ADONIS STEVENSON: 174 ½ Pounds

SAKIO BIKA: 174 ½ Pounds

ARTUR BETERBIEV: 175 Pounds

GABRIEL CAMPILLO: 174 ½ Pounds

(TV Swing Bout)

JULIAN WILLIAMS: 154 ½ Pounds

JOEY HERNANDEZ: 155 pounds

LINCOLN, R.I. (April 3rd, 2015) – Undefeated world champion Shelly Vincent retained her Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) title and brought home an additional piece of hardware Friday with a unanimous decision win over challenger Christina Ruiz at Twin River Casino.

In what figured to be the toughest test of her career against the hard-hitting Texan, Vincent (14-0) perhaps fought her best fight to date, aggressively out-working the slick-boxing Ruiz (7-8-3) to earn a 98-92, 98-92, 97-93 win, defending her UBF super bantamweight title and capturing the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) 122-pound world championship.

Fighting in the 10-round headliner of “The Revival,” presented by CES Boxing, Vincent expected a challenge similar to what she faced in November when she beat Jackie Trivilino to earn the then-vacant UBF title. Ruiz, a San Antonio native with three world-title fights already on her resume, brought a similar resume to the table, but wasn’t as aggressive as Trivilino, instead choosing to counterpunch in an attempt to use her power to her advantage.

Vincent, as is often the case, was the aggressor, stalking down Ruiz and wearing down her opponent in the later rounds. The eighth and ninth turned into slugfests with both fighters exchanging blows in the center of the ring and the 10th ended in exciting fashion as the two stood toe-to-toe for one last flurry.

In the end, Vincent did enough to earn the win, landing more the effective, cleaner blows on a consistent basis. She’s now 2-0 in world title fights and still undefeated as she continues to climb the ladder in the 122-pound division.

Facing the toughest test of his career, unbeaten Providence super middleweight Angel Camacho Jr. (14-0) passed with flying colors, earning a 58-56, 60-54, 59-55 unanimous decision win over gritty veteran Chris Chatman (12-5-1) of Jersey City, N.J.

Fighting for the first time since November, Camacho looked much more poised and focused than he did in his return to the ring five months ago, using his height and reach advantage to keep Chatman at bay. While Chatman tried to work the body and break down Camacho on the inside, Camacho wisely kept his distance and used his footwork to weave in and out of danger.

Chatman came on strong in the second half of the fight, showing a second wind that wasn’t present during his win over Paul Gonsalves in November, a clear sign of his improved conditioning, which Chatman felt would work to his advantage instead. With the win, Camacho is now firmly near – or at – the top of the list among the elite super middleweights in New England.

In the most complete performance of his career, unbeaten Cranston, R.I., welterweight Nick DeLomba (7-0, 1 KO) dominated Joe Wilson Jr. (3-2) of Hartford, Conn., showcasing power unseen in his previous fights en route to his first career stoppage.

After a back-and-forth opening round, DeLomba began turning up the pressure and eventually sent Wilson to the canvas midway through the second. Wilson got back to his feet and tried to reestablish his jab, but DeLomba continued to box effectively on angles while displaying impeccable footwork and earned the stoppage at the 2:59 mark of the third round Wilson’s corner threw in the towel.

Fighting for the first time in Rhode Island and for the first time under the guidance of new trainer Vinny Paz, Lawrence, Mass., cruiserweight Jean Pierre Augustin (4-0-1) fought to a 39-37, 38-38, 38-38 majority draw against New Haven, Conn., vet Solomon Maye (1-4-1).

The fight turned sloppy at times with Maye charging at Augustin and Augustin repeatedly backpedaling and tumbling through the ropes. Neither fighter gained much momentum at any point during the bout and Augustin could not keep his footing long enough to work the perimeter and use his superior height to his advantage.

New Bedford, Mass., junior middleweight Ray Oliveira Jr. (4-0, 2 KOs) kept his perfect record intact in the opening bout of the evening, outworking Providence’s Luis Felix (0-5) to earn a hard-fought unanimous decision win, 39-37, 40-36, 39-37.

Felix tried to circle the ring and keep Oliveira chasing him, but Oliveira cut the ring off effectively and landed the cleaner blows. Instead of being able to out-box Oliveira on the perimeter, Felix found himself in defense mode trying to throw punches while backpedaling. Oliveira closed out the fourth and final round in impressive fashion to earn his second win of 2015 and second since February.

Worcester, Mass., middleweight Khiary Gray-Pitts (6-0, 4 KOs) also remained unbeaten, making quick work of New Haven, Conn., veteran Greg McCoy (3-5). Gray-Pitts landed a clean right early in the opening round that briefly put McCoy on the canvas. McCoy popped back up immediately, but referee Joey Lupino stopped the bout at the 40-second mark to save McCoy from further punishment. Gray-Pitts has now won his last two fights by first-round knockout.

Also on the undercard, Freddy Sanchez (4-0, 3 KOs) earned an impressive win in his Twin River debut, bloodying New Bedford’s Briam Granado (1-1) via third-round knockout.

The hard-charging Granado fought valiantly against the taller Sanchez as the two exchanged blows through the first two rounds, but Sanchez began boxing circles around Granado and landing the cleaner shots, at times sending Granado tumbling backwards.

A hard, overhand right by Sanchez late in the second round opened a cut over Granado’s left eye. Granado survived that round, but began getting pummeled again in the third until he could no longer continue. The fight at ended at the 1:51 mark, the first loss of Granado’s career and Sanchez’s fourth consecutive win.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 1, 2015) – The star-studded 13-bout lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” has been updated with the addition of a featherweight preliminary contest between Jay Bogan (6-4) vs. Justin Governale (3-2). In addition, Chris Herrera (4-2) replaces Ben Jones against Luc Bondole (4-1-1).

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu.

Bogan, will be making his Bellator MMA debut against Governale. The Fullerton, Calif., native has earned five of his six professional wins by way of submission and as recently as March 15 won his fourth consecutive bout.

Governale, who fights out of Laguna Hills, Calif., has previously accrued three victories on the regional circuit and will now be making his first appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. The Subfighter MMA-product was last in action on Nov. 22.

Herrera will step in on short notice to fight Bondole. “The Crusher” just defeated Bondole at Bellator 132 and looks to make it two in a row on April 10. Bondole is originally from Portland, Maine, but now makes his home in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he trains with Kings MMA.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-3) vs. Rafael Carvalho (10-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alexander Volkov (24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John Teixeira (17-1-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jay Bogan (6-4) vs. Justin Governale (3-2)

Dark Bouts (Following Spike TV broadcast)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Marcos Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Chris Herrera (4-2) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Chad George (15-8) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1)
Bellator Catchweight (150 pounds) Prelim Fight: Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron Miller (14-9)

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.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced extensive live programming for UFC Fight Night™: Mendes vs. Lamas this Saturday, April 4 from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia.

Fight Network will televise the live prelims exclusively in Canada from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. The main card is scheduled to air live on TSN2 at 1 p.m. ET.

The prelims include a women’s bantamweight showdown between former title challenger Liz Carmouche (9-5) and dangerous Alaskan Lauren Murphy (8-1), perennial lightweight contender Gray Maynard (11-4-1, 1NC) battles Russian sambo specialist Alexander Yakovlev (21-6-1), Russian heavyweight Shamil Abdurakhimov (15-2) clashes with once-beaten North Dakota native Timothy Johnson (8-1), plus Maryland native Ron Stallings (12-7, 1NC) meets Californian Justin Jones (3-1) in middleweight action.

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday morning with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 10 a.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

Post-fight coverage airs on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

The four-bout preliminary card will re-air on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET leading into a live broadcast of Big Knockout Boxing from Las Vegas, featuring Gabriel Rosado against Curtis Stevens.

The full card for UFC Fight Night™: Mendes vs. Lamas includes:

Main Card (Live on TSN2, 1 p.m. ET):

-Chad Mendes (16-2) vs. Ricardo Lamas (15-3)
-Al Iaquinta (11-3-1) vs. Jorge Masvidal (28-8)
-Michael Chiesa (11-2) vs. Mitch Clarke (11-2)
-Julianna Pena (5-2) vs. Milana Dudieva (11-3)
-Clay Guida (31-15) vs. Robbie Peralta (18-5)
-Dustin Poirier (16-4) vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-1)

Preliminary Card (Live on Fight Network, 11 a.m. ET):

-Liz Carmouche (9-5) vs. Lauren Murphy (8-1)
-Gray Maynard (11-4-1) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (21-6-1)
-Shamil Abdurakhimov (15-2) vs. Timothy Johnson (8-1)
-Ron Stallings (12-7) vs. Justin Jones (3-1)

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

PUERTO RICO (April 2, 2015) – Top junior welterweight contender Thomas Dulorme (22-1, 14 KO’s) from Puerto Rico, along with his team led by Puerto Rican trainers, Anthony ‘Gallero’ Otero and Félix Pagan Pintor, are feeling highly confident about their world title bout against Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs), who was the 2014 ‘Boxer of the Year’ and former WBO Lightweight world champion. The Crawford vs Dulorme bout will be for the vacant WBO junior welterweight world title on Saturday, April 18th, at the College Park Center located at the University of Texas, Arlington. The bout will be televised live as part of a split-site doubleheader on HBO beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Dulorme on fighting for the people of Puerto Rico…
“There is no better feeling than to train in my country. It gives me so much confidence and being at home motivates me even more because I get to see the people which I represent with pride and honor. We want to show the world that Puerto Rico will continue to produce more world champions”.

Dulorme on working with his new team of trainers…
“I have complete trust in my team’s game plan to defeat Crawford. I like the mix of dynamics between my trainers which combine the new and old school styles of boxing. Pintor is old school and Otero brings a fresh mind in to game. They are both contributing to what has turned out to be a great training camp”.

Dulorme on Terrance Crawford as a fighter and the matchup…
“Crawford is one of the best fighters in the world. He’s been awarded “Fighter of the Year” by many media outlets because he had a tremendous year in 2014. He’s moving up in weight where he’s entering into uncharted territory though. I feel I have the advantage being that I’ve fought at this weight several times. I’m the bigger man and I plan to impose my will on him.”

“I’m very pleased with Dulorme and his new team of trainers,” said Gary Shaw. “The fact that he’s training at home in Puerto Rico makes me feel good because I know his countrymen are there supporting his every move. We are only a few weeks away from fight night and I’m confident I’m going to be the promoter of a new world champion. The people of Puerto Rico will have a huge star they can call their own.”

“It’s a dream come true for us to come together and help prepare Dulorme for the biggest fight of his career.” said Dulorme’s co-trainer Anthony Otero. “From the first day I worked with Dulorme, I knew that the preparation for the fight was destined to be on a great path and has proven to be so to this day”.

“Dulorme is in excellent condition,” stated Felix Pagan Pintor, who has worked over 60 world championship bouts with legendary fighters such as Wilfredo Gomez, Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho, Edwin ‘Chapo’ Rosario, Ivan Calderon, Paul Williams, Carlos Santos, among others. “From the way he has performed in training and sparring, I foresee that on April 18th, Puerto Rico will have a new world champion.”

Richy Miranda, Dulorme’s advisor and president of the ADM (Artists Designs Management) company commented, “We were very selective in choosing an experienced and highly committed quality team. Every day during training camp, the atmosphere is very positive and the work being done is exceeding all expectations. There is no doubt that Dulorme will defeat Crawford and join the ranks of all the Puerto Rican champions before him.”

Promoted By Top Rank®, in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate, tickets to the Crawford-Dulorme are on sale now. Priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, plus applicable fees, tickets can be purchased at College Park Center box office, online at www.utatickets.com or www.utacollegpark.com or by phone at (817) 272-9595.

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

April 2, 2015 –Fight fans captivated by the fast-approaching welterweight unification title fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao can enjoy a revealing look at Pacquiao’s brilliant ring career when HBO Sports presents three of his all-time classic bouts back-to-back.

On Friday, April 17 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, April 18 at 8:15 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Pacquiao vs. Bradley II 2014, Pacquiao vs. Cotto 2009 and Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya 2008 back-to-back.

In the bright spotlight of Las Vegas on April 12, 2014, Manny Pacquiao avenged a controversial loss with a dominating performance over then undefeated Timothy Bradley Jr. in their championship title rematch.

Pacquiao’s reputation as slugger was solidified on November 14, 2009 with a resounding 12th round TKO triumph over Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Rounding out the three-hour Manny fight marathon will be Pacquiao’s signature triumph over Oscar de la Hoya on Dec. 5, 2008 that catapulted the young prizefighter from the Philippines into a superstar personality. The fight was halted in the 8th round as Pacquiao’s unrelenting attack dominated the action.

All three fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, April 20.

The Mayweather vs. Pacquiao mega-fight takes place Saturday, May 2 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Enrico Koelling (16-1, 6 KOs) is eager to atone for his first career loss when he returns to action on April 25 at the Columbia Hall in Berlin. Andrej Maurer (5-1-1, 3 KOs) is the man he must overcome to get back to winning ways following his defeat to Mirco Ricci in February.

‘’My first loss as a professional hurt more than my departure from the Olympics,’’ said Koelling, who competed at the London 2012 tournament. ‘’Against Ricci, I have no excuse, I simply wasn’t good enough on the night.’’

While Koelling admits it was painful to lose his perfect record and WBA Intercontinental title to the Italian, the 25 year-old has been encouraged by the support he has received. ‘’My team have been great and I’m really grateful for the support everyone has shown me,” said the talented young fighter. ”This has really helped me to come to terms with the loss and will help me come back stronger than ever.’’

Koelling short-term goal is clear – to defeat Maurer. After that the Berlin-boxer has set his sights on a rematch with Ricci: ‘’I know I can beat him and I want to prove that – only then will I be able to sleep at night!’’

To obtain the rematch and revive his career Koelling cannot afford to lose to Maurer. Coach Karsten Roewer has instructed his fighter not to underestimate the Russian. ‘’Enrico must not look past Maurer,’’ said Roewer. ‘’The boy will be coming to Berlin to win. Enrico must show his full potential in the ring or risk another setback.’’

Koelling joins an action-packed show at the Columbia Hall in Berlin. Tyron Zeuge (16-0, 10 KOs) tops the bill with an IBF International Super Middleweight Championship defence against former world title challenger Nikola Sjekloca (28-3, 8 KOs), while German stars Karo Murat (26-2-1, 16 KOs), Noel Gevor (16-0, 9 KOs) and Burak Sahin (6-0, 6 KOs) return alongside Polish cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak (34-2, 24 KOs). Tickets are available via tickethall.de.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO CONFERENCE CALL

Operator: Welcome to the Matthysse Provodnikov conference call. I will now turn it over to Marc Abrams.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Hello, everyone, welcome to this great conference call for this tremendous fight that’s going to happen on Saturday, April 18th at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The fight will come on air at 9:45 as part of a split site double header with Terence Crawford taking on Thomas Dulorme. On the call for the first part of the call will be Team Provodnikov, Banner Promotions present Artie Pelullo, the Siberian Rocky himself Ruslan Provodnikov, along with his manager Vadim Kornilov who will train–ultimately will translate, Hall of Fame promoter Freddie Roach, and also Kelly Abdo and Heidi Strong from Turning Stone are also on the call. Let me turn it over to Artie Pelullo–Artie?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Hi, hello, everybody, this is Artie Pelullo from Banner Promotions. Good afternoon–everybody on this call knows that this is one of the great fights of the year for us, for our sport, and I just wanted to–the first thing I want to say is thank Eric Gomez from Golden Boy, and Oscar for helping us put this fight together. It was very easy to do. Eric, Lucas, and–I’m sorry, Lucas Matthysse and Ruslan Provodnikov, excuse me, both wanted this fight. So, it was very easy to put together. Eric and I literally did the deal in maybe 30 or 40 minutes and this is how one of the great fights of 2015 got made, very easily, but two guys who wanted to fight and two promotional companies who work together in the co-promotion. And we’re doing this event equally together and it’s going to be an exciting night for boxing. I believe it’s going to be Corrales Castillo one, which I had a good fortune of promoting with Bob Arum and Gary Shaw. That’s what I think of the fight. Both guys don’t know how to do anything but put on TV friendly and fan friendly fights. Before I get into anything else with the show, I’d just like to turn it over to Kelly from Turning Stone who is the PR Manager who would like to say a few words on behalf of or host, Turning Stone Resort & Casino who went out of their way to make sure that they landed this fight because they’re really into the boxing business. They’re really fight site friendly. And they’re really into going out of their way to put on a spectacular live event at their location. So, Kelly, why don’t you take it from here and say what you’d like to say about Turning Stone.

Ms. Kelly Abdo: All right, thank you, Artie–hello, everyone, it’s Kelly Abdo from Turning Stone Resort Casino. And as Artie mentioned, we’re really excited to be hosting this epic fight and to have everyone here. We’re all really looking forward to it and we have a week’s worth of events lined up that we’re really excited to host.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thanks, Kelly–one thing I need to mention, guys, to everybody on the call and ladies and ladies and gentlemen, the reason why the fight is at Turning Stone is because Ed Allmann and Heidi Strong. They wanted the fight. They were aggressive about the fight. They realized what this kind of fight could mean because it could be a historic event because of two great punchers and two great exciting styles. I know Oscar is going to talk about Lucas, but I just like to say that he is a great fighter and I know his manager slash promoter for 20 years, Mario Arana and he’s an exceptional young man. So, it’s going to be a terrific fight on their side. As far as Ruslan’s concerned, in my opinion there’s none better. We’ve been together since his very beginning, since his first fight. It’s been my privilege to work with him. He’s a true athlete. He’s very focused on his job. He’s extremely focused on being a promotional. The VADA, the Anti-Doping Test is always something that he demands and insists on. He doesn’t believe athletes should be anything but legitimate and 100 percent legal. And his manager is Vadim who I have been working with for several years. We have a lot of fighters together. And he’s just good people, focused on the job–never an issue about who. It’s always when are we fighting? Let’s make the best fights possible. And also now Freddie Roach is on the call with us, as you know. Everybody knows Freddie. And his career changed Ruslan when he went to Freddie. The truth of it is, when he went to Freddie, got in that gym, was around world-class guys, the quality of the people he was working with changed and the development of his career was tenfold. So, after saying all of that I want to thank everybody. I’d like to introduce Freddie right now. And, as you know, Freddie is training also training the great Manny Pacquiao, but I’d like to have Freddie say a few words on behalf of Ruslan and the show–Freddie?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Hey, thank you, Artie. Ruslan is doing really well and he’s in a really good shape for this fight. He knows just how to fight and he’s a good fighter and I look forward to it, and on paper it looks like one of the best this year. So, it’s going to be a tremendous show and I don’t think you want to miss this on.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, thanks, Freddie, and now I’d like to introduce to you all Ruslan Provodnikov, the Siberian Rocky, who, as I’ve said I’ve had the good fortune of meeting him and Vadim seven years ago when I went to Moscow for the first time and signed Ruslan to an exclusive contract. And, boy, did I not know how lucky I was at the time–Ruslan Provodnikov, gentlemen and ladies–Ruslan Provodnikov.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: How are you? Hi.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, that’s good. He can say more than one word.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I just woke up getting ready to go to training. I’m happy to hear everybody.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, Vadim, would you like to say a few words?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Definitely–Artie, thank you for the great introduction and, you know, we’re here. Ruslan–he’s eating as we’re doing this. I’m sorry–he’ll be more talkative in about two, three minutes, but I’m glad that this all worked out. It’s a great fight that everybody is looking forward to. And, you know, Banner Promotions, Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, Artie Pelullo, you guys did a great job and I appreciate, and you working together to put this fight together. It’s very easy to make, and I think this is the way it should be. This is way the business should be, is the best fighting, the best, and the promoters working together–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thank you, Vadim, and I guess now it’s back to you for questions and answer, guys, for Marc? How does it go from here?

Mr. Marc Abrams: Maggie?

Operator: The lines are now open for questions. If you would like to ask a question, you may do so by pressing star and then one on your telephone keypad. That’s star and the number one. Our first question comes from the line of Dan Rafael with ESPN. Your line is live.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Thank you very much–hello?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Go ahead, Dan. We can hear you.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Okay, thank you, Artie–thank you, guys–my first question, Vadim, could you ask, respond, what does he believe the impact will be if any in the fact that Freddie–because of the Pacquiao training camp–is not going to actually be in the corner, even though he’s training him in the gym?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Everything is all right. This is not the first time that Freddie was not in the corner. For me what’s important is that Freddie is with me throughout the camp and we’re working together as a team to come up with the right strategy and, you know, get ready for this fight. It’s not a big deal. You know, Marvin Somodio is Freddie’s right hand guy is going to be there for me and I know that Marvin knows what I need to do in the wrong. And that’s all that’s important, but for me this is not a problem.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Okay, Freddie, are you there?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yes.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Freddie, I know you always like to be with your fighters on fight night. Obviously that’s a big part of training a guy. Can you speak to the reason you won’t be there? Is it the matter of just because of the serious nature of the Pacquiao training camp? I understand you’ve also had some problems with your back. What’s your take on the reasons that you can’t make it to Turning Stone for the fight.

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yeah, because the Pacquiao fight is very important right now and Ruslan is very important also. I work with him every day in the gym. He and Marvin have a good rapport together. Marvin knows what to do. He’s a very good trainer. Even after a fight when we went to Denver by himself without me and they came through. They understand what I want and just because I’m not there doesn’t–Ruslan will still fight his fight and Marvin will make the adjustments along the way. There will be no problem whatsoever. It’s not the first or last time this has happened in my life.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Freddie, when you think about the fight on paper between these guys, I think pretty much every boxing fan looks at this and just says, “Wow, there is no chance. This can’t be, you know, potentially the fight of the year, or a very memorable action packed fight. Can you just give me your take on the match up?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Yes, it’s the greatest match up in the world. It’s–you’ve got two guys that love to fight, two guys that are great punches. It’s going to be a very exciting fight. That’s for sure, and it’s the best fight and the best is what we need. This is what’s going on in boxing right now and that’s why everything is really happening in boxing bigger than ever at this point because of fights like this.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Vadim, could you ask Ruslan to also give your response to his take on the match up? There are so many boxing fans who are super excited about this just because of the action style that Ruslan as well as Lucas to the ring.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I expect the same as all the fans. You know, this is a very exciting match up. This is going to be a great fight and I think that for me it’s no less than to all the people watching. You know, for me it’s exciting as well and these types of fights are what’s important because for me the fight and the money as I’ve said many times, they’re not number one. Number one is I want my fights to be part of history, and I think this is one of those fights that is destined to be part of history. And that’s what I want to give my fans. That’s what I want to give my people back home is these fights that people will remember because not all the fights that a World Title fights are remembered. But the fights that–the type of fight that can happen between Matthysse and I are–is a fight that’s definitely going to be remembered forever.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, thank you very much, guys–appreciate your time.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Thank you.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Michael Woods with the Sweet Science. Your line is live.

Mr. Michael Woods: Hey, guys, thanks for making the time–my question is for Ruslan. Ruslan, I presume that you believe going into the fight you are betting than Matthysse. How are you better than Mattyssee?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Well, first of all I never said that I’m better than him or that I’m better than anyone else because it’s not for me to judge. All I can say is that I know that I can beat anybody and it’s all about my will. And I know that if I give everything that I have in the ring, and I give everything that I have in training, I can beat anybody. It’s all about my character and all I’m willing to give. I can’t judge who is better or who is not better, you know? And I know his team are saying a lot of things and they’re saying, “You know, we’re going to knock them out. We’re smarter, we’re better, we’re better boxers.” I don’t want to say any of that. I’m a lot more political than that. You know, talk is cheap. You know, there’s a Russian saying that says, “Don’t say I won until you win,” you know basically. And I’m not going to talk. You know, I’m going to my talking in the ring and I think that I can be better than anybody if I deserve it and I give it all in training.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Good stuff–I like that. Question is for Freddie–Freddie, I’m not asking for your game plan, but I am asking how you believe Ruslan is better than Matthysse on paper going into the fight.

Mr. Freddie Roach: I think, yeah, he is, I think he’s a good puncher, but Matthysse is very strong also. I mean this is–both guys are very dangerous. I told Ruslan if you hurt this guy, don’t just talk in because he has tremendous power. Don’t let him get lucky. So, you know, we have a pretty good game plan down. We know what do I think and how to do it I think. And so, probably we had a great training camp.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, good stuff–thanks, guys, I appreciate it.

Operator: Our next question comes from the line of Distino Lois Jr. from Black Star News New York City. Your line is live.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–thank you for the invitation, I appreciate it. The question to Ruslan is, Ruslan, unfortunately–this is Distino Lois Jr., Black Star News, Manhattan–you suffered a setback with your loss to Chris Algieri. Do you consider this fight with Lucas Matthysse a redemption, a door opener if victorious so that you can take advantage of the vacancies of the 140 pounders because now, of course, we are aware of the fact that Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson, two of your future opponents, have moved up to 143 catch-weight fight for the 11th. So, now the victory over Matthysse would be a door opener for you. Is that how you feel?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I definitely know that there’s a lot of different things going on at 140 right now, but for me right now I’m thinking about April 18th, you know? You know, I’m thinking about this fight and I know that once I win this fight it will open a lot of doors for me. But, you know, once the fight is over we can sit down and I’ll be happy to answer all your questions about what’s next.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: I see–let me just also clarify the question that was asked. So you know, neither one of those two guys are giving up their title. They’re fighting at 143 pounds. So, neither one of them would have to be at risk of losing their title, which I find very interesting that neither one of them would fight for their title so they could give up their title to the winner. So, nobody is giving up their titles in that fight. What they’re doing is they made an agreement not to put their titles on the line, which is a big difference in what your question was originally about, sir.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: Well, absolutely, but I question Danny Garcia and you said he was having trouble making the weight. That’s why he agreed–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Then he should give up the title–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –To, to–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Then he should give up the title, but anyway–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –That’s not–he should give up the title, but that’s not what’s going on–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –What’s going on is they’re not fighting on weight, so neither one of them are at risk to lose their title–.

Mr. Distino Lois Jr.: –Right, I’m aware of that. Thank you very much. Ruslan, without giving out any trade secrets with your Hall of Fame Freddie Roach trainer, how are you all prepared for Matthysse, being that Matthysse has already shown some flaws of being knocked down twice by Molina and once by Danny Garcia? So, what are you doing to make sure that yours is the final punch?

Mr. Marc Abrams: I guess next question?

Operator: All right, our next question comes from the line of Briggs Seekins from Bleacher Report. Your line is live.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Yeah, hi, Ruslan–I’m wondering is there a sense where mentally it’s a little bit easier to relax in training camp when you know you’re playing a guy who is going to give you the kind of fight you want and not be, you know, an evasive sort of fighter like Algieri, but a guy who is going to, you know, like you say, give you a fight that makes history and also give you the kind of fight that you like to fight?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: For me training camp is training camp. I always give everything I can in training camp and I’m very responsible in training camp. I don’t take anybody lightly, but to answer your question, you know, walking into a ring with a fighter that I know will fight me definitely I can do a lot better than a fighter who will just run.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Great, thank you–and Artie I did–I want to thank you for calling out the situation at 140 with the titles. It’s a little discouraging to see them not treated the way that a lot of us grew up seeing titles treated.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Yup, you’re right, and, you know, what’s going on is purely that they don’t want to have anything at risk. It’s a dangerous fight for both guys, but not for like Provodnikov and Matthysse. They’re putting it all on the line because they’re still fighting at 12 rounds. It’s 140 pounds. There is no title because we don’t have one, and I’m telling you both these kids would put their titles out if they had, but they wouldn’t be avoiding fighting for the title because then they don’t want to take a chance at losing it. That’s what’s going on. That’s exactly what’s happening.

Mr. Briggs Seekins: Yeah, absolutely–all right, good luck, Ruslan.

Mr. Marc Abrams: I guess we’ll take one more for Ruslan.

Operator: Our last question comes from the line of Chris Gunzz with 15rounds.com. Your line is live.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Ruslan, he is a huge puncher as a few different guys brought up already. Do you think he’s going to be the biggest puncher you’ve faced and do you ever wonder if you’ll be able to handle that power? Have you ever had the experience of getting hit by a guy who carries a massive punch like that, and do you feel–any questions on whether you’ll be able to take it on the night?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: The question is about Matthysse being the biggest puncher that Ruslan has faced, correct?

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Yes, and if he has any questions of whether he’ll be able to take it.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Looking at his record, he seems to be one of the biggest punchers of this decade, you know? He’s probably one of the biggest punchers right now. Does it bother me–not at all. It only makes me more excited because I know that this is going to be a real fight and I know that either, you know, I take him or he takes me. And it’s going to be toe to toe it’s going to be a real fight. For me that’s only a positive.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: And I appreciate that even more that you realize you’re facing someone dangerous, and you want to face him anyway and you don’t mind it. I love the balls you’re showing in that, and final question for Freddie. Is it a plan to jump on him early, Freddie, because he did show that vulnerability in the Molina fight? Is Freddie still there? I heard someone hang up in the phone call, but is Freddie still there?

Mr. Freddie Roach: I’m here. Yeah, I’m still here.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Is it a focus in training camp to try to jump on him early seeing that the vulnerability was shown in the Molina fight early on?

Mr. Freddie Roach: Well, you know, we can. I mean we know how this guy fights. I mean I think he is the bigger punch, and we’re a little bit better than he is, but I mean, you know, he’s got his strong points also. So, it makes for an exciting fight. Ruslan is a very good fighter. Ruslan, I saw him learn how to fight Manny Pacquiao on his own. He used to be Manny’s sparing partner. And that’s when I first really got interested in him because he’s so capable. He learns very quickly and he’s a great shooter.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: One of the best ever–I appreciate it, Freddie. Good luck on April 18th and good luck on May too.

Mr. Freddie Roach: Thank you very much.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, was that it, guys?

Mr. Marc Abrams: It’s–I’m going to turn it over to Golden Boy and Team Matthysse in a minute. I guess final comments from I guess first Artie and then Ruslan.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Well, I just want to say thank you for everybody for joining the call. There’s really not much to say. As Dan Rafael and all the other reporters and Mr. Woods who got on the phone, everybody knows that this is the most TV friendly and fan friendly fight. The networks were all over–both of them bid on the fight. So, it’s going to be a great night for boxing, a great night for our fans. And I just want to thank everybody, Ruslan, Freddie, and Vadim for helping promote the fight, which–it’s like–it doesn’t take a lot of promoting to promote this event because everybody knows it’s going to be a terrific event. I want to thank everybody for coming on board–thank you. Now I’d like to introduce my co-promoter and my partner in the show, and everybody knows who this is, one of the great fighters of our time who has turned out to be quite the promoter himself, good people. He has a nice staff. Like I said earlier, a lot of people say a lot of different things. It literally has been no misses to work with Oscar and his staff. It was very smooth and it’s been a joy and a pleasure, and like Eric Gomez and I say there will be future events that we’ll be working. Now I’d like to turn it over to Oscar De La Hoya. He’s the founder and president of Golden Boy and one of the great personalities in our sport. It’s my pleasure to work with him, Oscar?

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: Artie, sorry to interrupt. Ruslan is leaving. So, we’re good to go. He wanted to say a couple of things–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Oh, I’m sorry–I went too fast, excuse me. I’m sorry, Ruslan. Say something. I apologize.

Mr. Ruslan Provodnikov: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: I just want to say that I want to thank Artie Pelullo personally, Banner Promotions. I want to thank my whole team for making this happen. This is going to be a great fight. I want to thank HBO for making this happen. I’ve been loyal to them and they’ve been loyal to me and that’s very important to me and we’ve done great things together and there’s great things to come. So, I appreciate this and I want to say one thing to the fans. I promise this is going to be the fight you guys are all waiting for. And now from me, Artie, good luck with–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Sure–.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: –I want to give the word to Oscar De La Hoya and the rest of his team, and I bet for the next 30 minutes you guys are going to hear a lot of–Matthysse is going to knock Provodnikov out and all of that, but I just want to say that Provodnikov has never been on his knees. So, you know, they’re talking about knockouts a lot, but they should be expecting a knock out on their team. Good luck to you guys and I appreciate the promotions. Ruslan says all the best of health to Matthysse and his team–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Thanks, Vadim–.

Mr. Vadim Kornilov: –Thanks again–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Well, since I–I apologize, guys, I went a little bit too fast. So, Oscar, you’re up. I don’t have to say it again. Everybody knows what we think of you–Oscar De La Hoya–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you very much–we really appreciate it and Artie already mentioned this fight needs no promotion. We are just thrilled that the best network is going to be televising this event. These are the types of events that obviously belong on HBO Championship Boxing and we are just thrilled and excited to be part of it. I also want to take the opportunity to thank Corona Extra, also Mexico Live it to Believe it, and Corsair Vodka, which are the sponsors of the events. They have been doing a tremendous, tremendous job with all of the Marketing and the grassroots Marketing. So, come April 18th the whole world will know the best 140 pounders will be fighting on that night. It is my pleasure to introduce to you a fighter who hails from Argentina. We all know Argentinean fighters are strong fighters who are smart fighters who come to give the fight fans a spectacular show and when you’re going to see Lucas and Provodnikov in that same ring April 18th, we–you’re guaranteed fireworks. So, it is my pleasure to introduce to you a fighter with a record of 36 and 3 and 32 knockouts. They call him La Máquina, and that is Lucas Matthysse. [Foreign Language Spoken]–Lucas. [Foreign Language Spoken], Lucas.

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: I’ll translate for Lucas. He said, hi, good afternoon, everybody–I’m calling from my training camp in Junin and I’ve very excited for this fight and to be fighting once again in the United States.

Mr. Marc Abrams: Thank you, gracias, and we’ll now open it up for questions from the media–gracias.

Operator: As a reminder, if you would like to ask a question, you may do so by pressing star and then one on your telephone keypad. That’s star and the number one, and our first question comes from the line of Dan Rafael with ESPN. Your line is live.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Thank you very much–my question for Lucas–I asked Ruslan this in his portion of the call–you have a fight here where I think pretty much every boxing fan, media is anxiously waiting what they think would be the fight of the year. I would like to hear from Lucas about his thoughts about the really high expectations for this fight to be, you know, extremely, extremely exciting and entertaining.

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, I’m, you know, I’m just excited. I’m excited to be fighting a caliber of fighter like Ruslan. It’s two, you know, fighters at the top of their game fighting each other. I had many good, you know, replies on it, especially in Argentina. A lot of people are looking forward to the fight and I’m just excited to be fighting again at this level and fighting a guy like Ruslan.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Eric, could you ask Lucas, you know, in April last year he knocked out John Molina. It got voted as the Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers. Does he think that it has the chance of–to be another fight of the year? Is that something he ever thinks about? I know he’s probably happy that they got the Fight of the Year for last year. He could make it two in a row potentially.

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Well, I mean for last year’s fight I’ve got to give credit to John Molina because he came to fight and he allowed me to perform in a way that made it Fight of the Year. If Ruslan comes forward and is aggressive and does the same thing, then, yes, I’m going to seize that opportunity and try to take advantage of that and make it an exciting fight. I think personally it could be a great fight. But, you know, it takes two.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Exactly, thank you for that, Eric–one question for you, Oscar.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: I’m here.

Mr. Dan Rafael: Hey, Oscar, good to talk to you. I know for the last number of months you have preached very regularly about your desire to try to make the best fights you possibly can do as the leader of Golden Boy Promotions. I’d like to know from your point of view, is this sort of basically the kind of fight you had talked about when you said those words that this is the expectations that you have to make this caliber of a fight on a regular basis?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, these are exactly the fights that the fans want to see, whether there’s a title on the line or no title, or where it takes place. You know, these are the fights that the fans deserve and I’ve been an advocate of staging the best fights possible for the fans and come April 18th I don’t know for sure, but I have a good hunch that this fight might be the Fight of the Year.

Mr. Dan Rafael: All right, thank you for that, Oscar–appreciate it. Thank you very much, guys, look forward to this one.

Operator: All right, our next question comes from the line of Daniel [unintelligible] [00:35:22] Deportiva [sp]. Your line is live.

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Yeah, he asked me about this fight, why wasn’t it staged in Los Angeles or in Las Vegas? Why New York, and, you know, simple–the venues were not available and I–he asked me if, you know, this fight being such an exciting and anticipated fight, I mean how do I feel? This is what Golden Boy is all about and I’m just really happy to be working with Artie Pelullo and Eric was very instrumental in making this fight happen, and we feel very, very optimistic that I mean this fight is going be action packed from the first battle and I–and it might even be better than the Mayweather Pacquiao fight.

Mr. Daniel: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Okay, so the question was, do you know–are you aware that, you know, Freddie Roach will not be working in the corner of Ruslan on the night of the fight. And Lucas said, “No, not really–I didn’t know.”

Mr. Daniel: Gracias.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Michael Woods with the Sweet Science. Your line is live.

Mr. Michael Woods: Hi, guys, thanks for taking the time. My question is for Ruslan. Ruslan, on the first portion of the call someone referenced you saying something along the lines of you believe you are going to knock Provodnikov out. But I didn’t see that. I’m not sure what outlet that was said to. Can you reiterate that? Can you talk about that and clarify it for me what was said there?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: No, he said they weren’t exactly those words, but he said how long. It’s a tough fight and he’s going to–he’s ready to fight. He’s ready for a tough fight, and if the opportunity presents itself so that the fight could end early, obviously I’m going to take advantage of it. But I’m ready to fight a tough fight and it’s going to be a tough fight.

Mr. Michael Woods: Thanks–this question is for Oscar. Oscar, you’ve repeatedly said you want the best fighting the best. That’s going to be the stamp that Golden Boy wishes to put on its fight. I am wondering, is there a certain class of athlete and human being who wants to accept the challenge of the best fighting the best, and are you going to maybe target those types of fighters and only sign those types of fighters to Golden Boy moving forward?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, that’s up to the fighter. I mean I can’t fight for the fighter. You know, they go up to the ring and they perform, but, you know, we at Golden Boy want to make the best match ups possible, you know, obviously keeping in mind that, you know, that the fans always come first and, you know, this fight here with Lucas and Provodnikov, I mean this is–everybody is writing about how this is going to be the Fight of the Year and we feel proud to be working with Artie Pelullo and making this happen.

Mr. Michael Woods: Yeah, and the fan buzz for this on Twitter is amazing I would say. Could you give us a hint maybe, a little bit of a tease about maybe some other types of fist fights that maybe you’re trying to make, or want to make for the rest of this year?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, this is–that’s calls for another conference call. So, we’re going to focus here on Lucas. So, we’ll have a call about that shortly, my man.

Mr. Michael Woods: All right, thanks–appreciate it, guys–be well.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Take care, Michael.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the line of Disino Lois Jr. with Black Star News New York City. Your line is live.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–gracias–[Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Hey, Eric, can you translate that in English too? I speak a little Italian, but no Spanish.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Oh, you want me to say it in English too?

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Yeah, I want to hear what’s–I told you, I speak a little Italian, but no Spanish–sorry, guys.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Well, I can do both if you want me to. I don’t know.

Mr. Eric Gomez: So, the question was, Lucas, do you see this as an opportunity of more doors opening at 140 so that you can be the top fighter at 140? Obviously there’s still Danny Garcia and Lamonte, but everybody knows they’re fighting at a catch-weight. Is this kind of like the changing of the guard and it’s going to open up the doors so you can be the top fighter at 140? Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken], Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, obviously, I mean obviously with this fight here, we’re the ones that are fighting at the weight class–.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: –Right–.

Mr. Eric Gomez: –Whatever reason Danny and Lamonte, they’re not–they’re fighting outside of the weight class. Yes, this is the fight that’s going to open up opportunities for the winner. It’s the fight that’s going to open up bigger and better things, and that’s what I’m looking forward to. That’s what motivates me.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Are you preparing for this question–are you preparing for this fight which obviously promises to be a fight in a phone booth? Are you preparing so you’re not hit and not dropped like you have, like you did get dropped with Danny and your last fight with Molina, Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Well, it’s all in the preparation. It’s all in the preparation and I’ve had–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Eric Gomez: –And I’ve had a very, very good preparation and obviously we’ve worked on things so that that won’t happen during the fight, but it’s all in the preparation and I’ve had one of the best preparations for this fight.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you–gracias, Lucas–my last question will be to Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar–I’ll do it in English. Is this your dream come true, Oscar, that all of the fights that you wanted to put together are little by little coming true, and at the same time you are spreading the wealth because you are going up to Verona, New York. A lot of people have told me, where the heck is Verona, New York, but it is a fight town. So, are you doing this to spread the wealth of boxing and to make it more palatable for those who cannot come into the Las Vegas and the California’s and whatever?

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Well, it, I’m happy to be part of a year where boxing will be shown and on the main stage. You know, we feel that boxing in 2015 is going to transcend–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –And boxing is just–it’s just getting started. I mean with the Mayweather Pacquiao fight happening–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –With Canelo fighting and this fight here, I mean this is what the fans want to see and we’re just excited to be part of it. And, you know, to take it down to Verona, you know, the ticket sales are just a great indication of–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Right–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –You know, that Verona is a fight town and–.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: –Exactly–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –Yeah, the arenas weren’t available in Los Angeles or Las Vegas. So, you know, we didn’t take a risk of taking it to Verona. I mean we obviously already–Pelullo knew first hand what type of fans there are in Verona, New York. So, you know, obviously he wasn’t wrong. I mean this is almost a sell out event so we’re excited to be part of it.

Mr. Disino Lois Jr.: Thank you very much–God bless all of you and [Foreign Language Spoken]. Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Gracias.

Operator: All right, next question comes from the lines of Chris Gunzz with 15rounds.com. Your line is live.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Lucas, I know that–it was my opinion that it was Fight of the Year last year, you versus John Molina. And you know how hard John Molina hits. You faced him. When you were sent film of Ruslan, you know that he carries a punch. How do you assess through film when you compare what you might feel from him, that what you already felt from John Molina? Who do you think has bigger one-punch power?

Mr. Eric Gomez: Lucas, [Foreign Language Spoken]. Lucas?

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yes, yes, okay–yeah, yeah, you know, obviously it’s hard to compare because, you know, I haven’t fought against Ruslan. But they’re different styles. They’re different styles. Molina was a little sneaky. Ruslan is a very, very different style. Obviously the object of it is not to get hit, you know, in this fight but I’m preparing. I’ll be ready for it.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: And, as a guy who faced that kind of power and had to get up, cross the canvas, and you pulled out a victory in that great fight, do you ever have any questions that if Ruslan does prove to carry bigger power, will you be able to get up? Do you ever question that?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Lucas Matthysse: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: I’m not going to get dropped with Ruslan. So, you don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going to get dropped. But when Molina dropped me, you know, if the punch was a little bit behind my head. I’m not making excuses, but I’m not going to get dropped. I’m not going to get dropped with Ruslan and that’s not what I’m thinking about.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: He’s pretty tough, and one question for Cuty Barrera, Lucas did show and he has shown that he can jab and he can move a little bit. He does have a little bit more to his game than Ruslan does. Is it a game plan to show movement because Ruslan does admit that he has problems with movers? Is it a plan to try to move a little bit?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Cuty Barrera: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Eric Gomez: He’s talking in robot I think. I don’t know what he’s saying. [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Does Lucas want to answer that? Is he trying to involve a little bit more movement to the fight?

Mr. Eric Gomez: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Cuty Barrera: [Foreign Language Spoken].

Mr. Artie Pelullo: I don’t now what’s going on.

Mr. Eric Gomez: Yeah, he said, you know what? I think I understood him saying they’re working on the jab. He’s working on the jab a little bit, but he doesn’t want to give up too much information.

Mr. Chris Gunzz: Maybe he’s coming as a robot. He’s going to be had to beat if he does. And one quick question for Oscar. Oscar, when you finished laughing out loud, what did you end up saying through text or phone call to Gary Russell on Saturday night? I’m just playing. I’m just playing. I don’t want you to answer that. I know you’re a lot more professional. I just want to commend you on the great fights that you’re putting on and the great job you’re doing at Golden Boy. I do appreciate the great job you guys are doing–thank you–thank you, everyone.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Are we done, Marc?

Operator: We have no further questions, thank you, at this time.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Okay, so, I guess, Oscar, I want to thank you. Eric, Lucas Matthysse, Ruslan, and all of the reporters on board. See everybody–Oscar, I’d like you–I’ll let you finish up with the last word. I want to see everybody at the fight and I appreciate everything that is happening with this great event–thank you.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: Thank you–thank you very much, and, yeah, there’s really not much to say. We’ll see you April 18th. I mean sure fireworks. We are all excited and we’re just–it’s just a pleasure to be working with Artie Pelullo and his staff and everybody involved. So, watch it live on HBO Championship Boxing. There’s a few tickets left. So, it’s sure going to be a sell out and crowd there in New York. So, we’re excited and so we’ll see you soon–thank you.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: Oscar, if you’re around tomorrow, Wednesday, I’ll be in LA. Lunch is on me at In-N-Out Burger. Very important on the east coast–we don’t have them here.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: I’m actually in–I’ll be in New York, but I’ll take you up on that at another date–thank you, Artie.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: You got it. Have a good day, guys–thank you very much–anything else, Marc?

Mr. Marc Abrams: No.

Mr. Artie Pelullo: All right, thank you–bye bye–.

Mr. Oscar De La Hoya: –Bye–.

FACTS: Matthysse vs. Provodnikov is a 12-round junior welterweight bout presented by Banner Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arano Boxing and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live It To Believe It! and Khortytsa Vodka. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

TICKETS: The April 18 showdown between former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov proved to be a smashing success as all ringside seats have sold-out. Limited seats are still available , $35 and $25 and are available at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office by calling 315-361-7469 or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

Professional media requesting credentials for the April 18th fight must contact Kelly Abdo, Turning Stone Resort Casino Public Relations Manager at 315.366.9291 or kelly.abdo@turningstone.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.banner-promotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.turningstone.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BannerBoxing, @HBOBoxing, @RuslanProvod, @ TurningStone and become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/BannerPromotions, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/TurningStoneResort and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @ bannerboxing, @ turningstone and @ruslanprovod.

Micki Nieslen (17-0, 12 KOs) will defend his WBC International title against Junior Anthony Wright (13-0-1, 11 KOs) on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen. Wright replaces Felix Cora Jr. (25-6-2, 14 KOs) who withdrew from a scheduled bout with the Danish cruiserweight.

The American challenger represents a tough test for Nielsen’s first championship defence. Promoted by former professional boxer Dmitriy Salita, the Illinois-native is undefeated in fourteen professional contests and boasts an impressive 78.5% knockout ratio. Despite his opponent’s pedigree, the 22 year-old champion remains confident of victory.

‘’It doesn’t matter who is put in front of me,’’ said the defiant Dane. ‘’No one is taking this title away from me. I’m ready and willing to fight anyone. Line them up and I will knock them out!

‘’Like me Wright is undefeated but unlike me he will taste defeat on May 2. He’s a good boxer and I’m sure he will come to fight, but there’s only going to be one outcome – my hand will be raised and the belt will remain round my waist.’’

Promoter Nisse Sauerland is anticipating an explosive encounter when the undefeated cruiserweights clash in Copenhagen. ‘’There are going to be fireworks in Frederiksberg,’’ declares the Team Sauerland promoter.

‘’Micki and Junior are two young, hungry fighters, both undefeated, both big punchers and both gunning for a world title shot. This fight has all the ingredients of a real barnstormer. It is definitely not one to be missed.’’

Nielsen’s title defence is one of two WBC championship fights taking place on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne, as 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 presents the ‘Nordic Fight Night – Going For Gold’ on May 2 at the Frederiksberg-Hallerne in Copenhagen, Denmark. All the action will be shown 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.

Julian Ramirez remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous over Raul Hidalgo in a 10-round Featherweight bout at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.

In round nine, Hidalgo began to bleed from his nose.

Ramirez, 126 lbs of East Los Angeles won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 14-0. Hidalgo, 125 lbs of Nueva, MX is 23-13.

Former Brazilian Bronze medal winner Yamaguchi Falcao won a 6-round unanimous decision over DeArtie Tucker in a Middleweight bout.

In round three a point was deducted from Falcao for holding.

In round four, Ticker began to bleed from his nose and mouth

Falcao, 161 1/2 lbs of Victiria, BRA won by scores of 59-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 5-0. Tucker, 158 lbs of Fort Smith, ARK is 2-1.

Everton Lopes scored a first round stoppage over Robert Seyam in a scheduled four-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Lopes dropped Seyam with a body shot and he was not able to beat the ten count at 1:24.

Lopez, 139 1/4 lbs of Brazil is now 5-1 with three knockouts. Seyam, 139 1/2 lbs of Wichita, KS is now 2-3.

Joet Gonzalez scored a 2nd round stoppage over Ali Gonzalez in a scheduled 4-round Featherweight bout.

Joet landed a hard left body shot that sent Ali to the canvas for the ten count.

Joet Gonzalez, 124 lbs of Glendora, CA is now 9-0 with 4 knockouts. Ali Gonzalez, 123 3/4 lbs is 6-6-1

Petr Petrov 132.9 – Gamaliel Diaz 132.9
(NABA & NABO Lightweight title)
Taras Shelestyuk 145.3 – Juan Rodriguez 145
Emmanuel Robles 138.2 – Wilberth Lopez 137.6
Isaac Freeman 150 – Darius Ervin 150
Michael Norato 129.5 – Sopuan Rin 128.5
Humberto Rubalcalva 119.7 – Christian Lorenzo 120.8

Promoters: Thompson Boxing & Banner Promotions
Venue: Omega Products International
Doors open at 4:30 PT; 1st Bout 5:15; TV (ESPN 2) 6:00 PT / 9:00 ET

Elias Araujo scored a 4-round unanimous decision over Jonatahn Pereyra in a Super Lightweight bout.

Araujo, 135 1/2 lbs won by scores of 40-38, 40-37, 40-36 and is now 2-0. Pereyra, 135 1/2 lbs is 0-3.

QUEBEC CITY (April 2, 2015) – Before the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions on CBS telecast begins (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT), a bevy of young stars will look to ignite the Pepsi Coliseum crowd in a series of undercard bouts beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the live event are on sale and can be purchased at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika and featuring Artur Beterbiev as he faces Gabriel “The Handsome Man” Campillo, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Headlining the undercard action is rising undefeated super welterweight contender Julian “J Rock” Williams (18-0-1, 11 KOs), who’ll be looking to continue his rise to stardom when he faces exciting Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (24-2-1, 14 KOs)in a 10-round welterweight bout.

In another top non-televised match, Kevin Bizier (23-2, 16 KOs)returns to the ring in his hometown to face Fouad El Massoudi (12-4, 1 KO)in an eight-round super welterweight showdown. In an eight-round heavyweight scrap, undefeated Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (15-0, 10 KOs) will face Oezcan Cetinkaya (19-9-2, 13 KOs).

In a pair of super welterweight bouts, Sebastien Bouchard (9-1, 3 KOs) will take on Denis Farias (19-6-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round clash and Custio Clayton (2-0, 1 KO) will face Ronald Berti (4-3-1, 1 KO)in a six-round showdown.

The remainder of the card is rounded out by a trio of Canadian prospects looking to build their pro resumes. Jan Michael Poulin (1-0-1) takes on Michel Tsalla (1-9-2) in a four round middleweight bout, Vislan Dalkhaev (1-0) battles Adel Hadjouis (7-3) in a four-round bantamweight bout and Shakeel Phinn (1-0, 1 KO) faces Roody Rene (0-2-1)in a four-round super middleweight bout.

An undefeated prospect hailing from f the great fighting city of Philadelphia, Williams is looking to keep his undefeated record intact and impress on the big stage. The 24-year-old faces a stiff test in Miami-native Hernandez. The 30-year-old Hernandez has battled some of the best in boxing and he intends to hand Williams his first professional loss when the two square off.

After dropping a title-eliminator by split decision in his last bout, Bizier, 30, returns to his hometown of Quebec looking to get back in the win column and into title contention. He hopes to build his case with a victory over the 27-year-old El Massoudi, who is making his North American debut. The fighter out of Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dome, France hopes to make an immediate impact in his battle against Bizier.

An undefeated heavyweight who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, Rivashas fought exclusively in his adopted hometown of Montreal since turning pro in 2009. He’ll be making his first start at Pepsi Coliseum when he faces Cetinkaya, of Kassel, Hessen, Germany.

Fighting for the third time as a professional at Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec’s Bouchard is seeking his second consecutive victory since suffering his lone defeat. The 27-year-old faces a difficult test in the experienced Farias, of Aulnay-sous-bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. This is the 27-year-old Farias’ first fight outside of France.

A 2012 Canadian Olympian, Clayton looks to build his professional resume and show why he was considered one of the best amateur boxers to come out of Canada. The 27-year-old from Montreal battles the 27-year-old Berti from Bracquegnies, Belgium.

A latecomer to the professional ranks, Poulin is looking to build off of his first career victory in December 2014. The 32-year-old from Quebec faces the 31-year-old Tsalla, who also hails from Quebec.

Russian-born but fighting out of Quebec, Dalkhaev is making his second pro start after earning his first pro victory in December 2014. The 26-year-old will be tested by the 28-year-old Hadjouis, of Rueil-Malmaison, Haut-de-seine, France.

Rounding out the non-televised undercard, Phinn, 24, will be looking for his second pro victory after picking up a TKO win over Eddie Gates in January of this year. The Quebec-native battles the 36-year-old Rene out of Ontario.

Below are quotes from Thursday’s press conference:

YVON MICHEL, President of GYM
“In my opinion, the biggest fight in the history of Pepsi Coliseum was Pascal-Hopkins 1, but the scale of this event presented on a general network like CBS exceeds all that was done previously. “We are privileged to have the PBC series for this historic first. All of this is possible thanks to Adonis Stevenson. The undercard is also stacked.

“PBC on CBS will also ensure that the people there love the experience. There will be screens everywhere and spectacular entrances. It will be a unique experience!” added the promoter.”

BERNARD BARRE, Executive Vice President of GYM
“There will be 10 fights Saturday, including nine non-televised bouts that only people who bouthg tickets to be at the Coliseum will see. It’s a Marathon!”

JULIAN WILLIAMS
“I’m just looking to perform well and get the win on Saturday. I’ve been preparing and training extremely hard for this fight. I’m taking it one fight at a time, and I’m definitely not looking past a fighter like Hernandez.”

JOEY HERNANDEZ
“There’s no excuses this time around. I’ve had some trouble motivating myself for training in the past, but not this time. I respect my opponent and have worked very hard to prepare for this fight. This will be the fight of my life and I’m looking to put on a great show on Saturday.”

KEVIN BIZIER
“I’m happy to close the Coliseum. It is my home here. And you know I always do good fights! My opponent will come to fight and he loves going inside to brawl. It will be a good battle me and him. May the best man win Saturday.”

FOUAD EL MASSPOUDI
“It is a first time for me in Canada. I am ready for this fight and we have all the weapons to succeed”

OEZCAN CETINKAYA
“I’m glad to have the opportunity to box at the Quebec Coliseum. It’s a new year and I look forward to make a statement this year

SEBASTIEN BOUCHARD
“We worked hard in the gym and that labor paid off when I stopped Cédric Spera. We continued in the same vein for this fight.”

DENIS FARIAS
“It’s been over a month I’ve been training twice a day for this fight. I came here to win.”

JAN-MICHAEL POULIN
“I look forward to settling something Saturday. It’s nothing personal against Michel Tsalla, but I have a draw to erase against him.”

MARC RAMSAY (trainer of Vislan Dalkhaev)
“I have a special history with Vislan Dalkhaev. Initially, he came here on the recommendation of Artur Beterbiev. The initial goal was to help Artur to acclimate to Montreal and I knew that having a friend here would help. At the gym, however, I discovered that, not only were they friends of the each other, but Vislan was a high-level boxer.”

# # #

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.groupeyvonmichel.ca, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @yvonmichelgym, @AdonisSuperman and @Sakio_Bika, follow the conversation using #StevensonBika, become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

(On facing undefeated Khiary Gray-Pitts): “It won’t be easy for him. There’s so much to gain and nothing to lose for me in this fight. I know he’s a brawler and that’s my kind of fight. I love to go toe-to-toe. I’ve been taught some new tricks that are tailor-made for this kid. This fight is a redemption, a rebirth of ‘Quiet Storm.’ This is business, nothing personal. I want a true knockout in my career highlights. I’m not looking past him, but running through him is my intention. ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’ keeps playing in my head. I’m ready for war.”

______

KHIARY GRAY-PITTS (5-0, 3 KOs), WORCESTER, MASS.

(On this fight being his toughest test as a pro): “I’m happy to be fighting again at Twin River. McCoy is a tough challenge, but if he’s fighting me then he’s stepping up to a big challenge, too. I’m small, but I’m a big challenge for any fighter. I know he is coming out to fight. He said someone is going ‘night, night.’ I’m not talking trash or nothing, but I’m not going ‘night, night.’ I’m not tired. I’m hungry.”

______

BRIAM GRANADO (1-0, 1 KO), NEW BEDFORD, MASS.

(On making his Twin River debut against unbeaten Freddy Sanchez): “All I have to say is this is going to be an exciting fight for the fans who will be attending. Freddy’s a good contender. I need to have a clear mind and be ready for anything. I’m not just saying I’m going in for the kill, because things can change. I know what to do. I can tell he’s working hard. At the same time, I’m working hard as well, so it’s going to be an exciting fight. The training is the easy part. The fight is going to be the easier part.”

_________

RAY OLIVEIRA JR. (3-0, 2 KOs), NEW BEDFORD, MASS.

(On facing Luis Felix, who also has experience in mixed martial arts): “I’m excited to fight Luis. There are always boxing versus MMA conversations in the sports world and I’m looking forward to representing boxing on April 3rd. To add to it, we get to fight it out in my step-state, Rhode Island, at one of my favorite places to fight, Twin River.”

LINCOLN, R.I. (April 2nd, 2015) – Listed below are weights for all of the participants in tomorrow night’s professional boxing card at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., titled “The Revival.” Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

SHELITO VINCENT
Providence, R.I.
13-0, 1 KO
122

CHRISTINA RUIZ
San Antonio, Tex.
7-7-3, 4 KOs
121 ½

ANGEL CAMACHO
Providence, R.I.
13-0, 4 KOs
168

CHRIS CHATMAN
Jersey City, N.J.
12-4-1, 5 KOs
166

JEAN PIERRE AUGUSTIN
Lawrence, Mass.
4-0, 2 KOs
217

SOLOMON MAYE
New Haven, Conn.
1-4, 1 KO
226

NICK DELOMBA
Cranston, R.I.
6-0
145 ½

JOE WILSON JR.
Hartford, Conn.
3-1
145 ½

KHIARY GRAY-PITTS
Worcester, Mass.
5-0, 3 KOs
159

GREG MCCOY
New Haven, Conn.
3-4-1, 1 KO
162

BRIAM GRANADO
New Bedford, Mass.
1-0, 1 KO
140 ½

FREDDY SANCHEZ
Worcester, Mass.
3-0, 2 KOs
140

RAY OLIVEIRA JR.
New Bedford, Mass.
3-0, 2 KOs
157 ½

LUIS FELIX
Providence, R.I.
0-4
157

LOS ANGELES (April 2) – On Saturday, May 9 former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, will take on one of boxing’s most prized prospects, East Los Angeles native, Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez as the televised co-main event of the highly anticipated Canelo vs. Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.The super lightweight 10-round bout will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“The addition of Frankie ‘Pitbull’ Gomez and Humberto ‘La Zorrita’ Soto as the co-main event for Canelo vs. Kirkland further adds to the excitement and fireworks we are going to see in the ring on May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. “The undefeated Gomez will be put to the test May 9 against the seasoned Soto, and I’m sure the fans won’t forget this war in the ring.”

“This fight is a classic tale between an experienced fighter and a young fighter,” said Humberto Soto. “Gomez, is a young hungry fighter with a future ahead of him. He comes into the fight full of energy and the desire to create his own legacy in the world of boxing and this makes him dangerous. I understand because I used to be in that position dreaming of one day becoming a world champion. Now, it’s my turn to be the fighter with the experience and maturity and I am prepared to take on a fighter like Gomez, a fight that will be exciting and explosive and one that I would like to dedicate to all the fans in Mexico!”

“I’m grateful to Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for giving me the opportunity to fight on the best network for boxing,” said Frankie Gomez. “It’s an honor to be chosen as the co-main event on the Canelo-Kirkland televised card. I know it’s going to be a tough fight against Humberto Soto, he is a ranked former world champion and is always prepared to fight. Come fight night, I will be at my best and will prove that I am a feared contender in the division.”

A respected boxer from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (65-8-2, 35 KOs) has seen and done it all in the ring in his 18-year professional career. A former three-division world champion, Soto is a dangerous and hungry contender set on adding another title belt in his trophy case. Soto has won tough fights against Juan Carlos Abreu, giving Abreu his first loss, and hard-hitting contender John Molina Jr. Undefeated since 2012, Soto is ranked number six in the world by the WBC, fifth by the IBF and seventh by the WBO. The 34-year-old is on track for glory once more when he faces Frankie Gomez on May 9.

A stellar amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, East Los Angeles’ Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (18-0, 13 KOs) has impressed every step of the way since then. Owner of 12 knockouts in three rounds or less, Gomez can also box when he wants to, as shown in his near-shutout victory over longtime contender Vernon Paris last July. Now stepping up for his biggest challenge yet, Gomez, who is ranked eighth in the world by the IBF, knows that he can make the move into the title picture with a victory over Humberto Soto. Gomez is under the tutelage of multiple winner “Trainer of the Year” and International Boxing Hall of Famer, Freddie Roach.

Tickets priced at $350, $150, $100, $50, $25 and $10, plus applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now and available for purchase at the Minute Maid Park Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com. There is a 19-ticket limit per household.

Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland is a 12-round super welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions, SMS Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions. The fight will take place Saturday, May 9 at Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas and is sponsored by Corona Extra, Mexico – Live it to Believe it!, Fred Loya Insurance and O’Reilly Auto Parts. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT and first bout starts at 2:10 p.m. CT, the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

An all-new edition of 24/7 Alvarez/Kirkland debuts Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.smsboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.astros.com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @SMS_Boxing, @HBOBoxing, @Canelo, @KOKirkland, @Astros @LeijaBattahPR become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/SMSBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing or www.facebook.com/astros and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @smsboxing and @HBOboxing, @Canelopower, @Kirklandsworld. Follow the conversation using #CaneloKirkland.

Chris Eubank Jr and Billy Joe Saunders will compete in separate bout on May 9 in London that may be the prelude to a rematch, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

While Saunders won a split decision against Eubank to retain his British, Commonwealth and European titles, it was Eubank who went on to stop Dimitry Chudinov in the 12th round in his next fight Feb. 28 to win an interim 160-pound title.

“Then I’ll see what Eubank Jr. has been up to and if he’s worthy of a shot at the world title. I did say I’d give him a rematch, but it will be completely on my terms. I’ve shut him up once and embarrassed him in front of the British public. Next time I’ll knock him out and leave him desperate. First thing for me is to get back in the ring and show that I’m ready to fight Lee or Quillin. I want that world title next, so whoever I face on May 9 is in for a lot of pain.”

“I’ll fight Average Joe anytime, anywhere, but he has to realize that I actually hold the WBA interim world title belt so that puts me above him, regardless of his close points decision over me,” Eubank said. “The judges believed that he won last time and that’s how they scored it, but look at how he did it. He chose to run and steal the rounds rather than stand and fight. I challenge him next time to stand toe to toe and fight, and let’s see how he fares in the center of the ring rather than running around it.

“I am the [interim] champion now, and I will look at him after I’ve defended my title against Sherrington, who I will not be overlooking. I will do my research on him and a plan to defeat him. Chudinov was dismantled from the opening round, and I will do the same to Sherrington.”

Despite reports to the contrary, legendary Muhammad Ali has yet to make a pick for the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It was reported that Muhammad Ali picked a favorite in the upcoming Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on May 2. Muhammad Ali would like to wish both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao well in their upcoming fight,” Ali family spokesman Bob Gunnell said in a statement given to ESPN.com on Thursday.

“Muhammad never offered to anyone his prediction, and information that was published earlier this week and picked up by other media is either a misquote or someone else’s personal opinion. The stories saying that Muhammad Ali has chosen a favorite in the fight are false.”

Earlier this week, TMZ quoted Rasheda Ali, one of the heavyweight great’s daughters, as saying, “My dad is Team Pacquiao all the way!”

“Muhammad has the utmost respect for both fighters, who will undoubtedly give boxing fans an incredible match,” Gunnell said. “He believes the significance of this fight will rival other historic matches. Muhammad Ali will join the rest of the world on May 2 to watch this matchup.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward will make his debut under the Roc Nation Banner on June 20 in Oakland, California that will end a 19-month ring hiatus.

“I’m excited to be back. We finally have a date,” Ward told ESPN.com. “It’s going to be June 20 at Oracle Arena in Oakland. I wanted to fight at home as a thank-you to my fans for being patient, because I know it’s been a long wait. The fight is not far away and I feel like I’m in great shape already. I’ve stayed dedicated to the sport. I’ve stayed motivated in the gym and I’m just really excited to get back. I can’t wait.”

“Andre’s opponent and the TV coverage for the fight will be announced shortly,” Roc Nation Sports spokesman Ron Berkowitz told ESPN.com.

“Some people are trying to see if I’ve slipped during this layoff or if I still have it, but my true fans are just ready to see me back in action,” Ward said. “We get to answer those questions on June 20 at Oracle Arena. Let’s get it.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Apr. 2, 2015) – An intriguing match-up of contrasting styles has been added to the May 2nd M-1 Challenge 57: Clash of Champions, in Orenburg, Russia as undefeated M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Maxim Divnich makes his first title defense against BAMMA & 100% Fights champion Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui.

The historic M-1 Challenge 57: Clash of Champions will be headlined by a special five-round, heavyweight Super Fight between unbeaten M-1 Challenge heavyweight titlist Marcin “Tybur” Tybura and M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz.

M-1 Challenge 57 will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.

Pound-for-pound, Divnich (11-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) is one of the brightest prospects in M-1 Global, a devastating striker who possesses heavy hands. Unbeaten in five M-1 Global fights to date, Divnich resides in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he trains under Eduard Shirobokov at the famed Alexander Nevsky Club.

Last December at M-1 Challenge 54, Divnich captured the vacant M-1 Challenge lightweight title, stopping Dzhambulat Kurbanov (6-1-0) by way of punches in the third round of their Fight of the Night. Divnich is 5-0-0 in M-1 Challenge fights.

Mansour Barnaoui
The 22-year-old Barnaoui has been recognized as one of the top European lightweight prospects for the past two years, when he signed a promotional contract with M-1 Global. He is 1-1-0 in M-1 Challenge competition. After choking out Zulfikar Usmanov (4-1-0) in the third round of their August 21, 2013 fight at M-1 Challenge 41, Barnaoui received permission to fight in Europe, where he knocked out defending BAMMA lightweight champion Kurt Warburton (12-3-0), followed by a successful title defense against UFC veteran Colin Fletcher (9-3-0) by way of a choke hold in the opening round last December.

Barnaoui is a Muay Thai specialist who demonstrates great technique on the mat. He has fully recovered from a shoulder injury after a lengthy rehabilitation.

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Additional fights to soon be announced

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 57 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

UPCOMING EVENTS: M-1 Challenge 56, April 10, 2015 in Moscow, Russia.
Information

www.mixfight.ru

www.wmmaa.org

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:

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ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

NEW YORK (April 2, 2015) – Brooklyn-native, unbeaten Frank “Notorious” Galarza (16-0-2, 10 KOs) returns to the ring to battle Belgium’s Sheldon “The Closer” Moore (13-2-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout headlining ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader on Friday, April 10 from the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Galarza, regarded by many as “The Brooklyn Rocky,” continues to make up for lost time. His shocking second-round knockout victory over the favored John Thompson on his ShoBox: The New Generation debut, was one of the most memorable knockouts of the year. Galarza has been on a tear since.

“Galarza was a fortuitous find by ShoBox,’’ acknowledged boxing historian and ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood. “Since he upset Thompson, he’s won four more times, and looked better each time. The level of his opposition doesn’t allow him to be called a contender yet, but he’s made major strides. I would think at age 29 he would try to make this a breakthrough year for him.”

The Galarza-Moore bout is one of three scheduled eight-rounders on a telecast that has a distinct Brooklyn flavor to it. Undefeated power-punching middleweight Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (9-0, 9 KOs) and stablemate, blue-chip super middleweight prospect Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3 KOs/World Series of Boxing: 23-1, 7 KOs) also reside in Brooklyn.
Khytrov takes on fellow unbeaten Aaron “Heavy Metal” Coley (9-0-1, 6 KOs), of Hayward, Calif., while the world-ranked Derevyanchenko will box once-beaten Alan “Amenaza/Threat” Campa (13-1, 1 NC, 9 KOs), of Sonora, Mexico.
Tickets for the event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing are on sale and priced at $100, $70 and $35. Tickets can be purchased by calling DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET.

For Galarza, who’s creeping up in the world rankings, the recent surge couldn’t come at a better time. A physically strong, aggressive boxer-puncher, Galarza got a late start in boxing and had only 11 amateur fights.

“The time for me is definitely now,’’ he said. “My first ShoBox fight set the platform for me. I didn’t just win a fight that absolutely nobody thought I could, I won it in grand style. I made a statement. I’ve continued to grow and feel I’ve gotten better since that fight. But I’m here to show people what I’m all about, continue to train very hard and just take it little by little, one fight at a time.

“It’s exciting to fight in the televised main event in my backyard. I’ve never been more motivated for a match. I want to thank SHOWTIME for giving me another opportunity to fight on ShoBox.’’

Style-wise, Galarza believes this is a great matchup for him. “Moore looks physically big and strong, tough and hungry and comes to fight,’’ he said. “He’s aggressive and that’s the best part about it – it should make for a great fight. I can be aggressive, too. I know he’s coming to fight and everybody knows I’m not moving backwards, so I expect fireworks.

“I come to fight every time, especially on SHOWTIME, on ShoBox where they give you opponents of good caliber who are expected to put on a show and expected to make a good fight.

“It’s in Brooklyn, my hometown, and I want to entertain the people. This is my show, my homecoming, and I will defend my home turf. I have a job to do on April 10, but after that, the big names of the division are going to be forced to deal with me. I’m 29 and laying it all on the line.’’

In his most recent ShoBox appearance, Galarza won a unanimous eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Sebastien Bouchard (8-0 going in) on May 16, 2014, by the scores of 78-73 and 77-74 twice despite having a point deducted for a low blow in the final round.

Galarza’s opponent, 27-years-old Moore, is making his ShoBox debut and fourth start in the United States where he is 1-1-1. He last appeared in the U.S. in June 2012.
“This is a huge opportunity for me and my career, hands down this is the biggest fight of my life,” Moore said. “It is a must-win fight for me. I have seen a few of Galarza’s fights and I am fully confident that I have what it takes to upset him in his backyard. This is a dream come true for me, fighting on national television, and I plan on showing the boxing world that I belong at the elite level of this division.
“My style is definitely aggressive. I like to walk down my opponent. Galarza has good movement and good reach. But this fight will be the first fight where I don’t have to work on the side during the preparation. I’m 100 percent dedicated to the sport and set to go on April 10.”

The 5-foot-10 Moore has won his last two fights, the most recent on a first-round knockout over Janos Varga last Dec. 20 in Belgium. Just like Galarza, he got a late start in boxing and had a limited amateur career (27 bouts). He did kickboxing when he was 15, but didn’t have his first amateur fight until the age of 19.

Khytrov (pronounced HE-trov) was a phenomenal amateur with reportedly 500 amateur bouts. He was the 2011 amateur world champion and a representative for Ukraine in the 2012 Olympic Games.

This will be his second appearance on ShoBox. In his debut on Jan. 9, he destroyed the previously undefeated Maurice Louishomme, winning by third-round TKO. He lit up Louishomme with right hands and uppercuts to the body, staggering him on multiple occasions in a one-sided affair that was stopped at 0:24 in the third round.

Aggressive, offensive-minded Khytrov has fought a total of 27 rounds in nine starts, an average of three rounds a fight – and that includes his career-best eighth-round TKO over always-tough Puerto Rican Jorge Melendez on March 6.

“Ievgen [pronounced YEV-gin, with a hard G] is as fan-friendly a fighter as you’ll find, never takes a backwards step, looks to hurt his opponent with every punch,’’ Farhood said. “After nine fights, he shows all the signs that he’ll be a title contender in a year-to-18 months. His most recent, a stoppage over Jorge Melendez, was a bold move to take on a dangerous and experienced opponent and he took him out, broke him down. What does that tell me?”

One of the top prospects in boxing, the 5-foot-11, 26-year-old Khytrov has been moved at a much faster pace than most other prospects at this stage of their careers. He made his professional debut at age 25 in December 2013 and fought six times in 2014. This is his third fight of 2015. All of his fights have been in the United States.
Khytrov, who relocated to Brooklyn shortly after the 2012 Olympics, is eager for April 10 to arrive. “I am very excited to be returning to the ring on April 10, especially being that the fight is in my adopted home of Brooklyn,’’ he said. “I want to thank my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. and my manager Al Haymon for this opportunity to once again showcase my skills on ShoBox.
“I expect a tough fight out of Coley, who, like myself, has never been defeated as a professional. We knew that 2015 was going to be a big year for myself and my career, and I promise yet another spectacular performance on April 10 as we continue to move up the ranks of my division.”
Khytrov compares his style to one of boxing’s all-time greats. “I’ve got a Roberto Duran style. I’m an all-out brawler,’’ he said. “I attack the body. I love the TV spotlight.’’

Coley is a left-hander and two-year pro who’s taking an immense step up in this fight, his ShoBox and eight-round debut. A prospect at 160 pounds – he moved up from the junior middleweight division in his last fight – he is coming off the sixth knockout of his career, a fifth-round KO over Loren Myers on Oct. 11, 2014.

“I’m very excited about showcasing my skills on a platform like SHOWTIME,’’ said the always well-conditioned Coley, who has never been knocked down as a pro or amateur. “I’ve seen Khytrov fight. From what it looks like, he is a decent fighter. I really don’t think there’s anything special about him. He’s pretty straightforward, an Eastern European dude who just comes in and uses little angles. He’s a hard puncher with good power, but I don’t know the guys he’s been fighting.

“Plus, you can’t hurt what you can’t hit.”

An agile boxer who now works out of Virgil Hunter’s gym in northern California, Coley is making his second start for new trainer Eddie Croft. He had been living and training in Las Vegas. He went 8-0 at the outset of a pro career that began in April 2012.

Regarding his nickname, Coley said, “My dad owns a scrap metal business.”

Derevyanchenko (pronounced der-i-van-CHENK-oh), who is making his ShoBox debut, has the look of a “can’t-miss” contender. One step further, many expect his ascent in the world rankings to be nothing less than meteoric. He’s currently ranked No. 12 in the IBF, No. 25 in the WBC.

“I’m very excited about my first fight on American television,’’ he said. “This will be my first time appearing on ShoBox and I’m absolutely thrilled. This is my coming out party. I’m preparing day and night, and I’m ready to showcase my skills to the world. I’m ready to show them ‘The Technician.’

“My style is very technical, but once I figure my opponent out, I attack viciously. With hard work and a great team behind me, I will become a world champion in my division. There is no doubt in my mind.”

An exceptional amateur, the 5-foot-7 Derevyanchenko compiled an astonishing record of 390-20 while representing his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympic Games. One year before, he won the bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships.

This will be Derevyanchenko’s fifth start in a row outside the World Series Of Boxing where he went 23-1. He was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. He fought in the WSB from November 2010 to April 2014.

Derevyanchenko won his first fight outside the WSB on a second-round TKO over Cromwell Gordon on July 23, 2014. In his last start this past Feb. 20, he scored a one-sided second-round TKO over Vladine Biosse.

As for his opponent, Derevyanchenko said, “Campa is a good fighter – tall, strong. He looks durable, a solid opponent.’’

Campa is making his ShoBox debut on April 10 and it will be his first fight outside of Mexico. He has won four in a row, three by knockout. He knocked out Christian Chavez in the second round in his last outing last Dec. 6.

The 6-foot-1, 23-year-old is taking a gigantic leap in class and the odds are against him, but none of that matters to him once the opening bell sounds.

“I am very excited to finally make my dream a reality and fight in the United States,’’ he said. “This is just the opportunity that I have trained and fought for the last five years. I am versatile; I can fight aggressively or box and move.

“Many promising young prospects got their start on ShoBox and went on to win world titles. On April 10, Alan Campa will start paving the road to join the list of ShoBox world champions.

“I have trained very hard. I know I can win this fight.”

Campa also had a strong amateur background (182-6). Before turning pro in September 2010, he was a five-time Sonoran state champion, a five-time regional champion, and a four-time national champion. He was also the gold medalist at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championships at 165 pounds.

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

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 59 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

Danbury, CT (April 2, 2015)- In 2011, at the age of 24, A.J. Galante became one of the youngest Professional Boxing managers in the sport. Now at the age of 28, he has become one of the youngest Promoters as well. The Connecticut based Promoter has officially introduced his company, Prize Promotions, this week. “I’m excited for this challenge.” Galante stated, “This wasn’t something I decided to do overnight, I have actually been planning this for a few years now. I plan on slowly developing something special here in Connecticut, and giving the fighters here opportunities that aren’t consistently available to them.” Galante explained his vision and goals for Prize Promotions centers around competitive matchups and featuring old school fighters, “I am not looking to sign fighters to Prize Promotions at this time. What I am looking to do is put on exciting fights and provide opportunities. I am looking to feature old school boxers, guys who aren’t afraid of risking undefeated records or being in a tough fight. I want guys who don’t have shiny records, I want the guys who most promoters don’t see having great value. I have no stock in anyone who fights under my promotion, so there won’t be many true A and B side fights. Connecticut isn’t a boxing hotbed, and there is talent here, but the only way for these guys to earn respect is to take it, therefore to fight on a Prize Promotions card means to fight real opposition and develop the old fashioned way. There aren’t many pro shows here in Connecticut, but I am hoping to change that, and want to help give these guys a platform to showcase who they are.”

On May 30th at the Danbury Arena, in Danbury, CT, Prize Promotions will conduct its first Professional Boxing show, ‘Danbury Fight Night’. More information including bouts, ticket pricing and availabilities will be announced soon.

For updates visit www.prizepromotions.net .

Galante recently opened Champs Boxing Club & Fitness in downtown Danbury and is currently the manager of World Ranked Junior Middleweight Prospect Frank ‘Notorious’ Galarza.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Las Vegas – Undisputed UFC® featherweight champion Jose Aldo and challenger Conor McGregor are embarking on a world press tour spanning 10 cities in five countries over the course of 12 days to promote their upcoming world title bout at UFC® 189: ALDO vs. McGREGOR on Saturday, July 11 at MGM Grand Garden Arena to highlight International Fight Week. The event also features Robbie Lawler defending his UFC welterweight championship for the first time against No. 2 Rory MacDonald.

JOSE ALDO:

UFC 189 World Championship Tour Press Conference – London – March 30

“The attention is on me. I am the champion. The attention is all on me; not the challenger.”

“He wouldn’t last long in the favela; there is a lot of struggle. There, if you talk too much, you won’t last long.”

“It is a moment of happiness defending my title. Every time I walk to the cage I feel happiness. It’s my job.”

“I loved that I had the opportunity to watch the Brazilian national soccer team while I was in London.”

“I know that this is just media, just promotion for the fight. For me, what really matters is what happens inside the cage. That is all that matters.”

“To me, it doesn’t matter what he (McGregor) does or what he brings, it will not be enough. What matters is what I am doing and how I am training. I am the champion.”

“People watching this fight can expect a very dynamic fight. They can expect one of the greatest fights in the history of MMA.”

UFC 189 World Championship Tour Fan Event – Dublin – March 31

“I came here. I’m the king of Dublin. When I got here it was raining, but I brought the sun with me.”

“It’s cool to see you all happy (Irish fans), but when I win the fight you will all bow down to me.”

“When I beat him, you’re the one who will be crying.”

“I’ve never had any fear in my whole career. This is normal to me.”

“That spit bucket you are talking about is what he will use to clean my belt when I win.”

“He talks about money. He’s going to bring me money after this fight. He’s just another fight for me.”

CONOR McGREGOR:

UFC 189 World Championship Tour Press Conference – London – March 30

“He (Aldo) always wants separation from me when we’re together on this tour. But come July 11th in Vegas there is no separation.”

“I feel the range will play a factor. His best option is to get close to me and then he will be in my pocket, but then if I touch him he is finished. Every day, I just get better. Every fight I get better and better. My evolution is undeniable. If you look at his fights (Aldo’s), he stays the same.”

“Thiago Silva (Brazilian soccer player) hasn’t said anything to my face. I would like to see him come and tell me. I will whoop the whole Brazilian team.”

“It’s going to be fun and passionate in Dublin. They will come out in force; I am looking forward to it. I’m happy (the tour) is finishing in Dublin. It gives me great energy to wrap it up at home.”

When asked if UFC will hold an event at Croke Park stadium in Dublin: “We are making millions. We will build a roof in Dublin. I can make it happen.”

“Now there is a path for young people to take in MMA. It is a beautiful thing to see. There is no limit with the next generation of Irish talent and how good they can be.”

“We are two fighters in our prime; this is as real as it gets. We fight with everything we have and then we (the Irish) are going to take the sport over.”

UFC 189 World Championship Tour Fan Event – Dublin – March 31

“I think we have never been on this stage before. We’ve only been here for two years. We already own it. Now we are here. Now he sees what the Irish crowd is like. I take this energy into training camp.”

“Welcome to the Irish age.”

“It’s been a long road. The game can be tough. The MMA community was so small but we stuck with it. We are known for our fighting capabilities. It’s only right that we come and take over the premier fighting organization, the UFC.”

“There’s only one reason that belt is on that side of the table and it’s because he hasn’t faced me yet.”

“Rematches happen a lot, but the manner that I beat him there will be no need for a rematch.”

“I came in (to the UFC) as a two-weight champion. After I get that 145-pound belt I have my eyes on that 155-pound belt.”

“It is absolutely madness. Every city has blown us away. Then we come here, 67,000 people tried to come for this (press conference). We need to start building proper mega-stadiums. I am blown away.”

“Right now I’m focused on this fight, but after this there is another Brazilian with a belt whose a** I’d like to whoop.”

EMBEDDED:

Rio de Janeiro:

Episode 1

Las Vegas:

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Los Angeles:

Episode 5

Boston:

Episode 6

New York:

Episode 7

Toronto:

Episode 8

London:

Episode 9

Dublin:

Episode 10

Tickets for UFC® 189: ALDO vs. McGREGOR , presented by Bud Light, go on sale Friday, March 27 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $350, $225 and $125 (prices do not include applicable service charges). Tickets are available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com and mgmgrand.com and UFCFightWeek.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available in person at any MGM Resorts International box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC® 189: ALDO vs. McGREGOR, presented by Bud Light, will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $49.99 US/CAN for Standard Definition and $59.99 US/CAN for High -Definition.

About UFC®
UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.