New York, NY (4/1/15) – For the second consecutive year, DiBella Entertainment has secured the broadcast rights for the New York Daily News Golden Gloves. The Golden Gloves finals take place tonight and tomorrow at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The broadcasts of the finals will be shown on SNY as well as Comcast affiliates as part of DBE’s popular Broadway Boxing series. “We are happy to once again be able to give boxing fans the chance to see the next generation of up-and-coming New York stars,” stated Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

Stay tuned for an announcement on when the finals will air.

PHILADELPHIA (April 1, 2015) – As fight week nears for the second installment of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC (8:30 pm ET/5:30 p.m. PT), undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia held a media workout in his hometown of Philadelphia in preparation for his showdown with fellow world champion Lamont Peterson on Saturday, April 11 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $200, $150, $100, $80 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now.Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

Check out what Garcia and his father and trainer Angel had to say on Wednesday.

DANNY GARCIA

“Training is going well, I’ve done everything I have to do and I’m still focused. It’s a week and a half until the fight and I’m ready to go. If the fight were tomorrow I’d be ready.

“It’s a big fight and it’s the fight that the fans wanted. We’re going to give the fans a great night of boxing on NBC and it’s time the show the world that Danny Garcia is the star of NBC.

“We have common opponents like Khan and Matthysse and we’ve had different results. They say styles make fights so those results don’t matter. Well, my style is to kick his butt.

“I know that this second PBC on NBC show is going to be even bigger and I just feel blessed to be a part of it and I can’t wait to go out there and showcase my skills.

“I’m ready for whatever Peterson brings. If he tries to box then I’m going to go with that and if he wants to fight, I’ll be ready. I’m not going to go in and just try to knock his head off, I’m going to be Danny Garcia.

“I’d love to be fighting on the biggest stage in boxing against the Mayweather and Pacquiaos, but for now it’s just about taking it one fight at a time, this is history in the making.

“A lot of things have changed for me in the last few years, everybody knows me now. A lot of people look at you different now but it doesn’t make my head bigger, it just motivates me to work hard.

“I love Brooklyn, it’s my fourth fight at Barclays Center and I’m looking to make it 4-0 on April 11.

“This is a blessing for the sport of boxing. Millions of fans haven’t had the opportunity to watch boxing on primetime in years and this is great for the sport.”

ANGEL GARCIA

“I’ll give Peterson credit for putting the gloves on. He thinks it’s going to be an easy night for him. He sees himself already on top of the mountain. It’s not going to happen like that, we’re going to ruin his party.

“I want Peterson to act confident and come forward. They’re talking like Danny isn’t special but he lost to the guys we beat.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone says as long as Danny is in here putting in 100 percent every day. It’s all about April 11.

“We’re not going to train for eight weeks to go in there and worry about what Peterson is going to do, we’re going to do what we have to do. We train to go in there and win on April 11.”

# # #

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.BarclaysCenter.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @DannySwift, @KingPete26, @KidChocolate, @AndyLeeBoxing, @RealLuisCollazo, @NBCSports and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BKBoxing.

HIDALGO, Texas (April 1, 2015) – Exciting and undefeated former lightweight world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa (24-0-1, 18 KOs) will take on former two-division world champion Ricky Burns (37-4-1, 11 KOs) in the main event when Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) returns to CBS on Saturday, May 9 (4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT), at the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.

In the co-main event, a pair of bantamweight world champions square off when Tomoki Kameda (31-0, 19 KOs) battles Jamie McDonnell (25-2-1, 12 KOs).

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or at the State Farm Arena Box Office. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

“I am so excited to be bringing this huge event to my hometown,” said Figueroa. “It is my dream to fight on such a big stage and bring this kind of attention to Hidalgo. My fans have supported me from day one, and I plan on showing them how grateful I am with a stellar performance on May 9.”

“I can’t wait for this fight. Ever since it was confirmed I’ve been absolutely buzzing in the gym,” said Burns. “I’ve had some great nights in Scotland winning and defending my world titles at two different weights but I have always wanted to box in America. Our styles gel perfectly for one hell of a fight, neither of us take a step back – bring on May 9!”

This will be a home game for Figueroa, who will be making his initial start at 140 pounds after a hard-fought ninth-round knockout over Daniel Estrada in a slugfest last August. The 25-year-old Figueroa vacated his 135-pound belt after that defense. He became a champion in 2013 when he earned a unanimous 12-round decision over Nihito Arakawa in a brutal Fight of the Year battle. Figueroa, despite fighting with a cut on his nose from an accidental head-butt, registered two knockdowns in the memorable slugfest. Since then Figueroa defended his title twice, first with a split-decision victory over Jerry Belmontes and later with a ninth-round knockout against Daniel Estrada. Now the Weslaco, Texas native will move up in weight when he battles Burns on May 9.

An experienced fighter and former two-division world champion out of Scotland, Burns looks to add a huge victory to his resume when he takes on Figueroa. A champion in the junior lightweight and lightweight divisions, the 31-year-old owns victories over a host of accomplished fighters including Roman Martinez, Michael Katsidis and Kevin Mitchell. After suffering consecutive losses to Terrence Crawford and Dejan Zlaticanin, Burns bounced back to defeat Alexandre Lepelley in October 2014 and he will look to keep that momentum going on May 9.

An undefeated world champion out of Tokyo, Kameda announced his arrival stateside with a vicious knockout over Pungluang Sor Singyu in July 2014 in Las Vegas. That knockout was Kameda’s second bantamweight title defense after he won the belt from Paulus Ambunda in 2013. The 23-year-old followed up his U.S. debut when he defeated Alejandro Hernandez in Chicago via split decision. His next challenge comes when he faces fellow bantamweight world champion McDonnell.

The United Kingdom’s McDonnell has been on a tear since 2008 with 17 consecutive wins. Most recently, he became a bantamweight world champion with a victory over Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat and later successfully defended against Javier Nicolas Chacon.

PBC on CBS, headlined by Figueroa vs. Burns, is promoted by Warriors Boxing and Panterita Promotions in association with Matchroom Sport. The event takes place at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas with the CBS telecast beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

“We’re very excited to bring this exciting fight to the great fight city of Hidalgo,” said Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing. “I have no doubt that these two fighters are going to put on an incredible show for the fans at State Farm Arena.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @SHOSports, @OmarFigueroaJr, @RicksterKO, @TomokiKameda, @JamieMcDonnell1, @WarriorsBoxPromo and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo and www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a stacked live edition of the popular Big Knockout Boxing series this Saturday, April 4 at 10 p.m. ET from Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, headlined by a BKB middleweight title fight as Philadelphia’s former WBO Intercontinental light middleweight champion Gabriel Rosado defends his title against Brooklyn’s former NABF middleweight kingpin Curtis Stevens.

Fight Network’s broadcast of BKB: Rosado vs. Stevens will air live exclusively in Canada.

The bill features four more title fights, as Chicago’s David Estrada takes on Russian Kurshid Abdullaev for the BKB junior middleweight title, California natives Javier Garcia and Jonathan Chicas throw down for the BKB welterweight title, San Jose native Anthony Johnson meets Colorado’s Joey Montoya for the BKB cruiserweight title, plus Las Vegas’ own Layla McCarter faces Australia’s Diana Prazak for the BKB women’s lightweight title.

The star-studded bill also features Gabe Duluc vs. Antonio Canas, Jesus Soto Karass vs. Ed Paredes, Julian Pollard vs. Elijah McCall and Herbert Acevedo vs. William Hutchinson.

Big Knockout Boxing is a revolutionary concept showcasing fights inside a pit with a 17-inch diameter, about half the size of a traditional boxing ring. With no ropes and no corners, there’s no choice but to engage. Quicker two-minute rounds leave no room for evasion strategies, plus sensors in the fighters’ gloves measure the speed and force of every punch they throw, so you can see the actual impact of every hook, jab and haymaker.

The live broadcast of BKB: Rosado vs. Stevens at 10 p.m. ET will immediately follow an encore presentation of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night™: Mendes vs. Lamas Prelims from Fairfax, Virginia, which repeats at 8 p.m. ET following the live telecast at 11 a.m. ET.

Also this Saturday, Enfusion Live 26 kickboxing emanates from The Hague, Netherlands live at 3 p.m. ET, headlined by a -60kg world championship showdown pitting Reda Narain against Tommy Dieckmann.

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.

Philadelphia (April 1, 2015) – Just a few short weeks ago at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Joey “The Tank” Dawejko of the Club 1957 Management team scored an emphatic knockout victory that has propelled him to a main event attraction against Amir Mansout at the same venue on May 8th that will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

Dawejko needed just twenty-seven seconds to dispose of Enobong Umohette in a heavyweight bout that made the Philadelphia fans at the Arena go wild!

Dawejko of Philadelphia registered his 6th consecutive win and 4th straight first-round knockout as he took out Umohette with a single left hook.

“It was explosive and it felt great,”said Dawejko. “I am ready now for bigger things and will finally get to showcase my talents against Amir Mansour on May 8th.”

“I am excited to be the Main Event on the ESPN card. I believe I now have a value and will do whatever it takes to get to the top. I moved this camp to Los Angeles to train with Buddy McGirt. From day one. Buddy walked into the gym with a plan and things have been great. I feel like I have known Buddy forever as his style of training is suited perfect for my style of boxing. I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going at this point in my career.”

“I am also really excited because my fiancee Maria is having our second baby together and is due any day now! I plan to Skype into the delivery room. I know that Maria is behind me 100% always supporting my dream. I also want to thank my manager Mark Cipparone and my promoter Russell Peltz for making this fight happen.”

When asked about the fight with Mansour, Dawejko finished, “I think it will be an explosive fight which will end with Amir sleeping on the canvas! I am 100% focused and ready for this fight. I can’t wait for May 8th.”

“I can already see the chemistry and mutual respect that has developed between Buddy and Joey in just a few days. Joey came to camp a smart fighter and although he has only worked with Buddy for one week I can say with clarity that he is already a better fighter. This is exactly what Joey needed and the timing could not have been more perfect. Joey is going to be a big problem for the heavyweight division and May 8th will be the first step towards his run to the top! Boxing fans should expect nothing less than greatness from “The Tank” that night because he will be prepared for war! ” said Dawejko’s manager Mark Cipparone of Club 1957 Management

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

PHILADELPHIA – On Saturday night, April 18, 2015, some of the best amateur boxers in the state will participate in the annual Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Eastern Regional Championships at the 2300 Arena, 2300 S. Swanson St., South Philadelphia.

The Joe Hand Boxing Gym and Computer Lab will host the tournament, marking the 19th year the gym has been involved with this great event.

“We are always honored to be involved with the Golden Gloves,” said Joe Hand, Jr., president of Joe Hand Promotions and owner of the gym. “It’s a great opportunity for us, along with so many of the local businesses, to give back, and it helps some of these kids not only compete, but it gives them a chance to further their careers. And at the same time, it helps raise money for our boxing gym and computer lab, which helps hundreds of kids every year.”

Tickets are $25 for general admission and will be available at the door or by calling Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or online at wanatix.com. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m.

Winners of the Eastern Regional will advance to the state championships on Saturday, April 25th at the GPG Event Center in Pennsauken, NJ. The National Golden Gloves Tournament will be held May 10-17 at The Riviera in Las Vegas, NV.

There have been many Philly-area fighters who have fought in the Golden Gloves and have gone on to enjoy distinguished professional careers, such as Danny Garcia, Chazz Witherspoon, Jesse Hart, Demetrius Hopkins, Rock Allen, Shamone Alvarez and Rasheim Jefferson. Last year, Christian Carto of Deptford, N.J., advanced and won the Golden Gloves national title at 108 pounds. The previous year, West Philadelphia’s Stephen Fulton Jr., captured the national title while competing at 114 pounds.

ABOUT THE JOE HAND BOXING GYM & COMPUTER LAB
Started by Joe Hand Promotions in 1995, the Joe Hand Boxing Gym, a non-profit organization in Northern Liberties, has been a community landmark for over 19 years. Joe Hand Sr., a retired Philadelphia police detective, saw the gym as a safe place for Philly’s children and young adults to hone their skills in boxing or spend time learning computer skills for their futures.

The Joe Hand Boxing Gym offers regulation boxing rings, brand new equipment and a modern computer center where children from the community can participate in the educational process. The gym is located at 547 N. Third St., Philadelphia, PA, 19123.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 1, 2015) – Bellator MMA Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull (23-2), the hard-hitting Brazilian who believes he’s the best 145-pounder on the planet, returns to action on Friday, June 19, when he puts his belt on the line against dynamic contender and five-time Bellator MMA veteran Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (24-4-1).

The championship bout serves as the co-main event of “Bellator MMA: Unfinished Business.”

Featuring one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the sport with Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock, “Bellator MMA: Unfinished Business” takes place Friday, June 19, at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center and airs live on Spike TV.

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Unfinished Business,” which start at just $30, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com

Additional contests will be announced shortly.

Pitbull vs. Karakhanyan is a rematch more than four years in the making, as the current champion downed the challenger via third-round TKO in the Bellator cage in March 2011. However, Karakhanyan – who was born in Russia but now lives in Riverside, Calif. – has gone 10-1 in his 11 appearances since, picking up a pair of championship belts in smaller promotions while earning his way back to a Bellator MMA title fight.

“Insane” returned to the Bellator MMA cage in January, shocking top up-and-comer Bubba Jenkins with a dominating first-round submission win.

“June 19 brings an opportunity for me to avenge an old loss in this rematch with Pitbull,” said Karakhanyan. “People are going to see an all-out war, and when it is all said and done the belt is going to look great around my waist.”

The 27-year-old Pitbull, of Natal, Brazil, is a 13-time veteran of the promotion who captured the Bellator MMA Featherweight World Title with a September win over then-champion Pat Curran. Pitbull then defended his belt in January with a thrilling submission win over former champion Daniel Straus.

“Karakhanyan is a fighter among the top of the weightclass,” said Pitbull, “but I’m one dimension above. If you see a fight where I’m not hit from a single attack don’t be surprised. I’m preparing to not being hit and I guarantee to show absolute superiority in this new challenge!”

In 24 career appearances, Pitbull has only lost two fights, and both were the result of razor-thin, split-decision results.

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

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15-2)
Bellator Featherweight Title Fight: Champ Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-4-1)
Bellator Featured Lightweight Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

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

About Spike 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.

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

LINCOLN, R.I. (April 1st, 2015) — Her weight’s on point, her conditioning is impeccable and her diet is clean, right down to the last calorie.

Reigning Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) world champion Shelly Vincent is in the best shape of her life as she prepares for her first title defense Friday night.

But can she stop a “Bullitt?”

“The problem with bullets,” Vincent said, referencing Friday’s opponent, Christina Ruiz (7-7-3, 4 KOs), nicknamed “Bullitt,” “is when you shoot and hit cement, you have to worry about the ricochet.”

Vincent’s Friday, April 3rd, 2015 showdown against Ruiz at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., will be her toughest test to date. Not only is her perfect 13-0 record on the line, so, too, is the UBF title she won in November, along with the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) super bantamweight world title.

Coming off a 10-round war against Jackie Trivilino six months ago, Vincent now faces a 10-rounder against the “Bullitt,” a seasoned vet from San Antonio, Tex., with lightning speed and a resume that’s second to none in women’s boxing.

This will be Ruiz’s fourth title bout, which includes a win over Christina Fuentes for the then-vacant International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) 122-pound title. She’s also faced Tyrieshia Douglas, International Boxing Federation (IBF) title-challenger Jennifer Han, former World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight world champion Kaliesha West and 33-fight veteran Alicia Ashley, a former World Boxing Council (WBC) title-holder in the super bantamweight division.

“She’s a lot like Jackie,” Vincent said, “and, like Jackie, she hasn’t gotten a fair share at times when fighting on the road. I haven’t seen all of her fights, but she’s been in there with some killers.

“I don’t underestimate anybody. Once again, I’m in a war.”

Never one to settle or get lulled into a false sense of security, Vincent continued to implement new strategies into her training routine, this time working out of the H.E.A.R.T. Performance, Strength & Conditioning gym in New Bedford, Mass., to help tie up the loose ends. With her manager, Kim Gifford, working on her diet and her head trainer, Peter Manfredo Sr., continuing to tweak the mechanics, Vincent feels she’s reached her physical peak. The timing couldn’t be better given the magnitude of this fight.

“Everything feels perfect,” Vincent said. “I haven’t had a bad sparring session. My diet’s on point. Working at H.E.A.R.T. with [Demetrius Andrade] and Kali [Reis], I’ve never felt this strong. Everything’s different. Pete really worked me this camp.

“Everything has come full circle. I’ve never felt this ready.”

The change is noticeable in Vincent’s physique and it could be evident in her power, too, come Friday night. Though she only has one knockout, she’s gotten considerably stronger with each fight as she’s learned more regarding proper training and diet. The results showed when she stopped Alisah McPhee in just four rounds in 2013.

Still, few outsiders consider her a power puncher, which is just the way she likes it.

“That’s even better,” she quipped.

“Everyone will be shocked by my power. I think she’ll be shocked. I have the knockouts, so they don’t think I hit hard, but it’s clear I do. I landed some clean shots on Jackie and she felt those.

“I know this will be a tough fight. Ruiz is only [5-foot-3], but she brings a lot of pressure. She’s a little shorter than Jackie, but I’m expecting the same pace. I know she’s strong.”

Tickets for “The Revival” are priced at $40.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The card features seven total bouts, including the six-round co-feature between undefeated Providence super middleweight Angel Camacho Jr. (13-0, 4 KOs) and well-traveled Jersey City vet Chris Chatman (12-4-1, 5 KOs), a fan-favorite at Twin River since his Rhode Island debut six yeas ago against former Olympian Demetrius Andrade.

Undefeated welterweight Nick DeLomba (6-0) of Cranston, R.I., battles Hartford, Conn., vet Joe Wilson Jr. (3-1) in a six-round special attraction while unbeaten Worcester, Mass., junior welterweight Freddy Sanchez (3-0, 2 KOs) faces Briam Granado (1-0, 1 KO) of New Bedford, Mass., in a four-round bout.

Also on the undercard, unbeaten middleweight prospect Khiary Gray-Pitts (5-0, 3 KOs) of Worcester battles New Haven, Conn., vet Greg McCoy (3-4-1, 1 KO).

Providence junior middleweight Luis Felix (0-4) faces New Bedford, Mass., up-and-comer Ray Oliveira Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) in a four-rounder and cruiserweight Jean Pierre Augustin (4-0, 2 KOs) of Lawrence, Mass., makes his CES and Twin River debut in a four-round bout against veteran Solomon Maye (1-4, 1 KO) of New Haven. Augustin is fighting under the guidance of his new trainer, five-time world champ Vinny Paz, whom he met last year during filming of the Chad Verdi-produced Paz biopic Bleed For This.

For more information on “The Revival” visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES Boxing Facebook fan page.

Tyron Zeuge (16-0, 10 KOs) has it all to prove on April 25 when the hotly tipped German super middleweight prospect defends his IBF International strap against former world title challenger Nikola Sjekloca (28-3, 8 KOs) in front of his home fans at the Columbia Halle in Berlin.

The seasoned Sjekloca represents Zeuge’s toughest test to date and has secured the young champion his first main event billing. Despite the pressure of headlining at home, the 22 year-old Berliner’s focus remains clear. ‘’For me this is a fight like any other,’’ said Zeuge. ‘’Whether I’m fighting on the undercard or topping the bill, my objective is the same – I must win!’’

This winning mentality has been drilled into Zeuge since joining the paid ranks in 2012 and teaming up with renowned German coach Karsten Roewer. Ahead of Zeuge’s second IBF International title defence, the experience coach has offered his protégé some words of warning. ’’Tyron is a natural when it comes to boxing,’’ said Roewer. ‘’But regardless of talent, he will need to bring his A-game to beat Sjekloca and continue his journey to the top.’’

While Zeuge’s star is rising, Sjekloca is tried and tested at the highest level. The 36 year-old has lost only three of his thirty-one professional contests and has never been stopped or dropped. In May 2014, the tough Montenegrin proved his resolve by pushing WBO World Champion Arthur Abraham to a twelve-round decision. ’’At this stage of my career my fights are only going to get tougher,’’ said Zeuge. ‘’My job is to keep improving and keep winning. If I continue to do that, my shot at the world title will come sooner rather than later.’’

On April 25, Zeuge will prove whether he is ready to take the next step on his quest to become world champion when he defends his IBF International Championship against Sjekloca. Joining him in action at the Columbia Halle in Berlin are German stars Enrico Koelling (16-1, 6 KOs), Karo Murat (26-2-1, 16 KOs), Noel Gevor (16-0, 9 KOs) and Burak Sahin (6-0, 6 KOs), plus Polish cruiserweight Mateusz Masternak (34-2, 24 KOs). Tickets are available via tickethall.de.

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (April 1, 2015) – During Wednesday’s final press conference at Le Bonne Entente in Quebec City, both Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika promised a knockout when they meet in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT.

The hard-hitting Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) will defend his light heavyweight world championship against former super middleweight world champion Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

The case was the same with the co-main event fighters as both undefeated light heavyweight and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) and former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) expected to win via KO this Saturday afternoon. Campillo, sporting a Tom Brady jersey, even promised he would win in dramatic fashion like this year’s Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

Below are quotes from the fighters and trainers from Wednesday’s press conference:

ADONIS STEVENSON:
“I know Sakio is going to try to take my title, but I’m prepared for that.

“I know he was a champion. I made the move from 168 to 175 pounds and it worked well for me. I expect him to bring his best at 175 pounds. He’s a former champ so I’m preparing to face a champion.

“I’m looking for the KO because I’m from the Kronk Gym. Knockouts sell. But I can go 12 rounds, that’s not a problem. I train for 12 rounds.

“My trainer has given me a great plan. He knows Sakio Bika very well and we’ll see what happens in the ring.

“Bika is still going to have the same power moving up in weight. He should actually be stronger.

“I’m very focused because I know Bika is very dangerous. I know he’s going to come into the ring and try to give me trouble.

“I’m a knockout artist. I can do a lot in the ring, but first and foremost I’m a knockout artist.

“I’d love to unify the belts eventually, but I’ll let my manager Al Haymon take care of that.

“My mentor Emanuel Steward always told me that as soon as I enter the ring the knockout is what sells. I’ll definitely be going for the knockout this Saturday on CBS.”

“I’m ready to go toe-to-toe. Adonis Stevenson vs. Sakio Bika on CBS, baby.”

SAKIO BIKA:
“To beat a great fighter you have to be your best. I’m looking to take the WBC title back home.

“I’ve fought everyone – I’ve never ducked an opponent – and I don’t know if he can handle the pressure.

“I feel more comfortable at 175 pounds. I want to test the big boy [Stevenson] and I feel like I can do that. On Saturday we’ll see.

“He’s knocked people out, but I’ve never been knocked out. On Saturday I’ll be the one to knock him out.

“I’m very hungry to get a world title back. I trained very hard at light heavyweight to get a title back.

“I didn’t come here to Canada just to walk and look around. I came here to take this belt back home and I’m very confident I’m going to do that.

“Training camp went very well, we put in good work and now we’re here in Canada ready to shock the world.”

JAVAN “SUGAR” HILL:
“Training camp was very good as always. Nothing different, just hard work perfecting his boxing and the basic fundamentals. We’re looking for him to make a mistake and catch him.

“The way you prepare for an unorthodox fighter like Bika is to make sure your basics are sound. You have to have a good jab, you have to have good movement and you have to have ‘super power’ And I have “Superman.

“Emanuel also told me the knockout sells. It’s something that we both know and it’s something that is imbedded in us. We’re looking for the knockout on April 4. Sometimes I see things that Adonis is looking to do before he does it. So I’ll just be sitting there waiting for Adonis to catch Sakio Bika making a mistake and getting a knockout.

“I’m super proud to represent Kronk Gym. That’s why I wear my hat here. Kronk to me is like my family name and that’s what I live by. I was born into Kronk when I was a little kid going to a tournament with my uncle Emanuel and all I remember is the Kronk fighters winning. And that’s what I do now: win.

“Adonis is an artist, he’s a KO artist. My prediction for Saturday is a knockout on CBS.

“There’s been a lot of talk and now it’s time for action. Toe-to-toe on April 4. Don’t miss it.”

KEVIN CUNNINGHAM:
“We had a great training camp. Everyone was relaxed. We had great sparring.

“He was making 168 pretty easy, but stepping up he’s able to eat whatever he wants. The weight is good. We think he’s going to be good and strong at 175. It’s a good move for him.

“He’s never had any problems with power, so I think the extra weight and energy should be good for him at light heavyweight.

“All this talk about Stevenson fighting (Sergey) Kovalev has motivated him pretty good. I think it gave him a pretty good picture of how the business of boxing works. He realizes that when the bell rings he needs to do something about it and he’s motivated by that.

“I can’t say if Stevenson is overlooking him because I’m not around him enough. But I know the fans and media want to make the Kovalev fight. It was good for Bika to hear that because it motivated him. He knows he has an opportunity to do something about it. On Saturday afternoon he can change all that.

“If Stevenson does what he says he’s going to do – meet him in the center of the ring and go toe-to-toe – this is going to be a tremendous fight.

“If he comes to the center of the ring and fights and goes toe-to-toe then this fight won’t go the distance. If Stevenson comes to trade I think he gets knocked out. If he runs around the ring and boxes then it could be a different outcome.”

ARTUR BETERBIEV:
“I don’t think this is a big challenge for me. I’m ready to face the world champions and raise the bar higher. This is just another opponent for me.

“This is another step that will move me closer to facing the champions at 175 pounds. I want to put on a solid fight and show that I’m one of the best fighters in this division.

“A knockout is never a goal for me. I’m trying to show my work and my dedication in the ring, but usually that’s what happens. Usually I finish with a knockout but that is not my main goal. My main goal is to box and show my skills.

“My motivation is to face the champions. That’s why I work so hard every day in the gym. I will get there soon.

“Why not face Kovalev? I’m ready. When I turned professional my goal was to meet the champions. He’s a champion now and I’d like to face the champions.”

GABRIEL CAMPILLO:
“We started training Jan. 1 and camp has been very good. We’ve been working very hard and I think I’m in great condition for this fight.

“Beterbiev may not have a lot of professional experience, but he’s had a very long amateur career. So we know that he’s ready and is a good opponent for us. We’ll see how he handles things once we get past the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds.

“To get ready for a hard-hitter like Beterbiev required lots of conditioning training. We worked the neck and the chin a lot. We think we’ve got a great chance in the second half of this fight though considering Beterbiev hasn’t really been tested like that.

“As for a prediction, I’m going to knock Beterbiev out in the seventh round.”

# # #

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now 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.

NEW YORK (Apr. 1, 2015) – The World Boxing Council (WBC) and Ring 8 will honor the late Joe Dwyer and Tony Mazzarella at the fourth annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), April 26 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman will make a special presentation to Dwyer’s family. Ring 8 will make presentations to the Dwyer and Mazzarella families. Dwyer and Mazzarella, both longtime Ring 8 members, passed away earlier this year. Dwyer was president of the North American Boxing Federation (NABF). Mazzarella, who served many years as Ring 8’s treasurer, was a major influence in the founding of the NYSBHOF.

NYSBHOF Class of 2015

Boxers

WBC junior welterweight champion & Vietnam Veteran Saoul Mamby Bronx/Brooklyn
WBA junior middleweight title challenger Joey Giambra Buffalo
1961 National Golden Gloves champion Johnny Persol Brooklyn
Two-time world welterweight title challenger Harold Weston New York City
WBO middleweight champion Lonnie Bradley Harlem
(Deceased)
World light heavyweight champion Paul Berlenbach Astoria
“Uncrowned” world welterweight champion Billy Graham Manhattan’s Eastside
2-Time World flyweight champion Frankie Genaro New York City
World middleweight & welterweight champion Tommy Ryan Redwood/Syracuse
World light heavyweight champion Jimmy Slattery Buffalo

Non-Participants

NYSBHOF & Ring 8 president Bob Duffy Manhattan/Massapequa Park
Journalist Mike Katz Bronx
Trainer Tommy Gallagher Howard Beach
Promoter/cutman Bob Miller Albany
Gleason’s Gym owner Bruce Silverglade Brooklyn
(Deceased)
Trainer Charley Goldman Brooklyn
MSG matchmaker Harry Markson Kingston
Promoter Cedric Kushner Manhattan
MSG matchmaker Jimmy Johnson New York City
Journalist Damon Runyon Manhattan
Manager/matchmaker Al Weill New York City

Renown ring announcer David Diamante will once again serve as the event’s Master of Ceremonies.

The 2015 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Don Majeski, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair and Neil Terens.

Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF. All NYSBHOF plaques are on display at the New York State Athletic Commission.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years, in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers.

CLASS of 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo and Arthur Mercante, Sr.

CLASS of 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard and Don Dunphy.

CLASS OF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D’Amato, William Muldoon and Tom O’Rourke.

Tickets are priced at $125.00 per adult and $50.00 for children (under 16), and includes a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 PM/ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the day.

Tickets are available to purchase by calling NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $50.00 to $250.00, by contacting and Duffy.

Go on line at www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
ABOUT RING 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

RING 8 is fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about RING 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $30.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership. Guests of Ring 8 members are welcome at a cost of only $7.00 per person.

Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament winner and former junior welterweight world title challenger Petr “El Zar” Petrov (35-4-2, 16 KOs) will meet former junior lightweight titlist Gamaliel “El Platano” Diaz (39-11-3, 18 KOs) in the 10-round lightweight main event on the April 3 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra. Friday’s show from the Omega Products Center in Corona, Calif., will air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN. ESPN Deportes will televise Friday’s fights on Saturday, April 4, at 9 p.m. The card is presented by Banner Promotions.

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore will be ringside with analyst Teddy Atlas describing the action for ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and information. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
Petrov, of Spain, was originally scheduled to fight Hank Lundy in January on ESPN2, but the fight was cancelled due to Lundy’s inability to make weight. Prior to that, Petrov scored an eighth-round TKO win over Fernando Carcamo to win the Boxcino 2014 lightweight tournament. Mexico’s Diaz is looking to get back to his winning ways following a third-round technical draw against Anthony Crolla.

“Gamaliel Diaz is a veteran fighter…He’s going to be there – tough guy, he’s been around the block,” Petrov’s manager-trainer Danny Zamora said. “You can never overlook a fighter, but Petr has trained so hard that it should be good for us.”

Co-Feature:
Thursday’s eight-round welterweight co-feature will pit undefeated up-and-coming welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (11-0, 8 KOs) against Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez Jr. (12-1, 5 KOs). In his last fight, Shelestyuk—who currently resides in Los Angles—scored a third-round knockout win over Francisco Reza. New Jersey’s Rodriguez is coming off a fourth-round technical decision win over Greg Jackson.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date

Time (ET)

Main Event

Location

Networks

Fri, Apr 3

9 p.m.

Petr Petrov (35-4-2, 17 KOs) vs. Gamaliel Diaz 38-11-3, 17 KOs) — 10 rounds, Lightweight

Omega Products Center, Corona, Calif.

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, Apr 10

9 p.m.

Boxcino 2015 Semifinals: 8 rounds each

Heavyweights:

Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KOs) vs. Lenroy Thomas (19-3, 9 KOs)

Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Donovan Dennis (11-1, 9 KOs)

Jr. Middleweights:

Brandon Adams (16-1, 11 KOs) vs. Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KOs)

Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KOs) vs. John Thompson (15-1, 5 KOs)

Sands Hotel & Casino, Bethlehem, PA

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

Fri, April 17

10 p.m.

Tony Harrison (20-0, 17 KOs) vs. Pablo Munguía (20-6, 11 KOs)

Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Conn

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN

*Schedule subject to change

ESPN Boxing Social Media and Digital Content:

· Follow ESPN Friday Night Fights’ Nigel Collins on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like ESPN Friday Night Fights on Facebook.

· Score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

· Follow ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo.

· For the latest ESPN.com boxing news and analysis follow @ESPNBoxing.

· For ESPN boxing digital content, visit the newly re-designed boxing section on ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com/boxing/).

TORONTO | NEW YORK (April 1, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the latest edition of Enfusion Live this Saturday, April 4 at 3 p.m. ET, as the 26th installment of the kickboxing series features a -60 kg world championship showdown pitting Surinamese Reda Narain against Dutchman Tommy Dieckmann.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and in Turkey on D-Smart.

In addition to the Narain vs. Dieckmann championship headliner, the event will feature a one-night, single-elimination -70 kg tournament, showcasing Morocco’s Nordin Ben Moh and Hafid El Boustati in action against Holland’s Dennis Kabbedijk and Cape Verde’s Edson Fortes, respectively. Also on the card, Indonesia’s Shana Lammers meets Holland’s Manal Arrad, plus France’s Brice Guidon throws down with Morocco’s Hicham Achalhi in heavyweight action.

Fight Network’s live broadcast kicks off at 3 p.m. ET.

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

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the sophomore edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ LA FIGHT CLUB series, as Thursday’s edition of Golden Boy Live! emanates from The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. with live action kicking off at 10 p.m. ET.

Fight Network’s broadcast will air live exclusively in Canada.

East Los Angeles native and boxing legacy Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez (13-0, 8 KOs) will face the seasoned fighter Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (23-12, 17 KOs) of Casas Grandes, Mexico in the 10-round featherweight main event.

In the co-main event, 2012 Brazilian Olympic Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-round middleweight bout against Abraham Hernandez (6-1, 4 KOs). Also, rising featherweight and Los Angeles fan favorite Nick Arce (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round match hoping to make airtime against Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-6).

“LA FIGHT CLUB was developed as the platform for up-and-coming fighters on the West Coast to display their talents, and Julian Ramirez is exactly the kind of exciting prospect that fans will see month in and month out at The Belasco Theater,” said Golden Boy Promotions founder and president Oscar De La Hoya.

“I am excited to be part of the new Los Angeles series LA FIGHT CLUB and to headline the April 2 event,” said Julian Ramirez. “I promise all the LA fans that they are going to have an exciting night. I want to put on a great show for my fans. I’ll be more than ready to give them an exciting fight.”

The undefeated East Los Angeles native, Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez, has boxing in his blood. His late uncle was the former WBA and WBC Super featherweight world champion Genaro “El Chicanito” Hernandez. Ramirez has been on the fast track since turning professional in 2012. A dynamic fighter who has the skills to succeed, Ramirez is coming off of a fourth win of 2014 when he faced Pedro Melo. Ramirez is looking to keep his undefeated status when he faces Hidalgo at The Belasco Theater.

A seasoned fighter, Raul “Bule” Hidalgo of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico began his career as a professional boxer in 2010. Since then the fighter has consistently fought in both Mexico and the U.S. 2014 was a busy year for Hidalgo as he took on 6 fights all with some of the top prospects in the sport including, Jose Lopez, Gonzalo Garcia, Joseph Diaz Jr. He is coming off of a third round knockout victory over Jorge Luis Babuca on December. Hidalgo is looking to continue his winning streak when he faces Ramirez on April 2.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Ramirez vs. Hidalgo is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Fight Network’s live broadcast airs at 10 p.m. ET.

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.

Glendale, CALIF. (April 1, 2015) – Upon learning that NESTLÉ® BUTTERFINGER® CUPS are a key part of the training regimen of Fighter of the Decade Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Butterfinger has bet one million on its newest fan, Pacquiao, to win the “Fight of the Century” which will take place on May 2, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, is preparing for his biggest career challenge by adding a secret weapon to his training table.

“When I am training, I never cut corners, and that is what makes Butterfinger Cups the best peanut butter cup – they don’t cut corners either,” noted Pacquiao. “Butterfinger and I always go the extra mile to distinguish ourselves. For us, being different is the difference.”

“We are proud to be in Manny’s corner and show our support of him in this fight of the century,” said Fabiola del Rio, Butterfinger brand manager. “Manny represents a different kind of competitor, just as Butterfinger is a different kind of peanut butter cup, and different is good. Go Manny!”

Top Rank’s Lucia McKelvey secured this new and fun deal with Butterfinger and PACQUIAO. “Butterfinger and Pacquiao go together like peanut butter and chocolate. I cannot reveal the details but I assure you it was a square deal.” said McKelvey

The different kind of peanut butter cup that made its highly anticipated debut last year, Butterfinger Cups are Pacquiao’s secret weapon and go-to-treat as he prepares for the fight of the century. Square-shaped like a boxing ring, Butterfinger Cups bring an unexpected crunch to the smooth combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

# # #

ABOUT MANNY PACQUIAO
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is world champion professional boxer. He is the first and only eight-division world champion with 10 world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Beyond boxing, Pacquiao has participated in basketball, business, acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, at the age of 32, representing the province of Sarangani. He was re-elected in 2013 to the 16th Congress of the Philippines.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the sophomore edition of Golden Boy Promotions’ LA FIGHT CLUB series, as Thursday’s edition of Golden Boy Live! emanates from The Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. with live action kicking off at 10 p.m. ET.

Fight Network’s broadcast will air live exclusively in Canada.

East Los Angeles native and boxing legacy Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez (13-0, 8 KOs) will face the seasoned fighter Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (23-12, 17 KOs) of Casas Grandes, Mexico in the 10-round featherweight main event.

In the co-main event, 2012 Brazilian Olympic Bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a six-round middleweight bout against Abraham Hernandez (6-1, 4 KOs). Also, rising featherweight and Los Angeles fan favorite Nick Arce (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight in a four-round match hoping to make airtime against Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-6).

“LA FIGHT CLUB was developed as the platform for up-and-coming fighters on the West Coast to display their talents, and Julian Ramirez is exactly the kind of exciting prospect that fans will see month in and month out at The Belasco Theater,” said Golden Boy Promotions founder and president Oscar De La Hoya.

“I am excited to be part of the new Los Angeles series LA FIGHT CLUB and to headline the April 2 event,” said Julian Ramirez. “I promise all the LA fans that they are going to have an exciting night. I want to put on a great show for my fans. I’ll be more than ready to give them an exciting fight.”

The undefeated East Los Angeles native, Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez, has boxing in his blood. His late uncle was the former WBA and WBC Super featherweight world champion Genaro “El Chicanito” Hernandez. Ramirez has been on the fast track since turning professional in 2012. A dynamic fighter who has the skills to succeed, Ramirez is coming off of a fourth win of 2014 when he faced Pedro Melo. Ramirez is looking to keep his undefeated status when he faces Hidalgo at The Belasco Theater.

A seasoned fighter, Raul “Bule” Hidalgo of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico began his career as a professional boxer in 2010. Since then the fighter has consistently fought in both Mexico and the U.S. 2014 was a busy year for Hidalgo as he took on 6 fights all with some of the top prospects in the sport including, Jose Lopez, Gonzalo Garcia, Joseph Diaz Jr. He is coming off of a third round knockout victory over Jorge Luis Babuca on December. Hidalgo is looking to continue his winning streak when he faces Ramirez on April 2.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Ramirez vs. Hidalgo is a 10-round featherweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Fight Network’s live broadcast airs at 10 p.m. ET.

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.

LAS VEGAS, NV. (March 31, 2015) – The Chelsea inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas welcomes an exciting evening of boxing featuring former two-division world champion TAKAHIRO AO who returns to the ring in his 2015 debut where he will battle two-time world title challenger RAY BELTRAN in a 12-round rumble for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight world championship on Friday, May 1.

The fight will be televised live on tru-TV beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with a battle between the undefeated with North America Boxing Federation (NABF) welterweight champion MIKAEL ZEWSKI defending his title against world-rated contender KONSTANTIN PONOMAREV. The first bout will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the tru-TV bouts beginning at 7:00 p.m. local time.

These four gladiators boast a combined record of 109-10-2 (62 KOs) — a winning ratio of 90% with over half of those victories coming by way knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank®, tickets, priced at $50, $75, 85 and $100 (plus applicable taxes and fees), are on sale and available for purchase at The Cosmopolitan Concierge Desk, all Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Ao (27-3-1, 12 KOs), from Chiba, Japan, captured his first world title in 2009, dethroning Oscar Larios to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion. He lost the title that same year in his first defense, which took place four months later, via a unanimous decision to Elio Rojas. He immediately moved up to the next weight class and 16 months later claimed the WBC super featherweight title winning a unanimous decision over Vitali Tajbert. Ao’s two-year world championship reign included three successful title defenses before losing a 12-round decision to Gamaliel Diaz in 2012. Ao has been campaigning as a lightweight ever since, going 4-0 (2 KOs), including a 10-round unanimous decision victory over former two-time world champion Juan Carlos Salgado last October en route to being world-rated No. 2 by the WBO, No. 3 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 4 by the WBC.

Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs), a native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, who now lives in North Hollywood, Calif., is one of the lightweight division’s toughest and most experienced fighters. A former NABF and United States Boxing Association (USBA) lightweight champion, Beltran had his two-year five-bout unbeaten streak broken in his last fight, losing a unanimous decision to WBO lightweight champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year Terence Crawford last November. Crawford has since vacated that title to challenge for the WBO junior welterweight crown. Beyond his professional fights, Beltran has had the benefit of being a main sparring partner for Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao for several years before becoming a top-rated contender in his own right. He is currently world-rated No. 6 by the WBO.

Zewski (26-0, 20 KOs), a native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, now living in Las Vegas, has won five of his last six bouts by knockout. The former amateur standout captured the vacant NABF welterweight title with a fourth-round knockout of Prince Doku, Jr. last June. In his last fight, in December, he successfully defended the title, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, via a 10-round majority decision over savvy veteran Jeremy Bryan. Zewski is currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBO and No. 10 by the WBC.

Ponomarev (27-0, 13 KOs), from Miass, Russia, is trained by renowned trainer Abel Sanchez. At the age of 22, Ponomarev is already a five-year pro with an impressive resume which includes WBC Baltic and WBC Youth welterweight title victories. A crowd-pleasing fighter with power in both fists and an aggressive fighting style, Ponomarev is poised to break though this year. He is currently world-rated No. 15 by the WBC.

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

ABOUT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS:
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a luxury resort offering a decidedly different perspective. Located at the heart of The Strip, the resort’s uniquely vertical multi-tower design offers spectacular views of the vibrant city. The new 2,995-room resort features oversized residential-style living spaces with expansive, one-of-a-kind private terraces. The Cosmopolitan’s luxurious resort amenities include a 100,000 square foot casino; Sahra Spa & Hammam and Violet Hour Hair Nails Beauty; three unique pool experiences; Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub, a multi-level integrated indoor/outdoor nightclub; 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art convention and meeting space; 40,000-square foot performance and event space The Chelsea; and modern supper club Rose. Rabbit. Lie. An eclectic line-up of new-to-market retailers include: AllSaints Spitalfields, CRSVR Sneaker Boutique, DNA2050, EATDRINK, Jason of Beverly Hills, Kidrobot, Molly Brown’s Swimwear, Rent the Runway, Retrospecs & Co, Skins 62 Cosmetics, Stitched and Utique. Signature restaurants include: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill by restaurateurs Bruce and Eric Bromberg; Estiatorio Milos, by international restaurateur Costas Spiliadis; Holsteins from Block 16 Hospitality; Jaleo and China Poblano restaurants by acclaimed Chef José Andrés; Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. by award-winning Chef Scott Conant; and popular steakhouse STK from The ONE Group; bustling culinary food hall The Wicked Spoon; and The Henry, an all-day dining concept.

For more information visit: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv
Find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thecosmopolitan
Follow us on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/cosmopolitan_lv

UEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (March 31, 2015) – This Saturday afternoon, April 4, hard-hitting light heavyweight world champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) plans to dish out plenty of punishment when he defends against former super middleweight world champion Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS Television Network (3 p.m. ET/Noon PT) from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

Today, however, in what has become a tradition before his fights at Pepsi Coliseum, Stevenson served food at La Maison de Lauberivière, a local shelter and soup kitchen for homeless men and women. Besides serving food, Stevenson and his team also gave away tickets, autographed posters and posed for photos with people in the shelter and some of his local fans.

In Saturday’s second main on CBS, promising undefeated light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) gets tested when he faces former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

# # #

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu. Tickets are on sale now 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

Philadelphia (March 31, 2015)–It is less than two weeks away from the semifinals of the Boxcino 2015 heavyweight and jr. middleweight tournaments that will take place on Friday night, April 10th and will be held at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA.

The show will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights with the Boxcino semifinal fights beginning at 9 PM ET.

All semifinal bouts are scheduled for eight rounds.

In the heavyweight division, Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KO’s) will take on Lenroy Thomas (19-3, 8 KO’s). Fedosov is coming off a first round pounding of Nate Heaven while Thomas won a 7-round drawbreaker over former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada.

In the second semifinal, Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KO’s) will take on Donovan Dennis (11-1, 9 KO’s).

Cojanu is coming off a 7-round drawbreaker win over Ed Fountain while Dennis stopped Steve Vukosa in 4-rounds.

In the jr. middleweight division, Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KO’s) battles John Thompson (15-1, 5 KO’s).

Skorokhod was very impressive in taking out Michael Moore in four rounds. Thompson took a six round unanimous decision over Ricardo Pinnel.

Brandon Adams (16-1, 11KO’s) battles Vito Gasparyan (15-3-5, 8 KO’s).

Adams stopped Alex Perez in five rounds while Gasparyan won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Simeon Hardy.

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

This event starts at 7pm. Ticket prices are $100, $75, $50. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 and at the box office at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center.

Los Angeles, CA (March 31, 2015)– Undefeated welterweight Taras “Real Deal” Shelestyuk (11-0, 8 KO’s) is getting ready for his April 3rd national television debut when he takes on Juan Rodriguez Jr. in the co-feature of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card in Corona, California.

The card is promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions.

In the main event, Petr Petrov will defend his NABA & NABO lightweight title when he takes on former world champion Gamaliel Diaz.

Shelestyuk, who was a 2012 Bronze Medal winner in the London Olympic games, has been training at the Wild Card Gym with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio and is looking forward to this great opportunity to display his talents in front of a nationwide audience.

“Juan Rodriguez is a good fighter, But I will show what I am made of on April 3rd,” said Shelestyuk.

“I can fight and adjust to any opponent during the fight and will do anything to win. I have been waiting a very long time to fight on national television and now it’s here” continued the versatile Shelestyuk.

Also on the card, undefeated welterweight prospect Sukhrab Shidaev(12-0, 7 KOs) of Hollywood, Calif. will fight an opponent to be named later (6-rounds).

Former Colombian Olympian and undefeated lightweight Cesar Villarraga (6-0, 4 KOs) will look to stay unbeaten against Victor Serrano (3-8-1, 1 KO) in a 6-round lightweight bout.

Making his professional debut is junior lightweight Michael Norato facing fellow novice Sopuan Rin (1-1-1) of Pomona, Calif. in a fight scheduled for 4-rounds.

Humberto Rubalcava will also step inside the squared circle for the first time as a professional. Rubalcava, a super bantamweight from Riverside, Calif., will face Christian Lorenzo (2-2, 1 KO).

Opening the event are junior welterweights Emanuel Robles (12-0-1, 3 KOs) of San Diego and Wilberth Lopez (5-4, 1 KO) of Tucson, Ariz. (6-rounds).

Tickets are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900, or online at www.ThompsonBoxing.com.

The 1st bout is at 5:15 PT, Doors at 4:30 PT and 1st TV bout at 6 PM PT./ 9 pm ET

NEW YORK (March 31, 2015) – The broadcast team for the April 4 debut of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS features a blend of highly respected sportscasters and shrewd boxing minds. Hosted by CBS Sports Network’s Brent Stover, the fights will be called by versatile and respected play-by-play veteran Kevin Harlan with ringside analysts Paul Malignaggi and broadcast newcomer Virgil Hunter.

The PBC on CBS announce team will usher in the first of up to eight live events this year beginning this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT. Light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs), of Montreal, will defend his title against former super middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia. Opening the two-fight afternoon broadcast will be undefeated Russian-born Canadian light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs), of Montreal, facing former world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs), of Madrid, Spain, from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

A veteran broadcaster, Harlan has called NFL games for 30 consecutive years. He joined CBS Sports’ NFL broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer in 1998. Harlan called CBS Sports’ HDTV coverage of the 2001 AFC Championship and Super Bowl XXXV. He has called CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 1999, including this year’s CBS/Turner coverage of the West Regional from Los Angeles. A well-versed radio broadcaster, this past season Harlan once again called play-by-play for NFL games with Boomer Esiason on Westwood One Radio Sports. Harlan and Esiason were the lead announce team on Westwood One for “Monday Night Football,” the playoffs, a Conference Championship game and the Super Bowl. This season marked Harlan’s fifth consecutive Super Bowl. Harlan called the NCAA Final Four and Championship games for CBS Radio Network and Westwood One for five consecutive years (2003-07), as well as the regionals (2009, 2010, 2011). Harlan’s boxing experience includes the 1995 Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. bout on FOX and various championship boxing events he has called for radio. Harlan is in his 28th season broadcasting the NBA and has called play-by-play action for Turner Sports’ coverage of the NBA Playoffs since 1996 and regular-season games for TNT and TBS since 1997.

The 34-year-old Malignaggi is a two-time, two-division world champion. He is known for his passionate and honest assessment of live fights and fighters as an analyst for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. An invaluable asset at ringside, Malignaggi applies a lifetime of personal boxing expertise to dynamic, ever-changing situations in the ring and articulates with aplomb. He’s been a regular ringside analyst since 2012.

The knowledgeable and sage Hunter is one of the most prominent and respected trainers in boxing. He has coached unbeaten super middleweight kingpin Andre Ward, British superstar and former undisputed 140-pound world champion Amir Khan and former welterweight world champion Andre Berto and was named the 2011 Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Hunter is making his first foray into announcing on April 4 and offers a fresh and unique perspective to the PBC on CBS.

Stover has served as studio host for CBS Sports Network since 2011. He joined the network in 2010 and has held a number of roles, including as play-by-play announcer for football, basketball and for Olympic sports. Prior to joining CBS Sports Network, Stover served as host, anchor, reporter and play-by-play voice for the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Net Midwest/Southwest.

The second installment of PBC on CBS is Saturday, May 9, and will pit undefeated Omar Figueroa, who vacated his Lightweight World Championship to move up in weight to 140 pounds, against former champion Ricky Burns.

Additional dates for Premier Boxing Champions on CBS are to be announced include live broadcasts in June, July and September, with up to three remaining events on the 2015 calendar. The live boxing broadcasts on CBS, other than the aforementioned premiere, will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

The Premier Boxing Champions series was created for television by Haymon Boxing. It is the first consistent series presentation of live boxing on CBS in 15 years. The network aired a one-off live event featuring current WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz in 2012. Prior to that, the last live boxing on the network was in 1997 when then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson.

Live boxing was a staple on the network in the 1980s, consistently featuring future Hall of Famers Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Roberto Duran, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and others. Boxing’s history on CBS dates back to 1948 when the Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts premiered featuring legendary blow-by-blow commentator Russ Hodges.

NOW LIVE ON UFC FIGHT PASS… the new episode of the acclaimed retrospective series Fightography featuring UFC Hall of Famer Dan “The Beast” Severn.

In an exclusive interview, the man who won the UFC 5 tournament, two UFC Superfight titles and the Ultimate Ultimate ‘95 tournament gives his perspective on his legendary match with Royce Gracie at UFC 4.

Despite entering the December 1994 tournament on five days’ notice as a replacement, Severn stormed all the way to the final and was the first man to seriously challenge three time UFC champion Gracie.

Severn has spent the last 21-years maintaining he could have won the fight, if he had only stuck Gracie rather than attempt to submit the BJJ master. In Fightography, Severn maintains he couldn’t bring himself to use bare fists on an exhausted Gracie and that he’s “had to live with that” decision ever since.

Also in the interview, Severn details a crazy indecent where, as a teenager, he travelled to the Soviet Block for what was supposed to be an under 18s wrestling meet. Instead, he found himself faced with a grizzled veteran in a virtual no-holds-barred brawl with a croocked referee.

TEASER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVoFAeL3gs&feature=youtu.be

FULL INTERVIEW: http://www.ufc.tv/category/fightography-dan-severn

FULL COLLECTION OF SEVERN FIGHTS: http://www.ufc.tv/video/fightography-dan-severn

NOTE: UFC FIGHT PASS is now available on XBOX ONE.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 31, 2015) – The four-bout main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the additions of former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), light heavyweights Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-1).

Featuring undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 3:30 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later. A full preliminary card will be announced shortly.

“I’m pumped that we were able to reschedule the Dantas-Richman fight so quickly,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Last Friday, Bellator saw two amazing bantamweight contests that produced a new champion and a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. Both Dantas and Richman are extremely exciting fighters who are undeniable standouts in a bantamweight division with a lot of depth.”

A key member of Brazil’s famed Nova Uniao team, Dantas has been competing professionally since 2007, fighting in both Japan and his native Brazil before making his way to Bellator MMA. The well-rounded fighter found immediate success, downing Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila to claim a tournament victory that earned Dantas a shot at the Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title. Dantas made good on the opportunity, choking out Zach Makovsky to claim the belt.

The 25-year-old Dantas successfully defended the belt twice with a knockout of current champ Marcos Galvao and a submission win over Anthony Leone before losing a hard-fought October decision to former champ Joe Warren in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

Meanwhile, United States Marine Corps veteran Richman began his professional career in 2008, earning an impressive 11-1 record fighting exclusively in his home state of Minnesota. That run earned him a call from Bellator MMA, where he promptly earned knockout wins over Chris Horodecki and Jeremy Spoon in a combined time of just 106 seconds. Mixed results would follow, as he scored wins over Mitch Jackson, Alexandre Bezerra and Akop Stepanyan but fell short against the featherweight division’s very best fighters in Goiti Yamauchi, Desmond Green, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev and Shahbulat Shamhalaev.

The losses prompted Richman to make a move down to 135 pounds, and the choice has paid immediate dividends. The 29-year-old Richman has looked unbeatable at bantamweight, registering devastating first-round knockout wins over Nam Phan and Ed West.

The heavy-handed Zwicker fights in his hometown while making his fifth Bellator MMA appearance. The 32-year-old Team Quest fighter appeared most recently in January, earning a hard-fought split-decision victory over Houston Alexander. A striker by nature, nine of Zwicker’s 13 career wins have come by way of knockout.

Al-Hassan makes his Bellator MMA debut. Also 32 years old, the Roufusport fighter has been competing professionally since 2007 and has earned 11 of his 12 career wins by stoppage. However, in contrast to his opponent, Al-Hassan owns eight of those victories by submission. Al-Hassan returns from a two-year layoff from competition.

Gonzalez is hoping to earn his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with another impressive victory. A native of Menifee, Calif., the 31-year-old has looked absolutely unstoppable in a three-fight Bellator MMA run, scoring consecutive victories over MMA notables Marius Zaromskis, Karo Parisyan and Karl Amoussou.

Millender hails from San Bernadino, Calif. The 27-year-old opened his professional career in 2013 with seven consecutive wins, earning him a spot on the Bellator MMA roster. However, in his promotional debut, he was forced to submit to a rear-naked choke against top contender Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward. Millender now looks to rebound from that loss and earn his first Bellator MMA victory.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Featured Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)
Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

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

About Spike 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.

Philadelphia, PA—Middleweight prospect DeCarlo Perez, of Atlantic City, NJ, gets another tough test when he takes on rugged Jessie Nicklow, of Baltimore, MD, in the scheduled eight-round semifinal on Friday evening, May 8, at the 2300 Arena.

Topping the seven-bout card is the 10-round heavyweight showdown between Amir “Hard Core” Mansour, of Wilmington, DE, and Joey “The Tank” Dawejko, of Philadelphia. ESPN 2 will televise the show, beginning at 9pm (EST). First prelim goes off at 7 pm.
Perez (left), 24, has had few soft touches since turning pro in the summer of 2010. His 13-3-1 record includes five knockouts. He has won seven of his last eight fights, and the combined record of those eight opponents was an imposing 102-20-9 with 60 knockouts. His only setback in that streak was via eight-round split decision to world-rated Wilky Campfort, of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
In his last fight Oct. 18 at the 2300 Arena, Perez stopped Tyrone Brunson, of Philadelphia, in five rounds. Perez is ranked No. 6 by the United States Boxing Association (USBA).
“I am very excited to be fighting Jessie Nicklow,” Perez said. “He is a tough opponent with 25 wins and he has been in with world champion Jermain Taylor. Team Perez is ready for the challenge and the opportunity to show the fans what we can do.
“The fact that Jessie is tough and experienced has me working hard but not worried. We have been fighting tough our entire career. Fortunately, the world will get to see what the local boxing community already knows. We are ready.”
Nicklow (right), 28, is 24-5-3, 8 K0s, with two of his losses coming to ex-world champion Taylor, of Little Rock, AR, and to Olympic Gold Medalist Ryota Murata, of Japan, in his last fight Dec. 13 in Tokyo.
The only foe common to both Nicklow and Perez is Julius Kennedy, of Baltimore, who boxed a 10-round draw with Nicklow in 2010, three years before he was stooped in five rounds by Perez.
“I don’t really have a lot to say about this coming fight with Perez,” Nicklow said. “I will have had seven weeks of training to fight a 13-3 guy. I work a full-time job for Scaffold Resource. I have two dogs, a cat and a little brother to take care of.
“I train like every fight is going to be my last because I know what I’m willing to risk to win. My only game plan is the same as every fight and that’s to punch him in the face.”

About May 8

The Mansour-Dawejko and Perez-Nickow fights headline a seven-bout card at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Doors open at 6 pm; first fight is 7pm. The card will be televised live by ESPN 2 at 9 pm. Tickets are $55 and $80 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and Wanamaker’s Tickets (215-568-2400). Tickets also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.wanatix.com. The May 8 card is promoted by Peltz Boxing, Joe Hand Promotions and BAM Boxing.

NEW YORK (March 31, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce that the second edition throne boxing is set for Friday, April 17, 2015 at The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut and will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT. Headlining the event will be undefeated Russian cruiserweight sensation Murat “Iron” Gassiev defending his IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship against veteran Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. of Galveston, Texas in a 12-round main event.

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

Supporting the main event, several of boxing’s hottest young fighters will be featured on the April 17 throne boxing undercard including Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, Junior Younan and Wellington Romero.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the April 17 edition of throne boxing, sponsored by Jaybird, TapouT Muscle and Tequila CAZADORES®, will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the event.

“All of us at Roc Nation Sports are extremely excited to continue our throne boxing series on FOX Sports 1 on April 17 at Foxwoods,” said Roc Nation Sports’ COO of Boxing David Itskowitch. “We plan to continue where we left off with our premiere throne boxing event in January by bringing great fights, a unique musical performance and an unparalleled fan experience which we know will capture the attention of both avid boxing fans and a new fans alike.”

“Through our relationship with Roc Nation Sports, we are pleased to again bring some of the sport’s top fighters to FOX Sports 1 in April and look forward to another great event,” said Patrick Crakes, Senior Vice President Programming, Research & Content Strategy, FOX Sports.

“We are thrilled to partner with Roc Nation Sports to bring boxing and music fans under one roof for this spectacular event,” said Monique Sebastian, VP of Entertainment and Entertainment Marketing for Foxwoods Resort Casino. “This unique experience will forever change the boxing landscape and Foxwoods sets the perfect stage for this exciting event.”

Undefeated cruiserweight Murat “Iron” Gassiev (20-0, 13 KO’s) of Vladikavkaz, Russia has the boxing world buzzing. The twenty-one year old IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Champion is known for his fast hands and superior balance and has been called “the second coming of Gennady Golovkin” by his trainer, Abel Sanchez, who also trains Golovkin. Gassiev made his professional debut before a hometown crowd in September of 2011, defeating Roman Mirzoev via a four-round unanimous decision victory. For the next three years Gassiev dominated the competitive Russian professional circuit, racking up impressive wins over the likes of Levan Jomardashvili in June 2013 and Ivica Bacurin in December of the same year. His victory over Bacurin, a hard-fought, ten-round unanimous decision win, earned Gassiev the WBC Youth Cruiserweight World Championship. Only two months, later Gassiev outlasted a vastly more experienced Ismail Abdoul in scoring a twelve-round unanimous decision victory to win the vacant IBF East/West Europe Cruiserweight Championship. On October 31, 2014, Gassiev scored his most impressive victory to date, stopping Engin Karakaplan via first-round technical knockout to win the vacant IBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Championship. With the goal of becoming a world champion, Gassiev moved to the United States in late 2014 and began training in Big Bear, Calif. under the guidance of Sanchez. He made his American debut on January 23 of this year at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, Calif. where he dominated Terrance Smith en route to fourth round technical knockout victory. Sanchez has predicted that Gassiev will “clean out the cruiserweight division in a couple of years” and then make the leap to heavyweight. Before he makes that leap, he has to get past a formidable opponent in Felix Cora.

Felix “Bad News” Cora Jr. (25-6-2, 14 KO’s) of Galveston, Texas is on a quest to have his name spoken in the same breath as his hometown hero, the legendary Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Cora began fighting at the age of eleven, following in the footsteps of his father who was a Golden Gloves champion. Cora began his career with a six-year undefeated streak, compiling a record of 20-0-2 along the way. On June 25, 2004 he defeated Michael Simms for the vacant USBA cruiserweight title with a twelve-round majority decision in Rosemont, Illinois. He added the NABF cruiserweight title to his trophy case with an eighth-round technical knockout of Arthur Williams at the Coeur d’Alene Casino in Worley, Idaho on October 27, 2005. Following a successful NABF title defense against Darnell Wilson, Cora suffered defeats in his next two fights, with both losses coming at the hands of undefeated fighters in Vadim Tokarev of Russia and Matt Godfrey. Following those setbacks, in late 2008/early 2009 Cora was a participant in the fourth season of the hit reality show The Contender. Most recently, Cora has put together a three-fight winning streak including an eleventh round knockout win over Laudelino Jose Barros in Barros’ hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil in October of 2013 and, in his most recent fight in March of 2014, a second round knockout of Andrae Cathron before a hometown crowd in Galveston. He now has his sights set on victory number four of his winning streak with Gassiev standing in the way.

Hailing from Washington, DC with an undefeated professional record, 20 year-old Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (25-0, 13 KO’s) has been referred to as “Washington’s best boxing prospect since Sugar Ray Leonard” by the Washingtonian Magazine. He made his professional debut as the youngest licensed professional fighter in the United State on June 11, 2011, less than a month following his 17th birthday. Most recently, Hernandez-Harrison headlined Roc Nation Sports’ inaugural throne boxing event at The Theater at Madison Square in a fight televised by FOX Sorts 1 on January 9, 2015, capturing the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Championship with a dominant ten-round unanimous decision victory over Tommy “The Razor” Rainone.

Brooklyn, New York’s undefeated super middleweight Junior “The Young God” Younan (6-0, 5 KO’s) is considered one of New York City’s best boxing prospects. Younan began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way. Less than a month after his 18th birthday, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013 at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. In his most recent fight on August 13, 2014, he scored a first round knockout win over Marlon Farr at BB King’s Blues Club in New York City.

Fighting out of Newburgh, New York, by way of the Dominican Republic, Wellington “W.A.R.” Romero (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) was a highly decorated amateur who was a proud member of the 2012 Dominican Olympic Boxing Team at the 2012 Games in London. Prior to that, he captured a bronze medal at the 2010 Central American Games and made back to back appearances at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championship and the 2011 Pan American Games. On October 26, 2013, Romero made his pro debut, defeating Victor Galindo via a four-round unanimous decision at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In his most recent fight, Romero maintained his unbeaten run by scoring a first round knockout win against Lee Kreisher on January 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

On fight night, doors open at 6:30 PM with the first bout to take place at 7:00 PM.

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

About Roc Nation Sports

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

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

About Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 31, 2015) – Bombs will be flying once again when Gary Shaw Productions and Savarese Promotions’ undefeated Light-Heavyweight slugger, Medzhid “B-52” Bektemirov (15-0, 12 KOs), makes his way back to the ring against Michael Gbenga (20-18, 20 KOs). Bektemirov vs. Gbenga, an 8-round bout, will take place Saturday, April 18, at College Park Center located on the campus of the University of Texas Arlington on the undercard of Crawford-Dulorme.

Ranked #10 by the WBA, Bektemirov will seek another victory against Gbenga, as he looks to climb up the Light-Heavyweight rankings while keeping his undefeated record intact. His mission, like always, is to get his opponent out of there early.

“I’m looking to seek and destroy everyone in my path,” said Medzhid Bektemirov. “My trainer Ronnie Shields has me working on a variety of different combinations that I feel is making me a better fighter. I’m in the gym everyday working extremely hard on everything. Now that I’m ranked in the WBA, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My co-promoters Gary Shaw and Lou Savarese have assured me a big fight if I continue to win. I know Gbenga has a lot of power, but I feel my punches will be more explosive and I’ll be gunning for the knockout from the opening bell. I’m ready to drop bombs!”

“Lou and I are doing our best to keep B-52 busy,” said Gary Shaw. “This will be his second fight in a little over a month and we want him on the fast track to a world title. Our goal is to move him up wisely against opponents that will prepare him for the next level. He keeps knocking everyone out so we have to keep him fighting as much as possible.”

“I’m very happy that Gary Shaw was able to get B-52 on this card,” said Lou Savarese. “Bektemirov is thrilled to be fighting so soon after a spectacular performance in his last fight which took place last month. I like what Ronnie Shields is doing with him. He’s improving with each fight and that’s what Gary and I are looking for. We want B-52 ready for the next level.”

NEW YORK, March 31, 2015 – HBO Sports, widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations and winner of ten George F. Peabody Awards for broadcast excellence, has begun production on the one-hour special MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST, detailing the nearly six-year journey to the most-anticipated fight of the modern era, the May 2 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster welterweight unification title bout.

Debuting SATURDAY, APRIL 18 (11:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following the previously announced “HBO Boxing After Dark®” doubleheader beginning at 9:45 p.m., the film, narrated by Liev Schreiber, chronicles the biggest challenge of Manny Pacquiao’s stellar pro career. A special prime time replay will air on Thursday, April 23 (9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT). MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST combines new and archival material to look at what is expected to be the most lucrative bout in the sport’s history.

Other HBO playdates: April 19 (11:45 a.m.), 20 (2:30 p.m., 2:15 a.m.), 22 (1:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), 23 (11:00 a.m., 2:35 a.m.), 25 (9:15 a.m.) and 29 (11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: April 19 (2:45 p.m.), 21 (3:15 p.m.), 22 (4:15 p.m.), 24 (8:30 a.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 28 (8:00 p.m.)

Global icon Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), a national hero in his homeland of the Philippines, is preparing to fight the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) in a 147-pound unification championship showdown that will take place at a capacity-filled MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 2. The live pay-per-view telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT) and will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and Showtime PPV®.

“This is the mega-fight fans have been anticipating for many years, and we are thrilled to chronicle Manny Pacquiao’s path to this defining moment in his career,” says Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “This special will provide viewers with a narrative of how this fight came to be and spotlight Team Pacquiao’s preparations heading into the biggest challenge Manny has confronted in the ring. It will be a terrific primer for any viewer eager to go behind the scenes in the lead-up to May 2.”

Pacquiao, 36, is conducting his training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Cal. under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. Willing to accept any challenge, Pacquiao has faced a wide range of superstar opponents throughout his career, including Oscar de la Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez (four times), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (three times), Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley, Jr. (twice). The May 2 mega-fight marks the 21st time Pacquiao is headlining a pay-per-view event.

As part of HBO’s comprehensive initiative surrounding the Mayweather-Pacquiao event, a separate all-new HBO Sports special will debut Saturday, April 25 (12:15-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), with details to be announced as they are confirmed. HBO will also present a Manny Pacquiao mini-marathon of classic fights that starts airing the weekend of April 17.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter at @HBOBoxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing; and visit on Instagram @HBOboxing. Follow the conversation using #MayPac.

The executive producer of MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST is Rick Bernstein; director, Bentley Weiner; co-director, Abtin Motia; narrator, Liev Schreiber; writer, Aaron Cohen.

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 31, 2015 – One of America’s iconic big-event broadcast voices, Bob Costas, will serve as a special contributor for NBC’s Saturday, April 11 primetime telecast of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC, it was announced today.

Costas, host Al Michaels, and blow-by-blow announcer Marv Albert will work together on a broadcast for the first time ever on the PBC on NBC show Saturday, April 11 live at 8:30 p.m. ET from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Costas will present a feature on the long and storied history of boxing in New York.

Returning to their native New York for the telecast (Albert and Michaels are from Brooklyn, Costas from Commack, Long Island), the trio is synonymous with the biggest events in sports – combining to work 25 Super Bowls, 25 NBA Finals, 23 Olympics, 19 World Series, and numerous championship boxing events on television and radio.

“We are thrilled to have three of sports’ all-time broadcasting heavyweights – in prominence, not weight – working together on TV for the first time,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN. “Appropriately, these three are teammates on a primetime NBC boxing telecast.”

“While I have done many broadcasts with Al and with Marv, this is a one-time opportunity to work on the same broadcast with two of the all-time greats, plus it’s a chance for me and Al to renew our ongoing debate with Marv as to which was the greater cinematic achievement – BASEketball or The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh,” said Costas, who at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games became U.S. television’s first 10-time Olympic primetime host (Jim McKay hosted eight times for ABC).

“I never could have imagined this,” said Michaels, who in 2015 on Sunday Night Football begins his record 30th consecutive season as the play-by-play voice of the NFL’s premier primetime broadcast package. “And to have it all happen close to where we all grew up makes it that much more special. Very, very cool.”

“It is an honor to be a part of this group,” said Albert, who has been the most recognizable national voice of the NBA since 1990 in addition to his 37 years as the radio and TV voice of the New York Knicks. “I’ve always had great admiration for the work that Al and Bob have done through the years, and I’m proud to call them friends.”

Michaels, Albert, and Costas will be joined on the telecast by analyst and six-time world champion “Sugar” Ray Leonard, corner analyst B.J. Flores, and reporter Kenny Rice.

The Saturday, April 11 PBC on NBC primetime show features four boxers with a combined 127-4-1 record and 80 KOs – undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) vs. Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs), and middleweight champion “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) vs. Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs).

Following is an additional look at the legendary sports broadcasting trio working its first event together.

TALE OF THE TAPE

As play-by-play announcer or host, on television or radio, Costas, Michaels and Albert have each worked the Super Bowl, Olympics, NBA Finals and World Series on multiple occasions. Following is a breakdown

Announcer
Events worked
Bob Costas
11 Olympics, 11 NBA Finals, 7 Super Bowls, 7 World Series
Al Michaels
10 Super Bowls, 8 Olympics, 8 World Series, 2 NBA Finals
Marv Albert
12 NBA Finals, 8 Super Bowls, 4 Olympics, 4 World Series

MEMORABLE CALL

AL MICHAELS — “Do you believe in Miracles? Yes!” – 1980 Winter Olympics, U.S. Hockey team defeats Soviet Union in semifinal

MARV ALBERT – “Yes, and it counts!” – Numerous NBA telecasts

BOB COSTAS – “The New York Yankees…World Champions….Team of the Decade…most successful franchise of the century.” – Final out as Yankees sweep Braves in 1999 World Series

GREAT TRIOS

While we will resist the temptation to compare the Costas-Michaels-Albert broadcasting trio to the equally esteemed Three Tenors (José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti), following is a sampling of great sports trios that at least one of the three has covered:

LeBron James-Dwayne Wade-Chris Bosh – Led by the All-Star trio, the Miami Heat advanced to four consecutive NBA Finals, winning two (2012 and 2013).

Greg Maddux-John Smoltz-Tom Glavine – From 1993-2002, the pitching trio led the Atlanta Braves to the playoffs every season, won three National League pennants and captured the 1995 World Series title.

Troy Aikman-Emmitt Smith-Michael Irvin — Nicknamed “The Triplets,” the Hall of Fame quarterback-running back-wide receiver combination led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in four seasons (1992-95).

Magic Johnson-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-James Worthy – The Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers trio advanced to six of seven NBA Finals from 1983-89, winning three titles with each earning NBA Finals MVP honors once.

Wayne Gretzky-Mark Messier-Jari Kurri – The Hall of Fame Edmonton Oilers front line trio won four Stanley Cups in five years between 1984-88.

“Sugar” Ray Leonard-Thomas “Hitman” Hearns-“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler – Hall of Fame welterweight/middleweight trio captured 15 boxing titles in late 1970s and 1980s.

Larry Bird-Kevin McHale-Robert Parish – The Hall of Fame front court led the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles and two additional trips to the NBA Finals in the 1980s.

Pete Rose-Joe Morgan-Johnny Bench – Stalwarts of the “The Big Red Machine,” led Cincinnati Reds to three consecutive National League pennants, winning the World Series in 1975 and 1976.

Willis Reed-Walt Frazier-Dave DeBusschere – Trio led the New York Knicks to the franchise’s only two NBA titles in a four-year span (1970 and 1973).

The debut PBC on NBC telecast on Saturday, March 7 averaged 3.4 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched professional boxing broadcast in 17 years (“Oscar De La Hoya’s Fight Night” on FOX, 5.9 million, Mon., March 23, 1998). The PBC on NBC debut also led NBC to a Saturday primetime victory among Adults 18-49, with a 1.08 rating in the demographic.

NBC and NBCSN will present 20 live “PBC on NBC” boxing events in 2015. Within the 20 live shows, NBC Sports Group will present more than 50 hours of PBC coverage, including NBCSN pre- and post-fight programming for NBC telecasts. The Premier Boxing Champions series is created for television by Haymon Boxing. The PBC on NBC will feature many of today’s brightest stars, in their most compelling matches.

All PBC on NBC shows will be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBC Sports Live Extra is available for desktops at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.

LONDON (March 31) – One of boxing’s most exciting pound-for-pound fighters Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin will defend his middleweight titles live and exclusive on BoxNation when he takes on Willie Monroe Jr on May 16th.

The Kazakh superstar has struck fear throughout the middleweight division by dismantling all 32 of his opponents – 29 of those by way of brutal stoppage – with the explosive puncher out for more of the same when he takes on his skilled American challenger.

The 12-round bout taking place at The Forum in Inglewood, California will see Golovkin’s WBA Super belt and IBO title up for grabs as he makes his first return to the ring following his win over Britain’s brave Martin Murray in February.

The addition of the May 16th clash adds yet another string in the bow to a mighty BoxNation schedule over the coming weeks.

Boxing fans can enjoy a host of back-to-back world class fights for just £12 a month starting on April 11th when Andy Lee makes the first defence of his WBO middleweight crown against Peter Quillin, with light-welterweight aces Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson on the card.

That’s followed a week later on April 18th with a truly monster night of live action for BoxNation subscribers when lightweight Derry Matthews takes his first stab at a world title against slick WBA champion Richard Abril at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.

BoxNation will then go Stateside with two fantastic fight cards starting with a bout that promises to be an all-out war with Argentine banger Lucas Matthysse taking on the formidable Ruslan Provodnikov at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York.

Hot on the heels of that, on the same night, will see rising pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford back in action in Arlington, Texas as he looks to become a two-weight world champion against Puerto Rican sensation Thomas Dulorme.

That’s not all, with BoxNation bringing British fans even more mouth-watering live fights with heavyweight legend Wladimir Klitschko back on US soil when he defends his world titles against the undefeated and highly-rated Bryant Jennings on April 25th in New York.

It gets even better for BoxNation subscribers when Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez and knockout artist James Kirkland share the ring in front of 40,000 fans at the Minute Maid Park in Houston Texas on May 12th in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

That is followed in quick succession by fan-favourite Golovkin who will be out to provide more fireworks as he continues lighting up the 160-pound division.

“I’m very excited to fight again in Los Angeles where I now live” said Golovkin. “Monroe is a skilled southpaw and I look forward to the test he will provide. I promise my fans another ‘Big Drama Show.”

Top-rated challenger Monroe Jr is adamant 32-year-old Golovkin will not have it all his own way as he looks to spring a surprise.

“It’s going to be one of those fights; speed vs. power, slickness vs. aggressiveness and the bull vs. the matador. I am ready. I’ve been in training already for three weeks before we even got this fight. We will be more than ready on May 16,” said Monroe Jr.

Jim McMunn, Managing Director of BoxNation, said: “Gennady Golovkin is among the most exciting and thrilling fighters around so we are delighted to be able to bring BoxNation subscribers his next fight against a tricky opponent in Willie Monroe Jr live and exclusive. This fight joins a fantastic lineup on BoxNation over the coming weeks, with a number of world class fights that at only £12 a month represents truly remarkable value for money.”

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546 and TalkTalk 525) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com.

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.