LAS VEGAS, NEV. (November 16, 2016) — Bob Arum is about to hit another landmark in what has been a landmark year for the Brooklyn-born Hall of Fame promoter.

On March 29, Arum celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first event he ever promoted — the battle for the Heavyweight Championship of the World between Muhammad Ali and George Chuvalo. Next week, Saturday, November 26, at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Arum will present his 2,000th event — the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight title fight between undefeated two-division world champion VASYL LOMACHENKO and undefeated former world champion NICHOLAS “Axe Man” WALTERS. It will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT. The following week, Arum will fly to New Zealand where he will celebrate his 85th birthday on December 8, and two days later sit ringside watching undefeated heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz attempt to become Mexico’s first heavyweight champion when he battles Joseph Parker for the vacant WBO title. Also on December 10, undefeated World Junior Welterweight Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD will make the first defense of his unified WBO / World Boxing Council (WBC) / Ring magazine 140-pound world titles when he rumbles with one-time world title challenger and current No. 1 contender JOHN MOLINA JR at CenturyLink Center Omaha. That fight will also be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT.

“When I promoted my first fight my accountants were still using roman numerals,” said Arum. “It’s been quite an adventure.”

Here are a few of Arum’s observations from his first 50 years in boxing as previously reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

ARUM’S FAVORITE FIGHTERS

Longtime fight promoter Bob Arum has worked with thousands of fighters in his 50 years in the boxing business. Here are his top five fighters he has worked with:

1. Muhammad Ali. “He was a world figure. People loved him wherever he went. But he was also a great fighter.”
2. Manny Pacquiao. “His life story is amazing. He came from virtually nothing to captivate an entire country.”
3. Marvin Hagler. “He was the most loyal, standup guy I ever worked with. A tremendous fighter with great resolve.”
4. George Foreman. “He changed his persona and had such a big impact on our culture. He became the most loveable guy.”
5. Floyd Mayweather Jr. “He had extraordinary ability and he backed it up in the ring.”

Arum’s next five: Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Oscar De La Hoya and Alexis Arguello.

ARUM’S TOP FIVE PROMOTIONS

Bob Arum lists the top five promotions he was involved in:

1. Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler, 1987, Caesars Palace. “It was the Yuppie (Leonard) vs. the Blue collar guy (Hagler.) It was a great fight that did extremely well.
2. Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns, 1985, Caesars Palace. “That was the first time we did a cross-country tour. We had two planes and made 26 stops. It took that fight to another level and by the time they got in the ring, they were so sick of each other they literally wanted to kill each other.”
3. Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad, 1999, Mandalay Bay. “It was the first major Mexico vs. Puerto Rico fight, even though Oscar was American and from East LA. Don King had Trinidad and we had Oscar and there was a lot of back-and-forth between the two sides.”
4. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II, 1974, Madison Square Garden. “Ali got his revenge for losing the first fight and I remember the two of them getting into it while being interviewed oin television by Howard Cosell. That helped sell the rematch.”
5. Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, 2015, MGM Grand Garden. “We never had anything like it. The numbers were incredible, even though the fight wasn’t.”

Attached, please find 50 years of interesting stats on Arum and Top Rank, compiled by Hall of Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler, which includes Friday’s UniMás / Univision Deportes show in Kissimmee, and next week’s show at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas — No. 2000.

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 #LomaWalters to join the conversation on Twitter.

For more information on The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.

HE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY returns with a new edition WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy® winner, who has hosted HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988, the show is a provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing.

Other HBO playdates: Nov. 17 (9:30 a.m., 2:10 a.m.), 18 (11:30 a.m., 7:00 p.m.), 19 (5:30 p.m.) and 26 (3:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Nov. 17 (8:30 p.m.), 18 (1:15 a.m.), 19 (11:05 a.m.), 27 (9:30 a.m.) and 29 (7:30 a.m., 5:50 p.m., 12:30 a.m.)

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

On this edition: days before the light heavyweight pay-per-view showdown between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward, analyst Bernard Hopkins takes viewers into the gym to break down their styles and game plans; correspondent Melissa Stark visits Virgil Hunter, Ward’s trainer and longtime mentor; the show takes a 30th anniversary look back at the night Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history; and Max Kellerman joins Lampley for the latest news and headlines.

Immediately following the show’s Nov. 16 debut, fight fans can log on to hbo.com for an exclusive overtime segment hosted by Lampley.

ORANGE, Calif. (Nov. 15, 2016) – For Danny Roman – the current NABA champion at 122 lbs. – headlining a Thompson Boxing Promotions card has become status quo, or business as usual for the Los Angeles native.

“I’ve been real fortunate over the last few years to fight as often as I have,” said Roman, who finds himself in Friday’s 10-round “New Blood” main event against Mexico’s Victor Proa. “I always stay ready for when the call comes to make a fight. I’m prepared and motivated to take on anyone they put in front of me.”

Since his last defeat, a disputed decision loss to Juan Reyes three years ago, Roman (20-2-1, 7 KOs) has hit a winning spree that includes four wins in 2014, five last year, and on Friday, goes for his fourth win on the year.

Fight fans across Southern California have noticed his rising stock, as have the world rankings. After debuting on the WBA list as its No. 14 contender last year, Roman has shot up the charts to No. 5, right behind Scott Quigg and Adam Lopez. On Friday night, Roman will make the fifth defense of the WBA-NABA Title he won last year.

“I just have to continue winning and I know my time will come,” said the 26-year-old. “I’m looking forward to closing out the year with another win.”

“Over the course of his winning streak, Danny has been destroying the opposition on the scorecards,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing Promotions. “Fans know what to expect when they pay to see him fight. We expect another dominating performance from Danny on Friday night.”

Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com, or by calling 714-935-0900.

Giovani Santillan (19-0, 10 KOs), a promising young southpaw in the junior welterweight division, is featured in the 8-round co-feature against the hard-hitting Miguel Angel Mendoza (23-9, 22 KOs).

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bell at approximately 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at (909) 937-0900.

“New Blood” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

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

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.

Las Vegas, Nevada: On November 19, Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs) will attempt to defend his WBA Continental Americas Middleweight Title against James “The King” De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout which kicks off the Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” HBO Pay-Per-View telecast live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens
“King” James De La Rosa
Age
31
28
Record
28-5 (21 KOs)
23-4 (13 KOs)
Strength
Curtis is a power-puncher that can end the fight with any punch he throws. He has plenty of experience and has fought better opposition than his opponent.
James has quick hands and is fast on his feet. He is a brave fighter who has never turned down a fight. He also has faced a number of current and former ranked opposition in his young career.
Weakness
Stevens has been somewhat inactive, his recent victory in May of this year was his first time in a boxing ring since 2014. He also has a tendency to not let his hands go, which could be costly when fighting De La Rosa who is in a must-win situation.
Similar to his opponent, James has been somewhat inactive with only one fight since 2014. He also has a suspect chin; he’s been stopped once in his career. He will have to tighten up his defense when facing a heavy-handed puncher in Curtis Stevens.
Experience
He is a young, but seasoned veteran. Curtis has been on the biggest stage of them all when he came up short in a title bout against GGG and he also holds a TKO come-from-behind win over current top-rated contender Tureano Johnson.
Other than his recent inactivity, James was an active fighter for the majority of his career. He earned a clear-cut decision win over former title-contender Alfredo Angulo in his most recent win.
Power
Curtis has knockout power in both hands; if he connects clean with any punch it can be a game-changer at any time.
King James is more of a technical boxer who relies more on his speed than power.
Speed
Curtis turns it up a notch when he smells blood. He shows off his quick hands and savage-like combinations.
James is naturally lighter in weight and will be sure to use his quick feet and fast hands to attempt to take Stevens out of his rhythm.
Endurance
Stevens is a young veteran who has proven his endurance; he has gone 10 rounds on four separate occasions and 12 rounds twice.
De La Rosa has proven that he can go the distance without an issue. He has gone a full 10 rounds on six different occasions.
Accuracy
If Curtis can work his way to the inside, then he may be able to utilize some accurate bodywork.
King is an accurate fighter with a sharp jab and solid left hook. If he can keep his composure and put his punches together, his accuracy can become a problem for anyone.
Defense
Curtis’s best defense has been his offense. He often finds himself in situations in which his opponents are running from him rather than running towards him.
James is quick on his feet and moves around well. He will need to double-up on his jab, as he has done in the past, in order to keep his opponent from breaking through his guard.
Chin
Although Curtis has been stopped in his career, he has a solid chin. He has been knocked down from some big shots by big punchers and has gotten back to his feet.
His chin has been an issue throughout the past couple of years. He has been stopped once in his career and has been knocked down multiple times.
Style
Curtis is a no-nonsense, in-your-face power-puncher who is always looking to end the night early rather than to drag it out.
King James is a slick boxer who gets very busy with his jab. Although he is not a heavy puncher, he is a brave fighter who likes to engage.
Intangibles
Curtis is a fighter who, at one time, was written-off by critics of the sport. However, he continues to rise to the occasion and beat the odds. After a lengthy layoff, Curtis returned with a bang this past May when he defeated previously undefeated prospect Patrick Teixeira with a brutal second round TKO. He is willing to take on any top-rated middleweight but none are willing to accept his challenge. So he decided he would rather be in the ring than on the sideline waiting for someone to step up.
At one point in time King James was a highly regarded prospect. He experienced some minor bumps in the road but is eager to get his name back in the mix. After two consecutive losses to highly regarded prospect Hugo Centeno Jr and Jason Quigley, James would not even consider a tune-up fight. He believes in his abilities and has chosen an opponent who many other top middleweights are avoiding. He understands the challenge of facing a seasoned veteran and big puncher like Stevens, but he is focused on the possibilities that lie ahead if he wins.
Crowd Support
Curtis is a fan-friendly fighter and does his best to provide fans with the knockouts they love to see.
De La Rosa has fought in Las Vegas on four separate occasions, including his recent bout.
The Match-up
1. Will Curtis look past this fight and look to bigger fights on the horizon?
2. Will James be able to pull the upset like he did with Angulo?
3. Will Curtis be able to cut off the ring and not fall into fighting Delarosa’s fight?
4. Will Delarosa be able to handle Curtis’ power?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “Curtis Stevens could be looking ahead at the bigger fights with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, David Lemieux, Billy Joe Sanders, to name a few and de la Rosa is looking to come in and put a stop to those big plans. When a fighter like de la Rosa doesn’t hesitate to accept a fight I wonder, ‘What does he know that I don’t know?!’ Curtis needs to make sure he doesn’t fall into the trap of looking past de la Rosa.”

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Monster Products, JetLux and Zappos. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.
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Undefeated British Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Williams (15-0-1, 10 KOs) came face-to-face with unbeaten challenger Ahmet Patterson (17-0, 13 KOs) for the first time at today’s press conference in Cardiff ahead of their mouth-watering clash at the Motorpoint Arena next Saturday, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Williams currently sits at number three in the WBO World rankings, with Patterson ranked slightly lower in 14th place. The winner of next week’s showdown could potentially move into the mandatory position for Canelo’s WBO crown. Mexico’s Alvarez may choose to vacate his title in the pursuit of another at a different weight – should he do so, Williams or Patterson may find themselves fighting for the vacated crown in the not too distant future. A match-up with fellow Frank Warren stable mate Liam Smith could also be on the cards for the winner of Williams v Patterson.

Clydach Vale powerhouse Williams is enjoying an unforgettable 2016 after picking up the prestigious Boxing Writers’ Best Young Boxer of the Year award and defeating bitter rival Gary Corcoran on a memorable night back in July. Known by many as simply ‘The Machine’, Williams knows if he overcomes his latest challenger a World title shot could be just around the corner.

“Ahmet has got everything to be honest,” said Williams. “He can go back and forward really well, he’s a good puncher and a good mover. I’m expecting a very tough fight but I have prepared very well for Ahmet and will come in at 100% next Saturday.

“I rate Ahmet very highly, he’s a very good boxer but just like him, I am very confident and expect to win. It’s been a great year for me and I want to sign off with another memorable win in Cardiff. There’s going to be a lot of excited Welshmen in the arena and they’ll be in full voice.

“I was disappointed with my last performance against Gary Corcoran but I ticked boxes. There are more positives to take from it. It means a lot to me to be fighting at a venue that saw some memorable fights with Joe Calzaghe and Enzo Maccarinelli, it’s a special place.

“I have a high ranking with the WBO and there are some potentially huge fights coming up in 2017 for me. I have a job to do next week and I’m fully focused on that.”

Dulwich dancer Ahmet Patterson promised to outbox Williams in the Dragons’ den next Saturday. The Martin Bowers prodigy completely outclassed Ryan Aston last time out at York Hall back in January to pick up the IBF International belt and is confident of securing his second title of the year in the famous Lonsdale belt.

“This is a platform to set things up for massive future fights and opportunities. Liam is a British champion and I have a lot of respect for him. He’s got himself into a strong position and it will be an interesting fight next Saturday. I respect him as a fighter but this is business and I believe in my abilities.

“I don’t really believe in the game plan thing. A true champion adapts to what’s in front of him and I’ll be prepared for whatever Liam comes at me with. I don’t feel under any pressure fighting in Wales. It’s a ring, it doesn’t matter what happens outside of it. I feed off it.”

Williams and Patterson’s hotly-anticipated British title showdown is part of a huge night of boxing at the Motorpoint Arena. WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders makes the maiden defence of his crown against Brooklyn-based Russian Artur Akavov; Manchester’s WBO Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan defends his World title for the fourth time against Puerto Rico’s Orlando Cruz; Liverpool’s Tom Stalker makes the first defence of his European Lightweight strap against long-term rival Craig Evans and Birmingham’s Tommy Langford faces-off with Sheffield’s Sam Sheedy for the Vacant British Middleweight title.

Wales is well represented on a stacked undercard; Gary Lockett-trained Middleweight Alex Hughes looks to go 9-0, Super-Flyweight Jay Harris looks to build on his explosive KO win at the Cardiff Ice Arena last time out and 5-0 Barry Lightweight Jason Sillett looks to impress on home soil. Ricky Hatton Heavyweight prodigy Nathan Gorman aims for another explosive KO, Market Harborough Super-Welterweight Rueben Arrowsmith looks to extend his unbeaten record to 8-0 and Wimbledon Welterweight Louis Adolphe goes in search of his sixth win.

Remaining tickets for November 26 priced £40, £70, £100, £150 and £200 are available from www.motorpointarena.com (029 2022 4488), www.eventim.com (0844 249 1000) and www.ticketmaster.co.uk (0844 8440 444).

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise this show on Sky (SD Ch.437 and HD Ch.415), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon).

Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this show and more live!

LOS ANGELES (November 15, 2016) Closing out the wildly popular LA Fight Club Series for 2016, undefeated NABA Featherweight champion Abraham “El Chamaco” Lopez (21-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his title against Sergio “Cuatito” Lopez (20-12-1, 13 KOs)in the 10-round main event, presented live by Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar.

This is Abraham Lopez’ first fight since the biggest victory of his career, when he outpointed the then-undefeated Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez in the co-main event on HBO from the StubHub Center in June.

“The victory over Julian was an enormous step forward in my career, but I have many more goals to accomplish,” Abraham Lopez said. “I am hopeful and confident that I will take care of business on December 2nd and then set myself up for even bigger fights in the loaded featherweight division in 2017.”

In the co-main event, undefeated and Fight Club veteran Columbian prospect Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (14-0, 5 KOs) is returning to the Belasco for his sixth consecutive bout, where he’ll face a tough opponent Raul Hidalgo (26-14, 19 KOs) of Nuevas Casas Grandes, Mexico in an eight-round bantamweight fight.

Opening up the Boxeo Estelar broadcast will be LA’s own Edgar Valerio (8-0, 4 KOs), who will clash in a six-round featherweight scrap against Weslaco, Texas’s Guadalupe De Leon (9-14, 5 KOs).

Also a part of the stellar card and streamed live on Ring TV will be Miami’s hottest prospect, Niko “Baby Face” Valdez (2-0, 2 KOs). Valdez, who trained at Muhammad Ali’s gym, will be fighting against Gainesville, Florida’s Will Williams (0-2) in a four-round super middleweight affair. In a four-round super featherweight clash, the always-dynamic Jousce Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs) of Glendora, CA will battle against El Paso, Texas’ Jordan Alvarado (0-1). LA’s Angel Bojado (1-0) will return to the Belasco Theater after an impressive unanimous decision victory in his pro debut. Bojado will enter the ring for a four-round super welterweight fight against local Los Angeles fighter Abraham Calderon (1-3). Opening the night, two undefeated Cruiserweights will square off as Philadelphia’s Todd Unthank-May (9-0, 3 KOs) will battle Daniel Najera (5-0, 1 KO) of Nuevo Leon, Mexico in a six-round bout.

LA FIGHT CLUB, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” Casa Mexico Tequila. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:15 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, December 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:15 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Media interested in attending the December 2 installment of LA FIGHT CLUB must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are due Friday, November 25, 2016 at 5 p.m., and can be found here. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval for a credential. You cannot transfer your credentials to someone else. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

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.

Las Vegas, NV (November 15, 2016) – NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (21-0-2, 16 KOs) and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa “T-Rex” Shields participated in a media workout in Las Vegas, NV on Monday, Nov. 14, ahead of their undercard appearances on Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” taking place Saturday, Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena.

Shields, who will be making her professional debut against American rival Franchon Crews, will be featured on the freeview telecast beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT on the Pay-Per-View events channel prior to the official telecast, and through livestreaming on HBO Boxing’s YouTube channel.

Hooker, who will be defending his NABO title against veteran Darleys Perez (33-2-1, 21 KOs), will be featured during the televised undercard leading up to the main event on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Both fighters put on a display of mitt work, heavy bag, speed bag and shadow boxing for the media in attendance. Below is what the rising stars had to say during the media workout:

Maurice Hooker, NABO Junior Welterweight Champion:

“Kovalev-Ward is a special event. I’m going to do what I do best and hopefully, steal the crowd. The crowd is going to love me…they love knockouts, and that is what I am ready to give them.

“Aaron Pryor is one of the best. He brought a lot of knockouts. He was a great fighter whom a lot of people dodged. Like him, I’m coming into this fight with people dodging me. They are afraid because they don’t know what I can do. This fight means a lot…an opportunity to show them who I am. I am going to bring the knockout just like ‘The Hawk’ would.”

“I want to stay busy. I want to fight Ricky Burns and Eduard Troyanovsky and win ‘em belts. Shout out to my big bro Terrance Crawford. He’s doing his thing. Hopefully, he gets a fight with Pacquiao, move up and let me take over.

“My prediction for Saturday is a knockout. I love knockouts. I am always going for the knockout. With every punch that I throw, even the jab, I am going to try to take Darleys Perez’s head off.”

Claressa Shields, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist:
“I’ll have been in camp for seven weeks. I’m excited. I’m ready to take on this new task of being a professional fighter and ultimately, winning a belt.

“When deciding to go pro, I thought about my legacy—I didn’t want to disappear for four years, and win another gold medal but have people not know my name or what I look like or how I box.

“Expect to see a really good fight, a very skilled fight from me, this Saturday. The world is going to see a level of boxing that no woman boxer has ever showed before. I’m a smart fighter. I’m an entertaining fighter. I throw everything well and have great combinations.

“Franchon Crews and I have sparred and boxed before in huge tournaments. She’s coming into this fight fully prepared and I’ve been training for a KO. In the amateurs, my overall record was 77-1 but I’ve never KO’d anyone. Now, we have smaller gloves, no headgear and I’m way stronger than I’ve ever been. This is a different kind of pro debut. This should actually be a World Championship fight between me and Franchon Crews but somehow, she took it for a pro debut.

“I love boxing. That’s why I commit my time and body. I look forward to fighting in front of all the fight fans. I have friends, family, fans from all over flying into Vegas just to see me fight, so hopefully I can pack the house before the main event.”

Follow Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker on Twitter @mightymohooker, Instagram @mauricemightymohooker and Facebook: www.facebook.com/mauricemightymohooker/.

Follow Claressa Shields on Twitter @ClaressaShields, Instagram @ClaressaShields, and Facebook: www.facebook.com/claressa.shields.7.

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Zappos and JetLux. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.

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Eddie Hearn says Ohara Davies is in at the deep-end in his challenge for the WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title against champion Andrea Scarpa – but he’s backing Davies to shine at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday November 26, live on Sky Sports.

The unbeaten Hackney talent picked up his first title in April by swatting aside Andy Keates for the vacant English Lightweight crown at The O2 inside four rounds, before moving up to Super-Lightweight and adding stoppage wins ten and 11 in his last two outings.

Davies faces a real step-up in class in his second pro title bout though, as Italian Scarpa returns to the capital where he picked up the belt he defends in impressive style. The 29 year old dominated John Wayne Hibbert at The O2 in June, flooring the badly cut Essex man in the fifth before the contest was waved off in the next session.

The 6ft Italian, unbeaten in 19, will pose a real threat to Davies’ ambitions to fight for more major titles in 2017, but Hearn is confident ‘Two Tanks’ will pass his toughest test.

“At some point in a fighters career you get to find out if the hype is real and November 26 we get to find out everything we need to know about Ohara Davies,” said Hearn. “He is going way beyond previous levels with Scarpa but the team believe he is a very, very special talent.

“Victory against an experienced Scarpa will prove that and put him deep in the WBC rankings. I can see him moving quick from here and even challenging for World honours in 2017.”

Davies’ clash with Scarpa is part of a huge night of action in London as Irish amateur sensation Katie Taylor face Karina Kopinska on her pro debut.

Tommy Coyle and John Wayne Hibbert clash in a must-win Super-Lightweight battle, Martin J. Ward defends his British Super-Featherweight title, Reece Bellotti is meets Ian Bailey in an eliminator for the English Featherweight crown, Conor Benn fights for the sixth time in the paid ranks and fellow unbeaten youngsters Jake Ball, Craig Richards and Ted Cheeseman look to end 2016 with a bang.

Tickets for November 26 are on general sale priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.ssearena.co.uk or by calling 0844 815 0815. £150 VIP tickets are available exclusively via www.matchroomboxing.com

Face value tickets for November 26 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.

Pensacola, Florida: As Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (24-4-2, 10 KOs) prepares to attempt to reclaim the NABF Light Heavyweight Title from Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk (11-0, 9 KOs) live on the Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” HBO Pay-Per-View undercard from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada he will have former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. in his corner for the first time. Below Jones assesses the match-up and his observations of the young Malawi native:

Question: Does Chilemba’s performance against Kovalev give him more confidence going into this fight?

Roy Jones Jr: “Oh yes, most definitely. Kovalev had been crushing everybody and he didn’t get crushed so it has to give him confidence.”

Q: Chilemba has almost three times as many fights as Gvozdyk. How big of an advantage is this?

RJ: “It’s not a big advantage because Gvozdyk probably has three times more fights than Chilemba does in amateurs. These Eastern European guys have so many more amateur fights than we do. They fight from when they’re small and they go through schools and everything. These guys are very, very high-tech when it comes to being skilled in the ring in the sport of boxing so he probably has a little bit more experience if you add up the fights over the years.”

Q: What must Chilemba do in this fight in order to win?

RJ: “He’s got to disrupt Gvozdyk. He can’t let Gvozdyk fight at his own pace. He can’t let Gvozdyk constantly push him backwards so he’s gotta make Gvozdyk change, make Gvozdyk do things he does not like to do.”

Q: What must Chilemba prevent Gvozdyk from doing or take away from him in order to win?

RJ: “Chilemba must prevent Gvozdyk’s control of the power of the jab and setting up the big right hand.”

Q: Do you think, now that you are working with Chilemba, if he defeats Gvozdyk he should be entitled to a rematch with Sergey?

RJ: “Of course, of course he should. Chilemba deserves a rematch with Sergey.”

Q: What are Chilemba’s biggest strengths and weaknesses. How are you working to correct them?

RJ: “His feet are his biggest strength. His feet are very good, he can be very elusive. And his biggest tool is his straight right hand. His weakness is that he had a lack of punching power because he wasn’t turning his shoulder, turning his body with his punches. We are fixing that, working on it right now.”

Q: As a former light heavyweight world champion, what are your observations on the Kovalev-Ward fight?

RJ: “Very good fight. Best fight of boxing today. I look forward to seeing it. To me it’s one of the best fights we had in boxing in years as far as guys being in their prime, being the two best in the division. That is just a great fight. A great fight for boxing.”

Q: How would you break down this match-up?

RJ: “No I don’t have a prediction. Andre Ward hasn’t been beaten in a long time, and if there was a guy that could beat him, there is the guy, so…”

Q: Which fighter, Kovalev or Ward, would have given you the best fight when you were 175-pound world champion?

RJ: “Both of them would be really good fights, very hard fights to fight. Very different fights to fight. My hand speed maybe would be better against both of them but they’d be tough guys to fight. Kovalev because of the power and Ward because of his mentality, he’s a very smart guy in the ring. Very hard fights, but speed factor is probably what I would use to get both of them beat.”

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Zappos, JetLux and Monster Products. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.

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Caribe Promotions won the purse bid for the right to promote the WBA Cruiserweight title bout between Beibut Shumenov and Yunier Dorticos, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Caribe Promotions won a purse bid Monday at WBA headquarters in Panama City, Panama, to gain promotional rights to the bout. Caribe, which promotes Dorticos, bid $350,001 to beat the bid of $201,000 offered by Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions, which represents Shumenov.

Although the date and site of the bout are not yet set, Caribe Promotions proposed dates and sites as part of its offer. They are Feb. 4 in Houston or Las Vegas or Feb. 11 in Miami. The fight must take place within 90 days of the purse bid.

New York, NY (11/14/16) – On Saturday, November 19, DiBella Entertainment will return to the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, for the latest installment of its popular Broadway Boxing series, presented by Cedars Mediterranean Foods, Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House. The exciting card will be headlined by New Haven’s undefeated Luis Rosa Jr. (22-0, 10 KOs) squaring off against Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa (22-2, 14 KOs), in an IBF junior featherweight world title eliminator scheduled for 12 rounds.

Russian prospect Radzhab Butaev (3-0, 3 KOs), co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., will appear on the undercard in the toughest test of his young career. A highly accomplished amateur, Butaev compiled an incredible 304-12 record, with 164 knockouts. He participated in the World Series of Boxing as well, finishing at 9-1. After just eight months as a pro, the 22-year-old Butaev, born in Salsk, Russia, but now living in Los Angeles, will challenge for the NABF junior middleweight title against the experienced Gabor Gorbics (22-3, 13 KOs).

A pro since 2012, Gorbics, of Budapest, is a former Hungarian junior welterweight and welterweight and Slovakian welterweight champion. He also has a 35-3 record as a kickboxer. Gorbics has wins over six undefeated opponents and has never been stopped in his three losses. Incredibly active, he has already fought 12 times this year.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to fight for the NABF title and am truly thankful to my promoters and VK Management for making this happen,” said Butaev. “I expect Gorbics to be a tough competitor, but I am ready for the challenge. I look forward to winning the NABF belt, moving up in the rankings, and working toward my goal of becoming a world champion.”

“With such an extensive amateur background, Butaev can make a bold move like this early on in his pro career,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Gorbics will provide a stern test, but I am confident Butaev will score a spectacular victory. Winning the NABF belt will help to ensure that Butaev’s career trajectory moves at the appropriate pace for his unlimited potential.”

Tickets for the November 19 Broadway Boxing event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Teiken Promotions and presented by Cedars Mediterranean Foods, Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House, are priced at $125, $75 and $45. Tickets can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the first fight scheduled for 7:00pm.

Washington, D.C. (November 14, 2016) – Last Thursday night in front of a packed house at the 26th Annual Fight for Children FIGHT NIGHT, Rancho Cucamonga, California’s DANIEL “Twitch” FRANCO, (15-0-3, 10 KO’s) won the vacant IBF-USBA Featherweight Title with a stunning fourth round knockout of DERRICK MURRAY, (13-1-1, 5 KO’s) of St. Louis, Missouri.

Taking control of the action from the opening bell, the 24-year-old brought his full arsenal of weaponry to his East Coast debut, sweeping all three initial rounds. Continuing with heavy handed shots to the body in the fourth, Franco dropped Murray with a successive barrage of shots in the blue corner as referee Kenny Chevalier counted to ten at the 2:41 mark.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” said Franco. “My corner kept telling me one brick at a time, one body shot at a time, just be patient and the plan worked perfectly.”

“It was an incredible experience to win the title at FIGHT NIGHT and I look forward to my first defense and moving up in the IBF rankings.” With the victory, Franco will move into the IBF’s Top 15 rankings in the Featherweight Division.

“I feel great, tomorrow is sightseeing here in Washington, D.C. and I’ll be back in the gym on Monday shaking out, I can’t wait to see what the future brings. 2017 is going to be a very big year.”

Among the boxing legends ringside for Franco’s victory were Larry Holmes, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Gerry Cooney.

Promoted by Roc Nation Sports, Franco is featured in the outstanding new mini-documentary,
“I Am Boxing, Now You Know”.

I. ADVERSE FINDING

On November 11, 2016 VADA notified the WBC that Bermane Stiverne’s anti-doping test taken from his November 4, 2016 sample (the “Test”) pursuant to the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“CPB”) yielded an adverse finding for the banned substance methylhexaneamine (also known as dimethyamylamine or “DMAA”).

II. METHYLHEXANEAMINE a/k/a DIMETHYAMYLAMINE OR DMAA
DMAA is sold currently as a dietary supplement and as an ingredient is various energy preparations. Due to safety concerns, DMAA has been temporarily removed from military stores in the US. Its use has been linked to several reports of serious, life-threatening side effects which appears to be the main reason why the World Anti-Doping Agency added DMAA to its prohibited substances list in 2010.

III. MR. STIVERNE’S TEST AND RESULTS

Upon learning of Stiverne’s anti-doping test result, the WBC immediately started an investigation of the: (1) circumstances surrounding the adverse finding; and (2) history and properties of DMAA. The WBC considers those steps necessary to achieve a ruling consistent with the WBC Rules and Regulations and with the WBC CPB Protocol.

Throughout the investigative process, Stiverne has been extremely cooperative and 100% forthcoming. Stiverne informed the WBC that on the day of the Test, in order to facilitate urination, he took a dietary supplement called SUPERPHARM in front of the sample collector. He reported the ingestion of that supplement in the Declaration of Medication Use section of the doping control form he filled in connection with the Test.

Stiverne also reported that he ingested the supplement twice the same day and that he took it because the supplement staff at EOS Gym in Henderson, Nevada recommended it to him. He was looking for a product that would help him with post-work out fatigue. Stiverne is fully aware of the gravity of the mistake he made by taking an off-the-shelf supplement without investigating its ingredients in detail. Stiverne also realizes that he is ultimately responsible for anything that he ingests. In short, he now realizes that he was very naïve by following a store’s recommendation of an off-the-shelf supplement while being ignorant of its contents.

IV. WBC’S FINDINGS

Based on detailed research and information gathering, the WBC finds as follows:
1. Stiverne agreed to participate in the WBC CBP in connection with the Bout.
2. DMAA is a banned substance under the WBC CPB by virtue of its inclusion in VADA’s List of Banned Substances.
3. The anti-doping test of sample collected from Stiverne on November 4, 2016, tested positive for DMAA.
4. Stiverne admitted taking a dietary supplement that unbeknownst to him, included DMAA as an ingredient.
5. The WBC is not aware that Stiverne has ever tested positive for any banned substances.
6. There is no evidence that Stiverne intentionally or even knowingly, ingested a banned substance with the purpose of enhancing his performance in any fashion.
7. Stiverne’s ingestion of DMAA was purely accidental.
8. As the CBP’s Results Manager, the WBC has complete discretion as to the extent and nature of any penalty it imposes upon Stiverne.

V. WBC BOARD OF GOVERNOR’S RULING

The WBC Board of Governor’s ruling is based on the facts as known to the WBC at the time of the ruling. Based on the adverse finding of Stiverne’s “A” November 4, 2016 sample, and taking into consideration Stiverne ingested a dietary supplement that contained DMAA without knowledge that he was consuming a banned substance, WBC has ruled as follows:
a. The WBC CBP considers Stiverne’s adverse finding a first violation of the WBC CBP under its Protocol;
b. The WBC will not withdraw its sanction of the Bout at this point in light of the fact that there is sufficient time to put in place preventative and remedial measures to protect the health and safety of the Bout’s participants;
c. VADA, pursuant to the WBC CBP, will design a specific testing protocol for Stiverne at Stiverne’s own cost and expense. The VADA-designed protocol will commence as soon as feasible after this ruling and will continue until after the Bout and for six months thereafter;
d. In the event there is an adverse finding concerning any of Stiverne’s samples during the time prescribed above, the WBC shall immediately: (1) suspend Stiverne from participation in any WBC-sanctioned events indefinitely; (2) divest Stiverne from any WBC title or any other rights he might have at the time; and (3) impose any and all available penalties under the CBP without further inquiry;
e. The WBC shall work with Stiverne to design a program consisting of 40 hours of community or social work in the area of doping prevention education to young athletes; and
f. Stiverne shall pay a fine of $75,000 to the WBC CBP.

IBF Junior Lightweight champion Jose Pedraza will defend his title against Gervonta Davis on January 14 in Brooklyn as the co-featured bout to the super middleweight unification bout between Badou Jack and James DeGale.

“I think it’s a helluva fight, very dangerous, but it’s a fight Pedraza wanted,” promoter Lou DiBella said. “Davis has been screaming and yelling that he wanted a big fight, and he got what he wanted.”

“We feel very, very confident that Gervonta is going to win the fight, and we think that he’s going to do it in spectacular fashion,” said Davis promoter Leonard Ellerbe. “It’s a tremendous opportunity, and he’s ready to step up and seize the moment. This is something me and Floyd have been working on for some time.”

Ellerbe initially tried to make a deal for Davis to challenge titleholder Jason Sosa for his version of the title, but that deal fell apart, so they pursued Pedraza.

“We tried to make the Sosa fight, but it didn’t happen for a number of reasons,” Ellerbe said. “We’re excited to work with Lou. We have a tremendous card Jan. 14, and this fight is just part of it. Gervonta is a straight killer. He’s a very good boxer, but he’s also a tremendous puncher. He’ll go into the fight fully prepared, and we expect him to bring that IBF championship home.”

The card will mark the first time that Mayweather Promotions, which also represents Jack, will be promoting in New York, a place Mayweather never fought as an active boxer.

“Floyd has been wanting to bring a big event to New York and invade New York,” Ellerbe said. “Mayweather Promotions invades New York. It’s something we’ve been working on. We’re very confident that everything will be worked out [with regard to the insurance issue]. Lou and his team have worked extremely hard, and Floyd has been very adamant that he wants to do anything in his power to make this happen.”

LOS ANGELES (November 14, 2016) – Super lightweight standout and undefeated contender Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (25-0, 16 KOs)will face one of his toughest challenges to date, taking on the always-dangerous and exciting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (22-3-1, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBC International Super Lightweight Championship in the 10-round co-main event of the Dec. 16 HBO Latino® Boxing tripleheader at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Tickets are already on sale for the stacked card, which will feature a light heavyweight match-up of top contenders between WBC USNBC Champion Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) and Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) in the main event and Bronx-born IBF North American welterweight titlist Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (19-1, 11 KOs) putting his title on the line in a 10-round fight against undefeated Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (16-0, 11 KOs) of Lynn, Massachusetts.

Orozco has shot to the top of the rankings in the last two years with victories over solid opposition including three-division world champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto, Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor and Abner “Jaeger” Lopez. In Maldonado, Orozco will see an offensive-minded fighter who has scored knockouts in 19 of his 22 victories.

“My dream of becoming a world champion is getting closer and closer, and I am confident I will keep my undefeated streak alive against Fidel Maldonado, Jr.,” Orozco said. “Fidel doesn’t know how to take a step backwards, and anyone who knows my style know that I don’t, either. Fans should expect fireworks.”

“One guy is nicknamed ‘Relentless’ and the other has knocked out almost all of his opponents — this is a guaranteed slugfest,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Whoever comes out on top in this fight will likely be looking at a world title shot in 2017, so they will both leave it all in the ring.”

Off HBO Latino, but on RingTV.com, WBC Silver featherweight titlist and Santa Ana-born Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs)will seek to grow his three-fight winning streak – including a solid victory against the then-undefeated Jason Velez to earn the belt – against prospect Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (12-1-2, 6 KOs).

Another standout Golden Boy Promotions prospect, San Diego’s Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (3-0, 3 KO) will return for his fourth performance in a four-round super featherweight match against a soon to be announced opponent.

Can’t-miss super lightweight prospect Vergil Ortiz Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs), hot off of two, thunderous first-round knockouts including one in his hometown of Dallas, Texas, will step in against Juarez, Mexico’s Nestor Garcia (0-1) for a four-round fight.

Super welterweight banger Alexis Rocha (5-0, 4 KOs) returns to Fantasy Springs two months after delivering a devastating knockout to take on a yet-to-be-determined opponent in a six-round scrap.

Opening the night, Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (15-0, 9 KOs) will look to keep his impressive undefeated record intact in an eight-round bout in the Lightweight division against an opponent to be named later.

Local fan favorite Javier Padilla (1-0, 1 KO) will look to build on his successful pro debut at the same venue two months ago when he takes on Christian Lorenzo (2-3, 1 KO) of Los Angeles in a four-round battle of Super Bantamweights.

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy vs. Sullivan Barrera is a 10-round bout for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino® Boxing telecast begins at 11:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.mainevents.com and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @HBOLatino, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @main_events. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #ShabranskyyBarrera

Toledo, Ohio (November 14, 2016) – Undefeated fighters super lightweight Sonny “Pretty Boi” Fredrickson (14-0, 9 KO’s) and featherweight Tyler “Golden Child” McCreary (11-0, 6 KO’s) will see action on November 19, as part of the highly-anticipated Light Heavyweight Unification showdown between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fredrickson and McCreary, both natives of Toledo, Ohio, will both perform on their biggest stage to date. The two will be featured on the Kovalev-Ward freeview telecast which begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT on the Pay-Per-View events channel prior to the official telecast, and to be announced cable, satellite, and telco channels. The freeview will also be available through livestreaming on HBO Boxing’s YouTube channel.

Fredrickson will fight Gabriel Duluc (11-1, 2 KO’s) while McCreary will battle Vincent Jennings (5-2-1, 4 KO’s).

“I’m thrilled that my fight will be offered to fans as part of the freeview telecast,” said Frederickson. “I have been on previous Andre Ward cards, but this one will be especially meaningful since it’s also my first fight in Las Vegas.”

Fredrickson, who is looking to make a big statement in front of a large crowd and packed media contingent, also added, “I have fought in front of a lot of people before and hopefully, this leads television fights and big opportunities. I want to thank my promoter Roc Nation Sports for allowing me the opportunity to shine on this incredible stage, my team at Victory Sports & Entertainment and also to Andre Ward for all his help and guidance. This is a big steppingstone for me and in 2017, I expect to move up in the rankings and take my career to the next level.”

McCreary, who is also eager about the opportunity, stated, “This is a big opportunity for me and I wanted to thank my team and my promoter Roc Nation Sports. I have been training hard and am excited to showcase my skills on this big stage. I am ready to show everyone that I can to rise to the occasion. It’s also exciting for me to fight on Andre Ward’s undercard. He and I have become friends since we met last year at the Cotto-Canelo fight, and he has become a mentor to me, so I am very thankful to be on this fight card.”

“We are very excited to have both Sonny Frederickson and Tyler McCreary fight on, arguably, the biggest card of the year,” said Rick Torres, President of Victory Sports & Entertainment. “We know that the Kovalev-Ward fight will produce a great battle and look forward to two of our young guns getting the fireworks started earlier in the evening. Both have been training very hard for this and are looking forward to putting on great fights as they take the next steps in their careers. Fans at home, especially those in Toledo, who tune in early can see both on the freeview telecast. All of this couldn’t be possible without Roc Nation Sports and we’re very appreciative of the commitment and confidence they have shown in Sonny Frederickson and Tyler McCreary.”

ABOUT VICTORY SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 2013 by President Rick Torres and Chief Operating Officer Michael Leanardi, Victory Sports & Entertainment is an athlete management company with offices in New York and Las Vegas.

Badou Jack and James DeGale will meet on January 14 in Brooklyn; pending the show can get an insurance carrier after recent legislation made it pricier to run shows in the Empire State, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The espn.com article said When mixed martial arts was legalized in New York, the law, which was recently implemented, included new insurance regulations for combat sports that would dramatically increase the premiums promoters must pay to run a boxing card.

Minimum coverage went from $10,000 to $50,000 for general medical coverage per fighter on each card, a change that most promoters had no issue with and that conforms to the norm in many other states. But the law also requires an unprecedented $1 million minimum requirement for each fighter in the event the fighter suffers a traumatic brain injury, a very rare occurrence. New York promoters have complained that the added cost would all but eliminate club-level cards, although bigger cards, such as the Jack-DeGale one, could more easily absorb the additional costs.

However, no insurance policy has yet been approved by New York that would allow boxing events to legally take place in the state, and it remains unclear whether one will be approved by Jan. 14. Promoter Lou DiBella said he knows there is a risk announcing the venue for the event without a guarantee the insurance issue will be settled by then.

“We taking this head on,” DiBella told ESPN. “But we’re moving ahead for 2017 on the expectation that the powers that be in New York state will have a policy available for us for Jan. 14. We’re also optimistic that the bigger issues will be resolved in a way that will allow both big-time boxing and grass-roots boxing to resume in the state of New York. It’s unthinkable that this law was passed when

“There is no policy available yet,” DiBella said. “Promoters continue to have meetings with insurers, but any policy has to be sent to New York for approval. The commission has had talks with insurers and policies were sent, or a policy was sent, to the state, but it was not approved.

“How do you enact a law where there is no legal way for an industry to abide by it? Something incomprehensible went on here.”

“Floyd is out in Vegas, but his attitude is, ‘We’re willing to take a risk to help New York fighters and New York boxing with this card,'” DiBella said. “I give Mayweather Promotions credit for stepping into a situation where they could have just done this fight in Las Vegas and called it a day.”

Katie Taylor will face Karina Kopinska on her pro debut at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Saturday November 26, live on Sky Sports.

Taylor makes her hotly anticipated bow in the paid ranks after turning over following her glittering career as Ireland’s most decorated amateur boxer.

The 30 year old’s 15 year career garnering five World titles, six European titles and Olympic gold at the London 2012 games where she was her nation’s flagbearer.

The first obstacle in the way of Taylor’s path to World titles and beyond is Kopinska, the 27 year old Pole entering her 25th pro bout, promising to provide an early examination of Taylor having taken the WBC Super-Featherweight champion Eva Wahlstrom the distance and will be boxing for the second time in London. Taylor will be looking to kick-off with a commanding win as she then heads to the Manchester Arena on December 10 on the undercard of the IBF World Heavyweight title defence of fellow Olympic gold medal star Anthony Joshua MBE.

Taylor’s clash with Kopinska is part of a huge night of action as Tommy Coyle and John Wayne Hibbert clash in a must-win Super-Lightweight battle.

Ohara Davies challenges WBC Silver Super-Lightweight champion Andrea Scarpa, Martin J. Ward defends his British Super-Featherweight title, Reece Bellotti is meets Ian Bailey in an eliminator for the English Featherweight crown, Conor Benn fights for the sixth time in the paid ranks and fellow unbeaten youngsters Jake Ball, Craig Richards and Ted Cheeseman look to end 2016 with a bang.

Tickets for November 26 are on general sale priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.ssearena.co.uk or by calling 0844 815 0815. £150 VIP tickets are available exclusively via www.matchroomboxing.com

Face value tickets for November 26 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.

Promoter Dmitriy Salita and his matchmaker, Dennis Turner, did it again tonight (Saturday, November 12) with their latest “Detroit Brawl” at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit, as they put on another terrific night of fights.

The left side of the bout sheet is never a haven on a Salita show and tonight was another example of that.

In the six-round bantamweight main event, Detroit’s undefeated James “OG” Gordon Smith (11-0, 6 KOs) put on another of his typical performances, meaning he was in a back-and-forth slugfest, this time against a battle tank made in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, named Olim “The Muslim Warrior” Nazarov (14-3, 8 KOs).

With all the trimmings of a Smith fight: momentum changes and bombs landing to the “oohs and ahhs” of the crowd, Smith managed to outwork Nazarov on his way to a unanimous decision (scores 59-55, 58-56 and 58-56).

Smith tried to jab and move, but can’t resist a good war. After being clubbed by a few of the Uzbek’s powerful shots, it was bombs away for five entertaining rounds of action. The Detroiter deserves plenty of credit for this victory, as Nazarov was a world, Asian and four-time Uzbekistani champion in the amateurs.

In the six-round lightweight co-main event, Muheeb “Flashy” Fazeldin (9-0-1, 3 KOs) from Sheffield, United Kingdom via Yemen, won a six-round unanimous decision over Modesto, California’s Michael Gaxiola (4-9).

Fazeldin landed more punches, compared to Gaxiola’s harder, less frequent offerings. The real story lies in Fazeldin’s thug-like gang of fans, who over-run the ring after all his fights and basically create a serious safety hazard for the rest of the fans in attendance.

Fazeldin’s unjustified showboating, paired with the unruly mob who support him, do nothing for his likeability. Leave it at that.

The scores were 58-56, 60-54 and 58-56.

Toledo, Ohio, welterweight Wesley “Casanova” Tucker (13-0, 8 KOs) made the most of his promotional debut under the Salita Promotions banner by annihilating poor Richard Hall (11-25-3, 7 KOs) in 47 seconds.

What was supposed to be a six-round showcase was over before the ring announcer sat back down, as Tucker went straight for the kill behind blazing fists that pounded Hall into the floor like a carpenter’s nail.

In many ways, things didn’t go according to the usual script in the six-round super lightweight battle between transplanted Georgian Giorgi “Goga” Gelashvili and Detroit’s “Lightning” Larry Ventus.

Ventus came in with an upside-down record of 6-11-1, 3 KOs, and, pre-fight, appeared to be mere cannon fodder for the undefeated Gelashvili… That’s not what happened.

What unfolded instead was a well-trained and highly skilled Ventus putting on a focused and impressive performance, winning a surprise split decision (57-56 Gelashvili, 59-54 Ventus and 57-56 Ventus).

In an entertaining scrap between two foes who seemed to genuinely dislike each other, Ventus’ pinpoint counters and slick head movement overshadowed the work of the more aggressive Gelashvili.

No shame in losing, the always entertaining Gelashvili lost a questionable point in round four for holding, which, per the judges, cost him a draw and his undefeated record (now 5-1, 3 KOs). Ventus, for one fight at least, appears to have been reborn as an ice-cold ring assassin with laser-like accuracy and thudding power.

Detroit’s Zach Shamoun and Dallas, Texas’ Charles Clark went to war for four entertaining rounds in their bantamweight slugfest.

In a back-and-forth battle of attrition, Shamoun (4-0-2, 3 KOs) got the better early with heavy combinations, but Clark (1-1-1, 1 KO) took over in the final two rounds and nearly scored the stoppage.

Credit the local judges for not awarding a robbery to the local. The scores were 38-38, 39-37 and 38-38 for a well-deserved majority draw. Shamoun saved his undefeated record by not going down under heavy fire in round three. These two showed tremendous heart in this this thriller and they should do it again.

Fighting at the preliminary level, it’s hard to get a read on fighters like Detroit’s Ja’Rico “Great Lakes King” O’Quinn because they tear through their opposition too quickly to show their true mettle.

The former amateur standout O’Quinn, now a professional bantamweight, stayed undefeated (4-0, 3 KOs) by tearing up Wilson, North Carolina’s Robert Allen Jr. (0-2) in 1:30 of the first round. So far, the talented O’Quinn looks like the real thing, but only stronger opposition in the future will tell the true tale.

In the four-round welterweight opener, Detroit’s Raphael Sinegal pitched a shutout against Flint veteran Darryol Humphery, winning a unanimous decision (40-35 X 3).

Aside from going down in the first for an eight count, Humphery (2-7) used his veteran tricks to stay out of danger, but didn’t mount a consistent offense. Sinegal (now 2-1, 1 KO) clearly wanted to fight, but didn’t have a willing enough dance partner.

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For more information on the “Detroit Brawl” or Salita Promotions, visit www.salitapromotions.com.

About Salita Promotions
Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

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Zulina Munoz retained the WBC super flyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Carolina Alvarez at Gimnasio Polifuncional Ana Gabriela Guevara in Hermosillio, Mexico.

Munoz won by scores of 99-90 twice and 97-92 and is now 48-1-2. Alvarez is 12-7-4.

Samuel Rodriguez stopped previously undefeated Julio Barraza in round eight of their scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

In round five, Gonzalez was cut over the left eye. In round eight, Gonzalez dropped Barraza with a left to the body. Moments later, it was a crunching uppercut that sent Barraza down for the 10 count at 1:47.

Rodriguez of Caracas, VEN is 12-4 with 9 knockouts. Barraza of Hermosillio, MX is 15-1-1.

Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing Light Heavyweight contender Yuniesky Gonzalez (18-2 14 KO’S Miami, FL) scored his second consecutive 1st round knockout at the Miami Airport Convention Center Friday night taking out former Olympian Maxwell Amponsah (11-3 10KO’S Bronx, NY), in a 10 round Light Heavyweight contest.

Gonzalez, fiercely determined to get another major fight, wasted no time once again as he jumped on Amponsah from the opening bell with an onslaught of heavy punches. Amponsah had no answer for the ever charging Gonzalez forcing the referee to stop the action in the 1st round.
This was the second fight under new trainer Pedro Diaz for Gonzalez who has looked impressive in both.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had this to say about the fight “Yuniesky looked very good tonight taking out a normally very tough and durable opponent with ease. I’m really happy with the progress Yuniesky has made under new trainer Pedro Diaz and I’m very confident we will get a major Light Heavyweight fight in the near future”.

The event was promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Boxing Storm Promotions.

Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and
Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

MEDIA CONTACTS
STAR BOXING
(718) 823 2000
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ABOUT STAR BOXING ®
Star Boxing Inc. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012. The company has produced some of the most exciting and memorable boxing events in recent history. Star Boxing continues to work with and develop a number of very exciting world champions, world rated contenders and young prospects. Star Boxing is proud that is has consistently brought credibility, integrity, and exciting fights to the boxing industry. For more information on Star Boxing, visit their official website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow them on Twitter @ Star Boxing and Facebook /StarBox

Tim Boetsch stopped Rafael Natal in the 1st round of their middleweight bout.

In round one, Natal was cut over his left eye. Later in the round, Booetsch clocked Natal with a right hand that sent him to the canva, and the finsished him off with a right on the ground at 3:22.

Boetsch, 185.5 lbs of Sunbury, PA is 20-10. Natal, 185.5 lbs of New York, NY is 21-8-1.

Vicente Luque stopped Belal Muhammad in the 1st round of their welterweight bout.

Luque nailed Muhammad with a perfect left hook that dropped him viciously. Luque landed a couple of punches on a prone Muhammad and the fight was stopped at 1:19.

Luque, 170.5 lbs of Brasilia, BRA is 11-5-1. Muhammad, 170 lbs of Chicago is 10-2.

PHILADELPHIA (November 13, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs) put on a show for fans in his hometown Saturday night as he dropped and stopped Colombia’s Samuel Vargas (25-3-1, 13 KOs) on his way to a seventh round TKO victory in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on Spike from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

The dominant performance by Garcia officially setup a welterweight world championship unification showdown in March against Keith “One Time” Thurman, who was in attendance as part of Spike’s broadcasting crew. The two welterweight world champions met in the middle of the ring after the conclusion of the bout and began to set the stage for their explosive showdown.

“I just had to tell Keith that he’s next,” said Garcia. “I’m going to beat him down. There’s not much more to say. Keith is going to get what he asked for and now he’s going to face a big dog.”

“You have two big punchers meeting on March 4,” said Thurman. “I don’t see how the fight can go 12 rounds. I see myself as the best competition that Danny has ever faced.”

Garcia was sharp offensively and defensively Saturday night, making Vargas miss often and countering with powerful shots. He started slow but late in the second round, Garcia delivered an overhand right hand that sent Vargas tumbling to the canvas.

“I felt a little rusty,” said Garcia. “But I started putting my punches together well and came out with the victory. The overhand right knocked him down. It was just a well-timed shot.”

“I got beat up in there,” said Vargas. “It takes a lot of courage to come to North Philadelphia and fight the champ. It just wasn’t my night.”

Vargas continued to come forward and work, but Garcia was entirely in control, making Vargas swing at air while delivering shots of his own that kept him in command. In the seventh round, Garcia began to unload with a series of big shots that hurt Vargas on the ropes. This eventually prompted referee Gary Rosato to stop the fight 2:17 into the round.

“It was great to give back to my fans in Philadelphia,” said Garcia. “It was a long time coming. I’m just happy I was able to give Philly a great night. I’m a Philly champion and it was great to see guys like Allen Iverson and Meek Mill out here supporting. Most importantly it felt great to give back to those in need in my city.”

“Danny is a great fighter and a great person for his city,” said Vargas.

With the March 4 unification fight now set, boxing fans can look forward to seeing two of the best fighters in the sport put their undefeated records and world titles on the line.

“Danny can talk whatever he wants and Angel Garcia can say whatever he wants,” said Thurman. “They can talk smack all day. Danny is real flat-footed. I believe I’ll be able to be on the outside, see the wide punches and counter punch. They said he wanted the tune-up, now he’s ready to see me.”

“On March 4, fans can expect what they always get from me,” said Garcia. “It’s going to be fireworks. I’m a Philly champion. I have the heart of a champion and I’m coming to win and unify titles.”

The co-main event of the evening saw undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd (19-0, 13 KOs) stop former title challenger Jo Jo Dan (35-4, 18 KOs) in the sixth-round of their super welterweight battle.

The smaller Dan sought to smother Hurd from the beginning and negate the previously unbeaten fighter’s advantage in reach and height. Hurd was unable to get full power behind his punches, while Dan tried to hit Hurd with short punches, mainly to the body.

“We knew he was a crafty southpaw,” said Hurd. “We wanted to take our time because we didn’t know how he would come out. We felt him out at first.”

“The weight was a big difference,” said Dan. “I took the fight on short notice and I’m a 147-pound fighter. He was too strong for me tonight.”

Things began to open up for Hurd in round two as he began to tee off on the head of Dan, including a thudding left that caused Dan’s nose to bleed. Hurd continued to pummel Dan, mixing in looping shots to the body with his devastating array of hooks and uppercuts.

“My defense was a little off because being prepared for a right hander,” said Hurd. “We fixed that in the last round and got the stoppage.”

The damage continued into the sixth round as Dan kept coming forward but was consistently met with hard shots from Hurd. The fight was finally called at 1:08 into the sixth round, on the advice of Dan’s corner.

“He was wobbly and shaky,” said Hurd. “I probably would have taken him out in the next round. There are a lot of great fighters in this division and whoever I can get in there with next, I’ll be ready for.”

“He’s a tough guy,” said Dan. “I gave him some tough shots and I took some good shots. At the end of the day this is boxing. I couldn’t do enough to get the win.”

The opening bout of the telecast saw former world champion Javier Fortuna (31-1-1, 22 KOs) survive an early knockdown to come back and earn a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Omar Douglas (17-1, 12 KOs) in their 10-round lightweight match.

Douglas got off to the better start, connecting with a straight left hand late in the first round that buckled the knees of Fortuna and sent him to the canvas.

“He got me cold in the first round,” said Fortuna. “I wasn’t surprised that he came out sharp. I worked very hard to come back.”

“The left hand was there for me so I took it,” said Douglas. “I knocked him down based on reflexes.”

Fortuna recovered nicely however, and used his movement and combination punching to fluster the less experienced Douglas. Fighting primarily out of the southpaw stance, Fortuna used his jab and followed up with flurries that score consistently.

“Every time that I was aggressive, I tried to follow it up with more punches,” said Fortuna.

Douglas tried to be patient and counter, but too often it led to the fighters getting tangled up instead of inflicting damage.

“He was grabbing me, but that’s the game” said Douglas. “That’s the game I signed up for.”

The final round saw Fortuna come out strong in an attempt to close the show with emphasis.

“I knew in the final round that I had to finish it well to make sure there were no questions,” said Fortuna.

The former champion connected at will on Douglas for much of the round, staggering him near the ropes with successive hooks. Douglas stayed on his feet but was unable to mount enough offense as all three judges gave the final round to Fortuna. In the end, the judges scored the bout 96-93 twice and 95-94 for Fortuna.

“I feel like I won the fight. The decision was absurd. He held me the whole fight,” said Douglas.

“I felt like I won just about every round after the first,” said Fortuna. “I want a rematch with Jason Sosa next. That’s a very big fight for me.”

In Off-Television action:

Titus Williams scored a 6-round majority decision over Antonio DuBose in a super featherweight bout.

Williams of Long Island, NY won two cards by tallies of 59-55 and 58-56 while a third card read even at 57-57.

Williams, 126.3 lbs is now 7-0. Dubose, 127.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 8-2-1.

Kyrone Davis stopped Carlos Gabriel Ozan in round three of their scheduled 8-round middleweight bout.

Davis dropped Ozan in round three with a hard barrage of punches. Ozan got to his feet, but stumbled back to the corner and the bout was stopped at 41 seconds.

Davis, 158.6 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 11-1 with 5 knockouts. Ozan, 155.7 lbs of Mendoza, ARG is 12-2.

Milton Santiago won a 8-round unanimous decision over Claudio Rosendo Tapia in a super lightweight bout.

Santiago, 137 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 16-0. Tapia, 135.8 lbs of Mendoza, ARG is now 28-17-4.

Thomas Velasquez won a 4-round unanimous decision over Raul Chirino in a super featherweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Velasquez, 129.9 lbs of Philadelphia and he is now 6-0. Chirino, 134.2 lbs of Miami, FL is 7-4.

Jeffrey Torres won a 4-round unanimous decision over Joseph Serrano in a battle of Philadelphia based lightweights.

Torres, 137.7 lbs won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Serrano, 136.9 lbs was making his pro debut.

Christian Carto kept his perfect streak going as he stopped Leonard Reyes in a scheduled 4-round bantamweight bout.

Carto registered a knockdown from body shots in round two. Later in the round, Carto continued the domination and the bout was stopped at 2:34.

Carto, 118.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 4-0 with all wins coming early. Reyes, 114.5 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 4-11.

# # #

PBC on Spike was promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions.

Luis Ortiz scored three knockdowns and remained undefeated by winning a 12-round unanimous decision over Malik Scott in a heavyweight bout in Monte Carlo.

Ortiz dropped Scott in both round’s four and five with left hands. In round nine, Ortiz dropped Scott with a counter left to the body.