NEW YORK/UNCASVILLE, Conn. (April 13, 2015) – A loaded undercard featuring a cast of unbeaten prospects has been announced for the non-televised segment of the April 17th ESPN Friday Night Fights card, airing live from beautiful Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The scheduled nine-fight card is presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing.

Live coverage will begin at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will also carry the three fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.

Undefeated WBC #12 junior middleweight contender Tony Harrison (20-0, 17 KOs), fighting out of Detroit, takes on former Interim WBO Latino/Mexican welterweight champion Pablo “Sepulturero” Munguia (20-6, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

In an eight-round featherweight battle for New England bragging rights, flashy Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (22-0, 6 KOs), from Quincy, Massachusetts, puts his unbeaten record on the line against upset-minded Danny Aquino (16-2, 10 KOs), a Mexican-born fighter who lives in nearby Meriden, CT in the co-feature bout of the evening.

In the opening bout of the ESPN Friday Night Fights triple-header, Philadelphia junior lightweight Tevin “American Idol” Farmer (18-4-1, 4 KOs), USBA #4/NABF #10, faces Angel Luna (10-0-1, 6 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, NY, by way of the Dominican Republic, in an eight-round match.

Fighting off television is unbeaten New York City super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (18-0-1, 11 KOs), who returns to the ring for an eight-round bout against battle-tested Paul Gonsalves (7-5-1, 3 KOs), of Harwich, MA. Allen is a former WBC CABOFE, New York State and Guyanese champion.

Maryland junior middleweight Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (14-0-1, 4 KOs) meets Dominican challenger Franklin Gonzalez (16-13, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder. The 6’5″ Fox was a standout amateur boxer who compiled a 164-35 record, highlighted by his gold-medal performances at the Ringside National and Under-19 tournaments.

In a six-round welterweight matchup, Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (13-0, 11 KOs) squares off against Mexican invader Abraham “The Swift” Alvarez (19-7-1, 9 KOs). An amateur star out of Houston, Prograis had an impressive 87-7 amateur record and won several prestigious championships including the Ringside World Tournament.

Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart (12-0-1, 8 KOs), fighting out of Groveland, Florida, and Philadelphia’s Anthony Burgin (8-0, 1 KO) throw down in an interesting six-round fight between unbeaten junior welterweight prospects. Cowart, fighting for the first time since officially signing a long-term promotional agreement with DBE, will be looking to impress when he takes on the fellow undefeated prospect Burgin.

Former U. of New Haven basketball star Cassius Chaney makes his long-awaited professional debut in a four-round heavyweight match against Excell Holmes (2-5-1, 1 KO), of Buffalo. The 27-year-old Chaney, fighting out of New London, CT, stands 6’6″ and weighs in the 230-235 pound range. A 2010 graduate from U. of New Haven with a degree in sports management, Chaney is co-managed by former NBA all-star Vin Baker and trained by veteran Peter Manfredo Sr.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $100, $70 and $30 (subject to additional fees). Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.mohegansun.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

VAN NUYS, Calif. (April 13, 2015) – Former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. held a media workout on Friday in front of a packed house at Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, Calif., as the Mexican superstar prepares to make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® debut on Saturday, April 18, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

In the main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader, Mexican superstar Chavez, Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) meets dangerous brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) in a 12-round light heavyweight bout.

In the 10-round co-feature, top 10 ranked junior welterweight contender Amir Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) will aim to move one step closer to a world title opportunity when he makes his second start of 2015 against fellow power-puncher Walter Castillo (25-2, 18 KOs).

Julio Cesar Chavez, arguably the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, made an appearance during his son’s workout to show his support and offer words of encouragement.

Here’s what Chavez Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez and Joe Goossen (trainer) had to say Friday at the Los Angeles-area gym:

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR., Former World Champion
“I am very focused going into this fight. I have changed a lot mentally this past year.

“I am fighting [Andrzej] Fonfara now because I like big opponents. I like the challenge of fighting good, hungry fighters. Just because Fonfara doesn’t have the name recognition of other fighters, it doesn’t make him an easy fighter. He’s tough.

“I feel comfortable at light heavyweight. Any time that you can add a couple pounds, you feel better. Although I will be fighting at 175, I feel most comfortable at 168 as a boxer. Since I have had one year off, it was a better choice to fight at this weight so that I could see how my body feels.

“Since I have added a few pounds, I have become a more physical and stronger boxer. The light heavyweight division has very big and physical contenders.

“Joe [Goossen] is a great trainer. He is a great motivator to his fighters and makes them better. I have worked very hard with him for the 35 days we spent together in Lake Tahoe.

“When I was training with Freddie Roach, it was very different. I think Freddie is a great trainer, but Joe also has a lot of experience and we have made a connection together.

“I really liked training in Lake Tahoe. The altitude, the ring, everything I needed was there. I felt very comfortable up there and I would like to come back there to train for a fight again.

“I promise a great fight, this is a very exciting fight. Fonfara isn’t an easy opponent, but he has never seen an opponent like me.”

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ SR.
“I am here to support and be with my son. I try to give him good advice. I tell him to train and prepare hard, and fortunately he is doing that well.

“I think Joe [Goossen] is doing a great job, we are on the same page. We are all focused on him [Chavez Jr.] getting to the fight well prepared. This fight requires great preparation because he is going into the fight at a weight that’s higher than his normal weight and he is facing a very tough opponent.

“He must go in 100 percent to win this fight.

“I think there has been a 180 degree turn in his career. I see this as a positive because he can really develop his ability and looks very well prepared.

“I would’ve liked to have seen him take a tune up fight instead because of his long layoff; I particularly didn’t want this fight.

“Julio [Chavez Jr.] wants credibility in this sport and that’s why he made the decision to take this fight, even though it’s a dangerous decision. He must be very prepared for this fight.”

JOE GOOSSEN, Chavez Jr.s’ Trainer
“I’ve been asked over the years who the one fighter was that I would like to work and my answer was always Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“I’ve always really admired his style. I had known him as a kid, his father is a legend. It had always seemed like a dream job for me, and out of nowhere I got it.

“Lake Tahoe was tremendous for training camp. You are isolated and it’s not an easy thing. When you aren’t training you are sitting in a hotel room. You are deprived the comforts of home, but it really gives you that concentration and dedication factor and I think that will interpret into some positive results.

“I matured over my years, once I had a kid and a family and I think the same has happened with Julio. Life becomes clearer when you put away the immaturity. You realize that you have a future and if you really want to access what’s available to you, then you are going to have to work hard and dedicate yourself to it.

“Going to Lake Tahoe and really working hard is a sign of maturity and I think that’s what Julio is going through right now. He really showed it by leaving his home and spending an extended period of time up there. To me that is a great indicator that he is mature, dedicated and taking this fight very seriously.

“Of course I believe Julio is ready to fight Fonfara. The fight was made before I even came on board, but that’s the challenge that I am presented with. You must figure out a good game plan and figure out what you’re up against.

“Just because Julio has been out a year doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a cake walk for Fonfara. We went up to Lake Tahoe with one thing in mind, and that’s winning this fight and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

# # #
“Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara”, a 12-round light heavyweight bout co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Amir Imam faces Walter Castillo in a 10-round jr. welterweight showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets for the event are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, are available for purchase online at AXS.com.

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 13, 2015) – The most-watched MMA fight of all time was between Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, and on June 19, both men will be competing against different opponents at “Bellator: Unfinished Business” at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Former WWE superstar Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley looks to avenge a 2012 split decision loss to James “The Colossus” Thompson (20-14). The unfinished business between the two giant heavyweights was originally scheduled to be settled at “Bellator: The British Invasion,” but an injury sustained by Lashley caused the fight to be rescheduled to June 19.

Thompson, a 6-foot-5 striking specialist, hails from England and has been fighting professionally since 2003. A former rugby player and bodybuilder, Thompson found his true calling in MMA and has been competing around the globe ever since. Fighting some of the best heavyweights in the sport, including Slice, Alexander Emelianenko, Don Frye, Alistair Overeem, Mariusz Pudzianowki, Brett Rogers, Bob Sapp, Dan Severn and Hidehiko Yoshida, among others, “The Colossus” has racked up 11 wins by knockout and seven by submission.

A 6-foot-3 wrestling standout, Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (12-2) started training in the grappling arts at age 12 and would go on to win several titles including three National Championships at Missouri Valley College, an NAIA National Championship, a CISM World Championship Silver Medal and two Armed Forces Wrestling Championships during his time in the U.S. Army. In addition to a professional wrestling career with stints in the WWE, ECW and TNA, Lashley began his MMA career in 2008, and he’s built an impressive career mark that includes Bellator MMA submission wins over Karl Etherington and Josh Burns.

“Bellator: Unfinished Business” – Friday, June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15)
Bellator Featherweight Championship: Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-4)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

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

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 Scottrade Center:
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this season, Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events. Scottrade Center is consistently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as one of the top grossing arenas in the country.

RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS (April 13, 2015) – Six-Time and Four-Division World Champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, will join Arkansas Tech University and BeTheMatch.org in an effort to break the world record for bone marrow registries in a 24-hour period. In addition, the group will attempt to break the 1-hour world record for registries as well. Arkansas Tech’s Be The Match bone marrow registry event will begin at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, and continue through 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, on the university’s campus.

Joining “The Ghost” will be his wife, Casey Guerrero, who is a cancer survivor and a recipient of a bone marrow transplant from the BeTheMatch.org registry (National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP). Together they will inspire everyone on campus and help students register while relaying the important message of being a donor.

“What an honor to be invited to this great event put on by Arkansas Tech University and BeTheMatch.org,” said Robert Guerrero. “Casey and I are going to do our part to help register as many people as possible. I really believe we are going to break the records. Many lives will be saved and that brings me great pleasure. I’m super motivated and can’t wait to get on campus and go to work.”

Dr. Jason Warnick, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Julie Mikles-Schluterman, associate professor of sociology, are spearheading the drive at Arkansas Tech.

“Registering with Be The Match is a quick and painless experience,” said Dr. Jason Warnick. “There is a small amount of paperwork to complete, a cheek swab and then you are done. In all, the process takes about 10 minutes. It is amazing to think that such a small investment of time and effort on our part could lead to saving the life of another human being.”

The first 3,000 individuals who register with Be The Match during the 24-hour drive at Arkansas Tech will receive a free T-shirt courtesy of the Arkansas Tech Student Government Association.

Be The Match registry drives focus on individuals age 18-44 due to medical research that indicates that age group is most likely to provide a successful bone marrow transplant. Be The Match registration is free for individuals age 18-44.

Individuals age 45-60 may register with Be The Match at www.bethematch.org with a donation of $100.

For more information about the Be The Match bone marrow registry drive at Arkansas Tech, send e-mail to jwarnick@atu.edu or jmiklesschluterman@atu.edu.

About Be The Match
For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. Over the past 25 years Be The Match®, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. We work every day to save lives through transplant.

Tuesday, April 14
9 p.m. – Kickoff Celebration, Baswell Techionery
10 p.m.-Midnight – Black Light Party, Young Ballroom

Wednesday, April 15
Midnight-2 a.m. – Midnight Pancakes, Baswell Techionery
2 a.m. – Movie Under the Stars, Crabaugh Lawn
3 a.m. – Donuts With Mayor Randy Horton, Young Ballroom
4-6 a.m. – Game Show Hosted by Thomas Pennington, Young Ballroom
6 a.m. – Bootcamp With Cora of Forca Martial Arts, Hindsman Tower
7 a.m. – Yoga / Breakfast To Go, Hindsman Tower (please bring your mat if you have one)
8 a.m. – Veterans Appreciation / Breakfast To Go, Baswell Techionery Patio
9 a.m.-Noon – Ag Department “Hump Day” Camel Photos, Hindsman Tower
9 a.m. – Boxer Robert Guerrero Speaks About Be The Match, Baswell Techionery
10 a.m. – Presidential Selfies With Dr. Robin E. Bowen, Baswell Techionery Patio
11 a.m. – Robert Guerrero Autographs and Photos, Baswell Techionery Patio
Noon – Inferfaith Lunch, Hindsman Tower
Noon – Roundtable Discussion with Casey and Robert Guerrero, Hindsman Tower
1-3 p.m. – Alumni Hours / Acoustic Music, Baswell Techionery Patio
3 p.m. – Pie A Professor / Resident Director, Hindsman Tower
4 p.m. – Photos With Jerry the Bulldog, Baswell Techionery Patio
5-7 p.m. – BBQ Feast, Hindsman Tower
7 p.m. – Concert with Some Guy Named Robb, Baswell Techionery
8 p.m. – Countdown Party With D.J., Young Ballroom
9 p.m. – Drive Completion Celebration, Young Ballroom

SOCIAL MEDIA:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/GHOSTBOXING
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ghostboxing

Following the loss by IBF Jr. Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson to Danny Garcia this past Saturday night, the IBF will strip Peterson and has ordered Cesar Cuenca and IK Yang to vie for the vacant belt according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The fight between Cuenca and Yang, should a deal be made, could take place on Top Rank’s next card in Macau, which is scheduled for July 18

Bethlehem, PA (April 13, 2015)
—
Brandon Adams and John Thompson won semifinal bouts in the Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Tournament while Andrey Fedosov and Donovan Dennis scored impressive stoppage victories in the Heavyweight tournament, as all four punched their tickets to the finals in bouts that took place this past Friday at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

The bouts were televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

The show was promoted by Banner Promotions, Inc.

The finals of both weight classes will take place on Friday, May 22 at the Omega Products International Outdoor Arena in Corona, California and will be aired live on ESPN Friday Night Fights.

Brandon Adams lands the uppercut
Adams took out longtime friend Vito Gasparyan in round seven of their scheduled 8-round bout.

Adams worked very well on the inside as he landed some solid shots to the head and landed to the body nicely. Gasparyan hung tough against his one-time sparring partner but the amount of solid punches began to show on Gasparyan and the bout was stopped 35 seconds into round seven with a badly swollen left ear.

Adams, 155 1/2 lbs of Los Angeles moves onto the finals with a record of 17-1 with 12 knockouts. Gasparyan, 154 lbs of Burbank, CA is now 15-4-5. Adams will not meet John Thompson.

John Thompson won an 8-round split decision over previously undefeated Stanyslav Skorokhod.

Thompson lands the right hand

Thompson boxed well early as he used his jab to set up three and four punch combinations, while Skorokhod landed some good power shots. Skorokhod was cut around his right eye in round two while Thompson suffered a cut in the same area in round four.

Thompson did well when the fight was in the center of the ring. Skorokhod landed several flush punches but it wasn’t enough as the judges preferred the boxing of Thompson to the tune of 78-74 and 77-75 while Skorokhod won a card 78-74.

Thompson, 154 3/4 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 16-1. Skorokhod, 153 3/4 lbs of Los Angeles via Ukraine is now 9-1.

“I had to box him as he was swinging wild. I outboxed him. He was just swinging and not throwing any straight shots,” said Thompson.

Dennis lands the knockout blow
Donovan Dennis
scored a highlight reel 2nd round stoppage over 6’7″ Razvan Cojnau.

Dennis landed a thudding straight left that landed flush on the chin of Cojanu and the big man fell flat on the canvas and the bout was stopped 59 seconds into round two.

“I used my speed, quick feet and combinations,” said Dennis. “I saw an opening in the first round and then in the second I came with an overhand left that landed right on the button and he crumbled to the canvas.”

The punch was so devastating that it was ESPN Sports Center top play of the night.

On fighting Andrey Fedosov in the finals, “It is going to be a tough fight and I will have to work harder.”

Dennis, 224 1/4 lbs of Davenport, IA is now 12-1 with 10 knockouts. Cojanu, 255 1/2 lbs of Los Angeles via Romania is now 13-2.

Andrey Fedosov shook off a first round knockdown to comeback and register a third round stoppage over Lenroy Thomas.

Fedosov works the body

Just seconds into the bout, Thomas landed a straight left and sent Fedosov to the canvas. Fedosov came back in round three and landed a ripping combination that led to Thomas to a knee and and he did not beat referee Gary Rosado’s count at 1:01 of round three.

Fedosov, 220 1/4 lbs of Hollywood, CA via Russia is now 27-3 with 22 knockouts. Thomas, 236 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is now 19-4

“He was a good opponent. He was fast. I look forward to fighting in the finals,”said Fedosov

Eric Newell won a four-round unanimous decision over Brandon Spencer in a Heavyweight bout.

Newell of Bethlehem, PA won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice

Jon Bolden outworked Ed “Tex” Fountain and scored a six-round unanimous decision in a Heavyweight bout.

Bolden of New York won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 7-10-1. Fountain of St. Joseph, MO is now 10-2.

In the opening bout, Curtis Morton upset Greg Jackson via a 6-round unanimous decision in a Welterweight bout.

Morton dropped Jackson in round five and won by scores of 60-53 twice and 58-55.

Morton, 146 lbs of Myrtle Beach, SC is now 3-4-2. Jackson, 147 lbs of Philadelphia falls to 5-2-1.

Ricky Nuno made a successful pro debut with a 4-round unanimous decision over Pat Kehoe (1-2) in a jr. middleweight bout.

Mike Liberto won his pro debut with a 4th round stoppage over Darnell Hayes (1-2) in a cruiserweight bout.

Photos by Emily Harney / Banner Promotions

Follow Banner Promotions on social media for all the latest Banner and #Boxcino2015 updates:
@BannerBoxing #TeamBanner ; @Boxcino2015 #Boxcino
Facebook.com/BannerPromotions; instagram.com/BannerBoxing

Oscar Valdez remained perfect by stopping Jose Ramirez in round three of a scheduled 8-round Super Featherweight bout at the Laredo Energy Center in Laredo, Texas.

Valdez landed a perfect left hook to the body in round three that sent Ramirez down for the ten count at 2:05.

Valdez, 127 1/2 lbs is now 15-0 with 14 knockouts. Ramirez, 128 lbs is 28-6.

Brazilian Olympian Esquiva Falcao won a 6-round unanimous decision over Omar Rojas in a Middleweight bout.

Falcao, 157 1/2 lbs won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-0. Rojas, 156 1/4 lbs is now 3-3.

Kell Brook will defend the IBF Welterweight title against Frankie Gavin on May 30 in London according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

I never expected to be out again so quickly but I can’t wait,” Brook said. “I respect Frankie for stepping up. He has called for this fight for a long time and after he was given a final eliminator against Tim Bradley it made sense for him to take the challenge.

“I feel like I’m unbeatable right now and Gavin isn’t going to be able to cope with my speed and power on fight night. The O2 is one of the best arenas in the world and it’s an honor to headline a card like this.”

“These are the fights you want to be part of and are where I belong,” Gavin said. “I’ve dreamt of a world title and I will be 100 percent ready physically and mentally for Kell Brook. Of course, it’s going to be tough but I believe Kell is beatable and I’ve always felt that I have got the skills and the team to cause an upset.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, jr. featherweight beltholder Leon Santa Cruz has been added to mega card that will be headlined by Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao that will take place on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“I’m so honored to be the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do so on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Santa Cruz said. “This will be a huge night for boxing and I plan on showing everybody that I’m all about action-packed fights. I’m grateful to Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions for giving me this opportunity and giving the Mexican fight fans another reason to cheer on May 2.”

“I’m extremely excited to put one of the most popular and exciting Mexican fighters in the world on the pay-per-view undercard of this historic event on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Mayweather said. “I’m all about giving my loyal fans what they want. All the fans watching on fight night will be in for a great show when Leo Santa Cruz enters the ring.”

Mayweather Promotions also announced it has added cruiserweight prospect Andrew Tabiti (9-0, 9 KOs), 25, a Chicago native living in Las Vegas, to face an opponent to be determined in an eight-round bout in one of the two untelevised bouts it is responsible for.

“I can’t wait for this opportunity to get in the ring and show off my power on May 2,” Tabiti said. “I’m always ready to put on a show for the fans and I hope they’re ready to see a big knockout.”

“Chris Pearson and Andrew Tabiti are future world champions who will have a chance to perform on the biggest stage in all of boxing on May 2, and I can’t say enough about how excited we are to have Leo Santa Cruz on the card as the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.

IRVINE, Calif. (April 10, 2015) – An energetic Southern Californian crowd was on hand tonight at the Bren Event Center enjoying a spectacular night of fights at Bellator 136.

With celebrities and MMA legends the likes of Tommy Lasorda, Charlie Hough, Jermaine Dye, Tito Ortiz, Ken Shamrock, Don Frye and Frank Shamrock cageside, the Scott Coker-led promotion emphatically returned to the arena for the first time since its debut on Spike at Bellator 85.

In addition to a lightweight title fight in the main event, 12 other exciting contests helped continue the trend of exciting cards on Spike TV thus far in 2015.

It took the full five rounds, but Will Brooks (16-1) made the first defense of his Bellator Lightweight strap, defeating Dave Jansen (20-3) via unanimous decision [49-46, 49-46, 49-46]. After a clear cut opening frame that saw “The Fugitive” surprise “Ill Will” with his explosive kicking and punching, Brooks slowly turned the tide in his favor, slowing the pace and using his world renown grappling to remain the 155-pound kingpin.

“Dave Jansen is exactly what people consider him to be,” said Brooks. “He’s got that warrior spirit and he’s really intelligent. He fought hard, I just fought harder. I’m still young in this sport, and there were definitely a lot of things that I wanted to do in the fight that he neutralized. I’m looking to stay busy and get back to putting on exciting fights for the fans.”

After 15 minutes of co-main event action, Rafael Carvalho improved to 11-1, earning a split decision win [28-29, 30-27, 29-28] against Joe Schilling (2-4). The young Brazilian slowed the fight down throughout, nullifying the striking of “Stitch Em’ Up.” One judge did see the fight in favor of the world champion kickboxer, but it wasn’t enough as Schilling drops to .500 inside the Bellator cage.

In a battle of submission specialists, Marcin Held (21-3) finished Tiger Sarnavskiy (30-3) via verbal submission caused by a knee bar at 1:11 of round three. With the win, Held has now won 12 of his 21 professional fights via submission.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gMfGxLS3LD-8iHI7JEB8v2mGCBdxcxvx9lhKOoKnwcYi22DkMqXBTGWfKH7KfPTKAy5XBG4b_I_CUOD4c3h0c47dYX31GC5Jgd2GpO5Q__oscynC3wWETRxPZn3ZeWmuGCxpklI
The first televised scrap of the evening featured heavyweights Tony Johnson (8-2) and Alexander Volkov (6-1). After three grueling rounds, “The Hulk” remained undefeated in the Bellator cage. Johnson was awarded a [29-28, 28-29, 29-28] split decision. Overall it was the wrestling of Johnson that earned him the victory. Now, Johnson returns home to his two daughters and fiancée, where he doubles as a self-proclaimed “Mr. Mom.”

Joey Beltran (16-11) bounced back from a lackluster opening round to take rounds two and three, ultimately defeating Brian Rogers (11-8) via majority decision [28-28, 29-28, 29-27]. “The Mexicutioner” impressed in his Bellator MMA middleweight debut, while “The Predator” has dropped four of five scraps.
Saad Awad (18-6) handed Rob Sinclair (12-3) the third loss of his career, earning a unanimous decision [30-27, 30-27, 30-37]. With the win, Awad moves even closer to a trilogy fight with lightweight champion Will Brooks.

In the opening bout of the evening, John Teixeira (18-1-2) defeated Fabricio Guerreiro (20-4) via split decision [29-28, 28-29, 29-28]. Guerreiro has now dropped two of his last three bouts, while “Macapa” has won three straight.

AJ McKee (1-0) made a successful professional debut on Friday night, finishing Marcos Bonilla (1-2) with a deep rear-naked choke at 2:08 round one. The contingent that remained after the main card was heavily in favor of the Long Beach, Calif., native.

Chad George (16-8) finished Mark Vorgeas (5-3-1) with a head and arm choke at 3:37 of the first round. There was no tap or verbal submission, as George had to inform the referee that his opponent had gone unconscious. The Los Angeles native now has nine submission wins in his young career.

Laguna Hills, Calif., Justin Governale (4-2) submitted hometown boy Jay Bogan (6-5) via rear-naked choke at 2:09 of round two. It was an exciting end to a fight that was nearly finished by Governale with strikes.

Steve Ramirez (1-1) finished Jon Santa Maria (3-1) with a toehold at 3:29 of round one.

Cleber Luciano (11-5) finished Aaron Miller (14-10) with an arm bar at 4:36 of round two.

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 TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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.

Richar Abril has been stripped of his WBA Lightweight title after pulling out of a fight with Derry Matthews for a 2nd time.

The move by the WBA also cleared the way for Derry Mathews (37-9-2, 20 KOs) to face southpaw Ismael Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs) for the now-vacant interim belt on April 18 at the Echo Arena in Mathews’ hometown of Liverpool, England. Mathews was due to challenge Abril on that card before Abril withdrew.

“I’ve been in this sport for over 10 years,” Mathews said. “I’ve had more knockouts than he’s had fights — (more than) twice as many fights as him. In terms of experience he’s not on my level and I can use all of my experience to my advantage,”

MOSCOW (April 11, 2015) – Former M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramasan Emeev (12-3-0) recaptured the coveted title from defending champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-3-0) in last night’s M-1 Challenge 56 main event in Moscow, Russia.

Emeev used a perfectly executed rear-naked choke to defeat Vasilevsky by submission at the 1:47 mark of the first round.

Vasilevsky had taken title belt from Emeev this past September 7 in St. Petersburg at M-1 Challenge 51: Fightspirit with a fourth-round stoppage from punches in the first showdown between the two Russian fighters. A Vasilevsky-Emeev rematch was a natural from the moment their first fight ended and now there is a potential trilogy match.

The 27-year-old Emeev, who lives and trains in Makhachkala, Russia, originally won the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight title April 9, 2012, recording a knockout (strikes) of Mario Miranda (14-4-0) in the third round at M-1 Challenge 38. Emeev successfully defended his title five months later with a five-round decision over Miranda in a rematch and he hadn’t fought since losing to Vasilevsky.

The 26-year-old Vasilevsky had his 10 fight win streaks snapped by Emeev. He had won 16 of his last 17 fights and was making his first M-1 Challenge middleweight title defense against Emeev. The loss also was Vyacheslav’s first in nine M-1 Global-promoted shows, including four M-1 Challenge events.

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger (29-4-0) knocked out Aliyar “Tiger” Sarkerov (12-5-0), who was a late replacement Tural Ragimov (9-2-0) with a punch in the second round of their non-title fight.

Croatian light heavyweight Kristian “Klitschko” Perak (8-1-1) and former M-1 Challenge champion Valery “The Russian Hammer” Myasnikov (8-1-1) battled to a three-round draw.

Croatian heavyweight Ante “Walking Trouble” Delija (13-2-0) won a hard fought three-round decision over Latvian veteran Konstantin “Lacplesis” Gluhov (28-16-0).

Spanish lightweight Javier Fuentes (6-0-0) kept his perfect record intact, winning a second-round technical submission of Nikolay “Cat” Kaushansky (6-2-0), of Russia, by way of a triangle choke.

In preliminary fight action, Russian lightweight Ali Abdulkhalikov (3-0-0) needed only 34-seconds to knockout Spain’s Joel Alvarez Gonzalez (4-1-0) with a spinning heel kick in a battle of previously unbeaten fighters, Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (9-3-0) stopped fellow Russian lightweight Rakhman Makhazhiev (3-2-0) with a punch in the third round, Abukar Yandiev (3-0-0) locked in a rear naked choke hold to submit fellow Russian middleweight Gevorg Charchyan (1-1-0) midway through the opening round. Russian featherweight Zalimek Omarov (4-1-1) punched out countryman Artiom Lobanov (2-2-0) in the second round, and Polish welterweight Michal Wiencek (5-2-0) defeated Russian opponent Rustam Gadzhiev (4-3-0) by way of a third-round submission resulting from a rear naked choke.

Complete results and picture gallery below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ramasan Emeev (12-3-0), Russia WSUB1 (Rear-Naked Choke – 1:48) Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-3-0), Russia
(Emeev won M-1 Challenge middleweight title)

CO-FEATURE – FEATHERWEIGHTS
Ivan Buchinger (29-4-0), Slovakia WTKO2 (Punch – 1:54) Aliyar Sarkerov (12-5-0), Russia

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Ante Deliha (13-2-0), Croatia WDEC3 Konstantin Gluhov (28-16-0), Latvia

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Valery Myashikov (8-1-1), Russia Draw3 Kristijan Perak (8-1-2), Croatia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Javier Fuentas (6-0-0), Spain WSUB2 (Triangle Choke – 1:33) Niko Kaushansky (6-2-0), Russia

PRELIMINARY CARD

M-1 MEDIEVAL WELTERWEIGHT KNIGHT FIGHT
Evgeniy Bedenko (6-1-0), Russia Ivan Vasiliev (11-2-0), Russia

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Abukar Yandiev (3-0-0), Russia WSUB1 (Rear Naked Choke – 2:30) Gevorg Charchyan (1-1-0), Russia
Gadzhi Gadzhiev (5-2-0), Russia WSUB2 (Armbar – 2:11) Yuri Yurchenko (1-2-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS
Michal Wiencek, Poland (5-2-0) WSUB3 (Rear Naked Choke – 4:30) Rustam Gadzhiev (4-3-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Ali Andulkhalikov (3-0-0), Russia WKO1 (Spinning Heel Kick – 0:34) Joel Alvarez Gonzalez (4-0-0), Spain
Alexey Makhno (9-3-0), Russia WKO/TKO3 (Punch – 0:39) Rakhman Malhazhiev (3-2-0), Russia
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Zalimbek Omarov (4-1-1), Russia WKO/TKO2 (Punch – 2:51) Artiom Lobanov (2-2-0), Russia

Follow all the action live as it happens from Barclays Center as world champions Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson square off in a welterweight contest. The action begins with a middlweight fight between WBO champion Andy Lee and Peter Quillin. The action begins at 8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PT.

12 ROUNDS–WELTERWEIGHTS–DANNY GARCIA (29-0, 17 KO’S) VS LAMONT PETERSON (33-2-1, 17 KO’S)

Round 1 Good straight from Garcia..right..counter right..10-9 Garcia

Round 2 Garcia lands a combination..left..20-18 Garcia..

Round 3 Garcia forcing action..30-27 Garcia

Round 4 Garcia lands a right…40-36 Garcia.

Round 5 Garcia lands a right..Good right..Peterson gets in a right..50-45 Garcia

Round 6 Garcia lands a left to the body..3 punch combo..straight right..Counter left from Peterson..60-54 Garcia

Round 7 Garcia lands a right to the body…2 more hard shots…Peterson lands a combination on the inside..70-63 Garcia

Round 8 Good right from Garcia..Hard body shots from Peterson..hard right…79-73 Garcia

Round 9 Garcia lands a right..Good right from Peterson..4 punch combo from Garcia..Big right..Good right from Peterson and another…Hard right from garcia at the bell….89-82 Garcia

Round 10 Peterson sneaks in a right hand..left hook..98-92 Garcia

Round 11 Garcia lands a right to the body and head..jab from peterson..wicked right..2 hard rights..107-102 Garcia

Round 12 Big right from Peterson..big left…great action down the stretch…116-112 Garcia

114-114…..115-113 twice Garcia

12 ROUNDS MIDDLEWEIGHTS–ANDY LEE (34-2, 24 KO’S) VS PETER QUILLIN (31-0, 22 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Counter right from Lee…Qullin landed a right..HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES LEE…Big Left hook…10-8 Quillin

Round 2 Qullin lands a right..great exchange…20-17 Quillin

Round 3 They are trading hard shots..Quillin lands a big right…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES LEE..Straight left from Lee. Lee bleeding from the left eye..Left from Lee…30-25 Quillin

Round 4 Lee lands a jab..39-35 Quillin

Round 5 Hard left hook by Quilin sets off a furious exchange..49-44 Quillin

Round 6 Lee lands a coundter right hook…58-54 Quillin

Round 7 Sneaky left from Lee..Left from Quillin..BIG RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES QUILLIN..66-64 Quillin

Round 8 Quillin lands a hard right..76-73 Quillin

Round 9 Left from Quillin..Right hook from Lee..straight left..Jab from Quillin..85-83 Quillin

Round 10 2 hard rights from Quillin..Straight left from Lee..Straight left..left from Quillin..95-92 Quillin

Round 11 Right from Quillin..105-101 Quillin

Round 12 Quillin lands a right..straight left from Lee…Solid right from Quillin..115-110 Quillin

113-112 Quillin…..113-112 Lee…113-113 A SPLIT DRAW

BROOKLYN–In a battle of 140-pound titleholders, Danny Garcia got off to an early lead and had to grind out a 12-round majority decision over Lamont Peterson in an over the weight-limit bout at Barclays Center.

Garcia came forward and landed a few good right hands in each round. That was a feat in itself as Peterson continually circled around the rings in an attempt to stay out of harms way.

After not doing much of anything over the first seven rounds, Peterson started to sit in the pocket and land some solid shots in round eight. The evidence of his work was shown on Garcia’s face as some swelling started to form around his right eye. Garcia came back to have solid round’s in ten and eleven. Garcia had to hold on over the leat four minutes as a desperate Peterson came forward and landed some hard combinations on a reeling Garcia. One could only think if Peterson would have started a round or two earlier, he may have been able to squeak out the fight for himself as the scores read 115-113 twice for Garcia and 114-114.

Garcia, 142.2 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is now 30-0. Peterson, 143 lbs of Washington, DC is 33-3-1.

Peter Quillin scored two knockdowns and had to get off the deck himself yet had to settle for a 12-round split draw with WBO Middleweight champion Andy Lee

In round one, Qullin landed a perfect right hand that sent lee to the canvas. He finished up the round by landing a flush left hook. In round three, they came out throwing hard shots then Qullin landed a hard right while stepping on Lee’s foot that sent the Irishman down for a 2nd knockdown. Lee started to bleed from his left eye in the round.

In round seven, Lee landed his big right hook that sent Quillin to the deck.

Down the stretch both guys tried to land big shots and were successful in spots.

Each guy won a scorecard by 113-112 and a 3rd card read even at 113-113. Quillin, 160.6 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 32-0-1. Lee, 159.6 lbs of Limerick, IRE is now 34-2-1.

Quillin could not win the title as he came over the 160 pound limit at Friday’s weigh in.

Errol Spence Jr. remained perfect by scoring a 4th round stoppage over Samuel Vargas in a scheduled 10-round Welterweight bout.

Spence dropped Vargas with a right hook in round two. Spence continued to pound away at Vargas until the bout was stopped at 1:45 of round four.

Spence, 146 1/2 lbs of Dallas, TX is now 16-0 with 13 knockouts. Vargas, 146 lbs of Toronto, CA is now 20-2-1.

Marcus Browne stopped Aaron Pryor after round six of their scheduled 10-round Light Heavyweight bout

In round three, Pryor began to bleed from the nose. Phryor continued to punish Pryor and outlanded 76-18.

Browne of Staten Island, NY is now 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Pryor of Cincinnati, OH is now 19-8-1.

Number-one ranked contender Viktor Postol remained perfect by scoring a 8-round unanimous decision over Jake Giuriceo in a Welterweight bout.

Postol, 143.8 lbs of Kiev, UKR won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 27-0. Giuriceo, 142.8 lbs of Youngstown, OH is now 17-3-1.

Prichard Colon remained undefeated by stopping Daniel Calzada at 1:38 of round nine of their scheduled 10-round Jr. Middleweight bout.

Colon was getting the better of the action throughout the bout when the fight was stopped.

Colon, 148 lbs of Orocovis, PR is now 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Clazada, 148 lbs of Denver, CO is now 11-14-2.

Former world champion Luis Collazo returned to score a 2nd round stoppage over Chris Degollado in a scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout.

Collazo floored Degollado in round three with a perfect right hook and then finessed it off with a flurry at 1:46 of round three.

Collazo, 147.8 lbs of Brooklyn is now 36-6 with 19 knockouts. Degollado, 149 lbs of Monterrey, MX is now 10-5.

Heather Hardy and Renata Domsodi had their scheduled 8-round Jr. Featherweight bout cut shor when Domsodi suffered a cut due to an accidental headbutt at 1:57 of round three.

Hardy, 122 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-0 with 1 no-contest. Domsodi, 120.6 lbs of Budapest, HUN is 11-6, 1 No-contest.

Ryan Burnett remained undefeated by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Stephon Mcintyre in a scheduled six-round Jr. Featherweight bout.

In round one Burnett dropped Mcintyre from a body shot for the 10 count at 2:59 of round one.

Burnett, 118.8 lbs of Belfast, Northern Ireland is now 8-0 with 7 knockouts. Mcintyre, 121.8 lbs of Atlanta, GA is now 2-8-2.

Spence dropped Vargas in round two from a straight left.

LOS ANGELES (April 10) – Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero (26-5, 22 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico takes on Jose “Chelo” Gonzalez (23-1, 18 KOs) of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico in a 10-round, co-main event part of Martinez vs. Salido Pay-Per-View quadruple header on April 11 from the Coliseum of Puerto Rico in San Juan. Co-promoted by PR Best Boxing Promotions, Inc. and Golden Boy Promotions, the heavy handed contenders, combined they have an 80 percent knockout ratio, will battle it out in hopes of becoming the next WBO Latino Lightweight Champion.

In the main event of the night, Ramon Martinez (28-2-2, 17 KOs) will face Orlando Salido (42-12-2, 29 KOs) in a 12-round match up for the WBO Super Featherweight Title. Also, Victor Ruiz (13-6-1, 5 KOs) of Mexico City will face McWilliams Arroyo (15-2, 13 KOs) of Fajardo, Puerto Rico in a 10-round flyweight bout for the WBO Latino Flyweight Title. Opening up the telecast, Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas (20-1-2, 13 KOs) of Miami, Florida, will face Ricardo “Alacran” Alvarado (7-4, 6 KOs) of McAllen, Texas in a 10-round featherweight bout.

Undefeated fighters John Karl Sosa (12-0, 6 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico and Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (10-0, 5KOs) of Brooklyn, New York will be featured in respective bouts in the non-televised undercard. Sosa is scheduled to fight Joaquin “Chico” Chavez (9-14-3, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles in an eight-round welterweight bout, while Ochoa will face the heavy-handed Moises Rios (5-2, 4 KOs) of Aarcibo, Puerto Rico in a junior welterweight six-round brawl.

Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico has had a long and impressive career as a professional boxer. The knockout artist has faced tough veterans Walter Estrada and Miguel Vazquez and had a shot at the IBF World Lightweight title when he faced Vasquez in 2012. Quintero is coming off of a win last September when he faced Carlos Mario Sanchez via second round knockout. Now he is looking at a chance to capture the WBO Lightweight Title when he faces Jose Gonzalez on April 11.

Fighting out of Tao Baja, Puerto Rico, Jose “Chelo” Gonzalez has kept busy year after year since his professional debut in 2008. The rising Puerto Rican star is known to be a hard puncher having won most of his bout via knockout. In his last professional bout, Gonzales faced Antonio Joao Bento in December winning the fight via second round knockout. Now the contender is ready for his first title bout when he goes up against Marvin Quintero at the Coliseum of Puerto Rico.

Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas of Miami, Florida has been very successful fighter who has stayed busy since his professional debut in 2009. He has faced Scott Quigg, Jhon Alberto Molina and Nehomar Cermeno and along the way has acquired the WBC Latino Super Bantamweight Title, WBA-Fedebol Super Bantamweight Title and the WBA-NABA Super Bantamweight Title.

Durango, Mexico’s, Ricardo “Alacran” Alvarado, who is now fighting out of McAllen, Texas is a relative newcomer looking to make an impression in the featherweight division. Having fought twice in 2014 and recently faced Luis Castor in February of this year, Alvarado is determined to add a victory to his record when he goes up against Yoandris on April 11.

Puerto Rico native John Karl Sosa is a highly regarded welterweight Caguas prospect that won four fights against solid competition in 2014 beating Antonio Sanchez, Victor Perez, and Luis Bello. Most recently, Sosa faced Brooklyn’s Jason Thompson in December in an eight-round matchup, winning the bout via unanimous decision.

Joaquin “Chico” Chavez from Los Angeles is an experienced fighter with more than 25 fights under his belt in his short career. A professional since 2011, the 27-year-old has kept busy fighting six bouts in 2014 with impressive victories against Luis Cruz and Jessie Roman in August. Now, Chavez is looking to keep up his winning streak in his first bout of 2015.

Brooklyn native Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa is a promising 22-year-old talent who has gone undefeated since his professional debut in 2011. Most recently, Ochoa took on near-shutout wins in 2014 over Luis Cervantes in August and Jose Miguel Castro in December. In his first fight of 2015, the impressive Ochoa maintained his record intact after he defeated Engelberto Valenzuela via first-round knockout. In his first fight in the land of his heritage, Puerto Rico, Ochoa will look to impress fans as he faces Moises Rios in his second fight of 2015.

Fighting out of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Moises Rios began his professional career in 2009 against Humbero Ayoroa winning the bout via knock out. The fighter last fought William Lorenzo in 2012 winning the bout. Now in his first bout in almost three years, the Puerto Rican brawler is looking to reignite his career when he faces off against one boxing’s most exciting prospects, Zachary Ochoa.

“The War” Martinez vs. Salido is 12-round super featherweight bout for the WBO Super Featherweight Championship presented by PR Best Boxing Promotions, Inc and Golden Boy Promotions. The Pay-Per-View event broadcast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.prbestboxing.net follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing and visit on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/PRBestBoxing and visit us on Instagram on @GoldenBoyBoxing.

Frank Galarza remained undefeated by scoring a 3rd round stoppage over Sheldon Moore in a scheduled 8-round Jr. Middleweight bout at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York.

In round three, Galarza landed a left hook that he followed up with a combination that was capped off by a right to the body that sent Moore down for the ten count at 1:41 of round three.

Galarza, 154 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 17-0-2 with 11 knockouts. Moore, 153 1/4 lbs of Belgium is now 13-3-1.

Ievgen Khytrov won a 8-round unanimous decision over Aaron Coley in a battle of undefeated Middleweights.

Khytov of Ukraine won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 10-0. Coley of Hayward, CA is now 9-1-1.

Sergiy Dervyanchenko scored a 4th round stoppage over Alan Campa in a scheduled eight round Super Middleweight bout.

In round two, Dervyanchenko dropped Campa from a right hand. In round four, Dervyananchenko dropped campa again with a hard combination. Campa was clearly hurt and Dervyanchenko jumped all over Campa and the fight was stopped at 1:17 of round four.

Dervyanchenko, 163 1/2 lbs from the Ukraine is now 5-0 with 4 knockouts. Campa, 165 lbs from Sonora, MX is now 13-2-1.

CARSON, CALIF. (April 10, 2015) — Interim WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Oscar Escandon (24-1, 16 KOs), of Tolima, Colombia, will make the first defense of his 122-pound title when he faces undefeated Moises “El Chucky” Flores (22-0, 1 NC, 16 KOs), of Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 12-round main event live on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT) on Saturday, April 18 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
Headlining the card, popular Mexican superstar and former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING debut when he meets dangerous brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

In the 10-round co-feature of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Top 10 ranked junior welterweight contender Amir Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) will aim to move one step closer to a world title opportunity when he makes his second start of 2015 against fellow power-puncher Walter Castillo (25-2, 18 KOs).
Opening the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast, Omar “El Businessman” Chavez (32-3-1, 22 KOs), younger brother of Chavez, Jr. and son of legendary Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., will face Richard Gutierrez (28-15-1, 17 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight fight. Time permitting, unbeaten Argentine welterweight Fabian “TNT” Maidana (5-0, 4 KOs), brother of former world champion Marcos Maidana will also be featured in the featured in the telecast against an opponent to be named.
The action continues featuring a clash of middleweight contenders when Fernando Guerrero (26-3, 19 KOs) meets Abraham Han (23-2, 14 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight match. Plus, young undefeated prospects face tough challenges when Wes Nofire (16-0, 12 KOs) takes on Joell Godfrey (17-13-1, 6 KOs) in six-round heavyweight action, Jordan Shimmell (18-0, 15 KOs) faces Carlos Reyes (7-6-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight bout and Anthony Flores (6-0, 5 KOs) battles William Hughes (4-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round welterweight contest.
Also featured, Jessie Roman (17-2, 9 KOs) and 2012 Olympic Silver medalist from Mongolia Tugstogt Nyambayar (1-0, 1 KO) in separate bouts.
Tickets for the event co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, and are on sale online at AXS.com.

The aggressive-minded, 30-year-old Escandon captured the crown in his last start via a 12-round split decision over Canadian southpaw Tyson Cave last Dec. 11. Escandon was making his United States debut and triumphed in a tight fight by the scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 113-115.

Escandon was a top amateur –he represented Colombia in the 2004 Olympic Games– before turning professional in June 2006. Twenty of his initial 21 fights took place in his native Colombia while he’s also fought in Argentina and Panama. His lone defeat came in his first attempt at the interim WBA title on a split 12-round decision to Nehomar Cermeno on Aug. 10, 2013, in Panama. .

Flores, 28, is making his 2015 debut and third start in a row in the United States. A pro since August 2008, Flores’ first 20 fights took place in Mexico. He’s never gone more than seven full rounds although three of his fights have been scheduled for 10.

Known in Mexico for his show stopping-knockouts, the heavy-handed Flores registered three devastating knockouts in 2013, the biggest of which was a brutal second-round stoppage of longtime Mexican contender Rodolfo Hernandez in February of that year.
Flores recorded a seventh-round TKO in his last start over Mario Macias last Nov. 21 in Tulsa.

Omar Chavez, 25, the youngest son of Julio Sr. and three years younger than Julio Jr., will be making his U.S. and 2015 debut. All his fights have been in Mexico, where he turned pro at the tender age of 16 in December 2006. He was victorious in his first 28 bouts before losing a 10-round split decision to Jorge Paez Jr., the son of popular former world champion, Jorge “Maromero” Paez, in December 2011. Paez also outpointed Chavez across 10 rounds in July 2012, this time unanimously.

After the rematch with Paez, the 5-foot-8 Chavez won four consecutive times, including a 10-round decision over Daniel Sandoval in May 2014 to win the NABO 154-pound crown. But Chavez lost his last fight on a shocking 10-round decision to Ramon Alvarez, brother of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, on Sept. 27, 2014.

The 36-year-old Gutierrez is hoping to bounce back after suffering consecutive defeats. Fighting out of Miami by way of Colombia, Gutierrez has been battle-tested over the years having faced the likes of Joshua Clottey, Vanes Martirosyan and Luis Carlos Abregu.

Maidana, 22, is nine years younger than Marcos. A pro since June 21, 2014, he has won his last four fights by knockout, all within two rounds.

An exciting, come-forward crowd-pleaser (like his big brother), Maidana will be making his third start at StubHub. He won a decision his first time out and by a first-round knockout over Phillip Soriano the second time around.

A terrific amateur, Maidana was the Pan American Youth Championships Bronze Medalist and World Youth Championships Silver Medalist in 2010.

A former world title contender, Guerrero is looking to bounce back from losing to David Lemieux in 2014. With victories over Ishe Smith, Gabriel Rosado and Derrick Findley, the 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic but fighting out of Salisbury, Md. is eager to redeem himself and get back into the hunt for another world title opportunity.

A 30-year-old former kickboxing champion, Han, of El Paso, Texas, turned pro in 2007 and quickly adapted his skills to the boxing ring. He won his first 19 pro fights before losing a hard-fought bout with Glen Tapia in 2013. He rebounded to win four straight bouts before suffering a split-decision defeat to Sergio Mora his last time out.

An undefeated heavyweight prospect fighting out of Miami by way of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Nofire makes his debut in California when he looks for win number 17. The 28-year-old will battle the 34-year-old Godfrey out of East Saint Louis, Ill.

A former amateur standout who became the first heavyweight to win four Michigan Golden Gloves titles, Shimmell will attempt to remain undefeated and entertain the crowd with his seventh straight knockout against Reyes, 37, of Phoenix, Ariz. Most recently, the 26-year-old stopped Phil Williams in the fifth round in Dec. 2014.

A young prospect fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif., Roman will look to bounce back from losses in two of his last three fights after starting his career with 16 consecutive victories. The 23-year-old will be fighting at StubHub for the first time.

A hot welterweight prospect, the 24-year-old Flores will look to represent his hometown of Los Angeles when he takes on the 37-year-old Hughes out of Tacoma, Wash. Opening the card is the 22-year-old 2012 Olympic Silver medalist out of Mongolia, Nyambayar who battles an opponent to be determined.

Brian Custer will call the SHOWTIME EXTREME action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst.

Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara is a 12-round bout that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

LOS ANGELES (April 10) – TV Azteca, known as one of the powerhouses of boxing in Mexico and around the world due to their intensive dedication to spreading the sport to its millions of viewers, has signed an exclusive agreement with Golden Boy Promotions to broadcast Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez’ fights in Mexico.

The historic agreement between Golden Boy Promotions and TV Azteca will begin with the broadcast of the 12-round super welterweight mega-fight between Canelo Alvarez and knockout-artist James “The Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland on May 9, from Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

“TV Azteca broadcasted my first televised national fight against Victor “El Negro” Márquez, and I am happy to return to this prestigious home and have it be the platform that displays my professional career at this stage,” said Canelo Alvarez. “TV Azteca has stood-out for their dedication to bringing boxing to the masses and I am very happy and grateful that all my fans will have the chance to see my fights on TV Azteca.”

“This is a great moment for Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Alvarez and the sport of boxing in general,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “To reach an exclusive agreement in Mexico, with a partner as respected as TV Azteca is an honor for us and together we will provide the best fights for all of Canelo’s fans.”

“We proudly welcome our friend and now partner, Golden Boy Promotions to our family,” said Rodrigo Fernández, General Programming Director of Azteca. “The strength of ‘The Home of Boxing’ is clear; those who write the history of boxing in Mexico are with Box Azteca. We are very proud to see that the family of ‘The Home of Boxing’ continues to grow, and we welcome Canelo Alvarez to his new home. We will continue to make boxing history with the great battles Canelo will give in the ring, bringing honor to his home country of Mexico. Wherever Canelo goes Box Azteca will be by his side.”

The all-star announcing team of Box Team Azteca is led by legendary Mexican fighters Julio Cesar “JC” Chavez, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez as well as Carlos Aguilar, Eduardo Lamazón and Rodolfo Vargas.

For more information please visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.aztecadeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing @Canelo, @AztecaDeportes, visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/AztecaDeportesand on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelopower.

LONDON (10 April) – Irish ace Andy Lee says the ‘monkey is off his back’ now he is world champion, claiming his opponent Peter Quillin will be the one under the cosh this Saturday night.

The middleweight star, who won the WBO crown last December with a sensational sixth round stoppage of formidable Russian Matt Korobov, makes the first defence of his world title at the Barclays Center in New York, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Taking on the former champion Quillin, who vacated the belt, 30-year-old Lee claims he goes into the fight under no pressure having finally fulfilled a lifelong ambition by becoming world champion, with him now putting it on the line in his opponents backyard.

“There’s been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders since winning the world title. It’s what I always wanted to do and I’ve been touted as a champion for years and if I never got it I would have been disappointed. Now the monkey is off my back and I can just box and show people who I am,” said Lee.

“Fighting at home like Quillin is on Saturday, brings a different kind of pressure to the table, it’s the pressure of expectations and people you know coming to the fights. That’s also pressure and I know all about that,” he said.

Lee, a former protégé of the late and great trainer Emmanuel Steward, has linked up with the respected Adam Booth, who will be looking to mastermind another upset against the undefeated Quillin.

Both men are renowned for their punching prowess, with Lee scoring 24 knockouts from his 34 wins and 31-year-old Quillin 22 from 31 wins, but Limerick’s Lee will be looking to both box and bang when the bell sounds this weekend.

“I think this could be a technical fight or it could be a bit of a fire fight. It’s going to be a little of both at times. There will be moments where we’re looking at each other, figuring each other out, but once we exchange it could be explosive,” said Lee.

“We’ve made unbelievable progress in the last year on my skills and everything has really just clicked for me and my team and now we’re seeing the results in the ring. “There have been physical and tactical improvements in the gym since the last fight and hopefully they’ll show up in the ring on Saturday,” Lee said.

‘Kid Chocolate’, as the charismatic Quillin is known, has gone through a rollercoaster year with the birth of his first son Joaquin Enriquez before the death of his uncle to pancreatic cancer.

Now though, Quillin is ready to move on and for the challenge which awaits him in the ring.

“My whole life has been struggles and I’ve had to overcome every single one of those struggles. This is going to be no different from that.

“Being a father of course made me more inspired and watching my uncle pass has made me more motivated than ever to accomplish everything I want,” said Quillin.

“A lot of people had Lee as the underdog in his last fight but he came out and did great. That’s the thing about boxing; one punch can change the fight.

“It’s a big fight for him and a big fight for me. He’s a smart fighter when he’s in trouble so I have to watch out for that. Most importantly I just need to be true to myself,” he said.

Also featuring on the card this Saturday night will be the mouth-watering showdown between light-welterweight champions Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson in a 12-round contest.

Lee and Quillin are expected in the ring at 1.45am UK, kick starting a fantastic night of live boxing action on BoxNation.

Lee v Quillin is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546 and TalkTalk 525) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

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

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

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

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.525), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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Abdul Khattab (11-0, 3 KOs) promises another convincing performance when he faces Howard Cospolite (11-4-1, 5 KOs) May 2 at Frederiksberg-Hallerne, Copenhagen.

“Cospolite looks like a guy who wants to get into a brawl, but I will outsmart him and teach him a boxing lesson,” said Khattab oozing self-confidence.

“My two fights this year have gone from one of my worst performances, to one of my best. In the last fight people saw the real Khattab and that’s what you will see again at Frederiksberg.

Perhaps I will knock Cospolite out, but winning is the most important to me. It’s about my continuous development. I must stay calm and be patient. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s important that I don’t use the same force I did against Alexey Ribchev in February.”

Against experienced Ribchev, Khattab surprisingly ran out of steam in the last rounds. However, only weeks later Khattab outboxed Khutsishvili with a career topping performance according to his coach and mentor, former five-time world champion Mikkel Kessler.

“Patience is key, but it is also important to show good and varied boxing skills with many combinations, like I displayed against Mikheil Khutsishvili. The demons from the Ribchev-fight are now gone and I can’t wait to impress again. The real Khattab is back and here to stay!”

Promotor Nisse Sauerland continues to highlight Khattab’s impressive form by stating:

“Abdul looked back to his best in his last fight against Khutsishvili. On May 2, I expect an even better performance. He has the potential to make it all the way to the top. Now, he must put that into practice.”

Micki Nielsen (17-0, 12 KOs) headlines the show in Copenhagen in his first title defence against the undefeated Junior Anthony Wright (13-0-1, 11 KOs) for the WBC International Cruiserweight Title. On the same night the ‘Swedish Princess’ Klara Svensson (15-0, 5 KOs) challenges Erica Anabella Farias (21-1, 10 KOs) for the WBC Female World Light Welterweight crown.

Team Sauerland present the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. All the action will be broadcast live on Viasat channels across Scandinavia (TV3/ TV3+/ TV3 Sport channels in Denmark, TV10 in Sweden and Viasat 4/ Viasat Sport in Norway). Tickets are available via billetlugen.dk.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBO Super Middleweight champion Arthur Abraham will meet Robert Stieglitz for a 4th time most likely in July.

10 April 2015 – Singapore: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has added five additional bouts to ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST, the blockbuster event set to take place on 22 May at the state-of-the-art Singapore Indoor Stadium. After notching one of the best knockouts of 2014 in his ONE Championship debut, Timofey Nastyukhin will now drop down to featherweight to take on top contender Rob Lisita. Streaking featherweights Ev Ting and Marat Gafurov are also set to clash in a showdown of featherweight contenders. Lightweight Eddie Ng will return to action to take on Brazil’s Rafael Nunes. Singapore’s Benedict Ang will make his debut against Pakistan’s Waqar Umar while Angela Lee faces Aya Saber in a women’s strawweight bout.

Tickets for ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST are on sale now at http://www.sportshub.com.sg/. Ticket categories begin with the full VIP experience at S$1,488. Tickets priced at $158, $58 and $38 are also available. Early bird promotions are available until 17 April. Prices exclude ticketing fee.

CEO of ONE Championship™, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE Championship returns to Singapore on 22 May with a blockbuster main event. In the main event, the two best lightweights in the world will clash when ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki put his title on the line against the number one contender, Koji Ando. Four of the best featherweights are in action as Ev Ting meets Marat Gafurov and Rob Lisita and Timofey Nastyukhin go head-to-head. The featherweight division is stacked with world-class athletes and these contenders have an opportunity to make their case for a ONE Featherweight World Championship title shot! Get ready for a night of jaw-dropping, world-class mixed martial arts action as ONE Championship goes live around the world.”

Ev Ting is a featherweight of Malaysian descent currently based in New Zealand. Ting has won all three of his bouts since making his ONE Championship debut. He has demonstrated his striking and grappling prowess, finishing Yohan Mulia Legowo, Edward Kelly and Cary Bullos all in impressive fashion. Ting is set to make his case for the ONE Featherweight World Championship belt currently held by Jadambaa Narantungalag, but he would first need to overcome Marat Gafurov.

Marat Gafurov hails from Novokuznetsk in Russia. He is currently undefeated in ten professional mixed martial arts bouts. He made a statement in his ONE Championship debut, convincingly defeating perennial contender Rob Lisita with a kick and rear-naked choke sequence. The victory propelled Gafurov to the top of the list of contenders, and he now has an opportunity to solidify his status by adding another victory to his win column.

Rob Lisita is an Australian mixed martial artist and one of the top strikers in the ONE Championship featherweight division. Lisita has built up a solid fan following thanks to the impressive striking displays throughout his career, including knockout wins over Yusuke Kawanago and Rodolfo Marques. Lisita has faced the best of the best in his class, and will now welcome Nastyukhin into the ultra-talented featherweight division.

Timofey Nastyukhin announced his arrival on the global stage with a devastating knockout of Eduard Folayang at ONE: WARRIOR’S WAY last December. After a series of ferocious striking exchanges, Nastyukhin landed a perfectly timed flying knee on Folayang, effectively ending the bout in just one round. The knockout is considered by most as one of the best knockouts of 2014. He now returns to action against a fellow striker. Nastyukhin will move down to his preferred featherweight division to take on Australian knockout artist Rob Lisita.

Eddie Ng is a Hong Kong lightweight who has dazzled in his multiple appearances in the ONE Championship cage. Ng has won four of his five bouts in ONE and returns to action after a one-year layoff determined to continue his ascent. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt, Ng has never gone to a decision in his professional mixed martial arts career thanks to his exciting style.

Rafael Nunes is one of the top lightweights to emerge from Brazil in recent history. He has steamrolled through the competition in Brazil, with all but one of his 10 wins coming by stoppage. Nunes is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and is equally adept in finishing his opponents by strikes or by submission.

Benedict Ang is one of the top prospects to emerge from Singapore. Ang is undefeated in amateur mixed martial arts competition. At just 19 years old, Ang will become one of the youngest mixed martial artists to step into the ONE Championship cage. Ang trains at Evolve MMA alongside top stars such as ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren and ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki. Possessing dynamic striking skills and solid grappling, he will get the opportunity to test himself against the best in the world as he makes his promotional debut.

Waqar Umar is a Pakistani mixed martial arts standout. Umar impressed in local competition and has received the opportunity to compete at Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. A student of Pakistani MMA pioneer Bashir Ahmad, Umar is an aggressive brawler and also combines his striking skills with diverse submission skills. He will be looking to notch his first win inside the ONE cage when he locks horns with Singapore’s Benedict Ang.

Angela Lee is currently living in Hawaii and is of Singapore and Korean descent. The eldest child of two Taekwondo instructor parents, Angela grew up practicing various forms of martial arts, and quickly built an impressive resume. Her list of accolades includes being state wrestling champion and World Athlima Pangration Federation champion. She is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt, and an amateur strawweight champion in mixed martial arts. Lee now makes her much-awaited professional debut as she takes Aya Saber.

Aya Saber is an Egyptian kickboxing champion who has transitioned into mixed martial arts. After falling short in her last first two ONE Championship bouts, Saber will look for a victory against one of the most promising young prospects in Angela Lee. A distinguished striker, Saber now gets a shot at redemption as she makes her return to the ONE cage.

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™
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

New York, NY (April 10, 2015) – Already a marquee event featuring Murat “Iron” Gassiev (20-0, 13 KO’s) defending his IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship vs. Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. (25-6-2, 14 KO’s) in a 12-round main event along with a musical performance by a name artist, the April 17 edition of throne boxing from The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino just got even bigger. In an intriguing televised co-featured bout, Philadelphia southpaw Ray “The New” Robinson (19-2, 9 KO’s) and Sherzodbek “The Lion” Alimjanov (22-2, 12 KO’s) of Uzbekistan will battle it out over 10 rounds for Robinson’s NABO Welterweight Championship. Fans can catch the action live on FOX Sports 1 in the United States and internationally on TIDAL.com, the newly launched music streaming service that combines the best high fidelity sound quality, high definition music videos and expertly curated editorial.

Since his professional debut in 2006, Robinson has had an impressive career as NABO Welterweight Champion and the USBA Welterweight Champion. Robinson dominated opponents during his first three years on the professional circuit, compiling a record of 11-0 before losing a majority decision to still-undefeated Brad Solomon in a hotly contested eight-round bout in December 2009. In his next fight, Robinson again went the distance, this time losing a 10-round unanimous decision against heralded now former World Champion Shawn Porter. That would be the last fight Robinson would lose as he rebounded in impressive fashion with a new undefeated streak of eight consecutive victories including his last fight, a win over Daniel Sostre in November of 2014. Alimjanov will look to end that streak as he makes his American debut on April 17 and challenges Robinson for his NABO Welterweight Title. A dominating force on the Eastern European circuit, Alimjanov enters the ring with only two losses coming at the hands of then 21-1 Viktor Plotnykov via majority decision in 2009 and still-undefeated Dmitry Mikhaylenko by unanimous decision in a WBO European Championship bout in 2012. In his most recent bout on March 14 of this year, he scored a victory over Felipe De La Paz Teniente when his opponent was unable to answer the bell for the sixth round.

In undercard action, Washington, DC’s Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (25-0, 13 KO’s) will face Henry “Mamba” Auraad (16-9-1, 13 KO’s) of Cartagena, Colombia in an eight-round welterweight bout. Hernandez-Harrison made his professional debut as the youngest licensed professional fighter in the United States on June 11, 2011, less than a month following his 17th birthday. Most recently, Hernandez-Harrison headlined Roc Nation Sports’ inaugural throne boxing event at The Theater at Madison Square in a fight televised by FOX Sorts 1 on January 9, 2015, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Championship with a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Tommy “The Razor” Rainone. Auraad will look to tarnish Hernandez-Harrison’s undefeated record when they clash on the 17th.

Wellington “W.A.R.” Romero (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) represented his native Dominican Republic at the 2012 Olympics in London. Now fighting out of Newburgh, New York, the undefeated junior welterweight most recently maintained his unbeaten run against Lee Kreisher on January 9, 2015 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden when a viscous right hook lead to a knockout less than two minutes into round one. Soon after the fight, Roc Nation Sports announced that it had signed Romero to an exclusive promotional agreement. He will now look to continue his professional rise when he takes on James Hope (7-12-1, 4 KO’s) of Rock Hill, South Carolina in a six-round junior welterweight bout on April 17.

Local unbeaten favorite Khiary Gary-Pitts (6-0, 4 KO’s) joins the undercard after scoring a first-round technical knockout victory against Greg McCoy at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island on April 3. Born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Gary-Pitts will look to extend his undefeated streak to seven fights on April 17 when he takes on an opponent to be named in a six-round middleweight fight.

Standing 6’2’’ with power in both hands, Toledo, Ohio’s Sonny “Pretty Boi” Fredrickson (7-0, 5 KO’s) compiled an outstanding amateur record of 120-8 (60 KO’s) along with numerous accolades, including the 2013 National PAL Bronze Medal, the 2013 National Golden Gloves Final Eight, five Toledo Golden Glove Championships and two Ohio State Junior Olympics Championships, before making his professional debut in February 2014. A year later, in February 2015, Roc Nation Sports announced that it had signed Fredrickson to an exclusive promotional agreement. In his most recent fight on March 7, Fredrickson knocked Eric Palmer down twice en route to a six-round shutout unanimous decision victory. He will look to improve on his record on April 17 when he takes on Juan Rodriquez (6-2-1, 5 KO’s) of Haymarket, Virginia in a four-round junior welterweight clash.

Hailing from Central City in Toledo, Ohio, undefeated featherweight Tyler “The Golden Child” McCreary (4-0, 4 KO’s) won the Title National Championship in 2009 and 2010, captured a bronze medal at the Under-19 National Championships, was a two-time Toledo Golden Glove Champion and won the Ohio State Junior Olympics Championship before making his professional debut on August 15, 2014. In February 2015, Roc Nation Sports announced that it had signed 21-year-old McCrary to an exclusive promotional agreement shortly before he scored a first round knockout win over Anthony Crowder. On April 17, he faces Rigoberto Miranda (0-4) of Albany, New York in a four-round bout.

Undefeated New Haven, Connecticut native Jimmy Williams (9-0-1, 5 KO’s) is excited to again fight in front of a home crowd on April 17. Once a standout cornerback for the Southern Connecticut State football team, Williams next turned his sights to boxing and continues to build on a promising career. Coming off of a fourth-round technical knockout win over Eddie Caminero on February 13, 2015, Williams hopes to keep the momentum in his favor when he takes on Rahman Yusubov (11-20, 9 KO’s) of Dallas in a four-round junior middleweight fight.

Roc Nation Sports presents the second edition throne boxing on Friday, April 17, 2015 at The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, televised live on FOX Sports 1 at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT. Headlining the event will be undefeated Russian cruiserweight sensation Murat “Iron” Gassiev defending his IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship against veteran Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. of Galveston, Texas in a 12-round main event. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the April 17 edition of throne boxing, sponsored by Jaybird, TapouT Muscle, Tequila CAZADORES®, Sparkling Ice, Techno Home and Casa de Campo, will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the event. On fight night, doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout to take place at 7:00 PM.

Tickets priced at $90, $60 and $30, plus any Ticketmaster charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com, foxwoods.com or by calling (800) 200-2882. One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

About Roc Nation Sports
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar and Frances Tiafoe.

About FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 1 is the fastest growing sports cable network in television, reaching over 85 million subscribers. Premiering in August 2013, the national sports network puts fans first with 24/7 coverage of the most compelling sporting events in the world – MLB, NASCAR, UFC, college football and basketball, world-class soccer and more. FOX Sports 1 is proud to be the home for The Ultimate Fighter in addition to covering LIVE main card fights; college football including Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA games; and Big East, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA college basketball including the Big East men’s basketball tournament. FOX Sports 1 features consistent coverage from the world’s most prestigious soccer competitions like the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and CONCACAF Champions League, as well as coverage of FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2018 and 2022. For more information, visit www.foxsports1.com.

About Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

LAS VEGAS (April 9, 2015) – A case of dehydration has rendered Ronny Markes ineligible to compete in the WSOF 20 light heavyweight main event against fellow superstar David Branch tomorrow, Friday, April 10.

Jesse McElligott (5-1), originally slated for action on the WSOF 20 preliminary card, will step up to face Branch (15-3) in the main event. The 24-year-old McElligott of West Roxbury, Mass., is looking for his third straight win.

“Ronny’s condition is an unfortunate situation, but we are glad that his health has improved since the episode he experienced earlier today,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“WSOF is committed to the safety of its athletes,” continued Sefo, “and, therefore, there is no way that we could allow Ronny to go on and compete despite the turnaround in his condition.”

WSOF will compensate McElligott’s original opponent, Steve Skrzat, will his full fight purse.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20 will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. MMA legend Renzo Gracie will call the action alongside veteran WSOF play-by-play announcer Todd Harris.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, rising star Nick Newell (11-1) of Springfield, Mass. will face off with battle-tested Joe Condon (12-7) of Victorville, Calif.

Making their respective WSOF debuts, undefeated Ben Fodor (5-0-1), also known as costumed crime fighter “Phoenix Jones” of Seattle, Wash., and fellow rising star and Iraq war veteran Emmanuel Walo (7-2-1) of Jersey City, N.J. will throw down in a 175 pounds catch weight contest.

In other live NBCSN televised main card action at WSOF 20, aggressive finishers Ozzy Dugulubgov (6-2) of Hackensack, N.J. and Lucas Montoya (8-3) of Layton, Utah will square off at lightweight, and up-and-coming talents Steve Mocco (4-1) of Coconut Creek, Fla. and Juliano Coutinho (6-1) of West Yarmouth, Mass. will battle at heavyweight.

Tickets for the WSOF 20, priced from $39.99, are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first of four preliminary bouts begins at 6:00 p.m.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About Foxwoods ® Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick-service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

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