LOS ANGELES (March 4, 2016) – In a match-up sure to make hardcore fight fans jump out of their chairs, Golden Boy Promotions today announced that former WBC Continental Americas and NABF Welterweight Champion Jesus “Renuente” Soto-Karass (28-10-3, 18 KO) will face Japan’s mighty warrior and former OPBF Welterweight Champion Yoshihiro “Maestrito” Kamegai (26-3-1, 23 KO) on April 15 in a 10-round super welterweight showdown.

Both fighters have battled in fight of the year candidates and are known for always going for the knockout, making their styles a perfect fit for the high-intensity action that always occurs at LA FIGHT CLUB.

“Every month, LA FIGHT CLUB features the best up-and-coming prospects on the planet, but on April 15, fans will be treated to something different — two veterans who leave everything in the ring every time they fight,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Though the fighters may be at different points in their careers than the prospects we usually feature, they always deliver high-action bouts with potential knockouts in every round – that’s what LA FIGHT CLUB is all about.”

LA FIGHT CLUB, Golden Boy Promotion’s popular series that brought boxing back to downtown Los Angeles, has been a hit since it’s debut in March 2015, often selling out the Belasco Theater. The series stages action-packed fights in an intimate venue, giving fans an unforgettable evening and leading them to return month after month.

Representing Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Jesus “Renuente” Soto-Karass is a brawler in the ring and is probably one of boxing’s most underrated fighters. Coming from a boxing family, he turned professional at the age of 18, and his career has spanned to encompass more than 15 years of experience, with an impressive record fighting notable fighters including but not limited to top talents like Alfonso Gomez, Mike Jones, “King” Gabriel Rosado, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana Andre Berto, Keith “One Time” Thurman, Devon “The Great” Alexander, and former world champion Vince Phillips, and winning many welterweight titles, including the WBC Continental Americas and NABF welterweight titles. He is looking to come with a vengeance inside the ring to remind the boxing world of his potential on April 15.

Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai began his professional career nearly 10 years ago and quickly became known as a fast and sly slugger, scoring knockout after knockout. He built a stellar reputation in Asia for years, winning regional titles at 140 and 147 pounds.He made his U.S. boxing debut in 2011, securing a victory over Hector “The Hurrican” Munoz at the MGM Grand, but it was a fight he lost to Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in June of 2014 that made him a star on the international scene. His last notable fight was at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in which he won via technical knockout over Oscar “El Tigre” Goody that same year. “El Maestrito” is a force to be reckoned with, and brings his experience to the Belasco Theater’s ring.

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.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB are on sale starting at $20 with new Flex Passes, Group Tickets and Knockout Experience upgrades are available for purchase now at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957 or by emailing LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

Media interested in attending the April 15 installment of LA FIGHT CLUB must be pre-approved for credentials. Credential applications are available here. The deadline to submit a credential application is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016. Media will not be credentialed on-site, no exceptions.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.belascous.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a 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.

BETHLEHEM, PA. (March 3, 2016) – Undefeated top contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams and Italy’s Marcello Matano went face-to-face for the first time Thursday at the final press conference before they meet with the IBF’s No. 1 spot at 154-pounds on the line this Saturday, March 5 live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Saturday’s SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® tripleheader features middleweight matchups between rising contender Antoine Douglas and Avtandil Khurtsidze and exciting Detroit prospect Tony Harrison against former title challenger Fernando Guerrero.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I want to thank Matano and his team for coming all the way over here. We’ve had a difficult time getting opponents for different reasons, but I’m excited to headline this stacked card.

“When I win this fight I’ll be able to accomplish my dream of being a world champion. It’s one step closer.

“I’m going to attack the head and body as much as I can. I’ve got enough film on him to see what he’s got. He’s pretty solid. He got better each time out. But those guys in Italy don’t have the skills that I have. I think he’s going to bring it for as long as he can handle it.

“He’s an awkward fighter. He’s definitely a boxer and he can be a little skittish in the ring. I know I’ve fought the better competition and I’ve trained my hardest for this.

“I’m ready to make a statement. I’m not worried about a knockout. However the win comes, it’s great. I’m just looking to win and beat him down.

“I’m expecting a good Philadelphia crowd to be out here supporting me. Ninety percent of my career I’ve been on the West Coast and other places. But now fighting in front of my hometown fans, there’s nothing better. It’s perfect.”

MARCELLO MATANO

“I feel very good. I’ve been here since Friday so I have gotten used to the time zone difference and I’m ready to fight. My American experience is just starting and I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s been a hard two months of training for this fight. This is by far the most important fight of my career so I’ve trained even harder than I usually do.

“I know that Julian Williams is a top-notch athlete and that he is coming to give his best, just like I am. It’s going to be an exciting fight because we both want to get to the top.

“I can adapt myself to any opponent. I can be a boxer or I can be a brawler. But in my heart, I am a warrior and I will come forward all fight. I am coming to leave that ring victorious.

“This is a dream come true to come here to the United States. I’ve always worked hard and it’s gotten me here. I will put all of my heart into the ring on Saturday night.”

ANTOINE DOUGLAS

“You can always look forward to an action-packed fight when I step into the ring. I have an admirable opponent who I know is coming to fight.

“I’ve grown into this role and into who I am. If you asked me earlier in my career, I would have never thought I’d be here. This is great and it comes from all the hard work I’ve put in over the years.

“You will see my growth Saturday night in the ring. I plan on being victorious. The work I put in won’t let me be any less than that. I’m looking forward to the action.

“I have a very strong opponent and I think it will make for a more exciting fight than Sam Soliman.

“I just always have to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me. This is boxing – there are no guarantees. We just have to be prepared for everything and do our best.

“The styles of Soliman and Khurtsidze are completely different, but we always base our offense and defense off a fighting at range and working the jab. I’m not going in blind – I’ve faced opponents who come forward. We’ll be ready for him and ready to make the adjustments in the ring.

“A win on Saturday will definitely put me in a position for a title shot. We just take it day-by-day. It’s not about looking at future opponents. We take each step successfully and see where it puts us.”

AVTANDIL KHURTSIDZE

“I’m very happy to be here and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m fighting a very strong fighter. Once I step into the ring I’m expecting a good challenge and I can’t wait for Saturday night.

“Everything in training went well. We’ve trained really hard and we’re ready for Saturday night.

“Douglas is a good fighter. He’s a good boxer and he has a good left hook. But none of that means anything until you get in the ring.

“Once I step into the ring, I will bring 100 percent. I am not going to stop swinging until Douglas goes down.”

FERNANDO GUERRERO

“We’re ready to fight. We had a great training camp and there’s not too much to say. It’s warrior time.

“I’ve been through my ups and downs, but I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere. This is for my whole nation, everyone in the Dominican Republic who is watching. You have to step in that ring for something.

“This isn’t a game. This is the only sport that you cannot play. I’m going to make this one of those fights that will be one of the best of the year. It will either be the best knockout or the best fight of the year. This is going to be memorable.

“This is the kind of opponent who will bring out the best of me. Everybody has to watch out for me. I’m coming to make a statement on Saturday.”

Friday, March 4

6:00 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Vision Bar (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
5:00 p.m. – Media arrival
6:00 p.m. – Fighters to scales

Saturday, March 5

5:30 p.m. SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER DOORS OPEN
Location: 77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015

6:45 p.m. FIRST BOUT

10:00 p.m. SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION BROADCAST BEGINS

CREDENTIAL DISTRIBUTION
Fight night credentials can be picked up on Saturday, March 5 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at the Backstage Entrance. Proper personal photo ID (Driver’s license or passport) is required for credential pick-up.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $108, $83 and $58, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.sandseventcenter.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @JRockBoxing, @Action_Douglas, @IAmBoxing, @FernandoDomini, @TheSBEC and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 3, 2016) – Fighters featured on the March 5 HBO Boxing After Dark telecast shared their final thoughts ahead of Saturday’s fights at the final press conference today in Washington, D.C. WBA Interim Heavyweight Champion Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs) was joined by Tony “The Tiger” Thompson (40-6, 27 KOs) ahead of their clash in the main event on the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast on Saturday.

Also appearing on stage were number one contender for the WBO Welterweight World Title Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs) and former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Jessie Vargas (26-1, 9 KOs) who will battle for the vacant WBO Welterweight World Championship in a can’t-miss 12-round co-main event.

Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (23-11, 13 KOs) of and former WBA Interim Super Bantamweight World Champion Oscar Escandon (24-2, 16 KOs) of Ibague, Colombia, who will face of in a 12-round fight for the WBC Interim Featherweight World Championship.

Rounding out the dais were a host of up-and-coming east coast prospects including Lamont Roach Jr. (9-0, 3 KOs) of Washington, D.C., D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (11-0,7 KOs) from Temple Hills, Md., Kevin “K-Smoove” Rivers Jr. (12-1, 9 KOs), Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (13-0, 6 KOs) of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Philadelphia natives Damon Allen (8-0, 3 KOs) and Todd Unthank-May (8-0, 3 KOs).

Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say at today’s final press conference:

LUIS “THE REAL KING KONG” Ortiz, WBA Interim Heavyweight World Champion:

“Unlike Mr. Thompson who uses humor and good words and is very well spoken, I instill fear through my hard work. In the ring is where I’m most comfortable and that’s where I’ll continue to prove why I am the most feared heavyweight on the planet.

“Tony said that he is Godzilla. I didn’t see the movie, but on Saturday night, King Kong is going to beat Godzilla.”

TONY “THE TIGER” THOMPSON, Former Heavyweight World Title Contender:

“I didn’t take this fight in my hometown to get embarrassed. I don’t believe in the boogeyman. D.C. raised a man. I’m all man. I don’t care who the opponent is. I’ll meet you in the middle of the ring, and let’s see what happens. He’s the kind of fighter who is going to bring out the best in me.”

ROBERT DIAZ, Head Matchmaker at Golden Boy Promotions:

“This is a card you don’t want to miss. We stacked it up from top to bottom. These are the kind of fights Golden Boy and HBO put on every time, and every time the fans are the winners.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Golden Boy Promotions Partner and Future Boxing Hall of Famer:

“Not only to the fighters on TV but to all the fighters, this is the time to make a statement in your career. When you have two heavyweights that want to fight, you are going to have a fight. In the heavyweight division you have to be careful, because of the power that they bring.”

HERMAN CAICEDO, Trainer for Luis Ortiz:

“We put in a lot of hard work at the gym. At the end of the day there’s no one who can help you when you’re in the middle of the ring. Whether it’s in the first or the 12th round, it’s coming – there’s a knockout pending.”

TROY FOX, Trainer for Tony Thompson:

“We got two stellar athletes. It should be a remarkable, action-packed card.”

MIKE BORAO, Manager for Tony Thompson:

“People are calling Luis Ortiz the boogeyman because no one wants to fight him, but Tony is the original boogeyman who no one wants to fight. Everyone knows the original is always better than the sequel.”

SADAM “WORLD KID” ALI, Number One Contender for the WBO Welterweight World Title:

“This is for a world title. This is what we all wait for. This is what we work for. This is my dream. Just know that you are going to see an exciting fight.”

JESSIE VARGAS, Former WBA Welterweight Champion:

“We’ve had a great preparation. I am very happy to be fighting for the WBO World Title once again, and I look forward to becoming a world champion. I will do whatever I have to do to come out victorious.”

ANDRE ROZIER, Trainer for Sadam “World Kid” Ali:

“Sadam is a hard worker and diligent student. He’s my youngest fighter to reach this level. We’re going to show you Saturday night what we’re ready for.”

DEWEY COOPER, Trainer for Jessie Vargas:

“If improvement if possible, perfection is not good enough. That is the way we trained. We improved in every way. You will all see that on display Saturday night. On Saturday night there will be one victor, and that will be Jessie Vargas.”

LEE SAMUELS, Director of Public Relations at Top Rank:

“Jessie reminds me of Alexis Arguello – he’s a gentleman outside the ring and a warrior inside the ring. Jesse wants to make a statement. He re-did his team. Jesse feels a lot stronger and he’s ready to fight.”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice President of HBO Sports:

“This is a spectacular event, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it. All of these fighters are committed to fight anyone, anyplace, any time – those are the kind of guys that fans want to see.”

ROBINSON “ROBIN HOOD” CASTELLANOS, Former WBC Silver Featherweight Champion and Mandatory Contender to the WBC Featherweight World Championship:

“I am very well-prepared. We’ve done everything we had to. I want to make history in boxing, and the only way to do that is to win on Saturday night, and that’s what I’m planning to do.”

OSCAR ESCANDON, WBC Interim Featherweight Title Contender:

“I want to dedicate this fight to God and my daughter who was born last week, and I haven’t met and to all of you the fans. I hope you really appreciate this great fight we are going to put on.”

RUBEN GUERRERO, Trainer for Oscar Escandon

“Oscar’s been training for eight months, and we’re ready for the fight. He’s going to be ready for this fight. He’s going to be a different fighter than before. Both hands are strong. He’s ready to go. There’s going to be a knockout in this fight.”

LAMONT ROACH, JR., Lightweight Prospect:

“I just want to tell you if you haven’t seen me fight, I think you’ll enjoy the excitement I bring to the ring. The fans will be excited. I appreciate HBO for bringing boxing back to Washington, D.C.”

D’MITRIUS BALLARD, Super Middleweight Prospect:

“Right now, I’m considered to be a prospect. Soon I’ll be a contender and then soon I’ll be a world champion. The fans should come out on Saturday and see all my hard work and training.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“I’ve been training hard for this fight. I’m ready to take the steps so I can fight for a world title in the future.”

DAMON ALLEN, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“I’m grateful to be on a card like this. I bring fireworks. If you haven’t seen me fight, be prepared.”

TODD UNTHANK-MAY, Light Heavyweight Prospect:

“I’m a Philly fighter. I’ll fight anyone, anywhere. I’m going to put on a show on Saturday.”

PETE KIRSCHNER, Director of Communications and Marketing Events DC, Sports & Entertainment:

“Boxing and the DC Armory have been synonymous over the last four decades and we are thankful for HBO for continuing that tradition.”

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, and $100, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale today and available online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations by calling (800) 745-3000.The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET.

Luis Ortiz vs. Tony Thompson is a 12-round heavyweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with King Kong Boxing and Warriors Boxing and Promotions. Sadam Ali vs. Jessie Vargas is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO Welterweight World Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Top Rank, the HBO Boxing After Dark ® telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Robinson Castellanos vs. Oscar Escandon is a 12-round fight for the WBC InterimFeatherweight Championship and the Ring TV live stream begins at 9:00 pm. ET. The event is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors open at the DC Armory at 4:30 p.m. ET.

LAS VEGAS (March 3, 2016) – Rising star lightweight star Chuy “El Huracan” Gutierrez (14-0-1, 4 KOs) and his March 12th opponent, Leon “The Third Generation” Spinks III (11-3-1, 7 KOs), are both looking to make their own mark in their 8-round “Knockout Night at the D” co-feature. Gutierrez is seeking to expand his marquee on a national level, while Spinks attempts to shine on his own terms despite his spotlight catching last name.

Five-time, two division world champion Zab “Super” Judah (42-9, 29 KOs) takes on Josh “Pitbull” Torres (15-4-2, 7 KOs), in the 10-round main event of the inaugural show of the new monthly pro boxing series, “Knockout Night at the D”, airing (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET) live on CBS Sports Network from the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC).

Presented by the D Las Vegas and promoted Englebrecht Promotions, the “Knockout Night at the D” series’ inaugural event Mar. 12 will take place inside the DLVEC’s 20,000-square-foot tent, located in the heart of the downtown Las Vegas casino district, one block away from the world famous Fremont Street (200 S. 3rd St.).

The 27-year-old Gutierrez (14-0-1, 4 KOs), fighting out of Las Vegas, is ready to make a name for himself and Mar. 12th is scheduled to be his coming out party on a national stage. He’s rapidly become a fan favorite in Las Vegas because of his exciting, aggressive style of fighting. Chuy’s ready to spread his wings, now being showcased fighting on national television, and expand his growing fan-base.

Born in the fertile boxing town of Sinaloa, Mexico, which produced Hall of Famer Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr., among many others, Gutierrez is making up for lost time. He was a baseball prospect who didn’t box until he was 21. “I played sports in high school, baseball was my first love, and I dreamed of becoming a big leaguer,” Gutierrez said. “Boxing found me. I was attending college at Southern Nevada and working, but the first day I walked into Johnny Tocco’s gym, I fell in love with boxing. I’ve watched so many greats train there and I learned a lot from them.”

“I have a lot of respect for Spinks, but I’m just fighting the man, not his family. His grandfather was world champion, but I’m not fighting his grandfather. I’m excited to be fighting him on CBS Sports Network.”

Spinks (11-3-1, 7 KOs), who fights out of Huntington Beach, CA, is not only the grandson of former world heavyweight champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist, “Neon” Leon Spinks, his great uncle is world light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, in addition to being a 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Michael Spinks. And young Leon, who turned 28 this past Valentine’s Day, is also the nephew of former 2-division world champion Cory Spinks.

His familiar last name in boxing has been a blessing, albeit one that has also put a lot of pressure on Leon. “Things have always been that way (pressure) because I’m named after my grandfather, ‘Pops,'” Leon III explained. “From the beginning of my pro career, I was put in tough fights because of my name, just tough fights…real wars.

“I got to 8-0 but that hurt me because I couldn’t get good fights. But I’ve always really been my own man. This is a very, very, very big event for me, my family will be in the house supporting me.”

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Limited tickets, priced at $65.00 ringside and $20.00 seated general admission, remain on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Suites are $1000.00, up to 10 guests, and includes a beverage package. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. PT.

The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.

CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.

INFORMATION

Website: www.dlvec.com, www.thed.com

Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens

Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/dlvec, www.Facebook.com/thedlasvegas

Follow these fighters on Twitter: @SuperJudah, @PitbullTorres, @ElHuracan88, @LeonSpinksIII.

CHICAGO — March 3, 2016 — For the past 25 years, Chicago’s longest-running promotional company, Hitz Boxing, has presented the most exciting boxing events the Chicago area has to offer. In keeping with its mantra, “Boxing…it’s better live,” promoter Bobby Hitz brings boxing back to the Horseshoe Hammond on March 14th, when Windy City favorite Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez (19-1, 13KO) returns in a ten-round WBC title bout versus Aaron Pryor Jr. (19-9-1, 12KO).

After hitting the road to face Jesse Hart on the Mayweather-Pacquiao undercard, and then delivering a knockout win over Francisco Ramon Benitez in his hometown of Carlton, Australia, Jimenez wowed a nearly sold-out crowd with a first round knockout in November, fulfilling his promise to his hometown fans, friends and fellow iron workers to put on a sensational homecoming performance for Chicago. He looks to continue his two fight winning streak on May 14th.

Pryor, who faced Jesse Hart in his last bout, is a tested veteran, having fought Adonis Stevenson, Marcus Browne, Edwin Rodriguez, and, in 2011, Librado Andrade, over whom he won a majority decision.

It’s a crossroads fight for both fighters, but the stakes are high for Jimenez, who will face a tough test in his hometown. “It’s a huge honor, and I’m excited to be fighting for a WBC title,” said the fighter. “Fighting Aaron Pryor, JR. will be a great fight for me, and will be an exciting fight to bring to Chicago. This is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for, and I won’t be denied in front of my hometown. I want to be Chicago’s Champ. I do this for them.”

Doors to The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond open at 6:00 on May 14th, and first bell is at 7:00. Tickets are priced $90, 40 and 30, and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets. Boxing fans must be 21 years and older to attend events at the Horseshoe Hammond.

San Diego, CA – March 3, 2016 – This Saturday afternoon, March 5th, undefeated and number-two ranked WBA heavyweight contender Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (23-0-0) will battle defending WBA World Heavyweight champ Ruslan Chagaev (34-2-1) for his belt. The bout will be broadcast LIVE in the United States on AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment.

The action begins live at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT.

Browne is promoted by former two-division world champion and British Idol, Ricky Hatton and the Manchester great has a lot on the line this Saturday if Browne can come through with the victory.

“It would be massive for my company, very significant,”said Hatton. “Lucas would be my first world champion as a promoter, and it’s fantastic that it would be a Heavyweight title. I was a two-time world champion as a fighter. I have trained a world champion, so I don’t know many people who have done all three as a trainer, fighter and a promoter. ”

To have Browne in this position, the fighter turned promoter, is thrilled for his fighter, being that Browne was not sought after in his early career.

“I am very happy for Lucas. He came up the hard way. He was not an Olympian. In fact, it was just a few years ago, that he was working doors at the night clubs and he has put in the hard work and this is a big night for me and my company.”

Despite the fight being in enemy territory, “The Hitman”, feels his fighter is in good hands as Browne is being trained by former super middleweight world champion and British great, Nigel Benn.

“He has a great team behind him. An excellent trainer. It is going to be a tough job, but I firmly believe that he will win the fight. It will be difficult as Chagaev was a big amateur and now a world champion. Lucas who has always been known as a puncher is moving a lot better on his feet. Very fluid. Lucas has also added speed and has had great preparation.”

Being in enemy territory, Hatton knows that the fight may come down to the judges, and he believes that Browne will get a fair shake.

“I would like to think that Lucas will not need a knockout to win, but judges can be swayed by the hometown fans, but this being a world title fight, I expect world class judges. That being said, Lucas should not leave it to chance.”

With a Browne win, there is a chance a good portion heavyweight division would run through the United Kingdom as Unified champion Tyson Fury and potentially Anthony Joshua (who fights IBF champion Charles Martin on April 9) would hold most of the hardware in boxing’s glamour division.

“I thought about that. I get along well with Eddie Hearn, who has Joshua. I get a long great with my former promoter Frank Warren and you can also throw David Haye in there who is back. I can’t see any problems making fights with Joshua or Fury and we would have some massive heavyweights fights here. Lucas has fought five times here and has a good fan base.”

“The only thing that I am gutted about on Saturday is that I can’t be there with Lucas when he wins as I train a lot of young fighters and I have four of them fighting on Saturday and they need me in London with them, but Saturday will be a great day for my company.”

There will be a three fight undercard beginning at 2 PM.

In a 10-round Heavyweight bout, Edmund Gerber (25-2, 16 KO’s) of Schwerin, Germany will fight Brian Minto (41-10, 26 KO’s) of Butler, PA.

In a 10-round bout for the IBO International Welterweight title, Vishkahn Murzabekov (12-0, 6 KO’s) of Russia takes on former world title challenger Ali Funeka (37-5-3, 30 KO’s) of South Africa.

Tyrone Spong (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Miami, Florida battles David Gogishvilli (12-0, 8 Ko’s) of Gori, Georgia in a 6-round Cruiserweight bout.

Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, CenturyLink PRISM TV ch. 144 and 1144 in HD, and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.

About AWE LIVE BOXING

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

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

Nutley, NJ (March 3, 2016) – This Saturday night at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center, undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KO’s) will face the toughest test of his career when he takes on rugged Avtandil Khurtsidze in the co-feature bout of a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION®.

This fight is the continuing process of Douglas’ promoter GH3 Promotions, which has groomed the Washington, D.C. native from his first professional bout.

Douglas set the model for what GH3 Promotions is all about and that is grass roots developing.

“I am so proud of Antoine and the job he has done,”said GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki. “When I started this company, I wanted to sign very good fighters with solid amateur backgrounds. Antoine was the someone I coveted and I saw this vision for him and now the fight on Saturday is the perfect next step for him. When he wins on Saturday and I feel he will be ready for a big opportunity.”

Mielnicki continued, “That’s the blueprint. Develop fighters on my local shows. Fighters like Antoine and now Adam Lopez (15-0, 7 KO’s) graduated to ShoBox main event status and then to the next level. We had John Thompson (17-2, 6 KO’s fight for a world title, We have high aspirations for O’Shaquie Foster (10-1, 7 KO’s), Jerry Odom (13-2-1, 12 KO’s) Ronald Ellis (12-0-1, 10 KO’s) , Keenan Smith (9-0, 3 KO’s) and Hector Frometa (2-0).”

Lopez, stayed undefeated by winning a comfortable unanimous decision over previously Mario Munoz on February 19th in Atlantic City that headlined a ShoBox: The New Generation card..

Odom and Ellis fought to a spirited draw in a Super Middleweight bout. On another televised bout, Foster was dominant in stopping Lavisas Williams. On the non-televised card, Hector Frometa went to 2-0 with a unanimous decision victory.

“We feel that Lopez needs another fight or two against good opposition to get to where Antoine is now. Foster showed that he has a chance to be a special fighter and we love the potential of Frometa.”

“Foster is now trained by Dennis Porter & Ronald Sims, who also handle Antoine and it was evident in their first fight together the difference that they have already made on him.”

Douglas is currently ranked number-six by the WBA, number-eleven by the IBF and number-three by the WBO, while Lopez is ranked number-seven by the WBA.

“This is all a product of moving our guys fast and right and by not babying them on the way up.”

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Ronald Ellis, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight’s Hector Frometa, Jerrell Harris & Keenan Smith, , Jr. Lightweight O’Shaquie Foster & Super Middleweight Andrew Hernandez to the GH3 Promotions stable.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a pair of world-class live mixed martial arts events this weekend, beginning on Friday, March 4 at 10 p.m. ET, as RFA 36: Barcelos vs. Vannata emanates from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Then, on Saturday, March 5 at 1 p.m. ET, Europe’s preeminent organization returns when KSW 34: New Order invades Hala Torwar in Warsaw, Poland.

RFA 36: Barcelos vs. Vannata will air live exclusively on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Meanwhile, KSW 34: New Order will be televised live on Fight Network in all territories, including the U.S.

Headlining RFA 36, featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos (9-1) will make the first defense of his title against undefeated prospect Landon Vannata (7-0). In other featured action, Melvin Blumer (12-3) meets Matt Murphy (5-5) in another high-octane featherweight bout, world-ranked flyweight Chico “The King” Camus (14-7, 1NC) joins RFA fresh off an eight-fight UFC stint and he faces three-time promotional vet Matt Brown (10-5), plus Reese Hernandez (14-3-2) takes on Kassius Holdorf (6-1) in welterweight action, Dan Moret (9-2) tangles with Josh Wick (5-1) in a featherweight tilt, plus Logan Storley (2-0) crosses paths with Lemetra Griffin (1-4) in a welterweight contest.

In the KSW 34: New Order main event, the heavyweight championship is up for grabs when beltholder Karol Bedorf (13-2) clashes with British veteran James McSweeney (15-13). In additional title bouts, Tomasz Narkun (11-2) meets Cassio de Oliveira (17-6-1) for the light heavyweight strap, while Artur Sowinski (16-7) and Fabiano Silva (26-6-1) vie for the promotion’s featherweight crown. In other action, Aslambek Saidov (17-4) takes on Yasubey Enomoto (14-6) at 170 pounds, Krzysztof Kulak (26-14-2) meets Maciej Jewtuszko (11-3) in an all-Polish welterweight showdown, plus Antoni Chmielewski (31-14) welcomes Bulgarian Svetoslav Savov (15-5) into enemy territory for their middleweight battle.

In addition to both live events, Fight Network presents live pre and post-fight coverage for UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz, including the final press conference on Thursday, March 3 at 4 p.m. ET, the weigh-ins on Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET, a live Pre-Show leading into the televised prelims on Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m. ET, plus a live Post-Show immediately following Saturday’s pay-per-view broadcast.

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.

Gamal Yafai says it’s time to show his class and take Bobby Jenkinson’s Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight title on Saturday night at the Genting Arena in Birmingham, live on Sky Sports.

Yafai’s first title shot comes just shy of two years in the paid ranks, and the hard-hitting Birmingham talent has had to be patient for his first crack.

Jenkinson landed the Commonwealth belt in London in September, stopping Lewis Pettitt in the 11th round of their clash at Wembley Arena, but Yafai believes he’ll have too much in his locker for the Lincoln man to retain the title.

“This is a massive fight for me,” said Yafai. “I think I can win and I think I am better than him but it will be a tough night. I have trained hard for it and I am expecting a difficult fight and that is what I will probably get, but I have a big belief that there is only going to be one winner.

“I am not the type to go on about how good I am because I haven’t shown how good I am but the bookies don’t normally lie and I am a big, big favourite in the fight. But you can’t go off that in boxing and I am not bothered about that.

“I watched him beat Lewis Pettitt. He is a tough kid, he comes to fight, he is fit but he can be out-boxed. Pettitt was beating him but he seemed a bit weight drained and tired out and ended up getting beaten. But I am not Lewis, I am a better fighter than Lewis.

“I am at a different level to Lewis but that is easy for me to say and we will see on the night. I think I am better than Jenkinson in every department and I can only see one winner.

“I want to do it the right way – win the Commonwealth, British and European titles and then my ultimate dream is to win the World title. Whatever belt is in front of me I will give everything to try and win it.

“I am buzzing for Saturday, it will be my night. I am looking forward to a good test because he will want to keep his title.

“I am confident in every fight. I am a quiet kid, I keep myself to myself and I don’t like to disrespect anyone. He will have worked, trained hard and live the life like everybody else on the bill.”

Yafai’s older brother Kal has his own huge fight on Saturday’s bill as he closes in on a World title shot. The Commonwealth crown was the first Kal won in the paid ranks, and Gamal says they push each other on every day in Max McCracken’s gym to go on to win more and more belts.

“Kal has everything you need to reach the top in boxing,” said Yafai. “He makes me work hard and I hope I do the same for him. We both put in the work and live the life and hopefully the rewards will come. He will be World champion this year and hopefully I will be in two or three years. We want to headline shows in Birmingham and I want to be a role model to kids growing up who want to get into boxing.”

Yafai’s clash with Jenkinson is part of a huge night of action in Birmingham topped by Sam Eggington’s defence of his British and Commonwealth Welterweight titles

Gamal’s British Super-Flyweight champion brother Kal can take a huge step towards a World title when he faces Dixon Flores for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Super-Flyweight title and World title eliminator.

Birmingham pair Michael Rooney and Marcus Ffrench meet for the Midlands Lightweight title while Karl Wiggins defends his Midlands Area Welterweight strap against Ryan Fields, and there’s a host of young local talents in the mix with Super-Middleweight Zach Parker, Lightweight Jordan Cooke, Super Welterweight Ryan Kelly, Super-Featherweight Charlie Williams plus Dublin’s Luke Keeler and Guilford’s Jake Ball.

Tickets are on sale now priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.theticketfactory.com. VIP tickets priced £150 are available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com

Tickets for March 5 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.

NEW YORK, NY (March 3, 2016)–This Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio,
Victory Sports & Entertainment is pleased to announce that undefeated middleweight prospect, Luis “Cuba” Arias will make the first in what we hope, are many headlining appearances when he takes on power punching Gilberto Santos of Brazil in a bout scheduled for ten rounds under the direction of world class trainer, John David Jackson.

Arias of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a perfect record of 13-0 with six knockouts.

“Camp has been excellent. Things have been coming together nicely and on time. I get better and stronger every camp,” Said Arias. “I am not overlooking Santos as he’s a strong fighter who’s coming to win but this is my time and I want to make a statement in my first headliner.”

“Training with John David Jackson has been a great. Having someone with his level of experience has helped me develop as a fighter. He has helped take my game to another level. Him and Derik Santos have been a great fit for me. I feel I have the best training team in boxing.”

The 25 year-old came into the pro ranks with high aspirations after a stellar amateur career that saw him win two US National Championships and a National PAL title, in addition to numerous medals on the international level.

In Jackson, he has a trainer who has trained many world champions and is currently one of the hot cornermen in boxing due to his work with current Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.

“Luis has had a great camp he’s strong and on weight. He’s ready for his first headlining bout and wants to showcase his talent and show people that he’s the real deal,”said Jackson of his prized pupil,” said Jackson.

“For this camp we are stressing the body attack. Luis is a good boxer with excellent skills and power. We are trying to develop his all-around game so we are focusing more on working the body for this fight.”

Jackson does not feel Cuba Arias is just any boxer. He sees major things in the
future for him.

“Luis has the potential to become a World Champion. He was a tremendous amateur, he’s tough, determined with excellent power and great all around skills. 2016 should be his breakout year. He has the skills and needs to be showcased on a bigger stage. It’s time to take the wraps off and let him prove himself. He can fight, he gets better each time out, he wants to test himself in bigger fights and is ready for the challenge.”

“After this fight, I want a real test for Luis, a good name fighter where he can be challenged and have to work. I know he can be great and will rise to the occasion so I just want him to get the opportunity to showcase his skills and show everyone what a great fighter he is.”

Arias, who is promoted by Roc Nation Sports and managed my Victory Sports & Entertainment, now has the complete team in place with the addition of the world class trainer.

Said Victory Sports & Entertainment’s Rick Torres, “2016 is the year where Cuba has to step up the level of competition and show everyone how great he is. This is his first headlining bout which is a big deal for him and we know Santos is a dangerous opponent with real punching power so this should be a good test for Cuba. After this fight we are looking forward to Roc Nation putting him on higher profile fights, TV fights where the world can see what we already know – that he’s one of the best young fighters in the world and a future Champion. With the right development Cuba can become a star attraction in the sport and we know Roc Nation can make this happen. We just want the opportunity and Cuba will handle the rest.”

Victory Sports & Entertainment is an athlete management company with offices in New York and Las Vegas. Founded by noted sports attorney Rick Torres and boxing trainer Michael Leanardi, Victory has steadily built an impressive stable of young prospects that it is grooming for future stardom. Vi

Revenge is a dish best served cold and world title challenger Derry Mathews will be looking to take a leaf out of Liverpool FC’s book after the Reds all but ended Manchester City’s title hopes last night.

Jurgen Klopp’s men avenged their heart-breaking League Cup final defeat by emphatically smashing City for three at Anfield in a dominating performance.

‘Dirty’ Derry’s huge world title showdown with Manchester’s lightweight King Terry Flanagan is rapidly approaching and the Merseyside hero has promised to land another knockout blow on his North West rivals by dethroning their unbeaten champion.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I don’t lose rematches, especially against Mancs. Liverpool avenged our loss in the cup and I’ll be avenging my Prize Fighter loss when I take Terry’s belt from him next week,” said Mathews.

He added: “We had them up against the ropes the entire night and I’ll be doing the same to Terry next Saturday. We’ll be going toe-to-toe in a proper dust up, there’ll be no dancing around avoiding each other. It’s evenly poised at 1-1 now and I’ll be smashing him up to take the decider.”

Many people in the boxing world have ‘Turbo’ down as the clear favourite but Mathews is unfazed by taking the role of the underdog. The big-hitting Scouser is as tough as they come and is relishing the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.

He said: “City came to town expecting to turn us over again but we smashed them to pieces. A lot of people have already written me off but they’ll be in for a shock when they witness me take Terry apart. You should never write me off; I’ve proved that time and time again.”

Mathew’s has admitted that this may be his last ever shot at a world title and is determined to mark his 50th professional fight by becoming the world champion. With just nine days to go to the eagerly-anticipated all-British blockbuster, Mathews is calling on his fellow Liverpudlians to cheer him over the line.

He said: “If we wants to come to my City for a war then he’s more than welcome to. If he wants to box then I’ll out box him and teach him a lesson. He’s coming to my home to take me on in front of my people, there’s no better fans to fight in front of and I’m not letting him beat me on my own patch.”

Terry Flanagan v Derry Mathews for the WBO World Lightweight Championship headlines the show that also features one of the worlds greatest boxers, Guillermo Rigondeaux, taking on Merseyside hero Jazza Dickens; another star of world boxing, dynamite punching South African Zolani Tete challenges for the Vacant IBF International Bantamweight Championship against Jose Santos Gonzalez; Birmingham ace Tommy Langford defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title against Lewis Taylor; hard-hitting Ellesmere Port’s star Paul Butler will challenge for a championship belt; Blackpool’s Matty Askin defends his English Cruiserweight title against Swindon’s Lawrence Bennett. The undercard features some of the best talent in Merseyside: undefeated leading world title contender Kevin Satchell; red-hot prospect Steven Lewis; European Champion Ryan Farrag; Indian superstar Vijender Singh plus Manchester prospects Macaulay McGowan and Zelfa Barrett and Leicester ace Lyon Woodstock complete the card.

Ticket for ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’ are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100, £150* and are available from:

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk

Liverpool Echo Arena
0844 8000 400
www.echoarena.com

Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

A special V.I.P ticket priced at £250* that includes an inner ringside V.I.P seat, lanyard, complimentary beer, wine and soft drink (between a certain time period) and canapés are available to purchase through the Frank Warren Box Office office only on 01992 505 550.

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.

British boxing’s hottest talent Jack Catterall will be the headline attraction on “Jack’s Back” when he defends his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight title on Friday 13th May at the Premier Suite in the Macron Stadium, Bolton, exclusively live on BoxNation.

The undefeated Chorley star has his second fight at the home of his football team Bolton Wanderers and returns as a champion to make the fourth defence of the title against top Malmesbury rival Joe Hughes, the current reigning English Champion, with the fight also an Eliminator for the British title.

Catterall, 22, has been tipped as the new Ricky Hatton with his all-action, thrilling, hard-hitting style that has taken him to an unbeaten 14 fight record with 9 coming by knockout and claiming the Central Area, WBO European and Intercontinental belts on the way.

He fought at the then Reebok Stadium in March 2013, stopping Carl Allen with a brutal performance and aims to put on another devastating showing on his ‘homecoming’ against Hughes.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to the Premier Suite in the Macron Stadium for the first time as a champion and putting my title on the line against Hughes in what will be an exciting fight for my home fans,” Said Catterall.

“This is the first time I’ve headline a show by myself and I aim to put on a fantastic show for the fans as I look to do in all my fights and give them real value for money so that they go away and can’t wait for the next one,”

“I know Hughes fancies the job and will be coming to my home patch looking to upset the odds and beat me. He comes in with a good record, he’s the English Champion he’s fought all over the country so coming to my hotbed won’t bother him,”

“There’s no doubt in my mind at all that I’ll beat him, though. There’s no way that I’m going to let him come to patch and beat me. I’ve got the skills to take him out at any time.”

Friday 13th might be superstitious to some, but Catterall is relishing the prospect of fighting on the superstitious day.

He added, “It’s only going to be unlucky for Hughes once I’ve gone through him, I’ve got no worries fighting on that date because I’m a winner in everything I do.”

Hughes, 25, has a top record of 14 wins from 15 fights with only one early career points loss in March 2012.

Since then he’s remained unbeaten and a great run of wins started in October 2014 when he stopped Phillp Bowes to win the Southern Area title with a tenth round stoppage. Last year saw him beat Jaba Shalutashvili in April to win the IBO International title with an eighth round stoppage, followed by a ten-round points win over Anthony Hardy to claim the English title in July. A first round KO of Tomas Barunek came in October and a rematch against Upton in December saw him retain his title with a points win.

“This is a fight I’ve wanted and really fancied and I know I’ve got the beating of Catteral,” Said Hughes.

“I’ve come up through the sport the hard way, fighting away from home and not getting any favours and I’m not getting any favours against Catterall in his home town, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,”

“It gives me the fire and the drive to perform and make sure I give it my all to get the win. Believe me, Catterall is in for a real, real, shock if he thinks he’s got some easy homecoming because I’m giving him everything I’ve got,”

“The show is billed as Jack’s Back, but Jack will be flat on his back but time I’m finished with him.”

An action packed card features Accrington hero Luke Blackledge defending his Commonwealth Super-Middleweight title in the chief support; the return of former WBO World Super-Welterweight title contender Jimmy Kelly from Manchester; Liverpool super-lightweight Steven Lewis; Birmingham lightweight Joe Costello, Bolton middleweight Jack Flatley, Manchester super-welterweight Macaulay McGowan and lightweight Zelfa Barrett and Belfast’s Ciaran McVarnock.

Tickets priced at £40 Unreserved and £60 Ringside Reserved are available now from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or www.eventim.co.uk and www.frankwarren.com

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.

Undefeated super bantamweight prospect Vladimir Tikhonov will make his first appearance under the Salita Promotions banner on March 12 in Narva, Estonia.

25-year-old Tikhonov (13-0, 7 KOs) will face Nikoloz Kokashvili (16-2-1, 6 KOs) of Variani, Georgia, in the eight-round main event of a card being held at the Sports Palace Energy.

Promoter Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions recently signed the promising southpaw to a promotional contract. “Vladimir is currently the number-one ranked super bantamweight in Russia,” said Salita, “but we looking to break him into the world scene. He is talented enough to compete at the top of his division.”

Designated a Sport Master of Russia in his home country, Tikhonov was a distinguished amateur boxer before turning pro in 2008. However, his career has been hampered by inactivity.

“We are going to keep Vladimir busy and sharp as we move him up the ladder,” continued Salita. “The super bantamweight division is one of the hottest in boxing right now with plenty of big fights waiting for him in the coming years. This fight against Kokashvili is the first step.”

03 March 2016 – Bangkok, Thailand: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), proudly announces its inaugural event in Thailand. Fight fans in Bangkok will be delighted to witness world-class mixed martial arts action live at the Impact Arena on 27 May 2016.

Led by new ONE Championship™ President of Thailand Kamol ‘Sukie’ Sukosol Clapp, ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS is set to electrify an arena expected to be packed to the rafters. Headlining the fight card is former multiple-time Lumpinee champion and reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke. Famous Thai bands Bodyslam and Big Ass are also set to provide explosive musical entertainment to the audience.

For the first time ever, ONE Championship™ will hold its unique brand of live mixed martial arts action deep in the heart of Bangkok. The Kingdom has a history steeped in a rich martial arts background, being the birthplace of Muay Thai. Also known as “The Art of Eight Limbs”, Muay Thai utilizes the eight major contact points of the body in hand-to-hand combat. It is one of MMA’s most widely-used disciplines and its origins can be traced back to 16th century Thailand.

Visit the official ONE: KINGDOM OF CHAMPIONS press conference photo gallery by clicking: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yutd7qtdti4tf88/AAB5jNTn3HrNolDdhrJquUQia?dl=0.

President of ONE Championship™ Thailand, Kamol ‘Sukie’ Sukosol Clapp stated: “The Kingdom of Thailand has an undeniably rich martial arts history, and I am personally excited to bring ONE Championship™, the world’s most exciting MMA promotion and Asia’s largest sports media property, to fans in the country who have been patiently waiting for years. One of our greatest champions, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke, cannot wait to return home and defend his belt in front of a hometown crowd.”

Thailand’s own Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke is a former multiple-time Lumpinee stadium champion. He is also the reigning, defending, ONE Strawweight World Champion. He is the first Thai national in history to claim a world championship in MMA. Dejdamrong has built a solid career in ONE Championship™, producing highlight reel finish after finish. His dominance has also proven absolute, having successfully defended his belt against a tough opponent in his last bout. Undefeated after six professional fights, Dejdamrong is delighted to showcase his skills as he returns home to defend his title in front of friends and family in Bangkok.

ONE Strawweight World Champion, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke stated, “I have waited a long time for this. Coming home to Thailand and performing in front of my people has always been my greatest dream. Now, it’s become a reality. I vow to protect the title and bring the belt back home to Bangkok again as champion. It is an honor and a privilege to receive this opportunity.”

10 Live ONE events will officially be broadcasted throughout this year, aired every Saturday night beginning 12 March 2016 at 10:00pm on Thairath TV.

About Thairath TV
A household name familiar to all Thai news readers, Thairath is the most powerful daily newspaper in Thailand. With more than a million copies of consistent daily circulation since 1962, Thairath has established a strong foothold as a leader in Thai society for more than 60 years and counting. Dedicated, experienced, and skilled in delivering human-centric news and a variety of content relevant to the daily lives of Thais, Thairath reaches out to its massive reader base through both classic and cutting-edge channels. This includes print, websites, smartphone and tablet applications, SMS subscriptions, and social networks. Adding to its array of platforms, Thairath has also ventured into the broadcast business by officially joining the digital TV industry, creating and adding fresh perspectives to the Thai television industry through news and entertainment programs under the name “Thairath TV.” Since its launch in April 2014, Thairath TV has lifted the industry standard with innovative news presentation techniques including immersive graphics to help report compelling stories to the mass audience. Additionally, those cutting edge technologies are the main driving forces which put Thairath TV on top in live sport broadcasting. With these establishments and the eagerness to continue to grow, Thairath aims to eventually become a content provider on a global scale.

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.

Mikaela Lauren (26-3, 11 KOs) has signed a long-term promotional contract with Europe’s leading boxing promoter Team Sauerland.

The WBC Female World Super Welterweight Champion joins Team Sauerland’s ever growing stable of Swedish stars including Erik Skoglund, Klara Svensson, Anthony Yigit, Oscar Ahlin and Otto Wallin.

‘’I’m very happy to have signed with Team Sauerland,’’ said Lauren. ‘’They are the biggest promoters in Europe right now and have all the top names in Sweden fighting on their Nordic Fight Night series. I know they have big plans for boxing in Sweden and I’m excited to be a part of this.

‘’To stay at the top, I need a great team behind me and there is no one better than Sauerland. They have been in the business for a long time and know exactly what they are doing.’’

With this new deal in place, Lauren can look forward to some potentially huge fights including a rematch with female pound-for-pound number one Cecilia Brækhus and a domestic showdown with Team Sauerland stable-mate Klara Svensson.

‘’I know Sauerland can deliver me the big fights I want,’’ says Lauren. ‘’I would love a rematch with Cecilia Brækhus and a fight against Klara Svensson.

‘’When I fought Cecilia I was just a novice. I’d only had six fights, but now I’m a World-class fighter. I’ve had twenty-nine fights and I know what the game is about, and I know I can beat Cecilia, especially with the help of Sauerland.

‘’The fight against Klara would be great for Sweden. We are the two biggest female fighters in the country right now and I’m sure it’s a fight everyone would love to see. I would need to move down a weight class and she would need to move up, but I’m sure this could happen. Klara calls herself the Swedish Princess, but after I beat her, I want to be known as the Swedish Queen.’’

Promoter Nisse Sauerland has expressed his delight to have secured the Stockholm-fighter’s signature. ‘’We’re delighted to welcome Mikaela to the team,’’ said Sauerland. ‘’She is one of the best female fighters on the planet and will be an exciting addition to our Nordic Fight Night series. There are a lot of big fights out there for her and we’re looking forward to a long and successful collaboration.’’

Lauren will be fighting as part of Team Sauerland’s Nordic Fight Night series, which is shown live and exclusive on TV10 in Sweden.

DiBella Entertainment won the purse bid that will stage the IBF Jr. Lightweight title bout between Jose Pedraza and Stephen Smith, according to Dab Rafael of espn.com.

Last month, DiBella and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who promotes Smith, made a deal for the bout, which was tentatively scheduled for March 26. However, when the fight was not officially scheduled by the IBF deadline for signed contracts to be returned, another purse bid was ordered.

Usually, when that happens, it is because of a disagreement between promoters. However, this time it was over a disagreement between DiBella and Pedraza, who declined to sign for the fight.

Hearn told ESPN that he and DiBella revisited their agreement and that is why he did not bid.

“I didn’t bid because we already reached an agreement with Lou a few days ago,” Hearn said. “We are happy with the package. The purse bid number is irrelevant because of our private agreement.”

LOS ANGELES (March 2, 2016) – WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) made their final stop off their three-city international press tour in Los Angeles at the Universal CityWalk to discuss their upcoming May 7 showdown at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

In the final stop for the international press tour, the fighters met in Oscar De La Hoya’s hometown of Los Angeles at the Universal CityWalk to promote the upcoming May 7 fight, which was preceded by a visit at the Hard Rock Café at the Times Square in New York City, as well as to Amir Khan’s turf in London. The fighters will meet again to faceoff in Las Vegas in the first major sporting event at the brand new T-Mobile Arena.

Below is what the fighters, their teams and promoter had to say at the press conference:

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

“I want to thank everyone, all the press, for coming here today. Whenever I am here I am treated very well. You guys motivate me to keep winning. Because of you, I wake up and want to be triumphant. Not only for me, but for you guys. I am going to prepare like always, 100 percent. Amir khan is a difficult opponent. I am ready for this and much more. We’ll see you May 7.”

AMIR “KING” KHAN, Former Two-Time World Champion:

“First of all, I want to say hello to everyone in Los Angeles. This trip has been amazing for me. This is the biggest fight of my career. Canelo is physically very strong, and come fight night, I will be ready and coming in very happy and very strong.

“It will be like a game of chess. Canelo is very strong. I have a very good trainer who will tell me the right game plan. We will go in to win this fight, and I will prove people wrong. Even though it is Cinco de Mayo, the British fans will come out. In Vegas, there will be more British flags then Mexican flags.

“Thank you for this massive opportunity for this fight. This fight will be an exciting one, and I really believe I can win this fight and if I didn’t I wouldn’t be here.

“Come May 7, everyone will enjoy this fight.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Let me just say, let’s thank Donald Trump for making this fight happen because we are getting a Mexican and Muslim together to have this fight on Cinco de Mayo!

“This takes me back to Maidana who had Amir down, and Amir fought until the end. Canelo will have to be careful and watch out. This fight will be great and will be wonderful to celebrate on Cinco de Mayo.

“It is not often that two superstars of a sport face off at the peak of their careers. This is such an event, with two of the biggest international fighters fighting at the biggest arena in the world.

“An old saying tells us, ‘styles make fights.’ These fighters have the chance to make this fight not just for them but also for the fans. This is speed vs. power. Khan has amazing footwork, but Canelo has power and strength.

“Size does not matter in this fight. What does is skill, speed, power, intelligence and experience. If you can be in Las Vegas to watch it live in person, watch it on the best boxing network out there-HBO.

“This will be a high intensity fight, with Khan returning to his former promotion home-Golden Boy Promotions.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer of Canelo Alvarez:

“After the great performance against Miguel Cotto last November, we shut many mouths, especially Freddie Roach’s. We are inspired for 2016; it’s going to be even better than 2015. We want to fight against the best.

“On May 7, we fight Amir Khan. He is a very good fighter-a great fighter with technical skill. We are going to prepare well so we can win this fight. After this fight, we will fight anyone. We always fight the best, and we’ll fight anyone.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Manager of Canelo Alvarez:

“We are happy to finish this tour in Los Angeles, our home. We are used to working hard that is why Canelo has conquered so many things, because he words hard.

“Whoever can’t make it live in Las Vegas for this fight on May 7, I am going to recommend something. On May 7, go buy some carne for barbeque. After that, go get some cold Tecates. Go buy Tequila Casa Mexico. And after you buy that, Canelo is going to give you a great victory. Viva Mexico!”

SHAH KHAN, Father and Manager of Amir Khan:

“I would like to thank everybody. This fight was so easy to arrange, unlike with Mayweather or Paciaquo. In the end, they just didn’t want to fight. I want to thank everyone.

“Amir will fight anyone. Canelo was the best to fight after Mayweather because he is now the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and Amir really wanted to fight him.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Trainer for Amir Khan:

“Thank you to everyone for coming out and bringing boxing to the next level.”

MAURICIO SULAIMAN, President of WBC:

“Two days ago, we were in London where boxing was born 300 years ago. Last night we were in New York, which has been called the Mecca of boxing. Now we are in LA, the boxing capital of the world.

“I am very proud of GB for bringing the best fights, and opening the T-Mobile Arena.

“I am very proud to see two grown models, Canelo and Amir Khan. They show what boxing is all about.

“This fight represents Box Val — boxing for peace, bringing a Mexican and Muslim fighter together.

“I just want to finish wishing the best of luck to the fighters. And long live boxing!”

TONY WALKER, Director at HBO Sports:

“We would like to thank Amir Khan back to HBO. He has his own visions of who might win. You may hear a lot about speed vs. power but we think it is a bit different-it’s about the fans and how these fighters connect with them.”

GUSTAVO GUERRERO, Vice President for Tecate:

“This year is very special for us because we are starting a multi-year sponsor with Golden Boy. Golden Boy makes a promise to bring the biggest fights to the fans, and we promise to serve those fans.

“We wish both fighters the best of luck inside the ring on May 7.”

Tickets are priced at $1,500, $1,200, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. Tickets 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 and Casa Mexico Tequila. The mega-event will take place on Saturday, May 7 at the 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.

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

Philadelphia, PA (March 2, 2016)– This Saturday night at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, rising heavyweight contender Joey “The Tank” Dawejko (16-4-2, 9 KO’s) will be back in action when he takes on Ytalo Perea in a scheduled 8-round bout that will be part of the non-televised card before a stacked SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® event.

Dawejko vs Perea will be streamed Live on GFL.TV beginning at 6:45 ET.

Dawejko is happy to be fighting near his Philadelphia, PA but the 25 year-old and his Club 1957 Management of Mark Cipparone believe that Dawejko will soon have another opportunity in front of the television cameras.

In his last bout, which was televised on ShoBox, on August 28th 2015, Dawejko annihilated Natu Visinia in just 75 seconds . In fact Dawejko, in his last 7outings has destroyed 6 of his last opponents each ending brutally in 1st round KO’s.

“I know that it won’t be long before Joey has a high profile fight. He has been entirely focused on his boxing career and training in Los Angeles with Buddy McGirt,”said Dawejko’s manager Mark Cipparone of Club 1957 Management. “Joey has made dramatic improvements in every aspect and is now truly ready for the top opposition. Not only does Joey have the most exciting thing fans want to see, “KO Power & dynamite in both hands”, but he also has an elite boxing IQ and when combined with his quick movement it is easy to see why ‘The Tank’ is such a problem in the division.”

“We fortunately have been in negotiations with several top promoters in the business after the ShoBox win, but right now Joey is a promotion free agent. Too many promoters have been challenged in this business of boxing when it comes to getting the job done, with even their top prospects, so as a manager who wants great things for his fighters it becomes a complicated task for all parties to agree.”

“Here is what I know, Joey is a very explosive and talented fighter and to say that he is marketable is an understatement. In a nutshell his brand has a value and there is no doubt that very soon one of those top promoters will step in and equal his value with an acceptable promotional agreement. Until then “The Tank” will keep racking up points with every fight that no doubt will continue to increase his marketability in every measure.. Remember he is only 25 and in the Heavy Weight division he is still a baby! ”

“I have no doubt in my mind that I am one of the top Heavyweights in the division and hopefully after Saturday I will get that fight that will put me in position for a major fight,” said Dawejko. “Honestly I see these guys that I can easily beat ranked above me and somehow getting opportunities, but that only motivates me even more.”

“This fight here is the most important fight of my life and I know it. A lot of eyes will be at the Sands. In fact every fight I have from now on is the most important fight of my life. I have made way too many sacrifices to be where and I am not playing around with anyone! I will get the job done, the fans will love me and I will continue to give everything I have until I am World Champ! ”

Club 1957 Management was founded in 2013 by local businessman Mark Cipparone. Cipparone is the owner of the widely successful and popular Rocco’s Collision. Since the formation of Club 1957 Management he has guided the careers of some the top fighters in the country. Currently he manages Heavyweight Joey Dawejko, Welterweight Raymond Serrano,Jr. Lightweight Tevin Farmer & Jr. Welterweight Emanuel Taylor

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wednesday, March 2, 2016) – After selling out the Five Star Banquet Hall in January, Ronson Frank’s Uprising Promotions will be returning to Long Island City for its second show of 2016 on Saturday, April 9th. Headlining the card will be Uprising Promotions light heavyweight Samuel “Main Event” Clarkson (17-3, 11 KOs), with ultra-popular middleweight Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (5-0, 4 KOs) also being featured.

“We are really happy to have Samuel Clarkson fighting on our own show,” said Ronson Frank, Uprising Promotions President. “We have been fighting on the B-Side since we started working together, and Samuel has proven himself to be an A-Side fighter every time. It will be nice to have him here in our backyard with an opportunity to take another step further in his career. We are also psyched to have Alicia Napoleon on our card again. We know what Alicia brings to the table. She always brings a lot of people and an exciting fight. With these two headlining, we are expecting another great turnout, and we will soon be announcing a fantastic undercard to support these two fights.”

2015 was an outstanding year for Clarkson, one that saw him win five fights 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 Texas native has been continually improving and showing significant growth in recent camps, and boxing fans can look forward to fireworks when he returns to action on April 9th.

“Fans can expect a really live fight,” Clarkson predicted. “I cannot wait to be back in the ring again, and being able to fight in New York is such a privilege. I am definitely going to show out and make sure that everyone who comes out to these Uprising Promotions fights will be entertained. It is going down, I promise you that.”

Napoleon will take center stage in the co-feature, 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.

Additional bouts and opponents for both Clarkson and Napoleon will be announced in the coming weeks.

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

For Immediate Release – March 2, 2016
Fight Network Presents UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz Pre & Post-Fight Coverage

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents extensive pre and post-fight coverage for UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz, which takes place on Saturday, March 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Fight Network is airing an original UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz Pre-Show all week leading up to the welterweight superfight between featherweight kingpin Conor McGregor and longtime lightweight contender Nate Diaz. A bonus live UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz Pre-Show will air at 7 p.m. ET leading into Saturday’s televised prelims.

In addition, Fight Network is airing the Zuffa LLC.-produced Countdown to UFC 196, an all-access look inside the lives of four fighters bracing for high-stakes showdowns in Las Vegas. Check listings for all airings of the UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz Pre-Show and Countdown to UFC 196.

Fight Network’s live fight week coverage kicks off on Thursday, March 3 at 4 p.m. ET from the David Copperfield Theater at MGM Grand, as the stars of the main and co-main event of UFC 196 meet for the final UFC 196 pre-fight press conference.

The next day, Friday, March 4 at 5 p.m. ET, Fight Network delivers live coverage from the MGM Grand Garden Arena as the UFC launches its new campaign for 2016 with the Unstoppable press conference featuring some of the biggest stars in the UFC, including UFC president Dana White, champions Daniel Cormier, Demetrious Johnson and Luke Rockhold, plus top contenders Jon Jones, Henry Cejudo, Chris Weidman, Junior dos Santos, Ben Rothwell, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.

Just two hours later on Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m. ET, Fight Network is the destination for the official live UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz weigh-ins, as headliners Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz tip the scales ahead of their main event welterweight showdown.

Immediately following Saturday’s main card, Fight Network will broadcast a live UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz Post-Show, including reactions, highlights, analysis and the live post-fight press conference from Las Vegas.

In addition to all the live events, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including The Ultimate Fighter®, UFC Unleashed, UFC Now, UFC Ultimate Insider and classic UFC PPV events.

This Sunday, March 6 at 8 p.m. ET, Fight Network presents the Episode 4 premiere of the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter®: Heavyweights, featuring Roy Nelson, Kimbo Slice, Brendan Schaub, Matt Mitrione and more. The episode will lead into a full encore presentation of UFC 135®: Jones vs. Rampage from September 2011 in Denver, Colorado, which featured a light heavyweight championship clash between titleholder Jon Jones and former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, plus Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes, Mark Hunt vs. Ben Rothwell, Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton and Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi.

The full card for UFC 196®: McGregor vs. Diaz includes:

Main Card (Live on PPV, 10 p.m. ET):
-Conor McGregor (19-2) vs. Nate Diaz (19-10)
-Holly Holm (10-0) vs. Miesha Tate (17-5) – UFC women’s bantamweight title
-Gian Villante (14-6) vs. Ilir Latifi (12-4, 1NC)
-Corey Anderson (8-1) vs. Tom Lawlor (9-5, 1NC)
-Amanda Nunes (11-4) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (12-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on TSN2, 8 p.m. ET):
-Brandon Thatch (11-3) vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (21-6-1)
-Erick Silva (18-6, 1NC) vs. Nordine Taleb (10-3)
-Vitor Miranda (12-4) vs. Marcelo Guimaraes (9-1-1)
-Darren Elkins (20-5) vs. Chas Skelly (15-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET):
-Diego Sanchez (27-8) vs. Jim Miller (25-6, 1NC)
-Jason Saggo (10-2) vs. Justin Salas (12-6)
-Julian Erosa (15-3) vs. Teruto Ishihara (8-2-2)

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.

“Next month Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. are scheduled to meet in a Pay-Per-View bout. We have an obligation to both fighters and, therefore, will proceed to produce and distribute that event. However, we felt it important to leave no uncertainty about our position on Mr. Pacquiao’s recent comments toward the LGBTQ community. We consider them insensitive, offensive and deplorable. HBO has been a proud home to many LGBTQ stories and couldn’t approach this event without clearly voicing our opinion.”

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 2, 2016) – Julian “J-Rock” Williams (21-0-1, 13 KOs) held a media workout on Tuesday in Philadelphia at James Shuler Boxing Gym as he prepares to put his undefeated record on the line in a 154-pound world title eliminator this Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® main event pits Williams against Italy’s Marcello Matano (16-1, 5 KOs) as part of a tripleheader live from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Also featured on the telecast will be middleweight contender Antoine Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) facing off against Avtandil Khurtsidze (31-2, 20 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout and exciting Detroit prospect Tony Harrison (22-1, 18 KOs) battling former title challenger Fernando Guerrero (28-3, 20 KOs) in a 10-round super welterweight matchup.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available HERE at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Here is what Julian and his trainer, Stephen Edwards, had to say Tuesday:

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I am extremely focused. There is a lot at stake this Saturday. I am finally in the position I wanted to be in since turning pro.

“I have come to a conclusion that if people don’t have to fight Julian Williams then they won’t. It hasn’t been that frustrating though because I always have a fight on the books. I can’t worry about the people who won’t fight me. I just have to stay ready and put myself in the mandatory spot. That’s what I am going to do on Saturday night.

“It’s never any challenge fighting at home. I know exactly what I have to do. I don’t cut any corners in camp. The biggest challenge is the waiting because I am so anxious to get in there and get a win, especially in front of my home crowd.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue a boxing career, so I treat it like I want it. I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time and my opportunity is finally here.

“I’ve been a student of the game since I started watching boxing. I want to learn and I want to know everything about boxing.

“It means everything to have my biggest fight to date in my backyard. I know my fans cheer loud and it feels great to have their support in my corner.

“I know everything about my opponent. I probably know what kind of toothpaste he used this morning. I searched high and low for videos of Matano. I am ready because I know he is ready.

“He is a little bit awkward. He seems to have a really good gas tank. He said he wants to take me the distance, so we’ll see.

“The last fight solidified the things that I already knew about myself. I know I am fundamentally sound and I know I am the hungriest fighter in the world.

“I always want to put on an explosive performance. It’s always about a win.

“In about nine months, Philadelphia will have it’s fourth IBF super welterweight champion after David Reid, Robert Hines and Buster Drayton.”

STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams’ trainer

“We are ready. It’s been a long four-month camp. We thought were going to fight in January, so we’ve been grinding through this rough weather early in the morning. Julian is chomping at the bit and ready to rock ‘n roll.

“We thought we were going to fight Austin Trout in December, and he saw that Julian gave his opponent a concussion and said I don’t want to fight him. It’s just that simple. We have to get past Matano and then we can talk about (super welterweight champion Jermall) Charlo.

“Anybody with two hands and a heartbeat can fight. Matano is ranked and just because he isn’t well known, it doesn’t mean he can’t fight. He is 16-1 and they didn’t have a hard time convincing him to take the fight. The best soldiers are volunteers. Any time someone willingly comes to someone else’s country, you have to take him seriously.

“I don’t want to make a prediction, but Julian will hurt this guy very bad.”

Thursday, March 3

3:00 p.m. PRESS CONFERENCE -OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Berks Meeting Room (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
2:30 p.m. – Media arrival
3:00 p.m. – Press conference begins

Friday, March 4

6:00 p.m. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Location: Vision Bar (Located inside Sands Bethlehem Events Center)
77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015
5:00 p.m. – Media arrival
6:00 p.m. – Fighters to scales

Saturday, March 5

5:30 p.m. SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER DOORS OPEN
Location: 77 Sands Blvd.; Bethlehem, PA 18015

6:45 p.m. FIRST BOUT

10:00 p.m. SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION BROADCAST BEGINS

NEW YORK (March 2, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports rolls out its third installment of a year-long salute commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING in March with “Legends’’.

This month will be highlighted by legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Felix Trinidad, Ricardo “Finito” Lopez and George Foreman. Seven of the most unforgettable and important fights from these legends – some of which have seldom been re-aired since their live presentation – are available now on the network’s on demand platforms and will air will air on “Throwback Thursdays” in March at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

The Thursday, March 10 presentation of Marvin Hagler vs. John Mugabi airs exactly 30 years after the final win of Hagler’s Hall of Fame career on March 10, 1986. Hagler vs. Mugabi was the first main event to ever air on SHOWTIME®.

The classic fights, which are also are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s standalone streaming service, will be wrapped with brief context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports host Brian Custer.

Below is the schedule of SHO EXTREME premieres for the month of March:
Tomorrow, Thursday, March 3: Terry Norris vs. Sugar Ray Leonard
Thursday, March 10: Marvin Hagler vs. John Mugabi
Thursday, March 17: Felix Trinidad vs. David Reid
Thursday, March 24: Ricardo Lopez vs. Rosendo Alvarez II
Thursday, March 31: Iran Barkley vs. Thomas Hearns I, George Foreman vs. Gerry Cooney (10:15 p.m. ET/PT), Gerald McClellan vs. Julian Jackson I (10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Las Vegas – Two world titles will be on the line when UFC® returns to Las Vegas, as the only two champions in the light heavyweight division over the last five years will once again collide when champion Daniel Cormier defends his title against bitter rival Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 197®: CORMIER vs. JONES 2. The co-main event features the only champion in flyweight history, Demetrious Johnson, and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in a 125-pound title showdown. The event takes place in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

When Cormier (17-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) and Jones (21-1, fighting out of Endicott, N.Y.) meet for the second time, there will be more than a world title on the line. Cormier is looking to cement his place as the undisputed light heavyweight champion in the world and avenge the only loss of his professional career. Jones makes his return with his sights set on the belt he never lost in the Octagon. The former champion, who is widely regarded as one of the best fighters in the history of the sport, looks to prove he’s still the best in the world and take what he feels is rightfully his.

In the co-main event, Johnson (22-2-1, fighting out of Parkland, Wash.) will put his flyweight title on the line for the eighth time against undefeated No. 3 contender Cejudo (10-0, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.). “Mighty Mouse” is one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, ranked No. 2 on the pound-for-pound list, and a win would tie him for third all-time with Jon Jones with eight consecutive title defenses. Cejudo became the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal at 21 years old at the 2008 Games in Beijing. A win against Johnson would cement his place as one of the best combat sports athletes in the world.

Also, two of the lightweight division’s most exciting athletes clash as former world champion and current No. 3 Anthony “Showtime” Pettis (18-4, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) meets No. 8 Edson Barboza (16-4, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The two striking sensations have combined for 20 knockouts and some of the flashiest and most lethal kicks in mixed martial arts. An early contender for Fight of the Night, both Pettis and Barboza are looking for a big win to put them closer to the top of arguably the most stacked division in the sport.

Additional bouts:
· One of the middleweight division’s top prospects, No. 8 Robert Whittaker (16-4, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) collides with seasoned veteran No. 13 Rafael Natal (21-6-1, fighting out of New York, N.Y.).
· Two of the featherweight division’s brightest young prospects meet as Yair Rodriguez (7-1, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) and Andre Fili (15-3, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) look to continue their climb up the 145-pound ladder.
· No. 13 Jessica Aguilar (19-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and No. 12 Juliana Lima (8-2, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil) meet in a battle of top strawweight contenders.
· Standout strikers Marcos Rogerio De Lima (13-4-1, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Clint Hester (11-5, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) clash in a middleweight bout.
· Undefeated lightweight prospect James Vick (7-0, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) meets versatile Brazilian Glaico Franca (14-3, fighting out of Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil).
· Submission specialist Efrain Escudero (25-10, fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) meets Las Vegas’ own Kevin Lee (11-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a 155-pound bout.
· Dynamic finisher Danny Roberts (12-1, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) and knockout artist Dominique Steele (14-6, fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio.) face off in a welterweight clash.

Tickets for UFC 197®: CORMIER vs. JONES 2 go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $850, $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100 (prices do not include applicable service charges and handling fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, March 3 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC197®: CORMIER vs. JONES 2 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on Saturday, April 23 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Vubiquity, and in Canada on BellTV, Rogers, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Canal Indigo for a suggested retail price of $49.99 US/CAN for Standard Definition and $59.99 US/CAN for High-Definition.

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.

About MGM Grand

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 2nd, 2016) — A fight more than six years in the making has finally become a reality, and now it’ll be showcased in front of a national television audience.

CES MMA will crown its 10th champion on Friday, March 11th, 2016 on AXS TV when Rhode Island rivals Andre Soukhamthath and Kody Norby battle for the promotion’s vacant bantamweight title in the five-round main event of “CES MMA XXXIII” at Twin River Casino.

Soukhamthath (9-3, 5 KOs) and Nordby (6-3) aren’t just from the same state; they graduated from the same high school, Woonsocket High in northern Rhode Island, less than 20 miles from the capital city of Providence. Though they graduated five years apart, both were accomplished high school wrestlers and both began their professional careers within four months of one another, at which point their rivalry began.

Prior to his last bout at “CES MMA XXXII,” in which he defeated Derek Shorey in 41 seconds, Nordby admitted he’s wanted to fight Soukhamthath since he turned pro in 2012 and promised he’d call out his adversary if he won that night. Soukhamthath, who last fought on the main card of “CES MMA XXXI” with a win over Carlos Galindo, gladly accepted the challenge, adding that he’d like to shut Nordby up next Friday.

Tickets for “CES MMA XXXIII” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and available for purchase online at www.cesmma.com, www.cagetix.com/ces, 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. The undercard begins at 7 p.m. ET with the first televised bout scheduled for 9.

The accomplished Soukhamthath has reason to be confident. After losing his pro debut in 2011, the Woonsocket native won his next seven under the guidance of CES MMA, the second-longest win streak in the promotion’s history. Nordby, meanwhile, is a breakthrough star in the making, starting with his surprise win over the red-hot Dinis Paiva at “CES MMA XXXI” in which he ended Paiva’s four-fight win streak via first-round submission. Nordby, who now fights out of nearby Cumberland, has now won three consecutive fights since his last loss in August of 2014, upping his record from 3-3 to 6-3, and has finished each of his last three opponents in the opening round.

The Nordby-Soukhamthath main event is one of seven fights scheduled for the main card on AXS TV. The co-feature is a potential redemption story for two well-established regional standouts, Chuck O’Neil and Dennis Olson, both of whom who’ve starred on the sport’s biggest stage.

Fighting for the second time since making the jump from welterweight to middleweight, O’Neil (15-8, 5 KOs), a former Ultimate Fighter alum from Bridgewater, Mass., hopes to avenge a loss to Daniel Vizcaya in his 185-pound debut at “CES MMA XXXI” while four-time Bellator vet Olson (14-10, 1 KO), an Amherst, N.H., native fights for the first time since suffering a knockout loss to Brennan Ward at Bellator 144.

The always-exciting Matt Bessette (16-7, 4 KOs) of Stafford, Conn., makes his third CES MMA appearance in a featherweight bout against Tito Jones (11-8, 4 KOs) of Panama City, Fla. Bessette is coming off a first-round submission win over Kevin Roddy at Bellator 144 in October after getting knocked out by Lenny Wheeler in his last CES MMA appearance in August.

The main card also features a heavyweight bout between Juliano Coutinho (6-2, 3 KOs) of Boston, by way Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and knockout artist Chaz Morgan (9-1, 7 KOs) of Hammond, La. Coutinho has not fought since April, when Steve Mocco snapped his six-fight win streak at World Series of Fighting 20 while Morgan is looking to avenge his first career loss at the hands of Alex Nicholson in August.

Also in the heavyweight division, Providence’s Greg Rebello (19-6, 11 KOs) puts his three-fight win streak on the line against Newport News, Va., vet Keith Bell (6-6, 4 KOs), who makes his second appearance with CES MMA and first since 2014. Rebello has become a primetime hit with the AXS TV audience, pummeling Tyler King in June and finishing Mike Mucitelli with a highlight-reel knockout in the first round of their scheduled three-round bout in October. The hard-hitting Bell is coming off a 26-second knockout win over Nathan Bryant in January.

Another familiar name with the AXS TV audience, former CES MMA titlist Julian Lane (9-5, 1 KO) of Mansfield, Ohio begins his comeback with a lightweight bout against the dangerous Nate Andrews (7-1, 4 KOs) of East Providence, R.I. Lane has lost back-to-back bouts since piecing together a three-fight win streak under the guidance of CES MMA, including a unanimous decision loss to current CES MMA Lightweight Champion Luis Felix in their rematch at “CES MMA XXX.” Andrews lost his national TV debut to Lane’s former stable mate, Gemiyale Adkins, in August of 2014, but bounced back at “CES MMA XXIX” with a first-round knockout win over Jay Bakanowski.

Rounding out the main card, Providence featherweight Joe Pingitore (5-2-1, 1 KO) makes his second AXS TV appearance in a rematch against Littleton, N.H., native Taylor Trahan (5-5). Pingitore defeated James Grant Murrin at “CES MMA XXIX,” but lost to Trahan via third-round submission in February of 2014. Trahan seeks his first win in his third try with CES MMA and his first overall since September of 2014.

The undercard of “CES MMA XXXIII” features three regional bouts, starring the return of Cranston, R.I., welterweight Gary Balletto Jr. (0-1), the son of former Rhode Island boxer Gary Balletto. Balletto Jr. lost his pro debut to Anthony Giacchina in August and will face New York’s Cruz Johnson, who makes his own debut following a brief, four-fight amateur career in which he finished 2-2.

Featherweight Matt Tullos of Norwood, Mass., makes his debut against Russian Alvi Mochigov (2-0), now fighting out of Fairfield, N.J., while flyweight Shane DeCristoforo (1-1, 1 KO) of Cranston faces Dover, N.J., native Noel Arcibal (1-1, 1 KO).

Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mma for more information and use the hashtag #CES33 to join the conversation.

SANTA MONICA (March 2, 2016) –Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that one of the most popular, recognizable and beloved fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (35-12-1), has signed an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract with the promotion. The 39-year-old publicly fielded offers from companies all around the world, but the former Pride FC Middleweight Champion made the decision to take his explosive style to Bellator MMA.

“The Axe Murderer” has fought in some of the most memorable feuds and battles the sport has ever seen. His wars with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell, and Michael Bisping are the stuff of legend – but Silva is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career.

In addition to his Pride FC Middleweight World Championship, Silva’s packed trophy case of accolades includes awards for Fight of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007), KO of the Year (2008), and multiple Fight of the Night awards including one for each of his last three fights, just to name a few. He now looks to continue to provide his award-winning, entertaining fights inside the Bellator cage.

Silva has several options for his first fight with Bellator. Although he has spent the majority of his career at 185-pounds, one of the things that his fans love most about him has been Wanderlei’s willingness to fight the best of the best – even if it was up two weight classes at heavyweight – as proven by his heavyweight wars against guys like Mark Hunt, Gilbert Yvel, Kazuyuki Fujita and Cro Cop; Or, his battles against light heavyweights like Ortiz, and his most recent opponent, Brian Stann, who he knocked out in the second frame.

Silva is the latest in a long line of recent free agent signings made by Scott Coker and Bellator MMA. The former Chute Box competitor joins: Josh Thomson, Phil Davis, Benson Henderson, Sergei Kharitonov and Anastasia Yankova on a roster with champions the likes of: Marcos Galvao, Daniel Straus, Will Brooks, Andrey Koreshkov, Rafael Carvalho, Liam McGeary and Vitaly Minakov,

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

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