LONDON (May 4, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports and Matchroom Boxing announced on Wednesday a multi-fight licensing agreement for Showtime Networks Inc., to be the exclusive U.S. television partner of undefeated heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. The announcement was made today at the Hilton Syon Park outside London by Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports and Eddie Hearn, President of Matchroom Sports.

The multi-fight agreement kicks-off on Saturday, June 25 when Joshua, a British sensation, attempts to make the first defense of his IBF Heavyweight World Championship against undefeated American challenger Dominic Breazeale at the sold-out The O2 arena in London. The addition of this heavyweight title fight, airing live on Showtime Networks in the late afternoon, bolsters a big day for boxing as later that evening on CBS, SHOWTIME will present the first live primetime boxing event on the CBS Television Network in nearly 40 years.

Joshua, 26, has compiled a perfect knockout record of 16-0 with 16 knockouts since turning professional shortly after winning the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal. Earlier this year, Joshua earned the IBF world championship with a second-round knockout of defending champion Charles Martin on SHOWTIME, earning a heavyweight belt in the fewest number of fights in more than 20 years. Further, Joshua is just the sixth Olympic Gold Medalist at super heavyweight to go on to win a professional heavyweight world title joining Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin.

The 30-year-old Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) has knocked out nearly 90 percent of his opponents since turning professional after representing the United States at the 2012 Olympics. Standing at 6-foot-7, the Los Angeles native is one inch taller than the 6-foot-6 Joshua. The former NCAA football quarterback is coming off a career-best victory of previously once-beaten Amir Mansour on Jan. 23.

Joshua vs. Breazeale will be the fifth heavyweight title bout to air live on SHOWTIME in the first six months of 2016, joining a stellar schedule that features many of the top-rated fighters in boxing’s deepest and most exciting divisions.

Also on Saturday, June 25, Keith Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Championship against former titlist Shawn Porter in a blockbuster matchup of two of the world’s best 147-pound fighters, live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. In the co-main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar will defend his title against former three-division world champion Abner Mares.

EDITORS NOTE: A press conference is currently underway in London. Quotes and photos to follow. A media teleconference for U.S. press with Joshua, Stephen Espinoza (Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports) and Eddie Hearn (President of Matchroom Sport) begins at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 4th, 2016) — Between he and his brother, Marcus, also a professional fighter, Quinton Willis describes himself as the “mellow one.”

That is, until he’s asked whether or not his upcoming opponent, undefeated junior middleweight Khiary Gray, has ever faced anyone of his caliber. Willis didn’t even need to hear the rest of the question.

“No,” he said matter-of-factly. “Not at all.”

While it doesn’t quite register as “trash talk” — at least not what Gray is used to — it’s obvious the Fort Myers, Fla., vet carries a cool, quiet confidence into his upcoming Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast Title bout against Gray on Friday, May 13th, 2016 in the eight-round co-feature of “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL,” presented by CES Boxing at Twin River Casino.

Limited seated tickets for “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” are priced at $46.00, $66.00, $151.00 (VIP) and $201.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club.

Standing room tickets are also available for $46.00 directly through Twin River Casino and can also be purchased online at www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change and tickets are non-refundable.

On paper, Willis (10-3-1, 5 KOs) faces long odds against the undefeated, reigning champion from Worcester, Mass., who sports a 12-0 record with nine knockouts — seven in the opening round — but the 32-year-old right-hander is coming off a strong camp, aided by both his brother and father, Larry Willis, who helped break down Gray’s extensive video library.

“Normally I have to go in there blind and just rely on my own talent,” Willis said, “but now we kind of know what he wants to do and what kind of fighter he wants to be.

“A lot of times he’s deceptive in doing the same stuff over and over again, but, at the same time, it’s different, and he tries to tweak it. We’re just trying to pick up on the habits he does consistently. It’s definitely different getting some film we can work off of. Normally, we don’t get that benefit, so it’s a big thing.”

Willis’ manager, Damian Walton, upped the ante, predicting the possibility of a short night for Gray if he doesn’t respect Willis’ punching power.

“This dude Gray ain’t fought nobody like Willis. He ain’t seen nobody like Willis,” Walton said. “We’re coming to their house to take that belt. We’re not coming to lay down. We’re not going to make it easy for him. We’re coming to give him eight rounds of hell. To be honest, it might not even go eight rounds.

“He better bring his ‘A++’ game. He ain’t ever fought no one that hits as hard as Quinton Willis. He’ll have to be ready for that. It ain’t going to be no fun and games in there. I caught a little interview and [Gray] is a little too comfortable for this fight. That’s a problem for me. This is the real deal right here.”

Gray, who actually rivals Willis in his reserved, laid-back demeanor, hasn’t had much to say since the fight was announced in late March, simply pointing out he knows little about Willis and doesn’t seem too concerned with finding out more. He’s equally unfazed by the talk emanating from Willis’ camp.

He heard it last year from Kenton Sippio-Cook, who went to sleep in just under three minutes, and again in February from Cameron Rivera, who never even made it up the steps, derailed by a broken wrist two weeks before the fight.

“Everyone can talk, but it’s about what happens in the ring. That’s how I see it,” Gray said. “Once someone gets punched, their whole game plan goes out the window. We’ll see what happens.”

Willis has won his last three while Gray enters next Friday’s bout having just gone 10 hard rounds with Nicaraguan challenger Eduardo Flores in February, the first time he had gone the distance since his third pro fight in November of 2014. Flores was the last-minute replacement for Rivera, agreeing to the fight less than 36 hours before the weigh-in.

With no background information to digest — Gray didn’t even know what Flores looked like until they stood face-to-face at the scale — Gray found himself learning on the job in what proved to be his most challenging, yet rewarding, victory.

“The knockouts are great, but I want people to see more than my punching power,” Gray said. “I want them to see my boxing. I want them to see my angles. I want them to see my different styles.

“[Flores] was a veteran, so he knew what he was doing. I was prepared for that. I felt great. I felt like I could’ve gone two more rounds.”

He might need the stamina against Willis, who has never been stopped and has boxed 58 rounds in 14 fights, compared to just 30 rounds for Gray in 12 bouts.

Born and raised in a boxing family — “I was in the gym when I had a snotty nose and Pampers on,” he says — Willis works well alongside his father and brother, the latter of whom is 16-4-2 as a pro, by keeping his cool when tempers flare in the gym.

“My dad and my brother are a lot more alike,” Willis said. “Me, I fight, come to the gym and train, and they argue. I’m just the one that laughs and keeps working.”

The film study might give him an edge, but Willis considers it a moot point once the bell rings.

“Honestly, everything is cause and effect with boxing,” he said. “No matter how much you film you get or don’t get, everything is going to be different once you get in that ring, regardless of whether or not he’s seen me fight or knows how I like to fight. Once we get in that ring, he has to adjust, I have to adjust. It’s people playing chess.”

Added Gray: “There’s not much tape on him, just some sparring sessions and what he’s been doing at his gym. It doesn’t bother me. I prepare for any style and any type of opponent.”

On May 13th, it’ll come down to who executes, not who watches the most film or pounds his chest the loudest. The battle lines have been drawn in what figures to be the toughest test of each fighter’s respective career.

“I feel a lot better from my last fight to this fight,” Gray said. “I’ve gained an idea of what it’s like to go the distance and how I came out of it, so this will be just another fight for me.”

“THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” is headlined by an All-Providence super middleweight showdown in the main event between “Mr. Providence” Vladine Biosse (15-7-2, 7 KOs) and “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo Jr. (40-7, 21 KOs).

On the undercard, unbeaten New Haven, Conn., welterweight Jimmy Williams (10-0-1, 5 KOs) faces St. Petersburg, Fla., veteran Manny Woods (15-4-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout.

Undefeated Springfield, Mass., junior welterweight Zack Ramsey (7-0, 3 KOs) steps back into the ring for the first time since 2014 to face 20-fight vet Issouf Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs) of New York in a six-round bout and regional standouts Nick DeLomba (8-1, 2 KOs) of Cranston, R.I., and the undefeated Freddy Sanchez (7-0, 5 KOs) of Worcester face off in a 6-round bout for the vacant New England Super Featherweight Title.

The May 13th undercard also features a six-round rematch between Stoughton, Mass., super featherweight Travis Demko (4-0, 1 KO) and Mohamad Allam (2-1, 1 KO) of Holyoke, Mass. The two faced one another in September with Demko winning by unanimous decision in a 4-round bout.

Also returning to Twin River, unbeaten Framingham, Mass., lightweight Julio Perez (4-0) faces Providence’s Cido Hoff (0-0-1) in a 4-round bout. Worcester’s Kendrick Ball Jr. makes his professional debut in a 4-round super middleweight bout against Providence’s Tunde Odumosu while fellow Worcester native Jamaine Ortiz debuts in a 4-round super lightweight bout against Skowhegan, Maine vet Josh Parker (0-2-1).

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information and use the hashtags #ManfredoBiosse and #Battle4TheCapital to join the conversation.

Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions proudly announces the signing of undefeated lightweight Maynard “Mr. Marvelous” Allison to a promotional agreement.

Allison (4-0, 3 KOs), from Siler City, North Carolina, is a former college football player, who started boxing in his early 20s after getting curious while driving past a gym. “I played sports all my life,” explained Allison, “But there was no boxing where I’m from. When I graduated high school, I went to college to play football, but I didn’t get along with the coach. So then I was bored and looking for something to do. I was driving past a boxing gym, so I stopped and went in. I just wanted to see what it was and maybe learn how to box for the skill. But from the beginning, I was catching on really well. I’ve been boxing ever since.”

A quick-fisted counterpuncher with above-average power, Allison says he enjoys the finer points of the sweet science. “I’m a good boxer,” he said. “I like counterpunching. I’m slick. You got to be slick to last in this sport. I work on defense a lot. I try not to get hit. I make them miss and make them pay.”

The 28-year-old came down from 165 lbs. to 135 lbs. and went on to have almost 50 amateur fights. He turned professional late last year and now trains at the Inner City Boxing Gym in Durham, North Carolina, under coach Keedar Massey. “We have a great relationship. He is the best coach I’ve ever met. He’s really strict and stays on you, makes sure you do everything right. If you don’t come to the gym, he calls you and says ‘where you at? You need to come now.'”

Allison was last seen demolishing then-undefeated crosstown rival Braulio Soto in under one round last February. “He was going around running his mouth a lot,” said Allison of Soto. “My coach knew he stood no chance against me and knew fighting him would be a good opportunity for me to get a name. I don’t question my coach. I watched tape on him and found when he throws his jab his front foot comes up. So I was waiting for him to do it and when he did it, I slipped the jab and came back with the straight right. That was it. He was out.”

Promoter Cohen was introduced to Allison through his manager, Anthony Brown. The victory over Soto was what lead to the promotional agreement.

“Anthony had spoken to me about his fighter being something special in the past. He finally sent me a link to his last fight and I took a look,” explained Cohen. “I was very impressed. Maynard has very fast fists and a ton of power. I think having started his career at nearly super middleweight has made him extremely strong for a lightweight. We will be helping him advance in his career the right way: against opponents who will push him to his full potential.”

A married father of four, Allison is aware that at age 28, he has no time to lose. “I know I got a late start. I don’t’ want to say I’m old but I’m getting boxing old. I know I have to hurry up. It feels good to be signed with GCP. Knowing that I have somebody looking out for me and not having to worry about finding my own fights will really help. A world title was always my dream, but I just want to make enough to invest and do something with my money and make sure my family will be alright. That’s all I care about.”

Allison will return to the ring in the main event of a card on Saturday, May 14, at Dorton Arena in Raleigh, NC to face Charles Witt.
About Greg Cohen Promotions
One of boxing’s premier promotional outfits, Greg Cohen Promotions (GCP) is a well-respected name for staging world-class professional boxing events and promoting elite professional fighters throughout the world.

Founder and CEO Greg Cohen has been involved with professional boxing in various capacities since the late 1980s, honing his craft and establishing himself as a shrewd international boxing businessman.

Distinguished by his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Cohen first made promotional headlines for his expert guidance of, among many others, former WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who Cohen helped guide from unknown New Mexico prospect to elite pay-per-view level superstar.

In addition to Trout, Greg Cohen Promotions has worked with established names such as former unified and two-time heavyweight champion Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and all-time-great multiple-weight class world champion James “Lights Out” Toney.

Cohen currently promotes WBA Interim World Lightweight Champion Ismael Barroso, Undefeated WBA NABA Heavyweight Champion and world-rated contender Jarrell Miller, undefeated WBA NABA Middleweight Champion and world-rated contender Robert Brant, former world champion Kendall Holt, as well as current world-rated contenders including long-time elite middleweight “Mean” Joe Greene, top super featherweight Arash Usmanee, Canadian lightweight and TV action hero Tony Luis; WBA and five-time Irish National Amateur Champion, Dennis Hogan; and Australian lightweight prospect Josh King.

Greg Cohen Promotions has hosted world-class boxing events in the finest venues throughout the United States and the world and has also proudly provided talent and/or content for several television networks including CBS Sports Network, HBO, Showtime, ESPN, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network, MSG and FOX Sports Net.

For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GCPBoxing. Twitter: @GCPBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2016) -WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and British top fighter and former two-time former world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs)made their grand arrivals today at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their middleweight championship showdown on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

They were joined by undercard fighters David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) and Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-2, 15 KOs) who will meet in a 10-round middleweight co-main event; Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) and East Los Angeles’ undefeated star Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (20-0, 13 KOs) who will face off in a 10-round welterweight fight; and Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) and Curtis Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs) who will open up the Pay-Per-View telecast in a 10-round career-defining middleweight bout. They were also joined by Jason “El Animal” Quigley and Diego De La Hoya, who will fight in respective middleweight and super bantamweight bouts on the non-televised undercard.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s grand arrivals:

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“There is a difference between wanting and doing. On Saturday night, we will see who will give who a boxing lesson. I want to thank all of my fans for the support. I am very honored to be celebrating on Cinco de Mayo, and I hope to put on a great show on Saturday night. I’m training hard for twelve rounds, I’m ready to go all of those rounds, and if the knockout presents itself-I’m ready to take it.”

AMIR KHAN, Former Two-Time World Champion:

“All the hard work and training has been done. I have a great team, and I am conditioned and ready to fight and represent my country of England. Mentally, I have prepared by praying, being with my beautiful family, and the support from my fans. Even though Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, we are going to see a lot of British flags come Saturday night. This is a huge fight, as Canelo is a star in Mexico and America. I know I’m here as the underdog, but I’m ready to win and take this WBC belt back to my home in England. I wouldn’t have taken this fight if I didn’t think I could take it. I have trained for everything and worked on my speed and my power. A win against Canelo would be one of the biggest wins of my career because he is a superstar, especially on this Cinco de Mayo weekend in front of everyone. I have trained and worked on my speed and my power. The fans will be very happy on Saturday night. I will be the new world champion. I think it will be difficult to knock Canelo out, but I know I can give him a boxing lesson.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:

“It feels great to be back here in Las Vegas, and I am excited for a great night of boxing. There is no more rest, it is all business. I am here to give a great show and win some fans. After this weekend, everyone will know the name David Lemieux. I am excited for a great night of boxing come May 7. I am here to give a great show and win some fans. I’m happy he [Glen Tapia] is confidant and 100 percent secure he’s going to win. But, that night the fans are going to be the winners. I am going to be more than ready to win. First, I know I need to take care of Glen Tapia properly. After that, I am going to be more than ready to take on Canelo or Khan.”

GLEN “JERSEY BOY” TAPIA, Middleweight Contender:

“I feel so good to be here in Las Vegas, I have trained hard, and I couldn’t feel better about this fight. I know Lemieux comes in as a great fighter, he has a better record than me, and I have a lot of respect for him. The only thing on my mind in the future is fighting David Lemieux.”

MAURICIO “EL MAESTRO” HERRERA, Former WBA Interim Super Light Weight World Champion:

“Frankie Gomez and I are going to create something very special in the ring on Saturday night. Get your tickets because nobody is going to take this fight from me. Training camp has been tough; like every camp it is the toughest part but all my training will make it an easy night for Saturday. I’m not burned out – I’m hungry to win. Frankie Gomez is undefeated and has everything going for him. He wants to take my spot and everything I have built. I respect him as a fighter, but it is my time. He will get his chance later.”

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Welterweight Contender:

“I’m ready and Mauricio is a great fighter with a lot of experience but so am I. I’m going to show everyone I am not going here to lose on May 7. Training has been great, and I’ve been getting ready for 12 weeks. I’m 100 percent focused on the sport and ready to go. Herrera is very crafty with great experience and has fought many fighters, but I know I’m better.”

PATRICK TEIXEIRA, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect:

“I’m ready and prepared. Good luck to Curtis on trying to knock me out. I will put on a good show, especially for my Mexican friends.”

CURTIS STEVENS, Former World Title Challenger:

“This has been my dream all my life and the next step is to be a world champion. I’m going to keep the fans real excited on May 7!”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I’m very excited to be here and see all the beautiful, Mexican people here as fans and to be here on this card. I am thankful to Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity. There is some pressure with the De La Hoya name, but I’ve been prepared for it all my life and I’m ready to put on a show for my fans with my fight. I know my fight is going to be tough because I’m fighting an undefeated opponent. But like a well-trained, Mexican fighter, I’m going to give it all in the ring and come out with a victory.”

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“It feels great to be here with all the support from the fans for my fight on May 7th. I worked very hard to get to this position, and I’m going to grab my opponent, put on my knockout gloves and take the victory.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile 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.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

04 May 2016 – Bangkok, Thailand: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), is set to electrify the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on 27 May with an electrifying fight card for ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS. This historic event is the first live ONE Championship event in Bangkok and features hometown hero, ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, in the card’s headlining bout against undefeated Japanese fighter Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito.

Tickets for ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS are available at https://www.thaiticketmajor.com/.

ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke is a three-time Lumpinee stadium Muay Thai world champion and is also undefeated as a professional mixed martial artist. He is known as a technical fighter with quick hands and lightning feet. Dejdamrong employs some of the most unique and creative striking combinations in MMA, and is a martial artist with over 25 years of competitive experience. He will defend his title against Japanese fighter Yoshitaka Naito in the headlining bout of ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS.

Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito of Chiba, Japan, is an unbeaten mixed martial artist with a perfect 10-0 record. He has four wins by submission and one knockout under his belt. The 32-year-old, who made a name for himself at Japan’s world-famous Korakuen Hall competing as the Shooto flyweight champion, will be fighting outside of his native Japan for the first time, and it will be in a contest for the ONE Strawweight World Championship against Thai titlist Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke.

Marat “Cobra” Gafurov of Russia is undefeated at 13 wins and no losses and is the former M-1 featherweight champion. In his first four bouts with ONE Championship, he defeated the top ranked fighters in his weight-class with relative ease. Out of his 13 victories, 9 have come by submission, proving that Gafurov is an absolute force to be reckoned with on the ground. He is the reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion and will defend his belt against Kazunori Yokota.

38-year-old Kazunori Yokota of Chiba, Japan, is a mixed martial arts veteran with over 12 years of professional fight experience under his belt. The reigning Deep featherweight champion, Yokota is one of the toughest fighters at featherweight, sporting a stellar record of 25 wins and just 5 defeats. He will be making his ONE Championship debut in a title bout against reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion, Marat Gafurov.

Russia’s Timofey Nastyukhin has notched a series of ferocious finishes since joining ONE Championship, including stoppage wins over top fighters Eduard Folayang and Yusuke Kawanago. Nastyukhin now returns to action against one of the biggest names in Asian MMA, taking on striking specialist Rob Lisita.

33-year-old Rob “Warrior of God” Lisita of Campbelltown, Australia, is making his highly-anticipated return to the ONE Cage. At 14-7, feared striker Lisita is raring to go, and promises an overall improved martial arts game in his next outing. He’ll battle Timofey Nastyukhin in what promises to be an instant classic.

Leandro Ataides of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will return to the ONE Cage on a mission to regain his standing in the middleweight ranks. Ataides, 29, strung together eight straight victories before encountering his first setback, and is a force to be reckoned with for any contender. Ataides looks to get back on track by defeating his next opponent, Marcin Prachnio.

Marcin Prachnio is a Polish mixed martial artist with an impressive 10-2 professional record. He’s won his last five bouts, four of which by devastating technical knockouts. The attacking machine was victorious in his first appearance inside the ONE Cage, ousting Alexandre Machado just last February, and is making a quick turnaround to face the returning Leandro Ataides.

Thailand’s Anatpong “Mak Mak” Bunrad is one of the fiercest competitors at flyweight. He has a standout 5-2 professional mixed martial arts record, and has defeated the likes of Geje Eustaquio and Marc Marcellinus. Bunrad likes to pepper opponents with heavy handed strikes and powerful kicks, maximizing the effectiveness of his world-class Muay Thai. His next assignment is against Filipino Eugene Toquero.

Flyweight standout Eugene Toquero is a former celebrity mixed martial arts and fitness coach in his native Manila, Philippines. The Filipino stalwart has a knack for highlight-reel striking techniques and operates at a pace which opponents find hard to keep up with. In his last bout, Toquero nearly defeated former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes, showcasing his elite skills. He now faces Thailand’s Anatpong Bunrad.

41-year-old WBA Boxing World Champion Yodsanan “Little Tyson” Sityodtong of Thailand is making his return to professional mixed martial arts competition at ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS. With the opportunity to compete in Bangkok, Sityodtong just simply could not pass up the chance to perform in front of his hometown crowd. He’ll take on Chrech Kosal of Cambodia next.

Cambodian bantamweight prospect Chrech Kosal has two wins and only one loss as a professional mixed martial artist. A Khun Khmer specialist, Kosal is quick on his feet and powerful with his strikes. Thailand and Cambodia are set to rekindle their age-old rivalry when Kosal meets Thai boxing specialist Yodsanan Sityodtong.

Shannon Wiratchai is one of the promotion’s most devastating strikers. A Muay Thai specialist with 4 wins and only 1 loss, Wiratchai has competed against solid opposition since joining ONE Championship in 2012. In his most recent bout, Wiratchai starred in an absolute classic against young Singaporean prospect Amir Khan in one of the best bouts of the year. Now, Wiratchai gets a chance to perform in front of his hometown crowd in Bangkok against Kyal Linn Aung.

Myanmar’s Kyal Linn Aung is a two-time Lethwei Gold Belt Champion, a glowing testament to his elite striking ability. Kyal made his professional MMA debut at ONE: UNION OF WARRIORS, prevailing in a hugely entertaining three-round battle with Thway Thit Aung. He now faces Shannon Wiratchai as his next assignment in ONE Championship in a clash between two of the region’s national martial arts.

Also, young local Thai mixed martial arts prospects Pongsiri Mitsatit and Kritsada Konsrichai will take to the ONE Cage, against high-level strikers Ye Thway Ne of Myanmar and Cambodia’s Kev Hemmorlor respectively, to kick off what is expected to be an exciting night of world-class mixed martial arts action.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 75+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, Physique TV, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it will head to Washington State for the first time ever with a star-studded Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) mega-event, headlined by a world featherweight (145 pounds) championship rematch between reigning kingpin Alexandre “Capitao” Almeida (18-5) and the man he took the title from – Lance Palmer (10-2) – at XFINITY Arena at Everett on Saturday, July 30, live on NBCSN at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Priced from $29, tickets for WSOF32: Almeida vs. Palmer go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, May 6, at XFINITYArenaEverett.com and WSOF.com.

In the co-main event, the long-standing and well-documented sibling rivalry between costumed crusader Phoenix Jones (6-1-1) aka Ben Fodor, and Caros “The Future” Fodor (10-5) will come to a head when the adopted brothers from Seattle face off against each other at a catchweight of 162 pounds.

“We are excited to make our debut in the great state of Washington with such a spectacular affair that will feature one of the most anticipated and well-deserved rematches of the year, as well as a something that you rarely see in combat sports – a matchup between family members whose competitive rivalry is so intense that, after so many years, it has resulted in the two agreeing to settle their differences in the cage,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Additional bouts for WSOF32: Almeida vs. Palmer will be announced soon.

Alexandre Almeida vs. Lance Palmer

On December 18, the 5-foot-11, 27-year-old Almeida of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil notched his fifth consecutive win, seizing the World Series of Fighting featherweight title from Palmer of Sacramento, Calif. via a controversial, unanimous decision after Almeida used his significant height and reach advantage to continuously frustrate the 5-foot-6, 28-year-old Palmer for the duration of their five-round matchup.

The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Palmer, who captured the featherweight strap when he submitted Rick Glenn with a rear-naked choke in the third round (3:09) of their matchup on December 13, 2014.

Phoenix Jones vs. Caros Fodor

Over the course of the last five years, Jones and Fodor of Seattle have each, on several occasions, gone on the record expressing their desires to fight one another, despite the fact that they grew up under the same roof and train in the same camp owned by head coach Matt Hume.

The 6-foot, 27-year-old Jones, whose local crime fighting escapades have made national headlines, will make his first start in the decagon cage since September 18 when he submitted Roberto Yong with a rarely seen, highlight reel scissor choke in the first round (3:09) of their meeting at WSOF23.

Fodor, a 5-foot-9, 32-year-old veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Strikeforce, made his debut under the World Series of Fighting banner, after a five-fight stint with ONE in Asia, on January 23, losing a unanimous decision to Luiz Firmino in the main event of WSOF27.

During his seven-year professional career, Fodor, a former U.S. Marine who did battle in the Iraq War, has notched impressive wins over the likes of Team AKA member Justin Wilcox and Cung Le-trained James Terry.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters 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.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About XFINITY Arena at Everett
The XFINITY Arena at Everett, recipient of the International Association of Venue Manager’s (IAVM) prestigious Venue Excellence Award 2010, was developed by the Everett Public Facilities District. The 10,000-seat venue hosts a myriad of events including concerts, ice skating and family shows and is home to the Everett Silvertips, a Western Hockey League franchise. The venue is managed by Spectra by Comcast Spectacor and embodies all three of its divisions: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality and Ticketing & Fan Engagement.

Another packed house is anticipated at the world famous Sportsmen’s Lodge Event Center in Studio City, California on Saturday, May 14, 2016 with the triumphant return of Valley Fight Night – the ONLY professional boxing show in the San Fernando Valley.

Presented by Top Rank in association with Bash Boxing, Valley Fight Night will feature undefeated California prospects from the Top Rank stable including Riverside’s Super Featherweight sensation Saul “Kid Dinamita” Rodriguez (19-0-1, 14KOs), Imperial’s Heavyweight contender Andy “Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. (26-0, 17KOs), and rising South El Monte Welterweight Arnold Barbosa Jr. (11-0, 4KOs).

The explosive Rodriguez, who is coming off a first round destruction of former prospect Ivan Najera (16-1) last November, is currently scheduled to take on an equally explosive foe in former World Title Challenger Daulis Prescott (31-3, 23KOs) over ten rounds. Meanwhile, Ruiz, who is the current NABF and WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Champion, will look to continue his dream of becoming the first ever Mexican Heavyweight World Champion. While impressing the local fight scene at similar venues in Glendale, Burbank, and Hollywood the past two years, Barbosa will make his Sportsmen’s Lodge debut against Puerto Rico’s John Nater (15-7, 11KOs).

Also appearing on the undercard will be the California return of Brazilian star Esquiva Falcao (13-0, 10KOs). Falcao has rapidly risen in the rankings since parlaying his 2012 London Olympics Silver Medal into a Top Rank promotional agreement. Falcao will take on upset minded Paul Valenzuela Jr., who knocked off previously undefeated prospect Antonio Gutierrez (17-0-1) this time last year.

Fans entertained by Toka Khan Clary (18-0, 12KOs) and his 6h round knockout of Gabino Cota during February’s Valley Fight Night at the Sportsmen’s Lodge will be treated to a return engagement by the undefeated Lightweight prospect from Providence, Rhode Island. Southpaw Clary will square off against Nicaraguan Orlando Rizo (19-6, 11KOs) in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds or less.

Rounding out the card will be a trio of young local fighters in Westminster’s Carlos Licona (6-0), Santa Ana’s Bryan Flores (3-0), and Abraham Lopez from Rowland Heights.

Valley Fight Night 9 will be presented by Top Rank in association with Bash Boxing.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.valleyfightnight.com or by calling
(626) 388-8888.

Tickets start at $50 for General Admission and $65 for Assigned Seating. A limited number of VIP tables for 4 are also available.

Doors Open at 5:30pm; First Bout at 6:00pm. All bouts are subject to change.

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2016) -WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and British top fighter and former two-time former world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) will bring every ounce of their speed and power when they meet in the ring on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Below is what sports media reporters had to say about their picks for Canelo vs. Khan:

Gary Andrew Poole, The Guardian:

“Khan’s greatest asset is his attacking speed, and to win he will need to put his speed to work quickly because his defensive tactics and chin are seriously suspect. I see Canelo winning. Three major factors point to a Canelo knockout victory: the Mexican superstar has more power (67 percent KO rate vs. 56 percent). Of late, Alvarez, 25, has fought more quality opponents: the last three Alvarez opponents were Erislandy Lara, James Kirkland, and Miguel Cotto; Khan’s last three were Luis Collazo, Devon Alexander and Chris Algieri. And, finally, Canelo smartly set a 155-pound catch-weight because it will make his power punches more devastating. Khan, 29, is a very good lightweight who has tried to chase bigger purses in the welterweight division. Rising yet another eight pounds will be a bridge too far and Canelo-if he can withstand an early assault-will break him down and knock him out. If Canelo wins, the world hopes he will face Gennady Golovkin in the fall.”

Dan Rafael, ESPN.com:

“Canelo is bigger, stronger and younger and while I think Khan will give it a great effort and be more competitive than some think he might be, Canelo will win by knockout in the middle rounds.”

Brian Campbell, ESPN.com:

“Khan’s speed and technical skill will keep him in the fight and present interesting tactical questions for Alvarez to answer. Ultimately, however, the combination of Canelo’s power and Khan’s suspect chin will lead to a knockout finish.”

Bob Velin, USA Today:

“Canelo by knockout in round seven. Amir Khan is one on the quickest fighters in the world today, and we know what happened to Canelo Alvarez against a quick, slick fighter like Floyd Mayweather. However, Canelo has come a long way since then, has prepared and knows what to expect with Khan’s quick hands. His power will be too much for Khan, fighting at 155 for the first time. Khan will stick and move and be able to avoid the big punch through six rounds, but his suspect chin will not stand up to Canelo’s power once the lineal middleweight champ finally catches him.”

Jeff Powell, Daily Mail:

“At the early time of asking, I say Khan by decision but it’s a close call between speed and power, which some factors could affect in the coming days.”

Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press:

“Canelo is on a roll now and eager to prove the Cinco de Mayo date is really his, not Mayweather’s. He was impressive against Cotto and seems to have accepted the loss to Mayweather as normal growing pains for a young fighter. Khan is moving up in weight and in competition, and fast hands only take you so far. I like Canelo in a dominating performance, stopping Khan in the middle rounds in the first fight at T-Mobile Arena.”

Gavin Glicksman, The Sun:

“Khan has craved a super-fight for years and is determined to write his name into the history books with what will go down as one of the biggest upsets in boxing if he wins. It’s a massive ask, and there is the fear he will be stopped if Canelo lures him into a tear-up, but I believe his fast hands and footwork will see him take the champion the distance. As long as he follows Virgil Hunter’s game plan to the letter and boxes smart, Khan claims the WBC world middleweight title on points.”

Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times:

“Amir Khan has appeared to have effectively trained and analyzed properly the best way to defeat Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but weight classes are created for a reason. So by the end of the ninth round, expect the naturally bigger middleweight champion from Mexico to have landed enough punches on former 140-pounder Khan to force the fight’s stoppage.”

Chris McKenna, Daily Star:

“I am obviously hoping that speed prevails and Amir Khan comes out on top on May 7 for Britain, but he is going to have to be very disciplined. This will be one of Khan’s best performances, but I think it will be tough to get the decision in Las Vegas. The power of Canelo may be just too much, and I believe the Mexican will win by a close decision on the cards.”

Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports:

“Canelo TKO9 Khan — I certainly don’t discount Khan’s ability to win this fight, as he has a lot of talent and a very good trainer who no doubt will come up with an excellent game plan. But Canelo is not simply a slugger. He can box, too, and he’s the far bigger, more powerful man. Khan has had issues in the past with his chin, and that’s going to be a factor in this fight. He’ll have to walk a tightrope and avoid being hit flush, which I’m not sure he can do. I expect Canelo to wear Khan down, slow him down and stop him in the latter part of the fight.”

Robby Kalland, CBSSports.com:

“Canelo over Khan by unanimous decision. I think Canelo Alvarez will come out on top with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Khan on May 7. I expect the fight to be fairly even early, but Alvarez’s power and skill will eventually wear down the speed of Khan leading to Canelo pulling away on the cards in the latter half of the bout. Alvarez showed against Miguel Cotto what he can do against a smaller fighter, walking through Cotto’s power punches. I don’t see Khan’s power bothering Canelo either, which will allow him to walk down Khan and get in range to deliver power shots of his own.”

Richard Damerell, Sky Sports:

“Amir Khan’s hand speed and also speed of foot will cause problems for Saul Alvarez from the opening bell. Alvarez’s advantage in power might even work against him, and he could be a touch too eager in his pursuit of a knockout. Khan must stay disciplined throughout, which has been a problem in the past, but I think he will overcome a few scares to claim a stunning upset win.”

Bernardo Osuna, ESPN Deportes:

“I believeCanelo will take down Khan with a TKO in round nine.”

Salvador Rodríguez, ESPNDEPORTES.com:

“I expect a Canelo knockout in the middle rounds. It should be a short fight but explosive. Khan’s chances are minimum but he has speed and a high IQ. Canelo has the moment and the timing to punish and finish him by the sixth or seventh round. So I bet absolutely for Canelo’s power on this mega-event.”

Francisco Cuevas, NBC Deportes:

“I think Canelo will win by knockout in six rounds. I think that Canelo will dominate the fight. He has the power and has shown a lot of improvement in his defense, and Amir Khan has been knocked down before several times. I think that it will be challenging for Canelo in the first and second rounds and after that he will dominate.”

Eduard Cauich, HOY Los Angeles:

“I think Canelo with catch Khan in rounds six through eight.”

Jorge Ebro, Miami Herald:

“In my opinion, Canelo will be the winner of this fight. It is true than Khan is fast, but he is no match to Canelo’s power. When Canelo starts to hurt him with his uppers, that will be the beginning of the end for the English warrior. Canelo will win in six rounds by knockout.”

George Gigney, Boxing News Magazine:

“Canelo’s power and size are huge factors in this fight, but I also think his timing will help him win. In recent fights we’ve seen Canelo display some very smart counter-punching, and he’s able to offset his opponent’s speed advantages by catching them at the right times. I think Khan will get off to a bright start, using angles and his blurring hand speed to keep Canelo quiet for a few rounds but eventually Alvarez will find his range and begin to open up. Canelo’s work to the body is also likely to play a factor and will slow Khan down in the second half of the fight, bringing down the pace to one more comfortable for Canelo. I think Khan will frustrate Canelo at times and make this fight more difficult than expected, but my pick is for Canelo to win a comfortable decision on the cards.”

Steve Carp, Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“Canelo TKO in round nine. This will be a classic case of a good big man being better than a good little man. I expect Khan to try and outbox Canelo and use his speed. But eventually, Canelo will find the range and though Khan has a better chin now than in the past, Canelo’s power will eventually do him in and force a stoppage.”

Dougie Fisher, RingTV:

“Canelo by TKO in 10 rounds. I think it’s going to take Canelo some time to catch Khan. I think he will have trouble with khan’s speed and mobility. I think in the early rounds he will be surprised by Khan’s power. I think Khan will earn respect in the early rounds. I think cannel will gradually work his way in the middle rounds.”

Ricardo López Juárez, La Opinión:

“Canelo by knockout by the seventh round. I think it’s going to be a competitive fight but eventually Canelo’s power will make a difference. There will be a size, weight and power difference.”

Steve Kim, UCNLive.com:

“The fight is a sprint, not a marathon. Even though Khan has speed, Canelo is a very sound fighter. I predict the fight ends Saul Alvarez TKO round seven.”

Miguel Maravilla, Fight News:

“I believe Canelo will win. He is a bigger fighter and a better puncher. He will stop Khan with a TKO between rounds eight and 10.”

David Avila, The Sweet Science:

“Canelo by decision. I think it will be a technical fight. I think Khan will realize he can’t exchange too freely with Canelo. I don’t think Canelo will chase him too much but he will wear him down and he will win by close decision.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile 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.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

Photos and videos are available for download in the official Canelo vs. Khan press kit here: bit.ly/canelokhan.

Tony Bellew has vowed to turn his dreams into reality when he takes on Ilunga Makabu for the vacant WBC World Cruiserweight title at Goodison Park – the home of his beloved Everton FC – on Sunday May 29, live on Sky Sports.

Lifelong Evertonian Bellew ‘boxed’ at the home of his club in the movie Creed where he won the World title in the last scene of the film, and gets the chance to make Hollywood come alive against the dangerous Congolese puncher.

All but one of Makabu’s 19 wins have come inside the distance, but Bellew has vowed to make it third time lucky in World title fights and says he cannot lose with the whole city behind him.

“It’s all on me now,” said Bellew. “I bugged Eddie Hearn for six months to get a World title fight and it was tough. People were pulling out of fights against me and I boxed Mateusz Masternak instead, a fight that I didn’t need to take but wanted to do it to prove I was a legitimate World level Cruiserweight.

“There’s been so much done behind the scenes and when we sat down for the event, we looked at June 4 but we couldn’t do it. The only date available was May 29 – my son’s eighth birthday – and I said ‘we can do it Bank Holiday Sunday, this city comes alive on Bank Holiday’s’.

“I’m a Scouser and a mad Evertonian – I don’t care how good he is, I don’t care how hard he hits, I am going to become WBC World Cruiserweight champion in front of thousands of Scousers and nothing will stop me. Creed has done something nuts to me, it’s created a whirlwind and this is where it’s taken me – it’s unbelievable.

“Thanks to Everton, Bill Kenwright and everyone that has believed in me and backed me from day one; the dream becomes a reality on May 29.”

Bellew’s World title bout with Makabu is part of a huge night of action on Merseyside as Stephen Smith gets the chance to bounce back from his IBF World title challenge in Connecticut as he fights for the vacant WBC Silver title.

Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd faces Pasquale di Silvio for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Lightweight title, Hosea Burton defends his British Light-Heavyweight title against Liverpool man Tony Dodson, Tom Farrell and Kofi Yates clash in an eliminator for the British Super-Lightweight title

Merseyside Heavyweight favourite David Price is back in action and there’s a host of local talents getting a huge opportunity to impress in JJ Metcalfe, Ged Carroll, Steve Brogan, Craig Glover and Scott Fitzgerald.

Tickets will go on general sale now priced £40, £60, £100 and £200 and can be purchased by visiting www.evertonfc.com/eticketing, or by calling 0151 556 1878*. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased in person by visiting the Park End ticket office or our City Centre ticket facility in Everton Two, Liverpool One. £350 VIP tickets will be available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com

Opening times for all ticket outlets can be found here.

*Booking fees apply.

Tickets for May 29 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

Further press conference quotes:

Stephen Smith: It’s great to be coming straight back in. My confidence is good, I think I showed against Pedraza that I belong at Wold level, so the aim is to get a good ranking in the WBC and then get into line for another go at achieving my dream of winning a World title. I didn’t want to spend too long just in the gym, I wanted to get right back into competitive action and after 12 good rounds against a very good World champion, and I want to show that I’ve learnt from the experience of my first World title shot.

David Price: I would’ve preferred Anfield! I had dreams for years of that, but the way my career has gone I’m now at Goodison! Football aside – it’s a great event for the city, Tony and I have talked about the ringwalk music, he doesn’t want me to walk out to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ but I want to! We’ll get to the bottom of that but boxing wise, it’s a new start for me with a new trainer, the times I’ve slipped up have been on the receiving end of a man on a banned substance, so this is a new start for me.

Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd: it’s given me a life I’ve never had so I am so grateful. My dream is fighting at Tranmere, but fighting at Goodison on a Tony Bellew undercard is pretty close, and I’m rubbing shoulders with Liverpool legends on this bill and that’s unreal for me. I’ve been ticking over in training and I feel good, I’m hungry and ready to rise up to Di Silvio’s level and win the title. I think that I’ve grown as a fighter over the last three fights and I’ve taken to the proper pro lifestyle and I think I will prove that on May 29.

Hosea Burton: Tony Dodson is the man that everyone knows even though I am the champ, he’s very experienced by I believe that it’s a fight I can win and win comfortably.

Tony Dodson: This is a great chance for me– thanks to Eddie Hearn and Hosea Burton for the opportunity; it’s my chance to shine. I‘ve under achieved but everything that I’ve gone through has led to this moment and I believe that it’s going to be my night.

Tom Farrell: The chance to fight at a place where I’ve sat in the stands for years is unreal. I’ll have to keep my emotions in check in a really tough fight, KY is a good fighter and has the edge in experienced, but it’s a great chance for me to impress on the big stage.

Kofi Yates: I won’t have any pressure in this fight, I’ve boxed everywhere and in people’s backyards, we’ll put on a good fight for sure.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 3rd, 2016) — For Vladine Biosse, “Mr. Providence” is more than just a clever nickname stitched onto a pair of shorts.

“Being ‘Mr. Providence’ is about carrying on a legacy,” says Biosse, who faces the toughest test of his career Friday, May 13th, 2016 against fellow Providence native and Rhode Island icon Peter Manfredo Jr.

“When you talk about Providence, you’re talking about a great city, a fighting city for so many years. Carrying that torch means so much to me.”

The always-ready Biosse (15-7-2, 7 KOs), a physical marvel who stays in shape year-round, replaces Angel Camacho Jr., who sustained a foot injury, in the highly publicized “BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL,” a dream matchup between two well-respected Providence veterans at Twin River Casino, the hub of boxing in the northeast for the past decade.

Born in Cape Verde, Biosse moved to Rhode Island at the age of 13 and has since called Providence his home. He attended high school at Hope High, starred in soccer and track and field, and eventually played football at the University of Rhode Island, just 30 miles south of Providence.

His tale of triumph, the inspirational story of an inner-city youth who grew up on the “bad side” of Providence, barely spoke English and didn’t even start boxing until high school, rocketed him to stardom in the local Cape Verdean community.

He gained his U.S. citizenship shortly after becoming a professional fighter, arguably his most noteworthy achievement outside of the ring, and proudly bears the responsibility of being a mentor to inner-city youth who bear a striking resemblance to the same Cape Verdean teenager who arrived in Providence 20 years ago unsure of what his future would bring.

“I made it through the tough times. Now it’s my responsibility to help others do the same,” Biosse said. “I might not get all of them, but if I get one or two of them, I’m happy.”

Most New England fight fans associate “Mr. Providence” with the unconventional southpaw they’ve seen in the ring and on television for the past seven years, the former college football player turned boxer who rose from anonymity to worldwide success in 2010 with a dominant win over Joey McCreedy on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, his network television debut.

Biosse was a public relations dream, a humble, working-class fighter who resonated with boxing fans, a neatly packaged, 6-foot-1 snapshot of the American Dream. Even in defeat, Biosse remained steadfast in his goal to become a world champion and eventually carry the torch in a city replete with blue-collar superstars, among them Manfredo (40-7, 21 KOs) and Vinny Paz.

The less-publicized side of Biosse, the one fans rarely see, is that of the humanitarian, the local hero who gives selflessly to help lead troubled, unprivileged youth down the right path.

Biosse’s talent in the ring eventually brought him to the top of his sport, including a Showtime date with J’Leon Love and an overseas battle against Callum Smith during a hectic, year-long stretch in which he fought outside of New England four times, but his heart never left Providence.

In the midst of his most profitable year as a fighter, Biosse and his business partner Brian Johnson opened The Ring of Peace, a boxing gym at the John Hope Settlement House in Providence, where city youth can learn the fundamentals of the sport in a safe, non-confrontational environment geared toward keeping kids off the streets. Classes are free of charge.

“A lot of times, boxers are looked at as barbaric or uneducated, so what we do with the kids is we focus on their school work,” Biosse said. “We help them with their homework. We have tutors available. Once they finish, then we go into the gym and teach them boxing.”

Biosse credits much of his success in life to one of his mentors, Providence native Peter Quaweay, a former Central High football standout and defensive back for Michigan State, who stressed to Biosse the importance of staying in school and building a future outside of sports.

“In the past, I didn’t care too much about school, or anything,” he continued. “I didn’t look at my future like I should’ve. I had an opportunity to go to college and graduate. I look back at those situations and say, ‘Man, if I didn’t have someone like that I wouldn’t have achieved what I did or be the man I am now.'”

The Ring of Peace plans on expanding its role in the community, offering memberships to war veterans and self-defense classes for women.

“When I look back at inner-city kids who grew up like me — single mother, in the projects, living on the bad side of Providence — I think, ‘Damn, those kids have great potential like I did, but they won’t amount to anything if no one reaches out to them to lead them the right way.’

“I feel like it’s my responsibility.”

Consider it part of being “Mr. Providence.” While Manfredo, the 16-year fight vet known affectionately as “The Pride of Providence” in Rhode Island’s Italian-American community, shares a similar responsibility as a father, husband and fighter, Biosse has become an icon in his own right among Rhode Island Cape Verdeans, a role he takes seriously.

“Being adopted by the city of Providence and knowing Providence carries so much history with my people, so much ancestry with my people coming over since slavery and through working on the ships, it’s a big legacy to be able to carry that name,” Biosse said.

“This is one of the first cities my Cape Verdean people came to, Fox Point, right here in Providence. That means so much to me. That’s why since Day 1 when that nickname was given to me, I never shied away from it. I feel it fits perfectly because of the history my people have with my city. That’s why I appreciate it.”

With Manfredo’s own legacy in tow, “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” takes on new meaning May 13th, two fighters who are pillars in their respective communities — and close friends — battling for state bragging rights.

“Peter was ‘The Pride of Providence’ long before I came onto the scene and I respect that,” Biosse said. “Now it’s the top two chefs in the city competing against each other carrying the history of Providence. It makes it a lot more interesting to us, the competitors, and also the fans.”

Biosse accepted the challenge against the 47-fight vet Manfredo on short notice with little hesitation. As a competitor who stays in the gym year-round, Biosse’s conditioning was never a factor, plus he’s had 10 months since his last fight in July to work on some fundamentals.

“I’m so critical of my skills and my development as a fighter,” he said. “Having those months off, being able to sit down and grade myself and study myself and my ability to perform, seeing where I was and where I’m at now, some things got better, some things got worse.

“I’ve really refined myself and my skills and have become a better me.”

“Listen, I take nothing away from Peter. He’s a veteran and he’s been doing this for a long time. He’s in great shape and ready to compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime. It’s going to be a hell of a competition.”

While this is no doubt the biggest test of Biosse’s career, the ability to overcome and conquer is an important part of what has made him an iconic figure in the Cape Verdean community. As a fighter, a husband, a father and, perhaps most importantly, a U.S. Citizen, “Mr. Providence” carries an entire city and legacy on his back each time he steps into the ring. May 13th could be his most triumphant moment yet.

“Growing up in this country, learning everything I know here, I got a better opportunity and a better education,” Biosse says. “It means so much to me to be a U.S. citizen. I’ve given my heart and soul here and now I’m really a part of this country. I can vote. I can make changes in this country. To be able to share that American culture with others, that’s a beautiful thing.”

Limited seated tickets for “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” are priced at $46.00, $66.00, $151.00 (VIP) and $201.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club.

Standing room tickets are also available for $46.00 directly through Twin River Casino and can also be purchased online at www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change and tickets are non-refundable.

The Manfredo-Biosse headliner at “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” is one of nine fights on a stacked card featuring two title bouts in addition to the professional debuts of two accomplished amateurs from Worcester, Mass.

Worcester’s Khiary Gray (12-0, 9 KOs) also returns on May 13th and puts his Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast Junior Middleweight Title on the line against Fort Meyers, Fla., vet Quinton Willis (10-3-2, 5 KOs) in an 8-round bout while unbeaten New Haven, Conn., welterweight Jimmy Williams (10-0-1, 5 KOs) faces St. Petersburg, Fla., veteran Manny Woods (15-4-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout.

Undefeated Springfield, Mass., junior welterweight Zack Ramsey (7-0, 3 KOs) steps back into the ring for the first time since 2014 to face 20-fight vet Issouf Kinda (17-3, 7 KOs) of New York in a six-round bout and regional standouts Nick DeLomba (8-1, 2 KOs) of Cranston, R.I., and the undefeated Freddy Sanchez (7-0, 5 KOs) of Worcester face off in a 6-round bout for the vacant New England Super Featherweight Title.

The May 13th undercard also features a six-round rematch between Stoughton, Mass., super featherweight Travis Demko (4-0, 1 KO) and Mohamad Allam (2-1, 1 KO) of Holyoke, Mass. The two faced one another in September with Demko winning by unanimous decision in a 4-round bout.

Also returning to Twin River, unbeaten Framingham, Mass., lightweight Julio Perez (4-0) faces Providence’s Cido Hoff (0-0-1) in a 4-round bout. Worcester’s Kendrick Ball Jr. makes his professional debut in a 4-round super middleweight bout against Providence’s Tunde Odumosu while fellow Worcester native Jamaine Ortiz debuts in a 4-round super lightweight bout against Skowhegan, Maine vet Josh Parker (0-2-1).

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information and use the hashtags #ManfredoBiosse and #Battle4TheCapital to join the conversation.

— CES —

Marcus Morrison will fight for his first pro title on Saturday night as he faces Jefferson Luiz De Souza for the vacant WBC International Middleweight crown at the Manchester Arena, live on Sky Sports.

Morrison kicked off 2016 with two first round KO wins to further demonstrate his destructive power and ‘Sweet M ’n M’ will look to prove that he can take the power from Super-Welterweight to Middleweight as he welcomes the Brazilian to home turf.

Morrison’s trainer Joe Gallagher has tipped the 23 year old to kick on and become a real force over the next 18 months, and the man himself is ready to underline his potential by getting a major strap around his waist in just his 11th pro fight on the undercard of gym-mate Anthony Crolla’s WBA World Lightweight title defence against Ismael Barroso.

“I am delighted to be fighting for my first title in Manchester,” said Morrison. “I was a big Super-Welterweight so I have no doubt that my power will still be too much for my opponents at 160lbs.

“I was happy with both of my performances so far this year. They were both early nights and I think now it is time I got some rounds in and moved up.

“There is no reason why I can’t be in the mix at English level and I think in the next 12 to 18 months there is no reason why I won’t be in contention for the British titles as well.

“Saturday is a huge night for my gym mate Anthony Crolla. When you hear about fighters becoming a World champion they always say it is harder to stay at the top because you are gunned for but I think this Anthony is a genuine World champion and I think he will be there for a long time. He has prepared well, here has studied Barroso, and I think the game plan will come off and come Sunday morning he will still have his belt.”

Morrison’s first title fight comes on a huge night of action in Manchester, topped by Crolla’s clash with the dangerous Venezuelan banger Barroso.

There’s a classic Roses battle as Lancashire’s Shayne Singleton takes on Leeds’ Adil Anwar for the WBC Silver Welterweight title, while two former World title challengers Paul Smith and Martin Murray plot their assaults on the Super-Middleweight belt holders.

It’s a busy night for Gallagher as Callum Johnson and Hosea Burton join Crolla and Morrison in action, there’s a return to the ring for popular Hull Lightweight Tommy Coyle, while there’s action for former Team GB star Warren Baister, Dublin’s Jono Carroll, Prestwich’s Sean Ben Mulligan and Sale’s Ben Sheedy.

Tickets are on general sale £40, £60, £80 and £100 www.manchester-arena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs are available exclusively through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £200.

Tickets for May 7 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

London (May 3) – Boxing ace Amir Khan is using Leicester City’s shock triumph of the Premier League title as inspiration ahead of the biggest fight of his life.

The 29-year-old star is moving up two-weight divisions to take on the formidable middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez this Saturday night, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Two-time world champion Khan, however, is undaunted at the prospect of facing the big Mexican puncher but instead is using the fairytale victory of the East Midlands side as proof that the underdog can prevail.

“I’m seen as the underdog in this fight against Canelo but I feel this is the year of the underdog. What Leicester City have achieved is absolutely amazing. You would have been called crazy if you thought that Leicester would win the title at the start of the season – it’s such an inspiring story,” said Khan.

“I’m definitely going to use that to help me because it shows that even though people say you have no chance what really matters is how you perform on the pitch, or in the boxing ring in my case.

“I’m ready to shock the world and beat Canelo even if some may have written off my chances. I know I’m ready for this fight and want to get in the ring right now,” Khan said.

Bolton native Khan touched down in Las Vegas yesterday afternoon after making the trip from his San Francisco training base alongside trainer Virgil Hunter.

Fight week begins in Las Vegas with the Grand Arrivals later today before the pair meet on May 7th at the newly built T-Mobile Arena.

The former Olympian is looking forward to opening the new 20,000 seater stadium and is thrilled to headline in the boxing capital once again.

“It’s great to fight in Las Vegas again, every fighter dreams of topping the bill here because so many legendary fights have taken place in the city,” said Khan.

“I have fought here a number of times against the likes of Zab Judah, Marcos Maidana and Devon Alexander but this is one fight I’m really excited about.

“To be the first boxing event at an arena which will become the new home of big-time boxing in Las Vegas feels special. I want to make the first fight here a remarkable one and a fight that will live long in the memory of all the fans,” he said.

Khan v Canelo is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/Online & App) this Saturday night. Go to boxnation.com to subscribe.

-ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon).

BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the July 23 HBO PPV fight between WBO 140 lb champion and WBC titleholder Viktor Postol is now set for Las Vegas.

“It’s a very good matchup, the best you can make in the junior welterweight division,” Top Rank CEO Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “What it really is is a fight for supremacy in the division. I’m very pleased with it, and I think it will be a very competitive fight.”

“This is a great opportunity to show the world I’m the best champion at 140 pounds,” Crawford said.

Cameron Dunkin, Crawford’s co-manager, said he was pleased to get Crawford such a meaningful fight.

“This is a great fight, and Terence will prove he’s not only the best 140-pound fighter in the world but that he is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world,” he said.

Said Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s trainer and co-manager: “We are going to show the world how basic Postol really is and that he got very lucky against (Lucas) Matthysse.”

“I have asked for this fight for some time,” Postol said. “I am very confident, and this will be a great fight for me. I want to thank my promoters, Elite Boxing and Top Rank, for making this fight a reality for the fans.”

Vadim Kornilov, Postol’s manager, said he believes the fight is about as even a matchup as one could ask for.

“This fight is pay-per-view view material because no one knows what to expect,” Kornilov said. “Both guys are 28-0. Either one of these guys can win and go on to become the next star in the division. It’s the type of fight fans don’t get to see often these days.”

In one undercard bout, newly minted WBO Super Middleweight champion, Gilberto Ramirez will take on Dominick Britsch.

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz has been given the go-ahead to begin negotiating a world-title fight between his fighter, explosive KO punching Dominican Jonathan Guzman, and the promoters for Japan’s Shingo Wake.

As per their rules for vacant championships, Lewkowicz, representing Guzman, the IBF #2 super bantamweight, and Kyoei Promotions representing IBF #1 Wake were ordered to begin negotiations immediately and have them completed no later than June 2 of this year.

Guzman (21-0, 21 KOs) is hot on the heels of a sensational eight-round stoppage victory over Daniel Rosas last Friday, April 29, in Atlantic City, in a voluntary eliminator for the #2 spot in the ratings.

Wake (20-4-2, 12 KOs) earned his number one spot by scoring a unanimous decision victory over Thailand’s Mike Tawatchai last June.

Also per IBF rules neither boxer may compete in another match until they face each other.

“Any boxer who is contracted with a promoter, a network, or a state, tribal or national commission to take another fight, or who is ill, injured, under a legal impediment which could prevent the bout from taking place in the opinion of the IBF/USBA, or on suspension at the time the Championships Chairman and the President order a bout under this rule shall be considered unavailable. We would then move to the next available contender. Neither fighter can take another fight until this fight for the vacant title is concluded.”

In the event the camps cannot reach an agreement by June 2, the IBF will call for purse offers to be held to determine who will promote the bout, when and where it will be held.

The Guzman vs. Wake fight is more good news for Sampson Boxing, who had four different fighters score sensational victories over the weekend.

In addition to the aforementioned Guzman TKO, Sampson Boxing’s Jorge “Pilon” Lara scored a jaw-dropping KO 1 over former world champion Fernando Montiel at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, on Saturday. Lara had the formidable Montiel on the deck four times in a brutal beatdown that only lasted 1:37.

The same night in the same venue, future world champion and boxing prodigy David “El Bandera Roja/Red Flag” Benavidez destroyed capable New Yorker Phillip Jackson Benson by KO 2. Benavidez, now 14-0, 13 KOs, had way too much firepower for Jackson, who entered the ring a respectable 16-2, 15 KOs. The end came at 2:07 with Jackson down and ruled unable to continue without a count being needed. A star on the near horizon in boxing, high network demand means that Benavidez will be back in action in July.

And in his professional debut on Friday night, on the Guzman undercard in Atlantic City, highly decorated amateur star Abraham “Super” Nova turned professional the right way by levelling Delaware’s also debuting Weusi Johnson by KO 1.

Nova, of Braintree, Massachusetts, began his professional career undefeated by putting Weusi to sleep at 2:56 of the first.

“I am looking forward to getting my superstar KO artist Jonathan Guzman his first title shot later this year,” said Sampson Lewkowicz. “And I give my congratulations to all my other fighters who won by knockout this past weekend. Jorge Lara is back in a big way and headed for a world championship after beating Montiel. David Benavidez is going to become the youngest Mexican super middleweight champion in boxing history and Abraham Nova let the world know he’s here with his power punching. I am proud to be promoting every one of these fighters.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

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

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

New York, NY (5/2/16) – This past Saturday night, DiBella Entertainment saw a trio of its prospects pick up victories on separate cards as Abel Ramos, Dardan Zenunaj and Lamar Russ all added to the win column of their respective records.

Ramos, returning for the first time since his lone loss as a professional at the hands of red-hot undefeated prospect Regis Prograis on ShoBox in December, scored a third-round knockout over Javier Mercado (23-11-2, 21KO’s) in Mexico. The former amateur standout saw his record improve to 15-1-2, 10KO’s, and is set to return later this month in his home state of Arizona, as he looks to gear up for another big fight in the talent-laden 140lb. division.

Like Ramos, Zenunaj (12-1, 9KO’s) also fought on the December ShoBox, when he upset and stopped previously undefeated prospect Bryant Cruz in a thrilling junior lightweight contest. Returning for the first time since career-best victory, Zenunaj pounded out an eight-round decision over tough Mexican Naciff Castillo.

Following a year-and-half layoff, middleweight Lamar Russ scored a devastating one-punch, first-round knockout over former two-time world title challenger Antwun Echols in front of his hometown fans in North Carolina. Russ (16-2, 8KO’s) was involved in a bad car accident in August of 2015, and took off the rest of the year to recover and get himself back into fighting shape. There are many attractive fights to be made in the 160lb. division for the college graduate Russ, who, in 2013, dropped a competitive decision to three-time middleweight world title challenger Matthew Macklin on HBO.

ESPN and ESPN Deportes offer extensive pre- and post-fight multi-platform coverage of the anticipated middleweight championship between defending title Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez and Amir Khan, including special bilingual production led by ESPN Deportes’ A Los Golpes and One Nación to air on Friday, May 6 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Hosted by Bernardo Osuna and Claudia Trejos from the ESPN studios in Los Angeles, the 30-minute pre-bout show goes behind the scenes the anticipated fight with a unique look at Alvarez and Khan’s training, and the analysis of Mexican world champion Julio Cesar Chavez alongside special guests commentator Max Kellerman and boxing trainer Abel Sánchez.

In addition, ESPN Deportes will present weeklong multimedia coverage beginning Monday, May 2, at 6 p.m. ET, with a special edition of A Los Golpes, hosted by the network’s experts David Faitelson, Osuna and Chávez, and featuring special guest, Oscar De La Hoya.

The network will also present special segments from Las Vegas, Nevada, on SportsCenter, Capitanes, Nación ESPN and #Redes; followed by a live edition of Golpe A Golpe from the weigh-in on Friday, May 6, starting at 6 p.m. ET.

On Sunday, May 7, Golpe a Golpe will lead the pre- and post-fight live coverage from the Arena, with the analysis of Osuna, Faitelson, Juan Manuel Marquez, Chavez, Trejos, Joe Cortez and Jorge Eduardo Sanchez, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

ESPNdeportes.com will post daily features surrounding the fight by Carlos Nava and Salvador Rodriguez, and ESPN Deportes will air re-runs of two Mega Fights featuring Canelo throughout the week.

Programming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Coverage

Network

Mon, May 2

6 p.m.

A Los Golpes

ESPN Deportes TV

Wed, May 4

9 p.m.

Mega Fights: Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez vs. Ryan Rhodes

ESPN Deportes TV

Thru, May 5

7 p.m.

SC Primera Plana: Canelo vs. Khan

ESPN Deportes TV

Fri, May 6

6 p.m.

Semana de Campeones: Weigh-in show

ESPN Deportes TV

Fri, May 6

10 p.m.

A Los Golpes/One Nación Special

ESPN2

Sat, May 7

6 p.m.

Mega Fights:

Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto

Undercard: “Canelo” Álvarez vs. Shane Mosley

ESPN Deportes TV

8 p.m.

Semana de Campeones: Pre-show

ESPN Deportes TV

2 a.m.

Semana de Campeones: Post-show

ESPN Deportes TV

-30-

SAN DIEGO, CALIF.- May 2, 2016 – This Saturday afternoon an intriguing and important heavyweight contest between former world title challenger’s Kubrat Pulev and Dereck Chisora has been added to the much anticipated telecast that will feature WBA Lightweight champion Anthony Crolla defending his title against hard punching Ismael Barroso that will be shown LIVE ON AWE–A Wealth of Entertainment.

The Pulev – Chisora European Heavyweight title clash will originate from Hamburg, Germany and will precede the Crolla – Barroso bout from Manchester, England.

The broadcast will begin at 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT.

“We are ecstatic to add this important heavyweight fight to our world title broadcast. The winner of this fight will be at the head of the line to get their second world title opportunity and these are big heavyweights, so we expect an explosive fight,” said AWE President, Charles Herring.

Pulev, who represented Bulgaria in the 2008 Olympics has had an excellent professional career, which stands at 22-1 with twelve knockouts.

The 34-year old has faced quality competition from the onset of his career. He has quality wins over Gbenga Oluokun (17-2); former world title challenger Matt Skelton (22-4); Dominick Guinn (33-6-1); Derric Rossy (25-3); Maksym Pedyura (13-1-1); Travis Walker (38-6-1); Alexander DiMitrenko (32-1); Alexander Ustinov (27-0); Former two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson (38-3).

On November 15, 2014 he challenged unified champion Wladimir Klitschko for the Heavyweight title. Pulev came up short, but a win on Saturday will facilitate a second opportunity at history.

Pulev has won his last two bouts with wins over George Arias (56-13) and his last bout when he stopped Maurice Harris in one round on December 5th

Now he must get past the tough as nails Chisora.

The London, England native has a record of 25-5 with 17 knockouts and he has built his reputation by facing and defeating a high level of opposition.

The 32 year-old won his first fourteen bouts In that streak, he netted the British Heavyweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over former world title challenger Danny Williams. He defend the title with a ninth round stoppage over Sam Sexton (13-1), before losing the belt to eventual unified champion Tyson Fury.

Chisora put on a great performance before dropping a disputed decision to then undefeated top heavyweight contender Robert Helenius. That fight got him a shot at WBC Heavyweight champion Vitaly Klitschko.

Chisora fought a gutsy fight before dropping a unanimous decision to Klitschko. After losing to former two-division world champion David Haye, Chisora had an impressive five-fight winning streak that featured victories over undefeated Malik Scott (35-0-1); Edmund Gerber (23-1); Ondrej (32-3) and former world title challenger Kevin Johnson (29-4).

After losing a second time to Fury, Chisora has won five in a row, which includes a 2nd round stoppage over Andras Csmor on January 9th.

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, and has featured over 50 world class title fight. AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson. In 2014, AWE televised the crowning of lightweight champion Terence Crawford with his win over Burns as well as the exciting rematches between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez along with Tony Bellew defeating Nathan Cleverly. In 2015, AWE brought boxing fans on of the most anticipated rematches of the year, Darleys Perez v. Anthony Crolla II for the WBA Lightweight World Title.

In 2016, AWE was the exclusive American boradcaster of Lucas Browne’s stunning knockout over Ruslan Chagaev to win the WBA Heavyweight title.

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

Christopher Brooker & Antowyan Aikens meet Face to Face before their big showdown this Friday, May 6 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia

For Immediate Release

Philadelphia, PA (May 2, 2016)–THIS Friday night, May 6th, a terrific night of boxing returns the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia as King’s Promotions presents a ten-bout card.

In the main event, rising super middleweight Christopher Brooker (8-1, 5 KOs) takes on Antowyan Aikens (10-1-1. 1 KO) in a bout scheduled for eight-rounds.

This past Friday night in Atlantic City, the Brooker of Philadelphia and Aikens of Atlantic City met for an impromptu face off and they are both ready for this important battle.

In the six-round co-feature, former world welterweight champion, Kermit Cintron (35-5-2, 28 KO’s) of Reading, PA will be back in action when he takes on Eduardo Flores (23-20-3, 15 KO’s) of Quito, Ecuador in a jr. middleweight bout.

In a six-round super lightweight bout, Naim Nelson (12-1, 1 NC, 1 KO) battles Carlos Velasquez (24-23-2, 15 KO’s) of Managua, Nicaragua.

In a six-round super welterweight bout, Erik Spring (6-1,1 KO) of Reading, PA will fight Justin Johnson (6-11-4) of Pittsburgh, PA.

In four-round bouts:

Scott Kelleher (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will fight Robert Ramos (1-4, 1 KO) of Allentown, PA in a super lightweight fight.

Tyrone Crawley Jr. (4-0) of Philadelphia will square off with Korey Sloane (2-8-2) of Philadelphia in lightweight bout.

Amir Shabazz (3-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia fights Tahlik Taylor (1-3) of Freeport, NY in a light heavyweight affair.

Aaron Brooks of Philadelphia will make his pro debut against Ryan Bivins (0-1-1) of Philadelphia in super middleweight bout.

Thomas Velasquez (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will fight Grashino Yancy (1-0) of Staten Island, New York in a super featherweight bout.

Emmanuel Folly (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will take on an opponent to be announced in a bantamweight contest.

Tickets for this great evening of boxing are priced at $100 for Ringside, $75 for Premium, $50 for Reserved and $35 for Standing room and can be purchased BY CLICKING HERE

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (May 2, 2016) – An intriguing fight between a pair of Russian featherweights, Mikhail Korobkov and Timur Nagibin, has been added to the M-1 Challenge 66 event, May 27 in Orenburg City, Russia.

In the main event, M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov (23-5-0, M-1: 14-4-0) will defend his against challenger Rashid Yusupov (6-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0). Former M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz (13-2-0, M-1: 4-1-0), fighting out of Munich, Germany, also returns to face M-1 Global-debuting Andrey Seledtsov 5-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), who is a former Spetsnev solider.

M-1 Challenge 66 will be streamed live from Moscow in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.

Korobkov (9-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1) is coming off of a hard-fought draw with Rodrigo Magalhaes (see above picture) last December at M-1 Challenge 63, in which he had his 9-fight win streak snapped that started with his pro debut.

Nagibin has reeled-off seven consecutive wins since he lost his pro debut. At M-1 Challenge 64 this past February, he won a decision over Andrey Lezhnev. Nagibin is known for his powerful kicks (see picture below) and back-fists.

Information

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

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/M-1-GlobalNews

HOLLYWOOD, FL. (April 29, 2016) – Undefeated lightweight world champion Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (24-0, 13 KOs) will make his first title defense against former world champion Mickey “The Spirit” Bey (22-1-1, 10 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike Friday, June 3 at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT as unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs) takes on hard-hitting Mexican Victor “Pitufo” Proa (28-1-2, 21 KOs) in a 10-round bantamweight affair.

“There were rumors that a fight between me and Mickey Bey was on the brink of happening prior to my fight against Denis Shafikov, so now that it is here, I know it was destined to happen,” said Barthelemy. “I’m not a rookie anymore. I’m not going into this worried or nervous about it being my first title defense at 135. I’m comfortable enough now to see every fight as just another challenge I need to execute my game plan the most effectively and with the least amount of errors.”

“Barthelemy won my title, I had to vacate it due to a hand injury, so all he is doing is keeping it warm for me,” said Bey. “Training camp is going great. I have been training hard for over a month. I have the best team in the business, with the most knowledgeable trainers. I’m looking forward to the challenge with him being undefeated and a two-time world champion. We both have a lot of skills, so it will make an entertaining fight for sure.”

“I want to challenge all of the bantamweight champions to fight me so they can see a real athlete in the ring,” said Rodriguez. “I have been training hard. This is a lifestyle for me. I have been training since December and on June 3, I am going to deliver a knockout.”

“I’m excited about this opportunity against a good young fighter,” said Proa. “I’ve been training hard and feel like this is my time. I’m going to come forward and see what this guy can do.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Kings Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and Panther Promotions, are priced at $130, $80, $60 and $35 and are on sale now. All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.myhrl.com,www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open at 5:30 pm, with the first fight set to begin at 6:30 p.m. *Additional fees may apply.

“This will be a tremendous night of boxing on Spike TV,” said Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions. “Barthelemy is an up-and-coming star in the sport and he is facing a former world champion who never lost his belt in the ring. This will be a great fight and there should be a great atmosphere with a lot of Cuban boxing fans there to support their world champion.”

“We’re looking forward to bringing a great night of boxing to the State of Florida. We’re giving the fans another treat come June 3rd. The card is stacked with matchups that will undoubtedly be crowd pleasers,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Both Mickey Bey and Rances Barthelemy have world titles under their belts, so they will bring in the experience of being able to perform, and match it up against one another to see who will come out the best man standing at the end of the night.”

“We at Panther Promotions are very excited for this June 3rd card at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino,” said Elliot Alvarado, CEO, Panther Promotions. “We are proudly joining forces with both Mayweather and Kings Promotions, which are featuring PBC on Spike TV. This is going to be a sensational evening of boxing featuring Cuban Lightweight Champion Rances Barthelemy vs. Cleveland’s own former champion, Mickey Bey. Our goal is to bring back the classic fights to the Seminole Hard Rock Live in South Florida.”

A Cuban amateur national champion, 29-year-old Barthelemy has yet to taste defeat since turning pro in 2009. Born in Cuba but now fighting out of Las Vegas, he won a super featherweight world title in July 2014 by defeating Argenis Mendez in impressive fashion, and followed that up with a second round TKO victory over Angino Perez. After dominating former champion Antonio DeMarco in June, he won a world title in a second division when he impressively defeated Denis Shafikov in December.

Bey won his world title in 2014 with a decision victory over long reigning champion Miguel Vasquez. The 32-year-old vacated his title due to inactivity and injuries but returned in December to defeat previously unbeaten Naim Nelson by decision to earn himself a shot at the very title he vacated. Bey’s previous victories include defeats against Alan Herrera, Carlos Cardenas and Hector Velazquez.

At just 23-years-old, Rodriguez has been on a fast track towards a world title fight since turning pro in 2012. He made his U.S. debut in November by stopping Eliecer Aquino after previously taking down Gabor Molnar, Luis Hinojosa and Alex Rangel in 2015. The Manati, Puerto Rico-born fighter will bring his exciting style into the ring against another tough opponent on June 3.

Fighting out of Monterrey, Mexico, Proa will be fighting in the U.S. for the third time when he takes on Rodriguez on June 3. The 31-year-old was unbeaten in his first 28 pro starts and has won his last two bouts, including most recently a first round stoppage of Oswaldo Delgado in February.

Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @RealKidBlast, @MickeyBeyTMT, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports, @KingsBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @PantherPromo and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and
www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions. Highlights available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.

2 May 2016 – Singapore: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced the addition of three key senior hires to join its executive leadership team. Pithambar Gona joins as ONE Championship’s Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Sim as Head of Media Rights Sales, and Kevin Matas as Head of Marketing.

CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui stated, “I am thrilled to announce the addition of world-class business leaders at ONE Championship to drive our next stage of global growth. Without a doubt, we sit here today as Asia’s most successful sports media property in history because of the amazing leaders and staff at ONE Championship. With the addition of Preet, Kevin, and Kevin, our senior leadership team is now the most globally-seasoned corporate leadership team in the entire sports media industry in Asia. I have never been more excited for the future of ONE Championship.”

Prior to joining ONE Championship, Pithambar (“Preet”) Gona was most recently a Managing Director at Blackstone, one of the world’s largest and most successful investment firms, where he worked for approximately 7 years, most recently based in Singapore. As Blackstone’s first investment professional in Singapore, Gona launched and led the firm’s private equity business in Southeast Asia. During his tenure, Blackstone’s overall operations in Singapore grew to more than 35 professionals. Before joining Blackstone in 2008 as a founding member of its Asian M&A advisory business in Hong Kong, Gona worked as an Associate at Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong. Gona received an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Manufacturing Management from the Pennsylvania State University and a BE with distinction in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University in India.

Hailing from Red Bull, the leading energy drink & one of the top action sports media brands in the world, Kevin Matas is a seasoned marketing & social media executive who has spent his career building, launching, and developing various brand and media properties. Most recently, Matas was in charge of Red Bull’s entire social media platform in the US: social media strategy, programming, content development, community management, and analytics across various platforms (with a collective audience of 50 million followers). Matas was also a key part of the pioneering team that launched Red Bull’s monthly magazine (The Red Bulletin) in the United States. Heading up all marketing efforts for the magazine, he led the charge in production, distribution, audience development, brand management, brand activations, partnerships, and social media. During his tenure, the Red Bulletin’s audience grew from 0 – 315,000 print subscribers in 3 short years, making it the fastest growing active-lifestyle magazine in the U.S.

Kevin Sim is a world-class media executive with a sharp focus on media rights sales in Asia. As a sales and marketing executive, Sim was part of the pioneering team of MP & Silva as its 3rd employee, and played a pivotal role as Marketing Director in transforming the upstart into one of the world’s premier international sports media distribution companies. He played an active role in driving TV and media rights for sports federations, leagues, clubs and rights holders. Sim also has significant experience as a regional commercial director at MCA where he held a number of key sales and commercial roles across Asia-Pacific, including sales, partnership, business development and distribution roles. At MCA, Kevin led all aspects of commercial responsibilities for the firm and its umbrella of channel and media partners, which includes Bloomberg Television, ITV Choice (Granada), Outdoor Channel, amongst others.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the largest sports entertainment events across Asia featuring the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship is broadcast to over 1 billion viewers across 75+ countries around the world with some of the largest global broadcasters, including FOX Sports, Setanta, MNC, Astro, Thairath TV, ABS-CBN, TV5, Physique TV, MYTV, HTV, Esporte Interativo and more.

Badou Jack retained the WBC Super Middleweight title via a dubious 12-round majority draw with former IBF champion Lucian Bute

Bute was cut around the right eye in round three from an elbow.  It seemed like Jack controlled the first ten rounds with superior boxing ability and worked the body.  Bute worked hard but he didn’t seem to make the imprint that Jack was making.  It looked like Jack was get to the finish with a comfortable decision but two judges saw it differently as they saw it 114-114.  Jack deservedly won a card 117-111.

Jack, 167.4 lbs of Stickholm, SWE is now 20-1-2.  Bute, 167 lbs of Laval, CAN is 32-3-1.

“Let’s unify the decision and see who the best is,” DeGale said to Jack in a post-fight interview moderated by SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray.

“I’m ready in September, ready in August,” responded Jack.” “I’m ready whenever. Let’s do it where it makes the most sense financially.”

“Bullshit, but is what it is. Ask Bute as well, he knows what time it is,” said Jack, who landed nearly 100 more punches than Bute, including 61 percent of his power punches, and 40 percent total of his total shots. “His punches weren’t hurting me. I feel I won the fight. Maybe I lost the last round. He’s a great guy and a great champion, but I know I won the fight.

“It’s not Bute’s fault, it’s the judges. People saw I won the fight.”

“It was a close fight,” said Bute, who connected at just a 21 percent rate with his total punches. “Believe me, it was very close fight. My last fight with DeGale was very close, tonight was a very close fight. I showed everyone I’m still at the top.”

James DeGale retained the IBF Super Middleweight championship with a 12-round unanimous decision over Rogelio Medina.

DeGale won on skills as he landed a the sharper punches but Medina pressed the action and stayed in the chest of DeGale.  DeGale fought well as he showcased some nice upper cuts as Medina worked the body effectively.

DeGale, 167.6 lbs of Harlesdon, UK won by scores of 117-111 twice and 115-113.  Medina, 167.8 lbs of Hermosillo, MX is 36-7.

“The boxing skills are too good,” DeGale said. “If I’m being honest, he’s a very strong fighter, but skills pay the bills. I watched this guy years ago and he didn’t have the engine like that. He’s gotten better and stronger in the last year and a half.

“I’m a bit disappointed – I should be taking out people like Porky Medina, no disrespect to him.

“I’m always learning in the gym. My inside work, my defense, my concentration. I’m going to go back to the gym, I’m going to work and I’ll be ready in September.

“I want Badou Jack. I want a fresh name on my record.”

“The boxing skills are too good,” DeGale said. “If I’m being honest, he’s a very strong fighter, but skills pay the bills. I watched this guy years ago and he didn’t have the engine like that. He’s gotten better and stronger in the last year and a half.

“I’m a bit disappointed – I should be taking out people like Porky Medina, no disrespect to him.

“I’m always learning in the gym. My inside work, my defense, my concentration. I’m going to go back to the gym, I’m going to work and I’ll be ready in September.

“I want Badou Jack. I want a fresh name on my record.”

Anabel Ortiz made the seventh defense of the WBA Minimumweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Katia Gutierrez at the Interview with San Fernando Gymnasium in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico.

Ortiz won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 20-3. Gutierrez is now 19-7.

Pedro Campa stopped former world champion Jose Alfaro when Alfaro stayed on his stool and took a count as the fifth round started.

Campa, 140 lbs is now 21-0 with 17 knockouts. Alfaro, 140 lbs is now 28-10-1.

RYAN WALSH TKO5 (2:34) VS. JAMES TENNYSON

The British Featherweight Championship

12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 126lbs

Ryan Walsh emphatically defended his British Featherweight title against Belfast’s James Tennyson at Stratford’s Copper Box Arena. Walsh, 29, put his opponent down with two solid body shots in the fifth round before the referee waved off the contest at 2 minutes 34 seconds.

In a cagey opening round it was Tennyson who looked the more comfortable, earning Walsh’s respect with a series of solid straight rights. The second round started in a similar fashion before Walsh took control of the bout, landing a wave of stiff right hands on the Belfast man. Tennyson was down for the first time in the second round after Walsh connected with a crippling body shot.

A plucky response from Tennyson in the third bought him some time but Walsh, supported by his noisy Farmy Army, continued to take hold of the fight. History-making Walsh was making his shots count; picking Tennyson off with solid jabs.

Walsh carved his name into the boxing history records last September when he joined super-featherweight brother Liam as the first set of twins to simultaneously hold British titles and looked determined to keep hold of his prize.

The British title was won in the fifth round after the impressive Cromer star put Irishman Tennyson down with another crippling body shot. A brave Tennyson beat the referees count before the contest was waved-off at 2 minutes 38 seconds.

ANTHONY NELSON VS. JAMIE CONLAN WTKO8

The Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Championship

12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 115lbs

Belfast hero Jamie Conlan claimed the Commonwealth Super-Flyweight title from South Shields’ Anthony Nelson in what will surely go down as the fight of the year. The all-action Irishman finally won the gripping tear-up in the eighth round after putting the brave Nelson down for a final time.

In an explosive opening round both men were happy to trade huge blows. Conlan took the first round by dropping his South Shields opponent, despite already suffering from a nasty cut on his left eye.

In the second round both men continued to throw bombs at will in what was already developing into a classic. It was blink and you’ll miss it stuff at the Copper Box Arena as the gripping Commonwealth title dustup captivated the crowd.

Conlan went down for the first time in the third round after being caught by a solid shot from the resurgent Nelson. Fight fans around the world were witnessing a true barn-burner as both men threw everything they had at each other.

‘Baby Faced’ Nelson went down for a second time in the fifth as Conlan looked for a big finish. Amazingly, Nelson recovered again and began to take control of the bout at the half way point. 30 year-old Nelson appeared to be stronger after his second knockdown and began to dictate the speed of the fight.

Braveheart Conlan claimed the Commonwealth title in the eighth round after flooring Nelson with a crippling left hook to the body. Ultimately it was Conlan who came away with the Commonwealth title but both men won the hearts of all those watching with truly heroic performances.

HUGHIE FURY WPTS4 (69-66, 70-64, 69-65) VS. FRED KASSI

The Vacant WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship

12 X 3 Minute Rounds

Manchester heavyweight prospect Hughie Fury outpointed Fred Kassi to claim his first professional title in the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight championship at the Copper Box Arena. Fury, cousin of World Heavyweight Champion Tyson, looked in complete control of the bout before the referee stopped the contest in the sixth round after a cut to Fury’s left eye caused by an accidental clash of heads left him unable to continue.

New Orleans-based Kassi attempted to make life difficult for Fury by switching between orthodox and southpaw but 21 year-old Fury comfortably dealt with everything thrown his way. A low key third round saw Fury move from second gear into third, still dictating the pace of a tactical bout.

A nasty gash on undefeated Fury’s left eye began to open up after an accidental clash of heads in the sixth round. With blood streaming down the heavyweight prospect’s face an early stoppage loomed. The referee decided to end the title contest in the eighth round after taking a close look at the damaged eye.

With Fury unable to continue it went to the judges’ score cards. All three judges scored the fight in Fury’s favour (69-66, 70-64, 69-65) and the mancunian heavyweight destroyer took his record to 20-0.

LIAM WALSH WTKO8 (1:22) VS. TROY JAMES

THE BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SUPER-FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 130lbs

Cromer’s British and Commonwealth super-featherweight Champion Liam Walsh defended his titles with an eighth round stoppage win over Troy James to retain both his titles on the same night that twin brother Ryan emphatically defended his British title against James Tennyson; another first for British boxing.

Walsh, who had been out of action since suffering a hand injury in the build up to his WBO world title eliminator against Petr Petrov, didn’t show any signs of ring rust as he soaked up an energetic flurry of shots form James.

Both men were made to miss in the second as confidence grew in each corner. 29 year-old Walsh picked his shots well and was the more effective of the two men. After being dubiously knocked down in the third James came back with vengeance, landing a series of well-timed combinations.

James maintained his impressive work rate in the fourth but the champion’s class begun to shine through. More quality shots from Walsh followed in the fifth as the world-title chasing man took control of the fight. A sapping body shot from Walsh in the sixth threatened to topple James before he regained his composure and returned fire.

A determined Walsh began to lay it on in the eighth, connecting with numerous razor sharp shots. The classy Walsh was determined to make an explosive return to action after a long lay-off and he certainly did that. James’ corner threw in the towel 1 minute and 22 seconds into the eighth round to seal a memorable night for the Walsh clan.

NATHAN GORMAN WTKO2 (2:48) VS. HRVOJE KISICEK

4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Heavyweight Contest

Ricky Hatton-trained heavyweight prospect Nathan Gorman announced himself on the professional stage with a first round stoppage win over Croatia’s Hrvoje Kisicek. The Mancunian mountain had his opponent down three times in the opening round before the referee waved off the contest at 2 minutes 48 seconds.

BEN SMITH WPTS4 (40-36) VS. FONZE ALEXANDER

4 x 3 Minute Rounds Super-Lightweight Contest

Teenage terror Ben Smith lit up Stratford’s Copper Box Arena with an explosive points victory over Newark’s Fonz Alexander. The West Ham man picked up his third professional victory with the referee scoring the contest 40-36 in Smith’s favour.

LEWIS PETITITT WTKO2 (1:42) VS. TIBOR NODARI

8 X 3 Minute Rounds International Featherweight Contest

Erith man Lewis Pettitt made light work of Hungary’s Tibor Nodari in the third contest of the night. Pettitt was on top from the very first bell and dominated the ring throughout. The referee waved off the fight at 1:42 into round two and the former WBA International Champion came away with his nineteenth career win.

TONY BANGE WPTS4 (39-36) VS. TEODOR STEFANOV

4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Welterweight Contest

Naseem Hamed prodigy Tony Bange was made to work for his first professional victory and survived an early onslaught from all-action Teodor Stefanov. Bange found his feet in the third round after a nervy start to life as a pro. The Staines welterweight prospect summoned his explosive ‘TNT’ power midway through the third and has his opponent hanging on. 25 year-old Bange came steaming out his corner in the fourth and final round looking for a big finish. New boy Bange took the bout with a score of 39-36.

BARNEY JOE JONES VS. DEAN GILLEN WPTS4 (39-37)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Middleweight Contest

Enfield youngster Barney Joe Jones suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Nottingham’s Dean Gillen. In the first barn-burner of the night Gillen came away with a points victory of 39-37. Both men put their all into an explosive slugfest.

SANJEEV SAHOTA TKO1 (1:00) VS. NIKITA GULTJAJEVS

4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Lightweight Contest

24-year old Hornchurch debutant Sanjeev Sahota made a sensational start to life in the paid ranks with a first round stoppage over Latvia’s Nikita Gultjajevs. It took ‘SSS’ just 60 seconds to dispose of Gultjajevs after landing a series of punishing combinations.

VIJENDER SINGH WTKO5 (1:52) VS. MATIOUZE ROYER

6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Middleweight Contest

India’s golden boxing boy Vijender Singh continued his march towards a huge summer homecoming with a punishing stoppage win over Frenchman Matiouze Royer. Singh wasted no time and had his opponent on the back foot from the off, finding his way past Royer’s defence with accurate uppercuts.

Afterwards Vijender said: “We had a solid game plan and I stuck to it perfectly. Royer is a tough opponent and made it difficult for me at times but he couldn’t handle my power and accuracy. I felt in complete control throughout the fight and it’s a shame the ref waved it off, I wanted more!

“It felt like everything I was throwing was connecting. I’m feeling stronger with every fight and want to carry on this momentum. I’ve got a huge Indian homecoming to look forward to this summer so it’s vital I get past my next opponent in Bolton.”

Francis Warren, Singh’s promoter, said: “I’m very impressed with Vijinder tonight. He’s showed everyone what he’s capable of and I’m excited for his future. He’s completely dedicated to his training and it showed tonight. He looked levels above Royer, who’s rarely stopped. Everything is shaping up nicely for his July 16th homecoming, all he needs to do now is get past his May 13th bout in Bolton.”

BOY JONES JNR WTKO4 (2:00) VS. ARON SZIAGYI

6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Featherweight Contest

19 year-old Super-Featherweight puncher Boy Jones Jnr picked up his eighth career win with a classy stoppage over Hungary’s Aron Sziagyi. Boy Jones unleashed a relentless barrage of powerful shots on the retreating Sziagyi who was pulled out of the contest by the referee two minutes into the fourth round.

JOE PIGFORD WTKO1 (2:41) VS. MIKE BYLES

8 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Welterweight Contest

Unbeaten power-punching 22 year-old Joe Pigford blew away Warwick’s Mike Byles inside three minutes to pick up his tenth pro victory. Pigford has been out of the ring since July last year but showed no signs of ring rust in an impressive first round blitz. The Southampton super-welterweight man brought home the bacon, much to the delight of his noisy travelling supporters.

D.P CARR WPTS4 (40-36) VS. QASIM HUASSAIN

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest

Sidcup’s D.P Carr overcame Sheffield’s Qasim Hussein to claim his fourth professional victory at Stratford’s Copper Box Arena. 25 year-old Carr was on top throughout the contest and came away with a comfortable points victory. All-action Carr repeatedly found his way past Hussain’s patchy defence and made use of his explosive one punch power. The referee scored the bout 40-36 on Carr’s favour.

ANTHONY YARDE WKO2 (2:40) VS. TZVETOZAR ILIEV

6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Light-Heavyweight Contest

Ilford light-heavyweight destroyer Anthony Yarde racked-up another brutal knockout win over Bulgaria’s Tzvetozar Iliev tonight at the Copper Box Arena. It’s now five knockout wins in six professional fights for the slick and powerful 24 year-old. A huge uppercut in the second round wobbled Iliev before Yarde sent his man crashing to the canvas with another solid shot.

Follow all the action as Badou Jack defends the WBC Super Middleweight title against former world champion Lucian Bute.  The action begins at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT with an IBF Super Middleweight title bout between James DeGale and Rogelio Medina….NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1 Jack lands a left to the body

Round 2 Bute lands a right to the body..Jack lands a left to the body..Combination from Bute..Jack lands a right to the body and a left hook to the body..Left from Bute..right to the body from Jack..

Round 3 Bute lands a straight left…Cut around the right eye of Bute..Jack lands a body shot..

Round 4 Jack lands a right…Left and uppercut from Bute…Short left to the chin from Jack…Body work..counter shot..

Round 5 Counter right from Jack…Overhand left…left hook to the face..

Round 6 Jack lands a right to the body…Hard right…Right uppercut from Bute..3 punch combination..stiff right from Jack…Left hook to the head..

Round 7 Combination from Bute…Left and right from Jack…1-2…

Round 8

Round 9 jack working the body…Counter left hook…Right uppercut to the body

Round 10 Left and right for Bute..2 lefts and right hand for Jack

Round 11 Right uppercut from Bute…Bute getting better of exchanges

Round 12 Bute coming forward

117-111 Jack; 114-114 twice…..A DRAW

Round 1 DeGale landing the jab…landing head punches..right hook..body shots

Round 2 DeGale landing blistering shots…focusing on the body

Round 3 Medina working the body on the ropes..DeGale landing to body and the head…right uppercut from Medina..

Round 4 Medina lands a right..sweeping right from DeGale..Medina digging at the body..Combination from DeGale..Medina landing to the body…left uppercut from DeGale..Counter jab from Medina…body…

Round 5 Left from Meduppercut..ina..Right from Medina..Combination from Medina..Good exchange on the ropes..Right uppercut from DeGale..right…

Round 6 DeGale lands a jab…Medina lands a left hook to the body..right…Huge combination backs up Medina,..

Round 7 Left from Medina…right hook from DeGale…Both get in jabs…Left from Medina…Uppercut from DeGale

Round 8 Left hook from Medina..right from DeGale…Long right…Left hook to the body from Medina..Nice right uppercut and body shots from deGale..

Round 9 Hard uppercut from DeGale…Medina working the body…combination..Combination from DeGale…Right uppercut

Round 10 Medina coming forward trying to work the body

Round 11 Medina making the fight

Round 12 Medina lands a right…Counter from DeGale..right uppercut..Jab from Medina..Nice combination..Left from DeGale..uppercut..

115-113, 117-111 twice for James DeGale

Andre Berto avenged his first professional loss as he stopped Victor Ortiz in round four of their scheduled 12-round Welterweight bout.

In round one, a clash of heads caused a cut on the hairline of Ortiz,  In  round two, Ortiz dropped Berto with a straight left.  In round four, Berto dropped Ortiz with a straight right hand.  Ortiz was in trouble and took punishment on the ropes and a hard uppercut put Ortiz on the canvas for a second time.  Ortiz was if he wanted to continue by referee Jack Reiss but Ortiz didn’t answer and the fight was stopped at 1:14 of round 4

Berto of Winter Haven, CA is 31-4 with 24 knockouts.  Ortiz of Ventura, CA is 31-6-2.

Thomas Williams Jr. scored the biggest win of his career when he scored a stunning 2nd round stoppage over Edwin Rodriguez in a scheduled 10-round Light Heavyweight bout.

It was a firefight from the word go, as both guys landed huge bombs that had each other rocked and hurt on several occasions.  Just before the end of the 2nd frame, Williams nailed Rodriguez with a booming right hook that sent Rodriguez to the canvas.  Rodriguez got to his feet, but was wobbly and referee Wayne Hedgepeth stopped the bout at 2:59 of round two.

Williams, 177 lbs of Laurel, MD is now 20-1 with 14 knockouts.  Rodriguez, 177 lbs of Worcester, MA is 28-2.

Jorge Lara took out former world champion Fernando Montiel by registering 4 knockdowns in a just over a minute of their Featherweight bout.

Lara dropped Montiel seconds in with a right hook.  Montiel was wobbly when he got up and was dropped two more times with right hooks.  He was allowed to continue after the third knockdown only to be leveled with anrother rght hook and he went down face first and the fight was stopped at 1:37.

Lara, 124 lbs of Guadalajara, MX is now 28-0-2 with 20 knockouts.  Montiel, 126 lbs lbs of Los Mochis, MX has seen better days and his record now stands at 54-6-2.

Good looking Super Middleweight prospect David Benavidez stopped Phil Jackson in round two of their scheduled eight round bout.

Benavidez systematically beat down Jackson over the first round and a half until he landed a uppercut and shot to the body that softened Jackson up for a follow up left hook that sent Jackson down face first and the fight was stopped at 2:07.

Benavidez of Phoenix, AZ is now 14-0 with 13 knockouts.  Benson is now 16-3.

Gerald Washington remained undefeated by scoring a 8-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Eddie Chambers.

Washington of Los Angeles won by scores of 8-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 17-0-1.  Chambers of Philadelphia is 44-3.