LAS VEGAS (March 22, 2016) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim Cruiserweight World champion Beibut Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs) is targeting the May 21st unification title winner between WBA titlist Denis Lebedev (28-2, 21 KOs) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Victor Emilio “El Tyson de Abasto” Ramirez (22-2-1, 17 KOs).

When Shumenov defeated B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs) last July in Las Vegas, the former WBA light heavyweight champion became WBA Interim champion as well as its No. 1 mandatory contender.

Lebedev, however, hasn’t fought a mandatory fight since last April 10 in which he won a 12-round decision over then Interim WBA champion Youri Kalenga. Lebedev made a voluntary tittle offense last November, stopping Lateef Kayode in the eighth round.

Shumenov will be back in the ring next month (April), full details forthcoming, and then he will challenge the Lebedev-Ramirez winner within 90/120 days of their outcome.

“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to fight the Lebedev-Ramirez winner because it’s always been my goal to unify the titles,” Shumenov explained. “Lebedev has always been my target. Ramirez is the other fighter I’ve really wanted to fight and my manager tried to make a fight between us, too.

“I’ve been in the gym since my last fight, training hard to perfect my skills. Now, I am a completely different fighter since I fought last July. My team is extremely happy and confident that I can beat all of the other world cruiserweight champions.”

Last December, Shumenov was scheduled to defend his Interim WBA crown against two-time world cruiserweight champion Krzyesztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk (50-3-1, 36 KOs), but a serious medical issue concerning a family member forced Shumenov to withdraw from the aforementioned fight.

“The opportunity to fight the winner of Lebedev/Ramirez in a big unification fight just came about this year and I didn’t have that option back when I agreed to initially fight Wlodarczyk back in December and I was unable to foresee what would happen to my family personally,” 32-year-old Shumenov said. “I have no problem fighting Wlodarczyk in the future, but only after I fight the Lebedev-Ramirez unification winner. In addition, at any time, I have no problem fighting WBA No. 2-ranked Yunier Dorticos.

“Right now, I’m at my fighting prime yet still improving, training with my coach, Ismael Salas. I want to show the world my skills before I get too old. Literally, I’m ready to fight tomorrow and I’ve been ready for months. I’ll be back in the ring next month and then I’ll get my shot at the Lebedev-Ramirez winner.”

Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

Kevin Bizier wants to take Kell Brook’s IBF World Welterweight title at the Sheffield Arena live on Sky Sports on Saturday night and add his name to the list of great Canadian World champions.

Bizier landed the mandatory challenger spot with an impressive win over unbeaten American Fredrick Lawson in November, the second Canadian fighter to land a mandatory shot at Brook after Jo Jo Dan faced him in his first defence a year ago.

Canadian stars Adonis Stevenson, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal and David Lemieux have all topped the world in recent years, and Bizier wants to fulfil a childhood dream and make a name for himself in the Steel City.

“Canadian boxing is in a good place right now with some great fighters and great champions with the likes of Bute, Stevenson, Pascal and Lemieux,” said Bizier. “But I want to make a name for myself now and prove I belong at World level, they have opened the road for Canadian fighters to come and make big statements on the biggest stage.

“I followed my Dad into the gym and the second I put the gloves on I knew that it was what I wanted to do. Now I am on the cusp of fulfilling my dreams of being the champion of the World and I am going to leave everything in the ring to make that dream come true.

“I’m a strong guy and I like to have a fight. Dan is more stylish but also relies on holding too. Lawson was the kind of guy I like to fight as he wants to trade punches and I like that, Kell is open too so I think that our styles will gel.

“I know Kell is a great fighter, he’s the complete package. He’s fast, strong, he punches hard, he’s got good ring IQ, but we’re coming here with a game plan and I am confident that I can take his title.”

Bizier’s clash with Brook is part of a huge night of action in the Steel City as Hull’s Olympic gold medal star Luke Campbell MBE returns to action in a Yorkshire derby with Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title.

Adam Etches is straight back into title action on the card, Sheffield Heavyweights Dave Allen and Richard Towers clash in a British title eliminator and Andy Townend meets Craig Poxton for the English Super-Featherweight title.

Tickets priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 are on sale now from the Sheffield Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk. VIP tickets priced at £250 are exclusively available from www.matchroomboxing.com.

Tickets for March 26 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.

LAS VEGAS (March 22, 2016) –World Series of Fighting has appointed distinguished Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) industry veteran and sports attorney Michael Mersch, its new Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, effective immediately.

Mersch brings to the world championship MMA league, over eight years of experience as a senior level executive and Assistant General Counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In his latest role, he served as General Counsel and Chief Political Advisor for the Nevada Attorney General.

“I am excited to re-enter the MMA business with one of the premier players and recognizable brands in the space,” said Mersch. “With its robust team of media and sports business executives as well as blue-chip partners, beginning with NBC and IMG, World Series of Fighting is in the midst of an exciting phase of growth with great things on the horizon.”

“We are looking forward to having Michael Mersch bring his wealth of industry specific knowledge, experience and relationships to our growing enterprise, and are confident that he will be a driving force in the next chapter of our business,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

In his new, dual role, Mersch will be responsible for overseeing World Series of Fighting’s business operations and legal affairs; negotiating and drafting all talent, television, venue, sponsorship and merchandising legal agreements; and spearheading and managing all government relations efforts on behalf of the league.

A frequent guest speaker for the Sports Lawyers Association as well as numerous MMA industry summits, Mersch is recognized as one of the foremost experts on legislation and regulation in the world’s fastest growing sport.

World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN, live from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

In the main event of the star-studded, world championship doubleheader, reigning world middleweight (185 pounds) champion David Branch (17-3) will put his coveted title on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2) while, in the co-main event, superstars Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) and Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) will square off with the vacant world welterweight (170 pounds) crown at stake.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

LONDON (22 MARCH) Carshalton’s Lenny Daws and Madrid’s Ruben Nieto will again clash for the European super-lightweight title after Daws’ promoter, Mick Hennessy, struck a deal with Team Nieto to stage the rematch in England before the summer.

This will be Daws’ third crack at the European title and comes as a result of a controversial disqualification loss to Nieto in December.

That night Daws was ahead on all three scorecards going into round ten of an all-out war when he was inexplicably disqualified by referee Freddy Rafn for an alleged deliberate head-butt. The decision sparked widespread condemnation and the European Boxing Union (EBU) were quick to order an immediate rematch between the pair.

“This is great news for Lenny Daws, who more than deserves to become a European champion, and great news for all the fans who witnessed a classic first time round but felt robbed of a conclusive ending,” said promoter Mick Hennessy.

“The Daws-Nieto rematch gives both boxers the chance to set the record straight and finish the fight properly this time.

“I’ve no doubt it will be another ‘Fight of the Year’ contender and I’ve no doubt Lenny Daws will be crowned the new European super-lightweight champion.”

The specific date and venue of the Daws-Nieto rematch will be announced soon.

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LONDON (22 MARCH) Chris Eubank Jr. has warned reigning British middleweight champion Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell to look out for the uppercut when the pair clash at The SSE Arena, Wembley on March 26, live on Channel 5.

The Brighton-born challenger, a former WBA interim world middleweight champion, is known for his explosive and damaging uppercut – used to defeat many previous foes – and he’s earmarked that particular shot as one which could come in handy on Saturday night.

“Blackwell has a weak defence,” he said. “He’s open a lot of the time and I feel like I can definitely capitalise on this lack of defence.

“I’ve watched his last few fights. Nothing I’ve seen impresses me or worries me. His style and attributes are nothing special. He’s a British-level fighter and I’m world-level. The public will see the difference once we step into the ring.

“I watched his fight with Max Bursak and noticed he was getting caught with a lot of uppercuts. Obviously, I’m not Max Bursak. I’m a level above him. If he’s catching Blackwell with uppercuts, I know what’s going to happen when he gets caught with mine.

“I’m sure he thinks he’s going to prepare for all that – to avoid my uppercuts – and he probably thinks that’s all I’m going to be relying on, which is good. The uppercuts are on his mind. I know that. He’s already said I’ll go in there thinking I’m just going to take him out with uppercuts. But I’m a fighter who always does the unexpected. Everybody will see what I’ve got up my sleeve for this guy.”

Eubank Jr. promises he’ll have plenty of other weapons to use on the night, weapons he’ll use to show Blackwell isn’t the immovable force many have made him out to be.

“Blackwell couldn’t be further from an immovable force,” said Eubank Jr. “He might stand in front of you, but he can be moved. I’m the same. I can also move. I actually enjoy situations in fights where I have to box going backwards. That’s a skill in itself. Not a lot of fighters are able to do that. I can. I can fight going forward and I can fight going backwards.

“I mix things up and do the unexpected. People like to think I’ll go in there and go toe-to-toe – I can if I want – but I also have other options I can use to take this guy out. It’s going to be exciting.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, new WBA Heavyweight champion, Lucas Browne failed a post fight drug test following his winning effort over Ruslan Chagaev on March 5 in Russia.

Browne, whose status as the first Australian heavyweight to win a world title is in jeopardy, tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol in a urine test conducted by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, which conducted the testing for the fight.

ESPN.com obtained a copy of the letter in which VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman wrote, “This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 2998060 collected from Lucas Browne … has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists and stimulants. The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains Clenbuterol.”

Goodman went on to write, “Mr. Browne has the right to promptly request analysis of the ‘B’ sample at his expense.”

“I am not a drug user or a drug cheat,” Browne said in a statement released through his promoters. “I will be fighting for as long as it takes to clear my name.”

Said his promoter, Ricky Hatton: “We believe Lucas Browne to be a clean athlete who arrived in Chechnya a clean athlete. We are therefore conducting our own further investigations and cannot comment further at this time.”

“`My team and I were well aware of the many risks involved in going to a place like Chechnya to fight a reigning champion and believed we had taken sufficient precautions,” he said. “In addition it was at our insistence that VADA testing was implemented for the fight.”

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Monday, March 21, 2016) – Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to action at the Five Star Banquet Hall on Saturday, April 9th, with stablemate Samuel “Main Event” Clarkson (17-3, 11 KOs) taking on Hungarian veteran Istvan Zeller (30-10, 9 KOs) for the NABF Jr. Light Heavyweight Championship in the main event.

“This is a blessing. I’m training hard like this dude is trying to take everything away from me,” Clarkson stated. “I slipped up before in my career, and now I refuse to lose. I will be coming back home with that belt.”

A Texas native, Clarkson won five fights in 2015 to extend his current winning streak to seven bouts. Among those victories included a decision over former world title challenger Cedric Agnew and knockouts of highly touted prospects Jerry Odom and Lavarn Harvell on ShoBox: The New Generation. The 25-year-old has been continually improving and showing significant growth since signing with Uprising Promotions last year, and April 9th marks the first time that he has officially fought on a card hosted by the promotion.

“I am so happy that I am finally able to fight on an Uprising Promotions card,” Clarkson remarked. “To fight in New York on top of that is such a blessing. Some fighters never get to fight in New York or ever even see New York, so for me to be able to fight for a belt in New York is something that I cannot wait to do. The fans can expect a great fight. I plan on knocking this dude out, and I am coming as vicious as I have ever been. I’m trying to be as brutal as possible come April 9th.”

Ultra-popular New Yorker Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (5-0, 4 KOs) will also be featured on the April 9th docket, her second consecutive bout on the Uprising Promotions platform. In her last outing, the Long Island native won in dominant fashion against gritty Hungarian veteran Szilvia Szabados to claim the WBC Women’s Silver Middleweight Championship. The hard-hitting and crafty Napoleon always brings a great crowd to each and every one of her bouts, providing non-stop action for all fans in attendance.

Supporting those two feature bouts will be an incredible undercard that will showcase some top rising contenders and young prospects.

Among those slated for action are 2012 USA and PAL national champion Patrick Day (11-2-1, 6 KOs), who also won the New York Golden Gloves at 152 pounds in 2012. The former USA Olympic alternate was undefeated in his first 10 professional bouts as a welterweight before falling to unbeaten Alantez Fox on ShoBox: The New Generation in 2015.

Returning again to the Uprising Promotions stage will be Brooklyn middleweight Akil Auguste (7-1, 6 KOs), whose lone loss came after challenging NABF junior middleweight titleholder Louis Rose in just his third professional bout. Auguste is a fighter who is not afraid to test himself, and his crowd-pleasing style has made him a must-see attraction anytime he steps into the ring.

Back for the second session of his pro campaign will be light heavyweight Stephen Frank (1-0, 1 KO), who stepped up to combat 15-fight veteran Marlon Farr in his professional debut this past January, stopping Farr in the fourth frame of an Uprising Promotions card.

Two bouts scheduled to occur on the program include a super welterweight pairing between Matthew Armstrong (1-0) and Malik Joe (0-1), as well as a women’s flyweight scrap between two-time New York Golden Gloves champion Natalie Gonzalez (1-0) and pro debuting Rachel Sazoff.

Additional combatants on the April 9th show include Brooklyn lightweight Jude Franklin (1-0, 1 KO), hard-hitting Brooklyn heavyweight Romarick Ngoula (4-0, 4 KOs), New York featherweight Jose Gonzalez (1-0) and undefeated Uprising Promotions middleweight Kemahl Russell (8-0, 6 KOs), who won the Jamaican edition of the Contender Boxing Series last July.

The first bell on April 9th is scheduled for 7:00 PM sharp, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. The Five Star Banquet Hall is located at 13-05 43rd Avenue in Long Island City, and its intimate setting ensures that there is not a bad seat in the house. Tickets are priced at $60 for general admission and $100 for ringside seating, and there is also a table option with dinner. For pricing on those tables, call (516) 451-6773.

This Uprising Promotions card will continue its initiative to KO Autism, with proceeds from the night getting donated to The School For Language and Communication Development (SLCD) in Glen Cove, New York. This show is being sponsored by Brooklyn Brothers, Sleep Inn, Alma Restaurant and Charlie’s Auto Collision in Long Island City.

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

Leading up to the highly anticipated third pay-per-view encounter between elite prizefighters Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. set for Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, HBO Sports presents LEGACY ON THE LINE: FROM BRADLEY TO PACQUIAO. Chronicling the lessons and controversies Bradley has endured in his high-profile rivalry with the boxing legend from the Philippines, the special debuts SATURDAY, MARCH 26 (midnight-12:30 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following a previously announced “HBO World Championship Boxing®” doubleheader, and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Other HBO playdates: March 27 (11:15 a.m.), 28 (11:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m.), 30 (6:00 p.m.) and 31 (1:30 p.m.), and April 4 (3:35 p.m.) 6 (11:00 a.m., 11:30 p.m.), 8 (7:15 p.m., 2:00 a.m.) and 9 (5:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 29 (9:45 p.m.) and 31 (2:00 p.m.), and April 1 (5:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.), 2 (1:45 p.m.), 5 (10:30 a.m.), 8 (11:45 p.m.) and 9 (10:30 a.m.)

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

After two matchups with future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs), welterweight star Timothy Bradley Jr. (33-1-1, 13 KOs) is in pursuit of a legacy. The Palms Springs, Cal., resident experienced frustration and criticism when he scored a controversial split decision win in their first encounter and lost the rematch two years later via unanimous decision, his only loss in 35 professional bouts.
Interviews for LEGACY ON THE LINE: FROM BRADLEY TO PACQUIAO include Timothy Bradley Jr.; Monica Bradley, his wife and business manager; father Ray Bradley; and trainer Teddy Atlas, who has added a new dimension to Bradley’s fighting style.
Widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations, HBO Sports has won ten George F. Peabody Awards for production excellence,
For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #PacBradley.
Pacquiao vs. Bradley takes place Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

LONDON (21 MARCH) Undefeated heavyweight star Hughie Lewis Fury will now face seasoned American Dominick Guinn on March 26 at The SSE Arena, Wembley, following an injury to original opponent Nagy Aguilera.

The fight will be a 12-round international heavyweight contest.

Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Guinn was once a highly-rated young heavyweight prospect tipped for the top by many boxing experts. ‘The Southern Disaster’ scored wins against the likes of Audley Harrison, Duncan Dokiwari and Michael Grant, as well as a spectacular knockout of Jean-Francois Bergeron, and was known for his smooth skills, good defence and durability.

Now 40, Guinn, 35-10-1 (24 KOs), continues to ply his trade at a good level and has yet to be stopped in an accomplished 15-year professional career. His last fight against Donnie Davis in Salt Lake City ended in a first-round knockout win.

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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Undefeated Indian star Vijender Singh will fight next on the undercard of the big World Championship card at the Copper Box Arena, London, on Saturday 30th April.

It had been announced that Singh would feature on the Saturday 2nd April show at the Harrow Leisure Centre in London, but following a reschedule he has been moved, instead, onto the undercard of Billy Joe Saunders’ WBO World Middleweight title defence against Max Bursak.

Singh, who took his record to 4-0 in Liverpool earlier this month with a blistering fourth round stoppage of Alexander Horvath, will fight in a four-round contest against an opponent to be announced.

The red-hot star will then fight on Friday 13th May at the Premier Suite in the Macron Stadium, Bolton, on the undercard of his stablemate Jack Catterall who defends his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight title against Joe Hughes.

In the summer he is scheduled to make his highly-anticipated homecoming in India where he will fight for the first time as a professional in his homeland in front of thousands of his adoring fans.

An excited Singh said, “I’m thrilled to be fighting on the same card as the WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders on Saturday 30th April at the Copper Box Arena. Saunders is in the position that I want to be in one day, the middleweight champion of the world. Then I can look forward to my next date on Friday 13th May in Bolton, where my good friend and gym-mate Jack Catterall is headlining, which will be another great night. So it’s a busy few months ahead and then of course I will be making my big homecoming in India which will be absolutely amazing and I can’t wait.”

WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders makes the first defence of his title against “Mad” Max Bursak and headlines an action-packed card that also features: The Vacant European Cruiserweight title between Ovill McKenzie v Dmytro Kucher; Ryan Walsh defends his British Featherweight Championship against James Tennyson.

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.

ROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 21st, 2016) — The world’s fastest-growing mixed martial arts promotion, CES MMA, kicks off the spring of 2016 with its busiest month yet, two dynamic shows in two different states in a whirlwind two-week stretch.

The new season begins Friday, April 1st at The Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., with “CES MMA 34” featuring the return of CES MMA Welterweight Champion Chris Curtis defending his title live on AXS TV and continues Saturday, April 16th with “CES MMA 35” at the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Mass., with a stacked pro-am card that includes Massachusetts standouts Pedro Gonzalez and Rico DiSciullo and an added twist with a handful of amateurs competing for a CES MMA promotional contract.

The next two events mark the promotion’s first venture outside of its homebase in Rhode Island since November of 2013, also at Foxwoods. In addition, “CES MMA 35” marks the promotion’s Massachusetts debut while “CES MMA 34” is its 10th televised event on AXS TV since its network television debut in 2014.

Tickets for both events can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. Tickets for “CES MMA 34” are priced at $40.00, $60.00 and $100.00 (VIP) and can also be purchased online at www.foxwoods.com, by phone at 800-200-2882 or at the Fox Theater Box Office while tickets for “CES MMA 35” are priced at $35.00, $50.00 and $100.00 (VIP) and can also be purchased online at www.nsmt.org, by phone at 978-232-7200 or at the North Shore Music Theatre Box Office. All bouts are subject to change. Showtime for both events is 7 p.m. ET.

Curtis (13-4, 5 KOs), a Cincinnati native who captured the CES MMA title in January with a knockout win over Gil de Freitas at “CES MMA 32,” makes his first title defense in the five-round AXS TV main event at Foxwoods against Philadelphia’s Nah-Shon Burrell (12-6, 8 KOs), one of televised bouts on the main card.

A two-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) and three-time Bellator vet, Burrell owns wins over Jesus Martinez and Brazilian Yuri Villefort, the younger brother of former UFC standout and current World Series of Fighting contender Danillo Villefort, in addition to competing in Bellator’s welterweight tournament in 2014.

The main card of “CES MMA 34” also features a middleweight bout between Calvin Kattar (14-2, 6 KOs) of Methuen, Mass., and Cortland, N.Y., vet Kenny Foster (11-10, 1 KO), a seven-time Bellator vet. Johnny Campbell (11-7, 5 KOs) of Boston battles Matt Lozano (5-3, 2 KO) of Red Lion, Pa., in a bantamweight bout and heavyweight Steve Skrzat (8-7, 7 KOs) of Burrillville, R.I., faces Rollinsford, N.H., vet Kevin Haley (4-3, 1 KO). Also on the main card, Ludlow, Mass., lightweight Leon Davis (7-3, 1 KO) faces Lorawnt-T Nelson (7-4, 5 KOs) of Arvada, Colo.

The “CES MMA 34” preliminaries feature four exciting bouts, including a flyweight showdown between unbeatens Carlos Candelario (2-0) of New Britain, Conn., and Syracuse’s Luay Ashkar (2-0), plus the professional debuts of bantamweight Geoffrey Then and Michael Maldonado, both fighting out of Danbury, Conn. Then battles Merab Dvalishvili (1-2, 1 KO) of Long Island, N.Y., and Maldonado faces Stoughton, Mass., native George Nassar (1-0). The prelims also feature a light heavyweight bout between Cape Cod’s Matt Thompson (19-10, 7 KOs) and Anton Berzin (3-1) of Philadelphia. The 29-fight veteran Thompson appeared for CES MMA in 2014 and defeated Eric Bedard via submission.

“CES MMA 35,” the promotion’s first foray into The Bay State, features several of Massachusetts’ rising stars, including the Gloucester veteran Gonzalez (10-5, 9 KOs), who battles Boston bantamweight Andres Jeudi (7-5, 3 KOs) in the main event.

Quincy middleweight Mike Rodriguez (2-0, 2 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line against Buck Pineau (1-2) of Ashland, Maine in a rematch of their amateur bout in which Pineau won by third-round submission. Pineau returns to CES MMA for the first time since October when an arm injury cut short his match against Pat McCrohan at “CES MMA XXXI.”

Rounding out the pro portion of “CES MMA 35,” Medford lightweight Lewis Corapi (6-2, 3 KOs) faces Keenan Raymond (3-2, 1 KO) of Providence, R.I., who scored his first career knockout win in January at “CES MMA 32,” and Boston’s Devin Carrier (0-1) searches for his first win as a pro in a lightweight bout against Meriden, N.H., native Wayne Ahlquist (1-2, 1 KO). DiSciullo (5-0, 2 KOs), an undefeated Peabody native with three appearances each for Bellator and CES MMA, will be featured in a separate bantamweight bout.

On the amateur side, Yardy Kim faces Nick O’Connell in a bantamweight bout; welterweight Jamie Collins battles Jon Ciampa and Aaron Reverdes faces Joao Ramos in a featherweight bout. Providence’s Marquis Brewster, 5-1 as an amateur with two knockouts, faces Billy Keenan (6-2, 2 KOs) of Salem, Mass., and Boston’s Sean Murrin (1-0, 1 KO) battles featherweight John Douma (2-1) of Providence. All amateurs on the undercard are competing for a promotional contract with CES MMA.

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtags #CES34 and #CES35 to join the conversation.

LAS VEGAS (March 21, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of five preliminary card bouts to its highly-anticipated WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

Topping the undercard bill that will stream live, in its entirety on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, will be a welterweight (170 pounds) collision between Abubakar Nurmagomedov (11-1-1) and Matt “The Thunder From Down Under” Frincu (7-1).

The adopted brother and training partner of superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov, the 26-year-old Abubakar, who hails from Dagestan, Russia is riding a three-fight win streak, while Frincu of Tempe, Ariz. via Queensland, Australia will put a five-fight win streak on the line.

Nurmagomedov boasts an impressive 82 percent finish rate, while Frincu has earned six of his seven professional wins to date by way of (T)KO or submission.

In lightweight (155 pounds) preliminary card action, undefeated knockout artist Steve “Thunderbeast” Kozola (6-0) will make his World Series of Fighting debut against fellow fast-rising star Gil Guardado (5-1).

On fire since his professional debut victory in July 2013, Kozola of San Diego, Calif. via Chicago, Ill. comes to World Series of Fighting after producing back-to-back, devastating KO victories – each with a furious onslaught of punches – under the promotion of Bellator.

On January 16, 2015, Kozola scored a second round (1:25) KO on Jonathan Rivera at Bellator 132 and, on March 15, 2015, he scored a first round (2:22) KO on Ian Butler at Bellator 137.

Guardado of Las Vegas will look to notch his third consecutive win after two dominant performances inside the World Series of Fighting decagon cage.

The 30-year-old Xtreme Couture prodigy submitted Pete Martin with a guillotine choke in the first round (3:31) of action at WSOF22 on August 1, 2015, and closed out the year with a unanimous decision victory over Giga Chikadze at WSOF26 on December 18.

In a flyweight (125 pounds) scrap, Carlos Garcia (1-1) of San Bernardino, Calif. will make his professional debut against Jason Pacheco (1-0) of Las Vegas.

Adam Aquaviva (4-2) of Las Vegas will face off with Andres Ponce (3-2) of Tempe in a bantamweight tilt and, in the opening preliminary card matchup, Jeff Roman (1-2-1) of Las Vegas will square off with Nick Salantri (0-1) at welterweight.

A sixth, middleweight (185 pounds) preliminary fight featuring Clinton Williams (7-3) of Las Vegas will be announced soon.

Priced from $20, tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open for the event at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

In the main event, reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight champion David Branch (17-3), the league’s first-ever, two-division title holder, will put his coveted crown on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will battle recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight championship at stake.

Elsewhere on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun (9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will lock horns with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

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

About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. The premier destination entertainment resort is owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $700 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses and KISS have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Casino Tower with 640 rooms and suites, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites; the 15-story HRH All-Suite Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 60,000 square feet of casino space featuring Peacock High-Limit gaming and Asian gaming amenities; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $4 million in rare music memorabilia; Reliquary Water Sanctuary, Spa & Salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise, which was voted as the No. 1 “Best Hotel Pool” in the 2015 USA Today 10Best Readers Choice contest; the world-famous pool party REHAB Beach Club; live music/entertainment venues The Joint and Vinyl; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants Culinary Dropout, Nobu, The Ainsworth, 35 Steaks + Martinis, Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s Café and ?Fú; a fitness center; and trendsetting retailers John Varvatos, Affliction and Rocks The Jewelers. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit hardrockhotel.com. Follow Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Red-hot super-featherweight prospect Zack Davies wants to Welsh boxing’s next big star.

The unbeaten man from Gorslas is gunning for his sixth professional victory when he fights over six rounds at Bethnal Green’s York Hall this Friday night.

24 year-old Davies enjoyed a glittering amateur career at Welsh, British and International level that saw him compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Since joining the professional ranks the Welsh wizard has racked up five straight wins; his latest coming in Russia at the VBT Arena on the undercard of Maccarinelli’s showdown with legend Roy Jones Jr.

“It was an amazing show to be involved in. Obviously it was very different to what I’m used to but it was all good experience. I’ve looked up to both men my whole life so fighting on their undercard was like a dream come true for me. I want to be fighting at that level one day so it gave me motivation to really push on. There must have been over ten thousand people packed into the arena and the atmosphere was brilliant,” said Davies.

Unsurprisingly, Maccarinelli ended the 47-year-old’s night with a brutal knockout. Proud Welshman Davies had front row seats to witness the former WBO World Cruiserweight champion dropped Jones with a big uppercut in the fourth round.

“Enzo is a man that I’ve always looked up to in the gym,” said the prodigy from West Wales. “He’s achieved great things in his career and I’d like to follow in his footsteps. Our fighting styles are very different but what he’s achieved in boxing is great for Wales. Lee Selby is another guy who I have a lot of respect for. I’ve sparred with him before and he’s a very good fighter; I’d love to be in his position in the future.”

The hard-hitting Welshman says he possesses the armoury to propel himself to the very top of the domestic super-featherweight scene and is relishing the opportunity to showcase his talent again.

He said: “I’d like to think of myself as an intelligent boxer. I use my boxer’s brain to outthink my opponents but I can also mix it up a bit and have a fight. I have a high work rate and like to keep as busy as possible. If you come to one of my fights you’re going to be entertained that’s for sure.”

Davies, a self-confessed trainer holic, is cutting no corners ahead of his York Hall clash. The Welshman is gearing up for another big year and with Gary Lockett in his corner he has all the tools and ability to make an impact in 2016.

He said: “All I’m focusing on is improving every day and getting in as many fights as I can. I had five fights in my first year as a pro so I’m aiming to fit in another five or six this year. Under Gary’s guidance I’m confident I can carry on winning and climbing the ranks,”

“I’m coming on good. My first two fights were four rounders and the last three have been six rounders. Alexander Saltykov was a tough journeyman with a few wins to his name and I stopped him in the fourth round which showed how far I’ve come.”

WBO Middleweight King Billy Joe Saunders says Chris Eubank Jr will never be on his level.

The unbeaten Hatfield star (23-0-0 12 KO’s) has warned his rival that he’ll have to step his game up if he is to earn an eagerly-anticipated rematch to avenge the sole loss of his career inflicted by Saunders.

“At the end of the day everyone knows that I’m chasing a big fight with Golovkin. That’s a big money fight and I want to test myself against the very best to see how good I am,” said Saunders.

“For the Eubank fight to happen he’s got to get past Nick Blackwell first. I’ve got more options than just Chris Eubank; I’ve got three or four options,” Saunders added.

Saunders put Eubank to the sword back in November 2014 to retain his British, European and Commonwealth titles. Since then the 26 year-old has gone on to reach the very top of the fight game by bagging himself a world title; an achievement that he believes Eubank will never match.

He said: “Eubank says that going for the British title is something that he wants to do but I think that he knows in his own mind and his own head that he’s not ready for a rematch with me,”

“He can’t step up to my level, he’s a British level fighter. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t think he’ll ever win a world title.”

WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders makes the first defence of his title against “Mad” Max Bursak and headlines an action-packed card that also features: The Vacant European Cruiserweight title between Ovill McKenzie v Dmytro Kucher; Ryan Walsh defends his British Featherweight Championship against James Tennyson.

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.

Germany’s youngest professional boxer Leon Bauer (7-0, 6 KOs) makes his American debut on April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The 17 year-old super middleweight talent will be fighting on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s third and final fight with Timothy Bradley, which also features countryman ‘King’ Arthur Abraham’s WBO World title defence against Gilberto Ramirez.

In crossing the Atlantic, Bauer will not only become the youngest German fighter to have fought in Las Vegas, but also the youngest fighter to have ever been licensed to box in the fight capital of the World.

On April 9, Bauer will be 17 years and 233 days old, breaking the previous record of Jose Benavidez, who was 10 days older when making his professional debut in 2010 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

‘’This is going to be an incredible moment for me,’’ said Bauer. ‘’I’m very grateful to my promoter Team Sauerland for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to being a part of such a huge occasion and showcasing my skills in front of the American fans.’’

‘’I think Leon will prove very popular with the American audience. He may even become the next German Wunderkind,’’ said promoter Kalle Sauerland in a reference to one of Germany’s most successful sporting exports, NBA superstar, Dirk Nowitzki.

‘’He has a bright future ahead of him. At just 17 years of age, he has already shown a lot of potential, and with the right guidance, we are sure he can go all the way!”

LONDON (21 MARCH) British middleweight champion Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell has paid tribute to the skills of former British, Commonwealth and European super-middleweight champion ‘Saint’ George Groves following a number of sparring sessions in his company and says he’s now more confident than ever of defeating his next opponent, Chris Eubank Jr., on March 26.

Blackwell and Eubank Jr. collide at the SSE Arena, Wembley this weekend, live on Channel 5, and the champion from Trowbridge has been using time spent in the ring with Groves to sharpen his tools and get him well-prepared for the task at hand.

“It has been really good,” said Blackwell. “George is big, strong, very fast and he hits hard. He’s also a really nice lad. I appreciate him letting me go to his gym and spar.

“I learnt a lot from George and got some decent rounds in. I didn’t feel 110% in all of the spars we had, but it was nice to know that George still had some nice things to say about me.

“I’ve had good sparring at my gym but sometimes you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone and get in with people who are world-class and have competed at a higher level. George Groves is world-class. He has boxed world-class fighters and he has been in some massive events. He has been there and done it. Eubank Jr. hasn’t. He might like to pretend he has, but he really hasn’t.”

Though the respective styles of Groves and Eubank Jr. are anything but similar, Blackwell is nevertheless encouraged by the work he was able to produce while in the ring with a former world title challenger.

“Mentally, it’s great,” he said. “You feel good going into a fight like this knowing you’ve sparred countless rounds with a world-class guy from a weight class above.

“George’s jab is phenomenal. It’s probably the best jab I’ve ever come across. When you take one of his jabs, it’s like being hit by a right hand. It’s very sharp and he’s very strong.

“Eubank Jr. doesn’t really use a jab that much, and he’s certainly not going to hit as hard as Groves. I’m in a great place. I’m ready.”

Groves, it seems, is also a believer. Last week he said, “I’ve always been impressed by Blackwell when watching him fight. He’s a fighter who doesn’t seem afraid of anything; a lot of fighters say they’ll fight anyone, but he really means it. He loves a challenge.

“He boxed on one of my undercards against Billy Joe Saunders, pushed him really close, and I’ve kept an eye on him ever since. But it was nice to finally do some sparring with him because I’d heard a lot about his sparring sessions over the years – he’s got quite the reputation.

“Obviously he’s a fit lad with a great work-rate. He throws loads of punches. And, over the course of three sparring sessions, he showed he was a very good fighter. He punches well inside, he finds angles that don’t seem to be there, and he is happy to put it on you from the word ‘go’. He’s a real physical presence in the ring.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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LOS ANGELES (March 21, 2016) – Before WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion, Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and former two-time world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) step into the ring at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 7 for the biggest fight of 2016 thusfar, three hard-hitting bouts have been confirmed to get fight fans ready for the main event.

Canada’s biggest boxing star and former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) will be looking to make an impression and use his power against the swift contender from Passaic, New Jersey, Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-2, 15 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight co-main event.

As part of the televised undercard, top rated contender, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) of Riverside, Calif. will move up to welterweight to face East Los Angeles’ undefeated star Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (20-0, 13 KOs)in a 10-round welterweight fight sure to excite boxing fans.

Opening up the pay-per-view telecast, heavy-handed Brazilian star Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) is set to face former world title challenger Curtis “Showtime” Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs) in a 10-round career-defining middleweight bout.

The live mega event, which matches some of boxing’s most popular and recognizable fighters against each other in exciting matchups will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

“I am back,” said David Lemieux. “I am coming back strong and ready to be on top of the middleweight division where I belong.”

“This is a make or break moment,” said Glen Tapia. “I can’t wait to show everyone what I am made of. People will see a new and improved Glen Tapia and this is the best place to show it; as part of a stellar undercard. I know David will be a tough opponent, but I am ready for this challenge to take on the best in the division and show the world a fully realized Glen Tapia.”

“We want to give back to the fans with this undercard and provide thrilling, action-packed bouts leading up to the main event with Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan on May 7,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “We appreciate the fans support and wanted to give them the best bang for their buck with these televised undercard fights. To watch exciting, competitive undercard bouts leading up to the biggest boxing event so far of 2016 will help to create buzz by the time Canelo and Amir reach the ring and fans pay to feel a part of that electric atmosphere.”

“I am extremely happy for David to be on such a high profile card as the co-main event to Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “David is motivated, now more than ever, to reconquer his status as a world champion and winning this fight will get him closer to his goal. I am confident David will put on a fight to remember on May 7.”

“This is a great opportunity for Glen, he knows he has to be at his best against a warrior like Lemeuix,” said Pat Lynch, Manager to Glen Tapia. “I know he is up for the challenge and will give everyone Mat 7a great fight to remember.”

“May 7 is the day I have to slaughter another young lion to prove myself again,” said Mauricio Herrera. “Frankie Gomez is a strong fighter that will bring the absolute best out of me. I will be in tip top shape for the mega-event.”

“This is the kind of fight I have been training for my entire career,” said Frankie Gomez. “Herrera is a recognized and ranked fighter, he has a lot of experience and it’s my chance to prove myself and show everyone who has doubted me, what I can do in the ring. I feel very excited to be part of a great undercard, fans can expect an exciting night, don’t miss it.”

“I am excited to be part of one of the biggest boxing events of the year,” said Patrick Teixeira. “I promise to go out to the ring fully prepared for the best Curtis Stevens and show that I am a fighter to be feared in the middleweight division. I want to thank my team and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity, and on May 7 fans can expected to see an exciting fight opening the televised event.”

“This guy is a zero and has got to go,” said Curtis Stevens. “I’m ready to start climbing up in the rankings again and am happy to be on this great HBO card with my man Canelo Alvarez.”

“This is a great crossroads match up for Curtis on a big platform,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “He needs to deliver on May 7th and I know he will!”

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

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold”, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila and DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Currently ranked as one of the top middleweight fighters by the WBC and IBF, former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux is making his return to the ring on May 7 after a sell-out crowd at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden in New York, when he faced Gennady Golovkin for the Unified Middleweight World Championship on October 17. Before his face off against Golovkin, Lemieux was coming off of his ninth consecutive victory over Hassan N’Dam in June 2015 and seventh consecutive knockout against Gabriel “King” Rosado last December 2014. The 27-year-old Lemieux was victorious in dominant fashion capturing the vacant IBF Middleweight Title against Hassan N’Dam on June 20 in his hometown of Montreal, Canada. Dropping N’Dam four times, the hard-hitting Canadian won a wide, 12-round unanimous decision. Lemieux made his HBO and United States debut in headline fashion with a fantastic performance stopping top contender Gabriel Rosado in the tenth round on December, 2014 in Brooklyn, New York. Now, Lemieux is ready to fight Glen Tapia in a memorable mega event in Las Vegas.

Known as one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the sport, Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia will be looking for an opportunity to start off 2016 with a victory when he faces power-puncher David Lemieux on May 7. A professional since 2008, the 26-year-old is a tough fighter who has taken on some of the fiercest opposition in the sport, including match-ups against James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland, Daniel “The Rock” Dawson, and Michel Soro. One of the most decorated amateur fighters of his time, Tapia has competed for the NABO and USBA super welterweight titles. Now, Tapia has set his sights on becoming a world champion as he prepares for his fight on May 7.

Fan favorite Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera has established his reputation over the years with an old school approach that has seen him show off the technical aspects of the sweet science like few others. Throw in a warrior’s heart and the 35-year-old from Riverside, California is a must-see for all followers of the sport. Owner of wins over former world champions Ruslan “The Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov, Johan “El Terrible” Perez and, most recently, “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, Herrera’s only defeats over the last two years have been controversial decision losses to current world champions Danny “Swift” Garcia and Jose Benavidez. Now moving up to 147 pounds, he expects to be better than ever.

East LA’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez is known for his exciting style and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon “Ice Man” Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge “Pantera” Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016.

From Sombrio, Santa Catarina, Brazil and residing in Sao Paulo, southpaw Patrick Teixeira has paid his dues on the way up the middleweight ladder and after putting together a perfect record, the Brazilian star will take on his biggest test to date in former world title challenger Curtis “Showtime” Stevens. An active fighter who has competed around the world since turning professional in 2009, the 25-year-old will make his Las Vegas debut this May after scoring big knockout wins over Patrick Allotey and Don Mouton in 2015.

One of the most exciting knockout artists in boxing, Curtis “Showtime” Stevens hails from the same Brownsville, Brooklyn neighborhood that produced the legendary Mike Tyson, and Stevens, like “Iron Mike,” enjoys nothing more than a fast finish on fight night. Winner of two of his last three, with knockouts of Patrick “The Machine” Majewski and current number one IBF Middleweight contender Tureano Johnson, the 31-year-old former NABF middleweight champ can make his case for another world title shot with a win over Teixeira on May 7.

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

Kell Brook has told Kevin Bizier to get ready to stand and fight when he defends his IBF World Welterweight title at the Sheffield Arena on Saturday night (March 26) live on Sky Sports.

Brook makes the third defence of his title and second against a Canadian mandatory challenger, and for ‘The Special One’ it’s the conclusion to an extended training camp following the rib injury that forced him out of his October clash with Diego Chaves.

The unbeaten 29 year old is plotting a major summer showdown, and wants to send a statement out to the Welterweight division by destroying Bizier in front of his adoring Steel City following.

“It feels like I’ve been training for an eternity and I just can’t wait to get in there and fight,” said Brook. “The back end of last year was so frustrating. I was excited for the Chaves fight and to get injured with just over a week to go was heart-breaking. When we tried to reschedule the fight the IBF told us that we have to fight Bizier next so he’s in the saddle.

“I was a mandatory challenger once and know how hungry I was. I’ve seen him saying that he is going to try and pressure me on Saturday and that’s music to my ears. I want to stand and fight. I haven’t had that fight night feeling for nearly a year and it’s been killing me inside. Saturday will be quite emotional for me and I feel a special performance coming on.

“Everyone is talking about a big summer fight and of course that’s on the agenda but right now I’m going to soak up the atmosphere in the arena in my hometown and go on a seek and destroy mission Saturday night.”

Brook’s clash with Bizier is part of a huge night of action in the Steel City as Hull’s Olympic gold medal star Luke Campbell MBE returns to action in a Yorkshire derby with Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title.

Adam Etches is straight back into title action on the card, Sheffield Heavyweights Dave Allen and Richard Towers clash in a British title eliminator and Andy Townend meets Craig Poxton for the English Super-Featherweight title.

Tickets priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 are on sale now from the Sheffield Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk. VIP tickets priced at £250 are exclusively available from www.matchroomboxing.com.

Tickets for March 26 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (March 21, 2016)–This past Saturday night, welterweight contender, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna thrilled a sold-out crowd at The Claridge in Atlantic City when he scored fourth round stoppage over Kendal Mena that highlighted a action-packed nine bout card.

The card was promoted by Rising Promotions and Vincent M. Ponte’s Gulfstream Promotions.

With all of the seats occupied, fans were jammed on the walls and they enjoyed LaManna’s performance, which was action-filled from the opening bell.

LaManna used hard right hands to continuously rock Mena. In round one, LaManna set the tone by buckling Mena with one of those rights. LaManna was sitting down on his punches to the point where he sent Mena’s mouthpiece firing out oh his mouth several times and finally in round three, referee David Fanciosi had to deduct a point from Mena. LaManna continued to rock Mena with hard shots and had him wobbled throughout round four. LaManna had Mena on the ropes and one more hard right hand pummeled into Mena and Franciosi stopped the bout at 2:23 of round four.

LaManna of Millville, NJ is 20-1 with eight knockouts. Mena of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic is 20-4.

“It felt good to get the stoppage. I can only see bigger and better things coming for my career, I am only getting better and stronger, and I predict more knockouts to come,” Said LaManna. “I felt real composed and I knew he was hurt in the first round and I took my time to break him down and get him out. Rising Promotions and Gulfstream Promotions has three more dates at The Claridge (May 27, September 17 and November 12) and I am still building. I am still young and am taking my time to get where I want to be.”

Isiah Seldon (8-1) came back after a 33-month layoff with a six-round unanimous decision over Michael Mitchell to capture the Tri-State Super Middleweight title.

Seldon of Atlantic City almost had a stoppage in round one as he landed a hard flurry of punches and had Mitchell hurt on the ropes. It looked like referee Mary Glover was stepping in to stop the fight, but she just separated the fighters. Seldon got the best of the action over the game Mitchell and came home with the victory to the tune of 58-56 on all cards.

Dan Pasciolla (7-1-1) won the Tri-State Heavyweight title with a shutout six-round unanimous decision over comebacking former IBF Cruiserweight champion Imamu Mayfield (25-10-2)

Scores were 60-54 on all cards.

Popular Long Island welterweight Tommy Rainone (25-7-1) made his boardwalk debut a successful one as he scored a hard fought unanimous decision over Maurice Chalmers (14-13-1) in a eight-round bout. Rainone used effective punching to open up a cut over Chalmers left eye in round two. Chalmers tried to make the fight, but Rainone used effective counters and won by scores of 79-73 on all cards.

Daryl Bunting (1-0-1) started the card off with a four-round unanimous decision over Darryl Watkins (0-3) in a super middleweight bout.

Bunting win by scores of 40-36 twice and 40-35.

Omar Brito (3-2, 2 KO’s) scored a explosive one-punch knockout over Bienvenido Diaz (2-2) in a scheduled four-round super featherweight bout.

Brito landed a perfect right hand that sent Diaz to the canvas. Diaz got to his feet but was wobbling around the ring and the bout was stopped at 2:20 of round one.

Quian Davis (2-0-1) won a four round unanimous decision over Corey Morley (0-2-1) in a heavyweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards.

Alvin Vermall Jr. (8-0-1) remained perfect by winning an entertaining four round unanimous decision over D’Quan Morgan (3-3-1) in a cruiserweight bout.

There was good back and forth action throughout the bout. Vermall, who is from Catskills, New York has an exciting style reminiscent to another former Catskills fighter in Mike Tyson. Morgan was bleeding from his nose in round three. The two fought a spirited affair with Vermall winning by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37.

Hakim Bryant (6-0) remained perfect with a six-round unanimous decision over Rick Graham in a middleweight bout.

Bryant (6-0) dominated the action, and dropped Graham in round six from a flurry on the ropes and won by scores of 60-51, 60-52 and 60-53.

The show is available for viewing for $14.99 on GFL.TV by CLICKING HERE

Wembley’s super-welterweight star Gary Corcoran wants to take on British and Commonwealth Champion Liam Williams once he has dealt with Bristol’s Danny Butler.

Corcoran headlines Friday’s action-packed show at Bethnal Green’s York Hall where he takes on English Champion Butler for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Junior-Middleweight Championship.

“I always take things one fight at a time and I’m fully focused on beating Danny Butler. I have a lot of respect for Danny and I’m expecting a tough fight from him,” said Corcoran.

“Saying that, I know I can beat him comfortably. Peter Stanley has come up with an air-tight game plan and I’m fully expecting to come away with another win. Once Danny is out the way I can start looking forward,” Corcoran added.

Known as the ‘Hell Raiser’ for his ferocious fighting style, Corcoran has ripped through his first 14 opponents; claiming 6 knockouts along the way. The unbeaten 25 year-old wants to take out as many rivals as possible on his journey to a world title; starting with Liam Williams.

He said: “The super-welterweight division is bursting with talent and there’s a lot of exciting fights to be made. After I’ve dealt with Danny I want to go for Liam Williams. That would be a massive fight and I’m confident I could beat him. I’ve got the ability to box him or fight him, when I fight him I’ll know what to do.”

Red-hot Corcoran says he’s taken a lot of confidence from inflicting defeats on the previously unbeaten Rick Skelton and Rick Godding last year and is aiming to kick-off 2016 by claiming another scalp. The natural-born scrapper is chomping at the bit to get back in the ring.

He said: “I’ve been waiting a long time for this fight now and I’m buzzing to get back out there. It’s been frustrating having to wait this long but I’ve kept myself in top condition in the gym. I’ll be looking to make a big statement on Friday. I’ll have a lot of family and friends there supporting me and I’ll make sure I send them home happy.”

Big Bear Lake, CA: As IBF number one light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) prepares for the biggest fight of his career against one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters, Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs), at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California which will be televised live on HBO, the 34-year old from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is calm, confident and ready for anything.

Barrera trains in Big Bear Lake, California with legendary trainer Abel Sanchez. Sanchez is best known for working with IBF, WBA and WBC Interim Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. Sullivan has taken advantage of working with his prestigious coach and being surrounded by other elite boxers like Golovkin. He said, “Camp has been great. I feel great. I am ready to make history on March 26. The best advice I have received was from Gennady Golovkin who told me to work my speed and to fight intelligently. Abel Sanchez told me not lose my cool and to stay focused at all times.”

Sanchez and Barrera
Photo Credits: Craig Bennett/Main Events

This advice has given Barrera the confidence he needs to face Ward, the former WBA & WBC Super Middleweight World Champion, as he makes the transition into the light heavyweight division. According to Sullivan, “[Ward] is considered one of the top three or four fighters in the world. I admire him a lot. He is a great challenge. I love what he has done. I also consider myself one of the best talents in the world. This opportunity is something that will prove to the world that I am at the top. I think I am getting him at the right moment because he is moving up. This is the perfect fight for me to prepare for the future 175 pound fighters who are at the elite level.”

Sanchez believes Sullivan is ready for this challenge because he has been able to adapt Sullivan’s Cuban skills with Abel’s approach to create an entirely unique style. Explained Sanchez, “Sullivan has a style that is partly from the Cuban school and partly from my school. The attacking style that he has now is because of some of the things that we practice in the gym. It’s just a matter of going at Andre and taking what he gives us. I wasn’t trying to change his Cuban style, what I was trying to do is make him a little more aggressive. I wanted to make him stick out his punches a little more and have better balance. I wanted a little better positioning and technique with his legs. By adding the two styles together it gives us more opportunity for him to do what he has to do.”

Barrera
Photo Credits: Mike Gladysz/Main Events

This unique style has given Sullivan the confidence he needs as he prepares to face Ward. He said, “If I have to box, I will box. If I have to attack him, I will attack him but I will be ready for anything as the fight goes on. I, like everyone else, recognize that Andre is a great boxer. I, too, am a great boxer. The only thing that is missing in my resume is that I haven’t had the opportunity. I think this is the opportunity for me to prove that I am just as good.”

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel and Visit Oakland. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

Micki Nielsen (21-0, 14 KOs) overcame his toughest career test to retain his WBC International Cruiserweight title with a unanimous points victory against former World title challenger Mirko Larghetti (24-2, 14 KOs) last night at the Albertslund Musikateatret in Copenhagen.

Headlining his first event at his hometown arena, the Danish southpaw started strongly, working well behind his southpaw jab and punishing his opponent with heavy shots to the head and body. Larghetti, suffering from a swollen eye, looked to be in trouble in the opening rounds as he failed to keep up with Nielsen’s work rate.

Larghetti was forced to absorb more punishment as the rounds went on, with Nielsen, still in total control, finding the target with a series of combinations. Undeterred, the granite chinned Larghetti kept coming forward looking for his own openings.

The Italian’s persistence paid off as he begun to enjoy more success in the later rounds. However, Nielsen was able to hold off a late rally from Larghetti to successfully retain his WBC title with the judges scoring the fight 117-112, 116-112 and 116-112 in favour of the twenty-three year-old Champion.

‘’That was definitely the toughest fight of my career. Larghetti is a very strong fighter. He took a lot of punches and kept coming forward,’’ said Nielsen.

‘’I hurt my hand half way through the fight and had to adjust my game plan, but overall I was pleased with my performance. It was a very important fight for me. I feel like I’ve past the test and proved I’m ready for the bigger challenges.’’

Promoter Nisse Sauerland was impressed with what he saw from Nielsen and says the young Dane can become a dominant force in the cruiserweight division.

‘’Micki did himself proud tonight,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’That was a big step up for him, a real test of his ability, and he past with flying colours. At just twenty-three years old, Micki has a big future ahead of him. He can rule the cruiserweight division for many years to come.’’

Los Angeles, CA (March 19, 2016) Boxing Superstar and Unified Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will head to the Auto Park Speedway in Fontana, California on Sunday as a special guest of auto racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he competes in the 2016 Nascar Auto Club 400 Race.

Gennady is a fan of Earnhardt Jr. and with the close proximity of the race to his training camp agreed to attend. This will be Golovkin’s first auto race and the first time these two titans of their sport will meet.

While on-site Dale Jr. has arranged for Gennady to meet many of the other drivers and be introduced to the attending media at a pre-race press availability that Dale Jr. is hosting.

Golovkin will be joined by his trainer, Abel Sanchez, the 2015 Trainer of the Year and Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions.

The NASCAR Auto Club 400 starts at 12:30pm PT.

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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/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.