NEW YORK (February 24, 2016) – After a banner 2015 in boxing, Tecate, the Mexican beer with bold flavor, announced today it will enter 2016 as the exclusive beer and presenting sponsor for Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and has signed an endorsement contract with boxing’s biggest star, current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Champion and Golden Boy Promotions fighter, Canelo Alvarez.

In 2016, Tecate will continue to become more synonymous with legendary boxing matches and for the first time in the brand’s history, will endorse an individual boxer, Canelo, leveraging his popularity to promote the brand’s 2016 ‘BORN BOLD’ campaign. As part of the endorsement, Canelo will wear Tecate branded boxing trunks in the ring in his upcoming marquee fights in May and September, 2016.

“The new partnership with Tecate establishes Canelo as the biggest star in all of boxing, period,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “With this partnership with Tecate and his commitment to fight on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekends — boxing’s two biggest annual dates — Canelo’s popularity will only continue to soar for years to come.”

“Tecate is a world recognized company and I am very happy to have a strong and serious sponsor be part of my team,” said Canelo Alvarez. “With Tecate on my side, I know that we will take our brands to new heights. Through our partnership will be able to achieve our mutual goals and lead boxing into its next great era.”

“This sponsorship is an incredibly natural fit,” said Gustavo Guerra, brand director for Tecate. “Not only is boxing one of our consumer’s biggest passion points, but Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo and Tecate share common ground for being Mexico’s best in their respective categories – boxing and beer.”

The multi-year sponsorship contract with Golden Boy Promotions will have Tecate featured prominently in the center ring, around the mat and throughout the arena.

For additional details on Tecate’s “Born Bold” campaign, the sponsorship of Golden Boy Promotions fights, or to speak with a Tecate and Tecate Light representative about the brand’s support of boxing, contact BRAYA at HUSA@BRAYAUS.com.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Alvarez, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @Canelo.

About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation’s leading upscale beer importer, is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN International NV, the world’s most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken®, the world’s most international beer brand, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, Amstel Light, and Newcastle Brown Ale. HEINEKEN USA also imports the Dos Equis Franchise, Tecate Franchise, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For the latest information on our company and brands, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley.

About Canelo Alvarez
At the age of 25, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) has conquered the boxing world, captivating fans both at home and around the globe with his action-packed fighting style, charisma and willingness to take on the toughest challenges. The current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Champion, was last seen in the ring against former four-division world champion Miguel Cotto on November 21, 2015, defeating him via unanimous decision. The 2015 Fighter of the Year candidate’s road to stardom began in 2011 with a win over Matthew “Magic” Hatton for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World title, his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes and stoppage victories over Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron. Then in 2012, Canelo defended his belt against future Hall of Famer Sugar Shane Mosley and showed the veteran his first retirement, winning via unanimous decision in 12 rounds. Canelo continued on the path to superstardom in 2013 with a fifth round technical knockout of Josesito Lopez, followed by a 12-round unanimous decision victory over then world champion, Austin Trout in front of over 40,000 fans at San Antonio’s Alamodome. The victory earned, Canelo the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship and proved his dominance at 154-pounds and a clear, bonafide ticket seller. On September 14, 2013, Canelo faced the man on top of the pound-for-pound list – Floyd “Money” Mayweather – giving a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time via 12-round majority decision. The fight ended up being the biggest of 2013, but also the second highest grossing bout of all-time and the second most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television (only behind 2015’s Mayweather-Pacquiao). Since then, Canelo has won four straight fights, defeating top stars Alfredo “Perro” Angulo via 10th round technical knockout and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara via split decision in 2014 and achieved 2015’s Knockout of the Year over James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland on May 9, at Minute Maid Park in Houston in front more than 31,000 fans.

East End hot prospect Sammy McNess is dreaming of fighting in front of thousands of Hammers at the club’s impressive new Stratford home.

The multi-titled former Repton and GB amateur star is gunning for his fourth professional victory when he takes on Yorkshire’s Danny Little at York Hall on Friday 25th March, exclusively live on BoxNation.

McNess, a life-long West Ham fan, already has a strong London following and hopes to emulate the recently retired West Ham fanatic Kevin Mitchell by boxing at the home of his beloved Hammers one day.

The 24 year-old was part of the 14,000 fans that cheered on Mitchell back in 2010 when he fought for the WBO Interim Lightweight world title at the Boleyn Ground. Mitchell’s bubble burst when he was knocked out in the third round by Australian Michael Katsidis but McNess was inspired by the unwavering support the Dagenham man received.

“Fighting at the Olympic Stadium would be absolutely massive for me. I’ve already bagged myself a season ticket for our first season there and I can’t wait. I’m West Ham through and through so getting the opportunity to fight at our new home would be a dream come true,” said McNess.

He added: “Kevin always gave it everything he had and he was a true warrior. I was there back in 2010 and it was amazing to see the support he received. He’s had a great career and fought for a few world titles and I wish him well in his retirement.”

The East End entertainer who has boxing in his blood will be looking to extend the proud tradition of cockney crowd pleasers and says there’s no better fans to fight in front of.

He said: “They’re the best supporters in the world and they always back their own. They took over 7,000 fans to Blackburn in the FA Cup the other day and they didn’t stop singing the whole game! I’d love to get a big West Ham following,”

“I was at the Boleyn a few weeks ago to see us beat Aston Villa and was lucky enough to meet Man of the Match Mark Noble after the game thanks to my sponsor Charlie Magri. Mark said he’d love to watch me train and come along to one of my fights in the future; he’s a big boxing fan and had ringside seats to see Billy Joe Saunders beat Chris Eubank Jr back in 2014.”

There is a long and proud history of boxing in the East End of London stretching back to the days of the legendary Ted Kid Lewis and McNess harbours dreams of becoming the next cockney superstar. Tipped as one of the most exciting prospects to come out of London, McNess made an explosive debut at York Hall back in July when he stopped Aaron Robinson inside the first round.

The Whitechapel born hotshot followed his impressive debut with a points win over Kevin McCauley at Harrow Leisure Centre before returning to York Hall last month to claim his third professional victory with a commanding performance against Duane Green. The famous old hall holds many happy memories for McNess who used to watch his dad box there as a boy.

He said: “I love fighting at York Hall. I had my first amateur fight there for Repton when I was 11 years-old and then I had my first professional fight there last July so it’s a special venue to me. Altogether I must have fought there over 20 times!”

He added: “The atmosphere is always electric. I used to live in Bethnal Green while my dad was a professional and he fought there four times so it’s like a home venue to me; I know the place like the back of my hand.”

Trained by Mark Tibbs with the backup of his legendary father Jimmy at the West Ham Boys Amateur Boxing Club in Plaistow, McNess is gearing up for a busy 2016 and wants to keep his winning streak going with another solid performance.

He said: “Training couldn’t be going any better. I’ve still got four weeks left and I’m starting sparring this week. I’m only fighting a four rounder so I could fight next week or even tonight if I had to; I’m feeling fit and ready to go. Right now it’s just about not overdoing it and making sure that I peak at the right time.”

Main event on the card see Gary Corcoran and Danny Butler collide for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Junior Middleweight Championship and chief-support features Tom Baker and Jack Morris clash for the Vacant English Light-Heavyweight Championship. On the undercard, some of the best young prospects continue in their careers: unbeaten light-welterweight ace Romeo Romaeo takes on Prague’s Michal Dufek over eight rounds; Chingford super-featherweight Boy Jones Jnr and Dagenham lightweight Ediz Hussein, both in separate six rounders; West Ham super-welterweight Sammy McNess, Ilford light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde; Welling lightweight Archie Sharp; Chelmsford super-middleweight Billy Long and Sidcup super-featherweight D.P Carr, all compete over four rounds.

Tickets priced at £40 (Unreserved) and £60 (Reserved) are available from Eventim at www.eventim.co.uk or 0844 249 1000 and Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or 0844 844 0444

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.

Prichard Colon, the undefeated Jr. Middleweight who has been in a coma since his fight in October, has undergone spinal surgery according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Colon, who was moved in mid-November to Shepherd Center, an Atlanta hospital specializing in treatment for those with brain and spinal cord injuries, had the surgery in order to place a catheter on his spine. It will administer a drug to help loosen his muscles.

“The surgery Prichard had was to help with the spasticity,” Richard Colon, Prichard’s father, said. “Thank God everything went well. Now we must wait for the awakening of our champion, Prichard. This procedure will help so he can be more relaxed.”

“We are grateful to all for such support from Day 1 and the endless prayers,” Richard Colon said. “The operation was different to the previous ones, but very necessary … in his recovery process. His response has been very positive, and we hope good things in the next few days. The prayers and support of all of you, that means a lot to all the family.”

HBO Boxing presents an action-packed doubleheader when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: TERENCE CRAWFORD VS. HANK LUNDY AND FELIX VERDEJO VS. WILLIAM SILVA is seen SATURDAY, FEB. 27 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/ tape-delayed PT) from The Theater at Madison Square Garden, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports broadcasting team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Feb. 28 (10:30 a.m.) and 29 (11:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: Feb. 28 (3:00 p.m.)

Terence Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs), 2014’s Fighter of the Year, defends his junior welterweight title and unblemished record against veteran Hank Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round contest. Hailing from Omaha, Neb., the 28-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2015 with knockout victories against top 140-pound contenders Thomas Dulorme and Dierry Jean. Known for his speed, precision, defense and power, Crawford will be making his pro debut in New York.

Philadelphia native Lundy, 32, suffered a technical decision loss to Mauricio Herrera on HBO Latino in July 2015, but rebounded in October with an impressive stoppage win against Carlos Velasquez. He’ll look to deploy his ring savvy against the younger Crawford.

In the evening’s co-main event, undefeated lightweights square off as Felix Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, takes on William Silva (22-0, 13 KOs) of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a scheduled ten-round affair. Just 22 years old, Verdejo will be making his fifth appearance at the Garden. The rangy Silva, 28, will seek to halt the young star’s rise.

HBO’s flagship “World Championship Boxing” series marks its 44th year in 2016, while HBO Boxing presented its 1,000th fight last year.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jonathan Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LAS VEGAS (February 23, 2016) – CBS Sports Network will be home of the new monthly professional boxing series, “Knockout Night at The D,” which officially launches Saturday night, March 12, at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC).

It has also been announced that the “Knockout Night at the D” broadcast team will feature a pair of Hall-of-Fame announcers, color commentator Al Bernstein and Jim “JR” Ross will handle blow-by-blow responsibilities, as well as former world featherweight champion Kevin “Flushing Flash” Kelley, who will conduct post fight and celebrity interviews.

The “Knockout Night at the D” series, created by the D Las Vegas and DLVC, along with Neon Star Media and Roy Englebrecht Promotions, will be held at the DLVEC open air venue located adjacent to the D Las Vegas. The inaugural event Mar. 12th, however, will take place inside the DLVEC’s 20,000-square-foot tent.

Eight “Knockout Night at the D” events are planned in 2016. There are three other series broadcast dates – April 16, May 13 and June 10 (subject to normal Nevada Commission approval) – with other dates to be determined in September, October, November and December.

“It has been our vision to bring outdoor boxing back to the city, so it excites us to see this dream of ours come to life at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center,” Derek Stevens, CEO of the D Las Vegas and DLVEC said. “We look forward to partnering with Neon Star Productions to present a series of incredible match-ups that will be talked about for years to come.”

Bernstein is arguably the preeminent boxing announcer in the world. In 1980, Bernstein joined ESPN as its boxing analyst. The 1988 Sam Taub Award winner for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism, Bernstein served as boxing analyst for NBC’s coverage of the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. A 2012 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Bernstein has been boxing analyst for Showtime Championship Boxing since 2003, as well as the main commentator the past four years for Channel 5, a terrestrial network in the United Kingdom.

“I am extremely happy to be a part of the ‘Knockout Night at the D’ series,” Bernstein said. “The venue is great, the event creates a lot of excitement in Downtown Las Vegas, and CBS Sports Network viewers will see excellent boxing on our telecasts. The operative word here is fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

The wildly popular Ross, who was the voice of the WWE, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. Although he is best known for his work in wrestling, Ross is an experienced sports commentator who has called professional boxing and mixed material arts events. He has also developed his own brand of barbeque sauces and cookbooks.

“I am beyond excited to have this opportunity to broadcast big time, world-class boxing from the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas,” Ross remarked. “Working with Boxing Hall of Famer Al Bernstein, the best analyst in the game, and with the ‘Flushing Flash’, Kevin Kelly, equates to a unique broadcasting trifecta. Ring the bell…it’s Slobber Knocker time!”

Kelley (60-10-2, 39 KOs) captured the World Boxing Council featherweight championship December 4, 1993 in Reno, by way of a unanimous 12-round decision, and he successfully defended his title twice against Jesse Benavidas and Jose Vida Ramos. Kelley, who lives in Las Vegas, is an experienced boxing analyst.

“I would like to thank the team of CBS Sports Network, the D Hotel, Al Bernstein and Jim Ross for this life changing moment,” Kelley commented. “With my hands-on fighting experience and their knowledge of boxing, we come together perfect like a hand in glove.”

Five-time, two-division world champion Zab “Super” Judah (42-9, 29 KOs), fighting out of Las Vegas, meets upset-minded Albuquerque, NM junior welterweight Josh “Pitbull” Torres (15-4-2, 7 KOs) in the Mar. 12th 10-round main event.

In the 8-round co-feature, Las Vegas fan favorite Chuy “El Huracan” Gutierrez (14-0-1, 4 KOs) faces lightweight Leon “The Third Generation” Spinks III (11-3-1, 7 KOs).
All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $65.00 ringside and $20.00 seated general admission, are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com or the D Las Vegas box office (702.288-2111). 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 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.

INFORMATION:

Website: www.dlvec.com, www.thed.com
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens
Instagram: @downtownlasvegaseventscenter, @thedlasvegas
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/dlvec, www.Facebook.com/thedlasvegas

Follow these fighters and our broadcasters on Twitter: @SuperJudah, @PitbullTorres, @ElHuracan88, @LeonSpinksIII,

BROOKLYN (February 23, 2016) –
Rising star and 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (19-0, 16 KOs) will take on former world champion Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight showdown headlining an exciting night of matchups on Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC in primetime on Saturday, April 16 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The NBC coverage begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and will see unbeaten world champion Krzysztof Glowacki (25-0, 16 KOs) of Poland squaring-off against former two-time cruiserweight world champion Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) plus 2012 U.S. Olympian and unbeaten light heavyweight “Sir” Marcus Browne (17-0, 13 KOs) of Staten Island takes on undefeated Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic (21-0, 14 KOs) in a 10-round battle.

PBC on NBC kicks off 2016 with the consensus Prospect of the Year, Spence, Jr. taking a serious step up in competition by going in against popular Long Island-native and former world champion Algieri.

Plus, the first world title defense of Poland’s Glowacki, fresh of a Fight of the Year upset over Marco Huck, against former U.S. Naval officer and former cruiserweight champion Cunningham in a battle that is sure to thrill those watching on NBC and at Barclays Center. For the light heavyweight rising star Browne, this represents a step up in platform and competition as he is featured in a primetime telecast for the first time and will no doubt look for an emphatic victory in his record 11th appearance at Barclays Center.

“I’m excited to be back again, fighting on NBC. This is a huge opportunity for me, to be this young and early in my career and headlining a primetime event, just the exposure alone,” said Spence. “Of course, I’m happy to be fighting in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. New York City is known for putting on great fights, and this is going to be a big event with a big-name fighter. Chris Algieri has been in the ring with Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao and Ruslan Provodnikov and he’s a former world champ. This is a big fight for me and a step up, but I plan to rise to the occasion. I’m going to handle him like I’ve handled all of my past opponents.”

“I am so excited to come back to the US for a major fight,” said Glowacki. “I respect Steve Cunningham as a sportsman and as a man. He is a world class fighter and I know that he will be well prepared against me. I would like to thank my Polish promoters, my coaches, Al Haymon, Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing, and DiBella Entertainment. They gave me the opportunity to face Marco Huck for the world title last year and I knocked him out, doing what I promised. Come April 16, I will once again honor my promise and defeat Cunningham in spectacular fashion. Polish and American fans, be prepared for the return of Glowacki!”

“I’m ready to take this step up on my career. We are both putting our ‘0’s on the line and do what I’ve been taught to do,” said Browne. “This is the perfect time for this opportunity in my career and there is no better place than to do it at Barclays Center. To be able to win and make a statement on primetime TV from Barclays Center where it all really started for me will be a turning point and I can’t wait.”

“I am ready and excited to showcase my skills and power come April 16,” said Kalajdzic. “I am happy to be part of such a huge card and to have the opportunity to fight on NBC and show the world I am one of the best 175 pounders in boxing.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Star Boxing, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at noon. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

“Errol Spence may be the premier prospect in all of boxing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He will be tested by a resurgent former world champ, Chris Algieri. Chris nearly upset the applecart for Amir Khan. He looks to stop the rise of a young star and achieve a mega fight. Glowacki’s war with Huck was highlight reel stuff; another barnburner can be expected when he puts his title on the line against Steve Cunningham.”

“It’s great to be doing another event in Brooklyn at Barclays Center with Chris Algieri headlining on NBC,” said Joe DeGuardia, President of Star Boxing. “This marks the fourth appearance by Chris at the Barclays Center and I expect another exciting performance by Chris as he takes on the very dangerous and undefeated former U.S. Olympian, Errol Spence, on April 16.”

“We look forward to opening our 2016 PBC on NBC schedule in April with an exciting slate of primetime matches from Barclays Center in Brooklyn,” said Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC and NBCSN.

“We are delighted to have Long Island’s Chris Algieri return to our ring where he won the fight of his career in 2014,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “This card is going to produce another electric atmosphere at Barclays Center as we continue to make 2016 our biggest year yet for boxing.”

A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team who boasted a highly decorated amateur career, the 26-year-old Spence Jr.is set for the toughest test of his career as he enters the ring in his first primetime main event. Spence Jr. is widely regarded as a future star in the sport and was dominant in his previous PBC on NBC primetime appearance when he stopped Phil Lo Greco in the third round in June. His huge 2015 also included TKO victories over Chris van Heerden, Samuel Vargas and Alejandro Barrera and concluded with him being named ESPN’s Prospect of the Year.

Algieri rose to fame in June 2014 at Barclays Center when he upset Ruslan Provodnikov for a super lightweight world title. The 31-year-old returns to Brooklyn for his third consecutive fight after earning a unanimous decision over Erick Bone in December. The former kickboxing champion from Huntington, N.Y., built his boxing record on the strength of his excellent movement and skill with the jab. His victory over Provodnikov earned him a shot at Manny Pacquiao in Nov. 2014, a bout that Algieri lost. He had previously defeated strong contenders Mike Arnaoutis and Emanuel Taylor on the way to his world title and now seeks a title in the welterweight division.

Representing the great fight city of Philadelphia, Cunningham will look to put on a show in his Barclays Center debut. Twice a world champion as a cruiserweight, he defeated Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in 2006 to capture his belt before defending his title against Marco Huck via a twelfth-round TKO. He became a world champion again in 2010 when he stopped Troy Ross in the fifth round. The experienced veteran also owns victories over previously unbeaten fighters Amir Mansour and Natu Visinia and scored a knockdown of Tyson Fury in a losing effort during their 2013 bout.

Glowacki defends his world title for the first time after his sensational 2015 knockout of cruiserweight king Marco Huck in August 2015. The fighter out of Walcz, Poland will receive heavy support from the large Polish population in Brooklyn as he fights in the U.S. for the second time. Prior to his world title winning performance, he picked up victories over Nuri Seferi, Thierry Karl and Ismail Abdoul.

Browne has been very impressive since making his pro debut in November 2011 and the 25-year-old Staten Island-native put together a big 2015 with victories over Cornelius White and Aaron Pryor Jr. before he knocked out former world champion Gabriel Campillo in the first round in September and closed the year by stopping Francisco Sierra in December. Browne’s first primetime appearance will give him an opportunity to show off the lightning speed and impressive power.

Originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina but now training out of Saint Petersburg, Fla., Kalajdzic ended 2015 with first round stoppages of Fabio Garrido and Gilberto Matheus Domingos. The 24-year-old also owns victories over Otis Griffin, Donta Woods and Samson Onyango and will be fighting in New York for the first time as a pro.

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

ICE, CALIF. (February 23, 2016) – Unbeaten 140-pound contender Sergey Lipinets (8-0, 6 KOs) will take on Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava (16-1-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, March 15 from Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice, California.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with 2012 Olympic Silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar (4-0, 4 KOs) battling hard-punching Brooklyn’s Rafael Vazquez (16-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight contest.

“I’m very excited to be fighting in the main event on FS1 and FOX Deportes against ‘The Wolf’ on March 15,” said Lipinets. “This is a big test for me to show the world that I can be a future world champion which has been my goal since I turned professional two years ago. I’m so thankful to everyone involved in this show and I will put on a memorable performance.”

“I’m looking forward to facing off against Sergey Lipinets on March 15,” said Ghvamichava. “He is a tough, skilled fighter but I am preparing hard for victory with my trainer Virgil Hunter. I’m very grateful to my team and excited for this fight.”

“We are looking forward to working with Michael Starr and his team at the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino for what is sure to be another exciting Tuesday night on FS1 and FOX Deportes card and the first of many events there,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “These fights feature young and hungry prospects who are looking to take another step toward furthering their careers and getting those world title opportunities.”

“Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino is honored and excited to welcome Premier Boxing Champions action on FS1 and FOX Deportes,” said Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino CEO, Michael Starr. “It’s nice to be working with Tom Brown again, who specializes in putting on quality, professional shows that are competitive and crowd-pleasing. While this is our first nationally televised boxing event, it certainly won’t be our last.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, start at $20 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets call the players club at (707) 262-4000.

An accomplished amateur who was born in Kazakhstan but fights out of Russia, Lipinets turned pro in April of 2014 with a decision victory over Franklin Varela. The 26-year-old recorded six knockouts in a row before he defeated the previously unbeaten Lydell Rhodes in their October fight. He also owns victories over veterans Kendal Mena, Cosme Rivera and Daniel Lomeli.

Ghvamichava enters this bout on a five-fight win streak and is unbeaten since 2013. The 30-year-old took down previously unbeaten fighters Jonathan Garcia and Chris Singleton in 2014 and followed it up with triumphs over Cameron Kreal and Cosme Rivera in 2015. Originally from Poti, Georgia, Ghvamichava now trains out of Hayward, California.

Representing his native Mongolia, Nyambayar won the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The 23-year-old turned pro in 2015 and delivered four stoppage victories, most recently knocking out Pedro Melo in the second round. The unbeaten pro now trains out of Carson, California.

Born in Puerto Rico, but training and living out of Brooklyn, Vazquez fights for more than glory inside the ring. With an autistic daughter and a wife diagnosed with cervical cancer, Vazquez fights for his family. Getting a late start to boxing, Vazquez, who lost both of his parents at an early age and endured a stint in prison as a wayward youth, turned pro in September 2010. He has since donated portions of his purses to autism research, while also holding fundraisers to help raise awareness.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepagewww.foxdeportes.comwww, http://www.rrrc.com/ and www.TGBPromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NEW YORK (Feb. 23, 2016) – Undefeated middleweight contender Antoine Douglas will face hard-hitting Avtandil Khurtsidze in the co-feature of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® on Saturday, March 5, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa.

Khurtsidze (30-2-2, 20 KOs) steps in to face GH3 Promotions’ Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout for the WBO International title after Sam Soliman pulled out of the fight last week with a knee injury.

Khurtsidze, of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kutaisi, Georgia, has won eight straight – including six by knockout – since dropping a controversial decision to then-unbeaten Hassan N’Dam in a bout for the vacant interim WBA World Middleweight Title in Paris in 2010.

Khurtsidze was scheduled to face N’Dam in a rematch last November 21 in Paris, but the event was cancelled following the tragic November 13 terror attacks in France. The rematch with the former world champion was to be contested for the IBF No. 2 spot at 160 pounds.

A pressure fighter, Khurtsidze was also slated to fight last week on a DiBella Entertainment Broadway Boxing event and has been training since the fight with N’Dam was called off. The 36-year-old, who has also campaigned at super middleweight, is coming off a knockout victory over Melvin Betancourt last August.

“Avtandil is a world class guy, a former silver titlist and has been at the top of the division for years,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a great opportunity for him and a huge step up for Douglas. Avtandil had been on his way to France to fight for the No. 2 ranking against N’Dam when the tragic terrorist attacks hit Paris, which was a terribly unfortunate situation for all. Now, he looks to impress in this fight against the highly regarded Douglas. The winner of this bout moves up significantly in the middleweight world rankings and will be in line for a major fight in the 160-pound division later this year.”

In the main event of the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION tripleheader, Julian “J-Rock” Williams and once-beaten Italian Marcello Matano will square off in a 12-round IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking at 154 pounds. In the opening bout of the telecast, hard-hitting prospect Tony Harrison will face veteran former world title challenger Fernando Guerrero in a 10-round super welterweight contest.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions, are priced at $100, $75 and $45, 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

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 23rd, 2016) — Not only is Hank Lundy confident as ever heading into Saturday’s world-title bout in New York City against champion Terence Crawford, he’s certain Crawford isn’t even the best fighter he’s faced, a bold statement considering his opponent’s spot on most experts’ pound-for-pound lists.

“Who has Terence fought? A [5-foot-2 Yuriorkis] Gamboa?” asked Lundy during a media conference call Tuesday before rattling off a long list of former opponents he feels are better than Crawford, among them Victor Postol, Ajose Olusegun and even Dannie Williams.

“What’s going to happen when he faces someone who can do the same things he can do? He’s nothing special.”

Philadelphia’s Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs) is less than a week away from the fight of his life, a 12-round showdown against Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs) at The Theater at Madison Square Garden for Crawford’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight Title in the main event of HBO’s World Championship Boxing doubleheader, promoted by Top Rank and CES Boxing.

Those who’ve followed Lundy’s career since he turned pro in 2008 know he’s never turned down a fight or turned away from the glare of the boxing media, even if it appears at times he’s bites off more than he can chew in the press.

Among the topics of discussions during Tuesday’s the conference call, the official kickoff to this week’s festivities in New York, Lundy addressed his improbable upbringing in Philadelphia, the difficulty of fighting as the perceived “B” side on highly-publicized cards and the inner strength to continue fighting through adversity.

Lundy is on the brink of fighting for a major world title for the first time in his career despite losing two of his last three fights and suffering discouraging setbacks against Mauricio Herrera and Thomas Dulorme. The fact he’s parlayed his tumultuous career into a title shot against one of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters is a testament to what he calls “hard work and determination,” a byproduct of growing up in one of boxing’s most respected fight cities.

“‘Hammerin’ Hank wasn’t supposed to be here,” Lundy said, “but my drive, my goal to succeed in life, my will to make a better life for my [six daughters] got me here.

“There’s no tomorrow. I’m leaving everything in that ring. This man is going to have to knock me out to win.”

Lundy is a heavy underdog, a +1500 as of Tuesday (by comparison, Manny Pacquiao was a +160 underdog in his fight against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather), but he’s banking on his past experience against elite fighters, many of whom he feels are better than Crawford, to carry him past the four-time defending champ.

While Lundy-Crawford has been panned as a second-rate fight in some circles because of the fact Lundy was reportedly the third or fourth choice among Crawford’s camp, Lundy’s promise of a knockout has made this must-see television for boxing fans.

Lundy has run the gauntlet at 135 and 140 pounds, including Postol, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) champion; Olusegun; Herrera; Dulorme; Williams; Raymundo Beltran and current World Boxing Association (WBA) Lightweight Champion Richar Abril, whom he beat in 2010. He considers the rangy, 5-11 Postol, now 28-0, the best he’s ever faced. The two fought in Russia in 2013 with Postol winning narrowly by unanimous decision despite Lundy’s claims that he dictated the pace.

“Victor is a better technician than Crawford. Crawford gets hit a lot,” Lundy said.

“What people have to look at with Terence, he switches up between righty and southpaw. OK. That’s what he does to throw people off, but in the midst of switching it up, he gets hit.

“Most of these guys get confused, but I’ve been watching him since he popped up on the scene at 135 [pounds]. Nothing has changed for me. He doesn’t impress me. When you’ve got the right guy in front of him that can do the things I can do, we’ll see if he can handle that. We’ll see how he adjusts. I’m battle-tested. He’s never faced anyone like me.

“Him against Postol? That’s a fight I’d like to see! After I clean him up, I’d like to see him fight Victor.”

Asked how he remains so confident despite having lost to two opponents Crawford already beat (Dulorme and Beltran), Lundy said, “When you think about it, the everyday struggle, for me to make it to where I’m at, me just going against adversity, doing what people tell me I can’t do, it’s my life story.

“I love it,” he continued. “When they put my back against the wall, I always come out on top, just like in life. I’m still in Philly. Not too many people get away from the hood. Some of our greatest fighters end up getting killed or in jail. I’ve stayed positive and pushed even harder.”

By winning the fight outside of the ring, Lundy might’ve already won the war between the ropes. A typically quiet, subdued fighter, Crawford has been more vocal in recent weeks leading up to this fight, starting with his playful, though somewhat heated, exchange with Lundy at the introductory press conference in January.

Could it be Lundy is inside the champion’s head?

“I know I’m in his head,” Lundy said. “You can just see it. Everyone knows Terence don’t say much or act a certain way before a fight, but you’re seeing a different Terence Crawford, cussing, talking, stating he’s from the street and he’s been shot. You’ve never seen that from him.”

Some fighters might worry about their bold words providing the opponent with bulletin-board material. Not Lundy. If the tough talk motivates Crawford even more than he already is, so be it, because Lundy doesn’t want to hear any excuses Saturday.

“At the end of the day, I want to motivate him. I want him to come in with his ‘A’ game, because when they raise my hand and put that belt around my waist, it won’t be about, ‘I didn’t do this,’ or, ‘I should’ve trained that way.’ He won’t have any excuses.

“I’m going to push the envelope,” he continued. “The one thing about boxing that people forget is you’ve got to set the tone in there. If you fall behind, it’s going to get ugly. He can be patient all he wants, but at the end of the day he’s going to fight my fight.”

In fact, if bulletin-board material is a motivating factor, Lundy might have the edge there, too. After all, Crawford’s promoter, Bob Arum, and co-manager, Cameron Dunkin, have publicly expressed the desire to fight bigger, more marketable opponents, as if Lundy isn’t a worthy adversary on a card of this magnitude.

“I’m real insulted,” Lundy said, “but at the end of the day, they don’t want to fight a guy like ‘Hammerin” Hank Lundy. Dunkin didn’t like the fact I was coming at [his client] Brandon Rios. If I see a guy I can exploit, I want to get in the ring with him.

“Come Saturday night, I’m not leaving with any ‘ifs.’ This is my chance for a world title and I’m leaving it all in the ring.”

The Feb. 27th HBO doubleheader, which begins 10 p.m. ET, also features a 10-round WBO Latino lightweight title bout between reigning champion Felix Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and unbeaten challenger William Silva (23-0, 14 KOs) of San Paolo, Brazil. Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $100, $200 and $300 and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone at (866) 858-0008 or online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.thegarden.com.

For more information, visit www.cesboxing.com or www.toprank.com, or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.twitter.com/trboxing using the hashtag #CrawfordLundy to join the conversation. Updates are also available on www.facebook.com/cesboxing, www.facebook.com/trboxing or www.facebook.com/trboxeo.

Los Angeles, CA (February 23, 2016) Over 50% of the tickets available for UNDEFEATED have been purchased as boxing fans worldwide are acting quickly in great anticipation of superstars’ Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez return to The Fabulous Forum on Saturday, April 23 in separate bouts. The event will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“We’ve sold over 8,000 tickets in just the first week of being on sale,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “This is the best pairing in boxing and fans have seen how fast tickets moved at our past shows in Los Angeles and New York City and don’t want to take a chance on missing out.”

“Gennady and Roman were each dominant in their knockout performances on October 17 and we sold out Madison Square Garden with 20,548 fans in attendance. Last May 16, at our first event at the Fabulous Forum 12,732 tickets were sold. Right now were on pace to have another sold out arena of over 16,000 tickets on April 23. This would be the first sellout of the Fabulous Forum for a boxing event since 1970.”

Following a cross-country press tour from Los Angeles to New York City, Golovkin and Gonzalez have opened up training camps in Big Bear Lake, California and Managua, Nicaragua, respectively.

“Gennady has that unique quality of putting on great performances in the ring and being able to sell out arenas across the country,” said Loeffler.

_____________________________

Boxing Superstar and Undefeated, Unified World Middleweight Champion Golovkin, 34-0 (31KO’s) will defend his titles against Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic “Lights Out” Wade, 18-0 (12KO’s) in the main event at UNDEFEATED.

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

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

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

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

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

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 23, 2016) – NABO Lightweight Champion Michael “The Artist” Perez (23-1-2, 11 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey will make his LA FIGHT CLUB debut on the one-year anniversary of the popular boxing series LA FIGHT CLUB on March 4 when he takes on the rugged Mexican warrior Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (33-9-1, 16 KOs) of Mexico City at The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

In the televised bouts on March 4, Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez of Buena Park, Calif. will make his fifth appearance at LA FIGHT CLUB against the battle tested David “Dangerous” Rodela (17-12-4, 7 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif. in eight-round co-main super featherweight event and newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter and brother of Golden Boy stable mate Ronny Rios, Alexis Rocha of Santa Ana, Calif. will make his professional debut in a four-round super welterweight against Diego Padilla (1-2) of Los Angeles, in a televised opening bout.

Featured on the non-televised undercard but streaming live on Ring TV, rising super bantamweight star Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (12-0, 5 KOs) will face off against seasoned fighter Hugo “Olímpico” Partida (20-7-2, 15 KOs) of Mexico City in an eight-round fight. Also part of the live stream, Los Angeles undefeated fighter, Ivan “Striker” Delgado (8-0-1, 2 KOs) will face Jesus Sandoval (5-8-3, 1 KOs) of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico in a six-round super featherweight fight and super bantamweight Los Angeles favorite, Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo (6-1-1, 2 KOs) will battle it out in a six round bout against an opponent soon to be announced.

Ready to make 2016 the biggest year of his career, Newark, New Jersey’s Michael “The Artist” Perez is on the verge of a world title shot, as he is ranked in the top five by both the WBO and WBA. Following 2015 victories against fomer WBA Lightweight World Champion, Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta and Luis “Chespi” Sanchez that netted him the NABO Lightweight Title and extended his unbeaten streak to nine. The exciting 26-year-old must first vanquish the experienced Honorio in his LA FIGHT CLUB debut before going on for championship gold in 2016.

Back at The Belasco Theater and eager to build off his November 2015 win over Miguel “El Anestesista” Angel Huerta, Mexico City’s Martin “El Brochas” Honorio believes that he still has a title run in him. One of the most respected veterans in the sport, “El Brochas” has been in with boxing’s best over the course of his nearly 17 years in the sport, and he has no intention of becoming a stepping stone for a rising star like Michael “The Artist” Perez.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Michael Perez vs. Martin Honorio, 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, March 4 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 March 4 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, February 26. 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.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBC Lightweight champion Jorge Linares has been stripped of his title due to an injury keeping him from defending his title against mandatory challenger Dejan Zlaticanin

Linares was reclassified WBC “Champion in Recess”.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said Tuesday that Zlaticanin would be ordered to face the next leading available contender, 39-year-old Italian Emiliano Marsili (32-0-1, 14 KOs), for the vacant title. “The winner must fight Linares whenever he is ready to fight,” Sulaiman said.

Blackpool cruiserweight star Matty Askin says he’s is in the shape of his life ahead of his big rematch with bitter rival Lawrence Bennett at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on Saturday 12th March, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The 27 year-old has promised to destroy Bennett after their previous fight ended in controversial circumstances. Askin was stretchered off to the dressing room after falling out of the ring along with Bennett in the first round. With the Blackpool bruiser unable to continue judges declared the fight as technical draw. Determined to put things straight, Askin has been putting in the hours in the gym ahead of his big night.

“I’m in the best condition I’ve been in for a long time and that’s the truth. I went over to Denmark for two weeks for sparring and then the show got pushed back so I had to come home. I’m heading back out there for another eight days where I’ll be sparring with a world class fighter in Micki Neilsen who’s a southpaw which is perfect preparation,” said Askin.

Askin lost out to Ovill McKenzie in a gruelling battle for the British and Commonwealth Championships in March last year. Despite losing by a majority decision Askin is confident he would get the better of McKenzie should the pair meet again.

He said: “I’m going to dispose of Bennett and then see what the team comes up with. I’d love the rematch with Ovill McKenzie but I know he’s fighting for the European title now so it’ll have to wait. I’d like to fight whoever holds the British and Commonwealth titles and then go from there,”

“I’m confident I’d get the win this time round. I hadn’t boxed for a year going in to the fight which wasn’t ideal. You could see in the first six or seven rounds that I was too much for him but then my composure just left me. I’d not been active enough and it showed in the last half of the fight but now I’d destroy him without a shadow of a doubt.”

Currently ranked 6th in the British and Irish standings, Askin says he has the potential to reach the very top of the British cruiserweight scene and plans on kick-starting his 2016 campaign with a knockout performance.

He said: “There’s nobody really leading the pack that is outstanding. I think it’s still there to be grabbed and there’s some good fights to be made in the British scene so it’s quite an interesting weight division to be involved in at the moment,”

“If I put a good string of performances together then I’m right back at the top so my main aim at the moment is to perform to the best of my ability in every fight and stay as active as possible.”

Cruiserweight rivals Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi clash this Saturday night, televised exclusively live in the UK on BoxNation, for a fourth time in six years and Askin is backing Huck to claim his third win.

He said: “I think Huck will win again on points in a close fight. Afolobi is coming to the end of his career and Huck still looks like he has a lot left in his tank.”

Terry Flanagan v Derry Mathews headlines an action packed card 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, plus Indian superstar Vijender Singh makes his Liverpool debut. 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; 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.

NEW YORK (Feb. 22, 2016)–-Undefeated world champion Keith Thurman sustained an injury as a result of a car accident that has forced his March 12 welterweight title defense against Shawn Porter to be postponed. The announcement was made today by promoter Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment. According to his doctors, Thurman’s injuries are not considered serious and he is expected to be cleared to resume training in the coming weeks. Thurman vs. Porter was the main event of a scheduled two-fight card to be broadcast in prime time on CBS. This fight and the network broadcast will now be rescheduled for a later date.

DiBella Entertainment, Mohegan Sun and Showtime are evaluating the option of continuing with the remainder of the fight card on Saturday, March 12 with a transition of television coverage to SHOWTIME. Complete details are forthcoming.

“While it’s unfortunate that we must temporarily postpone this marquee matchup, a main event of the magnitude of Thurman vs. Porter requires both fighters be healthy and at their best.” said DiBella. “Keith is anxious to resume training as soon he is able and both he and Shawn are looking forward to a new fight date.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A. – On Saturday night, February 27, 2016, twenty-three year-old Top Rank light welterweight professional boxer, Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (Washington, D.C./Waldorf, MD/pro record: 17-0-0, 10 KOs) will take on Marco Antonio Lopez (San Luis Potosi, Mexico/pro record: 24-8-0, 15 KOs) in an 8-round fight on the HBO World Championship Boxing card, held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The HBO Boxing card, featuring Reed-Lopez, is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), Diamante Promotions, and Madison Square Garden. The main event will feature Terence Crawford defending his WBO World Super Lightweight Title against Henry Lundy, and in the co-main event, Felix Verdejo will defend his WBO Latino Lightweight Title against William Silva.
In his most recent fight on November 7, 2015, at The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Reed defeated Minnesota’s Rondale Hubbert by TKO in Round 7 (bout was scheduled for 8 rounds). Reed dominated the fight, as he landed a variety of body shots and jabs on Hubbert. In round 7, Reed caught a charging Hubbert with a quick right hook, which dropped him to the canvas. Hubbert beat the count, but then Reed backed him up against the ropes with a barrage of punches and then caught him with a powerful left hand. Hubbert slumped motionless against the ropes, forcing referee Kenny Bayless to stop the action at 1:28 of Round 7. Reed remained undefeated, while Hubbert’s record dropped to 10-4-1, with 6 KOs.
Reed is excited about returning to Madison Square Garden to face Lopez. He said, “Some fighters never get the opportunity to fight at The Garden, but this will be my second time fighting there, and that’s a beautiful thing. My opponent, Lopez, has lots of experience against strong opposition, he’s a crafty counter-puncher, and he has good offensive capabilities. I expect him to be prepared, and of course, I will be as well. Some of the things we worked on this camp was starting faster and continuing to dominate throughout the entire fight. I also worked on setting up my punches. My team will have a very good game plan for this fight, and we plan to put on a great show on February 27. The year 2015 was great for me, as I finished the year with five more wins, winning four by knockout. Every fight gets tougher, and it probably will stay that way as I build on the road to the title. In my opinion, Terence Crawford and Adrien Broner are the leaders of my division, and my goal is to compete for the top spots very soon.”
He continued, “I want to thank my promotional company, Top Rank, for continuing to do a great job moving me. Thanks to them, I am starting to hear my name mentioned with the elite fighters in my division, and in the sport. Thanks to my dad, Buck Pinson, who is also my manager and trainer, for pushing me and motivating me in ways no one else can. Thank you to Shane Goodell, Nike Boxing/Athlete Performance Solutions, and Everlast for making me look good while I’m working.”
Tickets for Mike Reed vs. Marco Antonio Lopez at The Theater at Madison Square Garden are on sale now and are priced at $300, $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.Ticketmaster.com and www.TheGarden.com. Follow Mike Reed’s social media pages for weigh-in and fight time information.

Follow Reed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeYesIndeedReed
Follow Reed on Instagram: @YesIndeed_Reed or http://instagram.com/yesindeed_reed
Follow Reed on Twitter: @YesIndeed_Reed or https://twitter.com/YesIndeed_Reed
Hash Tags: #YesIndeedReed

Los Angeles, CA (February 22, 2016) Hot, undefeated junior lightweight prospect “Bekman” Soylybayev of Almaty, Kazakhstan, improved to 8-0 (3KOs) on Thursday night with a shutout unanimous decision over battle-tested Mexican veteran Moises Delgadillo,15-14-2, in Costa Mesa, California. Scores were 80-72 on all three judges’ scorecards.

With the victory, the 25-year-old “Bekman” earned the vacant WBA-NABA USA Super Featherweight Title.

Using his superior skills, solid combinations and a distinct speed advantage, “Bekman” controlled the action throughout the fight.

“I’m very happy with my performance, he was a tough fighter but I stuck to the game plan that my trainer Eric Brown devised,” said “Bekman”. “This was a very good win for me, he was my toughest opponent and I’m thrilled to win my first title.”

With four fights in 2015 and training in Los Angeles at the Wild Card West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica, “Bekman” will look to stay busy this year.

Said manager Sam Katkovski, “Bekman can box and brawl. He used a combination of both for this victory. His fan friendly style has connected with his growing fan base as we saw on Thursday night.”

“This was Bekman’s toughest test to date and he passed it with flying colors. He is going to be back in May in Kazakhstan on a card promoted by Diamond Ring and then will return to the United States to fight again in the second half of 2016.”

“Bekman” is promoted by Diamond Ring Boxing, for more information visit their website at www.DiamondRing.KZ. Also follow on Twitter @DiamondRingBox and follow “Bekman” on Twitter @1990Begman.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 22, 2015) – This Friday, Bellator MMA brings a world championship matchup between two highly skilled mixed martial arts practitioners when bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) defends his strap against former champion and former friend and training partner, Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.

The event emanates from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas this Friday, February 26, and airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

In addition to the title fight, a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will anchor the number two spot. Also on the card, Kendall Grove (22-15) takes on Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1), hometown favorite David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5), plus the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), who takes on Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren at “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship and fulfil a promise he made to his mother before her unfortunate passing.

Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” Last May, the 27-year-old Nova Uniao product dispelled of Mike Richman via unanimous decision at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to become a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.

Kongo will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 5-2. The Parisian native has fought a who’s who in the mixed martial arts landscape, with notable wins against Mirko Cro Cop, Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione, and Alexander Volkov already on his record. In his last outing – which just so happened to be inside the Kansas Star Arena — Kongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” defeating his fellow Brazilian opponent via second round arm-triangle choke. “Spartan” hopes to plant the seeds for a busy 2016 with the matchup against Kongo, where a win can undoubtedly place him in the midst of the heavyweight title picture.

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” in September. The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: 3,” has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” France has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,” with 12 of his 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

A Bellator MMA event in Mulvane, Kansas just wouldn’t be the same without “The Caveman,” who will return to action for the first time since competing against Michael Chandler this past November. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent. The 27-year-old will be making his 16th appearance under the promotional banner.

The last time Bobby Cooper fought inside the Kansas Star Arena, he took home a closely contested split decision victory over “Bellator 147” co-headliner Pablo Villaseca. Now, “Super Duper” will look to move to 3-0 under the Bellator MMA banner when he faces Rickels in hostile territory. It’s worth noting that the Missouri native has only lost twice in his last eight MMA appearances.

Hailing from Ukraine, Ovchynnikova will enter the fray fresh off a new exclusive, multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA. “Hunter” has previously fought the likes of Joanne Calderwood and at only 28-years-old has already competed professionally since 2006. Now, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on February 26 against a tough foe in Ruth.

“Becky” Ruth was undefeated in 2015, winning all three of her matchups by technical knockout under the Shamrock Fighting Championships banner. The lone loss on the Missouri native’s record came against Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, via controversial split decision.

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (13-3-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, 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.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Kansas Star Arena
The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Monday, Feb. 22, 2016) – Uprising Promotions featherweight Angel Luna (11-1-1, 6 KOs) looks to knock off another undefeated prospect this Saturday night, facing Puerto Rico native Christopher Diaz (14-0, 9 KOs) at the Theater in Madison Square Garden. The bout will be featured on the undercard to a WBO Super Lightweight Championship bout between Terence Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs) and Hank Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs).

“Luna has been working hard for this fight, and I am fully confident that he is going to perform well,” said Ronson Frank, President of Uprising Promotions. “I watched him spar another undefeated fighter for 10 rounds recently, and he is in great shape. As far as conditioning and his mental approach are concerned, he is 100% ready. We have been working on strategy together as a team, and I believe that we have the right strategy to beat this guy. I just can’t wait for the fight.”

Luna returns to the ring on Saturday night for his first appearance in 2016. Trained by Mateo De La Cruz and Frank, Luna fought his first nine professional bouts in his native country of the Dominican Republic before signing to Uprising Promotions. The Brooklyn transplant joined the promotion in 2014 and will fight under its banner for the sixth time when he faces Diaz.

In his last outing, Luna handed Jose Lopez (15-1-1, 11 KOs) his first professional loss at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on the undercard to Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale. In that contest, he dropped Lopez twice to secure an eventual unanimous decision. Luna was slated for a return to the ring last October as part of a televised quadrupleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation, meeting another undefeated prospect in Filipino lightweight Harmonito Dela Torre (16-0, 11 KOs). However, Typhoon Koppu ravaged Dela Torre’s home country of the Philippines the week of the fight and forced a cancellation of that bout due to travel restrictions.

Diaz enters this contest with nine knockouts over 14 victories, with the majority of his fights taking place in his native Puerto Rico. The Barranquitas resident had a busy 2015, recording six wins and most recently competing this past December when he scored a knockout of Jerry Guevara in San Juan.

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

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 22, 2016) – After a thrilling victory over perennial contender Rocky Juarez to win the WBC Silver Featherweight title and a mandatory shot at the world title, Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (23-11, 13 KOs) of Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico is finally getting the opportunity to become a world champion when he faces former WBA Interim Super Bantamweight World Champion Oscar Escandon (24-2, 16 KOs) of Ibague, Colombia in a 12-round fight for the WBC Interim Featherweight World Championship on March 5 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.

Featured as part of the non-televised portion of the Luis Ortiz vs. Tony Thompson undercard, the fight between the top featherweight contenders will be part of the international broadcast and streamed live on Ring TV. The Ring TV live stream begins at 9:00 p.m. ET and is available on RingTVLive.com, YipTV.com and the Ring TV channel via Amazon Fire, Roku and Filmon.com.

“This is the biggest fight of my career,” said Robinson Castellanos. “I know that Oscar Escandon is going to be a tough opponent. He is a former Olympian with recent victories over other difficult fighters like Jesus Cuellar. But, I feel very strong, focused and have been working very hard to make sure I obtain the victory. The state of Guanajuato has not had a world champion in more than 35 years and to be able to fight for a world title as a representative of my home is a big motivator for me. I want to thank my team, Golden Boy Promotions and all my supporters for this opportunity. I promise I will have my hands raised up in victory on March 5.”

“First I want to thank God, my team, my promoter Sampson Boxing for this opportunity,” said Oscar Escandon. “I also want to thank my family for all their support and I want to dedicate this fight to my newborn daughter. I feel very happy and thankful to be fighting for the world title. I know Robinson he is strong, hard puncher, but I am going to be 100 percent prepared for this fight. I have been training very hard and want to make sure I take the title back to my home. May the best man win.”

“Robinson Castellanos is a talented fighter with true grit, and I trust he will give it all in the ring on March 5 when he gets his first shot at a world championship,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Given Robinson’s thirst for this victory and the pedigree of his opponent Oscar Escandon, fans will be pleased with how this plays out in the ring at the DC Armory.”

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.

Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos is a fighter whose talent exceeds his record and has had one of the greatest comebacks in 2015. Coming off a loss to Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado in February 2014, Castellanos followed it up with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios in October 2014, stopping the then-unbeaten prospect in the fifth round. Castellanos continued to show his power in January of 2015 facing the warrior Rocky Juarez for the chance to win the WBC Silver Featherweight title and become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Both fighters showed a lot of heart and put on one of the bloodiest fights of 2015, but it was Castellanos’ dominance that was on display as his powerful jabs, brutal uppercuts and well-timed counter-punching knocked down Juarez in the fifth and twice in the 10th round to win via unanimous decision with scores of 118-106, 118-106 and 118-107. Now, Castellanos has a shot to become a world title holder when he faces Oscar Escandon on March 5.

Hailing from Ibague, Colombia, Oscar Escandon is a former world champion with a decorated amateur career. Escandon competed in the 2004 Olympics representing Colombia and was initiated into the professional ranks in 2008 with a victory over then unbeaten Luis Meza. From there, Escandon enjoyed an undefeated streak and defeat current WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus “El Jinete” Cuellar, Michael “Michell” Arango, and Javier Coronado along his path to capture the WBC Interim Latino Featherweight title in 2013. That same year Escandon faced Nehomar Cermeno for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight World Championship and came up short losing via split decision. Escandon quickly bounced back with a victory over Julian “Chispita” Evaristo Aristule in August of 2014 which secured him another shot at the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight World Championship against Tyson “Prince of Hali” Cave in December of 2014, which he defeated via split decision. Escandon was last seen in the ring against Moises Flores in April of 2015 losing his title via split decision. Now, Escandon is ready to get back in the ring looking for another big victory and a world title when he faces Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.warriorsboxing.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.eventsdc.com. Follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @WarriorsBoxProm, @TopRank, @HBOBoxing, @KingKongBoxing, @Tiger_Thompson, @RealWorldKidAli, @Jessie_vargasJV and @dcsportsent become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo, www.facebook.com/trboxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/OfficialEventsDC. Visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @WarriorsBoxing, @trboxing, @KingKongBoxing, @EventsDC and follow the conversation by using #OrtizThompson.

Luis Ortiz vs. Tony Thompson is a 12-round heavyweight fight for the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title 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 Interim Featherweight Championship and the Ring TV live stream begins at 9:00 pm. ET. The event is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and the DC Armory doors open at 3:00 p.m. ET.

LONDON (22 FEBRUARY) British middleweight champion Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell has blasted Chris Eubank Jr. for posting on social media footage of himself knocking out a young sparring partner last week.

The short video sparked heated debate and some condemnation when uploaded to Eubank Jr.’s social media accounts and Blackwell – who faces Eubank Jr. on March 26 at The SSE Arena – has branded his upcoming opponent a ‘bad role model’.

“He put a video up on social media, for the whole world to see, of him knocking out a kid who hasn’t even had a pro fight and it’s disgusting,” said Blackwell. “The amateur kid is building his confidence and trying to learn from a so-called professional, but somehow Eubank Jr. takes pride in exploiting him like that.

“I’ve put more than one world champion down in the gym over the years but I don’t go around bragging about it. And the idea of filming it and putting up a clip on social media is just embarrassing.

“I think Eubank Jr. is so disrespectful. He should be ashamed of himself.

“But this is the sort of thing the Eubanks do. They like to be controversial, they like to get people talking, and they don’t care what anyone thinks of them. They’ve also got nobody around them brave enough to pull them up on any of it.”

Blackwell would like to think Eubank Jr.’s sole reason for posting the video was to try and intimidate him ahead of their hotly-anticipated March 26 showdown.

“I don’t follow what Eubank Jr. does,” Blackwell said. “I don’t follow him on Snapchat, I don’t follow him on Twitter, I don’t follow him on Facebook and I don’t follow him on Instagram. I’m not focusing on what he’s doing. He could post a clip of himself knocking out (Gennady) Golovkin and it wouldn’t bother me. I still know I’ll beat him up on March 26.

“People have said to me Eubank Jr. doesn’t look like he’s training very hard for this fight, and that he’s just sparring novices, but I know he wouldn’t be so stupid to do that. He knows this is the hardest fight of his life.”

For Blackwell, it has become the most personal fight of his life – the one he wants to win more than any other, the one that means more than any other.

“I had a lot of respect for John Ryder, Damon Jones and Jack Arnfield, my last three opponents, and that’s why there was no animosity between us in the build-up,” he said. “But I’ve got no time for Eubank Jr.

“I don’t think he’s good for boxing in any way, shape or form. He’s arrogant, he’s a bad role model and he gives the general public a perception that all boxers are money-hungry bullies.

“I actually thought he was all right when we sparred, but his ego has gone way out of control and he’s in danger of losing a grip on reality. He’s a nasty piece of work and people are realising that now. He needs to be brought back down to earth.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are on sale now!

Tickets are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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Charlie Edwards says he must prove he’s ready to fight for major titles this year by kicking-off with a KO win over Belfast’s Luke Wilton at the sold-out Manchester Arena on Saturday night (February 27) live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Edwards clashes with Wilton on the undercard of the huge World Super-Bantamweight unification battle between Carl Frampton MBE and Scott Quigg, and he knows Wilton is going to have a large backing on the night.

The 23 year old landed the English title in his fifth fight and made a successful first defence here in November, and Edwards says tonight represents a huge platform for him to land more big fights this year, with the likes of former European and Commonwealth champion Kevin Satchell on his radar.

“I feel Luke is made for me,” said Edwards. “Luke is an experienced fighter who has been in Kevin Satchell and more recently Lee Haskins. Luke comes forward, he is a plodder – I know I’ll beat him comfortably. With his experience, he will think he can ‘rough me up’ but I will outbox and trade with him if needs be.

“No disrespect to Luke – but quite simply I need to be blowing people like this away if I want to get to the top. Haskins got him out of there in two rounds so I’m determined to make a similar statement.

“The quality of sparring I’ve had for this fight has been the best I’ve ever had. I’ve been sparring Angel Moreno who is fighting for a European title shortly, and trust me I’ve been holding my own. It’s been great experience for me as I’ve learnt so much but also I know I’m not too far away from that level.

“Satchell is someone I have my sights set on in the not too distant future, he would be a good scalp for me. I want all the big names and all the tough fights as I’m confident I can beat them all. The progression I’ve shown already with Danny Vaughan has shown me that we can go right to the top together.”

Edwards’ clash with Wilton is part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Frampton and Quigg put their IBF and WBA Super-Bantamweight titles on the line in a blockbuster bout.

Gavin McDonnell faces Jorge Sanchez for the WBC Silver Super-Bantamweight title and an official eliminator for the WBC World title, Manchester’s Hosea Burton faces Miles Shinkwin for the vacant British Light-Heavyweight title and Belfast’s Ryan Burnett takes on Frenchman Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title.

Belfast’s Marco McCullough faces Morecambe’s Isaac Lowe for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title, while there’s action for Commonwealth gold medallists Josh Taylor and Scott Fitzgerald, Conrad Cummings and Marcus Morrison.

Merseyside hero Derry Mathews is looking to mark his 50th professional fight with a world title win against WBO Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan.

The big-hitting Scouser has fought some tough opposition down years including Anthony Crolla and Stephen Ormond and is gearing up for another big test at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Saturday 12th March, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The 32-year-old has been one of the busiest fighters in Merseyside in recent years and boasts an impressive 20 stoppages from 38 career wins. Since making his professional debut back in 2003 Mathews has won World, British Commonwealth and World title honours and wants to mark his big night with another belt.

“When I first turned professional at the age of 18 I had no idea I’d enjoy such a long and fulfilling career. If somebody had told me I’d be fighting for a world title in my 50th fight I wouldn’t have believed them. Not many people get to 50 fights and I’m lucky that I’m still around and I’m still the same person inside and outside the ring,” said Mathews.

He added: “I’m a dedicated fighter and I love the sport but a lot of it is down to all of my coaches and the people that have supported me; they’ve looked after me. I’ve been involved in some tough fights but I’m still here and I’m feeling fitter than ever. I was put in some hard fights as kid when I was 18 and 19 but they helped toughen me up.”

With just three weeks to go to the massive showdown Mathews is putting in the hours with trainer Danny Vaughan and says he’s never felt in better shape.

He said: “I’m feeling young, fresh and probably in the peak of my career. I can still do things I could do when I was 18 and I can do them better now as well. I’m a top athlete, the day I stop being a top athlete is the day I’ll walk away from boxing but at the moment I’m feeling stronger than ever and I’m ready to become a world champion.”

‘Dirty’ Derry has vowed to beat his bitter Mancunian rival in what he says will be his last shot at a world title and is confident that he could carry on boxing for many years to come. The likeable Scouser has been involved in some gruelling contests and say he’s earned his title shot the hard way.

He said: “After March 12th there’s nothing stopping me from going on and making ten title defences to get to 60 fights. For now I’m fully focused on making the big 50 a special night. What better way to win a world title than in my own city against a Manc? It doesn’t get better than that,”

“Some boxers get a shot at a world title after 20 or so fights and most of them lose. People use them as a defence but I’ve done it the hard way; I’m coming to win. I’ve had some great nights in Liverpool and some bad nights but this one is going to be special.”

Flanagan v Mathews headlines an action packed card 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, plus Indian superstar Vijender Singh makes his Liverpool debut. 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; 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.

Chicago, IL (February 22, 2016) – BoxRec.com says Junior Wright is the number-two ranked cruiserweight in the United States, and the Chicagoan is keen to show he should have the top slot.

On Friday, the 15-1-1 Wright got a 1st round stoppage over Jim Franklin on a show in Iowa, and the boxer feels he’s building superb momentum, which will soon result in another title shot.

“The fight was over so fast I couldn’t really tell you much about it,” said Wright, laughing. “But I threw a really good body shot to put him down and then afterwards I just threw a lot of combinations when he got up and they stopped it. I feel great about my win. While training for my world title fight with Rakhim Chakhiev in 2015, I had an injury but still went ahead with the fight. After the match I had surgery and now I am 100 hundred percent. I feel ready for all the top cruiserweights in the world, from what I see there is not much out there to worry about in the division. I would love the opportunity to fight Beibut Shumenov for a world title. He is one of the dominant champions and his fights happen in the U.S. so I feel there is no home-turf advantage, no jet leg to worry about. I feel very confident in this fight and my abilities!”

Wright is now No. 13 in the WBA and wants to fight best in the division, including WBA world champion Shumenov, or BoxRec No. 1 in the USA, BJ Flores.

His promoter Dmitry Salita backs the fighter nicknamed “Hurricane” all the way.

“I’ve always felt that Junior Wright is one of the best cruiserweights in the world and most definitely in the U.S.,” Salita said. “I believe he has the tools to compete with and beat the best fighters in the cruiserweight division.”

Isaac Lowe wants fan power to roar him to victory as he challenges Marco McCullough for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night (February 27) liv on Sky Sports Box Office.

Lowe and McCullough clash on a bumper bill in the famous boxing arena, where Belfast’s IBF Super-Bantamweight king Carl Frampton MBE meets WBA champion Scott Quigg in their unification blockbuster.

Frampton brings a legion of fans over from Belfast who will be backing McCullough to land his first major title, but Lowe has warned him that the local fans are just as passionate and they will push him on to add the Commonwealth strap to his English title.

“They keep saying about all the Irish fans that will be here tonight but there will be a lot of English in too,” said Lowe. “I’m a North West boxer and I hope the North West fans will get behind me. I might get a few boos when I get in to the ring from the Belfast fans but I’ve been brought up getting called bad names and getting booed so it’s just going to inspire me even more to go in there and prove them all wrong. When the fight has finished they will be clapping for me at the end of the night, so I’m looking forward to it and looking forward to proving so many people wrong.”

Lowe landed the English belt in September in Leeds with a ninth round stoppage win over Jamie Speight and held onto it in this arena in November via a split draw against Ryan Doyle.

Lowe turned 22 in January and can now hold two major belts with the prospect of more to come for the winner in 2016 – and the Morecambe youngster still cannot believe how far he’s come in the last year.

“To win the Commonwealth title would be a dream come true,” said Lowe. “I never thought that at the age of 22 I would be fighting for the Commonwealth title on such a big bill on Sky Sports Box Office. To win this I would have conquered so much in my career so early. I am probably 15 months ahead of myself but you have to take the chances when they come.

“After winning this there will be so many big fights ahead of me and so many good boxers wanting to fight me. I can develop into the weight division and I’ll be even better in a couple of years’ time when I start peaking at my weight. At 24 or 25 years old I could be contesting World titles, which is what my aim is. But first I have to get through tonight and develop into my weight division properly.

“It has been a rollercoaster journey last 12 months for me. From fighting in front of 600 people on a small hall show I got my English title shot on the big show in Leeds. It’s thanks to Steve Wood and Eddie Hearn for getting me on these massive shows.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that at the age of 22 I would be fighting on such big shows as Anthony Crolla’s World title and Josh Warrington’s European title fight. Now I am on one of the biggest shows we have seen in Britain with Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg fighting and I am looking forward to it so much.”

Lowe’s battle with McCullough is part of a huge night of action in Manchester as Frampton and Quigg put their IBF and WBA Super-Bantamweight titles on the line in a blockbuster bout.

Gavin McDonnell faces Jorge Sanchez for the WBC Silver Super-Bantamweight title and an official eliminator for the WBC World title, Manchester’s Hosea Burton faces Miles Shinkwin for the vacant British Light-Heavyweight title and Belfast’s Ryan Burnett takes on Frenchman Anthony Settoul for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title.

Unbeaten Flyweight Charlie Edwards meets Belfast’s Luke Wilton, while there’s action for Commonwealth gold medallists Josh Taylor and Scott Fitzgerald, Conrad Cummings and Marcus Morrison.

BROOKLYN, NY (February 22, 2016) — Undefeated two-division world champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD will meet with military veterans to discuss and demonstrate boxing training techniques Tomorrow! Tuesday, February 23, at Gleason’s Gym (77 Front St., Brooklyn, NY 10201), beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. The veterans are members of a New York-based boxing club.

One of boxing’s Top-10 pound for pound fighters, Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., will make his debut at the “Mecca of Boxing ” — Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 27. He’ll be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight world title against Top-10 contender “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy (26-5-1, 13 KOs), of Philadelphia, PA. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with a battle between undefeated gladiators — the gem of Puerto Rico and Top-Three contender Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo, defending his WBO Latino lightweight title against Brazilian buzz saw William”Baby Face” Silva.

These four warriors boast a combined record of 95-5-1 (60 KOs) — a winning percentage of 94% with close to 2/3 of their victories coming by way of knockout.

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Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), Diamante Promotions and Madison Square Garden, the remaining few hundred tickets to the Crawford vs. Lundy / Verdejo vs. Silva championship doubleheader, priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtags #CrawfordLundy or #VerdejoSilva to join the conversation on Twitter.

Belvedere super-featherweight king George Jupp wants to bag himself a British title.

The jab and move specialist, who is unbeaten in over four years, makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title on Saturday 2nd April at Harrow Leisure Centre, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Last time out the 25-year-old upset the odds to inflict a first defeat on Boxing Writer’s Young Boxer of the Year and former sparring partner Mitchell Smith. The self-confessed ‘trainerholic’ wasted no time in getting back in the gym and is gearing up for a busy 2016.

He said: “This year is all about staying unbeaten and racking up the wins. I’m guessing with this Inter-Continental title if I carry on winning it’ll push me right up the rankings. Hopefully if I stay unbeaten and get some good fights with big names I’ll get a shot at the British title eventually; that’s my goal at the minute and all I’m concentrating on,”

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I’m going to take things one fight at a time and see where it takes me. Winning the British title outright is my dream and anything on top of that would be a bonus. Until you’ve reached that level you don’t know if you’re capable of going on to bigger things.”

The one time scaffolder is chomping at the chance to showcase his skills to BoxNation viewers again after overcoming the swaggering starlet Smith with a points win and says he’d be open to a rematch somewhere down the line.

“We’ll have to see what comes around but I would be up for that fight again. I know he said that he didn’t box to his full potential and he made a few mistakes in training in the lead up to the fight so I’m sure he’d like another crack at me,” said Jupp.

He added: “I still don’t think I boxed 100% in that fight so there’s a lot of things we can improve on. I did a few things wrong and when I made him make mistakes I didn’t always make him pay for them so we’ve been working on that in the gym. It definitely gave my career a boost, a lot of people got to see me fight and I hadn’t really been involved in a big show like that before so it was good.”

The humble Jupp, who turned pro at 19, is coached and managed by ex-pro welterweight Derek Grainger at the Ringside Gym in Bow, East London. Currently enjoying a nine fight winning streak, Jupp is looking to test himself against the very best in Britain.

He said: “I don’t really zone in on one person. I would say the top two are Liam Walsh and Stephen Smith are a bit further ahead than everyone else but there’s some good names below them in the top ten. There’s some exciting domestic fights to be made and I’d be happy to fight anyone if it’s good for my career.”

Welshman Liam Williams headlines the show when he defends his British and Commonwealth Super-Welterweight titles against Rotherham’s Nav Mansouri.

Chief support on the card sees Belvedere’s George Jupp, fresh from his massive upset of Mitchell Smith in December, make the first defence of his WBO Intercontinental Super-Featherweight title.

Asian boxers are the new powerhouse in the sport and a strong contingent led by Indian superstar and Olympic Bronze Medalist Vijender Singh, plus hot Acton flyweight prospect Prince Patel, the professional debuts of amateur stars Sanjeev Sahota from Romford, and the Prince Naseem Hamed prodigy from Staines-upon-Thames Tony Bange.

Big-punching Southampton super-welterweight Joe Pigford, exciting Harrow welterweight prospect Jez Smith, younger brother of Mitchell, and rising West Ham super-lightweight talent Ben Smith complete the card.

Tickets priced at £45 Unreserved and and £65 Ringside Reserved are available from www.eventim.co.uk or 0844 249 1000 and www.ticketmaster.co.uk or 0844 844 0444

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.

In the battle of Cowboys, Donald Cerrone forced Alex Oliveira in the first round of their scheduled five round Welterweight bout at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Cerrone got Oliverira down and got him in a front triangle choke and Oliveira tapped immediately at 2:33.

Cerrone, 170 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 29-7-1.  Oliveira, 171 lbs of Rio de Jineriro, BRA is 13-3-1-1.

Derek Brunson stopped Roan Carneiro in the first round of their Middleweight bout.

Brunson had Carneiro on the ground and landed about 30 consecutive punches and the fight was stopped at 2:38.

Brunson, 186 lbs of Wilmington, NC is 15-3.  Carniero, 184.5 lbs of Atlanta, GA is 20-10.

Cody Garbrandt stopped Augusto Mendes in the first round battle of undefeated Featherweights.

Garbrandt dropped Mendes with an overhand right.  Garbrandt celebrated briefly but landed two more punches on the ground and the fight was stopped at 4:18.

Garbrandt, 140 1/2 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 8-0.  Mendes, 142 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 5-1.

Dennis Bermudez won a three round unanimous decision over Tatsuya Kawajiri in a Featherweight bpout.

Bermudez, 146 lbs of Lindhurst, NY won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 16-5.  Kawajiri, 146 lbs of Ibaraki , JP is 35-7-2.

Chris Camozzi stopped Joe Riggs in the first round of their Middleweight bout.

Camozzi landed a jab and he followed that up with five knees to the face and Riggs fell to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 26 seconds.

Camozzi, 185.5 lbs of Englewood, CO is now 23-10.  Riggs, 186 lbs of Glendale, AZ is 41-17-1.

James Krause won a unanimous decision over Shane Campbell in a Lightweight bout.

Krause, 155.5 lbs of Lee Summitt, MO won all cards 29-28 and is now 23-7. Campbell, 156 lbs of Kelowna, BC, CAN is 12-4.

Sean Stricland stopped Alex Garcia in the final round of their Welterweight bout.

Strickland bloodied Garcia around the eye. In round three, Strickland wobbled Garcia all over the Octagon until a huge right hand dropped Garcia and the bout was stopped at 4:25 of round three.

Strickland, 170.5 lbs of Corona, CA is 17-1. Garcia, 171 lbs of Montreal, CAN is 13-3.

Oluwale Bamgbose stopped Daniel Sarafian in round one of their Middleweight bout.

Bamgbose landed a big left kick to the head that knocked Sarafian down and two hard punches later the fight was stopped at 1:00.

Bamgbose, 185 lbs of New York is 6-1. Sarafian, 186 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 10-6.

Anthony Smith won a three round unanimous decision over Leonardo Augustu Leleco in a Middleweight bout.

In round two, Lelenco began to bleed from his forehead.

Smith, 185.5 lbs of Omaha, NE won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 25-11. Leleco, 184.5 lbs of Salvador, BRA is 11-2-1.

Nathan Coy won a three round unanimous decision over Jonivan Webb in a Welterweight bout.

Coy, 170 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL won by scores of 29-28 on all cards and is now 15-6. Wbb, 169 1/2 lbs of Marlton, NJ is now 8-2-1.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com. Roman “Rocky” Martinez will defend his WBO Super Featherweight crown against Miguel Berchelt on March 12 in Mexico.

“I learned from the defeat against [Moises Flores] and now I am preparing 100 percent under the tutelage of trainer Alfredo Caballero for this opportunity to crown myself as champion,” said Berchelt, who won all four of his fights in 2015 by knockout.

“We hope to go to Merida March 6th or March 7th to acclimatize Rocky there. Although we know that Merida is at sea level, we want Rocky to get used to the weather, too,” said Martinez promoter Peter Rivera. “We also hope (Zanfer Promotions) sends us the date of Rocky’s flight because there is a group of Puerto Rican fans who will make the trip to Mexico to see the fight.

“Rocky is training hard, as always, to get in the best condition for this fight and bring another victory to Puerto Rico.”

“We are working hard for Berchelt. We are confident in a victory and after this bout, we want to make a fight with [titleholder Francisco] Vargas to unify the titles,” Martinez said. “We know it will be a tremendous fight. I know that Vargas is a warrior like me who has always said he would like to face me. So after beating Berchelt, we can unify the titles.”

20 February 2016 – Jakarta, Indonesia: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), rocked the Istora Senayan with another evening of world-class mixed martial arts action. The best in local and international MMA athletes graced the stage at ONE: TRIBE OF WARRIORS to provide an unforgettable experience for the packed crowd in Jakarta. In the main event, Luis Santos returned to the ONE Championship cage with another epic performance, defeating Rafael Silva by technical knockout.

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

In the main event of the evening, Luis “Sapo” Santos of Brazil delivered the goods in a successful return to the ONE Championship cage by making quick work of Portugal’s Rafael “The Machine” Silva. After a brief moment where both fighters carefully sized each other up, Santos unleashed a single knee to Silva’s body which dropped him to the mat. A technical ground kick from Santos landed shortly after and the referee stepped in to stop the contest.

An exciting battle of dynamic strikers ensued as Kotetsu “No Face” Boku went head-to-head against Vincent “Magnivincent” Latoel. After an electric first round from both fighters, Boku’s accurate striking started to take its toll in the second. With Boku in full mount, the Japanese veteran went immediately for the ground-and-pound to earn the technical knockout.

Colossal heavyweights Marcin Prachnio and Alexandre Machado traded some serious leather at the center of the cage in a crowd-pleasing fight. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Machado looked to take matters to the ground but Prachnio had different plans. After rocking Machado with a punch, Prachnio followed up with a lethal combination of strikes, forcing the stoppage.

American wrestler Andrew Leone earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over the durable Koetsu Okazaki of Japan after spending two years away from professional competition. Leone drove Okazaki with his cage control and various takedowns throughout the fight. Although Okazaki found success with ground-and-pound late in the second round, Leone regained command in the third by taking Okazaki’s back and threatening with a choke. All three judges saw the bout in favor of the American.

Anthony “The Archangel” Engelen of the Netherlands made quick work of featherweight prospect Rocky “The Outlaw” Batolbatol of the Philippines, forcing the latter to tap out due to a rear naked choke in round one. Batolbatol used his boxing to keep Engelen temporarily at bay but once the Dutch fighter was able to close the gap, things went south quickly for the Filipino. An outside leg trip brought the fight to the mat where Engelen was quick to secure Batolbatol’s back and lock in the submission.

The Philippines’ Trestle Tan returned to the winner’s circle with a submission victory over Djatmiko Waluyo. Tan secured a rear naked choke to force the tap in the first round.

“Unstoppable” Angela Lee continued her winning ways by defeating Rebecca Heintzman of the United States with another submission — her fourth straight as a professional. Although Heintzman had some success in striking exchanges, Lee dominated in the grappling department, eventually securing a rear naked choke to force the stoppage in the second round.

Jimmy “The Silencer” Yabo of the Philippines made quick work of Pakistan’s Bashir Ahmad, earning the stoppage in under 30 seconds. As Ahmad rushed in aggressively, Yabo stepped back to unleash a sharp counter right hook which landed on the button, dropping the Pakistani. With Ahmad out in one fell swoop, the referee called a halt to the bout.

Indonesians Yohan Mulia Legowo and Mario Satya Wirawan set the pace of the entire card with a furious energy, attacking each other with vicious strikes from the opening bell. After the action wound up against the cage, Legowo secured a standing Guillotine choke and pulled guard, forcing Wirawan to tap out.

Li Hao Jie of China and Jerome S Paye of Liberia kicked off ONE: TRIBE OF WARRIORS with a gruelling three-round scrap. Li dominated in his ONE Championship debut with striking and takedowns to earn a unanimous decision.

Official results for ONE: TRIBE OF WARRIORS
Welterweight bout: Luis Santos defeats Rafael Silva by TKO (Strikes) at 1:17 minutes of round 1
Catchweight bout (71.5 kg): Kotetsu Boku defeats Vincent Latoel by TKO (Strikes) at 4:04 minutes of round 2
Heavyweight bout: Marcin Prachnio defeats Alexandre Machado by TKO (Strikes) at 2:44 minutes of round 1
Catchweight bout (64kg): Andrew Leone defeats Koetsu Okazaki by Unanimous Decision
Featherweight bout: Anthony Engelen defeats Rocky Batolbatol by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Welterweight bout: Trestle Tan defeats Djatmiko Waluyo by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Female catchweight bout (54.5kg): Angela Lee defeats Rebecca Heintzman by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:08 minutes of round 2
Catchweight bout (71.5kg): Jimmy Yabo defeats Bashir Ahmad by Knockout at 0:21 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Yohan Mulia Legowo defeats Mario Satya Wirawan by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:44 minutes of round 1
Bantamweight bout: Li Hao Jie defeats Jerome S Paye by Unanimous Decision

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

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

About ONE Championship™
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.