Since you’ve been working with Freddie, what’s been the biggest improvement in your game?

VIKTOR POSTOL: Every training camp that I’m here, I’m getting more serious. I’m getting more power, more speed, learning new combinations with Freddie. Overall, improving in every fashion.

You have mentioned that Matthysse is better than Crawford. Can you tell us why?

VIKTOR POSTOL: It is my subjective opinion, but it is my opinion from what I have seen and from the opposition that Matthysse has had before he fought me and the opposition that Crawford has had I think that Matthysse is a better fighter and more experienced fighter.

Freddie, have you done anything with Postol for these last three fights that would increase his power?

FREDDIE ROACH: These last three training camps the opponents were different and we take into consideration what the other fighter brings to the table also. For Crawford we have had to get ready for lefty and orthodox styles of fighting also, and bring in the right sparring partners at the right time and work on him fighting as a southpaw and fighting as a righty so there is nothing that Crawford is going to surprise us with. We have seen a lot of tape on him. He is a good young fighter but I think we are a far better fighter because our two knockout wins in the last three fights are against far better fighters and I think Crawford is still being built up.

Yesterday, Crawford spoke of Postol’s holding tactics and using elbows and said he would speak to referee Tony Weeks about it. What is your response?

VIKTOR POSTOL: I think with the experience and the respect level of Weeks and the level of fights that he has been in I think that Tony Weeks will know what is legal and what is not legal and he will make sure that no illegal activity happens and I think he is a professional and I don’t think he needs to be told what has to be done.

FREDDIE ROACH: Pretty much I agree that Tony Weeks is one of the best referees in the world and he will call the fight as he sees it and all we are asking for is a fair shake from the referees and judges in this fight.

Are you preparing Viktor for specific things that Crawford may do or are you preparing him for everything?

FREDDIE ROACH: We pretty much prepare for everything. I study a lot of tape and I watch for a lot of his mistakes and his habits and so forth and things we can take advantage of and we work on that very hard and that’s why Viktor is 100% ready for the fight.

Yesterday Crawford spoke about how he thinks the fight will go – he said he can brawl or trade or box. How do you feel it will go? What is your prediction?

VIKTOR POSTOL: It’s hard for me to predict but I think that both of us want to fight and we are both champions and both of us are going to be aggressive and both of us want to win by knockout. I think that will make this a very aggressive and exciting fight. It may go from a chess match to a brawl and back. You never know, but I think it will be an exciting fight and make sure no one misses it.

What type of a fight would favor Viktor?

FREDDIE ROACH: You know, Viktor has a height advantage and a little bit of a reach advantage. He sets things up real well with his left hand. He is a complete fighter. He trains really hard. He comes here to be with me for eight weeks at a time. We get along really well and we work really well together. He boxed the other day and he is peaking and he’s ready for the fight and he is in great shape. I think this is a good opportunity and I think Crawford is underestimating us a little bit but he’s going to pay for that.

Do you think that the Crawford fight will be easier than the Matthysse fight?

VIKTOR POSTOL: No, not at all. Every fight is different. Matthysse and Crawford are two different style fighters. I never expect any fight to be easy and no one fights the same. Everybody is difficult.

There is talk about the winner of this fight getting a Pacquiao fight. Is this something you would be interested in or no because he is a stable-mate?

VIKTOR POSTOL: As far as the trainer…we have a team and we would sit down with Freddie and decide how we can make this fight happen.

CARL MORETTI: Yes I think there is a possibility depending on how this fight goes and who the winner is. Why not add him to the Pacquiao sweepstakes? Being that he would be declared champion by two sanctioning bodies at 140, it would have to be decided if Manny is going to fight at 140 when he returns or stay at 147. I would love to see Freddie Roach run back and forth to different corners – that would be great. Now he runs around Wild Card without knowing where he is going – this would be even better. He runs upstairs and downstairs at Wild Card – why can’t he run back and forth to different corners?

You spoke about Crawford becoming a pay-per-view star by winning spectacularly on July 23, but could Postol become a pay-per-view star if he does the same?

VIKTOR POSTOL: Definitely I hope so and I want to do everything in this fight that would take me towards that goal. I want to make this an exciting fight.

CARL MORETTI: Obviously, a win over Crawford would raise his profile tremendously. Becoming a pay-per-view star at this point I think is a lot to reach for because pay-per-view is really based on match-ups and how much the public grasps onto you. I think if you are Viktor, you would want to unify the titles or fight the best challenge out there. Clearly the winner is going to have a bright future if the fight is what it expects to be and I think the loser is in the playoffs for anyone as well. A lot of questions will be answered on the 23rd but not about being pay-per-view stars yet. It is the match-ups that matter and this is the best match-up at 140. Maybe it is a rematch if it is that good of a fight but you don’t know yet.

What is the feeling of the Russians and Ukrainians when they come to fight in the US?

VIKTOR POSTOL: There are a lot of great fighters now from Europe that are creating a lot of buzz in the United States, which is the Mecca of the world of boxing. Here is where you have to make things happen and I am happy for them and it is great the this country is giving them and myself an opportunity and it’s great that the boxers are performing at a level that they are performing at.

FREDDIE ROACH: You know Terence Crawford and the University of Nebraska have one thing in common. Nebraska is in the Big 10 and on the 23rd; Crawford is going to get the Big 10-count from the referee. (Written in Nebraska Red per Freddie’s instructions)

Freddie, if Postol were to win and did want to fight Pacquiao, how difficult would it be for you?

FREDDIE ROACH: It wouldn’t be the worst position in the world because I feel that Viktor has done everything to get ready for this fight. I think we have the right style and the right opponent. And if that does happen I will have to deal with it. Going to the Philippines for a long time or staying here. It could happen but it would put me in a pretty good place either way because I really like working with both fighters – they both have a great work ethic and I look forward to that predicament.

But there would be no way you would train against Manny right?

FREDDIE ROACH: Yes, Manny and I have been together for fifteen years and it would be very difficult to go against him of course, but you know Viktor is a very good fighter also and I’m not sure if Marvin [Somodio] would be his chief cornerman or not – but Marvin being a Filipino maybe not, we’ll see (laughing).

How has Postol progressed since your first training camp – in Philippines when Manny was preparing for Algieri – had he sparred with Manny?

FREDDIE ROACH: He sparred with Manny and he gave us great work and it was very competitive and he really got Manny ready for that fight. It was a great training camp but that was a little while ago and everyone is getting a little older and a little bit more mature and he is definitely a tough fight for anyone in the world. When he and Manny sparred together there was great action there.

Was there much consideration to put this fight in Omaha? Viktor has fought everywhere. Is Terence done with Omaha?

CARL MORETTI: No, I don’t think Terence is done with Omaha. There was some concern from the Postol side not to go into the backyard of Terence Crawford. Secondly, when you are doing a pay-per-view event, you want to try and stay in a major market, whether it is New York, Las Vegas or Los Angeles that are used to pay-per-view events. So the combination of both sort of led us to Las Vegas. From a Crawford point of view we know that he is the best fighter out of Omaha and we know what he can do in Omaha, that’s why we brought him to New York and we wanted to do a fight on the west coast to expose him to more people out there — broaden his fan and media base — and when you are talking west coast you are talking Las Vegas and Los Angeles. So for a combination of those reasons, that’s how we ended up in Las Vegas. I do think Terence will fight in Omaha again – he will never abandon Omaha.

In Closing…

FREDDIE ROACH: I would like to wish everyone good luck and I can’t wait to get this one started.

VIKTOR POSTOL: Thank you to all of the fans that support me and I am waiting for everyone to come on July 23rd to watch the fight. And if you can’t make it to Las Vegas, watch it live on pay-per-view.

***********************************

“COUNTDOWN: CRAWFORD vs. POSTOL WORLD TITLE UNIFICATION” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSKJh2HdATE&feature=share

HBO Sports Presents “TERENCE CRAWFORD: MY FIGHT”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6wef8egeM&feature=youtu.be

***********************************

Undefeated junior welterweight champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (28-0, 20 KOs) and “The Iceman” VIKTOR POSTOL (28-0, 12 KOs) will go mano a mano in a 12-round world title unification fight to determine the lineal king of the exciting 140 pound division. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” the Crawford vs. Postol World Boxing Organization (WBO) / World Boxing Council (WBC) / The Ring junior welterweight world championship event takes place Next Saturday! July 23, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. Remaining tickets are priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at (888) 929-7849. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or AXS.com (http://bit.ly/24ORYhs)

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 #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

# # #

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Media):

DENIS SMOLDAREV (11-2-0, M-1: 7-2-0), Estonia 270 lbs. (122.7 kg)
vs.
KENNY “Deuce” GARNER (16-9-0, M-1: 9-7-0), Russia 271 ½ lbs. (123.3 kg)

MARCUS “Montanha” VINICIUS LOPES (9-4-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 225 lbs. (102.3 kg)
vs.
KURBAN “Shkaf” IBRAGIMOV (5-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 224 lbs. (101.9 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

RAFAEL DIAS (11-3-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 133 ½ lbs. (60.7 kg)
vs.
SERGEY MOROZOV (6-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Kazakhstan 134 ½ lbs. (65.6 kg)

ANDREY “Iron” LEZHNEV (8-6-0, M-1: 2-2-0), Ukraine 144 lbs. (65.4 kg)
vs.
LEE “Bulldog” MORRISON (15-6-0, M-1: 2-3-0), USA 144 lbs. (65.6 kg)

ANTUN “Killer” RACIC (18-7-0, M-1: 3-4-0), Brazil 136 lbs. (62.0 kg)
vs.
MUSA KAZIKHANOV (3-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 136 lbs. (62.0 kg)

FLYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

RONNY GOMEZ (3-4-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Spain 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)
vs.
KHAMZAT DALGIEV (5-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

DARWIN RODRIGUEZ (0-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Spain 203 lbs. (92.4 kg)
vs.
AMIRKHAN GULIEV (2-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia 208 lbs. (94.7 kg)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
MAGOMED MAASAEV (pro debut), Russia 171 lbs. (77.8 kg)
vs.
INGISKHAN OZDOEV (1-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Russia (M-1: 1-2-0) 173 ½ lbs. (78.9 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

GABRIEL SABO (6-1-1, M-1: 0-0-0), Switzerland 154 lbs. (70.0 kg)
vs.
LOM-ALI NALGIEV (6-4-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia 155 lbs. (70.6 kg)

SERGEY “Bender” ASTAPOV (6-4-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Ukraine 155 lbs. (70.4 kg)
vs.
ABUBAKER MESTOEV (pro debut), Russia 155 ½ lbs. (70.7 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ZAUR AKHMEDOV (pro debut), Russia 140 ½ lbs. (63.9 kg)
vs.
ADAM GAGIEV (0-1-1, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia 208 lbs. (94.7 kg)

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT FIGHT — HEAVYWEIGHTS

VITALY KRAVCHENKO, Russia 244 lbs. (110.9 kg)
vs.
RUSTAM KUKURKHOEV, Russia 234 lbs. (106.2 kg)

WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 2016

WHERE: Targim, Ingushetia, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE STREAM: www.m-1global.tv (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT in USA)

Information

www.M1Global.tv
www.mixfight.ru
www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/M-1-GlobalNews

NEW YORK (Friday, July 15, 2016) – Next Friday night, Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will return to the Five Star Banquet Hall in Long Island City, with Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (6-0, 5 KOs) headlining another loaded card. In addition to a great night of boxing, Uprising Promotions will also honor the late legend Muhammad Ali with their show entitled “Rumble Young Man Rumble.”

“We are looking forward to returning to the Five Star Banquet Hall next Friday night,” said Ronson Frank, Uprising Promotions President. “We have an entertaining show lined up with plenty of compelling action fights. Alicia Napoleon always puts on a great performance and packs the house, and the bouts supporting that fight are being matched well with a nice combination of intrigue and competitiveness. As is the case every time Uprising Promotions puts on a show, it will be another great night of boxing next Friday at the Five Star Banquet Hall.”

The main event of the evening will feature the return of Napoleon (6-0, 5 KOs) against 20-bout veteran Kita Watkins. The last time Napoleon competed on an Uprising Promotions show was in January, where she decisioned Szilvia Szabados in an action-packed bout that earned her the WBC Silver Female Super Welterweight Title. Currently the top-ranked female super welterweight in the country and number four in the world, Napoleon is known for bringing an entourage of supporters and putting on an entertaining fight.

Fresh off another pair of knockout victories after stopping Glenn Thomas on the last Uprising Promotions show in April, heavyweight Romarick Ngoula (7-0, 7 KOs) will meet battletested veteran Jon Bolden of New York. Also slated to participate in lightweight action is rising prospect Jude Franklin (3-0, 3 KOs), a popular New York fighter who has dealt with each of his three professional bouts inside the distance.

Queens middleweight Villi Bello (4-1-1, 1 KO) is set to meet undefeated Newark resident Anthony Jones (4-0-1, 1 KO) on July 22nd, competing on his fourth overall Uprising Promotions card. Also returning to action next Friday night will be undefeated New York welterweight Maxito Sainvil (3-0-1, 1 KO), who will be fighting on his third Uprising Promotions docket. Sainvil will be facing gritty opposition in 12-bout veteran Ray Velez, who has never fought an opponent with more than one loss throughout his professional career.

Additional bouts planned for the July 22nd show include an encounter between two young featherweights in Ariel Lopez and Wuesi Johnson, while a women’s contest between undefeated lightweight Betha Aracil (2-0, 2 KOs) and converted mixed martial artist Gabby Holloway is additionally on the schedule. Undefeated super bantamweight Shawn Simpson (1-0, 1 KO) is also slated for action against Juan Munoz, while light heavyweights Julian Frederic and Damon Lewis will clash as well.

This card will also feature a super featherweight attraction between Romain Tomas and Grashino Yancy, as well as former New York Golden Gloves winner Jose De La Rosa and Ecuador Olympian Luis Perozo competing in separate bouts.

Sponsorship opportunities for this exciting night are available now for any companies or local businesses who are interested in showcasing themselves. To inquire about becoming a sponsor, message us on Facebook or call (516) 451-6773.

This Uprising Promotions card will continue the initiative to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. For ticket information, message us on Facebook or call (516) 451-6773.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of our latest news, make sure to check out UprisingPromotions.com and follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC

NEW YORK (July 15, 2016) – Prospect Jerry Odom steps up to face Julius Jackson in a matchup of super middleweights next Friday, July 22 on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Foxwoods Resort Casino in
Mashantucket, Conn.

The hard-hitting Odom (13-2-1, 12 KOs) replaces Ronald Ellis, who pulled out of the bout on Thursday with a right hand injury.

Odom was deep in training and looking to bounce back from a controversial draw with Ellis in February on ShoBox when he received the opportunity to face Jackson (19-1, 15 KOs). Jackson is the older brother of John and son of former two-division world champion Julian “The Hawk” Jackson.

“I have been training for a few fights that fell through. I’m in shape and ready to go,” Odom said. “When my team got the call we decided it was the right decision to take this opportunity.

“My power will be a big factor. Jackson has faced punchers before, but he hasn’t faced one like me. This is a great opportunity, and I will put on a show next Friday.”

Undefeated top 10-ranked super bantamweight Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (15-0, 7 KOs) faces Roman Ruben Reynoso (18-1-1, 7 KOs) in the 10-round main event. In an eight round lightweight bout, O’Shaquie Foster (10-1, 7 KOs) meets Rolando Chinea (12-1-1, 6 KOs).

The July 22 ShoBox telecast marks the 15-year anniversary of the celebrated prospect developmental series.

Golovkin and Brook meet at the London venue on September 10 live on Sky Sports Box Office and HBO and fight fans have snapped up the tickets in a heartbeat to see pound-for-pound star Golovkin box in the UK for the first time against the unbeaten IBF World Welterweight champion.

Two more World title contests were added this week as bitter rivals Lee Haskins and Stuart Hall rematch X years after their first fight, this time with Haskins’ IBF World Bantamweight crown on the line and Charlie Edwards lands a World title shot in just his ninth pro fight as he takes on IBF Flyweight king Johnriel Casimero.

Martin J. Ward and Andy Townend clash for the vacant British Super-Featherweight title and Conor Benn tastes his fourth night of action in the paid ranks, with more fights to be added soon.

Face value tickets for September 10 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

At today’s official weigh-in at the Hilton Cardiff Hotel, undefeated WBA World Super-Bantamweight Champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and British Super-Bantamweight Champion Jazza Dickens both hit the weight on the scales ahead of tomorrow’s world title showdown.

Cuban great Rigondeaux, 16-0 10 KO’s, and Merseyside hero Dickens co-headline tomorrow night’s mouth-watering show at the Ice Arena Wales. Undefeated Rigondeaux hit the scales at 8st 9lbs with his challenger Dickens also came in at 8st 9lbs.

WBO World Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan weighed in at 9st 8lbs ahead of his defence against South Africa’s Mzonke Fana who also came in at 9st 8lbs.

Clydach Vale puncher Liam Williams made weight ahead of his British Super-Welterweight defence against Wembley’s Gary Corcoran. Williams came in at 10st 13lbs while Corcoran came in a little lighter at 10st 11lbs.

Londoner Bradley Skeete made weight at 10st 6lbs ahead of his WBO European Welterweight defence against Frenchman Alex Lapelley who came in at 10st 5lbs.

Lastly, Baggies bomber Tommy Langford hit the scales at 11st 5lbs ahead of his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight defence against Finlands Timo Laine (11st 5lbs)

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise the show live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415, Freeview 255 and also on smart connected devices via multiple platforms. Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this fight and more live!

Martin J. Ward and Andy Townend will clash for the vacant British Super-Featherweight title at The O2 in London on September 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Unbeaten Essex talent Ward has impressed in his reign as WBC International champion with three strong wins in defences against Sergio Blanco, Mario Pisanti and Ruddy Encarnacion since forcing Maxi Hughes to retire after five rounds of their clash for the belt in April 2015.

English champion Townend also enters the fight on great form, unbeaten in his last nine outings where he picked up the English belt with a stoppage win over Femi Fehintola in four rounds in May 2015 and defending it twice inside the distance against Lee Glover and Craig Poxton.

The fight lands on the huge triple-World title night in Greenwich, topped by Gennady Golovkin vs. Kell Brook, and Ward wants his clash with Townend to steal the show.

“I can’t wait to finally get in the ring and fight for the British title,” said Ward. “It’s the belt that all British fighters want to win and to fight for it on such a huge bill is great.

“Andy has been in great form and shown he has got power at the weight, but I believe I’ll have to much for him and it promises to be a great fight.”

“This is another outstanding match-up on an already packed night of boxing,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Martin has done his apprenticeship and is now ready for the Lonsdale belt against a very dangerous Andy Townend – it’s a real ‘pick em’ championship fight.”

Ward’s clash with Townend is part of a huge night in London as pound-for-pound star Golovkin defends his WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO World Middleweight titles against IBF Welterweight World champion Brook.

Stuart Hall is out for revenge in his rematch with IBF World Bantamweight champion Lee Haskins, Charlie Edwards challenges Johnriel Casimero for the IBF World Flyweight title and Conor Benn tastes his fourth night of action in the paid ranks.

Face value tickets for September 10 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

“Just a couple days ago, my promoter Tom Loeffler called me and said Kell Brook wants to fight me. This is big news for me, I know him, he’s very good fighter.”

“Kell Brook is the best in his division and a big test for me. It will be a great show for everybody watching on TV or in the arena.”

“The Special One” KELL BROOK
“It’s great to be in New York today. I’ve looked down in history and see what the greats did, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson.

“It’s going to be a very hard fight; we’re going to go through hell in this training camp.”

“I want to give back to the fans and give them the best fights possible. I’m ready for the challenge Gennady Golovkin brings and ready to win the fight.”

TOM LOEFFLER/K2 Promotions
“We have to give Kell Brook a lot of credit for taking the fight. Eddie is in a similar position in regards to lining up opponents. Fights happen if both fighters want to fight and that’s why this fight came together so quickly.”

“This fight is truly the best fighting the best. The best welterweight versus the best middleweight.”

“Eddie has announced some great undercard fights which have also been added to this show. Additionally, we just announced Roman Gonzalez vs. Carlos Cuadras for September 10 in Los Angeles at the Fabulous Forum. This means we’ll have four undefeated fighters battling September 10 on HBO.”

“Gennady has sold out Madison Square Garden and the Forum in his last two fights. A young man from Kazakhstan with 22 knockouts in a row, he’s very likable guy and somebody that boxing fans want to cheer for.”

“There is a big demand for tickets and this fight will sell out quickly making it the third arena in three major cities and two countries that Gennady will have sold out. It doesn’t get any bigger than that when it comes to international marketability.”

EDDIE HEARN/Matchroom Boxing
“Tom Loeffler faced the same struggles as I, I’m so glad we were able to put together this fight in such an efficient manner.”

“Great Britain right now is the epicenter of world boxing; we have 13 world champions. Kell Brook is the best pound for pound fighter among them.”

“Kell Brook was one of the first fighters I signed as a promoter. We’ve been waiting for a night like this for a long, long time. We’ve offered numerous champions and challengers millions of dollars to fight Kell Brook and all we’ve received has been silence and bluster.”

‘To be a great you have to do something great and just like Kell Brook’s heroes Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson who moved up from welterweight to win middleweight titles, Kell Brook is a great fighter.”

“This is 71-0, 36-0 vs. 35-0, two of the very best fighters in the world.”

ABEL SANCHEZ, Trainer of Golovkin
“I look forward to matching wits with the two of the best trainers, Dominic and Brendan Ingle, in the UK. This should be the type of fight that we all remember for a long time.”

DOMINIC INGLE, Trainer of Brook
“Kell Brook is going into this fight as a massive underdog for the first time in a long time. He’s moving up two weight classes to fight the most feared man in boxing.” We’re relishing the challenge, Kell Brook has plenty of ambition. Beating Gennady Golovkin is
the greatest challenge.”

————–
Golovkin is known as “The Most Exciting, Hardest-Hitting, Most Feared Fighter in the World.” From recently selling out arenas in New York City (Madison Square Garden) and Los Angeles (The Fabulous Forum) in consecutive fights to his sponsorships with the JORDAN Brand, Apple, Samsung, and Bijan, Golovkin is one of the most marketable boxers in the world.

Golovkin’s record includes 22 straight knockouts in addition to 16 consecutive world title defenses. His 91.4% knockout ratio is the highest in boxing’s middleweight division history.

Britain’s pound-for-pound number one fighter, Kell Brook, is out to shock the world when he steps up two weight divisions to take on the fearsome Gennady Golovkin.

The unbeaten Sheffield star achieved his childhood dream in August 2014 when he travelled to California to rip the IBF World Welterweight title from Ohio’s highly-rated and then-unbeaten Shawn Porter by majority decision. He has since defended the title on three occasions, defeating Jo Jo Dan, Frankie Gavin and Kevin Bizier, all by stoppage.

BIRMINGHAM, AL. (July 14, 2016) – Heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and two-time title challenger Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they headline Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.

In attendance at the press conference and featured in televised action beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT were undefeated Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez Jr. and Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz, who square off in a 10-round welterweight bout, plus rising star Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and Mexico’s Ivan Montero, who meet in a super welterweight attraction.

The televised action will switch over to FS1 and FOX Deportes immediately following the conclusion of the FOX telecast with action headlined by undefeated welterweight Jamal James battling exciting contender Wale Omotoso. Additional action on FS1 and FOX Deportes features former world champion Vic Darchinyan and undefeated heavyweight Gerald Washington in separate bouts.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in
association with TGB Promotions and Bruno Event Team, start at only $20 and are on sale now. For tickets please visit www.alabamatitlefight.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

Fighters spoke to media at the BJCC’s Arena Club inside the same venue that will host a stacked night of fights on Saturday night.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

DEONTAY WILDER

“I’ve wanted to hit somebody since May. I got teased but now it’s time. And I get to do it at home. There’s no better place to do it.

“We’ve had a few guys that we could have chosen, but there were certain guys we didn’t want to give a short notice opportunity. We needed a certain type of fighter for this job.

“We need someone who will fight with their heart and take this opportunity and make the most of it. Does he deserve the title shot? No he doesn’t. He knows it. But is Chris Arreola the perfect guy for this fight? Of course he is.

“Chris is lucky to get a third chance at a title. There’s a lot of prospects who would love to fight him just to get a chance to fight for this belt. We needed a special person for this situation and I blessed Chris Arreola with the opportunity.

“It’s time to fight. He’s ‘The Nightmare’ and I’m a knockout artist. What makes me special is the way I knock people out. Go look at the people I’ve knocked out and see what I’ve given them.

“This is going to be another story for me to write in the history books. I can feel it. It’s going to be a great show. Don’t miss it.

“I appreciated everyone who comes out for me when I’m here fighting at home. I’m really excited about this show. You know the words at the end of the night will be ‘And still! Heavyweight champion of the world.'”

CHRIS ARREOLA

“I’m ready for this fight. I’m more ready than I’ve ever been. I’m hungry. This isn’t a cakewalk. I respect Deontay, that’s why I trained for you. Come fight time, there’s no respect, it’s time to fight.

“One thing no one can question about me is my heart. I’m going to come at him but be smart. My goal is to take home that title and make history.

“I want to thank Deontay for giving me this opportunity. I am a sleeping giant. I’m being underestimated. Place your bets on me and make some money.”

SAMMY VASQUEZ JR.

“Me and Felix Diaz are both coming to bring it. It’s going to be a tough fight for him and myself. People have to watch this fight. To me he’s undefeated and I’m coming in undefeated. We’re putting it all on the line in this fight.

“Felix and I have worked together and we’re friends, but this is business. He knows that I’m going to bring it like I do every fight. It’s a great opportunity to be showcased on this card.

“If you feel that you’re the best in your weight division, then it doesn’t matter who they put in front of you. My opponent doesn’t matter; we’re going to get the job done. I have to fight quality opponents to be able to step up to the next guy.

“Felix Diaz is a great competitor and he’s a very tough fighter. He has a tremendous amount of talent and he never stops coming, just like I do.

“I’m a pressure fighter. I like to show the crowd how I get down. I’m an undefeated fighter and I will remain that way Saturday night. I’m here to take care of business.

“I need wins like this to get fights with Danny Garcia and Keith Thurman and I need to do it decisively.

“If I can get this win I definitely want Danny Garcia. He’s a Philadelphia guy. I’m from Pittsburgh, it’d be a fun matchup. We’re both marketable guys and I think it’d be a huge fight.

“I just want to fight the best. That’s what I’m here for. I’ll fight anybody. I want to get a world title.”

FELIX DIAZ

“I want to thank everyone who is here today. Everything is ready to go. We’ve had a great training camp leading up to this fight.

“I know that Sammy is a very good fighter. We’ve been stablemates before, but this is business. I’m going to do what I have to do to be victorious on Saturday.

“I’m ready to get in the ring and do anything that I can on Saturday to get the victory.”

ERICKSON LUBIN

“This is a great opportunity on a big card. I’m here to showcase my talent and show why I’m one of the best 154-pound fighters in the world.

“This is a stepping stone for me. I know this is a tough Mexican who will be a great opponent. I just took care of business early a few weeks ago in Chicago and I’m looking to do the same thing Saturday. I’m here to steal the show.

“I want to thank my team for helping me in training camp and getting me to this moment. It’s ‘Hammer Time’ on Saturday.”

JAMAL JAMES

“We always stay ready in the gym. It’s always training camp. I’m at a point in my career where I have to be ready at all times. When the call comes, I’m ready.

“We’re working on some things that we wanted to tighten up from the last fight and I can’t wait to show everybody my improvements.

“Wale has been in there with some great competitors. We had to make sure everything is tightened up because he’s a strong guy. He has a good knockout ratio so you have to watch out for power punches.

“A lot of guys I fight are shorter than me. I’m one of the tallest welterweights in the game. A lot of guys have to fight me the same way, so we know what to expect. Our defense is tight and I’m sitting down on my punches more than ever.

“It’s a blessing to be on a card like this. I was very excited when I got the call. Deontay Wilder is a heavyweight champion and it’s a stacked card. It’s a great honor. I’m happy to keep stepping up in competition and in platform.

“I’m a class-act in the ring. I’m trying to bring the master skill back to boxing. But I’m ferocious at the same time. You won’t be mad because I always give you a great show.”

GERALD WASHINGTON

“I’m looking to go out there and take care of my business. We’ve worked hard in training camp and we’re prepared for anything.

“I’m going to use my speed and athleticism. The goal is to execute my game plan. Hopefully I can stay busy, land something big and get him out of there.

“My grandfather is actually from Alabama so I have roots here. It’s very exciting to be on an undercard for Deontay Wilder defending the heavyweight world title. I have to perform and be exciting so that I one day I can be fighting a great champ like Deontay Wilder.

“I’m different than I was before. This is going to be the best me stepping in there Saturday. I’m looking to get him out of there.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.alabamatitlefight.com www.dbe1.com,www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and foxdeportes.com follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @BronzeBomber, @NightmareBoxing @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX. PBC on FOX is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NEW YORK – July 14, 2016 – Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, today announced its return to UFC FIGHT PASS® with a stacked, 10-bout fight card that will air live from The Exchange in Los Angeles, Calif. on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for “Aspira A Mas Presents Combate Americas: Combate Ocho,” priced from $40, are on sale at ItsMySeat.com as well as at The Exchange box office. UFC FIGHT PASS is available on personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV and Roku devices.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) main event, Urijah Faber protégé Erick Sanchez (7-2) of Sacramento, Calif. will look for his third win in the Combate Americas cage, or “La Jaula,” and fourth consecutive victory overall when he squares off with dangerous finisher Angel “Tito” Cruz (5-2) of Rio Piedras, P.R.

In the women’s atomweight (105 pounds) co-main event, emerging star Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (5-3) of Las Vegas, Nev. will collide with battle-tested veteran Lisa Ellis (15-10) of Olympia, Wash.

“We are excited to be back in action on UFC FIGHT PASS with a tremendous fight card featuring the best, up-and-coming Hispanic fighters in the U.S., some of whom have been climbing the ranks with explosive performances under our promotion since last year and others whom we recently recruited because of their outstanding results elsewhere,” said McLaren.

In other action on the five-fight main card, ferocious knockout artist Jonathan “Dragon” Martinez (8-1) of Plainview, Texas will battle fellow finisher Benjamin Vinson (8-3-1) of Portland, Ore. in a flyweight (125 pounds) contest.

Another flyweight matchup will see undefeated, submission ace Heinrich “Ricky Scraps” Wassmer (4-0) of Los Angeles put his perfect record on the line against dangerous puncher Benji “The Brawler” Gomez (5-5) of Oxnard, Calif.

Izic Fernandez (2-1) of Santa Ana, Calif. and Marcos Bonilla (3-2) of Los Angeles will face off in a featherweight scrap.

In preliminary card action, Yoandy Carrillo (1-0) of Naples, Fla. will battle Erick Gonzalez (4-1) of Los Angeles.

Carrillo, the cousin of former World Boxing Association (WBA) world lightweight champion Richar Abril, is coming off a devastating, second round (:19) knockout (punches) of George Hernandez at Combate Americas on April 25.

Gonzalez, who has notched three of his four professional career wins by way of (T)KO, was also victorious at the Combate Americas event on April 25, earning a split decision over Victor Martinez.

In another lightweight preliminary bout, Jose “Froggy” Estrada (1-0) of Oxnard, Calif. will return to action after his explosive debut in La Jaula, in which the 25-year-old scored a highlight reel, first round (1:44) knockout (punch) on Jonathan Quiroz on April 18, and collide with Christian Cardona (0-1) of Las Vegas, Nev.

Elsewhere on the preliminary bout card, Jonathan Santa Maria (3-3) of Whittier, Calif. will face Albert Tapia (3-5) of Huntington Beach, Calif. in a flyweight affair.

Unbeaten Daniel Rodriguez (1-0) of Alhambra, Calif. will meet Hector Saldana (1-2) of Murrieta, Calif.

The final undercard bout will be announced soon.

# # #

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

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Singapore, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 156 countries and territories to more than 1.1 billion TV households worldwide in 29 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.

York, Penn. (July 14, 2016) – Undefeated welterweight prospect Steve Weimer will be back in action this Friday night when he squares off with Jose Valderrama in a four-round bout at The Wolf Gym in Weimer’s hometown of York, Pennsylvania.

The 26 year-old will be making his third appearance of 2016. He has been kept active since signing with Jeter Promotions.

“Training has been good. I am just in the process of making weight,”said Weimer on Wednesday night.

In Valderrama, Weimer is facing a veteran, who has faced 11 undefeated opponents.

“I know Valderrama is from Puerto Rico and my style should be good for this fight. He likes to come forward and I will look to pick my shots.”

Despite Valderrama’s record of 5-14, Weimer is taking this fight seriously.

“I train two or three times a day for as much as eight hours. I stay in good shape all the time. I know I am three inches taller than him. I plan to feel him out in round one and then get him out of there. I am ready to get this win and move on to the next fight,”

Since moving to his new promoter, Weimer has been kept active and feels that big things are in the near future.

“With Jeter Promotions, I feel that I will get a couple more fights this year and look for something big early next year.””

LAS VEGAS (July 14, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has signed another heralded star – welterweight (170 pounds) powerhouse Paul “The Gentleman” Bradley (23-6, 2 NC) – to an exclusive, multi-fight agreement.

The 5-foot-9, 33-year-old Bradley of San Diego, Calif. will make his debut inside the World Series of Fighting decagon cage on a date to be announced.

“We are excited to welcome aboard Paul Bradley, and look forward to having him test his skills in our highly competitive welterweight division,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “Paul has fought and triumphed over some top caliber opposition during his 10-year career, so we are confident that he will be a great addition to our roster.”

In his last start on January 29, Bradley, who originally hails from Tama, Iowa, scored a stunning, 40-second TKO (punches) on previously undefeated, rising star and fellow, former collegiate wrestling ace Chris Honeycutt at Bellator 148.

A veteran of both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Strikeforce and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest reality series, Bradley will look for his third consecutive win when he competes under the World Series of Fighting promotional banner for the first time.

Prior to the victory over Honeycutt, Bradley notched a unanimous decision over Josh “The Dentist” Neer at Bellator 129 on October 17, 2014.

A lifelong athlete, Bradley twice earned All-American honors while wrestling for the University of Iowa. He placed as high as fourth in the NCAA national championships during his tenure at the NCAA Division I program.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, July 30 at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, with star-studded event featuring two world championship rematches.

In the main event of WSOF32, reigning bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Marlon Moraes (16-4-1) will risk his title for the second time against Josh “Gentleman” Hill (14-1) while, in the co-main event, featherweight (145 pounds) champion Alexandre “Capitao” Almeida (18-5) will defend his title against the fighter he took it from – Lance Palmer (10-2).

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion partnered with NBC, NBCSN and international media distribution giant, IMG. Established in 2012 and headquartered in Las Vegas with satellite offices in New York City and Boston, the company is dedicated to delivering an incredible experience for sports fans by producing action-packed, live fights between elite athletes from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

What did you think about Viktor Postol’s performance against Lucas Matthysse and did it surprise you at all?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I feel as though Postol did what he needed to do to win. I think he did a lot of holding and using his elbows that the ref didn’t see. But all in all he did what he had to do to get the job done. I picked him to win in that fight anyway so it was a good victory.

There were blogs that went out on Tuesday where you were complimentary of Postol but he was not of you. Going as far as saying Matthysse was better than you…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Well, that’s what he is supposed to say. He is supposed to say he is going to destroy anybody that he is going to step in the ring with, but to my knowledge, I don’t care what he says because come July 23rd he is going to have to show me, he is not going to just be able to tell you. He knew who to fight. He had the option of fighting either me or Matthysse and he thought Matthysse was the easier fight because he knew if he was going to fight Terence Crawford he knew what was going to happen.

There have been stories about Manny Pacquiao coming back and you were mentioned as an opponent recently. Does it up the stakes for you since he may return?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I am not thinking about Manny Pacquiao at all. I am focusing on Viktor Postol and that’s it – that is all.

You two have a common opponent – Hank Lundy. You stopped him and Postol beat him by decision – does that give you any more confidence coming into the fight?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: No, styles make fights. That was a few years back and I don’t look at it as a confidence booster. I just know my skills and my ability in the ring – I believe that I am going to get the job done on July 23rd.

You have 20 knockouts to his 12 – do you feel you have the advantage in power?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I feel, all around, I can do whatever I want in there. If I have to box, I box. If I have to brawl, I brawl. If I have to trade, I trade. In those types of fights, I have the power to back you up. All in all, I feel like my IQ is what takes me to the next level.

Does the rough type style, like Yuriorkis Gamboa and like Postol, bother you and how do you overcome it?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Not at all. I just be myself and stay relaxed. Stay composed and do what I came to do. Do what we’ve been working on in camp and everything else will fall into place. The approach is to go in there and do what we have been working on. Each fight is different and every fighter is different. Gamboa was a real crafty fighter and so is Postol, but Postol poses a different threat than Gamboa so we will have to see what he poses on fight night.

Do you plan to go southpaw often and how do you prepare for his jab?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: We just have to see how the fight goes. It’s funny how all of the people are giving Postol all of the credit for his jab but nobody is talking about how good my jab is. So I’m loving it. I’m loving it. I’m loving it how everyone is talking about how good his jab is.

Why are you training in Colorado Springs. Is it to get away from home?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: We have been training in Colorado Springs for about four years – so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We have been having good success out there. You get away and we get to have a great camp. Plus the high altitude gives us a little edge.

When you go to that altitude for camp, how long does it take for you to adjust? Those are serious runs at serious altitude?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I adjust real quick since I am used to going out there. The first couple of days and the first couple of workouts you feel it but then your body gets acclimated to the climate.

Are you worried about Postol’s grabbing, holding tactics?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: That’s not my problem and I can’t be concerned about it. I can just hope the referee notices it and does something about it.

Would you say Postol is a dirty fighter?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I wouldn’t say that he is dirty. He fights to win. He is trying to do whatever he can to win. Some things are not allowed and some things some referees let you do more than others.

Pacquiao coming back…last year it was mentioned you were not well known enough to fight Pacquiao on pay-per-view. What do you think this fight will do for you?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: It will help me tremendously, but again, I am not thinking about that fight right now or whether I may be fighting him or if I put on a good show. My main focus is Viktor Postol.

CARL MORETTI: It is the meaning of when you get the best two guys fighting each other the winner comes out as the best in the division and unfortunately in boxing we don’t get that a lot. So you have a unified champion who is clearly the best fighter in the division and I think what you’ll see is a lot of talk about Terence being in the top three pound-for-pound after this, because of the accomplishment. It’s not just to unify the title or to try to unify the title. If the title-holder is kind of weak – and I don’t mean to put down other fighters or other champions – but there are champions out there that really, from talent, just aren’t that good or as good as they can be. With Postol, everybody’s eyes opened up when he knocked out Matthysse, who apparently was the second coming of Carlos Monzon – I don’t know where that came from, but that ended quickly, and if Crawford does what he is capable of doing, I think his value clearly skyrockets by beating another champion that is well-respected. You hear other champions say “I want to unify” and you don’t even know who the other champion is in the division. Take the same meaning here – Crawford-Postol means a lot. If Crawford beats Postol it means a lot.

Before this fight was made, was it a priority for you to unify the titles? Some want to fight the best, some want to unify…where do you stand?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I just want to fight and be recognized as the best in my division. That’s it. So if going through Postol means that’s how I get there, then so be it. But from the standpoint of my division, I want to fight all of them, until I move up.

Do you feel like you would want to continue to unify or is it not a big deal to you?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Well, I don’t know. Right now it is not. All of my focus is on Postol. I don’t worry about all of the extra things that is around the division right now.

Do you worry about Postol’s height advantage? It is about three inches and that plus the reach could be concerning…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I have fought a lot of tall opponents in my career. This is not the first tall opponent that I have ever fought and it’s not going to be something new to me. It’s not going to be something that I have never seen before. So I am not concerned about his height or his jab or anything because I have seen it before.

Do you view this fight as the biggest of your career so far?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Of course – this is a very big fight for me at a very critical time of my career. This fight is more meaningful than the Gamboa fight, at the moment, because this fight can take me to that next level beyond the level that I’m on right now. This fight means a lot and I do look at it as the biggest fight of my career to date.

Did you have any reaction when you heard that Manny Pacquiao was coming back?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: No, not at all. I didn’t even worry about it and I didn’t care and I didn’t even know because that’s not my main focus.

Since this is your first fight on pay-per-view, do you feel like your name is getting out there more?

I don’t really know how to answer that because I feel like my name is out there already, but I do feel like my name could be bigger than it is. But at the same time, that is not something that I focus on, that is something that will develop in time. I promote my self as well as my promoters who promote me.

In the documentary you mentioned how you got a second chance after being shot in the head. Is that something you think about all the time?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: Yes, of course. I don’t think about it a lot, because I like to put it in the past and put it behind me and move on with my life. But sometimes I do think about how I got a second chance and make the best of it.

How did it feel having HBO follow you around Omaha and talk to your family, something that a lot of fighters don’t have happen to them?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: It was pretty cool to see myself on HBO and to see all the things that they do in making the special and I was happy to be a part of it.

Do you have a new hope of getting in the ring with Manny Pacquiao if you defeat Postol?

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I’m not worried about that now so I don’t think about it.

How do you think your mother and grandmother did on the HBO show? They didn’t seem to be camera shy at all…

TERENCE CRAWFORD: They did good (laughing).

Bryan, we have spoken to Terence about Postol’s antics – holding and elbows…do you do anything in preparation for that or do you just overlook it?

BRYAN McINTYRE: Me and the other coaches (Coach Saul and Red), we sat down and talked about it and we are going to let referee Tony Weeks know that we are very concerned about whet he does in the ring.

TERENCE CRAWFORD: I would like to thank everyone, fans and media alike, for the support and I hope everyone watches on HBO Pay-Per-View. It is going to be a great night of boxing and we are going to put on a great show.

***********************************

HBO Sports Presents “TERENCE CRAWFORD: MY FIGHT”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6wef8egeM&feature=youtu.be

“COUNTDOWN: CRAWFORD vs. POSTOL WORLD TITLE UNIFICATION” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSKJh2HdATE&feature=share

***********************************

Undefeated junior welterweight champions TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (28-0, 20 KOs) and “The Iceman” VIKTOR POSTOL (28-0, 12 KOs) will go mano a mano in a 12-round world title unification fight to determine the lineal king of the exciting 140 pound division. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Tecate and the motion picture “Hands of Stone,” the Crawford vs. Postol World Boxing Organization (WBO) / World Boxing Council (WBC) / The Ring junior welterweight world championship event takes place in Nine Days, Saturday, July 23, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. Remaining tickets are priced at $304, $204, $104, and $54, not including applicable service fees. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call AXS at (888) 929-7849. Tickets are also be available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or AXS.com (http://bit.ly/24ORYhs)

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 #CrawfordPostol to join the conversation on Twitter.

The 26 year-old has a perfect mark of 21-0 with 11 knockouts and currently ranked number-2 by the WBA. He is the current IBO Lightweight champion.

Ndongeni is a native of The Duncan Village area of Eastern Cape, South Africa, which produced world champions Vuyani Bungu, Mbuleo Botile and Simphiwe Vetyeka.

Ndongeni began boxing at the age of 17 and competed in 29 amateur bouts.

In just his 10th professional fight, Ndongeni captured the South African Super Featherweight title. He later added the South African Lightweight title.

Ndongeni also captured the WBA Pan African Lightweight title with a win over former world champion Mzonke Fana.

He is now looking for bigger title opportunities and with the new co-promotional agreement, Ndongeni is closer to realizing that goal.

“This is a dream come true,” said Ndongeni. “Every boxer who dreams of the big time dreams of America.”

“Every boxer dreams of making it in America. I have outgrown South Africa, where I have fought and beaten all the contenders. I’m prepared to fight anyone. All I want is the chance. I’m grateful to Banner Promotions for this opportunity. I won’t let them down.”

A member of the Xhosa Tribe, Ndongeni is a local hero, whose fans sing and dance whenever he fights. He even has his own praise song, “Nank uNivema whee Nomeva,” which his supporters sing out during his fights.

“Nomeva” means The Wasp.

He is trained by Colin Nathan, who states, “Everything Xolisani Ndongeni does is against the book, but somehow it works for him. He’s very charismatic and a great guy to work with. I think the United States audience will really warm to him.”

“Xolisani has two things going for him: a hunger to succeed borne from his impoverished upbringing, and his natural fighting ability. He’s very unorthodox, but he somehow makes it work. I’m hoping this venture into the US is the springboard to a great international career in one of the most dynamic weight divisions,”said Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions.

Banner Promotions President, Arthur Pelullo said, “We are excited to get Xolisani in a major fight. It’s always a pleasure to work with my good friend Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves. He always has the best fighters in South Africa, and we feel we have a world champion with Xolisani. We look forward to helping him get the major opportunities that he covets and deserves.”

“We are hoping to have Miguel back in the ring before the end of the year,” said Michael Yormark of Rock Nation Sports. “We’re working on that now. We’re hopeful to have some kind of an announcement over the next couple of weeks.”

The 42-year-old Marquez (56-7-1, 40 KOs), who has won world titles at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight (and also owns a brutal knockout of Manny Pacquiao in a nontitle welterweight fight), has not fought since winning a unanimous decision against Mike Alvarado in a May 2014 welterweight title eliminator, mainly because of a knee injury.

“We’re looking at a couple of opponents, but it’s too early to disclose who we’re talking to,” Yormark said.

Eighth-ranked John Lineker stopped fifth-ranked Michael McDonald in one explosive round in their bantamweight bout in the main event of UFC Fight 91 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Lineker dropped McDonald twice and almost had the Modesto, California native out. McDonald got to his feet only to be dropped again and was basically out on the ground. Lineker added a couple more shots for good measure and referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 2:43.

Lineker, 136 lbs of Brazil is now 28-7. McDonald, 135 lbs is 17-4.

Number-three ranked lightweight, Tony Ferguson had some anxious moments, but he came back to make Lando Vannata tap out in round two of their wild bout.

After almost being stopped on a few occasions in the first round, Ferguson came back to land a plethora of jabs and huge kick to the head that cut Vannata’s face in round two. Moments later, Ferguson had Vannata on the mat and made him tap out from a guillotine choke at 2:22.

Ferguson, 155 lbs of Orange County, CA is 22-3. Vannata, 155.5 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is now 8-1.

Tim Boetsch stopped Josh Samman in round two of their middleweight bout.

Boetsch pounded away at Samman in round two, which opened up a cut on Samman’s face. More hard shots forced referee John McCarthy to stop the bout at 3:49 of round two.

Boetsch, 186 lbs of Sunbury, PA is 19-10. Josh Samman, 186 lbs of Tallahassee, FL is 12-4.

Daniel Omiellanczyk won a three round majority decision over Aleksey Oliynyk in a Heavyweight bout

Oliynyk was bleeding from the right eye in round two from a left elbow

Omielanczyk, 238 lbs won by scores of won by scores of 29-28 times 28-28 and is now 19-5-1-1. Oliynyk, 243 1/2 lbs is 50-10-1.

Keita Nakamura made Kyle Noke tap with one second to go in round two of their welterweight bout.

Noke’s face was a bloody mess in round two from the striking of Nakamura. Nakamura had Noke in a choke when Noke submitted just as the bell sounded to end the round.

Nakamura, 171 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is now 32-7-2-1. Noke, 170 1/2 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 22-9-1.

#12-ranked flyweight Louis Smolka stopped Ben Nguyen in round two of their flyweight bout.

Nguyen took some vicious shots while on the ground in round one that forced blood from the nose. Smolka continued to pound Nguyen more in round two and the blood flowed all over the face of Nguyen. Finally, Smolka continued to punish Nguyen and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4:41 of round two

Smolka, 125.5 lbs of Kapeolei, HI is now 11-1. Nguyen, 125 lbs of Brisbane, AUS is 15-6.

Katlyn Chookagian won a unanimous decision over #13-ranked Lauren Murphy in a Bantamweight bout.

Chookagian, 135 lbs of Kenilworth, NJ is now 8-0. Murphy, 135.5 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 9-3.

Sam Alvey scored a 1st round submission over Eric Spicely in a middleweight bout.

Alvey made Spicely tap out with a front choke along the Octagon at 2:43.

Alvey, 185.5 lbs of Temecula, CA is 27-8-1. Spicely, 185 lbs of Olneyville, RI is 8-2.

Cortney Casey scored a 1st round stoppage over Cristina Stanciu in a straweight bout.

Casey got Stanciu on the ground and landed 8 elbows to the prone head of Stanciu and the bout was stopped at 2:36.

Casey, 116 lbs of Maui, HA is 5-3. Stanciu, 114 lbs of Bucharest, ROM is 5-2.

Scott Holtzman won a unanimous decision over Cody Pfister in a lightweight bout.

Holtzman, 155.5 lbs of Knoxville, TN won by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 9-1. Pfister, 156 lbs of Amarillo, TX is 12-6-1.

BIRMINGHAM, AL. (July 13, 2016) – Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder, two-time heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola, undefeated welterweight Sammy Vasquez Jr. and Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz participated in a media workout Wednesday as they near their respective Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes matchups taking placeSaturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features unbeaten rising star Erickson Lubin battling once beaten brawler Ivan Montero in addition to the Wilder vs. Arreola and Vasquez Jr. vs. Diaz bout. The televised action will switch over to FS1 and FOX Deportes immediately following the conclusion of the FOX telecast.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in
association with TGB Promotions and Bruno Event Team, start at only $20 and are on sale now. For tickets please visit www.alabamatitlefight.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

The fighters worked out at Round 1 Boxing in Vestavia Hills, Alabama as they prepare for the card headlined by the hometown favorite, Wilder, making the fourth defense of his heavyweight title.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

DEONTAY WILDER

“When it comes to Deontay Wilder, people look for the knockouts and I deliver. What separates me from other heavyweights is the fashion in which I knock guys out. I don’t just knock you out, I really put you out.

“Arreola definitely has a style prone to a knockout. He’s a pressure fighter who will come forward all night. That plays to my style. I love pressure fighters who give me a challenge. They keep me moving and thinking. I love the sweet science and the art to it.

“I never look at films of opponents because I want to be surprised and I want to give myself a mental challenge in there. That’s what makes this sport so great.

“Birmingham has showed me love from day one. I don’t just represent my city; I represent the state. Everywhere is my home. Birmingham understands entertainment and excitement and what I’m trying to bring to people here.

“I’m here to defend my title against a very hungry fighter. It’s a life-changing event for the man who holds the belt at the end of the night.

“I never look past anybody. But I can look through them. Before I became a champion, I said I wanted to be an active champion. Just like I was active coming up. This has been my longest time away from the ring, so if all goes well on Saturday, I want to be back in the next few months.

“I have an ability to get out of bed and fight. I can do things that regular fighters can’t do. I don’t do miles of roadwork. I’m blessed with stamina.

“This is my gift to give back to my state. Boxing is growing fast here. Me and Jay Deas have always wanted to do this. It warms my heart that we’re living our dreams.”

CHRIS ARREOLA

“Deontay is a very tough opponent so I have to come hard this time. This is my third world title shot and I have to make it count. The first time I was too young, the second time I got caught with a shot, but this time I’ll be ready for anything.

“Fighting a guy like Wilder, I have to be ready for anything. But he has to be ready too. I’m no slouch. I have fire and he’s another person in my way. I’m here to get it.

“There’s no challenge to get ready for a fight. I’m a boxer, this is what I do and this is what I love to do. Boxing is the most gentlemanly sport there is. You beat each other up then you shake hands like nothing happened. I’ve been grinding every day in the gym for this.

“This is a big night for both of us. It’s a great opportunity to be on primetime. People are going to be watching for free at sports bars and it puts us out there. They’re going to watch two big men on display going for it all.

“I took it one day at a time in camp. I had to grind and get better every single day. I fear no man. I respect the man, but I don’t fear him. Everybody knows that I fight coming forward. I have to be smart and I have to move in angles.

“I want to leave a legacy behind. When they talk about Chris Arreola, they’re going to say ‘he did it.’ I took the long road but here we are now.

“I expect him to have a lot of fans and he’s very deserving of that. He’s made things happen in this state and this state is lucky to have a fighter like him. But no one can get in there with him. The fans can’t fight for him. I love the fans, but they’re just there to watch. It’s just me and Wilder in there Saturday.

“Beating Bermane Stiverne and defending the title how he has, I definitely respect Deontay. The humility that Deontay has shown has been impressive. He was more brash coming up the rankings and flamboyant. Now he’s come into his own and he understands who he is.

“The biggest difference between now and earlier in my career is that I’m comfortable with myself. My main motivation is being a boxer. I’m a boxer first. It’s not about who has the better six-pack.

“Weaknesses are something that I have to bring out of Deontay. Someone different shows up every fight. We have a plan but we’ll have to expose him while I’m in the ring. You can see videos all day, but it might not be the same guy in the ring.”

SAMMY VASQUEZ JR.

“I think this fight goes eight rounds at the most. It’s tough to predict and he’s a shifty guy but I’m confident. I’m going to key in on the body and try to wear him out. I’ll be smart about it, because I have to make a statement in this fight.

“My reach and my height will give me an advantage but he’s a slick fighter. All of these things can be advantages, but they can also work against you. I like to box and keep my opponent at range. I can’t let him smother me. We’re very prepared for his best shots.

“I think it’s going to be a great fight. He has a great amateur pedigree but I think I’ve made more impact as a pro. We’re equals and it’ll make for an explosive fight.

“Diaz is a slick southpaw, just like Luis Collazo. He’s had a couple decent names on his resume. I think Lamont Peterson fell into Diaz’s trap a little bit, which made that a close fight. He’s coming up to my weight, but he brings it and he’s dangerous.

“It feels good to be here. It’s been a long training camp leading up to an unbelievable card like this. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be here. My coach (Charles Leverette) is from Alabama and he represents the state hard, so I’ve been on the ‘Roll Tide’ bandwagon.

“When I was young I remember watching great heavyweight title fights and now to be on the undercard of one is incredible. There are kids out there looking at me and Deontay in the same way. It’s amazing. It’s a blessing that really boosts my career and lets people get to know me better.”

FELIX DIAZ

“Sammy is a very good opponent of course. He’s undefeated right now, but he won’t be after Saturday.

“Moving up to 147 is going to be great for me and allow me to be at my very best. I think I can do big things in this division and Saturday night will be the start.

“What you train for and what happens in the ring are two different things. I’m prepared for anything that could happen in the ring.

“I have a great team and training camp has gone very well. I’ve been ready to fight for a long time and I can’t wait to get in the ring.

“Everyone should come out, because it’s going to be a great fight. I’m very confident in my ability to pull off this victory.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.alabamatitlefight.com www.dbe1.com,www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and foxdeportes.com follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @BronzeBomber, @NightmareBoxing @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX. PBC on FOX is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

New York, July13- Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing returns to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on, Saturday, July 23rd for the highly anticipated return of Connecticut’s favorite son at the Sun. The summer bash, Slugfest at the Sun, will feature an exciting night of action beginning at 7:30pm.

Former USBA Welterweight Champion and multi world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez (28-8-4 16KO Danbury, CT), returns to the ring taking on Iraqi war veteran Shawn Cameron (10-1 5KO Bronx, NY) in a 10 round Jr. Middleweight contest.

Rodriguez, who last fought in June 2015, challenged Erislandy Lara for the WBA World Jr. Middleweight title that night, dropping a 12 round decision to the champion.

Rodriguez has fought a who’s who over the course of his long career including such elite fighters as Miguel Cotto, the aforementioned Lara, and Austin Trout, but may be best remembered for his scintillating battle with Pawel Wolak on July 15, 2011, which garnered ‘Fight of the Year” award.

Rodriguez has challenged for the world championship on 3 different occasions and feels he still has something left to prove taking on the hungry and tough, Shawn Cameron.

Cameron, who has just 11 fights under his belt, sees this as the opportunity he has been waiting for. Cameron served 2 tours of duty in Iraq and knows a win over a well-known contender like Delvin Rodriguez will do wonders for his career.

Promoter Joe DeGuardia had this to say about the fight “Once again Delvin Rodriguez returns to familiar settings, The Mohegan Sun, where he has fought many times. Delvin knows at this point of his career he cannot afford any slip ups and is taking on a dangerous, younger opponent in Shawn Cameron who knows a win over a name like Delvin will land him bigger fights. I expect another exciting fight which is the norm for Delvin and I’m very happy to be back at The Sun”.

Tickets are $150.00, $95.00 & $45.00 and $30.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com or call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000.

BROOKLYN (July 13, 2016) – Former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi is set to defend Brooklyn’s World Championship Belt in a 10-round welterweight showdown after being challenged on Twitter this afternoon by fellow Brooklyn-native Gabriel Bracero on Saturday, July 30 live on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Malignaggi earned the title of “King of Brooklyn” when he defeated another Brooklyn-born star in former world champion Zab Judah in December of 2013 at Barclays Center. This version of the “Battle for Brooklyn” will once again have local bragging rights on the line, with both men looking to impress in front of a hometown crowd.

“Representing Brooklyn with this belt has been something I’m very proud of,” said Malignaggi. “I relish the competitive spirit of being able to defend it against another quality Brooklyn fighter like Gabriel Bracero. I fight for Brooklyn and I represent Brooklyn with everything I’ve got each time I step into the ring and on July 30 it will be no different.”

“This fight is going to have two Brooklynites, finally meeting inside the ring, in a really exciting matchup,” said Bracero. “What better way to highlight that, then having the Brooklyn’s World Championship Belt on the line. Growing up in Brooklyn is what has made me the man and the fighter that I am today. I respect Paulie for giving me this opportunity, for putting his belt on the line and everything he’s done in his career. On July 30 though, that belt is coming home with me. I will be the new champion of Brooklyn.”

Click HERE for video of Bracero’s challenge and HERE for video of Malignaggi’s response

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 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.

“Malignaggi-Bracero figures not only to be a highly competitive fight, but is truly a battle of Brooklyn,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Paulie has had a fantastic career, but this is a dangerous matchup for him against a tough fighter.”

“There’s nothing more fitting than two Brooklyn fighters, Paulie, of Bensonhurst, and Gabriel, of Sunset Park, standing toe-to-toe in the ring at Barclays Center,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “Paulie holds the title of Brooklyn’s World Champion. On July 30, his belt is on the line. Who’s going to take it?”

The July 30 event features a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING headlined by a featherweight world title clash between Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton. Coverage begins live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia returning to the ring to take on former champion Elio Rojas plus 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko in a world title-eliminator. Lightweight sluggers Ivan Redkach and Tevin Farmer will also battle in televised action on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

A former world champion at 140 and 147-pounds, the 35-year-old Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will return to the ring to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth time. He has faced a slew of big names throughout his career and has been victorious over the likes of Judah, Vyacheslav Senchenko and Pablo Cesar Cano. Born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, “The Magic Man” was victorious twice fighting in his birth country of Italy last year after unsuccessfully challenging unbeaten Danny Garcia in August.

Another Brooklyn-native, Bracero (24-2, 5 KOs) comes off of a sensational one-punch knockout of rival Danny O’Connor in their rematch last October. The 35-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita and Pavel Miranda in addition to his first triumph over the previously unbeaten O’Connor in 2011.

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

ABOUT BROOKLYN BOXING™
Upon opening in 2012, Barclays Center brought major championship boxing back to Brooklyn after more than 50 years. Over the past four years, the BROOKLYN BOXING platform has hosted more than 120 bouts and more than 20 world title fights while giving local fighters their own shot in the spotlight. In April 2016, BROOKLYN BOXING extended its brand by creating an active wear and lifestyle apparel line that is available at www.BrooklynBoxingShop.com. BROOKLYN BOXING is proudly presented by AARP.

LOS ANGELES (July 13, 2016) Consensus #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, (45-0-0, 38 KOs) will move up one weight class and challenge undefeated WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Carlos “Principe” Cuadras, (35-0-1, 27 KO’s) on Saturday, September 10 from the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Presented by K2 Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions, further information on advance tickets sales will be announced shortly.

“I’ve very happy to challenge Carlos Cuadras for a world title in my fourth weight class. It’s an honor to return to fight at the Forum in front of the great Los Angeles fight fans,” said Gonzalez. “Thanks very much to God, K2 Promotions, Mr. Honda and HBO for making this happen.”

Said Cuadras, “I wish to thank HBO, K2 Promotions, Mr. Honda and everyone responsible for making this fight. I am excited to fight in the United States for the first time on HBO and at the legendary Forum in front of the great boxing fans in California.”

“Roman Gonzalez is a great champion and I have a lot of respect for him. I will prepare myself to be in the best condition of my boxing career to defend my WBC belt.”

“We’re very excited to bring Roman back to the Fabulous Forum in his first main event at the famed venue,” said Tom Loeffler. “Roman has proven with each fight why he is considered to be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

“Challenging an undefeated champion in his fourth weight class will be a great test for Roman and this battle against Cuadras will provide the non-stop action fans have come to expect at his fights.”

“Esteemed by many as the top pound for pound fighter in the world and the best fighter from Nicaragua since legend Alexis Arguello, Roman Gonzalez is a power-punching three-division champion, hoping to conquer a fourth weight class on September 10 against Carlos Cuadras in a clash of undefeated champs,” said Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports. “From Golovkin fighting that afternoon in London to Gonzalez fighting that night in Los Angeles, the boxing world will be riveted September 10.”

Since his highly anticipated debut on HBO fourteen months ago, the 29-year-old Gonzalez has become a must-see attraction known for his thrilling performances.

On May 16, 2015, the Nicaraguan native stopped former world champion Edgar Sosa in the second round at the Fabulous Forum drawing a huge crowd in his debut at the famed venue where his mentor Alexis Arguello had also battled in world championship bouts.

Fighting in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd of over 20,000 New York City fight fans on October 17, 2015, Gonzalez was brilliant in his ninth round stoppage of four-time world champion Brian Viloria. The victory was punctuated by heavy handed, piston-like combinations which thrilled the local fight fans.

Most recently Gonzalez fought for the second time at the Fabulous Forum, dominating world ranked Puerto Rican McWIlliams Arroyo to a 12-round unanimous decision. The fight was fought in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,353 with the HBO telecast averaging a remarkable 1,001,000 viewers for the co-main event.

Fighting out of Mexico City, the 27-year-old Cuadras became a world champion on May 31, 2014 with an eighth round stoppage of Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in Mexico earning the currently held WBC Super Flyweight World Title.

Cuadras has successfully defended the title six times including against former world champion Luis Concepcion on April 4, 2015, taking a 12-round unanimous decision.

Most recently Cuadras stopped world ranked Richie Mepranum in the eighth round in Los Mochis, Mexico on April 23, 2016.

The world title defense against Gonzalez will be his first time fighting on HBO and his debut in
Southern California.

SOCIAL MEDIA: For more information, visit www.K2Promos.com, www.FabulousForum.com and www.HBO.com/boxing.

Follow on Twitter for Roman Gonzalez @ChocolatitoBox, Carlos Cuadras @CuadrasOficial, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/ChocolatitoOfficial, www.facebook/CarlosCuadras, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Use the hashtag #GonzalezCuadras to join the conversation on social media.

Bristol, PA (July 13, 2016) – On Saturday night, August 6th, D & D Promotions and Silver Spoon Promotions will present “Rumble at the Rink II” at the Grundy Arena in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

In the main event, heavyweight contender, Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon will take part in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Witherspoon (33-4, 26 KO’s) of nearby Paulsboro, New Jersey established himself as one of the top American Heavyweights as the St. Joseph’s University graduate won his first twenty-three bouts with wins over the likes of Michael Alexander (11-0), Talmadge Griffis (24-6-3), Jonathan Haggler (18-1) before suffering his 1st defeat to future two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola via controversial disqualification.

Witherspoon went on to win three fights in a row, which was highlighted by an entertaining 8th round stoppage over Adam “The Swamp Donkey” Richards (21-1). That fight was voted Ring Magazine’s 2008 Heavyweight Fight of the Year.Witherspoon then dropped a fight to future two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson.

Witherspoon went on to score 4-consecutive knockouts which included a devastating 3rd-round destruction over Tyson Cobb (14-2).

Witherspoon then took on undefeated prospect Seth Mitchell on April 28, 2012 in a bout where Witherspoon had Mitchell badly hurt in several occasions before Mitchell came away with the victory.

Witherspoon has scored four consecutive knockouts which includes his last bout when he stopped Nick Guivas (11-2-2) in three rounds on August 15th in Atlantic City.

Seeing action in the eight-round co-feature will be junior welterweight Emanuel “The Tranzforma” Taylor (19-4, 13 KO’s) battling Carlos Aguilera (10-16, 4 KO’s) of Chiapas, Mexico.

Taylor of Edgewood, Maryland has a record of 19-4 with 13 knockouts.

The 25 year-old, won his first fourteen bouts has quality wins over Ayi Bruce (15-1); George Sosa (6-0); Raymond Serrano (18-1)’ Victor Cayo (31-3) & Karim Mayfield (18-1-1).

Taylor also battled former world champions Adrien Broner and Chris Algieri to competitive decision defeats.

The Taylor – Aguilera bout is promoted in associated with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

In four-round bouts:

Cruiserweight Mike Hilton (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia, junior middleweight Glenwood Latimore (1-0) of Philadelphia; middleweight Elijah Vines (2-0, 2 KO’s) & junior welterweight Sam Teah (7-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will all see action against opponents to be named.

Tickets for this night of boxing are $150 VIP with food and soft drinks; $100; $50; $25 (for children under 17) and can be purchased by calling 856-842-7577 or dboysboxing@gmail.com or www.dboysboxing.com

The Grundy Arena is located at 475 Beaver Street in Bristol, PA.

BERLIN, GERMANY (July 13, 2016) – Unbeaten middleweight Anthony Ogogo (10-0, 6 KOs) is looking to continue his fine run of form when he returns to action on Saturday, July 16 against Bronislav Kubin (19-20-2, 12 KOs) at the Max-Schemling-Halle in Berlin, Germany.

The 27 year-old Olympic medalist joins a blockbuster bill in the German capital featuring the WBA World Super Middleweight title fight between Tyron Zeuge and Giovanni De Carolis, and the return of former two-weight World Champion Arthur Abraham.

Confidence is high for the Lowestoft-boxer following back-to-back stoppage victories over Gary Cooper and Frane Radnic, and as he prepares for his third fight in as many months, Ogogo is eager to entertain the Berlin audience and build towards a title challenge after the summer break.

”I’m looking forward to fighting in Germany again,” said Ogogo. ”My last fight there was bitter sweet. I got the win but dislocated my shoulder in the second round. Now, I’m back, I’m fully fit and I’m going to show the German fans what I can really do.

”I’ve feeling fit, sharp and strong and have managed to put together two good wins in quick succession and I’m ready for my third. I want to prove I’m a league above and that I’m ready to face the best in the division. After the summer, I’m coming for the titles.”

Tickets for the Team Sauerland show at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin are available online via www.tickethall.de and www.eventim.de or by calling +49 (0)1806-570044. All the action will be available to watch on SAT.1 in Germany and Sky Sports in the UK.

HONOLULU, HI (July 13, 2016) – Pro Box Management is happy to announce the signing of 2015 U.S.A. Junior Olympic Bronze medalist, Logan Yoon. Yoon, who’ll compete at the lightweight division as a professional, is a native of Honolulu, Hawaii. The 17-year old sensation will turn professional, on September 10, 2016 in Mexico.

As an amateur standout, Yoon, an 8-time state champion in Hawaii, won many national titles. The Jr. Olympic Bronze medal, Adidas National Champion, Title National Champion, Jr. National Golden Gloves Champion, and Ringside National Champion, are some of the notable titles won in the amateur ranks.

Standing 5’10, Yoon is of Korean-Puerto Rican decent. He has a rare combination of speed, to go along with his amazing power. With power in both hands, Yoon has become one of the most avoided fighters in the amateurs. As a result, Yoon will take his skills to the professional ranks, and compete in Mexico before turning 18-years old, the legal age to fight in America. Expect Yoon to be on the fast track to a world title.

“I’m ready to take my God given talent to the professional arena,” stated Logan Yoon. “Signing with Pro Box Management is a dream come true for me and my dad, who’s been with me since the beginning. I know with a lot of hard work, everything will pay off in the end. I can’t wait to turn pro in Mexico in September.”

“Logan is a blessing and we are extremely pleased to sign him.” said Pro Box Management’s Henry Rivalta. “He’s a very sharp, poised fighter, who comes forward and can really bang. This kid is only 17-years old and will no doubt become a world champion in my humble opinion. He has terrific skills and I believe he’s going to make a fantastic pro. World get ready for Logan “TP” (Total Package) Yoon.”

Logan Yoon joins a great team of Pro Box Management stablemates that include, Sammy Vasquez Jr. (21-0, 15 KOs), Erickson Lubin (15-0, 11 KOs), Moises Flores (25-0, 17 KOs), Juan Carlos Payano (17-1, 8 KOs) and Dennis Galarza (13-1, 8 KOs). Not to mention up and coming prospects, Edgar Berlanga (2-0, 2 KOs), Chaise Nelson (3-0, 3 KOs), Antonio Williams (3-0, 3 KOs) and newly added amateur standout Carlos Monroe.

LOS ANGELES (July 13, 2016) – Two of the most popular Los Angeles-based fighters, featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz and former two-division champion Mikey Garcia, took part in a media workout on Tuesday at City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Calif. as they prepare to make a cross-country trip to Brooklyn for their respective Saturday, July 30 showdowns at Barclays Center and live on SHOWTIME®.

Santa Cruz will defend his title against Irish superstar Carl Frampton in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The undefeated Garcia will return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff to fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout while 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko meet in a 12 round IBF Jr. Middleweight eliminator in the televised opener. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Also in attendance at the workout was promising lightweight contender Ivan Redkach, who takes on Tevin Farmer in the opening bout of SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT). Additional action on July 30 will feature an all-Brooklyn welterweight battle between two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi and Gabriel Bracero in the main event of a SHOWTIME EXTREME doubleheader.

Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“My dream is to be the next big thing in boxing. We’re going to work hard every day in the gym, learn from our mistakes and improve so I can be the best fighter out there. With the help of the fans and the media I think I can accomplish that.

“He has great skills, great punches and he moves very well. It’s going to be a tough fight for me but I’m going to work hard to defend my belt.

“I see Frampton as someone trying to come and take away everything I worked hard for. I can’t let that happen. I’m going to do what I have to do to get the win.

“He’s a very skilled fighter. He has great power and I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. These are the kind of guys I want to fight. It gives me even more motivation to get in the gym and train hard.

“I’ve known Mikey Garcia from the amateur days and our families have sparred with each other. I’ve even trained with Robert Garcia before. To see another great Mexican fighter go over to New York is very exciting. I’m very happy for him. He’s a great guy and a great fighter.

“I think Frampton will keep his power up the weight classes. He couldn’t make 122-pounds anymore and he’s said that he will be even stronger this time. That’s good. That’s what I want. I want him to feel good so it’ll be a tough and entertaining fight.

“I can’t let him come over to the U.S. and get this win. We’re going to go out there and see if he can bring the best out of me. I’m going to be one-hundred percent ready.

“I’m comfortable at 126-pounds. I want to get this win against Carl Frampton and then unify against Gary Russell Jr., Lee Selby or any of the champions. When my body is ready we’ll move up in weight to seek another world title.

“When I first started boxing all I ever thought about was being a world champion one time. Then after I got there I started pushing my goals. If I continue to keep learning and improve as a fighter, I could go all the way up to 140-pounds.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting in New York. It’s going to be my first time out there. I’m excited to meet new fans. The people who have wished I would fight in New York will get to see me. There are people that don’t know me and this my opportunity to be impressive and put on a show for them.”

MIKEY GARCIA

“I’m a well-rounded fighter. I can adjust to just about any style. I get a lot of diverse sparring so that I can adjust to anything Rojas might bring. Training camp has been going very well and I think it’s going to be a good night for me.

“I’ve seen Rojas before. I saw him when he was champion. He’s a good fighter with a lot of experience. He can definitely box and has a good right hand. He lost his title to a great champion. He’s very skilled and experience.

“Both of us are boxers and we tend to try to work from a distance. This time I may have to look for the fight a bit more and apply some pressure. If he tries to box around, I’ll find him. I think my power will eventually be the difference and I’ll break him down.

“I don’t believe there will be ring rust because I was never really outside of the ring. I’ve been in the gym the whole time, sparring and training. I would spar 10 or 12 rounds, just to do it. Not because I had a fight, but just to keep me active. I know it seems like a long time, but I don’t really see it. I feel like I was gone six months.

“I want to fight at 135 and fight for a title there. I’m going to see how my body feels after this fight, but that’s the plan as of now. We’re not looking past Elio. I definitely want to get back in the ring soon if everything goes right.

“I have no regrets. I’ve got to enjoy myself more than I had in the last 10 years. When you’re in boxing, it’s a year round sport. You don’t have time to yourself, for your family or friends. You miss out on a lot. I learned a lot in my time away about boxing and more.

“This will end up being about a seven-week training camp, but even prior to that I’ve been staying in the gym. I don’t feel any different. I feel one-hundred percent. My body is well-rested which makes me hungrier and more motivated.

“I’ve fought in New York before and it’s always been a great and very supportive crowd. I was at Barclays Center for the first time on June 25 for Thurman-Porter and it was a great arena. It had great energy and I can’t wait to fight there. I can’t wait to fight at Barclays.

“It’s great to be in the gym with all these different types of fighters that my brother trains. I have a lot of very intense sparring. I’ve gotten a chance to really learn from the different styles and it definitely helps me.”

IVAN REDKACH

“This is an excellent fight for me. I’m closing in to a title shot and I’m going to be ready on July 30.

“I have a plan for this fight. You’ll see it in the ring. I’m going to make this an exciting fight.

“A title fight is my motivation but my focus in fully on July 30. Everything I’ve done is to lead up to a world title fight.

“I know that my opponent is slick and very fast. He’s a good boxer but we’ll see what he brings to the ring.

“This is my first camp with Leo Santa Cruz and his team and it’s been going very well. I feel very prepared to fight.”

ANTONIO SANTA CRUZ, Leo’s Brother & Trainer

“This camp feels very close to the same as usual. My father (Jose) is usually the one who tells us what to do. I’m in the ring with Leo but he’s still there. He is sick but he is still going to the gym. He wants to be there for Leo.

“Frampton is a good fighter. He’s going to give my brother a good fight. Short guys are tougher for Leo so we’re making sure we have sparring with fighters of all heights. Frampton won’t be hard to get inside but his height could pose a problem.

“It’s a little bit more pressure on me. I’m trying to show my father that I can learn and help Leo be at his best. I think he’s going to have a great night.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Leo’s Father & Trainer

“I feel good. Right now I’m going to the gym every day. Leo looks good in the ring and is training very well.

“Little by little Antonio is learning and even I’m still learning. We’re both getting better as trainers and that is our goal, to be great. I feel the love from my sons and I love them a lot too. I’m proud of them and I’m proud that they are my sons.

“Leo is very calm. I don’t think Leo is going to be affected by traveling to New York. Even if he doesn’t have the majority of the fans, I don’t think it will affect him.

“You never know how it’s going to go on fight night. You can prepare in the gym, but sometimes, once you’re up in the ring, a fight can get complicated.

“Even if I can’t make it to New York, I’m going to watch the fight. Even if it’s with one eye open, I’m going to watch.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Mikey’s Brother & Trainer

“Mikey definitely wants to win a title at 135-pounds. There are some good champions out there but not necessarily a huge name. Eventually Mikey would want to go up to 140-pounds where I believe there are a lot of exciting fights that could be made.

“Elio is a fighter that has been off for a while and he’s a former world champion. He’s also trying to come back and make a statement. We have to be prepared for the opponent to be at the top of his game.

“Now that he’s got a date and with the training and sparring, Mikey has been looking really good. It’s been a while. We might see a little bit of rust, a little bit of adjustment to timing. But the way he’s been in the gym, against top quality fighters, he’s been looking so good that I wouldn’t be surprised if he put on one of his best performances.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

# # #

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @mikeygarcia, @PaulMalignaggi @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Stuart Hall will challenge Lee Haskins for the IBF World Bantamweight title at The O2 in London on September 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The hotly-anticipated rematch between the bitter rivals sees Haskins defend his title for the second time having landed the belt in spectacular fashion with a sixth round KO of Ryosuke Iwasa in June 2015 and widely outpointing Ivan Morales in his first defence in May.

Hall is out to regain the IBF title he claimed in December 2013 beating Vusi Malinga in Leeds and has revenge on his mind after losing to the Bristol man in 2012 for the European title – adding extra spice to a fight that promoter Eddie Hearn is delighted to add to a stellar bill in the capital.

“September 10 has just become even bigger with this domestic World title grudge match added to the card,” said Hearn. “It’s a real 50-50 clash and with the domestic 118lbs scene really hotting up, it’s a must win for both fighters.”

Haskins and Hall’s grudge match is the third World title clash on a huge night of boxing in Greenwich, topped by the colossal fight between pound-for-pound star Gennady Golovkin and unbeaten Welterweight king Kell Brook for Golovkin’s IBF, WBC, WBA and IBO World Middleweight straps.

Former Team GB star Charlie Edwards challenging Johnriel Casimero for the IBF World Flyweight title and unbeaten teen sensation Conor Benn tasting his fourth fight in the paid ranks.

Tickets go on sale today (Wednesday July 13) at midday to O2 Priority members at www.theO2.co.uk.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday July 14 at midday to Matchroom Fight Pass members from the Fight Pass area at www.matchroomboxing.com and the venue and AXS pre-sale before tickets go on general sale at www.theO2.co.uk.

Tickets go on general sale on Friday July 15 at midday from www.theO2.co.uk.

Tickets are priced between £40 to £500 will be available from www.theO2.co.uk and on 0844 856 0202. VIP tickets are £1,000 and available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing www.matchroomboxing.com.

Face value tickets for September 10 will also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ from midday on Friday July 15. StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao will end what would be about a seven month retirement with a fight that will take place on either October 29 or November 5.

“Manny wants to come back. The problem is he can only come back if it doesn’t interfere with his senate duties,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum. “We had penciled him in for Oct. 15 at Mandalay Bay but we were informed that is no longer possible because he has to spend that week leading up to Oct. 15 formulating the budget in the senate and doing the votes.

“So he has to be there for that week, so that knocks out that week. He can’t mess around with that. So now we’re looking at Oct. 29 or Nov. 5. The question is building availability because we want to do the fight in Las Vegas.”

Arum said he is working with MGM executive Richard Sturm on the availability of its venues — the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center and T-Mobile Arena — for those dates.

“Sturm is doing the research and seeing if he can move things around,” Arum said. “The MGM wants to do the fight and he’ll come back to us when he comes to a solution.”

Arum said he has been in regular touch with Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, as they work through the date issues.

“Michael said Manny definitely wants to fight again. Not even a question,” Arum said. “We just have to get an appropriate date.”

“Manny’s primary concern and obligation is to fulfill his senatorial duties,” Koncz said. “But he just misses [boxing]. He misses the training. He misses being in the gym. You can see when he trains it’s like a stress reliever for him. His mood changes. It’s like he’s in happy land. So I am working with Bob and Manny is working closely with the senate president to make sure the dates are OK. We’re doing this properly.

“When Manny was a congressman we didn’t have to clear dates. Now we have to. He is taking his job in the senate seriously. He is not going to be absent, which is why we can’t do a fight Oct. 15 because of the senate dealing with the budget.”

While many believed Pacquiao and Mayweather would both return, Pacquiao will be the first to do so. In fact, Arum refused to promote the Bradley fight as Pacquiao’s finale, even though Pacquiao said leading up to the fight that he was going to retire.

“I would have been excoriated,” Arum said. “I knew this would happen. I’m not an idiot. I wasn’t going to say [the Bradley fight] was Manny’s last fight and have people say I sold the fight under false pretenses. I didn’t represent that so am I surprised by this? No. Not at all.”

Arum and Koncz said Pacquiao would train around his senate duties.

“He can handle it,” Arum said. “There is one week in October of intensive legislation. He’ll train that week at off hours and before that week at regular hours and then probably two weeks in Los Angeles, and then the last week in Vegas. It’s doable.”

Arum said he and Broner adviser Al Haymon — Arum’s longtime adversary with whom he recently settled a $100 million lawsuit — were able to work on the fight together and that they can do other fights as well, but that Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) was not realistic with his purse demands.

“I worked very, very hard with Al to make the Broner fight but Al was never able to bring Broner around to a realistic number,” Arum said. “He wanted what we haven’t paid anybody in a long time. Just a crazy number. In effect he wanted parity with Manny and Al agreed that he couldn’t do anything with him. The kid is crazy.”

“Broner is a decent fighter and it would be entertaining for the fans,” Koncz said. “But I lost respect for him because he outrageously outpriced himself. We even offered him an upside so if the pay-per-view sold really well he would make even more money. I’ve lost all respect for him as a person.

“So we’ll get another opponent for Manny to fight. I’m not sure who but we want a meaningful fight and an entertaining fight.”