Luis Nery won a 10-round unanimous decision over Martin Casillas in a Bantamweight bout at Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera in Mexico City.

Nery scored a knockdown in round one from a body shot. He scored another knockdown in round four.

Nery, 118 lbs of Tijuana, MX won by scores of 100-88, 99-89 and 98-90 and is now 19-0. Casillas, 118 lbs of Mexico City is 15-7-1

Jose Zepeda won a 10-round unanimous decision over Pedro Navarrete in a super lightweight bout.

Zepeda registered a knockdown in the final frame with a body shot and he went on to win by scores of 98-92 ans 97-92 twice.

Zepeda, 137 1/2 lbs of Long Beach, CA is 25-1. Navarrete, 137 1/2 lbs of Zampragon, MX is 29-22-3.

Michael Chiesa scored a 2nd round chokeout over Beneil Dariush in a Lightweight bout.

The bout was stopped at 1:20 of round two.

Raquel Pennington scored a split decision over Beth Correia in a Bantamweight bout.

Pennington won two cards 29-28 while Correia won a card 29-28.

John Dodson made quick work of Manvel Gamburyan in a Bantamweight bout.

Dodson ran out and landed a hard left that rocked Gamburyan and he followed it up with a barrage of flush punches and the bout was stopped at 28 seconds.

BROOKLYN (April 16, 2016) – An action-packed primetime doubleheader of world title fights, headlined by the explosive, eagerly-awaited clash between welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and former champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter,will come to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 25.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) broadcast will begin with a co-main event featherweight battle between current champion Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale Thursday, April 21 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs), of Clearwater, Fla., and Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of Akron, Ohio, are both coming off superb 2015 campaigns that solidified the fresh faces among the elite of arguably boxing’s most exciting division. With perennial pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather now retired, the 27-year-old Thurman and the 28-year-old Porter are hungry to stake their claim as the future of boxing.

Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs), of Buenos Aires, Argentina, will make the second defense of his WBA 126-pound title against Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs), a popular brawler from Southern California who has compiled a staggering resume over the past five years while earning titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds. Cuellar vs. Mares joins a stacked lineup of featherweight bouts that showcases many of the world’s best 126-pounders aiming to unifying one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

“Keith Thurman against Shawn Porter is one of the best matchups that can be made in the welterweight division right now,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Fans in attendance at Barclays Center and those watching on CBS will witness a passing of the torch as the hard-punching world titleholder Thurman and the highly skilled former champion Porter vie to prove who will be the next heir to the throne in the post-Mayweather era of the 147-pound division. The explosive co-main event between Jesus Cuellar and Abner Mares will give fans a fight to remember.”

“Barclays Center has featured many memorable welterweight fights and the long-awaited Thurman vs. Porter matchup promises to become the best one yet,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.

LOS ANGELES (April 15, 2016) – Golden Boy Promotions kept its promise in bringing the best to boxing fans, putting together the biggest fight to hit LA FIGHT CLUB yet. Former WBC Continental Americas and former NABF Welterweight Champion Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass (29-10-4, 18 KO) faced Japan’s mighty warrior and former OPBF Welterweight Champion Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai (26-4-2, 23 KO) in a spectacular 10-round super welterweight performance at The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles broadcast live on Boxeo Estellaron Estrella TV. It was a packed house tonight at The Belasco Theater, and the stellar sold out show saw the likes of Golden Boy stablemates Jason “El Animal” Quiqley, Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia, Carlos “The Solution” Morales, Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis, Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr., Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete, Joet Gonzalez, and Pablo “The Shark” Rubio were in attendance, along with television star Mario Lopez and Golden Boy Promotions President & CEO Oscar de la Hoya, who met and mingled with fans during this action-packed night.

Former WBC Continental Americas and former NABF Welterweight champion, Soto Karass was matched in strength and power by opponent Kamegai, former OPBF Welterweight Champion. The two fighters refused to give the other the upper hand and battled it out until the end, exchanging hits, jabs, and blocks. Both boxers remained adamant against their opponents, each counter punching speedy hits and hard blows. Unable to decide a victor, the judges named a match a draw with scores of 97-93 (Kamegai), 96-94 (Soto Karass), and 95-95.

“This fight was a war, exactly what the fans expected,” said Jesus Soto Karass. “The people truly won tonight. I felt really good in the ring, but Kamegai was a true, Japanese warrior. I feel we both delivered an exciting night of boxing.”

“I’m still getting used to the time zone here, but I feel really good about my performance tonight,” said Yoshihiro Kamegai. “Soto Karass did catch me a few times, but every time he did, he was met with my counterpunches. Soto Karass was the kind of fighter I was expecting to fight-a true warrior.”

Golden Boy Promotions fan favorite, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chigonsky” Shabranskyy (16-0, 13 KOs) of Los Angeles added another knockout under his belt tonight with his epic takedown of Chicago’s Derrick “Superman” Findley (23-19-1, 15 KOs) in the eight-round cruiserweight co-main event match-up. From the beginning of the first round, Slava delivered swift blows to Findley’s chest and by the second round, Shabranskyy had his opponent cornered. Findley could only fend off “Lion Heart-Chigonsky” with his blocks for so long as Shabranskyy boxed around his opponent and executed power punches securing him a third round knockout victory.

“I have the best teams and the best fans. I’m so happy Los Angeles has welcomed me to in to their familia,” said Shabranskyy of his victory. “In the ring, I’ve learned to become more patient, waiting for my opponent, but I’m also ready to pounce for an attack. I embrace my “chingonsky” and I’m looking forward to training hard to give my fans more shows.”

Starting off his professional career with a knockout victory, Genaro “El Conde” Gamez, (1-0, 1 KO) took on Archie Weah (1-6) of Norcross, Georgia in an impressive professional debut. The fight began with fire, as both fighters pounced to get their win. However, Weah could not keep up with Gamez’s speed and hard punches, landing a series of punching combinations that put a stop to Weah in the first round.

“I made sure to start the fight slow so I could figure out Weah,” said Genaro Gamez. “Once I was aware of Weah’s style I proceeded to take control of the fight and I am glad I was able to stop him early. I feel excited about this victory as my professional debut and look forward to the next fight.”

Making his professional debut tonight on the super middleweight division, Miami, Florida’s southpaw star Niko “Baby Face” Valdes (1-0, 1 KO) faced Roberto Ramirez (0-3) in a ground shaking first round knockout bash. Beginning the bout, Valdes knocked down his opponent with a hit, after Ramirez got back on his feet he was met first with a body punch and then a series of combination punches to the chest which stopped him the first round.

“Today was the day my dreams came true, just as I envisioned it,” said Valdes of his victory. “As I look forward to my career, I want to aspire to have a career like Canelo, because he is a world champion super-star. In Miami, I train alongside amazing world champs, and they have built me to be an aggressive fighter, prepared for it all.”

Representing East Los Angeles, Jonathan “Thunder” Navarro (5-0, 4 KOs)brought some serious rumble in to the ring with his third round knockout over Tavorous Teague (3-11-2, 2 KOs) of Paramount, CA in their scheduled six-round welterweight fight. Navarro was applying pressure to Teague the second the bell rang, with his consistent heavy-hitting jabs. In the second round, Navarro’s aggression was mounting and the force proved too much for Teague to handle as he lost his footing, but rebounded looking to catch Navarro. After an exchange of hits and jabs, Navarro came back and took his opponent down in the third round to win the fight via knock out.

“It was a good fight tonight. I came in more patient, waiting to strike,” said Navarro. “I learned a lot from this fight because it was my first time coming across my opponent’s fighting style. I feel ecstatic about adding another knockout, and I am very excited for my next fight.”

Eager to begin his professional boxing career, Glendora, California’s Jousce Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO) entered the ring with a bang knocking out opponent Noe Perez (1-2) of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico in the first round as the opening bout of the night. Gonzalez has boxing in his blood as his brother Joet Gonzalez is a professional fighter and his sister is Jajaira Gonzalez is a finalist for the 2016 Olympic Women’s Boxing Team. Gonzalez impressively knocked down Perez three times before the fight was called off by the referee, awarding him his first victory by knockout.

“I feel so blessed to start off my professional career how I did tonight,” said Jousce Gonzalez of his winning knockout. “Coming out to my song, to the lights, and to the fans, I can’t help but feel excited for the future. I’m from a boxing family, and having Joet Gonzalez as my brother makes me really competitive against him, so I push to train harder in the ring and this is what makes me a better boxer.”

Jesus Soto Karass vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors opened at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout began at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast aired live on Friday, April 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and streamed live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

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

Nikolay Potapov and Stephon Young battled to a 10-round draw in a bantamweight bout at The Turning Stone Resort Casino.

Potapov won a card 96-94 but that was overruled by two scores that were 95-95.

Potapov, 117 lbs of Russia is 14-0-1. Young, 116 1/2 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 14-0-3.

Mason Menard scored a scary third round stoppage over previously undefeated Eudy Bernardo in a scheduled 8-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Menard landed a hard right that sent Bernardo to the canvas. In round three, Menard landed a huge right that sent Bernardo down viciously with Bernardo’s head bouncing off the canvas and the fight was immediately stopped at 2:11.

Menard, 135 lbs of Raine, LA is now 31-1 with 23 knockouts. Bernardo, 135.5 lbs of the Dominican Republic us 21-1.

In a battle of undefeated Cruiserweights, Constantin Bejenaru won a 8-round unanimous decision over Alexey Zubov.

In round seven, Zubov landed a little right hand that sent Bejenaru to the canvas.

Bejenaru, 198 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 78-73 twice and 77-74 and is now 11-0-1. Zubov of Russia is 10-1.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a busy stretch of live combat sports and it begins tonight, Friday, April 15 at 10 p.m. with a live presentation of a surefire “Fight of the Year” candidate on Golden Boy Promotions’ LA FIGHT CLUB, as former WBC Contienntal Americas and NABF welterweight champion Jesus “Renuente” Soto-Karass (28-10-3, 18 KO) faces Japan’s mighty warrior and former OPBF welterweight champion Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai (26-3-1, 23 KO) in a 10-round welterweight showdown, co-headlined by an explosive clash between Los Angeles transplant Vyacheslav “Lion Heart” Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KO) and seasoned Chicago native Derrick “Superman” Findley (23-18-1, 15 KO). The LA FIGHT CLUB broadcast from downtown Los Angeles’ Belasco Theater will be televised live across Canada.

Less than one hour later, Fight Network presents RFA 37: Viana vs. Clark via short tape delay on Saturday, April 16 at 1 a.m. ET. Emanating from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the championship doubleheader features Devin “Brown Bear” Clark (5-0) fighting for the vacant light heavyweight championship in his hometown against top Brazilian prospect Rafael “Gaucho” Viana (6-0). In the co-main event, Joey “The Beast” Miolla (8-1) and Leandro “Pitbull” Higo (16-2) will battle for the vacant RFA bantamweight crown. In other featured bouts, John Poppie (7-2) meets fellow American middleweight Joseph Gigliotti (6-0), while Matthew Lopez (7-0) looks to extend his perfect run in a bantamweight bout against Eli Finn (5-1). RFA 37: Viana vs. Clark will air live across Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

On Saturday, April 16 at approximately 11 p.m. ET, Fight Network will be joining the UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Evans post-fight press conference live from Tampa, Florida, featuring reactions from Saturday’s card headlined by top 10 light heavyweights Glover Teixeira and Rashad Evans. The press conference will air live on Fight Network in all territories, including the U.S.

On Sunday, April 17 at 9 a.m. ET, Fight Network shifts to live traditional martial arts, as the World Karate Federation presents the Karate1 Premier League Salzburg from Austria. The exclusive North American televised broadcast will air live in Canada and in the U.S. on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Suddenlink Communications, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable, as well as Roku devices across North America.

On Monday, April 18, Fight Network presents a two-part Combate Americas doubleheader from the Exchange L.A. in Los Angeles, Calif. First, at 9 p.m. ET, Combate Americas: LA Aftershocks will deliver 2+ hours of the first-ever U.S. Hispanic mixed martial arts franchise, including Angel Cruz (5-1) locking horns with submission specialist Mario Navarro (4-4), flashy striker Jonathan Santa Maria (3-2) throwing down with Kyle Estrada (2-2), plus undefeated Duke Roufus protégé Kevin Vazquez (3-0) colliding with aggressive-minded Adam Calderon (5-2). Fight Network re-joins live coverage at 12 a.m. ET (Midnight) with Combate Americas: Road to the Championships 3, headlined by Team Alpha Male member Erick Sanchez (6-2) and potent finisher Mike Segura (4-2) and also featuring a flyweight battle between Jonathan Martinez (7-1) and Jesse Cruz (8-5). The Combate Americas doubleheader will air live on Fight Network across Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

All the live action leads into another busy week, as Fight Network presents extended live coverage of UFC 197: Jones vs. Saint Preux, plus a live broadcast of Hard Knocks Fighting 49 from Calgary, Canada on Friday, April 22 at 11 p.m. ET.

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

Washington, D.C. (April 15, 2016) – Cruiserweight sensation Sam “The Vanilla Gorilla” Crossed (2-0, 1 KO) of Greenbelt, MD, will be stepping back into the squared-circle on May 13, at the DC Armory in a four round bout on the undercard of the BET televised throne boxing event headlined by D.C. native Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (29-0, 16 KOs) against California’s Mike “The Silent Assassin” Dallas Jr. (21-3-1, 10 KOs). This will be the third fight for Crossed since making his pro debut on December 4, 2015 in front of a throng of his supporters, a bout in which he scored a first round TKO against John Felty.

On the Sunday before his second bout on February 27, in front of a sold-out crowd at Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C., Crossed was hospitalized with a stomach virus that landed him in the ICU for two days. Against the advice of his doctors and management he went through with the scheduled match up. The fighter known as the Vanilla Gorilla went on to win a dominant four round decision over crafty veteran Martez Williamson.

“I sold a ton of tickets, not including all the people I knew would buy them at the door, so I didn’t want to let my fans down,” Crossed said. “I felt terrible in the ring that night, I just had to gut it out.”

“Honestly fights like that are what I am going to need to develop as a fighter. I would have loved to get a knockout, but knowing I could go the distance facing that kind of adversity told me a lot about myself as a fighter.”

Crossed is quickly becoming a powerhouse ticket seller in the Washington, D.C., region partially for the notoriety he gained by starring opposite Mike Tyson in a local Super Bowl commercial, but more so for his fan-friendly style and devastating power.

“It’s pretty funny people see me now and say – aren’t you the Vanilla Gorilla?” Crossed said. “It’s been a kind of a surreal experience since I am just a regular blue-collar guy.”

Working as a mechanic during the day and as bartender at night, Crossed still finds the time to train six days a week in addition to his grueling schedule.

“I didn’t have huge amateur background like a lot of fighters in D.C. so I just need to work twice as hard both inside and outside of the ring to reach my goals.”

Tickets priced at $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available now online at www.SamTheVanillaGorillaCrossed.com .For local pickup and more information call (301) 448-9824 or (703) 863-4358.

Follow Sam Crossed on Twitter at @SamCrossed301 on Instagram at @VanillaGorilla301 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VanillaGorilla301

15 April 2016 – Manila, Philippines: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), put on a spectacular show at the 20,000-capacity Mall of Asia Arena, featuring the absolute best in local and international mixed martial arts talent. Geje Eustaquio turned in a masterful performance against young Malaysian prospect Gianni Subba to win by unanimous decision in the co-main event. In the main event, ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren overcame a spirited performance from Russian contender Nikolay Aleksakhin to win by unanimous decision in a five-round Super Fight.

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

In the main event of the evening, the United States’ Ben “Funky” Askren overcame a tremendous effort from Nikolay Aleksakhin of Seltso, Russia to win by unanimous decision in a five-round Super Fight. Askren put on an amazing display of high-level wrestling to score on multiple takedowns, maintaining control of Aleksakhin on the ground while doing damage from the mounted crucifix position. Aleksakhin connected on a few solid strikes, but it wasn’t enough to trump Askren’s overall solid performance.

In a much-awaited bantamweight contest, Team Lakay’s Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio completely outclassed top Malaysian prospect Gianni Subba in an exciting three-round bout in front of Eustaquio’s home crowd in Manila. Eustaquio kept Subba at bay all night at the end of his lightning fast kicks and sharp counterpunching. Subba could not get his offense going as Eustaquio dominated from end-to-end to earn the unanimous decision.

Lightweight standout Lowen Tynanes of Ewa Beach, Hawaii defeated highly-regarded Japanese veteran Koji “The Commander” Ando by unanimous decision in a gruelling contest. Tynanes used his superior wrestling skills to control the action in the cage, while also getting the better of Ando in the stand-up with his powerful leg kicks and straight right hand. After three rounds, Ando couldn’t amount to much as Tynanes ran away with the judges’ nod.

Filipino-Australian fighter Reece “Lightning” McLaren showed the world that he is an absolute force to be reckoned with by dominating former combat sambo world champion Muin “Tajik” Gafurov over three rounds. McLaren completely shut down Gafurov with his impeccable mat and cage control, displaying a high-level grappling game that Gafurov had no answer to. McLaren wins a unanimous decision in a very technical affair.

A memorable lightweight contest ensued between Filipino combatants Honorio “The Rock” Banario and Vaughn “The Spawn” Donayre. Banario dominated the striking exchanges, landing the right hand over the top frequently and with good, solid power. The former featherweight champion also controlled action on the ground, almost finishing the fight with an armbar submission, showcasing his improved grappling. In the end, Banario did just enough to earn the unanimous decision.

In an intense, crowd-pleasing fight, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen and China’s Li Kai Wen brought fans up to their feet with a display of fierce and explosive striking exchanges. The two fighters unloaded on each other from the opening bell. As they traded blows, Li dropped Nguyen with a punch but Nguyen was able to withstand the damage and recover. Once on the ground, Nguyen’s superiority showed as he was able to control Li’s back and finish the fight with punches from the top.

Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio debuted for ONE Championship with a solid victory over Rabin Catalan, remaining an unbeaten young prospect. Pacio controlled the action from top position after scoring on a big slam over Catalan, landing some heavy blows in the first round. In the second round, Pacio again scored with a big overhead slam. This time, Pacio was able to step over into mount and finish the fight with ground-and-pound.

Team Lakay’s lady warrior April Osenio impressed the crowd with vastly improved grappling skills to win by submission over British-Filipina fighter Natalie Gonzales Hills in a battle of female atomweights. Although Hills was able to take Osenio down successfully, it was Osenio who was dangerous on the back. In her rubber guard, Osenio needed only a brief moment to latch on the fight-ending armbar.

Indonesia’s Sunoto overcame an ill-advised kimura attempt by Filipino contender Burn “Hitman” Soriano to win by technical knockout. After Sunoto found himself in mount position, the Indonesian fighter unloaded a volley of strikes to force the stoppage just minutes into the first round.

Team Lakay’s Danny Kingad made an impressive ONE Championship debut with a victory over Malaysia’s Muhamad Haidar to kick off an exciting evening at ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS. Kingad showcased his wrestling ability by shooting for a double-leg takedown and taking Haidar for a ride with two emphatic slams before finishing the Malaysian off with ground-and-pound.

Official results for ONE: GLOBAL RIVALS
Catchweight Super Fight (85.3kg): Ben Askren defeats Nikolay Aleksakhin by Unanimous Decision
Bantamweight bout: Geje Eustaquio defeats Gianni Subba by Unanimous Decision
Lightweight bout: Lowen Tynanes defeats Koji Ando by Unanimous Decision
Bantamweight bout: Reece McLaren defeats Muin Gafurov by Unanimous Decision
Lightweight bout: Honorio Banario defeats Vaughn Donayre by Unanimous Decision
Featherweight bout: Martin Nguyen defeats Li Kai Wen by TKO (Strikes) at 4:44 minutes of round 1
Catchweight bout (57.4kg): Joshua Pacio defeats Rabin Catalan by TKO (Strikes) at 3:19 minutes of round 2
Women’s Atomweight bout bout: April Osenio defeats Natalie Gonzales Hills by Submission (Armbar) at 3:23 minutes of round 1
Catchweight bout (67.3kg): Sunoto defeats Burn Soriano by TKO (Strikes) at 3:50 minutes of round 1
Flyweight bout: Danny Kingad defeats Muhamad Haidar by TKO (Strikes) at 2:20 minutes of round 1

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

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com 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 best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

New York, April 15-Star Boxing president and founder Joe DeGuardia has shown a unique ability of identifying young, skilled fighters and then guiding them to championship contention…and beyond.

Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs), who returns to the scene of his greatest triumph when he headlines Saturday’s nationally-televised Premier Boxing Champions card at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center against undefeated Olympian Errol Spence, Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs), is a case in point. The Pride of Huntington vaulted from crowd-pleaser on his home turf at The Paramount to champion of the world with an upset victory of Ruslan Provodnikov for the super lightweight world title on June 14, 2014. The monumental triumph earned him a mega-fight against the legendary Manny Pacquiao later that year.

“Joe has a magical formula at The Paramount,” says former heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney. “DeGuardia is a former boxer (1988 NY Golden Gloves champion), and I believe that really helps him. He understands the fighters, and watches out for them. He makes these guys fight durable guys. He and matchmaker Ron Katz are a great combination. They put them in tough fights.”

“He has done a great job with Chris Algieri, and now Joe Smith, Jr. is an up-and-coming light heavyweight. Hats off to Joe. It’s sold out every time at the Paramount, so the fighters have also been able to build the fan base.”

Former NYSAC Randy Gordon, now a boxing commentator and radio host, and a NYS Boxing Hall of Famer, echoes Cooney’s sentiment. “As a former boxer himself on a high level, Joe understands the boxer’s mentality. Building a fighter’s career is not about one fight, it’s a process. With Algieri, he saw the skill, and was able to grow him. Coupled with a great matchmaker in Ron Katz, they walk the fighters through the process. I actually picked him to beat Provodnikov because I watched the process take place at the Paramount. As for Joe Smith, Jr., he may have Kovalev power.”

Algieri, the former WBO World super lightweight titlist, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Erik Bone on December 5 at Barclays. Airtime for the PBC broadcast is at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

The belief is that Joe Smith, Jr. (20-1, 16 KOs) will take a similar path to Algieri. The Mastic, Long Island product looks to continue his climb up the light heavyweight ladder when he faces tough and dangerous Brazilian Fabiano Pena (16-4-1, 13 KOs) in the main event in the 23rd installment of Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights series on Saturday night, April 23, at the Paramount in Huntington, New York.

“Joe Smith has all of the tools to be a top light heavyweight,” says DeGuardia. “His power and strength, combined with boxing skills and stamina have him earmarked for a big fight.”

Dubbed the “Irish Bomber” because of his knockout power, Smith is highly-regarded among the light heavyweight prospects during a young career guided by DeGuardia. Smith, Jr. has reeled off 14 straight triumphs, including nine by way of KO, will be making his fourth appearance on his home turf at The Paramount.

In his latest win, the Irish Bomber scored a thrilling, unanimous 10-round decision over Will Rosinsky while showcasing his talents in the Barclays Center ring on December 5. Joe is a Union 66 laborer (concrete) in between fights. Trained by Gerard Capobianco, a former light heavyweight contender himself, Smith fights out of the Heavyhitters Boxing Gym on Long Island.

DeGuardia teamed with Banner Promotions as co-promoters of crafty southpaw Demetrius Andrade on the former U.S. Olympian’s path to the WBO Junior Middleweight Championship. “Boo Boo” will appear on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, June 11 to face hard-hitting perennial contender Willie Nelson in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator.

The winner of the 12-round co-feature will become the mandatory challenger to the winner of the May 21 showdown between Jermell Charlo and John Jackson, who face off for the vacant WBC 154-pound title on SHOWTIME.

Fighting out of his native Providence, R.I., the 28-year-old Andrade has compiled an unblemished record of 22-0 with 15 knockouts since turning professional in 2008 after representing the United States in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Andrade is known for his piston-like jab and knockout power in each hand, Andrade won the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship with a career-best performance over Vanes Martirosyan on November 9, 2013 and successfully defended the title against No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Brian Rose on June 14, 2014. Most recently Andrade, who is a consensus top-5 super welterweight, scored a second-round knockout over Dario Fabian Pucheta on October 17, 2015.

Antonio Tarver, the former WBC, WBA, IBF World Champion, fueled the Star Boxing rise to glory with his KO over Roy Jones Jr. to win the world light heavyweight championship on May 15, 2004.

DeGuardia is enshrined in both the New York State (2016) and Connecticut (2013) Boxing Hall of Fame.

A keen eye for talent, combined with a dedication to promoting future champions have become DeGuardia’s trademark combination which has provide success for his fighters and action for the fans.

website at www.StarBoxing.com and follow on Twitter at @Star Boxing, Instagram at StarBoxing, and Facebook.com/StarBoxing.

Hall of Fame legend Prince Naseem Hamed has backed his explosive Wraysbury welterweight prodigy Tony Bange to make a name for himself as the division’s hottest property.

Bange, 25, goes by the nickname of TNT due to his ferocious punching power and will be looking to light up the welterweight division with his all-action style of boxing; starting with his professional debut at the Copper Box Arena against Teodor Stefanov on Saturday 30th April, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Hamed, regarded by many as the most entertaining boxer Britain has ever produced, has likened Bange to former undisputed world heavyweight champion ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and says his man has what it takes to reach the very top of the fight game.

Hamed said, “One of the things that I’ve seen him do really well is emulate Mike Tyson. I’ve always loved watching Mike Tyson; for me he’s possibly the best heavyweight that has ever lived. I’m talking about Mike Tyson at the age of 20 to 22, I couldn’t see anybody beating him in any era,”

“I watched Tony mimic Mike Tyson by trying certain moves and throwing certain punches. He pulls off really well and I told him if he can do that in a fight then people are going to love watching him because everyone loved watching Mike Tyson in the early days,”

In a professional career which spanned ten years, Prince Naz held the WBC, IBF, WBO and lineal featherweight titles, as well as the European bantamweight title. If anyone can spot potential greatness then it’s Naz and the born entertainer has tipped Bange to become a future champion.

He said: “Do I think he’ll win titles? I think he will win titles. I’m hoping with the help of Frank and the family there’s a good chance that his career can go the right way and he’ll fight the right fights at the right time and do really well. God willing he is one to look out for in the future.”

Hotshot Bange first caught the eye of Hamed when he was working out on the pads with trainer Anas Oweida and the Wraysbury man impressed the former champ so much that he decided to take him under his wing.

He said: “He was training with Anas and I noticed that he had a hell of a lot of explosive power; real concussive power. I remember thinking that whoever he hits is going to get properly knocked out. Obviously he’s just starting out and in anyone’s eyes on paper he’s a novice but he’s not, he’s experienced beyond his years.”

Heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury headlines the card when he challenges American Fred Kassi for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Title; Red-hot Liam Walsh defends his British and Commonwealth Super-Featherweight titles against Troy James; Ovill McKenzie and Dmytro Kucher clash for the Vacant European Cruiserweight Championship; Ryan Walsh defends his British Featherweight Championship against James Tennyson; Anthony Nelson defends his Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Championship against Jamie Conlon. The undercard features big-hitting light-heavyweight star Anthony Yarde, Southampton super-welterweight Joe Pigford, Erith super-bantamweight Lewis Pettitt; Chingford super-featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Indian middleweight sensation Vijender Singh; Chelmsford super-middleweight Billy Long, West Ham super-welterweight Sammy McNess; Sidcup super-featherweight D.P Carr; West Ham super-lightweight Ben Smith; Hornchurch super-lightweight Sanjeev Sahota; Nantwich heavyweight Nathan Gorman; Enfield super-middleweight Barney Joe Jones, and Stains-Upon-Thames welterweight Tony Bange.

Tickets priced at £30, £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200 are available from See Tickets 0871 230 7148 and www.seetickets.com, Eventim 0844 249 1000 and www.eventim.co.uk, Ticketmaster 0844 8440 444 and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.

Featherweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko will move up in weight to challenge WBO 130-lb world champion Rocky Martinez on June 11 in Madison Square Garden, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, Lomachenko’s promoter, is in Puerto Rico this weekend for lightweight prospect Felix Verdejo’s fight Saturday night, and while he’s there, he met Friday with Martinez and Peter Rivera of Puerto Rico Best Boxing Promotions, Martinez’s promoter, to work out the details.

“We worked things out, and the paperwork was sent out this evening,” Moretti told ESPN.com. “Rocky came up to my room after the Verdejo weigh-in, and it was myself, Rocky, Peter, and we got [Top Rank chairman Bob Arum] on a conference call, and we ironed everything out.”

“Earlier in the week, Rocky didn’t agree to the terms, so we didn’t know if he was going to, so we had to look for an alternative, and Fortuna was on the list,” Moretti said. “I want to thank Fortuna and his promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, for their professionalism. Perhaps Fortuna can fight the winner of this bout in the future.”

“The edict from Lomachenko and Egis is they only want meaningful fights,” Moretti said. “In today’s world, that is not that easy. He wanted to unify world titles at 126 pounds. If he wins this title at 130, he will want to unify those titles. Lomachenko is looking for the biggest challenge he can get every time out, and if that means fighting in another weight class for a world title, that’s what he will do.”

“Egis said whoever it is, Lomachenko just wants to fight for a title at 130. We preferred Rocky because the fight is on the Puerto Rican parade weekend,” Moretti said.

“Martinez obviously has the home-field advantage with the fight being on the Puerto Rican parade weekend, and he’s a veteran with a good right hand,” Moretti said. “It’s a great step up for Lomachenko, given that Martinez beat Salido and Salido beat Lomachenko. So we’ll see where this goes. If Lomachenko wins, it just will add to the list of accomplishments he has and will clearly establish him as the best fighter between 126 and 130 pounds.”

WBC FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Gary Russell Jr. – 126 Pounds

Patrick Hyland – 126 Pounds

IBF JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Jose Pedraza – 129 Pounds
Stephen Smith – 129 Pounds

Here is what the fighters had to say Friday:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

(On how he feels)

“I feel good. I can eat, I can drink, I feel a lot better.”

(On what fans should expect tomorrow)

“The same as always. I’m just going to go in like a genuine gentleman, pushing with everything I have to the line.”

(On his prediction)

“Hopefully we can get this guy up out of here early with no ill intent, no injuries or anything like that. We’re not going in there looking for the knockout. If it happens, it happens.”

PATRICK HYLAND

(On how he’s feeling before the fight)

“I feel great. Nice and strong and I’m ready for tomorrow night.”

(On what his fans should expect tomorrow)

“Hey, I just want everyone to come follow me, have fun and be a part of me bringing the belt back to Ireland.”

JOSE PEDRAZA

(On how he feels after making weight)

“I feel good, really good, we made weight which was the most important thing for today. We’re happy and ready fight.”

(On what fans should expect)

“A grand fight. One more challenge that we will overcome. It will be a big challenge but we’ve done great work and I know we will come out on top.”

STEPHEN SMITH

(On how he felt after the weigh-in)

“You know, it’s always nice to get the weigh-in out of the way and now be fully focused on the fight. I’m feeling good.”

(On what fans should expect)
“A good fight. We’re two very competitive fighters. Two fighters who believe that the training has gone as well as possible. We will put everything on the line tomorrow night and we are very confident that I’ve got what it takes. I will do anything that it takes to win this fight and bring the world title back to the UK.”

# # #

Russell Jr. vs. Hyland, a 12-round bout for Russell’s Jr.’s WBC Featherweight Title taking place on Saturday, April 16 at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jose Pedraza and Stephen Smith will meet in a junior lightweight world title bout for the IBF belt. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader will air live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

VERONA, N.Y. (April 14, 2016) – All six fighters made weight on Thursday for the ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader taking place tomorrow/Friday, April 15 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

The tripleheader features six prospects with a combined record of 99-1-2 with 59 KOs.

In the 10-round main event, Russian Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) will take on St. Louis native Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) in a matchup of undefeated bantamweight prospects.

In the eight-round co-feature, undefeated Dominican Eudy Bernardo (21-0, 15 KOs), a 5-foot-10 lightweight trained by former Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Tate, will take on once-beaten Mason Menard (30-1, 22 KOs), of Rayne, Louisiana.

In the eight-round opening bout of the telecast, Alexey Zubov (10-0, 6 KOs, who trains under Sugar Hill at the New Kronk Gym in Detroit, will meet fellow undefeated cruiserweight Constantin Bejenaru (10-0, 4 KOs), of Brooklyn by way of Moldova.

Tickets for the event, which is presented by Salita Promotions in association with AASHA Record Breakers, are currently on sale and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. They are priced at $60 for ringside seats, $35 and $25.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:
Potapov – 117 Pounds
Young – 116 ½ Pounds

Bernardo – 135 ½ Pounds
Menard – 135 Pounds

Zubov – 198 Pounds
Bejenaru – 198 Pounds

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Thursday:

NIKOLAY POTPAPOV:
“I’m looking to make a statement. My goal is to control the fight at every moment. Whether that leads to a KO or decision depends on the situation. The most important thing is I want to control every second of the fight and impress the fans.

“I don’t think he’s the best opponent I’ve faced. I plan to box him, control the fight and be explosive.

“My preparation has been different for this fight. I did a lot more sparring and I plan to be more aggressive. This is my first big fight on U.S. television and I want to make a statement.

“I trained in Moscow for this fight, and I didn’t come to the U.S. to lose.

“This is only my second fight in the U.S. The most important thing is to win. After that, we’ll look into moving to the U.S. to train. I travelled a lot in the amateurs, so coming to the U.S. and fighting isn’t an issue for me.

“I’d love to fight full-time in the U.S. We know that our best chance to win a world title is to fight here.

“I’ve only fought one southpaw as a pro, but I faced plenty in the amateurs. I won’t have any issues.

“He may be awkward because he is a southpaw. He also has fast hands and is a good boxer. And he’s undefeated, so I know he will be ready and motivated.

“I learn with every fight and expand my arsenal in every fight. I’m looking to show I have all the tools.”

STEPHON YOUNG:
“Since I’ve moved to Miami in January, I’m finally focused full-time on boxing. Everything is different now that I’m training down in Florida.

“I’ve been sparring with Juan Carlos Payano, the bantamweight champion of the world. That is the type of guy that I’ve been in the gym with, and I know Nikolay can’t punch like him. We’ve easily sparred over 100 rounds the past few months.

“This is a big opportunity for me. I know I need to be more active and throw more punches against this guy.

“He doesn’t have anything I can’t handle. He’s never fought an American. It’s a big step for me, but it’s a big step for him. He has a basic style and doesn’t like to be backed up.

“I’m hungry. This is the biggest fight of my career and I’ve never been this focused ever in my life. I’m hungry to become a champion.

“This is my hardest fight on paper, but I have no doubt in my mind that I can get that guy out of there.

“Everyone he fought comes straight forward, and I’m not that type of guy. He’s got to work to hit me.

“My opponent – he’s beatable. I believe that on April 15, he’ll get his first loss.”

EUDY BERNARDO:
“I feel like my career is starting right now. I’ve learned so much training with Frank Tate. I can’t wait to get in the ring to show it off. Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from Frank Tate.

“The sparring in Houston has been great. I’ve really changed since I moved to the U.S. I eat healthy, I train differently. It’s all hard work in the gym.

“I describe myself as ready for anything. I’m aggressive, but I can box and move, depending on who I’m fighting. We are coming fast, hard and with everything we have.

“People might not know much about me because I’ve fought mostly in the Dominican Republic. This is my opportunity to prove myself.”

MASON MENARD:
“We’ve just been hiding behind the scenes until now. When we get to the big screen on Friday, people will know what I can do.

“It’s my time. I’m 30-1, I’m 26 years old. I need to make my move. If I beat this guy, it will open up some major doors for me.

“I fought Jerry Belmontes and Terence Crawford in the amateurs. We know we need to use our footspeed to our advantage.

“We’re fighting a tall guy and know it may be tough to land shots, but I’ve faced guys as tall as him before.
“This is an opportunity for me to rise up and surprise people. I want fans to say, ‘wow, where did this kid come from?’

“This is make or break for me. It’s as simple as that.”

ALEXEY ZUBOV:
“I wanted to work with Sugar Hill, that’s why I moved to Detroit. I first met Sugar when I sparred with Jonathan Banks before he fought Seth Mitchell. After that, I knew I wanted to work with him.

“I’ve trained with all the guys at the New Kronk Gym – Anthony Dirrell, Adonis Stevenson. Now I’m in my first official fight with Sugar as my trainer. I feel different after training with him, and I want to show what I’ve learned.

“I don’t know if this is the toughest guy I’ve faced. We’ll see.

“I don’t care fighting southpaws, I can fight anyone. My last two fights were with southpaws, so it’s not a problem for me.

“I’ve waited a long time for this moment. Now is my chance to make a statement in the cruiserweight division.”

CONSTANTIN BEJENARU:
“Zubov is a good opponent. He’s technical, he’s big and he has a good background. We’re happy to have this fight. We need to go in there and do our job.

“I’m the shorter fighter, so I know I need to get inside and attack.

“We’ve been training for this fight for almost four months. I’m ready to get in there and go to work.”

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raúl Márquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

###

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 65 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

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

About Turning Stone Resort Casino
A renowned, award-winning destination resort in Upstate New York, the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino features world-class amenities including four hotels, two luxurious spas, five golf courses, more than 20 dining options, a 120,000 square foot Las Vegas-style gaming floor, a cabaret style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, and several nightlife venues. Conveniently located 30 miles east of Syracuse at NYS Thruway exit 33, Turning Stone was named “Best Countryside Hotel/Lodge” in 2015 and “Most Excellent Golf Resort” in 2010 by Condé Nast Johansens. Turning Stone has also earned the prestigious Forbes Four-Star Award for The Lodge, Forbes Recommended Ratings for TS Steakhouse and Wildflowers restaurant and, for 10 consecutive years, the AAA Four Diamond Award for The Lodge, The Tower Hotel, and Wildflowers restaurant.

For more information and reservations, call (315) 361-7711 or (800) 771-7711. Visit the web site www.turningstone.com.

LOS ANGELES (April 14, 2016) – A night of action awaits boxing fans of the Coachella Valley, as top welterweight contender Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (18-1, 11 KOs) and the pride of the Bronx, N.Y., gets one step closer to seizing a shot at a world title in 2016 when he takes on Puerto Rican welterweight standout John Karl Sosa (13-1, 6 KOs) on Friday, May 20. The 10-round welterweight fight will be broadcast live nationally on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV and streamed live on Ring TV from Golden Boy Promotions’ home in the desert at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

“We have a great night of fights set for Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on May 20,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “2016 should be a big year for Eddie’s career and this fight is one that will give him another opportunity to demonstrate he is a force to be reckoned with in the hot welterweight division. Similarly, John Karl Sosa is taking his career to the next level with this challenging fight and moving up in weight. Sosa is tough and is going to make Eddie fight with all he’s made of on May 20.”

Joining this thrilling night of fights will be skilled southpaw fighter Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (21-3, 18 KOs) of Albuquerque, N.M. as he hopes to defeat Glendale, Calif.’s Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan (17-2-2, 9 KOs) in the 10-round lightweight televised co-main event. Hoping to make TV time, Chinese heavyweight sensation Taishan Dong (6-0, 3 KOs) of Beijing, China will return to the ring to participate in a four to six-round heavyweight swing bout against an opponent to be named shortly.

Rounding out the non-televised undercard, which will stream live on Ring TV, East Los Angeles native, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (11-1-2, 6 KOs) will face Jose “The Flash” Bustos (11-6-3, 7 KOs) hailing from Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico in an exciting eight-round super bantamweight battle. Also featured as part of the Ring TV live stream, D’Mitirus Ballard (12-0, 8 KOs) of Washington, D.C. will put his undefeated record on the line in a scheduled eight-round super middleweight fight, Riverside, Calif.’s Joseph “Diamante” Aguirre (12-0, 8 KOs) will participate in a six-round lightweight bout and kicking off the fight night activities, Livan “Machine Gun Kid” Navarro (2-0) of Miami is scheduled to face off in a six-round super lightweight fight. Opponents will be named shortly.

Tickets for the event are on sale Friday, April 15 and are priced at $45, $35, $25 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

A Golden Boy Promotions stablemate since 2010, Bronx, N.Y. native Eddie “E Boy” Gomez was born to become a boxing champion. A two-time Junior Olympic National Champion and son of a Honduran boxer Eddie Sr., Gomez has made a bold mark on professional boxingtaking on tough opposition in his career. Victorious in his last two bouts against James Winchester and Jonathan Batista, the 23-year-old is the owner of defeats over well-known boxers Steve Upsher Chambers, Luis Hernandez, and Jovany Javier Gomez. Making his second appearance at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Gomez will look to put on a performance for all the fight fans in the Coachella Valley in his first scheduled fight of 2016.

On the other side of the ring, super lightweight Puerto Rican boxer John Karl Sosa will fight for the first time this year when he goes up in weight to face Eddie Gomez in the welterweight division. Between fighting in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Sosa has established quite the name for himself with 13 victories in his career over Alexis Peña, Luis Bello and Joaquin Chavez. After a shocking loss to Alan Sanchez last November at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Café during the Cotto vs. Canelo fight week, Sosa is pumped up and ready to exact revenge on his newest opponent. As a previously undefeated fighter, Sosa has an impressive record and will be making his Fantasy Springs Resort Casino debut this May.

Dubbed the “Yao Ming of boxing” seven-foot heavyweight Taishan Dong of Beijing, China has enjoyed two years of professional boxing in the U.S. Undefeated, Taishan has fought at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino four times previously, most notably knocking out opponents Lance Guach and Tommy Washington Jr. With a background in mixed martial arts and kickboxing, Taishan brings his unique style with him and will be ready to impress fight fans on May 20.

Albuquerque, N.M. southpaw standout Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. is one of Golden Boy Promotion’s most aggressive fighters on the roster. At the height of Maldonado’s amateur career, “The Atrisco Kid” was ranked number two in the U.S. with an eye-catching record of 118-12. After going professional in 2009, Maldonado snatched up the WBC Youth Silver lightweight title from Eric Cruz in 2011 adding to his impressive boxing resume which also includes a fight for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. Now the contender will be looking to write a new chapter in his career in the lightweight division.

A natural-born fighter, Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan began his amateur boxing career at the age of 13 winning the Armenian National Championship in the lightweight division under the direction of internationally-renowned trainer Varuzhan Davtyan. Hovhannisyan’s has competed in international championships in China, Iran, Czechoslovakia, Croatia, France, and Ukraine to name a few. Hovhannisyan currently resides in Glendale, CA and trains at the Glendale Fight Club . This clash at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will be his first since 2014 as he looks to bring his worldly boxing experience in to the ring when he faces Fidel Maldonado Jr. as the co-headliner of the night.

Representing his hometown of East Los Angeles, Golden Boy Promotions fighter Roy “Pitbull” Tapia can be always be counted on for his hard-hitting fights. In 2011, Tapia entered into the professional sport and quickly snagged victories and knockouts left and right all over California most recently from Erik Ruiz and Juan Luis Hernandez. After the way Tapia’s last bout at Fantasy Springs ended with a shattering knockout over former WBC Youth World flyweight titleholder Luis “Titi” Maldonado, boxing fans can count on him showing his strength come May 20.

Hailing from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, Jose “The Flash” Bustos has been riding a winning knockout streak after shutting down Isaias “El Moyote” Orozco, Vidal Cruz, and Marcos “Chicharito” Villarreal. Primarily fighting in Mexico, “The Flash” will be making his fourth visit to U.S. in what is to be his first appearance at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Undefeated Washington, D.C. prospect D’Mitirus Ballard will be returning to California for the second time in his career and will look to impress in his super middleweight fight at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. A professional since 2013, the 23 year-old fighter has executed every opponent he has faced utilizing his powerful punches and heavy hits most recently facing Fabiano “Pitbull” Pena in December 2015 and Leosvy Mayedo in March 2016. With a 62 percent knockout rate, Ballard will look to add another knockout victory to his record.

Joseph “Diamante” Aguirre of Riverside, CA has defeated every opponent he has ever faced and hopes to add his upcoming opponent to his list of victories as he fights for the first time in the U.S. With a recent victory against Oscar Arjona via first round knockout in March of 2016, Aguirre has stayed busy fighting twice in 2015 and five times in 2014. This young knockout artist has a promising boxing career ahead of him and the boxing community can’t wait to see what he will bring in the ring on this card.

Miami, FL’s Livan “Machine Gun Kid” Navarro, who is new to the fight game, has had success so far as a professional with two victories over Farkhad Sharipov and Kevin Walker in unanimous decisions. By kicking off the round of fights, “Machine Gun Kid” is anxious to fire punches to attain the first knockout of his career and of the night.

Eddie Gomez vs. John Karl Sosa, is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD.” The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

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

CARSON, CALIF. (April 14, 2016) – Former world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz held a media workout in Los Angeles Thursday and shared thoughts on his upcoming primetime rematch with former champion Andre “The Beast” Berto on Saturday, April 30 on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Televised coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features light heavyweight sluggers Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs) and Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round brawl and unbeaten Mexican brawler Jorge Lara (27-0-2, 19 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout against former three-division world champion Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel (54-5-2, 39 KOs).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $209, $105, $53, and $27, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase online at AXS.com.

Ortiz and Berto will square-off in a rematch of their 2011 Fight of the Year in which Ortiz took home a victory as both men hit the canvas throughout the 12-round affair. Now, Ortiz is preparing for another big victory that could catapult him back to world title contention.

Here is what Ortiz had to say about Berto, training camp and more:

VICTOR ORTIZ

On his first bout against Berto:

“I made a lot of mistakes that night but I did enough to get the victory. I always said if I ever got the rematch, I would end him and now I have the chance.

“Berto had an off night. I wasn’t at my best either, but I destroyed him regardless. This time we’ll both be at our best.

“Berto just talks and talks. When you have to hype yourself up just to think you have a chance, that’s on you. I don’t need to talk myself into thinking I’m going to win. I just know I’m going to win.

“We’ve both had some wars since our first fight, but if you can’t back it up, you should just stop.

“I had injuries heading into the last fight, but now you have two guys who are 100 percent. That is going to make for an even better fight this time around.”

On the rematch with Berto:

“Berto comes to fight. He comes for war and won’t give up ever, but that makes two of us.

“We have been through a lot in the last five years. He hates me. I have no hate in my heart, but I know it’s a sport. I’m not leaving that ring without a victory.

“Berto wants to hurt me just as bad as I want to hurt him. I’m ready to go again. This is going to be a Fight of the Year for sure.

“Anytime you have to convince yourself that you’re going to beat me. That you actually had a chance the first time, there’s a lot wrong with you.

“It’s a sport. It’s not personal. Two guys going back and forth. I want to rip his head off and he wants to rip my head off. Its nothing personal. We can go get a burger after the fight.

“He’s a heck of a fighter and a boxer and I am too. He’s had his fair share of wars. He’s had his fair share of injuries and I’ve had mine.

“I would hate someone that took my undefeated record. So maybe he hates me, but I don’t hate him. Whatever his mindset is, April 30 is right around the corner and I’m ready.”

On working with Coach Joseph “Hoss” Janik & David Rodela:

“Coach Hoss has always been there 100 percent. He has been in my corner about a decade and he knows the game better than a lot of the people I’ve worked with. Every fighter needs to find a ‘zen’ with their coach and I have that with Coach Hoss.

“I feel like this is the best fit for me. Hoss has been with me through it all, from being dropped, to the hospital and everything. He always says that this is just another way to make you stronger.

“I also have coach David Rodela in my corner. We were once upon a time rivals and now we are closest of friends. It is a true ‘Grudge Match’ right there. Now he just tortures me in training.

On his acting career:

“At this point I have one focus. For the next three or four years I am going to be 100 percent focused on boxing.

“I’ve had big celebrities and actors come up to me and say ‘you’re Victor Ortiz, can we take a picture?’ It’s mutual respect, but it’s also kind of crazy. I don’t overstep my boundaries.

“I don’t watch the movie I’ve been in. That is too much. Some people like to see themselves on the screen, I’m not one of those people.

On his positive attitude:

“I believe that if you’re a bad person, bad things happen. I’m a hard worker. I used to work construction and out in the fields. I never complained. Always smiled.

“I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face. People take some things too seriously. Of course there are haters out there, but I don’t pay attention to any of that. I’ve found that a good positive attitude goes a long way.

“It doesn’t matter what people say. What matters what I want, what I’m going to do. April 30 is going to be the rebirth of me.”

On what’s next after April 30:

“I’m ready to fight for a world title. Especially after this victory that’s coming. This is for personal satisfaction. Berto has been talking for five years and I’m ready to go.

“I took a different route, a different approach. Why? Because I wanted to try other things. Do I have to be here? No. I turned down two movies to be here. Boxing is my first and true love.

“I’m ready to conquer the 147 and 154 pound divisions and Andre Berto is standing in my way right now.”

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

BROOKLYN (April 14, 2016) – As they near the weigh-in and fight night for their Saturday, April 16 showdowns at Barclays Center, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC fighters and undercard fighters spoke about their upcoming bouts.

PBC on NBC fighters Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr., Chris Algieri, Krzysztof Glowacki, Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham and “Sir” Marcus Browne, plus undercard fighters Heather “The Heat” Hardy, Chris Colbert and Earl Newman talked about why fight fans should watch on Saturday, why they believe they will win and shared what they will be eating after they weigh-in.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Star Boxing, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

ERROL SPENCE JR

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “This is a great card from top to bottom. These are all competitive fights. I’m an exciting fighter and I’m going to give the fans something to remember.”

On why he believes he will win: “I believe I’m going to be victorious because I trained too hard not to be. We have a great game plan and I believe in my abilities as a fighter.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I’m going to have some pasta and probably a sweet potato. I’m going to keep it healthy but still gain some weight.”

CHRIS ALGIERI

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “My fights are always exciting. I bring the action and you can expect a fast-paced technical fight.”

On why he believes he will win: “I’m going to win because styles make fights and I have the style to beat Errol Spence Jr.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “Spaghetti and meatballs are my go to after a weigh-in.”

KRZYSZTOF GLOWACKI

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “We are going to steal the show, just like when I fought Marco Huck. The main event is going to be before the main event. It’s going to be an explosive fight. There is no way I’m going back to Poland without the belt.”

On why he believes he will win: “I am a champion and I trained too hard to get to this point to just give it away. I’m even more confident and better prepared than I was for my last fight. I will win not just for myself, but for my family.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I’m going to have the great American steak at Peter Luger’s.”

STEVE CUNNINGHAM

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “It’s always good to watch a veteran of the United States military fight. We know how to fight. We don’t know how to quit. You know you’re going to be entertained.”

On why he believes he will win: “Because I work hard and put all my effort into this. I’m going to do my best to force a win.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I am going to grab a nice juicy steak after the weigh-in. That will put me to sleep and take away the nerves you get the night before a fight.”

MARCUS BROWNE

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “Because I’m going to bring some spizazz, some swag and some fun and power to NBC.”

On why he believes he will win: “I worked hard and this is another step on the journey to becoming a world champion.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I’m going to eat pasta and I can’t wait.”

RADIVOJE KALAJDZIC

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “Marcus and myself both have a lot of power so you can expect fireworks. We’re both coming to win.”

On why he believes he will win: “I’m going to be the fighter with the better game plan. I’m just as fast and much smarter in the ring than he is.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I’m going to eat some pasta, chicken and a sweet tea.”

HEATHER HARDY

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “Everybody should come out to watch my fight on April 16 because I’m always in exciting fights.”

On why she believes he will win: “I’m going to win this fight because I’m not fighting me.”

On what she will eat after he weighs-in: “After I get off the scales I’m going to drink about a quart of Pedialyte and then have my favorite salmon.”

CHRIS COLBERT

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “I’m from Brooklyn and I rep my borough hard. You could say I’m an actor, because I always put on a show when I step inside the ring.”

On why he believes he will win: “We had a tremendous training camp. I’ve been on weight for two weeks. It’s really been the best training camp that I’ve ever had.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “Everything. I’m eating everything.”

EARL NEWMAN

On why fight fans should watch his fight: “This will be my professional debut at Barclays Center. It’s been two years since I fought on the Golden Gloves and I’ve been putting in the work to get here. The fans will get a great show.”

On why he believes he will win: “I’ve just trained too hard not to win. I feel that this is my calling.”

On what he will eat after he weighs-in: “I have to eat some Spanish food. Rotisserie chicken and black beans and rice.”

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC on NBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.nbcsports.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,@ErrolSpenceJr, @ChrisAlgieri, @USSCunningham, @Marcus_Browne, @LouDiBella, @StarBoxing,@NBCSports, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.

Joe Gallagher admits that preparing Stephen Smith to challenge Jose Pedraza for the IBF World Super-Featherweight title has been a nightmare – but believes the Liverpool man has the tools to land the title in Connecticut on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Pedraza defends the title for the second time after holding onto his belt via a split decision in October over Edner Cherry, extending his unbeaten run in the paid ranks to 21 fights, with 12 of his wins coming inside the distance.

The talented Puerto Rican poses plenty of threat to ‘Swifty’s’ World title dreams, but the 2015 RING magazine trainer of the year Gallagher believes that while the multi-faceted champ is hard to prepare for, Smith has done everything right ahead of his big night.

“Pedraza is a very good fighter,” said Gallagher. “He’s good orthodox, good southpaw, he can mix it up and we’re prepared for whatever style he wants to bring on Saturday.

“It’s hard enough when you’re fighting a quality orthodox or a quality southpaw, of which he is, but not only that. He can also box on the back foot and on the front foot so we’re varying sparring partners, we’re mixing up the sparring in between the rounds, switching stances, and whichever way Pedraza wants to fight at the end of the night, I’m sure we’ll have an answer for.

“Stephen’s camp boiled up nicely to Callum’s win over Hadillah Mohoumadi. There’s a good momentum. It’s been a slow burning rise with Stephen but he’s got, as I call it ‘his World Cup final’ – something that is going to take heart and strength. His strength is going very well.

“I think it’s all up to Pedraza how it goes. Looking back at a few of his fights, he boxes slow and gets off to a good start but then he seems to lose his way a little in rounds. When you watch him against Andrey Klimov, he started out very well, put him under manners very quickly and had him nearly beat by the fourth round but Klimov managed to stay in very well and boxed really well.

“He got to the middle rounds, lost his way a little bit, switched southpaw, so either way it’s going to be fascinating. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t get caught to early when he’s quick and he’s sharp and he’s try to take him into the deep waters like Edner Cherry did.”

Las Vegas – Following today’s landmark bill signing by Governor Andrew Cuomo to legalize and regulate professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in New York, UFC® announced that it will host a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 12.

Additionally, UFC will be adding another live event in Upstate New York before the end of the year. The organization has pledged four events per year for the first three years after passage of the bill. The events will be held in Upstate cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Albany, in addition to Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center.

Today’s bill signing and event date announcements cement mixed martial arts’ incredible future in the state of New York, and reaffirm UFC’s commitment to a market that is home to many top stars including former UFC champions Jon Jones, Chris Weidman and Rashad Evans, and countless other title contenders.

“I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, Senator Joe Griffo and the many other leaders in the state of New York for legalizing and regulating the sport of mixed martial arts,” said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. “Our commitment to bringing incredible live events to New York starts immediately, as we’ve planned a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on November 12. It’s going to be a historic, monumental moment for this sport and our passionate fans when the Octagon finally arrives in New York.”

“Today marks a great day for both MMA fans and New York,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, The Madison Square Garden Company. “We think it’s only fitting that the first UFC event is taking place at The World’s Most Famous Arena and look forward to these world-class athletes becoming part of The Garden’s storied history.”

Further information about the upcoming live event at Madison Square Garden will be announced in the weeks to come.

###

About UFC®
UFC® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Singapore, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories to more than one billion TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

Big Bear Lake, CA (April 14, 2016) Boxing Superstar and Unified Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin hosted a Media Workout this past Tuesday at his training camp, The Summit High Altitude Training Facility in Big Bear Lake, California. Golovkin is preparing to defend his titles against undefeated mandatory challenger Dominic Wade on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, California televised live on HBO beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Joining Golovkin was his renowned trainer, the 2015 Trainer of the Year, Abel Sanchez and promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions.

At the media workout, it was announced that Jordan Brand had added “GGG” to their roster of world class athletes. “We are excited to add Gennady to the Jordan Brand family,” stated Larry Miller, Jordan Brand President. “Gennady’s work ethic, dedication to his craft and style make him a perfect fit.”

Gennady was presented with a unique Jordan Brand shoe displaying the flag of his native Kazakhstan which he represented in the 2004 Olympics in London, England winning the Silver Medal.

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin
“We’re working hard every day, focused only on Dominic Wade. It’s a very important fight for me, he’s an undefeated challenger. Every fight for me is important to achieve my goal of all the belts.”

“I’m very excited to return to the Forum, Los Angeles is my second home, my family lives here now. I have a lot of friends and many fans who want to see me fight and I’m very thankful for that. The people love my style.”

“Every athlete wants to be with with Jordan Brand. It was my dream and I’m very happy to be a part of the Jordan family and I’m thankful to them for this opportunity. “

Abel Sanchez
“Dominic presents a challenge because he’s young, hungry and undefeated. We haven’t any changes in training camp because I train my fighters to be the best they can be. They have to adapt to us, we’re not going to adapt to them. Gennady works hard, he will have sparred 70-75 rounds by the end of camp, a similar amount to what he’s sparred for the last 5-6 fights.”

“Gennady understands that this fight is for the IBF mandatory, if we don’t fight this guy we lose the title.”

“We’re willing to fight any middleweight champion. BJ Saunders was offered the fight and he turned the fight down for this time.”

“Big Bear is so slow and tranquil; it makes training easy. The altitude and weather is very important.”

“Gennady has a streak going of 21 knockouts for a lot of different reasons, he was blessed with God given talent but works very hard on balance, distance and technique.”

“The power that Gennady possesses with his exciting style, he’s giving the fans what they want, always pressing the action and that’s why he’s selling out arenas.”

Tom Loeffler
“It’s been a great promotion and the fans are speaking loudly by purchasing their tickets. We’re headed to another sellout which means in his last two fights, Gennady will have sold out two of the premier venues in America, Madison Square Garden and the Fabulous Forum, with over 37,000 tickets sold.”

“We have some tickets left but I would encourage fans to purchase them quickly for the next ‘Big Drama Show.’”

Boxing Superstar and Undefeated, Unified World Middleweight Champion Gennady, “GGG” Golovkin, 34-0 (31KO’s) will defend his titles (WBA, IBF, IBO and WBC “Interim’) against Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic Wade, 18-0 (12KO’s) on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum in the main event at UNDEFEATED.

Co-featured will be Consensus #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter and WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 44-0 (38KO’s) battling World Ranked Contender McWilliams Arroyo, 16-2 (14KO’s) of Puerto Rico.

Both bouts will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for UNDEFEATED, priced at $400, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, are now on sale through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and the Forum Box Office.

Golovkin vs. Wade is promoted by K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions and in association with TGB Promotions. Gonzalez vs. McWilliams is presented by K2 Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and PR Best Boxing Promotions.

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

Follow on Twitter at Gennady Golovkin @GGGBoxing, Dominic Wade @_DomoWade,
Roman Gonzalez @chocolatitobox, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions @TomLoeffler1, TGB Promotions @TGBpromotions, the Forum @theForum and HBO Boxing @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GGGBoxing, www.facebook.com/TheForum and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Use the hashtags #GolovkinWade and #GonzalezArroyo to join the conversations on social media.

Heavyweight destroyer Hughie Fury says there’s nobody that can stop him on his rise to the very top of the glamour division.

Hughie, the younger cousin of Unified World Heavyweight Champion Tyson, joint headlines an action-packed card at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 30 April where he takes on Fred Kassi for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental title, exclusively live on BoxNation.

The exciting and undefeated Manchester star has ripped through the heavyweight division, stopping ten out of nineteen opponents early with eight coming inside three rounds. The 21-year-old is looking to bag his first title against the big-hitting Kassi before joining cousin Tyson as a world champion.

“I don’t see many people out there in the heavyweight division that are capable of stopping me; it’s wide open. I’m going to get the right fights under my belt and make my mark on the division. The aim is to follow in the footsteps of Tyson and become a world champion,” said Fury.

He added: “It’s going to be a massive year for me. Now I’ve teamed up with Frank I’m going to be fighting more regularly against strong opponents; I’ve got some good nights ahead of me.”

Hard-hitting ‘Big Freddy’ has a fearsome reputation with ten knockout wins in 19 career victories; nine of them coming inside two rounds. Fury knows he’ll have his work cut out if he is to bag himself a first professional title.

He said: “He’s another level up from my previous opponents. He’s a very awkward fighter; not many people fancy facing him. He can mix it up a bit by switching between southpaw and orthodox so it should be a tricky fight.

“I’m fighting people that nobody else wants to fight. These guys are capable of making you look bad. Unlike some people I’m willing to do things the hard way. Peter picks my fights so I can learn and improve properly; I need to be able to deal with different styles.”

With the heavyweight division in a new era after the Klitschko brother’s long dominance, Fury is in a perfect position to capitalise. Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren is confident his new Heavyweight prodigy has what it takes to make it to the very top of the division.

He said: “Hughie is a fighting man; he’s done things the hard way. 19 fights in three years is a phenomenal record for a heavyweight fighter. We know he’s got gas and can get through ten rounds with no problems. Within the next 12 months I wouldn’t be surprised if Hughie was fighting for a version of the world title.”

Heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury headlines the card when he challenges American Fred Kassi for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Title; Red-hot Liam Walsh defends his British and Commonwealth Super-Featherweight titles against Troy James; Ovill McKenzie and Dmytro Kucher clash for the Vacant European Cruiserweight Championship; Ryan Walsh defends his British Featherweight Championship against James Tennyson; Anthony Nelson defends his Commonwealth Super-Flyweight Championship against Jamie Conlon. The undercard features big-hitting light-heavyweight star Anthony Yarde, Southampton super-welterweight Joe Pigford, Erith super-bantamweight Lewis Pettitt; Chingford super-featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Indian middleweight sensation Vijender Singh; Chelmsford super-middleweight Billy Long, West Ham super-welterweight Sammy McNess; Sidcup super-featherweight D.P Carr; West Ham super-lightweight Ben Smith; Hornchurch super-lightweight Sanjeev Sahota; Nantwich heavyweight Nathan Gorman; Enfield super-middleweight Barney Joe Jones, and Stains-Upon-Thames welterweight Tony Bange.

Tickets priced at £30, £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200 are available from See Tickets 0871 230 7148 and www.seetickets.com, Eventim 0844 249 1000 and www.eventim.co.uk, Ticketmaster 0844 8440 444 and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

The Channel Of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415 and Freeview 255. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 14th, 2016) — Certain fights need no formal introduction or any additional explanation as to why they make sense or why you should care. Every so often, the names alone speak volumes.

When “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo Jr., three-time world title challenger and former reality television star, returns to the ring Friday, May 13th, 2016 at Twin River Casino for the first time in more than two years, he’ll do so with the same unrelenting courage and confidence he’s carried throughout the course of his career, again answering the bell against a hungry, up-and-comer, fellow Providence native Angel Camacho Jr.

The 10-round Manfredo-Camacho showdown headlines the latest installment of CES Boxing’s 2016 Twin River Casino Fight Series, a loaded lineup featuring two title bouts and the Rhode Island debuts of CES’ newest additions to the roster.

“These are the kind of fights the fans want to see in this modern-day boxing climate. These are the fights that will keep this sport alive,” CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. said. “On May 13th, you have two fighters willing to put everything on the line, one who is a Rhode Island icon and the other who needs to put aside his own admiration and respect for his opponent in order to earn his spot among the elite fighters in his weight class.

“We bring our fans major-league fights with major-league ramifications and that tradition continues May 13th. From top to bottom, you won’t see a better fight card in New England or anywhere else in 2016. Every fight is competitive. Every fight is a pick-’em fight.”

Tickets for May 13th are priced at $46.00, $66.00, $101.00, $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. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

May 13th is Manfredo’s first fight since November of 2013, when he stopped Rhode Island’s Rich Gingras in the 8th round of a scheduled 10-round bout. Coincidentally, Camacho’s last win was also against Gingras via 8th-round stoppage in September for the then vacant Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) International Light Heavyweight Title.

Citing he feels “great,” the 36-year-old Manfredo expresses a desire to make one more run to the top while leaning on his experience and ring generalship to carry him past the younger Camacho, who turns 33 in July.

“I had two and a half years off and when I approached Jimmy and told him I wanted to fight again, I said, ‘Whoever you’ve got,'” Manfredo said at Tuesday’s Media Day to officially announce the May 13th bout. “I feel young. I feel good.

“I’m already ready. If the fight were tomorrow, I’d be ready. If you feel good and you look good, then there’s really no fear. There’s nothing he’s going to show me that I haven’t seen. I’ve been in there with the best fighters in the world and have only lost to the best. I don’t feel like he’s on my level. I’m a better fighter than him. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, don’t get me wrong, but I still feel like I’m on a different level.”

Camacho shares in the respect and admiration for his opponent, a Rhode Island icon who he admits he grew up watching on public access and openly rooted for when Manfredo fought Joe Calzaghe for the super middleweight title in 2007. Now the two stand toe-to-toe May 13th and the stakes couldn’t be any higher.

A win over Manfredo could propel Camacho’s career to new heights. The 32-year-old Providence native is at the top of his game, having won each of his last three fights since ending a three-year layoff in November of 2014 with a win over Paul Gonsalvez. Since then, Camacho has beaten regional favorite Chris Chatman and Gingras, cementing his status as one of the top super middleweights in the northeast.

“I will win this fight and it’s going to launch me into the stratosphere,” Camacho said. “I’m getting the opportunity to fight someone I looked up to as a young buck before I even started boxing in the amateurs. I get to fight Peter Manfredo, my hometown hero? Absolutely, I’ll fight him.”

Manfredo’s resume is well publicized. The Providence native rose to fame as a finalist on Season 1 of The Contender and became a global star with knockout wins over regional rivals Scott Pemberton and Joey Spina in 2006. Manfredo parlayed his newfound success into a Pay Per View bout in Las Vegas against Jeff Lacy in addition to world-title bouts against Calzaghe, Sakio Bika and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Upon returning to the regional scene in 2012, Manfredo dazzled in wins over Rayco Saunders and Walter Wright before knocking out Gingras a year later.

On May 13th, his latest return to Twin River highlights a tremendous lineup featuring two title bouts. In addition to Manfredo-Camacho, undefeated Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray (12-0, 9 KOs) defends his UBF Northeast Title against Fort Meyers, Fla., vet Quinton Willis (10-3-2, 5 KOs) in an 8-round bout.

“I’m proud to be on this card,” said Gray, who last fought in February in a unanimous decision win over Eduardo Flores. “The dude I’m fighting, I don’t know anything about him. This is nothing new to me. I don’t take him lightly. He’s got 10 wins and five knockouts, but he has nothing to lose. He has three losses. I have everything to lose, but he’s not going to take my belt. He’s not going to win a round from me.

“This is either going eight rounds or not, because I’m not losing my ‘0’ for anybody.”

In a fight that could steal the show, 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. DeLomba is looking to rebound from a first-round knockout loss to Gledwin Ortiz in September while Sanchez returns to the ring for the first time in two and a half months after suffering a no decision against Antonio Fernandes due to an accidental head-butt and subsequent cut over his right eye.

“There’s really not much to say about this fight,” Sanchez said at Wednesday’s pep rally / press conference in Worcester. “I’m just going to go in there and do what I’ve got to do. I do my talking in the ring.”

Added DeLomba: “I’ve never worked so hard in my life or been as excited about a fight as I am for this one. You’re going to see a whole new fighter on May 13th.”

The undercard also features the Rhode Island return of New Haven, Conn., welterweight Jimmy Williams (10-0-1, 5 KOs), who puts his unbeaten record on the line against the hard-hitting Juan Rodriguez Jr. (12-4, 5 KOs) of Union City, N.J., and the northeast debut of CES’ latest acquisition, lightweight Divante Jones (7-0, 5 KOs) of Columbia, S.C., in a 4-round bout.

Rivalries will renew May 13th in a highly anticipated 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. They will now settle the score May 13th in a 6-round bout.

“All the shit-talking is done. I don’t have much to say. You all saw the last fight. This is going to be a different fight,” Allam said. “I’m in a much better place mentally, physically. I’ve never trained like this in my life.

“When you see me, you’re going to see a different person. I’m going to have everyone there asking, ‘Who’s that kid?'”

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, while two fighters from Worcester make their professional debuts.

Kendrick Ball Jr., the son of Gray’s head trainer, Kendrick Ball, debuts in a 4-round super middleweight bout against Providence’s Tunde Odumosu, trained by Rhode Island’s Victor Fagnant.

“I’m thankful to Jimmy for allowing me to make my pro debut on this exciting card,” Ball Jr. said. “I’ve been working hard and I’m ready to go in there and get the job done.”

Also from Worcester, decorated amateur Jamaine Ortiz, another new member of the CES team, debuts in a 4-round super lightweight bout against Skowhegan, Maine vet Josh Parker (0-2-1). Ortiz signed a long-term promotional agreement with CES during a special announcement at Wednesday’s rally. A former New England Golden Gloves champion, Western N.E. Golden Gloves titlist and semifinalist in the 2015 U.S. Olympic Trials, Ortiz turns 20 later this month.

“I’m very excited about being showcased on this card and I’m excited to be with the CES family,” Ortiz said. “From here on out, it’s going to be fireworks and the whole team is going to blow up. Worcester is going to blow up, and that’s what I’m here to do, to showcase Worcester and show we produce great fighters.”

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

Stuart Hall is putting it all on the line in his final eliminator for the IBF Bantamweight title against as he takes on Rodrigo Guerrero at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports – and a win can get him closer to regaining his World title and sweet revenge over Lee Haskins.

Haskins defends Hall’s old strap on May 14 in Cardiff, and Hall is hunting a win in Leeds to line-up a rematch with the Bristol man who defeated him in 2012 for the European title – revenge is on Hall’s mind and he believes he’d silence the 32 year old if they met.

“I want to win because I want to fight Lee,” said Hall. “If he comes through his fight we will have an all-British showdown and I will get my title back and I will be beating somebody who has beaten me before and he is really mouthy.

“In my last few fights I have been classed as the home fighter, but l think I got stitched up against Paul Butler – I wasn’t the home fighter even though it was in Newcastle. I wasn’t the home fighter in Monte Carlo when I fought Randy Caballero; that was a close fight. I am the home fighter and I think that is going to give me the edge. He is coming over here from Mexico and I have more pros than cons to win this fight.

“I gave Lee time and I didn’t do anything in our fight. I was a baby in boxing terms back then. I am a man now and I will give him no space at all. But I can’t talk about Lee Haskins really because I have Guerrero in front of me. Beat Guerrero and we can have a big conversation about Lee Haskins. He won’t be going ten rounds, he won’t even be going eight rounds with me next time. I need to win on Saturday then go in there and bully Haskins all over the ring.

“The way he goes on gets under my skin. I want the rematch because he is a big head and I don’t like big heads in boxing, I like humble people, the likes of Jamie McDonnell – he is a great bloke, he is humble. I want the rematch with Jamie and he knows that but I need to get into a position where I have a belt because he has shot away from us all at the minute, and fair play to him.

“But beat Guerrero in good style, smash Haskins and then have a massive fight with Jamie McDonnell and retire a happy man.

“It is the rematch I want. I already have an IBF World title belt in my cabinet and it would be nice to get another one, but it will be even nicer to beat Haskins.”

Hall is putting it all on the line against Guerrero and the Darlington man is under no illusions as to the type of fight he faces in the Mexican, and believes the sacrifices he’s made by moving to train in Birmingham with Max McCracken will see him prevail.

“Guerrero comes forward, he wants a row and if you put us in a phone box he would be happy,” said Hall. “I have to box to orders and I think I will win comfortably.

“Everybody knows I like a fight, I will stand there toe-to-toe with any Bantamweight in the world. If he comes to fight it will suit me down to the ground, I think he is made for me. If you look at people who have beaten me, they are always on the back foot, but he will come to fight.

“The crowd will be the winners on the night because me and him going toe-to-toe with each other is going to be good. I have a game plan, I need to use my boxing skills and if I can get the first few rounds in the bank then I will have a war.

“Eddie Hearn has kept me busy and kept me active and I have also done umpteen rounds in sparring. I am a 12-round fighter and I thrive off the distance, I am really looking forward to it.

Hall’s clash with Guerrero is part of a huge night of action in Leeds with Josh Warrington headlining in his toughest fight in the paid ranks to date against Japanese puncher Hisashi Amagasa.

Dave Ryan can regain the Commonwealth Super-Lightweight title against Martin Kaikili, Martin J. Ward defends his WBC International Super-Featherweight belt against Ruddy Encarnacion, and there’s a host of talent on the bill with Jake Ball, Isaac Chamberlain, Jeff Saunders, Maxi Hughes Darren Tetley and Daryl Baptiste, and a debut for Reece Mould.

Tickets are on general sale priced at £30, £40, £60 and £100 from the First Direct Arena at www.firstdirectarena.com and on 0844 248 1585. VIP tickets priced at £150 are available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com.

Tickets for April 16 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.

14 April 2016 – Manila, Philippines: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE) has just announced a monumental deal with the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company, ABS-CBN. The multimedia conglomerate, with a reach that spans the entire nation and millions of homes all around the globe, will broadcast coverage of live ONE Championship events in Asia to fight fans across the Philippines on its sports channel ABS-CBN Sports + Action. ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history and the largest media broadcast in Asia with streams to a potential one billion homes in over 75 countries. Among the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions in ONE Championship are Filipino mixed martial artists who have exemplified courage and honor inside the ONE Cage, helping make ONE Championship what it is today.

Apart from unprecedented coverage of live ONE Championship mixed martial arts (MMA) events across the region via ABS-CBN Sports + Action, ABS-CBN will also bring to Filipino fight fans ONE Championship’s events in glorious High Definition (HD) on ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD on SkyCable Ch166. Morever, regular weekly programming of ONE Championship’s world-class content will also be seen on free TV on ABS-CBN Sports + Action, bringing Asia’s favorite local and global MMA superstars closer to Filipino audiences several days a week, all year round.

CEO of ONE Championship, Victor Cui stated: “ONE Championship is proud to announce its partnership with television network giant ABS-CBN. ABS-CBN is by far the largest TV broadcaster in the Philippines with reach that spans the entire country, as well as internationally to millions of homes across the globe. We’re excited at the multitude of possibilities this tremendous opportunity presents to bring our unique brand of world-class mixed martial arts action to Filipino fight fans all over the world.”

“The Philippines is fortunate to enjoy such a rich martial arts culture. We are also proud to have one of the greatest Filipino combat sports athletes in history, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Filipino ring icon Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, as co-owner of ONE Championship. The possibilities are endless, and it has everyone at ONE Championship buzzing with excitement at what’s to come,” Cui added.

ABS-CBN Integrated Sports head Dino Laurena, meanwhile, said the network’s partnership with ONE Championship is another step towards ABS-CBN’s goal of promoting sports development in the nation. “When we said we are committed to helping develop sports in the country, we knew we would have to give exposure not just to popular sports like basketball or boxing. ABS-CBN has played a big role in promoting mixed martial arts in the country for many years, and we hope to continue leading the way by supporting exciting and quality fight leagues in MMA or mixed martial arts, such as ONE,” he said.

ABS-CBN Corporation is the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment organization. Primarily involved in television and radio, the company has since expanded and now owns the leading cinema and music production/distribution outfits in the country, and operates the largest cable TV service provider as well. ABS-CBN also has business interests in merchandising, licensing, mobile and online multimedia services, publishing, video and audio post production, overseas telecommunication services, money remittance, cargo forwarding, TV shopping services, food and restaurant services, theme park development and management, and property management. These investments are all aimed at making positive changes in the media landscape and strengthening the fiscal position valued by stakeholders.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA. For more information on ABS-CBN Sports, visit sports.abs-cbn.com and follow ABS-CBN Sports’ official Facebook and Twitter accounts, @abscbnsports.

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 best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

About ABS-CBN Corporation
ABS-CBN Corporation is the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment organization. The Company is primarily involved in television and radio broadcasting, as well as in the production of television and radio programming for domestic and international audiences and other related businesses. ABS-CBN produces a wide variety of engaging world-class entertainment programs in multiple genres and balanced, credible news programs that are aired on free-to-air television. The company is also one of the leading radio broadcasters, operating eighteen radio stations throughout the key cities of the Philippines. ABS-CBN provides news and entertainment programming for eight channels on cable TV and operates the country’s largest cable TV service provider. The Company also owns the leading cinema and music production and distribution outfits in the country. It brings its content to worldwide audiences via cable, satellite, online and mobile. In addition, ABS-CBN has business interests in merchandising and licensing, mobile and online multimedia services, glossy magazine publishing, video and audio post production, overseas telecommunication services, money remittance, cargo forwarding, TV shopping services, theme park development and management, property management and food and restaurant services, all of which complement and enhance the Company’s strength in content production and distribution. The Company is also the first TV network in the country to broadcast in digital. In 2015, it commercially rolled out its digital TV box, ABS-CBN TVplus, to prepare for the country’s switch to digital TV.

Former four division champion Adrien Broner has been jailed in Ohio on a parole violation, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

He will serve a 10-day jail sentence.

In July 2015, Broner was sentenced to six months’ probation in connection to a drunken driving arrest. Broner later entered a plea of no contest to reckless driving and was given probation.

Broner, 26, appeared in court Tuesday morning, pleaded guilty to the probation violation and began serving his sentence.

World Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has landed a coveted endorsement deal with Jordan Brand, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m very happy to be sponsored by Jordan and to join their other great athletes,” said Golovkin, who is also sponsored by technology giant Apple and has appeared in its national ads for the Apple Watch.

“We are excited to add Gennady to the Jordan Brand family,” Jordan Brand president Larry Miller said. “Gennady’s work ethic, dedication to his craft and style make him a perfect fit.”

K2 Promotions managing director Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, who helped negotiate the deal, told ESPN.com they worked on the deal for more than a year before finalizing it last week and announcing it Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed.

“They flew him up to [company headquarters in] Portland, Oregon, twice while we were working on this,” Loeffler said. “When we were going through who would be the right athletic wear company for him, it was Gennady’s dream to sign with Jordan Brand because Michael Jordan was one of the athletes he held in high regard. He associated the Jordan Brand athletes with being the best on the court.”

“There is definitely financial and product compensation in this deal, but more important is the marketing campaign,” Loeffler said. “They want to have an international marketing campaign also. They see his popularity in the U.S. and overseas. They see his international appeal.

“He’s a good ambassador for the sport of boxing and for their brand. When you have the combination of being that exciting in the ring and being such a likable and respectful person outside the ring, that’s the type of athlete they want represent their brand.”

LOS ANGELES (April 13, 2016) – Fighters Jesus Soto “Renuente” Karass (28-10-3, 18 KOs), Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai (26-3-1, 23 KOs) and Jousce Gonzalez, who will make his professional debut, today hosted a Los Angeles media workout ahead of their respective bouts on the April 15 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB.

The fighters came out to show their skills at Westside Boxing Club ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated bouts. Below is what the fighters had to say at the media workout:

JESUS SOTO-KARASS, Super Welterweight Star of the Future:

“Everyone knows I’ve never ducked anyone, I’ve never been scared of anyone, and it’s the same thing now as at the beginning of my career. I’m not afraid of anyone and I’ll fight anyone.

“I would have to say I have had a lot of fights, such as Marcos Maidana, Keith Thurman and Mike Jones, but if I had to pick one out as my best, I’d have to say my fight against Andre Berto, that’s the fight that took me to the next level.

“I’ve faced a lot of power punchers in my career, but if I had to pick one I’d say Mike Jones was the hardest puncher. Kamegai is a warrior and a tough challenge, but I think I won’t have a problem taking his punches.

“As a veteran, I don’t feel old. And like I said, it’s going to be a war. It’s an honor to fight a warrior like Kamegai is.

“Everyone knows that Japanese fighters are warriors, but the winners are going to be the fans that get to watch the fight.”

YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI, Super Welterweight Star of the Future:

“I think I am going to be able to put on an exciting bout.

“[Soto] I’ve seen him in so many fights…I have the highest respect for him and am honored to be able to fight him.

“If it turns out to be a brawl, I am going to go out there to win. I am here to win, but I also want to please the fans.

“The excitement of this fight really motivates me to do well. Winning this fight will bring me bigger opportunities

“I remember watching boxing on television, and I got together with my brothers and friends. We would put on gloves and would have boxing matches for fun, and I found this exciting and thrilling. That is when I decided to continue in the sport.

“In Japan boxing is very popular, and they are starting younger now. Since the sport has grown so much and the youth have more interest in the sport, it has contributed to more high-level Japanese boxers in the sport.”

JOUSCE GONZALEZ, Lightweight Star of the Future:

“I am excited. I have been waiting for this for a while.

“I started boxing with my brother (Joet Gonzalez) who is signed with Golden Boy Promotions, and he’s given me the best advice. We try to make each other better.

“My style of fighting…I like to say I’m a boxer puncher. I like to adapt. I have the ability to adapt to any style. I take advantage of my length and power shots inside.

“I’m going to go out there and execute what I did in camp, and I expect a good outcome.”

To accommodate the high demand for the sold-out April 15 LA FIGHT CLUB show featuringsure-fire ‘Fight of The Year’ candidate throwdown between Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass and Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai, an additional ballroom viewing section will open at the Belasco Theater for the first time in LA FIGHT CLUB history. Fans will be able to enjoy the festive fight atmosphere from the upstairs ballroom lounge, complete with live fight commentary, DJ, food, full bar and bottle service. Tickets for Ballroom viewing are just $10 for this Friday’s show and are available for purchase at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957 or by emailing LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

Jesus Soto Karass vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold” and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, April 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

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

NEW YORK (April 13, 2016) – WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., and Irish contender Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs), of Dublin, faced off at the final press conference Wednesday at Highline Ballroom in New York, as they approach this Saturday’s Featherweight World Title fight live on SHOWTIME® from the Fox Theater in Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins live at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME with IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship clash between unbeaten Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) and mandatory challenger Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), of Liverpool, England.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at Wednesday’s final press conference.

GARY RUSSELL JR.

(On Patrick Hyland…)

“First and foremost, I gotta tip my hat off to him. I heard him say he was being trained by his father. Me and my younger brothers are also trained by my dad. My father is my favorite superhero, so it is very hard to deal with a situation like this and to bounce back and to grind and put all the hard work and effort into it after all the heartache and loss, I gotta tip my hat off to him for that.

I know that anytime you have a fighter that trains for six to eight weeks and prepares for no one else but you, is a dangerous fight. He’s tall, he’s long, but we can take him. We’re going to handle it.”

(On returning from injury…)

“I feel good. I’m ready; I put the work in at the gym. Like I said earlier, I got cussed out several times and sometimes I left the gym feeling like the worst fighter ever. But, right now, we’re ready and we’re prepared to invest in my ability.”

(On what it means to have his brother Antonio on the card he’s headlining…)

“It means a lot. I’m looking forward to it. I’m actually more looking forward to watching my brother compete than my own fight. I will definitely be working his corner in that fight. It means a lot for us to be able to pass this information down from generation to generation and watch it grow and watch us build as a family and as a unit. It’s amazing.

“He definitely has the potential to be the best. Him as well as Antuanne, who is now on the 2016 Olympic team. It’s all information passed down from generation to generation. I feel as though they definitely have the ability to be better than me. I would want them to be anyway.”

(On what he needs to win the fight…)

“I need to maintain control of the fight, close the distance and maintain the jab. Complete dominance; I want to touch the body early. He likes to move a lot, so we’re going to cut all that down.”

(On potential future opponents…)

“God willing, everything goes right come April 16, we would love to unify with Lee Selby. If I had my choice, I would go with Lee Selby first to unify. Immediately after that, I want Leo Santa Cruz and after that I need Lomachenko.

“I don’t care where [Lomachenko] moves. He can lose his next 10 fights, but before my career’s done he has to see me.”

PATRICK HYLAND

(On what gives him the sense of satisfaction in boxing…)

“To fight for the WBC title is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid and all of the hard work that I have put in to get to this position to fight for it. I am happy and I am just living for it now for Saturday night.”

(On being the first Irish boxer since Barry McGuigan to hold a featherweight world title…)

“It’s a whirlwind and it’s great. I’m just a local lad from Johnstown in Dublin and to be fighting on the big stage and to be fighting for a major world title, and again to be named the second featherweight ever to win a world title would be just amazing; a real dream come true for myself.”

(On Gary Russell…)

“I know he’s got fast hands. He’s a great southpaw and a great boxer so I have to be at the best of my ability on Saturday night for that. I worked on a game plan in the gym to counter his hand speed and it all has to come together on fight night. I can do all this and say all that, but I just have to perform on Saturday night and put it in by doing everything I’ve worked on to become champion.”

JOSE PEDRAZA

(On training camp…)

“I am feeling really good, we’re in the last stretch of conditioning. It was a very long and intense training camp but we saw improvements in my abilities. I have been waiting a long time for this day to come and we are going to demonstrate to Smith that I am a weapon.

(On Stephen Smith…)

“Smith is a very good boxer, he has a lot of abilities and intelligence. He’s a boxer with very good defense, but we already utilize a variety of strategies to be able to neutralize all of his abilities.”

(On what he plans to demonstrate on Saturday…)

“With my abilities, come Saturday, I will demonstrate that I am above Smith and that I am at the level of what I am, a champion. Overall, I just want to put on a show and I hope that the fan base will enjoy this great card.”

(On what he learned from fighting Edner Cherry…)

“I learned what I have always said and what I have always done to this very day, which is never watching. I never watch too many videos of my opponent because on the day of the fight he could be a completely different fighter and I think that is what occurred then. Aside from that, he utilized a great strategy.”

(On his thoughts on other Puerto Rican boxers…)

“Actually I am a world champion just like Rocky Martinez; there are many Puerto Rican prospects. Like [Felix] Verdejo but I don’t consider him as a world title contender just yet. He hasn’t fought with a boxer of championship caliber but he is currently among the top fighters in Puerto Rico.”

(On other fights he may be interested in at 130 pounds…)

“I have always said that the less Puerto Ricans I fight, the better. If it is the last option, I will fight with Puerto Ricans too but aside from that Rocky [Martinez] the world champ, there’s Francisco Vargas, [Javier] Fortuna, to name a few that are at the top of my list.”

STEPHEN SMITH

(On his first time fighting in the U.S….)

“I’m excited. If you want to make a name in boxing, then you’re going to do it in the states and that’s what I plan on doing by becoming a world champion Saturday.”

(On what he knows about Pedraza…)

“Well, not quite a lot. I know his name from the amateur days. He’s well established, he’s an Olympian and he’s a talented man. To fight somebody consists of winning or not, it goes beyond tactics, beyond style and beyond skillset really. I believe I have what it takes to fight anyone and nothing will keep me from becoming a world champion.”

(On what he needs to do to get the victory…)

“It can be a different type of fight; we know he likes to switch it up and box from different stances. He’s obviously talented so it’s going to take a different set from each way but we know what to expect. I’ve gone over everything with my trainer Joe Gallagher and we’re ready to go.”

(On his brothers Liam and Callum being hampions and what it could mean to potentially join them…)

“It’s special. Two weeks ago Liam and Callum won a European world title and it just gives me the confidence, the spirit to hike. I’m in a really good place mentally and I couldn’t be feeling better going into it. After my boot camp going successfully, it just makes you feel better going ahead to become a world champion.”

(On UK champions on the rise in the past year…)

“There’s a lot of history there and for myself and my family, so we do what we’ve always wanted to do and we’re looking to just keep moving forward.”

TRAINER JOE GALLAGHER

(On training camp…)

“It was good. Obviously it boiled up to Callum’s win. There’s a good momentum. Callum and then Stephen has his world title opportunity. It’s been a slow burning rise with Stephen but he’s got, as I call it ‘his World Cup final’ — something that is going to take heart and strength. His strength is going very well. Pedraza is a very good fighter, good orthodox, good southpaw, he can mix it up and we’re prepared for whatever style he wants to bring on Saturday.”

(On the process of preparing for a fighter like Pedraza…)

“It’s a nightmare. It’s hard enough when you’re fighting a quality orthodox or a quality southpaw, of which he is, but not only that. He can also box on the back foot and on the front foot so we’re varying sparring partners, we’re mixing up the sparring in between the rounds, switching stances, and whichever way Pedraza wants to fight at the end of the night, I’m sure we’ll have an answer for.”

(On how he feels the fight will play out…)

“I think that’s all up to Pedraza, looking back at a few of his fights, he boxes slow and gets off to a good start but then he seems to lose his way a little in rounds. When you watch him against [Andrey] Klimov, he started out very well, put him under manners very quickly and had him nearly beat by the fourth round but [Andrey] managed to stay in very well and boxed really well. He got to the middle rounds, lost his way a little bit, switched southpaw, so either way it’s going to be fascinating. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t get caught to early when he’s quick and he’s sharp and he’s trying to put manners in Stephen Smith and then take him into the deep waters like Edner Cherry.”

(His prediction…)

“Stephen Smith. Possibly by knockout. No, definitely by knockout.”

# # #

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.