Rayne, Louisiana’s “Rock Hard Mighty” Mason Menard (32-1, 24 KOs) knows he’s in for a tough challenge when he makes the first defense of his WBO NABO Lightweight Championship against fellow top-10 contender Ray Beltran (31-7-1, 19 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, December 10, at CenturyLink Center Omaha in Omaha, Neb.

The 10-round Menard vs. Beltran lightweight showdown will serve as the middle bout of an HBO World Championship Boxing tripleheader (9:35 p.m. ET/PT) that will open with the same-day delay telecast of the Joseph Parker vs. Andy Ruiz, Jr. WBO heavyweight championship in New Zealand.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with TGB Promotions, the exciting event will be headlined by undefeated World Junior Welterweight Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (29-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., making the first defense of his unified World Boxing Organization (WBO) / World Boxing Council (WBC) /Ring magazine 140-pound world titles against one-time world title challenger and current No. 1 contender
JOHN MOLINA JR. (29-6, 23 KOs), from Covina, Calif.

Remaining reserved seat tickets to the Crawford – Molina world championship event, priced at $27, $52, $77 and $127, can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call (800) 745-3000. To order online, visit ticketmaster.com.

“I know Beltran has been around a long time and he’s fought at the top level many times. He is very tough and I know he will bring it,” said Menard.

The 28-year-old Menard punched his way into world contention this year with a pair of high-profile knockouts. In April of this year, he scored one for the highlight reels by starching formerly undefeated Eudy Bernardo with one punch in round three. Video HERE.

Then in August, he returned with another KO, this time against well-regarded Uzbekistani Bahodir Mamadjonov in the ninth round. Video HERE.

“2016 has been a great year for me,” he continued. “I’ve had two consecutive KO’s on national television and one is a candidate for ‘Knockout of the Year.’ I also won an award from the WBO in Puerto Rico. Now this fight has fallen into my lap and I will make the best of this opportunity.”

Another impressive victory for Menard would land him in world title contention… a fact not lost on the excited slugger. “Landing this fight is big for me and my career. A win here should put me in position to fight for a world title next. It should open doors me and make me a serious contender in the lightweight division.”

Menard is taking this tough challenge on relatively short notice, but says he’s in great shape and will be fully prepared for battle on December 10. “Yes, I am ready. I was already training to fight December 15. It’s now or never. I believe God has blessed me with this fight because I’ve been praying for a big one to get me to the next level.”

The Menard vs. Beltran bout is presented by Top Rank in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. The CenturyLink Center Omaha is located at455 North 10th Street in Omaha, Nebraska.

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For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordMolina to join the conversation on Twitter.

Luke Blackledge has told Callum Smith that his World title dreams will be destroyed on Saturday as he plans to rip the British Super-Middleweight title from him at the Manchester Arena live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Smith defends his crown for the first time after destroying local rival Rocky Fielding inside a round last November, and then claimed the mandatory spot in the WBC in April with another Merseyside demolition job in the opening session against Hadillah Mohoumadi.

The unbeaten Liverpool star is set to face the winner of the unification battle between WBC champion Badou Jack and IBF king James DeGale MBE in New York in January, but Blackledge is full of confidence coming into the fight on an eight-fight winning streak, and says ‘Mundo’s’ World title hopes will go up in smoke this weekend.

“I was not willing to miss out on this opportunity, nothing was going to stop me,” said Blackledge. “Callum is supposed to be fighting the winner of Badou Jack vs. James DeGale for the IBF and WBC World titles – he has to get past me first but he won’t. I’m going to take his British title and take his world title shot.

“I do see weaknesses in Callum which I don’t want to go in to, but he is a class fighter you can’t deny that. He has had some hot performances against Rocky Fielding and Hadillah Mohoumadi don’t get me wrong – but I’m not going to avoid him because he is Callum Smith the next future superstar and he’s unbeaten.

“I’m a fighter, I want his belts and his position. He’s one of the best fighter’s in the world, number four in the world at Super-Middleweight and number one in the WBC. I’m buzzing and I have absolutely everything to gain, he has everything to lose so I am dangerous to him. This is exactly what I’m in boxing for to push and test myself against the very best and Callum is that.”

Blackledge and Smith clash as part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Anthony Joshua MBE defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against Eric Molina.

Dillian Whyte faces bitter London rival Dereck Chisora in an official eliminator for the WBC Heavyweight title and Scott Quigg returns to action against Jose Cayetano for the vacant WBA International Featherweight title.

Kal Yafai can become Birmingham’s first World champion but the unbeaten 27 year old faces a tough task to rip the WBA Super-Flyweight title against Luis Concepcion, the two-weight World champion that will enter the ring in his 11th World title outing.

Irish amateur sensation Katie Taylor boxes for the second time in the paid ranks against Viviane Obenauf, Heavyweights Luis Ortiz and Dave Allen also clash and Hosea Burton will defend his British Light-Heavyweight title against Frank Buglioni.

Limited tickets remain on from http://www.manchester-arena.com/ and on 0844 847 8000 VIP tickets are £800 and available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing www.matchroomboxing.com.
Face value tickets for December 10 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

NEW YORK (Nov. 4, 2016) – This election season, boxing fans will vote for the greatest knockout in the 30-year history of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. A Knockout Bracket consisting of 32 of the most dramatic and memorable KOs of the past 30 years launched on Friday, and an ultimate winner will be revealed during the Dec. 10 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader.

The 32 candidates are into broken into four regions – heavyweights, middleweights, welterweights and the lighter weight divisions – with some of the greatest fighters of the last 30 years facing off in this unique tournament.

In the opening round of the heavyweight region, former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield will square off with current WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder, while Hall of Famer Felix Trinidad takes on former champ Lucas Matthysse in the welterweight region.

The 16 matchups in the round of 32 launched on Friday at www.showtimeknockouts.com, and the winners will advance to the next round of voting beginning Nov. 14. Subsequent rounds will continue over the next six weeks until the ultimate reveal Dec. 10 on SHOWTIME.

Fans can join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #SHObestKO.

About Showtime Networks:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

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Joseph Benavidez won a split decision over Henry Cejudo in a battle of former world title challengers.

In round one, Cejudo was docked a point for a low blow.

Benavidez won two cards 30-26 and 29-27 while Cejudo won a card 29-27.

Benavidez, 125.5 lbs of Las Cruces, NM is 25-4. Cejudo, 125.5 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 10-2.

Jorge Masvidal stopped Jake Ellenberger in the 1st round when Ellenberger’s toe got stuck in the fence and could not defend himself.

The time of the stoppage was 4:05 of round one for Masvidal, 171 lbs of Miami and is now 31-11. Ellenberger, 170.5 lbs of Lake Forrest, CA is 31-12.

Jaren Cannoier won a unanimous decision over Ion Cutelaba in a light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Cannoier landed a right that made Cutelaba’s nose to bleed.

Cannoier, 204 lbs of Anchorage,AK won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 9-1. Cutelaba, 205.5 lbs of Moldivia is 12-3-1.

Sara McMann submitted Alexis Davis in the 2nd round of their bantamweight bout.

McMann was able to get Davis to the ground and make her tap from a arm-trainagle choke at 2:52.

McMann, 135.5 lbs of Gaffney, SC is 10-3. Davis, 135 lbs of San Jose, CA is 17-7.

Brandon Moreno won a split decision over Ryan Benoit in a flyweight bout.

Moreno won two cards 29-28, while Benoit took a card 29-28.

Moreno, 126 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 13-3. Benoit, 125.5 lbs of Dallas, TX is now 9-5.

Ryan Hall won a unanimous decision over Gray Mayanard in a featherweight bout.

Hall, 145 lbs of Falls Church, VA won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 6-1.  Maynard, 145.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 13-7-1.

Rob Font stopped Matt Schnell in the 1st round of their bantamweight bout.

Font hurt Schnell with a front kick.  Font landed punched that led to a ground and pound stoppage at 3:47

Font, 135.5 lbs of Woburn. MA is 13-2.  Schnell, 135.5 lbs of Shreveport, LA is 10-3.

Dong Hyun Kim won a unanimous decision over Brendan O’Reilly in a lightweight bout.

Kim, 155.5 lbs of Busan, South Korea won on all cards 29-28 and is now 14-8-3.  O’Reilly, 155 lbs of Brisbane, AUS is 6-3-1.

Jamie Moyle won a unanimous decision over Kailen Curren in a strawweight bout.

Curren was cut over her right eye in round one. Moyle was cut over her left eye in round three from a knee to the head.

Moyle, 115 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 4-1. Curren, 116 lbs of Ewa Beach, HI us 4-4.

Super Middleweight Eduard Gutknecht was moved to a hospital in Germany after falling into a coma following his loss to George Groves on November 18 in London, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“The entire Wiking-Boxteam fights and hopes for Eddy,” the company said in a statement on Saturday. “The condition of Eddy is currently stable. He is in a coma but is no longer in the acute ICU. His family is always at his side in the hospital. Eddy is currently being moved to Germany. Our thoughts are with him and wish him a full recovery.”

Wiking-Boxteam said doctors said Gutknecht’s “organs are working normally.”

“We have to be patient. Forecasts and assumptions can go in all directions,” the statement said. “It is very difficult for the family with this situation. The entire Wiking-Boxteam suffers with Eddy and is affected. But we also know that we are talking about boxing and like all high-performance sports, in addition to the joy of competition and the ceremony at the victory, unfortunately, always the risk of injury is present.

“Eddy has his dream of boxing against George Groves and again to reach for the world champion crown. Now he has to wake up [and have] a full recovery, so he can be there for his family again. Eddy you can do it! Eddy you’re strong!”

“He’s a husband and a father and the money raised will go towards helping his family be with him at this difficult time,” Groves said in a statement.

LOS ANGELES – Dec. 2, 2016 – In his first fight in three years, headliner Gerald Harris (23-5) scored a thrilling knockout slamming opponent Aaron Cobb (7-3) to the mat to cap off Legacy Fighting Championship’s final show before it merges with Resurrection Fighting Alliance to form Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2017. Full highlights from tonight’s broadcast of AXS TV FIGHTS: LEGACY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 63 are available here: http://bit.ly/Legacy63

Legacy 63 was broadcast live by AXS TV FIGHTS with commentary by UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich and “The Voice” Michael Schiavello, along with cageside reporting by Ron Kruck, from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Official results for Legacy 63 are as follows:

Televised Main Card

Main Event – Catchweight Fight – Gerald Harris (23-5) defeated Aaron Cobb (7-4) by KO (slam) at 0:48 in round one.

Co-Main Event – Welterweight Fight – Bilal Williams (8-3) defeated Trey Houston (12-4) by KO at 1:56 in round one.

Bantamweight Fight – Levi Mowles (5-2) defeated Jimmy Flick (8-3) at 1:27 in round two.

Super Heavyweight Fight – Jesse Hernandez (8-2) defeated Josh Lanier (8-9) by TKO at 0:53 in round one.

Catchweight Fight – TeeJay Britton (3-0) defeated Diego Pichilingue (3-4) by TKO at 3:18 in round one.

Lightweight Fight – Kyle Driscoll (4-2) defeated William Walker (6-5) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

Catchweight Fight – Kathina Lowe (7-6) defeated Ariel Beck (4-4) by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).

ABOUT AXS TV FIGHTS

AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 45 scheduled LIVE world-class fight cards in 2017. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich call all the action and Ron Kruck reports from cageside as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Media Contacts:

LOS ANGELES (December 2, 2016) In the final LA FIGHT CLUB of 2016, Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (22-0-1, 15 KOs) defended his NABA Featherweight title against Sergio “Micky” Lopez (20-13-1, 13 KOs). The bout was a tough one, with “El Chamaco” emerging with a unanimous decision victory that kept his undefeated record intact.

“He was definitely a warrior,” said Abraham Lopez. “I definitely thought that there was moments throughout the fight that he was going to go down, but it goes to show how tough he was. I definitely think that it was my night tonight.”

“Who won here was the fans,” said Sergio Lopez. “Every time the crowd screamed with emotion, I took pride because I was the one putting on the show. I am proud of the work we did tonight, and it felt like a war in the ring.”

VIP Guests of the night included Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya, Former two-Time Light Middleweight World Champion Fernando”El Feroz” Vargas, WBC Diamond, WBA & Ring Magazine Lightweight World Champion Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares, NABA Super Featherweight Champion Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass, Jason”El Animal”Quigley, Charles Huerta, Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez and Joet Gonzalez.

In the co-main event — a scheduled eight round bantamweight battle — rising Columbian prospect and LA FIGHT CLUB veteran Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (15-0, 6 KOs) faced experienced opponent Raul Hidalgo (25-15, 19 KOs) of Nuevas Casas Grandes, Mexico. The battle of the bantamweights made it until 2:49 in the fourth round, when the referee stopped the fight, giving the technical knock out victory to “El Jaguar”.

“The game plan is to win,” said Oscar Negrete. “When you face an experienced fighter like him, you know you are going to encounter some dirty tricks. However, I remembered my training – to keep my distance, to place pressure, and to attack in a manner that would break him down slowly. That was what won this fight.”

Opening up the Boxeo Estelar broadcast Edgar “Kid Neza” Valerio (9-0, 5 KOs) gave one of his most complete performances to date, dominating in a six-round featherweight combat against the resilient Guadalupe De Leon (9-15, 5 KOs) of Welasco, Texas. Valerio was able to make De Leon fall in the third round after a left hook to the head, which turned into a cut over De Leon’s right eye by the fifth round due to Valerio’s powerful punches. By the sixth round, following a series of combinations, the referee stopped the fight, awarding the technical knockout to Valerio.

“I was in the ring with a more experienced fighter, and yet I was able to get the win for being the smarter man,” said Edgar Valerio. “We didn’t get much chance to study him as a fighter, but just looking at his past fights and how calm he was in the ring made us switch up the game plan. All in all, I’m thankful to God, my team, and Joel De La Hoya Management for the opportunity.”

Rounding out the RING TV portion of the night, in a scheduled four round light heavy weight fight, Niko “Baby Face” Valdez (3-0, 3 KOs) made quick work of Gainesville, Florida’s Will “Bad News” Williams (0-3). The bout only lasted the first minute of the first round, with Valdez landing two consecutive hooks to the body and head that caused Williams to hit the mat.

“The stoppage was going to happen, it was only a matter of when,” spoke Niko Valdez. “I was expecting my opponent to be on the weaker side since he had trouble making weight, and all I had to do was use my skills to know when to attack and put him against the ropes.”

Jousce Gonzalez (3-0, 3 KOs) of Glendora, CA was able to get the early stoppage of El Paso, Texas’ Jordan Alvarado (0-2) within the first round of the scheduled four-round super featherweight bout. Gonzalez knocked Alvarado down twice in the fight, the first with a left hand to the temple, the following with a left punch to the body that forced Alvarado to his knee.

“I’m overjoyed by the result, and this sets the tone for my career” said Jousce Gonzalez. “But this is only the beginning. I have a long road ahead of me, and I can’t wait to hit the gym to train hard.”

Francisco “Alacran” Esparza (5-0, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada tore through Gerardo Molina (1-3, 1 KO) of Saucillo, Mexico, stopping Molina in round two of the scheduled four-round featherweight bout. Esparza, trained by former two-time super welterweight world champion Fernando Vargas, broke down his opponent with a powerful right hand body punch, causing the referee stop the fight at 2:59 in the second round.

“When a former world champion is your trainer, you get results like these,” spoke Francisco Esparza. “Vargas pushes the best out of me, in and out of the ring. I knew I just had to be patient in the ring. When I landed that right hand, and I saw that I hurt him, and my intuition told me to unleash on him.”

Opening the night and a part of the Ring TV livestream, Philadelphia’s Todd Unthank-May (10-0, 4 KOs) defeated Daniel Najera (5-1, 1 KO) of Nuevo Leon, Mexico in the first round, adding another knock out to his unblemished record.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to get a knock out,” spoke Todd Unthank-May of his knock out. “I knew if I was patient, I would be able to get the result that I wanted, I just had to break him down. I’m excited to maintain this momentum through 2017.”

Abraham Lopez vs Sergio Lopez was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV, follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

Danny Valdivia remained undefeated with a 8-round unanimous decision over Aaron Garica in a super welterweight bout.

In round two, Valdivia dropped Garcia with a right. Valdivia dropped Garcia in round three with a quick right.

In round eight, Valdivia scored a 3rd knockdown with a combination that was punctuated by a right to the head.

Valdivia, 152 lbs of Tulac, CA won by scores of 78-70 and 77-71 twice and is now 13-0. Garciam 152 1/2 lbs of Guadalajara, MX is 15-7-1.

Quilisto Madera won a six round unanimous decision over Joe Louie Lopez in a super middleweight bout.

In round five, Madera dropped Lopez with a right hand. Lopez was bleeding bad under his left eye.

Madera, 165 1/4 lbs of Stockton, CA won by scores of 59-53 on all cards and is now 5-0. Lopez, 165 lbs of Fresno, CA is 8-2.

Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing and his long-time promotional partner, Sergio Martinez of Maravillabox Promotions, congratulate the welterweight contender they co-promote, Ceferino “Ferino V” Rodriguez, for today’s (December 2) hard-fought EBU (European) welterweight title-winning victory over France’s Ahmed El Mousaoui.

After a scintillating back-and-forth war, Rodriguez (24-1, 12 KOs), also the former WBC Latino Welterweight champion, won a split decision over the determined El Mousaoui (now 24-3-1, 6 KOs) at the Las Palmas in Islas Canarias, Spain.

The victory sets up a potential showdown with former two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi for Rodriguez’s newly won European championship on American soil.

“I am happy to have won such a rough fight,” said Rodriguez. “Now I want to make history with a fight between a Spaniard and an Italian on American soil. Bring me Paulie Malignaggi.”

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz says he hopes Malignaggi sees the historical implications of fighting for a Euro title on US soil.

“Paulie is a smart man as a fighter and commentator. I invite him to try and further his incredible career by going for this championship, which I know is important to his people back in Italy. Forget Connor McGregor and let’s make this world war happen.”

Lewkowicz says he’s very happy for his fighter’s success and for the ongoing relationship with Martinez, whom he also worked with when he was an active fighter and superstar in boxing.

“Sergio and I have enjoyed a long and successful time in boxing and I look forward to making even more boxing history, as we guide the career of Ceferino Rodriguez together, hopefully into a globally important fight against Paulie Malignaggi,” he said.
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.

Moscow, Russia (December 2, 2016) Top rated contender RICHARD COMMEY, (24-2-0, 22 KO’s) of Accra, Ghana, is leaving Moscow and heading home after suffering a hotly contested battle and controversial split decision loss to Russia’s DENIS SHAFIKOV, (38-2-1, 20 KO’s) today in their 12-round IBF Lightweight World Title Eliminator. Scores were 116-112 for Commey and 116-112, 115-113 for Shafikov.

“It’s very disappointing, I clearly won the fight, look at how banged up he is,” said the 29-year-Commey. “Round after round it was the same thing, he bulled forward with his head and I slammed him with upper cuts and lead rights, it was like target practice.”

“While it could be made that Shafikov was the aggressor, there was nothing effective about his game plan, whatsoever. Very one dimensional and capable of beating some fighters but he didn’t beat me tonight.”

This was the second straight controversial split decision loss for Commey, having faced Robert Easter Jr. on September 9th for the vacant IBF Lightweight World Title in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Said MICKEY AMOO-BEDIAKO SR. of Streetwise Management, “It’s inconceivable this could happen twice in a row. Richard beat Easter and he fought like a road warrior tonight and clearly beat Shafikov. The judging in boxing is getting worse each month.”

“Richard had a great training camp and fought like a champion in this fight and the last one. It’s decisions like these that are turning away fans. He battered Shafikov around the ring, one judge got it right at 116-112 for Richard, that’s exactly how I scored it.”

“We’re going to head back to Ghana, regroup and put together a game plan to make another run at a world title. We don’t want any gimmes, we want to fight our way to a title.”

“Richard’s better that all these lightweights with titles including Flanagan, Zlaticanin and Linares. Line any of them up, anywhere in the world and we’ll prove it.”

SOCIAL MEDIA/Twitter
@RichardCommey
@Mickey_Moo
@Streetwisemgt

ORANGE, Calif. (Dec. 2, 2016) – Thompson Boxing Promotions signed two Mexican prospects with extensive amateur backgrounds – welterweight Francisco Armenta and junior welterweight Miguel Angel Madueño.

Armenta and Madueño will have their first professional fights early next year on a Thompson Boxing show in Southern California.

“I’m really happy and motivated to start my career as a professional,” said Armenta, who had approximately 250 fights as an amateur. “I think boxing fans will enjoy watching me fight. I like to press the action. My goal is to become a world champion and I won’t stop until that happens.”

“I’m excited for the doors that this will open for me,” said Madueño, who appeared in roughly 230 amateur fights. “I’m a boxer that likes to throw a lot of punches. Fans are going to like my style. It’s every boxer’s dream to be a world champion and that’s what I want.”

Both Armenta, 22, and Madueño, 18, won the majority of their amateur contests and both captured numerous national and regional tournament titles in their native country. They currently belong to one of Mexico’s most renowned boxing academies – Centro de Alto Rendimieto de Boxeo in the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa.

The academy, which prepares its students for careers in boxing, also consists of an academic and civic component that strives to develop sold citizens out of its alumni.

For a behind the scenes look at the contract signing, please click here.

“Francisco and Miguel are ahead of the curve in terms of their development,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “They each excelled in the amateur ranks and now it’s time for them to make their marks as professionals. We are looking forward to Francisco’s and Miguel’s professional debuts, which could come as early as February.”

Armenta resides in Los Mochis, while Madueño lives in Guasave, Sinaloa. Both are managed by Roberto Sandoval.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.

OAKLAND (December 2, 2016) – Undefeated prospect Mario Barrios (16-0, 8 KOs) is set to make his lightweight debut when he fights Argentina’s Claudio Rosendo Tapia (28-17-4, 13 KOs) in undercard action on Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles.

The December 10 event is headlined by featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar defending against former three-division world champion Abner Mares in a long-awaited showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a world championship battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.

Barrios shared thoughts on his first training camp with Virgil Hunter, moving up and weight in more. Here is what the San Antonio-native had to say from Oakland:

On moving up to lightweight…
“At 6’1, it was getting difficult making 130 pounds. I feel a lot stronger now that I’m fighting at lightweight. It’s also safer not to be drained going into fights. In my last fight, I killed myself trying to make weight. I believe this is the right move for me.”

On working with new coach, 2011 BWAA “Trainer of the Year” Virgil Hunter…
“I have a lot of respect for Virgil Hunter. He’s great explaining the fundamentals of boxing. He’s a great motivator and I’m looking forward to a bright future with Virgil. Everyone knows he’s one of the best trainers in the world so I’m excited to have him in my corner leading the way.”

On fighting in Los Angeles on December 10…
“This will be a great card to fight on. Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares is going to be an all-out war. This will be the second time fighting at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. I’m looking to put on a great performance for all the Mexican fans that will be in attendance. Everyone will see a stronger fighter when I step in the ring on December 10.”

On his recent training camp in California…
“Training in California has been very productive. I’ve got a lot of good sparring and my strength and conditioning has gone to a new level. I feel powerful and I know I’ll be at my best when I step in the ring. All in all, it’s been a great learning experience working out here on the west coast.”

On fighting Argentinean veteran Claudio Rosendo Tapia…
“I know he just went the distance with two undefeated fighters, so I know he’s durable. Fighters from Argentina always bring it. I know this fight will get rough at some point so I’ll be well prepared for anything he brings. I’m very confident in my ability to come out victorious.”

On his goals for 2017…
“2017 will be a year where I’ll get comfortable fighting at a higher weight class. My main goal is to stay busy and get as many fights in as possible. I can see myself possibly fighting at super lightweight if I keep growing. I’m just going to take it day by day.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina

NEW YORK (Dec. 2, 2016) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join the SHOWTIME announce team as a guest analyst for the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT).

Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi for the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, site of that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.

The “Bronze Bomber” just completed rehab for a fractured right hand and torn right bicep (see video above) as he (Wilder) sets his sights to unify the division in 2017. Wilder is acutely familiar with Molina, having defeated the fellow-American in the first defense of his title in June, 2015 on SHOWTIME.

“I know firsthand just how tough Eric Molina is,” Wilder said. “He’s coming to win because it’s a chance for him to win a world title, and he’ll definitely push Joshua. Whoever wins will have to see me eventually because it’s my goal to collect all the belts and become the undisputed heavyweight champion.”

Joshua is making the second defense of his title against Molina, who is getting his second shot at a belt in his quest to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight world champion.

An encore presentation of Joshua vs. Molina will air as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast later that evening, following the main event showdown between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar and three-division former champ Abner Mares. In the opening bout, Jermall Carlo will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Julian Williams.

New York (December 2, 2016) -Split T Management is pleased to announce the signing of 2016 United States Olympian, Charles Conwell to a managerial contract..

Conwell 19 years-old of Cleveland, Ohio competed as a middleweight in the Olympics but will compete in the welterweight division in the professional ranks.

“David McWater of Split T Management is known as a man who cares about his fighters, not only inside of the ring, but outside of it as well,” said Conwell.

“When I talked to a lot of people, they had a lot of nice things to say about him. When I met him and got to know him, he showed me that he cared about me not only as a boxer, but as a person, and that’s the one I want handling my career.”

“Charles is a wonderful person as well as a fighter,” said McWater. “He’s accomplished so much in his life already! How many kids win National Golden Gloves, US Nationals, Continental Elite Worlds and make honor roll in school all before they graduate high school? Close to none I would guess! He’s just an awesome young man and a tremendous talent, I’m very excited to be working for him.”

Conwell began boxing at the age of 10 when his father brought him to the gym and Charles fell in love with the sport.

Charles won a gold medal in the Americas Olympic qualifiers and took the top spot in countless United States Amateur tournaments, which included the National Junior Championships on two occasions, the National Golden Gloves Tournaments and the United Stated Olympic Trials.

“After winning my first national tournament (2012 National Junior Olympics), I felt that I could make boxing my career. I went on to become an 11-time national champion.”

For the past 2 years, Conwell has been the top-ranked middleweight in the United States.

In 2015, Conwell was named the USA Boxing Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

In the 2016 Olympics, Conwell was ousted by Krishan Vikas of India. Vikas was a 2-time Olympian, who defeated top welterweight contender Errol Spence, Jr. in the 2012 games.

“My Olympic experience did not go was planned, but I made the most of it. By fighting internationally, I got to see a lot of different styles of fighters and took some of the good qualities and added it to my style, which will help me become even a better fighter. I am a very smart boxer with fast hands and power. When people see me, they will think of Aaron Pryor, Mike Tyson and Andre Ward all rolled up into one.”

I plan to become the undisputed world welterweight champion and leave a legacy in boxing. I will be known as one of the all-time greats to come out of Ohio.”

BROOKLYN (December 2, 2016) – Junior featherweight world champion and Brooklyn-native Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (30-1-1, 23 KOs) is set to battle former two-division world champion Yazmin Rivas (35-9-1, 10 KOs) in the first nationally televised women’s world title bout in nearly a decade on Saturday, January 14, live on SHOWTIME EXTREME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The last nationally televised female world title fight was Mary Jo Saunders vs. Valerie Mahfood on March 30, 2007 (ESPN2).

The SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast begins at 7 p.m. ET/PT and features Ievgen Khytrov (14-0, 12 KOs) battling Immanuwel Aleem (16-0-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round matchup of undefeated rising contenders for the WBC Middleweight Silver belt.

The January 14 event features a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader headlined by the super middleweight world championship unification showdown between Badou Jack and James DeGale. Televised coverage on SHOWTIME® begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT with super featherweight world champion Jose Pedraza taking on undefeated contender Gervonta Davis.

Serrano, the WBO 122-pound titlist, and Rivas, the WBC International champion at super bantamweight, will fight for the WBO title and the prestigious WBC Diamond championship in a bout that promises intense action from start to finish. The addition of Serrano means that the card will feature Puerto Rico’s only two world champions, Serrano and Pedraza.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available now and 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.

Raised in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, Serrano gravitated toward boxing from watching her older sister Cindy, also a professional fighter. She picked the sport up quickly, amassing a 9-1 record during a brief amateur career in which she won the New York Golden Gloves title in 2008. The 27-year-old would go on to fight all over the world, seizing her first world title in 2011 when she defeated Kimberly Connor to grab a super featherweight belt. In 2014, she went to Argentina and defeated Maria Elena Maderna to become a world champion at lightweight. Her world title climb continued in February when she stopped Olivia Gerula in the first round to capture her featherweight championship. She made her Barclays Center debut in July with a first-round stoppage of Calixta Silgado before earning another victory in the first round when she stopped Alexandra Lazar to pick up a vacant junior featherweight world title.

A 28-year-old out of Torreon, Mexico, Rivas picked up her WBC International title in her last bout, a decision victory over Jessica Gonzalez. Rivas had previously successfully defended her bantamweight world title four times after winning the belt against Alesia Graf in 2014. Her prior run as a bantamweight champion lasted for five defenses after she defeated previously unbeaten Susie Ramadan to win that belt. These extended championship runs came after she became a flyweight world champion in 2005 by defeating Lucia Avalos.

An Olympian who represented his native Ukraine, Khytrov also won an Amateur World Championship before turning pro in 2013. Since then, the 28-year-old has dominated on his way to stopping contenders Josh Luteran and Nick Brinson and previously unbeaten fighters Maurice Louishomme and Aaron Coley. Khytrov, who trains out of Brooklyn, won an entertaining ninth-round knockout over Paul Mendez in his last start this past July. Khytrov has fought three times previously on ShoBox: The New Generation.

Born in East Meadow, New York and fighting out of Richmond, Virginia, Aleem was introduced to boxing at a young age by his parents. Since turning pro in 2012 at age 18, the 23-year-old has wiped out all of the competition in front of him. In 2015, he dominated Emmanuel Sanchez, David Toribio, Oscar Riojas and Carlos Galvan before defeating once-beaten Jonathan Cepeda in April. In his last bout, he boxed a draw with once-beaten prospect Demond Nicholson. He will look to take advantage of another big opportunity on January 14.

# # #

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotionswww.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LOS ANGELES (December 2, 2016) – In his highly anticipated return from back-to-back Fight of the Year performances, WBC Super Featherweight Champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-2, 17 KOs) will open 2017 defending his title against fellow Mexican brawler and WBO Interim Super Featherweight champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (30-1, 27 KOs) in a 12-round sure-fire all-action fight on January 28 from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino to be televised live on the season premiere of HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In the 12-round televised special feature of the slugfest in the desert, Vargas’ 2015 Fight of the Year opponent and former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion Takashi Miura (30-3-2, 23 KOs) of Akita, Japan, will build on his reputation of fighting the best when he goes head-to-head with former featherweight and lightweight contender Miguel “Mickey” Roman (56-11, 43 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Tickets go on sale, TODAY, Friday, December 2 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $35, $45, $55, $75 and $105 and will be available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasysprings.com.

“Boxing fans know what to expect every time I step in to the ring – and that is a war,” Vargas said. “I am aware of my opponent’s knockout power, but he’s never faced a true world champion, and I am confident I will come out on top.”

Vargas, from Mexico City, is coming off a majority draw with Orlando “Siri” Salido in a 2016 non-stop action fight that cemented Vargas’ reputation as one of the toughest boxers in the sport. He now faces Berchelt, who has knocked out 27 opponents in his 30 professional victories.

“I’m going to shock the boxing world on January 28,” Berchelt said. “This is the opportunity I have been looking forward to.”

In the co-main, the heavy-handed Miura – who was scheduled to take on Salido before he withdrew with an injury — will look to get back into title contention, taking on a rugged knockout specialist in Roman.

“I am excited to return to the United States and fight in such an exciting bout with Mickey Roman,” Miura said. “I was very disappointed when I lost to Vargas, but I have rededicated myself and am excited to begin my journey towards winning back my title.”

“I am performing better than ever in my career, and I am looking forward to showing my skills against Miura,” said Roman, who comes into the bout riding an impressive 18-fight winning streak. “My goal has always been to be a world champion and I am hopeful that after I win this fight, I can get another title shot.”

“Fans love knockouts, and these four guys have 110 KOs among the four of them,” noted Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We are excited to open our 2017 HBO year showcasing the kind of action-packed fights that will get people up and out of their seats from start to finish.”

Vargas vs. Berchelt, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions. Miura vs. Roman is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and Promociones del Pueblo The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

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

02 December 2016 – Manila, PHILIPPINES: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), once again electrified the capacity crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION showcased the Philippines’ top mixed martial arts (MMA) talent along with the world’s best fighters. In the main event, Brandon Vera retained his ONE Heavyweight World Championship with a dominant victory over Japanese challenger Hideki Sekine.

Visit the official ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION photo gallery by clicking: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ivh34n9pza3q94o/AADwuMwRg-gnDecd5AIBoQyTa?dl=0

In the main event, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera made easy work of previously unbeaten Japanese challenger Hideki Sekine, winning by technical knockout just minutes into the first round. From the opening bell, Vera began to land a series of solid blows on Sekine, who took Vera’s best shots quite well. Moments later however, a thudding body kick connected for Vera, sending Sekine crashing to the canvas clutching his midsection. Vera then put on the finishing touches with punishing strikes from the top.

In the co-main event of the evening, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil retained his title, overcoming a nose injury he suffered in the third round to defeat young rising star Reece “Lightning” McLaren of Australia. Both Fernandes and McLaren were very evenly matched, with each having their moments over the course of the five-round title tiff. While McLaren proved to be a live challenger, Fernandes dug deep to show true championship mettle, doing just enough to earn the split decision victory in a grueling affair.

Evolve MMA bantamweight fighter Mark “Mugen” Striegl persevered through three grueling rounds against Bulgaria’s Sotir Kichukov to win by unanimous decision in a catchweight contest. Striegl began the bout aggressively, using superior speed and angles to stifle Kichukov who appeared unable to time Striegl’s erratic rhythm. Striegl also took Kichukov down to the ground at will, controlling his opponent with a smothering top game. In the end, all three judges saw the bout the same way with Striegl emerging as the victor.

Finnish bantamweight sensation Toni “Dynamite” Tauru finally earned his first victory inside the ONE Championship cage, easily dispatching Team Lakay striking specialist Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of Baguio City, Philippines. Tauru wasted no time in the stand up with his Filipino foe, shooting immediately for a single leg, driving Eustaquio to the mat. From there, Tauru used his size and strength advantage to power through a rear naked choke to notch the win in the first round.

Former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario of Team Lakay continued his re-emergence as a new and improved fighter by making quick work of Indian mixed martial artist Rajinder “Knockout” Singh Meena. Banario electrified the crowd with his performance, winning by armbar submission with less than a minute left to go in the first round. Banario, who says he feels much stronger at lightweight, dominated both striking and grappling exchanges. The finish came swiftly when Banario transitioned effortlessly into an armbar from side control to earn the victory.

Colossal middleweight contenders Leandro Ataides of Brazil and Mohamed “Flex” Ali of Egypt punished each other with a series of powerful strikes, bringing the crowd up to their feet as they traded blows at the center of the ONE Championship cage. Ataides, a multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, decided to stand up with Ali, a former boxer. Towards the end of the second round, Ataides lunged forward with a flying knee that landed right on Ali’s jaw, separating the Egyptian from his senses on the canvas.

Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly of the famed Team Lakay MMA of Baguio City overcame a spirited performance from Indonesian fighter Sunoto “The Terminator”, to nab the victory in round three by referee stoppage. Kelly and Sunoto took turns plastering each other with heavy-handed punches and powerful snap kicks. It was Kelly however, who appeared in control of the exchanges. In the third, Kelly landed a thunderous body kick that sent Sunoto crumbling to the mat. Kelly then immediately took full mount and finished Sunoto off with ground and pound.

Unbeaten Team Lakay flyweight prospect Danny Kingad of Baguio City impressed with a high-level striking and grappling performance, dominating veteran striking ace Eugene Toquero of Manila to win by submission in the first round. Kingad battered Toquero on the feet and maneuvered him effortlessly on the ground before putting together the finish. As Kingad latched on to Toquero’s right arm, the Team Lakay fighter executed a flawless transition into an armbar that left Toquero no choice but to submit.

Chinese-Taipei’s Jenny Huang overcame a near-dominant performance from Baguio City’s April Osenio to win via come-from-behind submission. Osenio repeatedly got the better of Huang in striking exchanges, showcasing her famed Team Lakay wushu skills, but Huang began to time her takedowns more efficiently in the second round. With her back on the mat, Huang snaked her right foot underneath Osenio’s neck and secured a gogoplata to force the tap.

Khun Khmer prodigy Sim Bunsrun of Cambodia delighted the crowd with a highly-technical display of striking, overwhelming opponent Liu Peng Shuai with looping right hands and body kicks. Liu tried his best to survive the onslaught, laying back mostly on the defensive but Bunsrun was simply too much for his Chinese foe. Behind a well-prepared strategy, Bunsrun took the bout on all three judges’ scorecards.

Chinese bantamweight prospect Xie Bin and Jakarta, Indonesia’s Mario Satya Wirawan kicked off ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION with a showcase of grit and determination in a three-round bantamweight contest. Xie peppered Wirawan with a multitude of overhand rights and stinging jabs for much of the fight. In the second round, Xie scored points for a near finish with a deep guillotine choke. The third round saw much of the same action as both fighters rose to their feet at the sound of the final bell. In the end, Xie Bin earned a unanimous decision victory.

Official results for ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION
ONE Heavyweight World Championship bout: Brandon Vera defeats Hideki Sekine by TKO (Strikes) at 3:11 minutes of round 1
ONE Bantamweight World Championship bout: Bibiano Fernandes defeats Reece McLaren by Split Decision (SD) after five rounds
Catchweight bout: Mark Striegl defeats Sotir Kichukov by Unanimous Decision (UD) after three rounds
Bantamweight bout: Toni Tauru defeats Geje Eustaquio by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:55 minutes of round 1
Lightweight bout: Honorio Banario defeats Rajinder Singh Meena by Submission (Armbar) at 4:04 minutes of round 1
Middleweight bout: Leandro Ataides defeats Mohamed Ali by Knockout at 4:54 minutes of round 2
Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly defeats Sunoto by TKO (Strikes) at 2:14 minutes of round 3
Flyweight bout: Danny Kingad defeats Eugene Toquero by Submission (Armbar) at 4:26 minutes of round 1
Women’s atomweight bout: Jenny Huang defeats April Osenio by Submission (Gogoplata) at 4:28 minutes of round 2
Flyweight bout: Sim Bunsrun defeats Liu Peng Shuai by Unanimous Decision (UD) after three rounds
Bantamweight bout: Xie Bin defeats Mario Satya Wirawan by Unanimous Decision (UD) after three rounds

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

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, Esporte Interativo and more.

Dave Allen says he will make Luis Ortiz look like an old man when they clash at the Manchester Arena on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Allen clashes with the Cuban star over eight rounds in Manchester on a night where Anthony Joshua defends his IBF World Heavyweight title and old foe Dillian Whyte puts his British belt on the line against Dereck Chisora in a WBC eliminator.

The Doncaster man can catapult his name into the mix for major fights too by beating Ortiz, and after ‘King Kong’ was frustrated by Malik Scott’s negative tactics on his European debut in Monte Carlo in November, Allen has promised to give everything he’s got and take a huge opportunity with both hands.

“Luis Ortiz is an old man and I’m going to make him look like an old man in there,” said Allen. “When he hits me, I’m going to stand there and smile at him. This is the fight that will catapult my career on the world scene. My sparring tells me that I have the ability to become world class, now this my time to go out there and show the world what I can do.

“I was waiting for the David Price fight but this is an even bigger opportunity and I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose in this. This is just another day for me, like a man going in to the office for the day. There is no nerves, yes there is excitement and anticipation.

“I respect Luis. Many people look at the Malik Scott fight and are judging him on that but I’m not. I look at the Bryant Jennings fight, the Tony Thompson fight, where he has been destroying opponents.

“Easy fights don’t do anything for me. I’ve made this opportunity myself pretty much like the Dillian Whyte fight. It’s giving me big exposure in the UK and it’s being talked about in America.

“I showed I have a good defence against Dillian, so I will be prepared for anything. I said to myself I would only fight the end of the year if it was against Price, but this fight is even bigger so I couldn’t say no. I’m going to put it all on the line against him. I’m going to stick it on him early, smack him bang on the chin and see how it goes.”

Allen and Ortiz clash as part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Anthony Joshua MBE defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against Eric Molina.

Dillian Whyte faces bitter London rival Dereck Chisora in an official eliminator for the WBC Heavyweight title and Scott Quigg returns to action against Jose Cayetano for the vacant WBA International Featherweight title.

Kal Yafai can become Birmingham’s first World champion but the unbeaten 27 year old faces a tough task to rip the WBA Super-Flyweight title against Luis Concepcion, the two-weight World champion that will enter the ring in his 11th World title outing.

Irish amateur sensation Katie Taylor boxes for the second time in the paid ranks against Viviane Obenauf, Callum Smith defends his British Super-Middleweight title against Luke Blackledge and Hosea Burton will defend his British Light-Heavyweight title against Frank Buglioni.

Limited tickets remain on from http://www.manchester-arena.com/ and on 0844 847 8000 VIP tickets are £800 and available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing www.matchroomboxing.com.
Face value tickets for December 10 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

Los Angeles – Dec. 1, 2016 – Here are the official weigh in results for AXS TV FIGHTS: LEGACY FIGHTING ALLIANCE 63. AXS TV FIGHTS commentators Pat Miletich and “The Voice” Michael Schiavello call the action live tomorrow night at 10pE/7pP on AXS TV from the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma. Legacy 63 will be Legacy Fighting Championship’s final event before merging with Resurrection Fighting Alliance to form Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2017.

Official weigh-in results for Legacy 63 are as follows, fighter records and weights (in pounds) are listed in parenthesis:

Televised Main Card

Main Event – Catchweight Fight – Gerald Harris (22-5, 189.8) vs. Aaron Cobb (7-3) (*Note: Aaron Cobb will weigh in tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT with a 205 pound target)

Co-Main Event – Welterweight Fight – Trey Houston (12-3, 169.2) vs. Bilal Williams (7-3, 170.4)

Bantamweight Fight – Jimmy Flick (8-2, 135) vs. Levi Mowles (4-2, 135.6)

Super Heavyweight Fight – Josh Lanier (8-8, 259.2) vs. Jesse Hernandez (7-2, 300.8)

Catchweight Fight – TeeJay Britton (2-0, 140.6) vs. Diego Pichilingue (3-2, 140.8)

Lightweight Fight – Kyle Driscoll (3-2, 154.8) vs. William Walker (6-4, 155.8)

Catchweight Fight – Kathina Lowe (6-6, 130.6) vs. Ariel Beck (4-3, 128.6)

ABOUT AXS TV FIGHTS

AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 45 scheduled LIVE world-class fight cards in 2017. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich call all the action and Ron Kruck reports from cageside as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

LOS ANGELES (December 1, 2016) – Featherweight world champion Carl Frampton and former three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz went face-to-face in Los Angeles Thursday along with lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin and undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia in advance of their respective showdowns Saturday, January 28 in a Premier Boxing Champions event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and live on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with Zlaticanin vs. Garcia. For Frampton and Santa Cruz, Thursday’s event was the second press conference promoting their highly anticipated rematch as the featherweights spoke to media in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday at the Europa Hotel.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with Cyclone Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $504, $404, $304, $204, $104 and $54, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.AXS.com.

After the Belfast press conference, the fighters and their teams flew to the U.S. to meet with the media at an open to the public event at the outdoor plaza at the Los Angeles Central Public Library.

Here is what the participants had to say at the two events:

CARL FRAMPTON

From Los Angeles:

“This rematch with Leo Santa Cruz is going to be an amazing one. The first one was considered a ‘Fight of the Year’ and I don’t think this can be any different. We’re going to kick-off 2017 with a bang.

“Leo is an amazing fighter and I want to thank him for giving me the chance to fight for his title in July. I was more than happy to give him the rematch straight away. These are the types of fights I want to be involved in.

“I thought I won the first fight. I don’t think it was controversial at all. I think I won the fight by three or four rounds. They were definitely close, competitive rounds, but I think I was doing more to win rounds and get the nod. This one is going to be more of the same.

“Las Vegas is obviously a bit closer to home for Leo and I’m sure he’ll bring a lot of fans. But I’m bringing at least 4,000 from the UK. Right now I’m the most well-supported fighter in the UK. It’s a great privilege for me.

“When I fight people, I feel like I improve the second time. I have a good boxing brain and I can adapt to different situations. The only person I’ve fought twice as a pro was Kiko Martinez and the second time I fought him I won comfortably. Because I learned from the first fight. I know everything about Leo. He fights the same way every single time.

“I think our styles just gel really well together. You can expect a great night with a really huge undercard from start to finish.

“I know his training may not have been as focused last time as it could have been because of his father. I expect a better Leo Santa Cruz. But in terms of how he fights, I think he’ll fight the same way. It’s a good way to fight and it’s gotten him far. He usually wears people down, but I have serious punching power and that again could be the difference.

“If you want people to remember you in 20 or 30 years’ time, you need to fight guys like Leo Santa Cruz. We’ve already been working very hard in the gym and we’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure I remain the champion and bring the title back home to Ireland.”

From Belfast:

“It’s always good to be here in Belfast and see the people. It’s good for them to see great fighters like Leo Santa Cruz in their hometown.

“This is going to be a dream come true. It won’t all sink in until I’m out there and ready to perform. Las Vegas is the mecca of boxing. It’s where all the big names go. I’m expecting a big support base from all over the UK and Ireland on January 28.

“I feel like no matter who I fight, I always get better the second time. I have a good boxing brain and I can adapt to my opponent’s style and use it to my advantage. If you’ve seen me in sparring, if I have a dodgy performance, you know I will get better the second time.

“I know how Leo fights, and he knows how I fight. But I can adapt and make changes. I can be a bit more clever than I was last time. I got dragged into the fight more than I wanted to.

“Headlining in New York against a great fighter like Leo Santa Cruz was a dream come true. Now I have the opportunity to go to Las Vegas, where Leo has fought a few times. It’ll be his first time in the main event there as well and I’m just excited to get out there and feel the buzz of fight week.

“I think this fight could be even better. I gave him his first loss and I’m sure he’s going to come looking for his revenge. But I’m training very hard. I’m in good shape for this point in camp.

“There’s no doubt that Leo went through a difficult time with his father’s illness. I also know that Leo trained very hard anyway. He threw about a thousand punches last fight and was throwing all the way to the end. You can’t throw much more than that so I don’t think he’s going to improve his work rate.

“I believe he’ll come up with a different game plan but I genuinely believe that I’ll be able to deal with anything he brings to the ring. It’s not going to be an easy fight, but I’ll do whatever it takes to win and I believe I will.

“Leo Santa Cruz is a tough fighter with a solid chin. But I believe that if I hit any featherweight, or super featherweight, with a clean shot, that I can knock them out. If I’m a little bit cleaner, then I could knock him out. But I’ll be prepared to go a hard 12 rounds.

“I believe if I use my brain a little bit more in this one, and don’t get dragged into his fight, that I can win it more convincingly. But there will be times in this fight where I’ll just have to bite down and fight for my life.

“I’m prepared for anything. I’m ready to keep this title in Belfast and then I’m going to return here for a show in Belfast in the summer.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

From Los Angeles:

“Carl Frampton is a great fighter. He has the respect of the fans because he has proven that he’s a great champion. I know it’s going to be another very close and exciting fight.

“We both train really hard for our families and for the fans. We want to give you all a great show. I know that this rematch is going to be very tough.

“I learned from the first fight that every little mistake really matters. One or two could really cost you. I trained hard but without my dad he wasn’t pressuring me like I’m used to. Those things come back to haunt you. It hurt, but it taught me that I have to leave it all in the ring and work every day for what I want.

“We’re going to be mentally and physically ready. I’m getting more motivation from having him there. We’ll be making some little changes and we’re going to do a lot better.

“I’m motivated to get my belt back. I was a champion and now I’m a former champion. That makes me unhappy. We’re going to train hard and do our best to become a champion again.

“We’re going to go to the gym and train hard to make this fight even better than the first one.”

From Belfast:

“This is a very nice city and when I knew there would be a rematch, I wanted to come to Belfast. This is the first time I’ve been to Europe.

“It was a very hard fight and right after it was over, the first thing that came to my head was a rematch.

“Las Vegas is a lot closer to my hometown and I feel very comfortable fighting there. Carl Frampton has a lot of fans though, and they’re going to fly over to Vegas. I think it will be a pretty even crowd and I don’t see it as an advantage for anyone.

“It was a pretty close fight the first time. When you’re in the ring you’re only worried about fighting. It could have gone either way. I thought being the champion, that it should have gone my way. But I won’t take anything away from Frampton. We’re looking to the future and beating him in the rematch.

“The fans here have made me feel very welcome since the first fight. I feel comfortable here. I’m excited to be here in Belfast with these great fans.

“I was disappointed but it was a very close fight the first time. He had the bigger crowd and the Irish people would scream for everything he did. It was a really good close fight though. I really think it could have gone either way.

“Carl Frampton is a great fighter and I knew it would be a tough fight. I didn’t get to train for that fight like I was supposed to. My father was going through cancer treatment so I wasn’t 100 percent in the training. I was thinking about my dad’s health and he was only really there for the last three weeks of camp. We’re going to have a great game plan and it’s going to be another tough fight, but we’re looking to get the victory.

“If you watched the first fight you know that it was a great fight. The second one is going to be even better. I took my first defeat. He’s a great fighter, but I want to win this rematch. If I win the rematch, I’m fine bringing the third fight of the trilogy to Belfast.”

DEJAN ZLATICANIN

“Everyone thinks that Garcia is a pound-for-pound star but I want to tell everyone that I’m going to win this fight.

“Everything in preparations has been going great. I’ll be 100% ready on January 28. This is the fight of my life. I have to be ready and we’re right on track.

“I always respected fighters like Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. or a fighter like Mike Tyson because whoever they were supposed to fight they fought. I’m the same way, an old school fighter who’s willing to fight anybody.

“I came up the hard way, and sometimes I thought I might never get this opportunity. I’ve been in some really tough fights where people gave me no chance to win, but now I’m a world champion.

“To be the first world champion from Montenegro is historic. I think it’s made me a national hero in the country and I’m honored. The people in my country love me and I love them back.

“When I beat Mikey Garcia that will make me an even bigger star. I think Mikey is a good puncher, and he has good timing, but I can hit him easily and I’m planning to knock him out.”

“Mikey will have a big opponent in front of him. He needs to run around the ring because I’m going to come for him. You will see me defend my title and you will enjoy it.”

MIKEY GARCIA

“I’m thankful to everyone who came out. I was down for over two years, but it seems like no one has forgotten about me. We’re looking for big things. I want to pick up right where I left off.

“I’m really happy to have been given this opportunity to claim a world title in a third division. This is going to be an amazing fight. He’s a hungry world champion. He’s very dangerous. These are the kind of fights that I want. This is what I need to prove myself.

“This is only the beginning. This is going to be a huge year for me. I want to win multiple titles and maybe conquer multiple divisions this year.

“I haven’t fought in Vegas since 2012 but I expect the fans to be out there supporting. This is a big stage and a night of great fights. This is a great opportunity to become a world champion in another weight class.

“I’ve known Leo Santa Cruz since the amateur days. We get to share the stage again on July 30 and I’m looking forward to another good shot. I can’t ask for anything more.

“My brother and my dad watch more film than I do. I only like to watch a couple rounds of my opponent. So I’ve seen what Dejan has. During the fight I’ll listen to my corner and make adjustments. He’s a young, undefeated champion for a reason. I want him to be at his best because that will bring out my A-game.

“My body feels really good right now. I think this is going to be a great division for me. I don’t think the weight will affect me in any way.

“This is going to be a great show. I’m going to give everything that the fans want to see. I’m sure my opponent will do the same. I want to take on the biggest challenges and I’m ready to make those fights happen. I want to give the fans the fights they want. The best of my career is yet to come.”

BARRY MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Manager, Former World Champion & Hall of Famer

From Los Angeles:

“It’s great to be here in Los Angeles for such a great occasion. Dejan, Mikey, Leo and Carl are all incredible fighters and it really is going to be a magnificent show.

“These are two amazing fighters. If they fought every day of the week, and twice on Sunday, every single fight would be close. I just think that Carl has the edge in innate boxing intelligence. He is more versatile and a naturally bigger guy than Leo. We have to get him into the best shape of his life.

“Carl is going to have to turn it up on fight night and we know that Leo will turn it up as well. He’ll put the pressure on him. I believe it will be at least as good of a fight as last time.

“We’re going to have a fabulous night on January 28 and I have to say it again, we will be winning.”

From Belfast:

“You boxing fans here in Belfast are the best supporters in the world, we have no doubt about it, and we’re going to go to Las Vegas to make sure we win again and win more convincingly.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

From Los Angeles:

“When you mix these two together, you know it has to be another ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. These two guys could fight 10 times and every time it would be a ‘Fight of the Year’, and probably a very close decision. These are our modern day gladiators.

“These are exciting matchups where you really don’t know who’s going to win. This is what the fans like to see. These are closely matched fights, for the fans. That is exactly what you will see on January 28.

“Dejan vs. Mikey is the most significant matchup in the lightweight division. There is no question about it. It’s an extremely dangerous fight. It’s playing with fire for Mikey. I can pretty much assure you that this fight will end in a knockout. This is easily a main event on its own.

“I believe that Mikey Garcia is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. But to get there and to stay there, you have to face fighters like Dejan. This just shows what Mikey is made of.

From Belfast:

“I was fortunate to promote many of Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather’s fights, but whenever I am here, I can feel the passion that you fans here bring to the sport. You elevate these fighters to do better. At Barclays Center we saw you there cheering on your guy.

“Tickets are available as low as fifty dollars. I don’t think that’s a bad idea in January, to go from cold Ireland to warm Las Vegas. There are many reasons to go out there, but this fight is the biggest reason to go.

“It’s a rematch of the ‘Fight of the Year’ and I’m very proud to be able to promote this fight together along with Barry McGuigan. I thank all of the fans here again for the passion you bring to the sport of boxing.”

SHANE MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Trainer

From Los Angeles:

“These are two really good fighters. As Richard said, this would be a great fight 10 times out of 10. Leo had a lot of distractions in training camp with his father’s health and I think he will be a better fight the second time.

“That was Carl Frampton’s first time fighting at 126-pounds, so he had a lot of new experiences leading up to the last fight. They both learned in the first fight and I think they will both be able to give a little bit more the second time. The fans will be the ones to enjoy the action.

“Training camp has been going great.

From Belfast:

“I don’t know who was lucky enough to see the first fight between these two, but it was really a great one. Carl got dragged into Leo’s fight at times, but with that came excitement.

“I think this fight we’re going to win a lot more convincingly, cement the win and then move on. I’m extremely excited about it.

“To see how far Carl has come is phenomenal. I hope people will buy a ticket and come out to support. He needs that support and I hope to see you all out there.”

ALEX VAYSFELD, Zlaticanin’s Manager

“It was a very hard uphill road for Dejan to get where he was going. He had to fight a lot of different places and fight people that he wasn’t supposed to beat, in other people’s minds. But he won.

“Dejan knows how to be an underdog and he knows how to calm a favorite. I guarantee you that Dejan knows every aspect of Garcia’s game. When he steps into that ring, you will all see something amazing.

“Mikey is going to bring his best, Dejan is going to bring his best and of the fans are going to be in for an amazing fight.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Mikey’s Brother & Trainer

“I consider Leo Santa Cruz a great fighter and a friend. Carl Frampton is another great fighter and it’s fantastic to be part of a card with such a big main event.

“This was a very easy fight to make. Mikey said yes right away. He wanted to fight for a title and he got it. Mikey isn’t going to hold back. He wants to keep moving up and challenging big names. He wants to be remembered as one of the best fighters in the world. Mikey wants to give the fans the best fights out there.

“I don’t have any second thoughts about this fight because I believe in Mikey. We’re preparing to become the lightweight champion of the world.

“Mikey is training hard. He’s going to be ready on January 28 and prepared to give everybody a great fight.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“SHOWTIME has without question delivered the strongest lineup of any network in boxing. We are looking for the best fighters fighting the best. Top tier fighters against top tier fighters. This is what we have here today.

“Our main event has Carl Frampton, who for my money is the 2016 ‘Fighter of the Year.’ He defeated two undefeated world champions to unify 122-pounds and pick up a title at 126-pounds. There is no fighter who has done what he has in 2016.

“Leo Santa Cruz is a three-division world champion. He’s always entertaining. His Abner Mares was the ‘Fight of the Year’ in 2015 and his fight this year with Carl was my ‘2016 Fight of the Year.’ I think his fight on January 28 will be another one.

“The co-main event is really worthy of being a main event of its own. For those of you who don’t know Dejan Zlaticanin, he’s a fighter that nobody wants to fight. He’s one of the most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. He’s a power puncher who’s very aggressive. No one except Mikey Garcia. He’s looking for a world title in a third division and he’s no doubt a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. These guys were so anxious to fight that we put it on the card on January 28 and the fans get a real treat.

“We have four top tier fighters. This is the best in the sport, coming together on one card. As Richard suggested, the combined record of these fighters is 112 wins and 1 loss. These are four of the most skilled fighters in the sport. It’s a special night. You shouldn’t miss it.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @MikeyGarcia, @DinamitDejan1 and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Wilmington, DE (December 2, 2016) David Feldman Promotions will announce that former four-division champ and Boxing Legend Roy Jones, Jr. will square off against former world title challenger, and Bare-Knuckle Legend Bobby Gunn on Friday, February 17th 2017 for the Vacant WBF World Cruiserweight Championship.

The fight will be announced at the official press conference on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 2 PM at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison St, Wilmington, DE 19801.

In attendance will be Roy Jones, Jr., Bobby Gunn, Promoter David Feldman, WBF Representative James Gibbs, undercard fighters Joe Tiberi, Henry Stewart, and more.

During his twenty-seven year professional career, Jones Jr. (64-9, 46 KOs) has secured world titles in four different weight categories – Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight – and is the only boxer in history to start his career as a Light Middleweight and then go on to win a Heavyweight Championship.

In winning the WBA Heavyweight title by beating John Ruiz by unanimous decision in March 2003, Jones Jr. made history by becoming the first former middleweight champion to win a heavyweight title in 106 years.

Jones Jr. has victories over former world champions Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, Vinny Panzienza, James Toney, Mike McCallum, Virgil Hill, Felix Trinidad and John Ruiz.

Jones Jr. said of the bout, “I know Bobby Gunn is coming to bring it. He’s a hard-nose, tough fighter that comes right at you, but I’m going to show him why I’m one of the best that ever did it and he doesn’t belong in the ring with me.”

On February 17, Jones Jr’s opponent will be the former IBA Cruiserweight World Champion and the current Bare Knuckle Heavyweight Champion, Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn.

Gunn, internationally known for being a Bare-Knuckle legend, will put the gloves back on to battle ring legend Roy Jones, Jr.

Like Jones Jr, Gunn has a fearsome record in gloved boxing – 21 wins (18 KO) 6 losses, one draw, and one no-contest – and an even more impressive undefeated Bare Knuckle record of 72-0 with 72 KO).

Gunn has been in the ring with top fighters Enzo Maccarinelli, Glen Johnson, Tomasz Adamek, and James Toney, so he is no stranger to sharing the ring with boxing’s elite. Gunn said of his upcoming clash with Jones Jr, “It’s an honor to share the ring with a legend like Roy Jones. I’ve been chasing him for a few years now, and on February 17, I will catch him.”

World Boxing Foundation’s North American Vice President James Gibbs said of the upcoming championship bout, “Roy Jones, Jr is a living legend and we are honored to have him fighting for our Cruiserweight Title against a warrior like Bobby Gunn. We are looking forward to this bout.”

The undercard for this championship match will feature popular Delawarean Joe Tiberi (13-2, 6KO), Canada’s Henry Stewart (1-0, 1KO), as well as more to be announced.

Roy Jones, Jr. vs Bobby Gunn, for the WBF World Cruiserweight Championship, on Friday, February 17, 2017 and will be aired live on PPV.

Tickets will range from $75 – $300 and can be purchased by calling (484) 935-3378.

Tevin Farmer (129.1lbs) vs Darden Zenunaj (128.9lbs)

— Undercard Fighters —

Lamont Capers (193.3lbs) vs Garrett Wilson (200.6lbs)

Joseph Adorno (131.1lbs) vs Guy Newman (128.1lbs)

Victor Padilla (135.5lbs) vs Kimmy St.Pierre (134.6lbs)

Jose Gonzalez (124.4lbs) vs Tim Ibarra (120.1lbs)

Montrell Castro (255.6lbs) vs Iegor Plevako (223.5lbs)

Marcel ?Rivers (151.7lbs) vs Tony Kim (152.3lbs)

Roque Zapata (154.5lbs) vs Isaiah Wise (155.2lbs)

The Tevin Farmer vs. Dardan Zenunaj Philly Fight Night headlines an eight-bout card at the 2300 Arena, located at 2300 South Swanson Street in South Philadelphia. The Dec. 2 card is sponsored by Parx Casino and Coors Light.

6:00PM DOORS OPEN

7:00PM FIRST FIGHT AND GFL.TV LIVESTREAM BEGINS

Tickets are $40, $50 and $75 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and 2300 Arena (267-273-0945). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.2300arena.com. The Dec. 2 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, DiBella Entertainment, BAM Boxing and Joe Hand Promotions.

New York, NY (12/1/16) – Junior lightweights Tevin Farmer (23-4-1, 5 KOs) and Dardan Zenunaj (12-2, 9 KOs), both promoted by DiBella Entertainment, will face off in the main event of tomorrow’s Peltz Boxing “Philly Fight Night”, held at the 2300 Arena. The Philadelphian southpaw Farmer, an expert boxer-puncher, will be defending his NABF belt for the first time against the come-forward brawler Zenunaj, in a matchup that is guaranteed to be action-packed.

“Tomorrow’s main event between Farmer and Zenunaj is a competitive, high stakes battle,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I am happy to be working on this show with Russell Peltz, a fellow promoter for whom I have tremendous respect and admiration. A win for Tevin means that a title shot is not far down the road. For Dardan, a win gets his career back on track. This is a strong matchup and given their styles, I expect a very entertaining fight for the fans.”

Following a handful of amateur bouts and a 7-4-1 start as a pro, Tevin Farmer’s career prospects looked dim. However, he rededicated himself after his last defeat in 2012 to Jose Pedraza, now the IBF junior lightweight champion, and has since won 16 bouts in a row, consistently beating the odds, while signing with DiBella Entertainment (DBE) in 2014. Farmer made his New York debut this year on a DBE Broadway Boxing event in March to win the NABF junior lightweight title and, four months later, secured his biggest victory thus far with a 10-round unanimous decision over 19-1 lightweight contender Ivan Redkach on July 30, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. On October 14, Farmer returned to a Philadelphia ring for the first time in three years, defeating fellow southpaw Orlando Rizo via a dominant eight-round unanimous decision. Currently ranked #3 by the WBC, #7 by the IBF, and #10 by the WBO, Farmer, a great, great nephew of legendary lightweight champion Joe Gans, is on the cusp of a world title opportunity and is eager to end the year with another impressive victory as he works his way toward that goal.

“This fight is very important for my career,” said Farmer. “A win on Friday helps put me in line for a world title shot next year. I don’t know much about Zenunaj, but I am ready for anything he brings. I had a great training camp and really focused on running and testing my endurance. I also spent a week training in Monte Carlo with my coaches Raul Rivas and Rashiem Jefferson, as they prepared my stablemate Jason Sosa for his world title defense. I’m thrilled to be fighting in front of my hometown fans again. It adds more pressure, but it’s a great feeling.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Lou (DiBella) tomorrow and sitting down with him after the fight to discuss my next step, moving closer to a world title shot or an eliminator. I feel I’ve earned it and have proven myself. I’m going to be around for a long time.”

After seven years of Thai boxing, Albanian Dardan Zenunaj, who was born in Kosovo and later moved to Belgium, decided to fully devote himself to boxing. As an amateur, Zenunaj won the 2009 Belgian Championships and was a two-time champion of the Francophone Boxe League. Two years after turning pro in 2011, Zenunaj had already amassed the Belgium featherweight and IBO International junior lightweight titles. Though he lost his second pro bout to Andrei Moldoveanu, Zenunaj avenged that defeat 15 months later with a fifth-round knockout in a rematch. In November 2014, Zenunaj seized the WBA International junior lightweight title with a ninth-round knockout of Karim Chakim. That victory made him an attractive late-replacement opponent to challenge rising prospect Bryant Cruz in a Showtime “ShoBox” co-featured bout in December 2015. Taking full advantage of the opportunity in his US debut, Zenunaj handed Cruz his first defeat via seventh-round stoppage in a war. To move his career forward, Zenunaj relocated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, signed with DiBella Entertainment and now trains out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. Coming off a closely contested decision defeat to Jose Salinas on September 1, Friday’s bout against Farmer is a must-win for Zenunaj.

“I’m very happy and proud to be fighting a guy like Tevin Farmer,” said Zenunaj. “I’m extremely ready and prepared to do battle with Farmer and put on a performance that the fans will enjoy. My dream is to become the first Albanian world champion in boxing history. This fight brings me one step closer to accomplishing my goal. I would like to thank my promoter Lou DiBella for giving me this great opportunity.”

LAS VEGAS (December 1, 2016) – A super flyweight twin-title fight between undefeated Oscar Cantu and “Mighty” Aston Palicte headlines the final 2016 installment of the popular “Knockout Night at the D” series on Saturday night, December 17, airing live (7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET) on CBS Sports Network from inside the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center indoor facility, located in the heart of the downtown Las Vegas casino district, one block away from the world famous Fremont Street (200 S. 3rd St.).

FloBoxing.tv will live stream the Dec. 17th “Knockout Night at the D” undercard worldwide, starting at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET), in addition to three main card TV bouts – excluding North America – beginning at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET).

Cantu will defend his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super flyweight title against Palicite. The vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental super flyweight championship will also be contested in the 10-round main event.

“The Cantu-Palicte fight is a classic match-up between a boxer and puncher,” Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions co-founder/CEO Keith Veltre said. “It’s for two title belts and the winner will be positioned for a possible world title shot in 2017. Our final event of the year promises to be our best yet with evenly matched, entertaining fights that our ‘Knockout Night at the D’ series is known for with tomorrow’s stars up-and-down the card.”

The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegasand Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.

Jim “J.R.” Ross and Joey Varner will call the action live from ringside, while Jeff Huston will be the ring announcer and fight week master of ceremonies.

The 25-year-old Cantu (14-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Kingsville, Texas, is a pure boxer who is the reigning North American Boxing Federation (NABF) champion, ranked No. 3 by the WBO North American Boxing Organization (NABO) and No. 6 by the NABA. He is a belt collector having been the former NABF Junior super flyweight, World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Intercontinental bantamweight and World Boxing Council (WBC) United States super flyweight title holder.

In his last fight, this past May at home in Kingsville, Cantu captured the vacant NABF flyweight title with a 10-round split decision victory over Samuel Gutierrez. Cantu’s most notable win to date is a 10-round split decision against previously undefeated Juan Antonio Lopez (10-0) in 2014 for the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental bantamweight crown.

Palicte, who will be making his US debut Dec. 17 having resettled in Los Angeles, where he’s training at the famed Wild Card Gym, to enhance his boxing career. Palicte has fought only once outside of his native Philippines as a professional. He has an experience advantage over Cantu in terms of fighting higher quality opponents. World rated at No. 11 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 15 by the WBO, Palicte captured the vacant IBF Pan Pacific super flyweight championship this past June in his most recent fight, stopping Vergilio Silvano (21-6-1) in the seventh round of their rematch, which was also won by Palicte via a 12-round unanimous decision a year ago for the vacant WBO Oriental super flyweight title.

The heavy-handed Palicte, who has knocked out 18 of his 21 victims, is rated No. 5 by the NABF and No. 15 by the NABA. Palicte, 25, also owns his share of title belts, including the IBF Youth super flyweight strap. In Palicte’s only pro fight outside of his native Philippines, he lost a highly disputed 10-round split decision (97-94, 93-97, 94-97) last March to local favorite Junior Granados (14-4-1) in Mexico.

Chilean junior middleweight champion Angelo Baez (15-0-1, 11 KOs) takes on Jamaican-native Nathaniel Gallimore (15-1-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Evanston, Illinois, in the eight-round co-feature.

Undefeated welterweight Flavio Rodriguez (5-0, 4 KOs) faces Mexican invader Dilan “El Terrible” Loza (5-0, 3 KOs) in the six-round television opener.

Las Vegas’ terrific trio of undefeated promising prospects – 20-year-old junior lightweight Randy “El Matador” Moreno (7-0, 6 KOs), 26-year-old welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (7-0, 2 KOs) and 18-year-old bantamweight Max “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Ornelas (6-0, 3 KOs) – are all scheduled to be on action Dec. 17th.

Additional fights will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $1,000.00 VIP booth (includes 15 admissions), $50.00 VIP ringside, $25.00 and $15.00 general admission, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.

Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 5:00 p.m. PT.

The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Neon Star Media.

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.dlvec.com, www.thed.com, www.royjonesjrboxing.com, www.knockoutnightboxing.com

Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/dlvec, www.Facebook.com/thedlasvegas

Follow these fighters on Twitter: @AstonPalicte, @_RandyMoreno, @JFlashGang, @Ornelas_Max

RIVAL BOXING GEAR & EQUIPMENT is the official gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series. www.rivalboxing.com, @rivalboxinggear

About the D Las Vegas: the D Las Vegas delivers the fresh, energetic attitude and fun atmosphere synonymous with downtown Las Vegas. The new casino hotel boasts 629 remodeled rooms and suites and a unique two-level casino featuring modern and vintage floors. Cocktails, beer and frozen beverages abound inside the casino at LONGBAR and on the Fremont Street Experience at D Bar. the D offers contemporary American fare at D Grill, Detroit’s legendary Coney Dogs at American Coney Island and premium steaks and authentic Italian dishes at Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse. The Showroom at the D Las Vegas features outstanding entertainment ranging from award-winning dinner theater and Broadway productions to music, comedy and more. Follow the D on Facebook and Twitter.

About Downtown Las Vegas Events Center: Located at the corner of Third St. and Carson Ave. across from the D Las Vegas, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center can accommodate up to 11,000 guests and features state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting. The open-air design is inviting to both tourists and locals and offers the perfect spot for concerts, conventions and other large-scale events. Embracing the uninhibited spirit of Downtown Las Vegas, the new venue plays host to a line-up of curated events including premier concerts, food festivals and more. The venue is also the first entertainment arena in Las Vegas to accept Bitcoin as currency. For more information, visit www.dlvec.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @dlveventscenter.

About Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. Based in Las Vegas, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable such as undefeated super welterweight John Vera and former 3-time world super bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko, along with Tony Lopez and Hanzel Martinez, lightweight Demond Brock, super featherweight Randy Moreno, cruiserweight Irsael Duffus, bantamweight Max Ornelas, super lightweight Emanuel Robles, middleweight Rolando Garza and light heavyweight Adrian Taylor.

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MONTE CARLO, Monaco (December 1, 2016)- Team Russia parlayed its recent European Championship domination into a repeat performance at this past weekend’s World MMA Championship, by sweeping all seven weight classes in Studio City, Macau, China.

Close to 100 fighters competed, representing 23 countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain, Australia, Belgian, China, Colombia, France, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Tajikistan, Germany, Hungary, Macao, Nepal, India, South Korea, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Italy.

Russian middleweight Gamzat Hiramagomedov and light heavyweight Magomed Ankalayev are repeat world champions.

In team scoring, Asian team champion Kazakhstan won two Silver and four Bronze medals, Ukraine two Silver and two Bronze, Czech Republic one Silver and two Bronze, Chinas one Silver and two Bronze, Kyrgyzstan two Bronze, and one Bronze for France, India, Spain and Moldova.

“I would like to thank each athlete of our National MMA Team, our coaches, doctors and all the Russian MMA Union employees,” said MMA living legend Fedor Emelianenko, WMMAA honorary president and president of the Russian MMA Union. “The fighters had a long way, put in a lot of effort, and made it to the top. Despite an ever-growing competition level, our athletes achieved 100-percent of the set goals thanks to a great training camp, fight strategy and their spirit.

“We are proud to have two-time world champions in Magomed Ankalayev and Gamzat Hiramagomedov. It’s a pleasure to follow the fighters’ personal evolution from fight to fight. The world champions will receive their accolades of Sports Master of International Level.”

Here’s a breakdown of results from each weight class:

BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION: -61.2 kg (135 lbs.)
1. Omar Nurmagomedov (Russia)
2. Artur Mykytenko (Czech Republic)
3. Mirat Bekishev (Kazakhstan)
3. Chun Bo Yuan (China)

FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION: -65.8 kg (145 lbs.)
1. Kurban Taigibov (Russia)
2. Elnur Veliev (Ukraine)
3. Uulu Mustafa Rakhmatilla (Kyrgyzstan)
3. Roman Molodij (France)

LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION: -70.3 kg (154 lbs.)
1. Murad Ramazanov (Russia)
2. Sheng Liu (China)
3. Altynbek Bakhtygeldinov (Kazakhstan)
3. Leos Brichta (Czech Republic)

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION: -77.1 kg (170 lbs.)
1. Alibeg Rasulov (Russia)
2. Goyta Dazaev (Kazakhstan)
3. Syed Abdul Nazzeur Ibrahim (India)
3. Uulu Tologon Rakhmanberdi (Kyrgyzstan)

MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION: -84 kg (185 lbs.)
1. Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Russia)
2. Idris Gezalov (Ukraine)
3. Murad Abdurahmanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Rong Fan (China)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: -93 kg (205 lbs.)
1. Magomed Ankalaev (Russia)
2. Robert Lau (Germany)
3. Erkinbek Inzhel (Kazakhstan)
3. Darwin Rodriguez (Spain)

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: +93 kg (+205 lbs.)
1. Amirkhan Isagadzhiev (Russia)
2. Alimzhan Suleimanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Viktor Pavlichek (Czech Republic)
3. Nicolae Scorohod (Moldova)

World bantamweight champion Omar Nurmagomedov

World featherweight champion Kurban Taigibov

World lightweight champion Murad Ramazanov

World welterweight champion Alibeg Rasulov

World middleweight champion Gamzat Khiramagomedov

World light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev

World heavyweight champion Amirkhan Isagadzhiev

INFORMATION:

www.WMMAA.org
www.facebook.com/WMMAA-665064310170463/
www.youtube.com/user/TheWMMAA
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
ABOUT WMMAA: The goal of the World MMA Association is to provide unbiased structure and guardrail the growth of MMA as the official world governing body for Mixed Martial Arts. A non-profit organization founded in 2012, WMMAA is on a mission to develop a standardized and regulated organization, including competition, training, officiating, testing and growth when necessary. More than 50 countries have been granted WMMAA membership.