Video: UFC 210 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 4




OLYMPIC TRIO ADDED TO JOSHUA KLITSCHKO BILL

Olympians Lawrence Okolie, Joe Cordina and Josh Kelly have been added the undercard for the Heavyweight blockbuster between Anthony Joshua MBE and Wladimir Klitschko on April 29 at Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The trio represented Team GB in Rio last summer before turning to the paid ranks, with Okolie the first to make his debut and in spectacular fashion in Manchester earlier this month.

Kelly will make his pro bow next weekend in Glasgow on the undercard of Ricky Burns’ World Super-Lightweight title unification battle with Julius Indongo, while Welshman Cordina steps through the ropes for the first time for money a week later in Liverpool where Martin Murray and Gabriel Rosado top the bill in a tasty Middleweight battle.

One of the fighters will follow in Joshua’s footsteps and open the show, just like the London 2012 gold medal hero did in 2014 before Carl Froch knocked out George Groves.

Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the trio will draw lots ahead of the event, with the man that picks number one out grabbing the first spot on the bill while numbers two and three will be TV floats.

“I’m delighted to add these outstanding young fighters to a historic night of boxing at Wembley on April 29,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “In terms of platform and experience, there is no better stage for their career. It was nearly three years ago that Anthony Joshua kicked the night off at Wembley Stadium for Froch vs. Groves II and I believe all three of these fighters have the ability to headline there in years to come. We will draw numbers on fight week with the number one spot kicking off the night and the other two sitting tight for the knock on the changing room door as the huge 90,000 crowd begins to build.”

Okolie, Cordina and Kelly are the latest fighters to be added to the Joshua Klitschko show after the announcement that former World Super-Bantamweight king Scott Quigg continues his quest to become a two-weight champion by facing Viorel Simion at Featherweight, with more fights to be announced shortly.




BEN ASKREN TAKES ON AGILAN THANI IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES

07 April 2017 – Singapore: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced a blockbuster co-main event bout at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES. ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren will return to the ONE Championship cage to defend his title against rising young Malaysian star Agilan “Alligator” Thani. ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES is set for 26 May at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will also feature ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee taking on challenger Istela Nunes of Brazil in the main event.

Ticket information for ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES is available at www.onefc.com

Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “We are excited to announce that ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren is back and he’s ready to welcome the young Agilan Thani to the upper echelon of the division. It is going to be an awesome showdown of youth versus experience, on a night fans will not want to miss. Get ready for an evening of non-stop MMA action ready to hit you live in Singapore!”

A former NCAA Division I All-American, Ben Askren is a collegiate wrestling legend and one of the finest mixed martial artists in the world today. In just a few fights in ONE, Askren was able to seize the ONE Welterweight World Championship with a resounding technical knockout victory over Nobutatsu Suzuki. The highly-skilled Askren is widely considered to be the absolute best in his division and one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound. Next for Askren is a title defense against Malaysian welterweight Agilan Thani.

The undefeated Agilan “Alligator” Thani of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be making his return to the ONE Championship cage, following a spectacular submission victory over veteran welterweight Jeff Huang. The 21-year old prospect is a perfect 7-0 as a professional, with five of his seven victories ending in the first round. All of Thani’s victories have come by exciting finish. The young Malaysian has shown steady improvement in each outing, and has earned a shot at ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 118+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, MYTV, HTV, OSN and more.




GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO THROW CINCO DE MAYO WEEKEND FIESTA WITH GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN SPECIAL TRIPLEHEADER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING CANELO VS. CHAVEZ, JR. WEIGH-IN


LOS ANGELES (April 7, 2017) – On Friday, May 5, one day before the mega-fight between Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. goes down in Las Vegas, Golden Boy Promotions will throw a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Fans will get a full afternoon and evening of activity starting with the Official Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr.Weigh In, an action-packed night of Golden Boy Boxing onESPN fights headlined by Former Three-Division World Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa taking on the longtime contender Robinson Castellanos, surprise fighter appearances, DJs, sponsor giveaways, entertainment and much, much more!

First, the MGM Grand Garden Arena doors will open at 1:00 p.m. PST for the official Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. and full undercard Weigh-in with fighters hitting the scales at 2:00 p.m. PST/5:00 p.m. EST, main pay-per-view-view undercard to weigh in beginning at 2:30 p.m. PST/5:30 p.m. EST. Soon after the weigh-in, the Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN fights will begin, leading into a special televised tripleheader of fan-friendly action live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

As a special treat to the fans, Golden Boy Promotions will be giving away exclusive VIP seating and entrance to the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. Weigh-in with purchase of a ticket to Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN: Gamboa vs. Castellanos.

“On the eve of the Mexico vs. Mexico superfight that is Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr., it was only fitting we throw the ultimate fan fiesta on Cinco de Mayo in Las Vegas,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “There is no better way to enjoy this special holiday than to come out and watch some top quality, action-packed fights, listen to the sounds of the mariachi bands and wave your Mexican flags.”

Cuban standout and Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa (26-1, 17 KOs) of Miami, FL will be making a rapid return to the ring to face rugged Celaya, Mexico fighter Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (21-11, 13 KOs) in a main event lightweight fight scheduled for 10 rounds transmitted on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST.

In the co-main event, Abraham “El Chamaco” Lopez (22-0-1, 15 KOs) of La Puente, CA will put his WBA-NABA Featherweight title and undefeated record on the line, as he squares off in a 10 round bout against dangerous fighter Jesus Rojas (24-1-2, 17 KOs) hailing from Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Opening up Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN televised fights, someone’s “0” must go as Sao Paulo, Brazil’s own Yamaguchi Falcão (12-0, 6 KOs) faces his toughest challenge yet in the sturdy Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch (18-0-1, 8 KOs) of Pittsburgh, PA in a 10 round middleweight match.

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. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will transmit the fights live on Friday, May 5 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST. ESPN Deportes will also air the undercard matches, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. The same bouts will also run at the same time in English, on ESPN3, with TV coverage starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on ESPN2.

Tickets starting at $10* for Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN will go on sale, TODAY, April 7 at 12:00 p.m. PST and will 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 Contact Center at (866) 740-7711. Tickets will also be available for purchase online at www.axs.com or www.mgmgrand.com and various MGM Resorts Box Offices. *All ticket prices do not include service fees or applicable service charges.

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 of Yuriorkis Gamboa or Robinson Castellanos.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxing and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/espn.fnf, and www.facebook.com/ESPNBoxeo; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPNBoxeo. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN.




Terry Flanagan – Petr Petrov Press Conference Photos

Below are images from Thursday’s Press conference featuring WBO Lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan and number-2 contender Petr Petrov. Flanagan and Petrov will meet this Saturday, and the fight will be streamed in the United States Live on Twitter.

The live stream of Saturday’s Championship fight will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users exclusively on Twitter and connected devices in the United States. Access to the live stream will be available Saturday night at boxing.twitter.com and on @BannerBoxing. Follow at @BannerBoxing to find out the exact timing of the live stream in the coming days.

(Click Pictures to enlarge)




Ricky Burns meets Julius Indongo in an IBF/WBA 140 pound unification bout live on Saturday, April 15th, live on AWE & www.klowdtv.com


SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – April 5, 2017 – Ricky Burns and Julius Indongo will clash in a bout that will unify the WBA and IBF 140-pound world titles. The match-up takes place on Saturday, April 15th and will be featured live and exclusively on AWE, A Wealth of Entertainment and www.klowdtv.com in the United States.

Burns will have the home fan advantage. The bout originates from the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. The undercard fights begin at 2:30 PM EST / 11:20 AM PT.

“We’re thrilled to bring this very exciting world unification fight to our fans,” stated Robert Herring, CEO of AWE.

Burns of Coatsbridge, Scotland has been a world champion in three weight-classes, and has been competing in world title bouts for seven years.

The 33 year-old has a record of 41-5-1 with 14 knockouts. He has taken part in 12 world title bouts with a record of 10-1-1 in those contests.

Burns has wins over Colin Bain (8-0), Graham Earl (22-0), Haider Ali (4-1), Osumanu Akaba (21-4-1), Yakuba Amidu (16-1-1), Michael Gomes (38-9) and Kevin O’Hara (16-4).

On September 4, 2010, Burns won the WBO Super Featherweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Michael Katsidis (28-4). He won the full title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Paulus Moses (28-1). Burns defended that title 3 times with wins over Kevin Mitchell (33-1) & Jose Gonzalez (22-0) and a draw with Raymundo Beltran (28-6), before dropping his title to Terence Crawford.

Burns became a 3-division champion with an 8th round stoppage over Michele Di Rocco on May 28, 2016. He has made one defense, which came on October 7th with a unanimous decision over Kiryl Relikh.

“When Julius Indongo knocked out Eduard Troyanovsky he was immediately an opponent I was interested in,” says Burns. “Indongo can clearly punch and that’s an impressive way to win a World title, especially in Russia. It was some shot he hit Troyanovsky with.

“It’s a huge fight in the division and the kind of fights I need to be involved in at this stage of my career. There were other names talked about but I wanted the toughest, most dangerous fight out there. Indongo with his two belts was that man.

“He is a big tall, rangy, southpaw but bring it on – I have no fear of anyone and it is only the massive fights for me now.

“Fighting in Glasgow is special for me, the crowd at the SSE Hydro has been electric the last two occasions and I expect it to be no different this time round.”

Indongo of Windhoek, Namibia has a perfect mark of 20-0 with 11 knockouts.

The 34 year-old is an eight-year professional, who was the WBO African Super Lightweight champion as he had wins over Zolani Marali (4-5), Ibrahim Class (12-1) and Ishmael Kuchocha (12-3).

On December 3, 2016, Indongo scored one of the biggest upsets of the year, when he scored a stunning and explosive 40 second knockout over classy and undefeated IBF Champion Eduard Troyanovsky (25-0) in the former champion’s backyard of Moscow, Russia.

Indongo added: “It’s an absolute honor for me to fight Ricky, who I regard as an accomplished champion. I respect what he has achieved so far but I’m going to Scotland to rob him of his belt. I know it won’t be easy but I’m comforted by the fact that I have a good team and passionate Namibian fans, and I have every intention of making them smile and unifying the division on April 15.”

(AWE’s promo for the fight may be downloaded at: https://vimeo.com/210975681)

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has featured over 50 world title fights.

AWE has brought boxing fans some of the most exciting and controversial bouts, including the matchup of Ricky Burns against Ray Beltran for the world title. AWE featured live and exclusively the crowning of American Terence Crawford over Ricky Burns. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

In 2017, AWE was the exclusive United States television provider of the historic matchup between legendary British heavyweight David Haye and Tony Bellew.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is available on over a hundred cable systems, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.




Video: HBO Boxing News: 1-on-1 with Jason Sosa




Video: HBO Boxing News: 1-on-1 with Vasyl Lomachenko




Fight Network Presents KSW 38 & TKO 38 Live Doubleheader this Friday, April 7, Plus Live UFC® 210 Coverage on April 8

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a thrilling live mixed martial arts doubleheader this Friday, April 7, beginning with KSW 38: Live in Studio from Warsaw, Poland at 3 p.m. ET followed by TKO 38: Ascension from Montreal, Canada at 6 p.m. ET. Live fight coverage continues on Saturday, April 8 with the live PRE-FIGHT and POST-FIGHT shows for UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2.

KSW 38: Live in Studio will be televised live on Fight Network in Canada, the U.S. and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Meanwhile, TKO 38: Ascension airs live on Fight Network in Canada and streams globally on UFCFightPass.com.

Kicking off at 3 p.m. ET, a pair of top Polish featherweight stars will headline KSW 38: Live in Studio, as Artur Sowinski (17-8) collides with Lukasz Chlewicki (14-5-1). In the co-main event, Polish lightweight Grzegorz Szulakowski (7-1) welcomes Brazil’s Renato Gomes (20-9) into enemy territory. In other featured contests, Polish featherweight Roman Szymanski (9-3) meets Brazil’s Denilson Neves (11-4), Lukasz Rajewski (6-2) faces Sebastian Romanowski (11-7-1) in a battle of Polish featherweights, Kamil Selwa (10-5) tackles fellow Polish bantamweight prospect Anzor Azhiev (6-2), Antoni Chmiewlewski (32-15) and Lukasz Bienkowski (4-1) square off in a clash of Polish middleweights, plus Kamil Szymuszowski (15-4) and Grajcan Szadzinski (5-1) throw down in an all-Polish lightweight showdown.

TKO 38: Ascension gets underway at 6 p.m. ET and will be headlined by a massive lightweight matchup between Ontario’s Jesse Ronson (16-8) and Montreal’s Derek Gauthier (8-6). The bantamweight co-feature pits Michael Imperato (7-2) against Xavier Alaoui (7-1). In other marquee bouts, T.J. Laramie (5-1) takes on Alex Morgan (6-2) in a featherweight contest, Speedy Gym product Dimitri Waardenburg (12-7) meets American bantamweight David Sachs (10-3), once-beaten Canadian middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault (6-1) battles Frenchman Yacine Bandaoui (7-5), undefeated Canadian heavyweight Adam Dyczka (4-0) takes on debuting Bobby Sullivan (0-0), plus Tyler Wilson (1-0) faces Eric Daigneault (2-2) at 135 pounds, Charles Jourdain (3-0) faces Mathieu Morciano (3-2) at 145 pounds, Jeremie Capony (5-0) risks his perfect record against Kevin Genereux (2-2) at 155 pounds and highly touted flyweight prospect Tony Laramie (1-0) pursues his second professional triumph opposite undefeated Derek Falk (2-0).

In addition, Fight Network will deliver extensive coverage of UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2 on Saturday, April 8, starting at 1 p.m. ET with four hours of Fight Network’s original series UFC IN 60 showcasing main event and co-main event stars Daniel Cormier, Anthony Johnson, Chris Weidman and Gegard Mousasi. At 5 p.m. ET, UFC 210 COUNTDOWN goes inside the lives and gyms of four athletes preparing for pivotal battles.

Fight Network will televise the live UFC® 210 PRE-FIGHT SHOW at 7 p.m. ET leading into live prelims on TSN2. The show features retired UFC contenders Kenny Florian and Yves Edwards working as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant, along with reporter Megan Olivi conducting on-site fighter interviews.

At the conclusion of UFC® 210: CORMIER vs. JOHNSON 2, the live UFC® 210 POST-FIGHT SHOW features highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.




Video: UFC 210 Countdown: Full Episode




ALL FIGHTERS MAKE WEIGHT – SOME TIX LEFT FOR FIGHT CLUB OC

BOUT 7 – MMA
JACOB ROSALES 155.5 VS JUSTIN JAYNES 156
3 X 5 ROUNDS

BOUT 6 – BOXING
SERGIO QUIROZ 122 VS CODY SESSIONS 122.4
4 ROUNDS

BOUT 5 – MMA
TOMMY AARON 145 VS ALEX ARREDONDO 145.5
3 X 5 ROUNDS

BOUT 4 – BOXING
GEORGE ACOSTA 135.4 VS GABRIEL SERRANO 136.8
4 ROUNDS

BOUT 3 – BOXING
RUSLAN MADIYEV 140 VS EVINCII DIXON 143
6 ROUNDS

BOUT 2 – MMA
MIKE HANSEN 127.8 VS ALBERT TAPIA 127.9
3 X 5 ROUNDS

BOUT 1 – BOXING
SERHII BOHACHUK 147 VS JONATHAN ACEVES 146.2
4 ROUNDS




Ricky Burns meets Julius Indongo in an IBF/WBA 140 pound unification bout live on Saturday, April 15th, live on AWE & www.klowdtv.com


SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – April 5, 2017 – Ricky Burns and Julius Indongo will clash in a bout that will unify the WBA and IBF 140-pound world titles. The match-up takes place on Saturday, April 15th and will be featured live and exclusively on AWE, A Wealth of Entertainment and www.klowdtv.com in the United States.

Burns will have the home fan advantage. The bout originates from the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. The undercard fights begin at 2:30 PM EST / 11:20 AM PT.

“We’re thrilled to bring this very exciting world unification fight to our fans,” stated Robert Herring, CEO of AWE.

Burns of Coatsbridge, Scotland has been a world champion in three weight-classes, and has been competing in world title bouts for seven years.

The 33 year-old has a record of 41-5-1 with 14 knockouts. He has taken part in 12 world title bouts with a record of 10-1-1 in those contests.

Burns has wins over Colin Bain (8-0), Graham Earl (22-0), Haider Ali (4-1), Osumanu Akaba (21-4-1), Yakuba Amidu (16-1-1), Michael Gomes (38-9) and Kevin O’Hara (16-4).

On September 4, 2010, Burns won the WBO Super Featherweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over Michael Katsidis (28-4). He won the full title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Paulus Moses (28-1). Burns defended that title 3 times with wins over Kevin Mitchell (33-1) & Jose Gonzalez (22-0) and a draw with Raymundo Beltran (28-6), before dropping his title to Terence Crawford.

Burns became a 3-division champion with an 8th round stoppage over Michele Di Rocco on May 28, 2016. He has made one defense, which came on October 7th with a unanimous decision over Kiryl Relikh.

“When Julius Indongo knocked out Eduard Troyanovsky he was immediately an opponent I was interested in,” says Burns. “Indongo can clearly punch and that’s an impressive way to win a World title, especially in Russia. It was some shot he hit Troyanovsky with.

“It’s a huge fight in the division and the kind of fights I need to be involved in at this stage of my career. There were other names talked about but I wanted the toughest, most dangerous fight out there. Indongo with his two belts was that man.

“He is a big tall, rangy, southpaw but bring it on – I have no fear of anyone and it is only the massive fights for me now.

“Fighting in Glasgow is special for me, the crowd at the SSE Hydro has been electric the last two occasions and I expect it to be no different this time round.”

Indongo of Windhoek, Namibia has a perfect mark of 20-0 with 11 knockouts.

The 34 year-old is an eight-year professional, who was the WBO African Super Lightweight champion as he had wins over Zolani Marali (4-5), Ibrahim Class (12-1) and Ishmael Kuchocha (12-3).

On December 3, 2016, Indongo scored one of the biggest upsets of the year, when he scored a stunning and explosive 40 second knockout over classy and undefeated IBF Champion Eduard Troyanovsky (25-0) in the former champion’s backyard of Moscow, Russia.

Indongo added: “It’s an absolute honor for me to fight Ricky, who I regard as an accomplished champion. I respect what he has achieved so far but I’m going to Scotland to rob him of his belt. I know it won’t be easy but I’m comforted by the fact that I have a good team and passionate Namibian fans, and I have every intention of making them smile and unifying the division on April 15.”

(AWE’s promo for the fight may be downloaded at: https://vimeo.com/210975681)

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has featured over 50 world title fights.

AWE has brought boxing fans some of the most exciting and controversial bouts, including the matchup of Ricky Burns against Ray Beltran for the world title. AWE featured live and exclusively the crowning of American Terence Crawford over Ricky Burns. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson.

In 2017, AWE was the exclusive United States television provider of the historic matchup between legendary British heavyweight David Haye and Tony Bellew.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is available on over a hundred cable systems, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD and Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.




Combate Americas Adds Women’s 105-Pound Bout, Completes Card for April 20

NEW YORK – April 6, 2017 – Combate Americas announced today the completion of a stacked, 10-fight lineup for its “Combate 13” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz. on Thursday, April 20, live on Azteca America and ESPN Latin America (10 p.m. ET).

Among the matchups added to finalize the card are a welterweight (170 pounds) showdown between a pair of undefeated, rising stars in Daniel Rodriguez (3-0) and Joel Champion (4-0), neither of whom have been taken the distance of a fight yet, as well as a women’s atomweight (105 pounds) contest between unbeaten sensation Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (2-0) and hard-nosed battler Stephanie “The Cyclone” Alba (3-1).

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of “Combate 13,” accomplished veteran Roman “El Gallito” Salazar (10-5-1) of Scottsdale, Ariz. will collide with knockout artist Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (7-1) of Mission, Texas.

“We have a fantastic lineup of fights assembled, and we are excited about bringing the Combate Americas live television series to Arizona for the first time ever,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

Priced from $20, tickets for “Combate 13” are on sale at the Casino Del Sol box office (1-855-765-7829).

The 6-foot-1, 29-year-old Rodriguez, who recently signed an exclusive, multi-fight contract with Combate Americas, has notched all three of his professional wins to date inside of two rounds. In his last effort on January 21, the Alhambra, Calif. resident scored a second round (3:55) TKO (punches) on Christian Gonzalez.

Also 6-foot-1 and 29 years of age, Champion of Tucson has not been pushed past the second round of a fight yet. In his last start on October 1, 2016, he scored a first round (4:13) knockout on Chris Collins.

Zappitella is a 4-foot-11, 22-year-old resident of Brighton, Michigan and decorated amateur wrestler, who is coming off an extraordinary victory in Sanya, China on February 25 where she submitted Miao Ding with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of a matchup contested at flyweight (125 pounds), two weight classes above Zappitella’s natural fighting weight.

The 4-foot-11, 34-year-old Alba of Houston, Texas will look to return to the win column after suffering a split decision defeat at the hands of old rival Paulina “Firefox” Granados at “Combate 5” last May 9. Prior to the loss, Alba had gone unbeaten in her campaign as a professional.

In other action, Victor “Kelevra” Reyna (8-3) will meet Andy “Golden Boy” Perez (7-3) at welterweight.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Reyna of Dallas, Texas has earned six of his eight professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, while Perez of Tucson, a 5-foot-9, 28-year-old, is looking to record his second straight victory after notching a first round (2:16) submission (rear-naked choke) win over Anthony Wray on October 1, 2016.

Originally slated to face Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-2) of Palm Beach, Fla., Randy Steinke (17-10) of Payson, Ariz. will now square off with Urijah Faber-protégé Erick Sanchez (7-3) of Sacramento, Calif., while Rivera will do battle with unbeaten Kevin “Quicksand” Natividad (2-0) of Phoenix, Ariz.

The 5-foot-10, 26-year-old Sanchez is looking to bounce back quickly from a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Andres “The Bullet” Quintana at Combate 11 on February 16. Prior to the loss, the Team Alpha Male member held an unblemished, 2-0 record in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage.

Originally from Hawaii, the 24-year-old Natividad owns two, first-round victories – a submission (rear-naked choke) of Josue Rodriguez at the 3:04 mark of the first frame in what was Natividad’s pro debut on November 19, 2016, and a TKO (punches) of Jesse Ortiz that came at the 2:52 mark of the opening round of action on January 28.

Natividad turned professional after amassing a perfect amateur record of 6-0. Five of his amateur victories came by way of TKO or submission.

The “Combate 13” preliminary bout card will also feature two flyweight matchups – the first between Arturo Guzman (0-1) of Tucson and Robert Caspar (0-0) of Copperas Grove, Texas, and the second between Justin Rascon (2-1) of Tucson and Jose Palencia, Jr. (1-1) of Tempe, Ariz.

To location what station Azteca America airs on in your market, you can log onto the network’s channel finder.

In addition to Azteca America and ESPN Latin America, “Combate13” will air on TV Azteca in Mexico the following night, Friday, April 21, at 11 p.m. CT. It will be distributed by UFC Fight Pass® as a video on demand.

Complete “Combate Americas: Combate 13” Fight Card

Bantamweight Main Event:
Roman Salazar vs. Ricky Palacios

Middleweight Co-Main Event:
Kobe Ortiz vs. Eddie Arizmendi

Bantamweight: Irwin Rivera vs. Kevin Natividad
Welterweight: Benny Madrid vs. Chad Dietmeyer
Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Joel Champion
Atomweight: Alesha Zappitella vs. Stephanie Alba
Featherweight: Erick Sanchez vs. Randy Steinke
Welterweight: Victor Reyna vs. Andy Perez
Flyweight: Justin Rascon vs. Jose, Palencia, Jr.
Flyweight: Arturo Guzman vs. Robert Caspar

# # #

ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts. The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.

ABOUT TV AZTECA
TV Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, operating two national television networks in Mexico, El trece and Azteca 7, through more than 300 owned and operated stations across the country. TV Azteca affiliates include Azteca US, a broadcast television network focused on the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic market, and Azteca Web, an Internet company for North American Spanish speakers.

ABOUT AZTECA AMERICA’S NETWORK
Azteca America engages Spanish-language viewers by creating unique, passionate and enlightening content that is relevant to the daily lives of our audience. Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language content in the world, Azteca America complements its Mexican programs with an innovative lineup of shows from third-party producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming for its audience. The company provides tailored, multi-platform advertising solutions for clients seeking to reach the most dynamic consumer group in the country.

About Casino Del Sol:
Located in southwest metropolitan Tucson, Ariz., the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is a federally recognized tribe with nearly 20,000 enrolled members. The Tribe owns and operates several enterprises including Casino Del Sol, Arizona’s only Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond casino resort, one of the Best Hotels in Arizona named by U.S. News & World Report; Casino of the Sun; AVA Amphitheater, a 5,000-seat open-air concert venue named Casino Arena/Amphitheater of the Year by Casino Entertainment Awards; Sewailo Golf Club, a par-72 championship course designed by Notah Begay III; and the Del Sol Marketplace. For more information, call 1-855-SOL-STAY (765-7829) or visit www.CasinoDelSol.com. Follow Casino Del Sol onFacebook and Twitter.




Shawn Porter Media Workout Quotes


LAS VEGAS (April 5, 2017) – Former world champion Shawn Porter hosted a media workout in Las Vegas Wednesday as he prepares for his welterweight world title eliminator showdown against Andre Berto that headlines a Premier Boxing Champions event Saturday, April 22 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME.

Televised coverage of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo defending against top contender Charles Hatley.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50 (not including applicable fees) and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what Porter and his father and trainer, Kenny Porter, had to say Wednesday from the Porter Hy-Performance Center:

SHAWN PORTER

“Every time I see this fight in my head, I feel good about it. I feel like my speed and my boxing ability is going to take care of the first half of this fight. Once we get going and establish the pace of the fight, which is what we’re going to do, after that, we’ll start working in our feints, our head movement, it’s gonna be beautiful. I know that much.

“I’ve seen him in fights where he goes past the fifth and sixth round, and things start to fall apart for him. So if we can get to his body early, and you see everything we do here in the facility, these guys work me almost to death. We’re ready for the 12 rounds plus. We’re always ready to take more out of our guy’s tank and have a lot more at the end.

“I really think there’s an understanding we both have. He tells me what to do and I listen. Like he always says, as long as I listen, everything will play out the way it’s supposed to. We have that one understanding, and the rest just carries itself.

“I’ve seen myself hurting him to the body, but haven’t seen myself stopping him. I can see him going down, but I can’t see him not getting up. Maybe that’s too much respect for him, but I know in the moment, in the fight, I’m going after this dude. I feel like right now, he has the heart of a lion. He’s Haitian, he carries that blood with him, he’s proud of it and I respect that, so I’m ready for a full fight.

“I think my coaches keep me at the peak. My dad keeps me where I need to be. A big part of what we work on is the focus and mentality approaching the fight, as well. I feel like where other guys lack, I have it all. We’re in better condition than most guys. And we work on the mental fortitude just as much as we do on the physical.

“I think when opportunities like this come up, that’s when I really get going. For me, there’s nothing better than fight night. Everything leading up to it is just part of the process. I can tell you that right now, we’re talking the fight, I’m excited and I want it.”

KENNY PORTER, Shawn’s Father & Trainer

“I think we got the right sparring partners. We’ve had Brandon Adams, who is like a bigger version of Shawn, in here. He does a good job of emulating Berto. We also now have Hank Lundy in. Lundy is a guy that’s bringing speed, quickness, power and an attitude every time they spar. He’s saying things to Shawn, popping off at Shawn, and if Shawn lands a good punch on him, he’s coming right back. And we’ve been using Mickey Bey on the back end of our sparring sessions. It’s working out pretty good. We’re just looking to push Shawn really hard.

“We’re never satisfied about anything. My thing is more than anything else, is we’re asking him to do the things we’ve worked and practiced and put it all together so we can take that to the next fight and the next camp instead of starting over and restarting. It’s coming together, and we’re liking what we’re seeing. Never satisfied, but I would like to see him out-box him, out-punch him, out-hustle him, then I would like to see him punish him. That would be the ultimate scenario. You do all these things we worked on, then you punish him.”

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ABOUT BERTO vs. PORTER
Andre Berto vs. Shawn Porter is a WBC welterweight world title eliminator between former 147-pound world champions. The 12-round bout headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, Saturday April 22 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™. In the co-main event, undefeated super welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo battles top rated challenger Charles Hatley, with televised coverage beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @AndreBerto, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.




TV AZTECA AND TELEVISA TO BOTH BROADCAST CANELO VS. CHAVEZ, JR. LIVE ON SATURDAY, MAY 6 FROM T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS


LOS ANGELES (April 5, 2017) – Making Mexican television history, TV Azteca and Televisa will both air the Canelo vs. Chavez, Jr. event live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 6 in celebration of the Cinco de Mayo weekend. It will be the first time that both stations carry a main event featuring Mexican fighters.

This historic announcement comes as fans get ready to witness this highly anticipated “Mexican Civil War” between two of the most famous and skilled boxers in the sport-with the true winners being those tuning in live on the simultaneous broadcasts.

“This is a historic announcement and it was my wish for both networks to work together to show this fight,” said Canelo. “Now all of my fellow countrymen can enjoy this epic battle between two proud Mexican warriors. The event is grabbing the attention and showing the importance of the Cinco de Mayo weekend for our Mexican people.”

“This is a true testament to the star power of Canelo as it is unprecedented that one athlete can merge two networks,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya. “Now that the fight will be broadcast on both TV Azteca and Televisa, all of Mexico will have access to watch Canelo and Chavez Jr. on May 6.”

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 a closed circuit viewing of the fights at the Grand Ballroom at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino are on sale for $75, not including applicable fees. All seats are general admission and can be purchased at the MGM Grand box office or by phone with a major credit card at 800-745-3000.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing; become a fan on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing;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.




Josesito Lopez, Alejandro Luna, Misael Rodriguez & Maricela Cornejo Media Workout Quotes


LOS ANGELES (April 5, 2017) – Southern California-based fighters Josesito Lopez, Alejandro Luna, Misael Rodriguez and Maricela Cornejo hosted a media workout at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside Wednesday ahead of their bouts this Sunday, April 9 from the Novo at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.

Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes action is headlined by the former title challenger Lopez taking on Mexico’s Saul Corral in a welterweight matchup. Televised coverage begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT and features the unbeaten Luna facing former title challenger Andrey Klimov and the pro debut of 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports, are priced at $30 general admission, $60 balcony reserved, $100 VIP balcony reserved and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through AXS.com HERE.

The 2016 Mexican Olympian and bronze medalist Rodriguez and the former title challenger Cornejo will both enter the ring in separate undercard attractions.

Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday in front of over 100 attendees including media, civic leaders and boxing fans from the community

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“First thing is that I can’t look past my opponent on Sunday night. If all goes well, I know that bigger things are coming. I want to give fans fights that they’ll remember for years to come. I’m that guy who wants to make great fights.

“I know that I’m facing a tough fighter from Mexico. I always know that these guys come with a real hunger to win. I’ve prepared very well and I’m ready to put on a show Sunday night.

“I’ve taken advantage of opportunities given to me in the past and I’m looking to take advantage of every one I get. I’m going to show off my abilities on Sunday.

“I’m in a good state of mind right now. I’ve been working for several months and I really feel 100 percent physically.

“This is going to be a good fight. He’s going to come with the will to win. I’ll be smart and use my abilities. I’ve been working on some new things and Sunday will be a glimpse of what’s left to come.

“It’s an honor for me to be the main event on a card with so many great young fighters. I remember that moment many years ago. These fighters are the future. This is just the beginning. I’m the present right now and I’m going to show that on Sunday.”

ALEJANDRO LUNA

“More than anything I think that the fans can expect fireworks. I’m fighting a crafty veteran guy in Klimov who has fought the best. He’s fought guys like Terrence Crawford and Jose Pedraza. Our styles are meant for each other and I think they’re going to clash. The fans are going to be the real winners.

“I say yes to every challenge they put in front of me. This is a big test. I feel confident in my training and I believe I can get past Klimov. I think getting this win shows that I’m ready to fight any champion in the lightweight division.

“I train 100 percent every time. I had a smooth camp and I’m ready to go. My work ethic is my secret weapon. I’m a believer that fights are won in the gym.

“I fight for the people every time I’m in the ring. They’re paying money to see a great fight and I want them to get their money’s worth.

“I’ve been under the radar but I think that in 2017 I’m going to put myself in the world title picture. I give it my all in the ring.”

MISAEL RODRIGUEZ

“I’m excited because I have a great team behind me with Richard Schaefer, Abner Mares and Robert Garcia. I feel strong and ready for this fight.

“I’m so happy to be fighting in Los Angeles, because it’s like a second Mexico. I hope the fans all come out to see me because I’m going to work hard to be the next Mexican superstar.

“I’m going to keep working and getting stronger and better. I have to be consistent and have good training camps so I can reach my goals.

“Training with Robert Garcia has been great. He has had a lot of champions and I hope that I will be next. Him and his whole family are good people and they’ve treated me like family. I’ve learned a lot already.

“I have to be smart in the ring. I’m a Mexican fighter in my heart and I always will be. But I have to be smart and be ready for anything in the ring.”

MARICELA CORNEJO

“Joel Diaz has helped me so much with the mental side of the game. The way he speaks so passionately about the sport, he transfers that to me. I feel that belief and trust. He gives me the right words to keep me going and unleash anything I was holding back.

“I work really hard at this sport. People didn’t see me when I was coming up, but It’s been a real journey. I’ve never backed down from anything. I’m proud to be a female fighter in the sport right now. Female athletes are getting more attention across the world than they ever have.

“Boxing means a lot to me. I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles. Getting in the ring and getting hit in the face is a lot easier than what I’ve had to go through. I love boxing because it’s all about going for the win no matter what is thrown in front of you.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“All of these young fighters we’re letting loose on Sunday are coming to fight. This won’t be ‘Dancing with the Stars’, they will come to engage and destroy. These guys all have advanced skills and I look forward to seeing them in the ring.

“Misael Rodriguez is a very charismatic person. He’s an entertainer and a fighter. With Abner behind him as a manager and Robert Garcia as a trainer, this is a kid who wants to surround himself with the best. Watching his career will be very exciting.

“Josesito had his biggest win, over Victor Ortiz, right across the street at Staples Center and he is ready for the next step in his career in a stacked welterweight division. I also believe that Alejandro Luna is on the cusp of being in world title contention if he can get through Klimov on Sunday. In addition, you have one of the most charismatic female stars in Maricela Cornejo going along with an incredible group of young talent making their debuts on Sunday.

“With this new young class of fighters coming out of Southern California combined with world champions like Leo Santa Cruz, Mikey Garcia and Abner Mares, Los Angeles is on its way to being the fight capital of the world again.

“I’ve never done an event on a Sunday and it definitely doesn’t happen very often. I want to challenge the status quo and try different things. I am equally excited about this Sunday card as I have been for any card I’ve promoted because of all the great young talent.”

ABNER MARES, Rodriguez’s Manager

“I’m nervous and excited to see Misael in the ring on Sunday. He’s a fighter with a lot of heart and the desire to become a world champion just like I was coming out of the Olympics.

“Our goal is to have Misael fight six times this year. We’re going to go step-by-step to make him a champion.

“Misael is the future. He brings excitement and he’s likeable. He’s in a great weight class and the team he has behind him will get him to where he needs to go.

“Seeing Misael grow from the manager’s side will be as exciting if not more than my own progression. I can’t wait to take him to a world championship.”

# # #

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

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




TYSON BACKS TURBO TAKEOVER!

Former Heavyweight Champion of the World Tyson Fury came out to support his fellow Mancunian Terry Flanagan at Frank Warren’s open workouts at The Printworks earlier this evening. Flanagan makes the fifth defence of his WBO Lightweight World Title against dangerous Russian Petr Petrov at the Manchester Arena this Saturday, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Fury, the former linear, WBA Super, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine World Heavyweight Champion, watched on as local hero Flanagan was put through his paces by trainer Steve Maylett in front of hundreds of Manchester fight fans.

Undefeated Flanagan, 32-0 13 KO’s, looked in fantastic shape ahead of the toughest fight of his career and treated fans to a scintillating display of speed and power. The proud owner of the longest undefeated record in British boxing was delighted to see Fury showing his support and backed the man who dethroned long-reigning Heavyweight icon Wladimir Klitschko way back in 2015 to win his belts back.

“It was brilliant seeing big Tyson here showing me some support,” said Turbo. “We are both Manchester lads and want to make our city proud. He shocked the sporting World by beating Klitschko in Germany and I plan on shocking the World by beating Vasyl Lomachenko after I deal with Petrov on Saturday.

“Like everyone in boxing, I can’t wait to see Tyson back in the ring where he belongs. He is a man of the people and always puts a smile on your face. I’m backing him to win all of his belts back and reclaim his place as the best Heavyweight on the planet.

“I’m over the moon with the turnout today. It’s great seeing so many young fans taking an interest in the sport and backing one of their own! There’s a massive buzz around the city and seeing all these fans here today has given me a massive boost.”

Terry Flanagan vs. Petr Petrov tops an unmissable evening of action at the Manchester Arena; Super-Welterweight rivals Liam Smith and Liam Williams clash for the WBO Interim World Title; double Olympic Gold Medallist and women’s boxing icon Nicola Adams OBE fights for the first time as a professional and former Team GB Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois makes his highly-anticipated professional debut along with a talent packed undercard.

Tickets for April 8 priced £50, £70, £100, £150, £200, £300 and VIP £500 are available from eventim at www.eventim.co.uk and 0844 249 1000 and the Manchester Arena at www.manchester-arena.com and 0844 847 8000.




Premier Boxing Champions Series Springs Forward With Loaded Slate of Telecasts – Schedule Includes Five Shows In April Showcasing Champions, Contenders & Top Prospects in Competitive Matches

LAS VEGAS (April 5, 2017) – The Premier Boxing Champions series rolled into April with a hotly contested match between Edner Cherry and Omar Douglas on FS1 “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS” last night and will continue with an outstanding slate of shows, featuring matches in some of the deepest divisions in boxing.

“Premier Boxing Champions will present a busy schedule in April, involving prospects, rising stars and established champions,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Premier Boxing Champions. “It’s the kind of schedule that contains matches for every type of boxing fan.”

The impressive run started with Cherry besting Douglas in a close and competitive super featherweight clash from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa., on “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS “on FS1 and FOX Deportes last night.

Next up, former title challenger Josesito Lopez will meet Mexico’s Saul Corral in the main event on FS1 and FOX Deportes from the Novo at L.A. Live in Los Angeles at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 9. Unbeaten lightweight contender Alejandro Luna will battle former title contender Andrey Klimov in a 10-round bout in the co-feature. Also, 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas will make his pro debut in a six round super featherweight match.

A welterweight world title eliminator between former champions Andre Berto and Shawn Porter will highlight an action-packed PBC card on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 22. Undefeated 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo will defend his title against top contender Charles Hatley in the co-feature. Also in action is heavyweight title contender Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz taking on rugged veteran Derric Rossy.

Exciting contenders Oscar Molina and Levan Ghvamichava will square-off in the main event, while rising star Brandon Figueroa also enters the ring, in an action-packed “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS” show on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on April 25.

Beibut Shumenov defends his cruiserweight title against Yunier Dorticos while Carlos Zambrano will battle Claudio Marrero in a featherweight showdown on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 29.

The PBC schedule for May promises to be just as jam-packed with exciting matches. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.

About Premier Boxing Champions
Premier Boxing Champions is a live boxing series created for TV and cable by Haymon Sports, LLC. The series features the greatest array of international boxing talent in all weight divisions, with fighters representing over 10 countries including the United States and Mexico. From former Olympians to Champions of all nationalities, the series can be seen on over 10 networks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the U.K.




HBO SPORTS TRIPLEHEADER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: VASYL LOMACHENKO VS. JASON SOSA AND OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK VS. YUNIESKY GONZALEZ AND ALEKSANDR USYK VS. MIKE HUNTER TO BE SEEN SATURDAY, APRIL 8


HBO Sports visits Maryland for the first time since 1979 when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: VASYL LOMACHENKO VS. JASON SOSA AND OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK VS. YUNIESKY GONZALEZ AND ALEKSANDR USYK VS. MIKE HUNTER is seen SATURDAY, APRIL 8 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: April 9 (8:45 a.m.) and April 11 (12:35 a.m.)

HBO2 playdate: April 10 (1:05 a.m.)

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

In a junior lightweight title fight, rising sensation Vasyl Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs), of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine, puts his crown on the line against Jason Sosa (20-1-4, 15 KOs), from Camden, NJ, in a scheduled 12-round contest. Named 2016 fighter of the year by several media outlets, the multi-talented Lomachenko is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has become a two-division world champion after just a handful of pro fights.

Known for his punching power and aggressive style, Sosa is on a five-year, 20-bout unbeaten streak, amassing a 70% knockout-to-win ratio along the way. With more professional ring experience, Sosa looks to derail Lomachenko’s momentum in the 130-pound division.

The middle bout is a ten-round light heavyweight fight that pits Oleksandr Gvozdyk (12-0, 10 KOs) from Kharkiv, Ukraine, against Yuniesky Gonzalez (18-2, 14 KOs), a native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, who now lives in Miami. Gvozdyk captured the bronze medal as a member of the 2012 Olympic team, which also included the other two Ukrainian fighters on the evening’s card. Gonzalez also has a rich amateur background, with more than 300 fights in his native Cuba, a hotbed of amateur boxing stars. Both men look to make a major impression in the talented 175-pound division.

Undefeated fighters vie for a cruiserweight title in the opening bout, as Aleksandr Usyk (11-0, 10 KOs) from Kiev, Ukraine, makes his second HBO appearance for a 12-round tilt with Mike Hunter (12-0, 8 KOs). Defending his 200-pound title belt, Usyk, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist, trains in Onxard, Cal. Hunter hails from Las Vegas and was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jonathan Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.




Super Featherweight Contender Edner Cherry Wins Tough Decision Over Omar Douglas in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 & BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday Night from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.


BETHLEHEM, PA. (April 5, 2017) – Former title challenger Edner Cherry (36-7-2, 19 KOs) won a competitive decision over Omar Douglas (17-2, 12 KOS) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday night from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Cherry came out aggressive from the opening bell, landing a strong left hook and backing up Douglas early and often over the first few rounds. Douglas attempted to control the fight with his jab and movement and had some success moving his head to avoid many of the power punches from Cherry.

Douglas did well as he increased his attack to the body in the middle rounds and continued to move backward to avoid the power punches being thrown by Cherry. The differing styles left the judges with a decision to make in weighing the movement and technique of Douglas versus the aggression of Cherry.

In the end, the consistency of Cherry’s attack, who frequently targeted Douglas with combinations to the head, was more effective in the minds of the judges. The final score totals were 98-92 and 96-94 twice for Cherry.

Additional action featured Philadelphia’s Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) earning a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Luis Rosario (8-1-1, 7 KOs) in their eight-round super bantamweight contest.

Rosario was the more aggressive fighter in the early rounds, but it was Fulton who timed his opponent first and built up an early lead with a combination of check hooks and power punches. Fulton was patient against the attack-minded Rosario and was able to counter effectively while avoiding Rosario’s power punches.

Fulton continued to have success in the middle rounds as Rosario’s attack slowed, but the Puerto Rican fighter came out with an increased level of aggression in round seven and tagged Fulton during several exciting exchanges.

Despite the increasing pressure, Fulton was able to stay composed and fend off Rosario over the final two rounds on his way to winning a unanimous decision by scores of 78-74, 79-73 and 80-72.

The opening bout of the telecast saw Bethlehem’s Frank DeAlba (22-2-2, 9 KOs) score a unanimous decision over Ryan Kielczweski (26-3, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout.

The hometown fighter got off to a slow start as Kielczweski appeared to control the early rounds using his movement and tagging the southpaw with right hands. DeAlba began to work on the inside of his opponent and found more success starting in the fourth round.

Once he had closed the distance, DeAlba began to land hooks to the head and smothered much of Kielczweski’s offense. With an increased emphasis on body-punching in the late rounds, DeAlba turned the tide of the fight in the judges’ minds and earned a unanimous decision by scores of 77-75 twice and 80-72.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday night:

EDNER CHERRY

“I take my hat off to Douglas. I thought I pulled out the victory. I tried to press for it but it was a back and forth fight.

“I’m excited to get the win. I beat a great young fighter. I hate when people say I’m old because I work harder than these young fighters. I drive an hour and a half to the gym every day to do this.

“I’m looking for big things. I want to be great and I want the biggest fights out there. I believe I’m going to get a significant fight.”

OMAR DOUGLAS

“I didn’t lose that fight. Period.

“The fight went how I expected it would in the ring. I’ve always been a fan of his. I feel like I fight great competition and I was able to out box him with my jab. He tried to bait me in and I showed I was the better boxer.”

STEPHEN FULTON

“I feel good winning my first eight-round fight and televised bout. I feel great after that performance. The fight went exactly how I thought.

“I knew he would try to drop combinations on me, but I worked my jab and moved so I would not be in a straight line for his left hand.”

LUIS ROSARIO

“Fulton is a good boxer. He did not want to fight man-to-man, but he moved well. He was shying away from exchanging with me.

“I thought it was a close fight that could have gone either way. I blocked a lot of his punches with my gloves.”

FRANK DEALBA

“It was a great fight. He is a tough fighter and I felt I did enough to get the decision. I out boxed him. He was just looking for one big shot.

“Hopefully this win gets me to another level. He has fought really good opponents, so a win over him gets me to fight bigger fights. I was in great shape. I saw he was tiring and I thought that was the difference.”

RYAN KIELCZWESKI

“It was a good fight for me and I stuck to my game plan. In the seventh round he hit me with a body shot and knocked the wind out of me.

“It was a close fight but I thought I won 5-3. I could have lived with a draw. He got the close rounds, but every round? Come on.”

In non-televised action:

Jimmy Kelleher took a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Valderrama in a super middleweight bout.

Kelleher, 164 lbs of Scranton, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Valderrama, 165.5 lbs of Manati, PR is 5-19.

Thomas Velasquez won a six-round unanimous decision over Wilfredo Garriga in a lightweight bout.

Velasquez, 135 lbs of Philadelphia won on all cards by 58-56 scores, and is now 8-0. Garriga, 132.8 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 3-6-1.

Gregory Clark stopped Devin McMaster in the fourth and final round of their middleweight bout.

Clark dropped McMaster in round two, and finished him off with a flurry of punches at 1:28 of round four.

Clark, 157.4 lbs of Washington, DC is 2-1 with one knockout. McMaster, 154.5 lbs of Allentown, PA is 1-1.

Hector Bayanilla and Jordan Peters rumbled to an entertaining four-round draw in a super featherweight bout.

Bayanilla took a card 39-37, while two judges saw it even at 38-38.

Bayanilla, 124.4 lbs of Allentown, PA is 1-0-1. Peters, 123.7 lbs of Washington, DC is also 1-0-1.

Tre’Sean Wiggins scored a five-round technical unanimous decision over Naim Nelson after Nelson was cut over his right eye by an accidental headbutt.

In round four, Nelson started to bleed from over his right eye, and the fight was halted.

Wiggins, 142 lbs of Newburgh, NY won on all cards 50-45, and is now 8-3. Nelson, 138.9 lbs of Philadelphia is 13-3.

Ryan Wilczak remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Courtney McCleave in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout

In round two, Wilczak landed a left hook that put McCleave on the deck. McCleave was bleeding from his nose, and his right eye closed severely. Wilczak dropped him for a 2nd time at the end of the round and he could not beat the count at 3:06.

Wilczak, 160.5 lbs of Scranton, PA is 3-0 with 2 knockouts. McCleave, 164.5 lbs of Concord, NC is 2-7.

# # #

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

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




Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series Local Fighter Spotlight: Cassius Chaney Ready for the Next Test


Boca Raton, FL: As hometown favorite Cassius Chaney (9-0, 5 KOs) prepares to face Michigan native Juan Goode (8-4, 6 KOs) on the non-televised undercard of the next installment of Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series on April 15 at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun, he will once again work with world-renowned trainer, John David Jackson.

This will be Chaney and Jackson’s third straight fight together. Their first fight was on the premiere of the Rising Stars Boxing Series in November of 2016. Chaney stopped veteran heavyweight Carlos Sandoval in the second round. Their next fight was last month at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In Philly, Chaney faced Tommy Washington, Jr. of Lansing, Michigan and Cassius earned a six-round majority decision victory over Washington.

When asked about working with Jackson, Chaney said, “He is a patient trainer. I must understand changes aren’t going to just happen overnight. I think being around all these professionals with John in Florida has helped me. I was happy I could go the full six rounds against Washington without any problems at all. I think for this next fight I can dictate the fight the whole entire time. This fight is a short period after my last fight which is a bonus for me. I was already in shape and I took only a few days off and then went right back to Florida for camp. I think it has been good because I could jump right back into sparring.”

The upcoming fight with Goode will be the toughest opponent Cassius has faced to date. Goode has a 75% knockout-to-win ratio and has had two fights last six full rounds, whereas Chaney has only gone six rounds once in his young career. According to Chaney, “Goode is durable. He is smart. I think the key to victory for me is pressure and being smart in the ring. I need to keep him outside with my jab and keep him outside with my footwork. He is durable, he knows how to tie up and he knows how to make the fight ugly. I need to try to disable that.”

As a former basketball star at the University of New Haven, Chaney was a fan-favorite. Those loyal fans have continued to support him as a professional boxer and he has managed to acquire new fans as well. Expect the stands on April 15 to be overflowing with fans cheering for their hometown hero.

Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Main Events and Mohegan Sun as part of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) with a ten-round middleweight match-up between Arif “The Predator” Magomedov and Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas. Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster, the Mohegan Sun box office or the Main Events’ office. The card is presented by Main Events in association with Shamo Boxing and A&T Events and Promotions.

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Video: Watch #HeyHarold!: Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Jason Sosa




Stardom awaits dynamic Worcester prospect Ortiz

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 5th, 2017) — Glenn Mitchell is so confident Friday’s fight against Jamaine Ortiz will lead to bigger and better things, he actually expects to see his opponent again down the road with even more at stake the second time around.

“We are two future world champions,” Mitchell said. “The next time we meet, it will be to unify the major belts.”

For now, the two unbeaten lightweights will battle Friday night at Twin River Casino for basic bragging rights and the opportunity to keep their perfect records intact. The four-round Ortiz-Mitchell bout is one of 11 fights on Friday’s event, presented by CES Boxing.

Ortiz, the electrifying Worcester, Mass., native and former contender in the U.S. Olympic Trials, enters 3-0 following a hard-earned majority decision win over previously unbeaten Canton Miller in February. Fighting out of Steubenville, Ohio, the 6-foot-1 Mitchell ran his record to 2-0 with his second career knockout in February, his first fight in nearly two years.

The 26-year-old Mitchell is a bit of an unknown commodity, but the lack of background doesn’t faze Ortiz, who advanced all the way to Reno with a shot at qualifying for the Olympics despite not knowing much about any of the opponents he faced.

“In the amateurs, I never looked at film,” he said. “Why change it now?

“To me, it doesn’t matter what asset the opponent has. If I’m on my ‘A’ game, that’s all I worry about – me being on my ‘A’ game. A lot of people, like they say, have game plans until they get punched in the face. I feel like my power right now, and the way I hit people, they’re not going to do what they think they can do.”

Ortiz got a taste of it from the other side when he faced Miller, also an accomplished amateur who fought him tooth and nail over the course of four hard rounds in February, easily the toughest fight of Ortiz’s career after quick knockouts in his first two professional bouts.

“I felt alright. I got to go the distance. That’s something I did want to do,” Ortiz said. “I got to do a few things that we’ve been working on the gym and that’s what’s most important. I told one of the guys yesterday at the gym, ‘A sparring session is not who can beat up who or who can win in the gym. It’s about practicing.’

“What I liked was that what I practiced, I did. I like to see what I practice and that’s something I’ve been doing. Everything I practice, I’ve been doing and that’s the main goal.”

Instead of taking a step back, Ortiz faces yet another undefeated, relatively unknown, foe Friday at Twin River. His path at the professional level is a bit unconventional; rather than advance at a snail’s pace, Ortiz is ready to challenge himself more and more with each fight, not quite like Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian star who fought more than 300 amateur bouts and won a world title in his third professional fight, but perhaps somewhere in the middle.

Ortiz conquered nearly every challenge as an amateur. He turns 21 at the end of April. Now’s the time to see what he’s made of on the sport’s biggest, brightest stage — within reason, of course.

“A part of me really does because I truly believe I want to go out there and then a part of me always believes in the process,” Ortiz said. “I know everything a process and I know you can’t rush things, but a lot of times my body and my mind will be like, ‘I want to do it! I can do it now!’ and then it’s like I’m fighting with two sides of my body.

“That’s why I have a team that decides for me and they know me as well as I know me and they can help me decide on those situations.”

Tickets for April 7th are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The event also airs live in its entirety on FITE TV Pay Per View for $14.99 beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Fight fans can stream the event live on their television by downloading the FITE app free from iTunes or Google Play and using the instant stream-to-TV function for full-screen viewing, or watch online from any device at www.fite.tv. The FITE app also works with any Wi-Fi connected TV, iOS and Android devices, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Chromecast and more. Replays will be available for those unable to watch live.

Cranston, R.I., vet Nick DeLomba (11-1, 2 KOs) faces Jimmy Williams (12-0-1, 5 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., in the 10-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) USNBC Welterweight Title. Also fighting April 7th, Springfield, Mass., vet Zack Ramsey (7-1, 3 KOs) battles unbeaten Augusta, Ga., native Divante Jones (9-0, 6 KOs) for the vacant New England Lightweight Title.

Junior middleweight Ray Oliveira Jr. (7-0, 1 KO) and Portland, Maine native Casey Kramlich (6-0-1, 3 KOs), face one another in the six-round co-feature and Lynn, Mass., welterweight Khiry Todd (2-0, 2 KOs) battles Coconut Creek, Fla., pro debut Adriano Moraes in a four-round bout.

Junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn., returns to Twin River to face Springfield’s Miguel Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round showdown between two rising New England prospects and amateur standouts Ricky Delossantos of Providence, R.I., and Philip Davis of Worcester make their professional debuts against one another in a four-round super featherweight bout.

In addition to the highly-anticipated championship main event, April 7th features an eight-round female welterweight showdown between Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (16-4-2, 1 KO) of Marshfield, Mass., and Mexican challenger Paty Ramirez (11-3, 5 KOs). Joining Aleksandra Lopes on April 7th is her stepson, Arturo Lopes (1-0), who ends an eight-year layoff in his return bout against Taunton, Mass., welterweight Marqus Bates (1-1, 1 KO). The Lopeses fight April 7th in honor of the late Manny Lopes, a former CES standout who passed away in December and will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor.

Junior welterweight Cristobal Marrero (3-0, 2 KOs) of New London, Conn., by way of Worcester, returns for the first time since December in a four-round bout against New York’s Sidney Maccow (4-4, 3 KOs) and Worcester super middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (5-0-2, 4 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against Rhode Islander and U.S. Air Force vet Zachary Christy (1-0-1) in a six-round bout.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.




FEATHERWEIGHT JORGE ‘PILON’ LARA RETURNS FROM LONG LAYOFF;

Back to 100% after a year of recovering from a hand injury, and a botched robbery that resulted in him being shot, power-punching Mexican featherweight contender Jorge “Pilón” Lara is back and looking for a significant fight.

Lara (28-0-2, 20 KOs), from Guadalajara, was last seen scoring the biggest victory of his career in April 2016, when he destroyed multiple world champion Fernando Montiel in one round at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. The powerful southpaw was able to drop Montiel four times before the fight was waived over at 1:37 of the opening three minutes.

Lara injured his hand in the impressive victory and then was shot in the leg during a robbery attempt in his homeland. All of which resulted in a long year off for the 26-year-old.

Despite the hiatus, he is still ranked WBC #9 and IBF #8 at featherweight.

“Jorge is ready to challenge for a world title or face any top contender in the world,” said his promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz.

Lara recently renewed his long-term promotional agreement with Lewkowicz’s Sampson Boxing.

“The time off was unfortunate, but he is back now as one of the top 126-lb fighters in boxing. I am working to secure him a title fight or a high-profile showdown. Nobody does what he did to Montiel that quickly. Jorge is a top contender and he is ready for anyone in the world.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

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

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




Video: Golden Boy on ESPN: Quigley vs Tapia – Recap




POUND-FOR-POUND ACE TERENCE CRAWFORD TO DEFEND SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLES AGAINST FELIX DIAZ EXCLUSIVELY LIVE ON BOXNATION ON MAY 20TH


LONDON (5 April) – One of the world’s best pound-for-pound boxers Terence Crawford will be back exclusively live on BoxNation when he defends his WBC, WBO and Ring Magazine super-lightweight world titles against the slick Felix Diaz on May 20th as part of the channel’s exclusive output deal with promoters Top Rank.

‘The Channel of Champions’ will be the only place to watch the undefeated Omaha native as he looks to carry on his momentous rise when he meets Olympic gold medalist and top-rated contender Diaz at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

Dominican Republic ace Diaz has only lost once in his career, that being a majority points decision against Lamont Peterson in 2015, but he has since enjoyed back-to-back wins and will be relishing his chance on the big stage.

29-year-old Crawford has dazzled ever since his impressive win against Breidis Prescott in 2013 and has gone on to beat a host of world champions including Scotland’s Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Viktor Postol.

Diaz will represent a different challenge with his southpaw stance and boxing ability but Crawford is determined to shine under the lights at the ‘Mecca of Boxing’ and prove why he is so highly-rated live on BoxNation.

“Come May 20th, I will be ready for whatever Felix Diaz brings to the ring that night,” said Crawford. “It’s going to be a great experience fighting at Madison Square Garden in the big arena where all the greats have fought. I’m looking forward to that night.”

“We’ve got our work cut out for us fighting against another Olympic gold medalist,” said Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s trainer and co-manager. “It’s an honour to fight in the arena at Madison Square Garden. It’s a step up going from The Theater into the big room.”

33-year-old Diaz was in equally upbeat mood and is out to seize his opportunity of stardom.

“The time has finally come. I will share a ring with one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and I tip my hat to Crawford for accepting me as an opponent on May 20th because I am no pushover,” said Diaz.

“I’m coming to bring my A-game and I couldn’t be more grateful to be able to showcase my skills at Madison Square Garden, which is just 15 minutes from where I live. I will take full advantage of this opportunity. I respect Crawford and believe he is a great fighter, but every king can be dethroned.”

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “Terence Crawford is undoubtedly one of the very best fighters on the planet and we are delighted to be able to showcase his next fight exclusively live on BoxNation. Felix Diaz is a well schooled and respected fighter who will be looking to make his breakthrough by beating Crawford. This is certainly Crawford’s toughest task to date and BoxNation subscribers will not miss a minute of the action on May 20th from Madison Square Garden.”

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.
Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.
Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.
BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.
For more information visit www.boxnation.com
*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers




Banner Promotions Partners with Twitter to stream WBO Lightweight World Championship Bout


Banner Promotions is pleased to announce that it will live-stream the WBO Lightweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Terry Flanagan and number-two contender Petr Petrov live exclusively on Twitter in the United States this Saturday.

The live stream of Saturday’s Championship fight will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users exclusively on Twitter and connected devices in the United States. Access to the live stream will be available Saturday night at boxing.twitter.com and on @BannerBoxing. Follow at @BannerBoxing to find out the exact timing of the live stream in the coming days.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to bring the WBO Lightweight World Championship exclusively to Twitter in the United States on April 8th ,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo. “This is a great opportunity to partner with Twitter on this unique medium, in order to reach a broader fan base and to reach potential new fans of boxing.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Banner Promotions to bring more live boxing to Twitter,” said Anthony Noto, COO at Twitter. “Our passionate boxing fans can view the live stream of the WBO Lightweight World Championship and join the live conversation all on Twitter.”

Saturday’s title bout features the undefeated Flanagan, who will be attempting to make the 5th defense of the title that he won on July 11th, 2015 with a 2nd round stoppage over Jose Zepeda. Flanagan, 27 years-old, has made defenses of former world champion Mzonke Fana as well as his last bout when he stopped Orlando Cruz in eight-rounds on November 26th.

Petrov of Madrid, Spain has a record of 38-4-2 with 19 knockouts, and has won six straight bouts. The 2014 Boxcino Lightweight champion has victories over undefeated Fedor Papazov (14-0), Chris Rudd (13-1), former world champion Gamaliel Diaz, and Marvin Quintero (28-6). In his last bout, he stopped Michael Perez in six rounds on September 30th.




Hassan N’dam to face Ryota Murata for WBC Middleweight title


WBA Middleweight champion Hassan N’Dam will fight Ryota Murata for the WBA Middleweight title on May 20th in Tokyo, Japan, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’ve started sparring already in training and it is going well,” Murata said at the news conference in translated comments. “I originally started boxing to see how good of fighter I was. If I am able to defeat this opponent, I can confidently say that I am a good fighter. I am looking forward to this fight.”

“Because I am a gold medalist, I have had so much support from so many people,” Murata said. “I want to win this fight for all them as my gratitude for their support and kindness. The key for me to win is to fight with what I do well.

“I believe what makes my boxing style exciting is moving forward and throwing punches. We will see if this style will prevail. I expect this fight to be a tough fight. The opponent is type of fighter who can be knocked down four or six times in a fight, but take the remaining rounds on points.”

“I think that Ryota Murata is a very effective fighter and he proved it as an amateur when he became Olympic champion,” N’Dam said. “I think he’s going to be a great opponent but I will be — and I’ve always been — ready for great outings, so this fight will be a war because I’m not ready to let my title go anywhere.”

“I am a fan of Felix Trinidad and Bernard Hopkins and the belt I will be fighting for is the same belt that they had,” Murata said. “This does not make me a boxing great like they are if I win this belt, but I am fortunate to be able to fight for the belt they held.”




Early Results from Bethlehem, PA

BETHLEHEM, PA–Jimmy Kelleher took a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Valderrma in a super middleweight bout.

Kelleher, 164 lbs of Scranton, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 4-0. Valderrama, 165.5 lbs of Manati, PR is 5-19.

Thomas Velasquez won a six-round unanimous decision over Wilfredo Garriga in a lightweight bout.

Velasquez, 135 lbs of Philadelphia won on all cards 58-56 and is now 8-0. Garriga, 132.8 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 3-6-1.

Gregory Clark stopped Devin McMaster in the fourth and final round of their middleweight bout.

Clark dropped McMaster in round two, and finished him off with a flurry of punches at 1:28 of round four.

Clark, 157.4 lbs of Washington, DC is 2-1 with one knockout. McMaster, 154.5 lbs of Allentown, PA is 1-1.

Hector Bayanilla and Jordan Peters rumbled to an entertaining four-round draw in a super featherweight bout.

Bayanilla took a card 39-37, while two judges saw it even at 38-38.

Bayanilla, 124.4 lbs of Allentown, PA is 1-0-1. Peters, 123.7 lbs of Washington, DC is also 1-0-1.

Tre’Sean Wiggins scored a five-round technical unanimous decision over Naim Nelson after Nelson was cut over his right eye by an accidental headbutt.

In round four, Nelson started to bleed from over his right eye, and the fight was halted.

Wiggins, 142 lbs of Newburgh, NY won on all cards 50-45, and is now 8-3. Nelson, 138.9 lbs of Philadelphia is 13-3.

Ryan Wilczak remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Courtney McCleave in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout

In round two, Wilczak landed a left hook that put McCleave on the deck. McCleave was bleeding from his nose, and his right eye closed severely. Wilczak dropped him for a 2nd time at the end of the round and he could not beat the count at 3:06.

Wilczak, 160.5 lbs of Scranton, PA is 3-0 with 2 knockouts. McCleave, 164.5 lbs of Concord, NC is 2-7.




THE NEVADA BOXING HALL OF FAME CONFIRMED FOR THIRD EDITION OF BOX FAN EXPO TAKING PLACE ON CINCO DE MAYO WEEKEND, SATURDAY MAY 6, IN LAS VEGAS


Las Vegas (April 4, 2017) – The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame has confirmed that they will appear and have a booth to Meet & Greet fans at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 3rd edition of Box Fan Expo that will take place Saturday May 6, 2017 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.

The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame will appear once again at this years’ Expo and will be joined by top fighters, legends and boxing celebrities that will be signing gloves, photos and merchandise.

The NVBHOF was founded in 2012 by President Rich Marotta and presently operated by New President Michelle Lewis-Corrales. Their mission is to honor boxers and those associated with the sports who have contributed to the advancement of boxing in Nevada. They are a non-profit organization with proceeds, after expenses, being distributed to boxing-related charities, special-needs former boxers, youth boxing, Nevada boxing gyms, and other worthy organizations. Their mission is a Threefold: 1) Connect with nonprofits and community organizations 2) Host boxing events and celebrations 3) Preserve boxing history in Nevada and beyond

NVBHOF joins, 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
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 6 weeks leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates 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 more information on sponsorships opportunities or 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