today’s press conference that will be streamed live on Ring TV.

Taylor brings a record of 20-4-1, 14KO’S into the bout as his Argentinian opponent Matthysse carries an imposing 37-4, 34KO’s record.

The Edgewood, MD native knows the opportunity in front of him can be career changing and had this to say about his match with Matthysse, “Lucas Matthysse is a great fighter and a former world champion. He is a very good puncher and I know I have to be at my best to defeat him. I’ve had a great camp and I’m 100% confident that I will come out victorious on Saturday”.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had these thoughts, “This is a huge fight for Manny. We all know how tough Matthysse is but I’ve never seen Manny so confident before a fight. A win will put him right into the thick of things in his division”.

The bout will be co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing® and will be part of the live Pay Per View Saturday night, May 6th.

ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
For a quarter century, Star Boxing keeps on swinging! Star Boxing has consistently delivered boxing events of the highest caliber and attracts loyal fans from all corners of the globe. From the Antonio Tarver – Roy Jones trilogy to the meteoric rise of Chris Algieri and Joe Smith Jr. from the Rockin’ Fights Paramount Series, Star Boxing continues to work with and develop world rated contenders and red hot prospects into future world champions. Star Boxing is revered worldwide throughout the industry for its credibility, integrity, and exciting fights.

For more information on Star Boxing, visit official website: www.StarBoxing.com

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Canelo vs. Chavez Jr: Undercard Press Conference Live Stream

CHICAGO (May 4, 2017) – Ireland’s Olympic hero MICHAEL “MICK” CONLAN spent Wednesday meeting with media and fans to promote his first fight since making his pro debut on St. Patrick’s Day at a sold-out Theater at Madison Square Garden. He returns to the ring in a six-round featherweight bout on Friday, May 26, headlining an all-action card at UIC Pavilion,. The event will also feature former world champion “Mile High” MIKE ALVARADO and undefeated Top-10 welterweight contender ALEX “El Cholo” SAUCEDO in separate 10 and eight-round bouts, respectively.

Conlan (1-0, one KO), from Belfast, spent Wednesday hosting a press conference luncheon followed by a fan meet and greet at the Irish-American Heritage Center and seeing the sights, since this was his first visit to the Windy City. The following are his quotes from the day as well as from Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, who accompanied him:

MICHAEL CONLAN

“It’s unbelievable to represent my country in the ring.

“I got to California to start training with Manny Robles on January 10. I love the weather in Southern California, love the heat.

“New York was something I couldn’t even dream of, just a great night. That was my first performance as a professional. I just know I can do better and look forward to a better performance in my second fight. I know how good I want to be and I know I can improve on a lot more. After New York City I took some time off and spent some time with my family and just relaxed.

“This is the next step. My preparation will be the same. It’s my job and I look forward to fighting here in Chicago.

“I loved what I’ve seen of Chicago, my first time here, it’s got a huge Irish population and it’s always nice to be surrounded by locals. A lot of people have contacted me by way of social media who live here in Chicago. It should be a great crowd.

“No stage fright for me at all, I enjoy the whole package, including talking to the media and meeting with fans I’ve always had a lot of attention on me.

“The amateurs and the Olympics are all in the past, it’s all about the future now. I want to stay as active as possible.”

CARL MORETTI

“New York City was an event. I have never seen a pro debut explode like that.

“One day he will sell out Madison Square Garden in the big room, there’s no question. It’s something we feel is attainable.

“He needs experience and is getting great experience training and sparring with world champions. He’s doing everything the right way but there’s nothing like getting rounds in without headgear and with eight ounce gloves.

“The more fights he gets the better he’ll become.

“Boston, New York, Chicago will be the best places to host Michael’s fights. But we are fielding calls from a lot of venues all over the U.S. He is an attraction.

“Especially in boxing, representing their countries while fighting in the United States is so important.

“If all goes well, he’ll fight on July 2 (July 1 in U.S.) in Brisbane, Australia on Manny Pacquiao’s world championship undercard. There is a large Irish community in Australia.”

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Promoted by Top Rank®, remaining tickets to Conlan’s Chicago debut are priced at $102, $52 and $32, including the facility fee. They can be purchased at the UIC Pavilion Box Office (located on Racine in between Gate 3 and 4), Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster retail locations. To charge by phone call 800-745-3000. The box office is open Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The box office accepts, cash, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. They do not accept personal checks, or American Express.

For his pro debut, Conlan (1-0, one KO), from Belfast, was led into the ring by UFC superstar Conor McGregor. But once the bell rang to start the fight, it was all Conlan, out-boxing and out-slugging the more experienced Tim Ibarra (4-5, one KO), of Denver, winning the fight by a third-round knockout. Conlan, 25, from Belfast, produced one of the most memorable moments during last summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. A loss in the bantamweight quarterfinals to Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin was arguably the most controversial of the boxing tournament. In fact Conlan hurt Nikitin so badly that the Russian forfeited his semifinal fight because he wasn’t able to recuperate from the injuries he suffered from the pasting he received from Conlan. After the decision was announced, Conlan saluted the judges with both middle fingers followed by a series of post-fight interviews ripping the decision and accusing the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which oversees amateur boxing, of corruption. AIBA sent the judges who worked that fight home in the wake of the immediate public outrage. Conlan further added to his legend by sending a Tweet to Russian president Vladimir Putin, “How much did they charge you bro???” A former amateur standout who was a 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist and 2015 World Amateur Champion — a first for a male Irish fighter — Conlan trains in Los Angeles with Manny Robles and spars regularly with Robles’ champion fighters.

Alvarado (34-4, 23 KOs) of Denver, has several notable fights on his impressive resume, including a rematch victory over Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios, on March 30, 2013, which not only avenged Alvarado’s loss to Rios in 2012’s Fight of the Year, but also made Alvarado the new World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight world champion. Notable Alvarado knockout victims have included Breidis Prescott, Ray Narh, Emmanuel Clottey and Cesar Bazan. In 2012 Alvarado fought in two Fights of the Year-nominated fights. On April 14, 2012, Alvarado went toe-to-toe for 10 brutal and exciting rounds winning a unanimous decision over Mauricio Herrera (18-1, 7 KOs). Herrera entered that fight world-rated No. 7 and riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak, highlighted by victories over future world champion Ruslan Provodnikov (17-0) and Mike Dallas, Jr. (17-1-1). That was followed by his first fight with Rios in October. Alvarado’s world title reign ended in his first defense, on October 19, 2013, where he suffered a12th-round TKO to Ruslan Provodnikov in front of a sold-out crowd in his Denver homecoming.

Saucedo, (24-0, 15 KOs), from Oklahoma City, is world-rated No. 8 by the WBO. Trained by 2015 BWAA Trainer of the Year Abel Sanchez, Saucedo returns to the ring fresh from dishing out a second-round TKO to Johnny Garcia in a bout that took place on the undercard of Conlan’s pro debut. Saucedo, 22, is co-managed by Churchill Management, which includes filmmaker Peter Berg as a principal.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, or facebook.com/trboxeo,and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, or twitter.com/trboxeo, Use the Hashtags #MickConlan and #TheConlanRevolution to join the conversation on Twitter.

Las Vegas (May 4, 2017) – Premier Boxing Champions stars Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares,Daniel Jacobs,Shawn Porter,Rances Barthelemy, Alfredo Angulo have confirmed that they will appear to Meet & Greet their fans at the “PBC Booth” at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 3rd edition of Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday May 6, 2017 from 10am to 5pm, during Cinco De Mayo weekend. The Boxing Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Julio Cesar Chavez jr, that will take place later that evening.

Boxing fans will have an opportunity to get autographs signings of gloves, photos and merchandise. Fans can register to win the PBC fan pack as well be greeted with giveaways at this years’ Expo.

PBC is a television boxing series organized by Al Haymon boxing. The Television series seeks primarily to bring renewed mainstream exposure to the sport of boxing, emphasizing a modern “concert”- like atmosphere, “high-quality” cards, television broadcasts through major networks and cable channels as opposed to pay television and pay-per-view events, and the use of technology to provide enhanced insight to the bouts.

PBC joins Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Daniel Jacobs, Shawn Porter, Rances Barthelemy, Alfredo Angulo, Brandon Rios, Jorge Linares, Marcos Maidana, Jessie Vargas, WBA, Mayweather Promotions, Marco Antonio Barrera, Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Al Bernstein, Thomas Hearns, Kronk Boxing, WBC, Christy Martin, Mia St.John, Fernando Vargas and Joel Casamayor among early commitments to this year’s Box Fan Expo.

Box Fan Expo has been a huge success with fans and boxing industry people. Many boxing stars have attended the last two Expo’s such as Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr., Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Zab Judah, James Toney, Vinny Pazienza, Mikey Garcia , Mia St.Johns, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris , Riddick Bowe , Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and many more…

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

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available online at:
http:www.boxfanexpo.eventbrite.com

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

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

Throughout the next few days leading up to the Event, there will be more announcements on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

And for anyone in the Boxing industry or other Exhibitors (non-industry), who would like to be involved and reserve a Booth, contact Box Fan Expo:

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

For any inquiries please email: boxfanexpo@gmail.com

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

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

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

Former IBF Super-Bantamweight World Champion Kiko Martinez has sent a warning to Josh Warrington ahead of their May 13 showdown at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, broadcast live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Martinez follows Patrick Hyland, Hisashi Amagasa and Joel Bunker into the unbeaten Leeds man’s hometown fortress as the 26-year-old looks to cement his place on the World scene before landing a World Title shot.

Warrington is hugely popular in Leeds and will be roared on by thousands of his fanatical supporters as he aims to make a third successful defence of his WBC International strap, but 31-year-old Martinez is unfazed.

Speaking to Boxing News he said: “Sincerely, I don’t care. It is something usual in my career, but the pressure is not on me, the pressure is on him.

“This is the most important fight of his career and everybody will be in the arena watching him: his family, his friends, all his people. You can trust me, he is in trouble.

“The UK is my second home, I feel great there but I have never won a big fight in England. I have won fights in Ireland, USA, Japan or Argentina and I need a win against Warrington.”

Spain’s Martinez has twice fought and lost to Irish hero Carl Frampton and suffered a fifth round TKO loss to current WBA Super World Featherweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz in February 2016.

The stocky road warrior, a huge step up in class for Warrington, is planning on spoiling the party next week.

“I have been working very hard for this fight. I respect Josh a lot as a fighter and as a person too, but I will travel to Leeds to win the fight and show to everybody that Kiko is once again on the top of the division.

“I understand him, I was in his position before. He is hungry, he is looking for the big fights, the big money. But I am not finished, I was fighting against Leo Santa Cruz one year ago. Good luck to him, he’ll need it.”

Remaining tickets are available from Eventim at www.eventim.co.uk and 0844 249 1000.

Liam Walsh hopes hammering WBO Super-Featherweight Champion Gervonta Davis later this month will be a step towards a ‘Battle of Britain’ against Terry Flanagan.

Unbeaten Walsh challenges Davis, who is being touted to take his promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr’s mantle as boxing’s number one star, at London’s Copper Box Arena on May 20.

Walsh is oozing confidence and believes beating the American would help lure Mancunian Flanagan into making a defence of his WBO Lightweight Championship against him.

Cromer’s Walsh, 30, said: “A great fight would be against Terry Flanagan.

“I have got so much respect for him and it is between him and Linares who is the best in the world.

“It is a huge fight for Britain, but Terry is most probably not interested in fighting me because I haven’t earned his stripes.

“I think he is tight on weight and looking at moving up soon, but without sounding big headed if it was at ten stone I’d still do it.

“People will laugh but I think I can hold my own at Super-Lightweight. Maybe someone needs to fill me in and bring me down to earth.

“I have just got self belief and confidence that I can hold my own up to ten stone. People will think I’m an idiot, but until I am proved wrong I will have that mentality.”

Undefeated Davis, 22, has knocked out 16 of his 17 opponents, but Walsh dismissed his power adding: “I have watched his fights on YouTube. He is hitting people with four or five clean punches and they are not going anywhere.

“For me, he has got the Chris Eubank Jr effect. He throws all these really good looking shots then he nails the guy flush across the chin and the guy looks at him.

“You think, ’That should have knocked him out’, because it looks brilliant but he isn’t knocking people out cold.”

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 4th, 2017) — Over the past 25 years, longtime boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. has been an advocate for women’s combat sports, opening the door for many female fighters to achieve their lifelong dream at a time when other promoters refused to take such risks.

Add cage doors to that list.

In recent months, CES MMA, which Burchfield proudly launched in 2010, has surfaced as a leader in the development of female fighters, a tradition that continues next Friday at Twin River Casino on May 12th with two exciting female bouts on the preliminary card of “CES MMA 44,” the first time in its eight-year history the promotion has hosted more than one female bout on the same card.

CES, which helped launch the career of former three-time world champion boxer Jamie Clampitt, former world lightweight title-holder Elizabeth Mueller, two-time world champion Missy Fiorentino, former World Boxing Council middleweight world champion Kali Reis, world-title challenger Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes and two-time world champion Shelly Vincent, among others, is now fostering opportunities for females in mixed martial arts.

After featuring regional standouts Kaline Medeiros, Sarah Payant and The Ultimate Fighter and Invicta alum Peggy Morgan (including Morgan’s nationally televised win over Jessy Miele on AXS TV at “CES MMA 30”), CES MMA has successfully guided Framingham, Mass., flyweight Maria Rivera to a 2-0 record in 2017 and will feature Rivera in one of two preliminary bouts next Friday.

Rivera battles debut flyweight Marisa Messer-Belenchia of New Haven, Conn., while bantamweight Jennifer Norris (3-0, 1 KO) of Baltimore puts her unbeaten record on the line against debut Kerri Kenneson of Hookset, N.H.

The popularity and allure of female MMA is indisputable; Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) president Dana White, who in 2011 infamously declared women will never fight in the UFC, is now featuring female championship bouts as Pay Per View headliners, utilizing the worldwide appeal of stars such as Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes.

Given CES MMA’s well-deserved reputation as a gateway to the UFC (regional stars Rob Font, Andre Soukhamthath, John Howard and Tateki Matsudi are among several standouts who carved their path to the UFC through CES MMA), this year’s talented crop of female fighters is confident in the ability of the region’s No. 1 MMA promotion to do the same for their blossoming careers.

“I am so excited to be on this card and be a part of this promotion,” Kenneson said. “It’s been a platform for people to make the jump and it’s definitely something that’s been on my mind.”

“I’m doing this to make it to the next level. I don’t want to be a regional fighter. I’m doing this to fight on the national level. I’m sure CES can get me there.”

Added Belenchia: “I like to be a part of history. Promoters are definitely doing more to help female fighters. The sport is growing daily for females.”

CES’ persistence in female combat sports dates back to the turn of the century when Burchfield developed the career of Mueller, the Waterford, Conn., lightweight who starred during CES’ early days at the Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet in Rhode Island and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Mueller went on to face Clampitt in 2001 as Burchfield continued to promote mega-bouts in the female division while other promoters distanced themselves from women’s boxing.

“At the time, promoters weren’t putting women on. It was still a sideshow,” recalled Clampitt, who ended a spectacular, 29-fight career in 2013. “Once Jimmy signed me, he continued to get me fights. He never hesitated to put me on a card.

“With Jimmy, he treated me like a boxer, not just a female fighter. I was always one of his athletes. He treated me as an equal to the other fighters. I remember sitting in his office telling him I wanted to fight Mia St. John and he said, ‘Let’s make it happen.’ Whenever I wanted a fight, he believed in me. I was putting in the work, so why shouldn’t I have the same opportunities as male fighters?

“I tell everyone, ‘If you do your thing, he’ll do his thing.’ He doesn’t care who you are as long as you work hard. Jimmy definitely helped the sport grow.”

Under Burchfield’s guidance, Clampitt went on to face women’s boxing pioneer Jane Couch — Britian’s first licensed female boxer — twice, including their 2004 bout named Ring Magazine’s Women’s Fight of the Year, and earned her dream match against St. John in 2007 in Providence, defeating the 65-fight vet and former two-time world champion to capture the then vacant International Women’s Boxing Federation (IWBF) World Lightweight Championship.

“At a time when few people took women’s boxing seriously, Jimmy was there,” said Jill Diamond, former co-chair of the WBC and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) women’s division and current WBC International Secretary.

“Champions like Jamie Clampitt and Missy Fiorentino won the hearts of many boxing fans thanks to Jimmy and CES’ support, so, it’s only natural, now that opportunities have expanded for female athletes, that Jimmy and his team would be in the forefront, fighting the good fight and bringing new women stars into the mix.

“Jimmy stood with us early on. Gender was never an issue. Talent ruled. And no matter what Jimmy does, he will always do the women proud.”

Though the sport has advanced tremendously in recent years, as evident by Rousey’s quick rise to fame both in the cage and in popular culture, female MMA fighters faced — and, in some cases, still face — many of the same challenges female boxers endured decades ago.

“When I first walked into [Team Link in Ludlow, Mass.], it was obviously very intimidating as a female in a gym filled with guys,” Kenneson said. “When I started, I was the only girl doing MMA here. We used to have problems in the past finding opponents. I’ve gone extended periods of time without fighting. We’re definitely getting more opportunities now.”

“Even when I wanted to wrestle 10, 15 years ago, it was a far-fetched crazy thing. No one wanted to practice with women,” recalled Messer-Belenchia, who is also a certified personal trainer and a former two-time Western New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur boxer.

“Years ago, Dana White said women would never fight. In some cases, women have had to work harder than men to prove themselves and earn respect. All I want is respect. I’m going to show up to fight and work as hard as you will. Today, when I watch female fights on TV, a lot of them are using better technique. To me, it’s exciting to see how far we’ve come.”

The tradition continues May 12th as CES MMA ushers in the next era of female stars with two exciting women’s bouts on its preliminary card beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The promoter who helped cultivate an environment of acceptance in female boxing more than two decades ago is once again bridging the gap in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.

“It’s been a pleasure fighting with CES on and off during the last eight years,” Lopes said. “My first five fights took place on CES shows and, looking back at it, I really appreciate that Mr. Burchfield gave me the opportunity to earn several wins and build up my fan base right out of the gate.

“CES team is very well organized, from matchmaking to marketing and managing logistics. During the last event one of the aspect I appreciated the most is excellent communication between my team and the promotional group regarding ticket sales, organizational details, etc. CES also does a great job providing exposure to fighters through press releases, social media and arranging interviews.”

Tickets for “CES MMA 44” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.cagetix.com/ces by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Reigning CES MMA World Featherweight Champion Matt Bessette (21-7, 6 KOs) of Stafford, Conn., makes his second title defense in the five-round main event against Texas’ Rey Trujillo (22-18, 15 KOs). The AXS TV broadcast begins at 9.

Also on the main card, Woonsocket, R.I., native and three-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Sean Soriano (9-5, 4 KOs) makes his long-awaited homecoming in a featherweight bout against New Yorker Jacob Bohn (5-2, 1 KO), Soriano’s first fight in Rhode Island since his CES MMA debut in 2012 when he knocked out Lee Metcalf at “CES MMA 9.”

As an added bonus, fellow Woonsocket native and Blackzillians teammate, UFC bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath, will also return to his home state to work Soriano’s corner against Bohn. The two have combined for 15 CES MMA appearances, including Soriano’s last bout inside the CES cage at “CES MMA 38” on AXS TV against UFC vet Levan Makashvili.

“CES MMA 44” also features the return of Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello (21-7, 13 KOs), looking to continue his climb back to the top of the division in a scheduled three-round bout against Colorado’s Kevin Ray Sears (6-3, 3 KOs).

Welterweights Jon Manley (9-3) of Adams, Mass., and Manny Walo (11-2, 2 KOs) of Jersey City, N.J., clash in a CES MMA title eliminator with the winner facing reigning world champion Chris Curtis.

Manley, a standout on Season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, makes his third CES MMA appearance and first since 2015 while Walo returns hoping to earn a second shot at the CES MMA World Welterweight Title following a stunning, 11-second knockout loss to then champion Chuck O’Neil in his first opportunity at “CES MMA 27.” Manley has won his last four, including two appearances with World Series of Fighting (WSOF), and eight of nine overall.

The reigning champion Curtis, now 15-5 overall, recently defended his title at “CES MMA 42,” stopping challenger Wilfredo Santiago via second-round knockout on AXS TV.

Light heavyweight Mike Rodriguez (6-2, 4 KOs) of Quincy, Mass., who has made quick work of his last two opponents in a combined 46 seconds, jumps right back in on the main card “CES MMA 44” against New Jersey’s Alec Hooben (5-2, 1 KO) and undefeated flyweight Carlos Candelario (5-0, 1 KO) of New Britain, Conn., faces Grand Rapid, Mich., native Shawn Mack (6-2, 1 KO).

Rodriguez set a new CES MMA record with his 7-second knockout win over Hector Sanchez in January and pummeled James Dysard in just 39 seconds at “CES MMA 43,” earning him his third appearance on AXS TV Fights on May 12th. Candelario, a rising star in the flyweight division, makes his fifth appearance with CES MMA after submitting Miguel Restrepo in January.

The preliminary card features the return of three-time CES MMA vet Toby Oden (2-1, 1 KO) of Milford, Mass., making his first appearance since 2015 plus two exciting female bouts. Oden faces Paul Sims of Philadelphia, who makes his professional debut. Oden last fought at “CES MMA 29,” scoring a first-round knockout win over Wayne Alhquist.

Milford, Conn., middleweight Justin Sumter (3-1, 2 KOs), who earned an impressive first-round knockout win in his CES MMA debut at “CES MMA 43” in Massachusetts, returns to face unbeaten Sandwich, Mass., native Brian Sparrow (2-0), who makes his second appearance with CES MMA in his first fight since 2013. Middleweight Adam Quitt (1-4) of Framingham, Mass., ends his three-year layoff against Brazilian Reginaldo Felix (0-2).

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

Ryan Burnett says there will be a changing of the guard on June 10 when he challenges IBF World Bantamweight champion Lee Haskins at the SSE Arena Belfast, live on Sky Sports.

Burnett gets his first World title crack on home turf having moved seamlessly to 16-0, picking up the British and WBC International strap en route.

Haskins is defending his crown for the third time against Burnett, with the Bristolian picking up the belt in impressive style against Ryosuke Iwasa in 2015 and then going the distance against Ivan Morales and Stuart Hall.

Burnett returns to his hometown for the first time since November 2014 and the 24 year old is putting his faith in trainer Adam Booth to mastermind a victorious night.

“I lay in bed every night thinking about winning a World title,” said Burnett. “Now it’s right in front of me on June 10 – I just need to perform.

“In a sense, it is a man versus a boy. Haskins is a lot older than me, but mark my words, that means nothing. Adam believes I am ready for it and he’s a man who has been there and done it, knows how to put a game plan together to beat a southpaw, and I have every faith in Adam.

“I’m only 24, there’s no pressure on me, I’m just enjoying boxing at the moment and my road is only just starting. His is coming to an end and the pressure is on him, he’s the one who has to stay World champion. If I am calm, relaxed and I deliver what Adam tells me to do on the night, I’ll win that belt.

“I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time. I always thought that this could be me and hard work has got me here. I can’t wait to get my hands on that World title and bringing big fights to Belfast.

“It’s going to be a hard fight. Lee’s only lost once in nine years, that shows his level and he’s not World champion for nothing. But I know that this is my time and this is where I take over and it’s his time to step aside.

“I’ve paid my dues across the water and I’ve been saying: ‘Eddie, put you hand in your pocket and get me a fight in Belfast’ and now we’re here – I am so excited.”

Haskins is in his 18th title fight on June 10 and the 33 year old feels his experience will tell on the night, as he plans to win over the passionate Belfast fans.

“It’s going to be a pleasure to box in Belfast in front of the great fans there,” said Haskins. “I’ve watched a lot of Ryan and always thought he’s a great talent. He and Adam are going to be more than ready.

“I am getting older but this is why we want fights like this – taking on young hungry fighters to show the world that I can rock it with the best and carry on being a World champion.

“I think we have similar styles so it could be a game of chess. Adam has a lot of tricks up his sleeve so it’ll be a really interesting fight.

“I’ve watched a lot of the big fights up here and the way that the fans here get behind their man is amazing, it’s something I think we miss in England. I think by the end of the night they’ll appreciate my ability.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn presented a press conference in Belfast on Wednesday and is set to announce exciting undercard battles featuring local favourites James Tennyson, Paul Hyland Jnr, Parry Gallagher, Matthew Wilton, Feargal McCrory and Tyrone McCullagh.

Tickets are on general sale at midday today priced at £30, £40, £60 and £100 from the SSE Arena Belfast at http://www.ssearenabelfast.com/belfast-boy-burnett-v-haskins

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

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2017) – Former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) today hosted the final press conference ahead of their superfight showdown on Saturday, May 6 presented live on HBO Pay-Per-View® at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The live stream of the press conference can be viewed here.

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

CANELO ALVAREZ, Former Two-Division World Champion:

“On my behalf, I’m going to do everything on my side to make this one of the most historic fights in Mexico. We will be ready on Saturday.

“Every fight is very important to my career, and this fight is no exception. I’m very happy the fight is here on Saturday.”

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, JR., Former WBC Middleweight World Champion:

“I feel ready and happy that the fight is only a few days away. I came here to win, not just to fight. Everything has already been said; we’ve all spoken; and I’m here to win this great fight on Saturday, May 6.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“People know this is an all-out action-packed war. We haven’t had a fight like this in years; it’s a true Mexican civil war.

“Given the obvious Cinco de Mayo date and the bad blood between the boxers, I think it is safe to say this is the biggest fight in Mexican history. To give you an idea of how big this event is, let me give you some numbers. This will be the most attended indoor fight in the storied Las Vegas fight history with more than 20,000 in attendance. The fight sold out in 10 days, and we opened up more circuit-viewing theaters for everyone to watch on fight night in Las Vegas at MGM properties. Fight fans in six continents will be able to watch the fight with the HBO platform and streamed live on goldenboyppv.com giving anyone with a phone or laptop the ability to watch.

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, SR., Mexican Boxing Legend and Father to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.:

“I’m happy to be here, and I’m happy Saturday is close. I’ve lived many big moments in my life, and this is probably one of the biggest moments and fights in my life. It’s a big fight for Mexico, but I believe this a fight that can be won-anything can be done in the ring.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Business Partner:

“This fight is a big one because I don’t believe we’ve seen a Mexican fighter face another Mexican fighter with pride, dignity and talent all on the line. I look at this as a very brutal fight because Chavez, Jr. is coming with legacy behind him and to prove what ever has happened in the past won’t happen on Saturday. Canelo is the face of one of the most important months in boxing, and I know he wants to continue that reputation. I look forward to what will happen on Saturday and I tell everyone to pay attention to what will happen.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer to Canelo Alvarez:

“We’ve worked very hard for many years with sacrifices and lots of discipline to get to where we are today. We’ve had a fantastic camp and we’ve done all the hard work to be ready for Saturday night.

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer to Canelo Alvarez:

“There’s a saying in Mexico that there isn’t a date that wont arrive. The day is here and we are ready This has been brewing more many years, Team Canelo is very confident we will raise our hands in victory on fight night.”

GUADALUPE VALENCIA, Representative of Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.:

“We have all come together to make this historical event happen. This fight is a very important moment to the history of Mexico. I believe in our lifetime, this fight is the fight of the moment. Both camps have worked very hard and all we can do is watch on Saturday. I’m confident Julio has done everything he can to be victorious.”

MEMO HEREDIA, Trainer to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.:

“This has been one of the most important camps for me, we have done two months of training camp with many different conditioning and Junior has done very well. We are very confident Junior has trained as well as he can and we look forward to a tremendous fight on Saturday.”

NACHO BERISTAIN, Trainer to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.:

“I’ve been in boxing for 58 years, and I’ve had many big fights here in Vegas. I’m very proud to be with Junior for this fight. We’ve trained very hard for the past two months with Junior and we are ready for victory. I’m with a fighter who is very talented and I know we will do well on Saturday.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Entertainment and Sports for MGM Resorts International:

“We are very proud to be a part of making history when we host this fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend. As many of you have noticed, T-Mobile Arena has changed the sports and entertainment landscape in Las Vegas, as we all look forward to Canelo’s return to after his knockout victory over Amir Khan last year. We also look forward to Chavez, Jr.’s first return in five years as he takes on one of the sports biggest champs for this fight.”

TONY WALKER, Vice President of HBO Pay-Per-View:

“This show is special because it honors the rich tradition of Cinco de Mayo. We know Canelo and Chavez, Jr. will put on a show in the ring-both are very talented, skilled fighters with a lot at stake.

“These are two fighters that have consistently been able to sell out arenas and generate huge pay-per-view buys. In the age of fragmented television sales, something should be said for fighters who can sell these pay-per-views to so many homes. We will see something very considerable on Saturday.”

BOB BENNETT, Nevada State Athletic Commission:

“For these two Mexican warriors, there is no better time to have these fights. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is ready and padded to go to work. We are a team, and I do a great deal of research and statistical analysis into our officials and I know everyone who has worked under pressure in Las Vegas. We are regulators with no financial interest-it’s strictly business and our number one priority is the fighter. The three judges selected for this fight have over 380 fights with them, and have performed consistently well under pressure.”

Also, undercard fighters to Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. and Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN: Gamboa vs. Castellanos today hosted a media workout, alongside Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions’ business partner Bernard Hopkins and WBA, WBC Diamond and Ring magazine world lightweight champion Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares at MGM Resort Hotel and Casino before their upcoming fights on Friday, May 5 at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena.

(L-R, Former IBF Middleweight Champion David Lemieux and former three-division world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa host a media workout on May 3 at MGM Resort Hotel and Casino ahead of their respective fights on May 6 and May 5 presented live on HBO Pay-Per-View and Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN)

Click HERE for photos of the fighters
Click HERE for video of the fighters

On the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. undercard, former IBF Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (37-3, 33 KOs) and Marco “Dorado” Reyes (35-4, 26 KOs) who will meet in a 10-round middleweight event; former WBC Silver Super Lightweight Champion Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs) will take on Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor (20-4, 14 KOs) and Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (23-0, 13 KOs) will be defending his NABF title against Manuel “Tino” Avila (22-0, 8 KOs) on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Also part of the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. HBO Free-View, lightweight prospect Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (8-0, 7 KOs) will face Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (8-6-3, 6 KOs) and former Mexican Olympian Raul “El Cugar” Curiel will make his pro-debut against Jesus Sanchez (1-1-2). Also on the card, super bantamweight contender Ronny Rios (27-1, 12 KOs) will fight Daniel “El Chato” Noriega (28-10-1, 15 KOs) and opening up the night, lightweight prospect Joseph “Diamante” Aguirre (16-0, 9 KOs) will be battling Angel Aispuro (8-4-2, 5 KOs).

The May 5 action-packed night of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN will be headlined by former three-division world champion Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantanamo” Gamboa and Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos. Co-main event of the night, Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (22-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his NABA featherweight title against Jesus Rojas (24-1-2, 17 KOs).

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with TGB and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet. Lemieux vs. Reyes is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management. Matthysse vs. Taylor is a 10-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Avila is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. are priced at
$75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and tickets are available for purchase at any MGM Resorts International box office or concierge desk. Tickets also can be purchased by phone with a major credit card at 800-745-3000. Tickets for “Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.” in theaters nationwide are on sale now at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).

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

Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN: Gamboa vs. Castellanos is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with ZR Entertainment and sponsored by Tecate BORN BOLD. ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights live on Friday, May 5 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 4:00 p.m. PST/7:00 p.m. EST, and ESPN2 transmission will begin at 5:00 p.m. PST/ 8:00 p.m. EST.

Tickets starting at $10 for Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN are on sale now and include complimentary VIP reserved seating at the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. Weigh-in. Ringside seats for fights only are priced at $30. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the AXS Contact Center at (888) 929-7849 or MGM Resorts Call Center at (877) 795-2564. Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.axs.com or www.mgmgrand.com and in person any MGM Resorts International box office.

Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/GamboaVsCastellanos. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and
www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing, @ESPNBoxing and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.com; an
d www.facebook.com/espn.fnf follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxeo; follow the conversation using #CaneloChavezJr and #GBPonESPN.

LONDON (3 May) – Canelo Alvarez says victory over arch-rival Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will mean more to him than any title.

Mexican pride is at stake when the two long-time foes and countrymen meet at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday night, live on BoxNation, in what is one of this year’s most eagerly anticipated fights.

Taking place on the holiday weekend of ‘Cinco De Mayo’, two-weight world champion Canelo, who will be fighting for the 50th time as a professional, is well aware that this is a fight he simply can’t lose if he hopes to hold his head high in his home country.

“He’s one more of the 50 of all my opponents that I’ve faced. I’ve wanted to rip their head off; I wanted to beat them; I wanted to knock them out. This is a little extra though. There’s a little bit more motivation, of course, because of the rivalry, but it’s another one of my fights,” said Canelo.

“Titles are very important to me but this is above that. This goes above a title, any title. It’s for honour, for pride, and it’s very important for me. It’s also important to keep making history in my career,” he said.

Canelo’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who has faced and overcome similar feuds in the past as a fighter, most notably his rivalry with nemesis Fernando Vargas, believes both men will find something extra to push them even further in the ring.

“These are the types of fights that take you to a whole new level in terms of your boxing abilities inside the ring. It makes you obviously train harder. It gives you that extra motivation,” said De La Hoya.

“If you want to go run ten miles today, well, guess what, you’re going to run 11 or 12 because you’re just so amped, because this fight is so personal. Both fighters are going to be in the best shape of their life.

“But for some strange reason, there’s something extra that comes out in you. Canelo and Chavez Jr are going to find out that, wow, I didn’t know I can do this move; or I didn’t know I can throw this combination at such a fast pace; or, you know, that extra motivation, it’s going to be all instinctual.

“It’s going to be all because of that pride, because of what’s at stake. We’re going to see two completely different fighters, fighters that we’ve never seen before inside the ring on Saturday, and it’s all because of that pride that’s at stake,” he said.

26-year-old Canelo, who has knocked out 34 opponents in his 48 wins, is hoping to end the fight in spectacular fashion once again.

“There’s a very high percentage this fight could end by a knockout, because of our styles, obviously the weight, the size of each other.

“And obviously a knockout is spectacular, for the fighter, for the fans, and we’ll see. We’ll see what’s going to happen come fight night. I’m going to give it 100 percent to do everything possible to give the fans what they want,” said Canelo.

Canelo v Chavez Jr is live on BoxNation this Saturday night. Sky customers can get free registration by using the offer code MAYBOXING. Buy now at boxnation.com.

MONTE CARLO, Monaco (May 3, 2017)- The World MMA Association (WMMAA) has announced that its 2017 Pan-American Championships, the largest MMA event ever in The Americas, will be held this coming July 14-15 in Monterrey, Mexico.

National teams from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay, Brazil, along with special guest Spain, are expected to compete in the 2017 Pan-American Championships.

“Representing your country on the biggest continental competition of nations, it strikes you, your heart starts to race in anticipation of the grand journey into WMMAA history,” Pan-American Division president Tomas Yu said.

The PAN-AM Board of Directors met again this past month during a collaboration with USA Boxing, during the latter’s 2017 Western Elite Qualifier & Regional Open, when the tentative announcement was made that Monterrey (Mexico) would be the event host this July.

Albuquerque, New Mexico was a leading destination host, however, PAN-AM Board members voted in favor of Monterrey as the ultimate location.

“WMMAA Mexico, as well as Monterrey as the host city this year, is a huge step in the development of the championships and movement as a whole,” Yu added. “Monterrey has been an active sport city. It was the first city to bid on the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. Monterrey had never bid on an Olympic Game prior to its effort to bid for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics. The city did host several matches of the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

“The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here as the 2017 Pan-American Championships will take place in Monterrey, Mexico this coming July 14-15. The final decision has been made and now it is time to exhale, relax, and peacefully wait for the upcoming grand event, gathering people from all around the world to watch their country’s athletes competing among the best.”

INFORMATION:

Press.panam@wmmaa.org
mexico@wmmaa.org
ABOUT WMMAA: World MMA Association (WMMAA) is a world federation of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The WMMAA is organized by Continental and National federations and it has presence on all five continents. Its goal is to provide unbiased structure and guardrail the growth of MMA as the official world governing body for Mixed Martial Arts. The WMMAA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Monte Carlo (Principality of Monaco). WMMAA is on a mission to develop a standardized and regulated organization, including competition, training, officiating, testing and growth when necessary. WMMAA is for all stakeholders in MMA, creating and developing the sport with competition for amateurs and sanctioning and advising the world’s leading promoters in terms of their professional events. WMMAA is an independent sport’s governing body of Mixed Martial Arts, a sports organization that has a regulatory and sanctioning function.

NEW YORK (May 3, 2017) — Hot off his high-profile pro debut, 2016 Olympic silver medalist SHAKUR STEVENSON will soon return to the ring for his second professional bout. The crown jewel of the U.S. Olympic boxing team and the Pride of Newark, New Jersey, will be featured in a six-round featherweight bout on the undercard of the TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD – FÉLIX DÍAZ World Junior Welterweight Championship, Saturday, May 20, at the Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden. He’ll be facing Carlos Suarez (6-3-2, one KO), from La Plata, Argentina. This will be the first time Stevenson has fought close to home since the New Jersey Golden Gloves in early 2015. Crawford vs. Díaz will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.

Stevenson, 19, made his pro debut, on April 22, defeating Edgar Brito via a six-round featherweight technical decision. The fight was stopped just after the beginning of the sixth round with the ringside doctor ruling that Brito was cut too badly from an earlier clash of heads to continue. Stevenson won every round on every judge’s scorecard. The fight was featured on a world championship tripleheader pay-per-view telecast at StubHub Center in Carson Calif. Stevenson has been training for this fight in Colorado Springs with Crawford.

“It’s been a long time since I fought so close to home and I can’t wait to perform in front of my friends and family,” said Stevenson. My city has always supported me and I know that Newark is going to come out on May 20. There have been so many huge fights at Madison Square Garden and I’m excited to fight in the Big Room where so many greats have fought before. I’m training out in Colorado with Terence Crawford and I’m happy I get to fight on his card in such a historic arena. I’m going to make sure everyone comes out and supports us both. It feels good to have my first pro fight under my belt. My pro debut was great, I had two Olympic gold medalists walk me out and my hero Andre Ward ringside yelling instructions to me. My opponent was tough and tried to make it dirty but I learned a lot and am going to put that knowledge to good use on May 20 in my first east coast professional fight.”

“I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. Shakur has the opportunity to fight at The Garden in his second fight, where as I’ve fought over 30 times and have yet to have a fight on that sacred ground,” said two-division world champion Andre Ward, who co-manages Stevenson. “Actually, I guess that’s the way it’s supposed to be. The next generation going further than the older generation. I’m super excited for him, he shines the brightest on the biggest stage. There are not too many bigger stages than The Garden in boxing, and really all of sports.”

“My first fight there was exciting being that it was Madison Square Garden, but it was in The Theater. I didn’t get to fight in the Big Room in my first fight like Shakur,” said Crawford. “I’m excited to fight in the Big Room being that there hasn’t been a Top Rank show there since Miguel Cotto. I’m glad Shakur will be on the card with me.”

“It’s only his second professional fight, but Shakur is more than ready to make his debut on boxing’s biggest stage, Madison Square Garden,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank.. “He is made for the bright lights of the Big Apple and he will shine like a diamond on May 20.”

In last year’s Summer Games, Stevenson sailed though every stage of his Olympic competition in Rio De Janeiro before losing a close split decision in the bantamweight championship fight to 2012 flyweight Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba. Ramirez swept the judges’ scorecards in round one with Stevenson returning the favor in round two. In the third and final round, the closest of the three rounds, two of the three judges gave the round to Ramirez and the gold medal, by the slimmest of margins. It was the best finish for an American male boxer since Andre Ward captured the gold medal in the Athens Games of 2004. Newark came to a standstill each time Stevenson stepped into the ring in his quest to win Olympic gold. On the day he fought Ramirez, “Stevenson Fever” was at its peak. Barry Carter, columnist for the Star-Ledger, reported the following: “At Broad and Market streets, the city put its ’24 Hour of Peace’ rally on hold and set up a big screen for residents to watch the fight.” At the CityPlex 12 Theater in Newark, hundreds of fans and family members wearing t-shirts emblazoned with “In Shakur’s Corner,” crammed in to see the fight, all sitting on the edge of their seats, to watch the live-streamed fight and cheer for their man.

Ward is now part of Stevenson’s management team along with James Prince and attorney Josh Dubin. The only boxer to make Forbes “30 Under 30” in its Sports category, Stevenson was selected by a panel of judges comprised of James Harden, shooting guard for the Houston Rockets, Phil Knight, Chairman Emeritus of Nike and Casey Wasserman, Chairman and CEO of the Wasserman Group.

The oldest of nine children, Stevenson, who is named for the late rap star Tupac Shakur, was introduced to boxing by his grandfather, Willie “Wali” Moses, at age 5. Now based in northern Virginia, Stevenson is trained by Moses and Kay Koroma.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with DiBella Entertainment, Tecate, Antonio Leonard Productions and Madison Square Garden, remaining tickets to the Crawford vs. Díaz world championship event are priced at $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35. They 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 and www.thegarden.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo Facebook.com/dibellaentertainment, https://www.facebook.com/felixmanuel.diazguzman, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014790258442 or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, www.twitter.com/LouDiBella, www.twitter.com/felixmldiaz or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordDiaz to join the conversation on Twitter.

Former world champion Argenis Mendez won a 10-round split decision over Ivan Redkach in a junior welterweight bout at the Sportsman’s Lodge in Studio City, California.

Mendez of San Juan, DR won by scores of 96-93, 95-94 and Redkach won a card 95-94.

Mendez, 136.8 lbs is now 24-5-1. Redkach, Bkovah, UK is 20-3-1.

Stated a visibly upset Redkach, “The judges were wrong. I won that fight.

“I felt that I knocked him down and the referee didn’t call it and he took the point away and that cost me. I never felt any pain. I fought like I wanted to and I thought I did enough.

“They were wrong. This was my night.”

Said the happy and victorious Mendez, “I used my skill and my speed throughout the fight, but I waited to come forward until the fourth or fifth round. I knew he wasn’t going to be able to knock me out because I have great defense. I see every punch.

“I definitely slipped both times I went down. He didn’t even hit me.

“Ivan is a tough warrior. He throws a lot of wild punches and he hit me in the back of the head several times. I thought the scorecards were too close. I thought I won by a much larger margin.”

Brandon Figueroa remained perfect as he won a eight round unanimous decision over Luis Saavedra in a super bantamweight bout.

Saavedra began to bleed from his nose in round six.

Figueroa, 121.8 lbs of Weslaco, TX won by scores of 78-74 and 79-73 twice, and is now 12-0. Saavedra, 121.2 lbs of San Luis Potosi, MX is 7-3.

Said Figueroa, “I worked the body and tried to finish it in the later rounds, but he was a tough opponent. I knew by the third or fourth round that it was going to be a really tough fight so I kept my distance, but kept trying to punish the body.

“He is a Mexican fighter that has never been knocked down so that says a lot about him right there. I knew he was going to be tough.

“I want to wait and fight next on a card with my brother and it depends when that will be, but I will be ready.”

Countered Saavedra, “He kept hitting the body, but he couldn’t take me down. He isn’t as tough as everyone says.

“I was prepared, but the travel here took a lot out of me and I didn’t feel 100 percent today. I trained 100 percent, but I wasn’t at my best in the ring, but that is how it goes.

“I wish Brandon the best of luck in his career.”

In a back and forth brawl, Jonathan Torres won a six-round unanimous decision over Antonio Santa Cruz in a bantamweight bout.

Torres, 117.8 lbs of Tlajomulco, MX won by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 and is now 8-5-1. Santa Cruz, 117.6 lbs of San Gabriel, CA is 5-3.

Said the victorious Torres, “I stuck to my game plan. I went forward and tried to counter every punch. If he threw one, I would try to throw five. I never really felt his power. He hit me with a good shot in the first, but after that I wasn’t fazed.

“I was motivated by all the fans cheering me on in the crowd and knowing I had a lot of people rooting for me watching at home. I really appreciate the support and can’t wait to get back in the gym.”

Stated a disappointed Santa Cruz, “He was applying a lot of pressure. He is shorter than me, so that was his game plan and it worked.

“He has good experience. This was my first six round fight. He had fought 10 rounds before. Not trying to make excuses though. He just got the better of me. I came prepared, but he did what he had to do to win.”

COSTA MESA, CA (May 2, 2017) – They say it’s never is too late to start a comeback, and for lightweight contender Michael Farenas (44-5-4, 33Kos), the comeback starts Thursday, June 1
st when he enters the ring for the first time in nearly two years. The eight-round bout will take place on Roy Englebrecht’s “Fight Club OC” show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

Having fought some of the top Jr. lightweight out there over the past five years, which include Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jose Padraza, and Fernando Beltran to name a few, Farenas believes he still has some gas left in his tank.

“It’s been a long journey to get back in the ring, but now that time has come,” said Michael Farenas. “I’m in great shape and I feel my skill and experience will help me on my comeback.”

Will new managers Bill Halkias and Germaine Gillies crafting his career and new trainers Marvin Somodio and Jesse Arevalo in his corner, the new look Farenas will have another opportunity to march toward a world title.

“This bout will take place at one hundred and forty pounds, but my plan is to campaign at lightweight,” said Farenas, who fought Takashi Uchiyama for the WBA World super featherweight title. “I know with hard work, I can make another run toward another world title.”
Under new management and a new trainer, “Hammer Fist” as he is called, will look to bring that Filipino fighting spirit back to his career.

Tickets for the Thursday, June 1st Fight Club OC show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA are on sale at www.fightcluboc.com.

IBF Super-Featherweight World Champion Gervonta Davis has promised to capitalise on any Liam Walsh mistakes when the rivals battle it out at London’s Copper Box Arena on May 20, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

The 19-0 Floyd Mayweather protege is deep into his training camp ahead of the first defence of his World Title and is confident he will be returning to the US with his belt.

‘Tank’ may not have fought outside of the US during his pro career but he has travelled in his amateur days: “In the amateurs I’m very experienced, I’ve been to Ireland, they love me over there.”

“It’s great for me to fight over in the UK for exposure, also at a young age, I’m all for it and I’m ready. Hopefully May 20th Liam Walsh is ready, I’m going to put on a great performance.”

Davis hasn’t forgotten who will be standing across the ring from him in London, when asked whether he had studied Walsh at all the Baltimore native responded: “Yeah, I actually did two days ago, the guy knocked Walsh down and still didn’t win, I was like ‘What?’”

Walsh’s durability is something Davis has taken note of, when asked about burning himself out going for the knockout he said: “We’re not looking for the knockout or anything like that, but if the [knockout] presents itself we’re definitely going for it, we’re gonna capitalise on his mistakes, hopefully he doesn’t make a lot of them otherwise it’s going to be an early night!”

An action-packed undercard features Light-Heavyweight knockout artist Anthony Yarde taking on Southern Area Champion Chris Hobbs for his first professional title; teenage Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois goes in search of another big knockout; plus Southampton’s Joe Pigford and Barking’s Aaron Morgan put their unbeaten records on the line in a potential barn burner.

Local talent including Harrow’s Mitchell Smith; Hornchurch Super-Welterweight ‘Hammer’ Sammy McNess; Sikh sensation Sanjeev Singh Sahota;Chingford Super-Featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Ilford Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid; New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards; Welling Super-Featherweight Archie Sharp; Chelmsford Super-Middleweight Billy Long; Croydon Flyweight Sunny Edwards; and Wycombe Ben Smith complete an unmissable card.

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Philadelphia, PA. (May 2, 2017) – Jerome Conquest will take on veteran Daniel Perales in the scheduled six-round super lightweight bout that will serve as the co-feature on Friday night, May 12th at The SugarHouse Casino

The show is promoted by King’s Promotions.

The bout will support the already announced main event that will pit Christopher Brooker (11-3, 5 KO’s) taking on Oscar Riojas (14-7-1, 4 KO’s) in a super middleweight bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Conquest of Philadelphia, has a record of 6-2 with one knockout, and will be making his first start in 2017.

The 31 year-old is a three-year professional, and trains out of the Joe Hand Boxing Gym under the tutelage of Wade and Randy Hinnant.

Conquest has a win over Christian Molina (4-1), and is coming off a close six-round unanimous decision defeat to Victor Vasquez on August 5, 2016 in Philadelphia, and I watched his most recent fight.

“I am happy to be back in the ring for the first time since my last fight in August. I am coming off a broken foot. I watched two of his fights. His fight against Damon Allen and I saw his last bout.. I think he is tough. He didn’t show too much in his last bout, but I know he is a tough guy, and I know he is not coming all the way from Mexico to get knocked out,” said Conquest

Perales of Monterrey, Mexico has a record of 10-9-1 with five knockouts.

The 25 year-old Perales is a six-year professional, and has faced some stiff competition.

He has faced six undefeated foes. Perales should be familiar to local fight fans, as he has dropped bouts to Frank De Alba and Damon Allen.

Perales has been on the wrong end of his last three fights with the latest being six-round unanimous decision defeat to Hector Tanajara on March 23rd in Indio, California.

Brooker of Philadelphia has a record of 11-3 with five knockouts.

The 25 year-old is known for taking on anyone at anytime.

The combined record of his last seven foes is a staggering 92-9-3, with Brooker winning five of those bouts, and Brooker has appeared on national television three times.

Brooker is a two-year professional, who already has wins over Leo Hall (8-0), John Magda (11-0), Antowyan Aikens (10-1-1), Gabriel Pham (6-0) & former world title challenger Elvin Ayala (28-7-1). Brooker has dropped his last two bouts to Ronald Gavril (16-1) in a bout that Brooker was even on the scorecards before being stopped in the final round. On January 20th, Brooker dropped an eight-round unanimous decision to undefeated Ronald Ellis (13-0-1) in Atlantic City. That fight was shown live on ShoBox: The New generation.

Riojas of Monterrey, Mexico has a record of 14-7-1 with four knockouts.

The 33 year-old Riojas in a four year professional, who won his first 11 bouts. Like Brooker, Riojas has not shied from tough competition as the combined record of Riojas opponents that have defeated him are 81-1-2.

Riojas and Brooker have two common foes as Riojas has dropped fights to Gavril and Ellis.

Riojas is coming off a eight-round unanimous decision over Roberto Nafate on April 6 in Leon, Mexico.

Also in six-round bouts:

Blake Mansfield (5-0-1, 2 KO’s) of Burlington, NC will fight Henry Beckford (4-6, 1 KO) of Coram, NY in a super middleweight bout.

Chaise Nelson (4-1, 3 KO’s) of Dayton, Ohio will take on an opponent to be named in a featherweight bout.

Avery Sparrow (6-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named in a lightweight bout.

In four-round bouts:

Sam Orapeza (1-0) of Philadelphia battles Kyle McNutt (1-2, 1 KO) of Battle Creek, MI in a cruiserweight affair.

Jeffrey Torres (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will fight Kashon Hutchinson (2-2, 1 KO) in a battle of Keystone State based lightweights.

Isaelin Florian (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic battles Edgar Cortes (3-4) of Vineland, New Jersey.

Lucas Dos Santos (2-0, 1 KO) of Miami, Florida taken on an opponent to be named in a welterweight contest.

Harold Lopez (1-0, 1 KO) of Bethlehem, PA will square off with an opponent to be named in a bantamweight fight.

THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY, MAY 9TH AT THE SUGARHOUSE CASINO BEGINNING AT 5 PM

Tickets are on sale for $100, $75, $50, and can be purchased at SugarHouseBoxing.eventbrite.com

ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO
SugarHouse, which opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino, features 1,891 slots, 103 table games, a 28-table poker room, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,700 people, and for six consecutive years has been voted a “Best Place to Work” by the Philadelphia Business Journal and for five straight years a “Top Workplace” by Philly.com. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.

LOS ANGELES (May 1, 2017) Jump starting fight week on a high note, former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) hosted an international conference call ahead of his highly anticipated showdown against Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) this Saturday, May 6, presented live on HBO Pay-Per-View from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Chavez, Jr. was joined by his legendary father, Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr., trainer Guillermo “Memo” Heredia, and Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya as he discussed his training camp and his upcoming fight.

Here is what Chavez, Jr., Chavez, Sr., and De La Hoya had to say on their conference call:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions: We are really excited to showcase two of the most popular fighters in the world today who will clash on Cinco de Mayo weekend, May 6. It will be an unforgettable event that people will really look forward to.

And the response has been amazing, not only with the sold-out arena but with having to open up six more properties with the closed-circuit TV in Las Vegas, the huge buzz around the fight. We know tickets are going incredibly well. This fight is on HBO Pay-Per-View, I want to thank HBO who is always fired up to work with. They are our broadcast partners here in this incredible event.

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, SR., Former three division, six-time World Champion: Hello, happy to be here.

DE LA HOYA: I want to take also this opportunity to thank Tecate, our sponsor, BORN BOLD. The commercials have been running everywhere and thanks to Tecate, the commercials with Sylvester Stallone and Canelo have done a tremendous job in promoting an incredible event. I want to thank O’Reilly Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet, for participating in this wonderful event.

And now the trainer, Angel “Memo” Heredia. From what I hear Chavez, Jr. is in incredible, incredible shape. We hear he’s on weight already, a few pounds over, and it shouldn’t be a big deal. The weight is no problem, and thanks to this man.

GUILLERMO “MEMO” HEREDIA, Trainer to Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.: Yes, I’m very honored and happy to be part of this great fight, and just excited. We’re just waiting for the day to come, which is almost a few days, so we’re ready and excited for this event.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Next up now, with boxing in his blood, former four-time WBC World Middleweight Champion. He’s proven that he is worthy of carrying the legacy he inherited by his father, living legend and six-time world champion, Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr.

In his most recent performance, Chavez, Jr. met with highly-regarded Dominic Britsch, winning by a unanimous decision in Monterrey, Mexico in Nuevo Leon.

Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. will be putting his name and legacy on the line on May 6. And now let’s hear from the man himself, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

Q. Julio, curious about, we talked to Canelo and we talked about the magnitude of this fight within Mexican boxing communities, within all Mexicans of the culture, how big of a deal it is. I would like to hear your thoughts about how big you view it and if that has added anymore pressure because you are fighting another Mexican, and of course, wants to uphold the family name.

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, JR.: It’s very, very important for both fighters. Yes, it’s very important for him, but the fact that it’s two Mexicans, I think that this is one of the most important fights in the history of Mexico.

Q. And why do you think that, and do you feel a pressure to uphold your family name as part of your role in trying to win the fight, because of course, knowing how famous and how many big fights your dad won.

CHAVEZ, JR.: I just feel, because it’s a great event; it’s a big event, with two great Mexican fighters, and I feel that it’s my last opportunity, and I’m going to take advantage of it and do the best I can.

Q. You’ve been a world champion before and fought in some major fights in your career, but even though this isn’t a world-title fight, is this to you the biggest fight of your career, and if so, why, if, in fact, it is.
CHAVEZ, JR.: Yes, I do feel that this fight is the biggest fight of my career, just because it’s a big event, because of who I’m fighting and because of the opportunity. I’m going to take advantage of it and make the best of it.

Q. How much bad feeling is there between you and Canelo? What are your feelings towards him? This fight has been talked about for a long time, it’s happening, and it seems to me you don’t particularly like one another, but you can never quite tell. What’s your feelings about Canelo and how much do you want to get in there and basically beat him up?

CHAVEZ, JR.: Yes, there’s a real, true rivalry, and on Saturday night, people are going to see firsthand this rivalry, how real it is. Obviously we’re going to show it inside the ring.

Q. Julio, I’ve seen video of you in this training camp, and you look to be in incredible shape. What are you doing differently now, that you were not willing to do over the past few years as your career went in the wrong direction?

CHAVEZ, JR.: The difference is I was listening to my corner, Mr. Beristain, he had me doing certain training and I did it. It was very difficult in the beginning getting used to this new regimen, but it’s something that I did. I followed it and I think that’s the difference in this fight.

Q. As you look back at the five years since you were in a fight that was this big, what do you think is the reason why your motivation soured for a while?

CHAVEZ, JR.: The difference is that I was younger, less experienced, and over the years, I’ve learned from those kind of mistakes and the inexperience that I had, and that’s difference between then and this fight.

Q. When you watch Canelo’s biggest fights, what are the main vulnerabilities in his game that stick out to you?

CHAVEZ, JR.: One of the advantages is that he’s fought a lot of fighters, not always in their prime. Also, he’s a smaller fighter. He’s a good fighter but smaller for his division and I think that’s an advantage that I have.

I want to congratulate my brother. I’m very happy for his victory against Alvarez family, I know it’s difficult any time somebody loses, but it’s a sport. With regards to that fight, it’s totally separate from my fight. My fight is a different fight, different event, something that I have to focus on. But I congratulate my brother. I’m very happy for his victory.

I think that there’s a lot of excitement. I’m very excited about this. I think the people are excited about this and I want to thank everybody for all the support, and I think that on May 6, we are going to put on a great fight and everybody is going to be able to enjoy it.

Q. How do you envision what’s going to happen in this fight in six days? How do you feel about it, and also your weight?

CHAVEZ, JR.: I feel a lot better, you know, when I train hard and I’m focused, when I’m motivated as I am in this fight.

Also, with regards to the weight, I’m close to making weight already and I’ve done everything I’ve been asked to do with regards to my diet. It’s not easy, but I know when I focus on my diet and when I focus on making weight, I can do it. I’ve done it before, and this is just one additional time I’m doing it.

Q. Memo, can you talk about the training since December and your last fight?

MEMO HEREDIA: Yes, we’ve been training for a while. The Monterrey fight was a good beginning, a smaller fight, and it wasn’t as long a camp. This one was much better. It was a longer camp. I feel Julio is really strong, and always remember that Julio is a good fighter. He’s a smart fighter. And with his preparation, I think the combination of things is going to make for a great fight from Julio.

Q. I know there’s been a lot of discussion about whether you’ll make the weight or how you’re making the weight. I wanted to know, when it was being discussed, this fight, how confident were you that when you finally agreed to the 164.5, that you would be able to do it, or was there a little bit of, like I hope I can do this, I think I can do this, I’m going to work really hard to do this, but were there some anxious moments in there?

CHAVEZ, JR.: I always felt that 160 was a possible weight that I could make. When we were discussing this fight, I didn’t think it was an obstacle, because I knew that if I want it and I worked hard enough, I could go to 160.

The only difference was it going to be a lot of work. I felt it was going to be a lot of work and it has been a lot of work. Therefore, 164.5, the weight that we agreed to, I never felt that it wasn’t possible. It was just going to be a lot of work to get there.

Q. And even coming down a little bit from where you’ve had your most recent fights, do you think that the way that you win this fight is because you are a bigger guy than Canelo, you have a great chin, you always have, and you also have good punching power; and that if you take a good big guy and match him with a good guy that’s smaller, a lot of times the guy that wins is the bigger man. Do you feel like your best asset is that you can go out there and just push him around, impose your will on him and break him down in that way?

CHAVEZ, JR.: Well, it has been said that in boxing that that’s an important factor; that the weight and the bigger person is always going to have the advantage. That I think is true.

But I think with this fight, I’m just focusing on staying strong, making the weight the right way so that I’m in there and able to compete at that level. But I think really that this fight is going to come down to me being intelligent, me being smart, and I think that’s going to be the difference, also.

Q. Do you think you can knock him out?

CHAVEZ, JR.: Yes, I feel I can. I feel that I’m a bigger guy. I fought at light heavyweight. He’s never thought fighters this size, and because of that, if things pan out and I get the right shot, I think of course it can happen.

Q. I know your relationship with Canelo is not good. Is it because he feels that you have not — you have not had to work that hard because of your bloodlines, etc.? Is that why you think that he does not like you?

CHAVEZ, JR.: The answer is, I don’t know specifically why he doesn’t like me or this animosity exists. Maybe because I’m the son of Julio Cesar Chavez, I don’t know. That could be one of the reasons.

You know, we don’t always pick who we’re going to, but I can tell you this: I am the son of a legend, but some of — all of my accomplishments have come from my work. I’m the one who wins these fights, and I think one of the reasons they picked me is because I put on good fights. And I’m the type of fighter that people want to see, and they know that this fight with me will generate bigger revenue, and that’s another reason why this fight is happening.

Q. When you train, do you prefer to have your father around you, or does that sometimes put so much pressure on you? How do you feel about that?

CHAVEZ, JR.: I like my father to be around. It’s okay when he’s around. It’s just important for him to understand that he’s not my trainer. Sometimes we don’t always transmit instructions the way we would like for them to come out, but I have my own trainer. I picked Nacho Beristain, who is a great trainer; one of the best in the history of boxing.

But I will say that a lot of what I learned in boxing, I learned it watching my father as a little kid. I grew up watching him my whole life, and I learned a lot of what I know from watching my father.

Q. What is it that motivates you the most to want to win this fight?

CHAVEZ, JR.: Everything. I want to prove to everybody that I still can be and fight at the very top levels. And also, I want to dedicate this fight, I want to do well and dedicate this fight to my daughters.

Q. Is this a great opportunity and could make you a star again, but what if you lost?

CHAVEZ, JR.: I don’t plan on losing. It’s not something I’m thinking about. This fight and boxing is not about luck. It’s about hard work, and it’s what you have in your heart. And if you work hard and your heart is in it, you’ll have good results.

So no, it’s not luck, I don’t believe in luck, and I don’t plan on losing. So there’s nothing for me to discuss regarding that.

Q. What do you respect about Canelo?

CHAVEZ, JR.: He’s a good fighter. He’s had good fights. He’s fought good people, not always in their prime, but they have been good fighters, and I have respect for anybody who jumps in the ring. Anybody who is willing to go in the ring and fight deserves my respect.

I have no fear of anything, and I don’t fear my opponents. The only thing that I worry about is myself. I’m the only thing that I have to worry about.

Q. You talked a while ago about your pairing with Nacho Beristain for this training camp. What made you make the decision to go work with one of the most revered and respected trainers in boxing? Compared to the other trainers you’ve worked with over the course of your career that got you to obviously a very good record.

CHAVEZ, JR.: So why Nacho? The reason I chose Nacho is that I think he’s a great Mexican trainer, and I think he has the correct character that matches with me. I saw something in him, some type of connection, that I felt would be very good for me.

It wasn’t easy making adjustments. Like anytime you have a new trainer, it’s a difficult transition sometimes. But I felt that throughout the camp, he taught me a lot of things, some things that I changed in my boxing, that I think are going to help me the day of the fight. That’s the reason I chose him.

Q. We just had a spectacular worldwide fight viewed by millions halfway around the world, and the boxing community is still buzzing about it. Are you going to be able to build on that for your fight this weekend? Do you think that is a big advantage and plus for you this weekend?

CHAVEZ, JR.: This last fight this past weekend was exciting. It’s always an exciting event whenever there’s a heavyweight match up at this level, especially two guys who are action fighters and that’s what we saw this past weekend.

And like everything in boxing, it’s about the styles. Good styles create good fights and I think that’s what happened in that fight. And I think that we’re going to build upon that this Saturday, May 6. I think that my style with my opponent is a fight set up for that kind of event: Action fight with two styles that are going to be exciting for the people.

Q. Was there ever a time when things weren’t going so well for you, maybe after the Fonfara fight that you ever thought about hanging it up, or did that never cross your mind?

CHAVEZ, JR.: It may have crossed my mind at some point, obviously after the Fonfara fight and the Reyes fight, those were two fights where I don’t think that I had the same amount of passion that I needed to have.

But this fight is a lot different. This fight has created a lot of passion in me, a lot of enthusiasm, and I think that that’s the difference in this. Excited about this fight, and I think that you’re going to see a different Julio that’s excited.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: We will be sending out information for the coming days in Las Vegas, and we will see you May 6 in the much-anticipated Canelo Alvarez versus Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. fight. Thank you very much.

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet. Lemieux vs. Reyes is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management, Matthysse vs. Taylor is a 10-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Avila is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place on Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. are priced at $75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and tickets are available for purchase at any MGM Resorts International box office or concierge desk. Tickets also can be purchased by phone with a major credit card at 800-745-3000.

Tickets for “Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.” in theaters nationwide are on sale now at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.com; follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; follow the conversation using #CaneloChavezJr

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

DENVER – May 1, 2017 – On Saturday, May 6, fight fans watching the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. superfight on the big screen will also each receive an exclusive commemorative fight poster with the purchase of a ticket (while supplies last). The Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. poster, issued by Fathom Events, features both fighters against a Mexican flag backdrop ready to meet in the ring to settle their boxing feud once and for all.

Cinemas across the U.S. will play host to a Cinco de Mayo weekend mega-fight with a pulse-pounding live broadcast event featuring two of Mexico’s finest boxers: “Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.” in a historic showdown that will rival the biggest fights in Mexico’s rich boxing history. Former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) will square off against former WBC World Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) in a 12-round battle.

Presented by Fathom Events and Golden Boy Promotions, the one-day cinema broadcast is set for Saturday, May 6 at 6:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. CT / 9:00 p.m. ET, live from the sold-out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the “Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.” cinema event are on sale now at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 250 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).
Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link www.bit.ly/Canelo-ChavezJr into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place on Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas®, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like Copa America Centenario, concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series and inspirational events such as To Joey With Love and Kirk Cameron’s Revive US. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 896 locations and 1,383 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley. For more information, visit www.GoldenBoyPromotions.com, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @GoldenBoyBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (May 1, 2017) – The Golden Boy Media and Entertainment production of “Mano-A-Mano: The Battle for Mexico” will air this week on ESPN 2 and ESPN Deportes as part of the lead up to the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr.

“We are very excited to further our partnership with ESPN by having Mano-A-Mano air across the ESPN family of networks as part of the lead up to the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. mega fight on Saturday, May 6. We’ve had a successful start to the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN series, and this is just the next step in what we hope to be a long partnership with ESPN” said Oscar De La Hoya, executive producer of “Mano-A-Mano” and chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

“Mano-A-Mano The Battle for Mexico” – Air Schedule:
Monday, May 1 available on ESPN’s VOD Platforms
Tuesday, May 2 at 8:30pm ET – ESPN Deportes
Wednesday, May 3 11:30pm ET – ESPN 2
Thursday, May 4 at 9:30pm ET – ESPN 2
Friday, May 5 at 7:30pm ET – ESPN 2
“Mano-A-Mano” goes behind the scenes of the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. megafight as Golden Boy Media and Entertainment takes you into the camps of Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) as they prepare for their Saturday, May 6 showdown. “Mano-A-Mano” also features exclusive interviews with Canelo, Chavez, Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr., Eddy and Chepo Reynoso, as well as others from around the fighters’ fight camps and promotion.

“Golden Boy Media and Entertainment has established itself as a leader in boxing television production for live, scripted, and documentary programming,” said Golden Boy Media and Entertainment Executive Vice President David Tetreault. “Golden Boy’s new partnership with ESPN creates the foundation for new and exciting programming that boxing fans will truly appreciate as they gear up during Canelo-Chavez, Jr. fight week.”

Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. is a 12-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Interjet. Lemieux vs. Reyes is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management, Matthysse vs. Taylor is a 10-round fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Avila is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event will take place on Saturday, May 6 at T-Mobile Arena and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. are priced at $75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and tickets are available for purchase at any MGM Resorts International box office or concierge desk. Tickets also can be purchased by phone with a major credit card at 800-745-3000.

Tickets for “Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.” in theaters nationwide are on sale now at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.com; follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; follow the conversation using #CaneloChavezJr
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/Canelo-ChavezJr into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.