Cranston, RI – The stars come out March 25 as Rhode Wars 3 invades the Historic Park Theatre & Event Center.

Four-time world champion and International Women’s Boxing Hall of Famer Jaime “Hurricane” Clampitt headlines CES Boxing’s Park Theatre debut in an eight-round lightweight showdown against Brazilian Taynna Cardoso and unbeaten super featherweight prospect Alejandro Paulino returns in the six-round co-main event against dangerous veteran Derrick Murray, highlighting a full day of boxing that also features the Jimmy Burchfield Classic Invitational VII matinee amateur boxing showcase.

Rhode Wars 3 and the Jimmy Burchfield Classic Invitational VII are separate admission events with tickets for available online at CESFights.com or TheParkRI.com.

Full fight card details for Rhode Wars 3 were announced yesterday at the Park Theatre’s newly-launched Comedy Park, part of a highly-publicized series of renovations under the Theatre’s new ownership. The venue’s first combat sports event features a handful of household names, highlighted by the iconic Clampitt (23-6-2, 7 KOs), who aims for her first victory in 13 months amidst her second comeback following an eight-year layoff between 2013 and 2021. The 34-year-old Cardoso boasts a lengthy amateur career before making her professional debut in 2017 and is just three weeks removed from a back-and-forth showdown with 31-fight legend Heather Hardy.

The 24-year-old prodigy Paulino (11-0, 10 KOs) last fought in January against Ryizeemmion Ford in a bout originally scored a fifth-round knockout win for Paulino and later ruled a no contest. The New London, CT, native tries again for win No. 12 against the durable Murray (17-7-1, 6 KOs), whose gone the distance in 17 of his 25 pro bouts. Murray has fought everywhere from 126 to 140 pounds, but has historically been at his best between super featherweight and lightweight, most recently scoring key victories over previously-unbeaten prospect Angel Flores and 87-fight vet DeMarcus Corley.

Fighting for the first time under the CES banner, newly-signed, undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez (11-0, 10 KOs) of Springfield, MA, faces hard-charging Brazilian Rodrigo Lopes Rodrigues (8-4, 7 KOs) in a six-round bout. Velazquez competed in the Junior Olympics as a 16-year-old amateur before embarking on his pro career with four fights in 2018. The 26-year-old rising star won his first nine fights by knockout and figures to face his toughest test March 25 against the pesky Rodrigues, who went six hard rounds with Francis Hogan with CES in June and remains the only fighter to go the distance with the lanky left-hander.

Also at Rhode Wars 3, Cranston’s own Gary Balletto III (3-0, 2 KOs) steps back into the ring against 23-year-old Marlborough, MA, native Raphael Torres (2-0, 2 KOs) with both fighters putting their unbeaten records on the line in an intriguing six-round cruiserweight bout. A two-sport star who also excels in mixed martial arts, Balletto fights for the second time in his hometown, following in the footsteps of his father, Gary “Tiger” Balletto, who fought seven times in Cranston during his decade-long career.

Johnston, RI, super middleweight James Maner (2-0, 2 KOs) aims for his third career win in a four-round bout against debut Garrett Desilets of Fall River, MA, and welterweight Jesus Salas (1-1, 1 KO) of New Bedford, MA, makes his CES debut in a four-round bout against Bronx native Jeff Gonzalez (1-0).

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Celebrating its 99th anniversary, the Historic Park Theatre & Event Center is a 1,015-seat performance art theatre that originally opened in 1924 and reopened in October of 2022 under new ownership with major renovations that include the newly-launched Park Place Café, Comedy Park, and Rolfe Supper Club on the second floor. Owned by restaurateurs Ed Brady and Jeff Quinlan, the historic Park, located across the street from Cranston City Hall at 848 Park Ave., is capable of hosting an array of events and will expand later this year to include tributes to Queen, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Jackson. The Park Theatre will be a space for the Rhode Island community to come together and bring history back to life.

LAVAL, Québec, Canada (March 7, 2023) — A loaded undercard for the Jean Pascal vs. Michael “Diesel” Eifert International Boxing Federation (IBF) Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator card, “No Limit”, presented by Mise-O-Jeu, has been announced for March 16^th at Place Bell in Laval, Canada.

Two former world champions and a pair of Olympians and three female bouts will be showcased on “No Limit,” which will be available on ESPN+ in the United States,but available in Canada on Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV and worldwide on GYMBoxe.tv and Fite.tv.

“No Limit” is promoted by DiBella Entertianment, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel and Jean Pascal Promotions, and in collaboration with Blanko Sports and SES Sports Events GmbH.

Pascal (36-6-1, 20 KOs), a two-time World Light Heavyweight Champion, takes on his German opponent, Eifert (11-1, 4 KOs), the actual IBF Inter-Continental and former unified IBF/WBC and WBO Youth Champion, in the 12-round main event to determine the mandatory challenger for IBF World title holder Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs). Haiti-native Pascal, who has lived in Montreal since the late 1980s, is rated No. 3 by the IBF, while Eifert is ranked No. 5.

“The Jean Pascal vs. Michael Eifert IBF world title eliminator at Place Bell, in Laval, Quebec, Canada, will be supported by a tremendous undercard on March 16,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Fans in attendance will be treated to an exciting all-Canadian co-feature between super lightweights Mathieu Germain, of Quebec, and Steven Wilcox, of Ontario, in a 10-round contest. Canada’s women’s boxing scene will be well represented with former world title challenger Jessica Camara and Olympian Caroline Veyre, both from Montreal, in separate bouts, along with Ontario’s Amanda Galle, who is on the verge of a world title opportunity. Ireland’s light heavyweight prospect Joe Ward will look to add another impressive win to his ledger on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day and Italy’s amateur prodigy Yoel Angeloni will make his North American debut.”

Providing chief support in the 10-round, co-featured event is an exciting Canadian showdown for the IBF Inter-Continental super lightweight title between popular Mathieu “G-Time” Germain (21-2-1, 9 KOs) from Mascouche Quebec and Steven Wilcox (24-3-1, 7 KOs) from Hamilton Ontario. Germain, a former IBF International super lightweight champion, is riding a 3-fight win streak that started with his impressive victory over Steve Claggett (33-7-2, 23 KOs) by way of a 10-round decision. One of four boxing brothers, Wilcox is a former NABA Canadian super lightweight titleist who has won his last 6 straight matches.

Mathieu Germain is extremely excited about the opportunity: “I have been looking for this kind of fight for a long time where a victory will propel me directly with the best contenders in my division! I promise you I won’t miss, and I’ll leave the ring with this belt around my waist.”

World title contender Jessica “Cobra” Camara (10-3, 2 KOs), of Montreal, returns to Quebec for the first time since 2019. Camara has since fought 5 fights in the United States, including for the WBA and WBO super lightweight world championships versus Kali Reis (19-7-1, 5 KOs) in New Hampshire in November 2021. She lost a split decision in an extremely close and hard-fought fight, but has rebounded with two victories heading into this contest. Prisca Vicot was to be her opponent, but she withdrew last weekend. To replace her, Karla Ramos Zamora (9-9-1, 2KO) of Puebla for 10 rounds at super lightweight. The latter, who knocked out Viscot in 2020, accepted the challenge. Zamora is well known in Quebec for having offered a solid opposition to Leila Beaudoin last September, as evidenced by the 3 scores of 58-56 from the judges.

Another exciting female prospect is undefeated bantamweight and former Canadian amateur champion, Amanda Galles (7-0-1, 1 KO), who meets Lorena Cruz Aispuro (4-2, 0 KOs), of Mexico, in an 8-rounder.

Irish eyes will be smiling for promising Irishman “Mighty” Joseph Ward (8-1, 4 KOs), a 2016 Ireland Olympian, who will lead the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in an 8-round fight versus Mexican light heavyweight Mario Andrade Rodriguez (7-0, 4 KOs).

Rising featherweight star Caroline Veyre (2-0), a decorated Canadian amateur and 2020 Olympian, faced Emma “Valkyria” Gongora (5-2), of Marseille, France, in a 6-round match. The latter was injured in training and provided medical evidence on Tuesday. Another opponent will be announced this week.

?

Italian welterweight sensation Yoel Angeloni (1-0), the latest discovery of New York City-based promoter Lou DiBella, will make his North American debut as a professional in a 4-round battle against Alexander Calixto (1-1, 0 KOs).

Tickets ranging from $40 In the stands to $500 (f(floor) are available for purchase online evenco.ca or by email at info@groupeyvonmichel.ca.

-30-

ABOUT DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT: In May of 2000, Lou DiBella launched DiBella Entertainment (DBE), a full-service sports and entertainment company, which has become one of the most successful promotional entities in boxing. Serving as matchmaker, television distributor, marketing advisor, and promoter, DiBella has developed an exciting stable of championship caliber, world-class fighters, such as Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Jermaine Taylor, Micky Ward, Deontay Wilder, and George Kambosos, among others. DBE clearly established itself as an industry leader with the successful launch of its monthly-televised “Broadway Boxing” series in November 2003. Prior to becoming a promoter, DiBella held an 11-year tenure as the Senior Vice President of HBO Sports. While at HBO, DiBella created and established the highly successful “Boxing After Dark” series, which featured some of the sport’s greatest fights. He is also a well-known fixture in the film industry, having worked as an Executive Producer for the film “Love Ranch”, as an Associate Producer on “The Fighter”, and making his acting debut in “Rocky Balboa”. He also produced or executive produced numerous documentaries, such as Viva Baseball!, Magic Man, Maravilla, Larry Flynt for President, and Tapia. The President and Managing General Partner for the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team, DiBella proudly wears his 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series rings, as his team is the class AA affiliate to the San Francisco Giants. In 2017, DiBella also became the CEO and Managing Owner of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, the AA-affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. DiBella was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020 and inducted in June 2022, as well as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

ABOUT YVON MICHEL GROUP (GYM): Groupe Yvon Michel is a professional boxing promotion organization, founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel, Alexandra Croft and Bernard Barré, who are still active in the company, the most prolific in the history of professional boxing in Canada. Since its foundation, GYM has promoted 165 events in Quebec, all televised in Quebec on RDS, TVA Sports or Radio-Canada, as well as participated in 38 international events outside Quebec. Eight GYM boxers have become world champions: Joachim Alcine, Jean Pascal, Adonis Stevenson, Artur Beterbiev, Eleider Alvarez, Marie-Eve Dicaire (twice), Oscar Rivas and Kim Clavel. Nineteen boxers from the organization have delivered 54 world championship fights, maintaining an excellent record of 30 wins, 22 losses and 2 draws. During this period, major American television networks were more active than ever in coming to Quebec to broadcast the most important events of the organization.

Media accreditation requests for the March 16th fights should be submitted to Claire Couturier, Communications Manager at Groupe Yvon Michel.

Source : Groupe Yvon Michel – GYM

NEW YORK – March 9, 2023 – Undefeated rising light heavyweight Ali Izmailov will step into the ring looking to kick off a big 2023 as he takes on Argentina’s Ariel Armando Basconcel in an eight-round bout this Saturday, March 11 from the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

Fighting out of the Salita Promotions stable, Izmailov (9-0, 6 KOs) has begun a steady climb up the light heavyweight rankings ever since making his U.S. debut in October 2021. The 29-year-old hopes to make a leap to contender status sooner than later, and knows he must impress against Basconcel (13-4-1, 12 KOs).

“I had a really good camp and I’m feeling prepared going into the ring,” said Izmailov, who trains in Miami with renowned coach John David Jackson. “I’m looking forward to this fight and a big year. I’m definitely not overlooking my opponent, and I’m planning on giving a really sharp performance. My goal is to be a world champion and fight the best in the division. That means I have to do everything possible to be at my best each time I step into the ring.”

Now residing in Detroit when not training in Florida, Izmailov scored three victories in 2022, including wins over two previously unbeaten foes in his last two matchups. Those two triumphs saw Izmailov stop Abraham Tebes in three rounds in April before winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Eric Murguia in August.

“Ali is not yet known to the public at large, but in the near future will be a dominant force in the light heavyweight division,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “I believe he has all the tools to become one of the prominent fighters in the sport of boxing.” 

#         #         #

ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing’s best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including SHOWTIME, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Check the Salita Promotions YOUTUBE CHANNEL for regular updates of the modern world’s greatest fighters, contenders and prospects in action. 

Pittsburgh, PA (March 9, 2023) – World-Ranked super bantamweight Oleh Dovhun will defend his NABA Title against Juan Centeno on Friday night, March 17th at Priory Grand Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The night of championship boxing is promoted by Integrity Fighter Management and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

Dovhun of Pittsburgh via Ukraine is ranked number-10 by the WBA on the strength of wins over Roger Blankenship (1-0) and. Daron Williams (7-0). Dovhun won the NABA Super Bantamweight title on November 13, 2021 with a 10-round unanimous decision over Glenn Dezurn (14-2-1). In his last bout, Dovhun defended his title with a 10-round split decision over Geram Eloyan on March 18, 2022 in Huntingtom, New York.

The 28 year-old Dovhun is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, and he is managed by Integrity Fighter Management.

Centeno of Miami, Florida is 8-6-3 with one knockout. The 27 year-old is a native of Miami by way of Managua, Nicaragua. Centeno has a win over Keithlan Franklin (4-1-1) as well as three undefeated fighters in Abel Aparicio (8-0), Luis Rivera (7-0) and Fernando Bahena (4-0-1). The wins over Rivera and Bahena are the two most recent results for Centeno, with the Bahena fight taking place on January 21 in Commerce, California.

An outstanding undercard will be headed by rising and undefeated super middleweight Kiante Irving taking on Devaun Lee in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.

Irving of Beaver Falls, PA is 11-0-1 with all 11 wins coming by way of knockout. The 29 year-old Irving is coming off a third-round stoppage over Brent Oren on October 29, 2022 in Washington, PA.

Lee of Jamaica, Queens, New York is 10-8-1 with five knockouts. The 35 year-old Lee was a contestant on The Contender, and has wins over Ian Green (8-0), Chris Galeano (10-0), Robelle Rogers (4-1), former world title challenger Giovanni Lorenzo (37-7) and Carlos Rafael Cruz (17-1). In Lee’s last outing, he lost a 10-round decision to undefeated Timur Kerefov on September 24, 2021 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Popular heavyweight Joseph Turk (2-0-1, 1 KO) of Pittsburgh takes on Isaiah Margheim (1-2) of Sandusky, Ohio.

Eric Palmer (16-16-5, 2 KOs) of Uniontown, PA fights Jordan Zlacki (2-5, 1 KO) of Springdale, PA in a junior middleweight fight.

Former Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Devon Siegfried of Baden, PA. makes his pro debut against Matteo Gardner of Greensburg, PA in a cruiserweight battle.

The card will be streamed live on www.starboxing.tv

Tickets are available at BIT.LY/STPATSFIGHTS 

or by calling 412-728-3409. Email inquiries at integrityproboxing@gmail.com 

Priory Grand Hall is located at 614 Pressley St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Dieogo Pacheco wants to be recognised as a contender rather than a prospect once he knocks out Jack Cullen in their WBO International Super-Middleweight Title showdown at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool this Saturday March 11, live on DAZN (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
 
The undefeated 22-year-old sensation, who fights in the UK for the first time in his career this weekend, is eager to make a big impression in front of Liverpool fight fans by stopping ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ in what will now be the co-headline bout following Callum Smith’s injury.
 
“Jack Cullen I feel is a good opponent, finally someone that the fans know I guess,” said Pacheco. “If I beat him then it’s going to be like, ‘he beat this guy’, and I hope people are going to start believing in me a little bit more.
 
“After I get this win, I do feel that people will start recognising me more as a contender than a prospect. He’s tall and he has a lot of heart, but I’m a way better fighter than him. I see myself stopping him. He won’t be able to take my power. Once I see the opening, I’ll take it.
 
“I think this fight is really important for my career. It’s really important that I put on a good performance. I wanna knock him out, I wanna stop him. In whatever round it comes in, whether it’s a body shot or a head shot, I just wanna to stop him.”
 
Pacheco trains in Seattle, USA under the guidance of Jose Benavidez Sr alongside the likes of two-time World Champion David Benavidez, who is preparing for a March 25 WBC Interim World Title fight with Caleb Plant, and the Los Angeles youngster says he is feeling the benefits from countless rounds of world class sparring.
 
“I’ve been part of David Benavidez’ last five fights. Every camp here is really tough. It’s good work, it doesn’t get better than this. The first time I ever came down here, David reached out to me on the DMs. It was after my Saudi Arabia fight. He was like, ‘oh I was watching that, you’re really good, do you wanna come down and work with me?’. I was like ‘hell yeah’.
 
“That’s what has gotten me the great wins, the great knockouts – the preparation I’ve been doing. That’s the reason I’m here working with them. There are other great sparring partners in here as well and I’m preparing better than ever for this fight. The sparring doesn’t get better than this so I’m really thankful for that.
 
“Obviously it is really tough, David Benavidez is a really good fighter. Every time I’m in there with him I learn something new. He pushes me more than anyone else. That’s exactly what I need.”
 
Pacheco vs. Cullen is part of a big night of action in Liverpool, local Super-Lightweight Robbie Davies Jr (23-3, 15 KOs) takes on Darragh Foley (21-4-1, 9 KOs) over ten rounds, Romford Heavyweight sensation Johnny Fisher (7-0, 6 KOs) takes ‘The Romford Bull’ Army to Liverpool for the first time as he faces Italy’s Alfonso Damiani (6-2, 2 KOs) over eight rounds and decorated amateur star turned Super-Bantamweight prospect Peter McGrail (6-0, 5 KOs) makes his highly anticipated Matchroom debut against Argentina’s Nicolas Nahuel Botelli (14-7, 8 KOs).
 
Warrington Lightweight talent Rhiannon Dixon (7-0) squares off with Wombourne’s Vicky Wilkinson (5-0-1) for the Commonwealth Title, Oldham’s Aqib Fiaz (10-0) takes on Yeovil’s Dean Dodge (9-2-1, 3 KOs) over eight rounds at Super-Featherweight, plus there’s for Hyde’s Campbell Hatton (9-0, 3 KOs), Chester Middleweight Paddy Lacey (7-0, 1 KO) and Billericay Middleweight George Liddard (1-0, 1 KO).
 
Limited remaining tickets for Pacheco vs. Cullen can be purchased via Stage Front and the M&S Bank Arena.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 8, 2023): Former WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) hosted a special Los Angeles media workout at Brickhouse Boxing Club today in anticipation of his showdown against Philadelphia’s former world title contender Gabriel “King” Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs). The fight of year contender will also feature an action heavy co-main event as former world champion, Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (32-3-1, 15 KOs), goes up against the battle tested former world title challenger Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (33-3-3, 17 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight fight. The Mexico vs. Puerto Rico light heavyweight matchup is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 18 at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA and will be broadcasted worldwide on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST/ 8:00 p.m. EST.

Tickets for Zurdo vs. Rosado are on sale now, and are priced at $150, $100, $80, $50 and $30 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at LongBeachState.com/GoldenBoy and GoldenBoyPromotions.com.

Below is what Zurdo Ramirez had say at today’s media event:

“I am really looking forward to this fight and being part of the rich Mexico vs. Puerto Rico fight history. These fights are always full of action, and I know Gabriel and I will give fans a great fight. We are both aggressive fighters with a lot of heart and guts to do whatever it takes to win.”

“I know Gabriel well; he is a great fighter and a great friend. We are friends inside and outside the ring and have been sparring partners. That is why this fight is dangerous; we both know each other very well. I know his weaknesses, and he knows mine. So I have to be on my toes, be better on fight night, and be ready to stop him. At the end of the day, this fight is all business; it’s not personal.”

“I learned a lot from my first career loss against Bivol. He is a great fighter; I don’t take anything away from him. He had a good night, and I didn’t. The plan was to box him and step away from my usual forward fighting style. I do want the rematch; that is the plan. But, we will take care of business on March 18 and start thinking about my career’s next steps afterward.”

“I’ll fight anyone, anywhere. I am from Mexico, and I came to the U.S. and fought. I went to Abu Dhabi to fight Bivol. So, I am not afraid to go to the U.K. to fight Callum Smith, Anthony Yarde, or Joshua Buatsi. I want to fight the best and become a world champion again.”

“My favorite Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup: Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito. That fight was so exciting and full of action.”

#

Zurdo vs. Rosado is a 12-round light heavyweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The fight night will take place on Saturday, March 18 and will be broadcast on DAZN worldwide.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #ZurdoRosado

Media interested in credentials can apply at https://emcevents.com/zurdo_rosado.html. Media applications are due EOD Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

NEW YORK – March 8, 2023 – Undefeated boxing superstars Gervonta “Tank” Davis and “King” Ryan Garcia went face to face for the first time at a press conference in New York on Wednesday as they previewed their highly anticipated 12-round showdown that headlines a pay-per-view event on Saturday, April 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The telecast is being produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV and will be available across pay-per-view providers including DAZN PPV.

Davis vs. Garcia is promoted by GTD Promotions, TGB Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.  

Tickets for the live event go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available through www.axs.com.  

Pre-sale tickets will be available TOMORROW, Thursday, March 9 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT with the code: BOXING

In a rare matchup of unbeaten superstars in the primes of their careers, Davis vs. Garcia is set up to be a crossover event that captures the sporting world’s imagination. With contrasting, colorful personalities and aggressive, dynamic styles in the ring that translate to highlight-reel knockouts, April 22 projects to be the must-see boxing event of the year.     

Davis and Garcia squared off for a long and animated face-off at the conclusion of the press conference, offering a glimpse of the intensity on deck for fight night. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from Palladium Times Square:

GERVONTA DAVIS

“We’re back at it. This time we got another dance partner. I know that it’s going to be tough. This fight is definitely going to be tough. But this is what we came to do. We want the big fights.

“I’ve been boxing since I was seven. I fought a lot coming up. I’m just happy to be a part of this moment and share the ring with a young fighter like Ryan Garcia who’s daring himself to be great. He talked his way into this fight. April 22 he’s going to have to show it.

“I’m coming from Baltimore and a lot of people don’t make it from there. I’m just happy to be a part of this event. I couldn’t have done this by myself. I had a great team that got me here.

“We’ve stayed focused and kept our head down and continued to grind. That’s what really matters.

“I think this is important because we’re both young. Both of us are at our peak. A lot of young fighters don’t fight each other. We both made our name coming up and the time is now. We’re both great fighters and we put it all on the line.

“All I have to do is keep working and beat whoever they put in front of me. That starts with Ryan Garcia.

“My strategy is going to depend on what he brings that night. Whether he’s coming fast or slow, I always want to take my time. It all depends on what he brings.

“This is going to be an explosive fight. It’s two young guys who are hungry. It’s all about who wants it more. Whoever is really built like that, that’s who’s going to win. Nobody can fight for him. It’s about who’s got that dog in them.”

RYAN GARCIA

“This is a fight that I’ve been wanting for a very long time. To be a champion, you have to beat the best. It’s not about the titles, it’s about who you beat. It’s a testimony to the respect I have for Gervonta as a fighter.

“I want to be the best. During this whole journey, I put boxing first and the fans first. I had to accept a lot of stipulations, but my power comes from within and from above. My strength comes from my heart.

“We really came together and conquered the poison that’s been stopping boxing from making the biggest fights. We found a way.

“April 22 is the time where the words won’t matter anymore. The truth will come out. We’re both great fighters and we’ll settle it in the ring.

“If you look at boxing, it’s been hard to get prime fighters together. It usually happens too late. This is a moment that boxing has been longing for. You really can’t make a bigger fight than this.

“This is a defining moment in our careers. This is about legacy. This is about who really wants the crown.

“’Tank’ has the image of a devastating puncher. He’s a great fighter. I’ll know within myself what type of fighter I am after this fight. This is what I’ve always wanted.

“I just didn’t want to take the risk of an interim fight before this one. There are a lot of little things that can happen. I didn’t wait this long to mess it up at the finish line.

“I’m going to be ready for 12 rounds. You have to respect your opponent. You can’t just jump in to get a knockout. It might be more of a mental fight than people might believe. Different opponents make you approach fights in different ways.”

CALVIN FORD, Davis’ Trainer

“These two are bringing boxing back. You’re going to feel this energy. These are two great fighters. Y’all made it happen.

“This fight is about the next generation of boxing to come. I can’t wait for the night to be on this new level. After this fight, who’s going to be sitting on this throne? It’s a passing of the torch.

“We’ve been waiting for something like this for years. This is the fight that’s going to make the other fighters actually fight. This is how it’s done.

“Y’all ain’t seen nothing yet. The best is yet to come. I really can’t wait. We’re ready. Let’s do it.”

JOE GOOSSEN, Garcia’s Trainer

“What a great event this is going to be. When you get the two fighters together, it becomes real. We’ve both been training, but I think after this press conference, you get a renewed invigoration.

“We know it’s going to be a tough fight. Ryan is a great fighter and I know that you’re both going to put on a great show.

“These two men are going to go down in history. This is an incredible pairing that you don’t see too often. This is a pay-per-view that I would not miss. Because it’s going to be that exciting. We have two of the best fighters of this era sitting down at this table and I just can’t wait.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“It’s happening. This highly anticipated super fight, which the fans have been begging for, is happening April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Make no mistake, this is a super fight. It’s one of the biggest that boxing has to offer.

“It’s not often in today’s game that we see two fighters in their prime, both undefeated and both powerful knockout punchers, colliding in their primes.

“This is boxing at its best. It wasn’t ordered. It’s the case of the two best fighters in the division making this happen.

“Any fight with ‘Tank’ equates to big business and financial success. He’s broken records everywhere he’s fought and it’s made him one of boxing’s biggest stars. He’s one of the most explosive and dangerous fighters in the world.”  

LEONARD ELLERBE, Boxing Promoter

“This is two undefeated guys coming together and it’s going to be nothing but fireworks. You have to give all the credit to the two fighters. It’s not about the promoters, it’s about Ryan forcing this fight.

“This is by far the biggest fight in the entire sport. I recall that a couple of years ago when I was in Miami, Ryan approached me and said I want to ‘eff your boy up’. That’s the only fight that he wanted.

“’Tank’ Davis is going to go out there and show you why he’s one of the best fighters in the world.”

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

“This is a mega-fight. That phrase gets thrown around a lot. How often do you get two guys who are undefeated, with huge fan bases and who are early in the peak of their career?

“This is bringing the best two fighters in their weight division in the same ring. We’re all working together to make this big mega-fight. It almost never happens, but this is one that the world is not going to miss.

“We’re going to bring back the glory days because of Ryan Garcia. April 22 these two fighters are going to battle it out. I’m not going to fight for them. They have to do the job themselves.

“These two wanted this fight. Ryan Garcia wanted this fight years ago and now it’s here. May the best man win. I have a lot of respect for ‘Tank’. He’s a special fighter, but Ryan Garcia is special as well.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Golden Boy Promotions Partner

“This is one of those fights that we didn’t see except for once or twice a year in the 1980s or 1990s. This fight has the ingredients. These two fighters will be future Hall of Famers. This is the biggest fight of this year. We should all treat it that way.

“Tell everyone who aren’t fight fans to tune in to this one. This is going to be a fight that hooks them and makes them stay in the sweet science.

“Don’t ask me who is going to win, because you know which side I am on.” 

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, SHOWTIME SPORTS

“’Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia are two fighters in the core social media demographic who are legitimate fighters with huge fan bases. This is a social media promotion. These guys don’t get the credit they deserve for being skilled boxers. They are obviously bringing in fans beyond the core base. They are brands.

“We have two very different fan bases geographically who both travel. Ryan’s fan base is really strong in Southern California, the Southwest, and among the Mexican-American community. ‘Tank’s’ core is the East Coast, although he has obviously done well across the country. We have two very engaged fan bases, and two very different fighters.

“This fight is the rising tide that lifts all boats. There is an enthusiasm that permeates everything else. It elevates the level of action.

“This fight is one of the cornerstones of our very ambitious 2023 schedule. It’s a battle of the two most popular young fighters in the sport, two fighters in their athletic prime and two of the most exciting fighters in any weight division. Put that together and you have the biggest fight that is on the boxing schedule.

“When a fight this big gets made, there is no shortage of people rushing to take credit. ‘Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia deserve the credit for this fantastic event. Throughout the long negotiating process, they never wavered. They remained focused, refused to take the easy way out and take other opportunities, and delivered what the sport and the fans wanted.” 

#         #         #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com and goldenboypromotions.com, follow #DavisGarcia, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @GoldenBoyBoxing, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotionss and @GoldenBoy or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing, www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/ and www.Facebook.com/goldenboy/

Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México, March 8, 2023 – – Luis “Koreano” Torres and Misael “Pichón” Cabrera, both born and raised in Obregon, will meet in the ring for the right to declare not only who the best lightweight in town is but will also be crowned World Boxing Council Latino Lightweight Champion. The Torres-Cabrera ten-round lightweight bout will be the main event on March 8, at Palenque De La Expo, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, and will be streamed live at ProBoxTV.com and the ProBox TV app.

Oscar Alvarez, owner of 665 amateur wins, also from Obregon, will attempt to keep his unbeaten record intact. The third fight is also a battle between Obregon residents Alex Fuentes and Mario Valenzuela.

The event is being promoted by Marquez Promotions, Chiquita Gonzalez Promotions and ProBox Promotions.

10 Rounds – WBC Latino Lightweight Championship

Luis “Koreano” Torres, 135 lbs., 17-0, 10 KOs, Obregon, Sonora

Misael “Pichon” Cabrera, 135 lbs.,14-1-10 KOs Obregon,Sonora

8 Rounds – Super Featherweights                                  

Oscar Alvarez, 131.2 lbs., 8-0, 7 KOs, Obregon, Sonora, MX

Diego Lopez, 132.2 lbs., 3-1-1, 2 KOs, Mexico City, MX

6 Rounds – Super Featherweights

Alex Fuentes, 126.8 lbs., 4-0, 1 KO, Obregon, Sonora, MX

Mario Valenzuela, 126.8 lbs., 4-1, 2 KOs, Obregon, Sonora, MX

Luis “Koreano” Torres (17-0, 10 KOs) born and raised in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México, made his professional debut in 2017. Luis won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver lightweight title on August 25, 2020 and won the WBC Latino lightweight title on June 2, 2022.

Miguel “Pichón” Cabrera (13-1, 10 KOs) born and raised in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México, made his professional debut as a lightweight in 2016. Pichon won his first twelve bouts prior to fighting outside of Mexico for the first time in 2022, in Canada, where he succumbed via close unanimous decision. Cabrera returned to the homeland for his next bout, in Acapulco, and won the WBC Fecarbox lightweight title by fifth round knockout.

“This is a high-level fight that fans have wanted to see it for a long time, so we prepare like never before and we are ready for war,” said Luis “Koreano” Torres.  “This has been the best camp of my career.  We have been training hard for eight weeks at the New Body Gym in Obregón and I feel better than I ever have. Cabrera is the toughest opponent of my career.  We know each other very well since we’re both from Obregón and the fight fans have wanted to see this fight for years!” 

“It’s going to be a war, of that I am sure. This will be a real fight that you cannot miss,” said Misael “Pichón” Cabrera. “Camp has been great. I am in the best shape of my life, and we expect a very tough fight on March 8th. I have known Torres for a long time, and I expect him to be a great shape for this fight. He is strong and fast, but even that won’t be enough to beat me!” 

There will be three fights total on the March 8 ProBox live stream, which begins at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. The opener will be unbeaten Oscar Alvarez (8-0, 7 KOs) fighting in a eight-round featherweight bout against Diego Lopez (3-1-1, 2 KOs). Leading into the main event will be a ten-round lightweight bout between once beaten, big puncher Miguel Madueno (28-1, 26 KOs) against Willmak Canonico (12-2-2, 10 KOs).  

Follow ProBox TV at https://twitter.com/ProBox_TV and https://www.youtube.com/c/ProBoxTV

For more ProBox TV info click here https://proboxtv.com/what-is-probox-tv/en

LAS VEGAS – March 8, 2023 – The battle to become the future face of boxing is set, as five-time, three-division world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis takes on hard-hitting sensation “King” Ryan Garcia in a highly anticipated 12-round showdown headlining a pay-per-view event on Saturday, April 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The telecast is being produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV and will be available across pay-per-view providers including DAZN PPV.

Davis has established himself as one of boxing’s hottest, must-see attractions, selling out arenas in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and most recently, Washington D.C., while Garcia headlined fights across Los Angeles, Dallas and San Antonio, with fans packing the rafters to watch his meteoric rise in person. Backed by two passionate, divergent fanbases, the April 22 winner will be primed to make their claim as the sport’s biggest star attraction.

In a rare matchup of unbeaten superstars in the primes of their careers, Davis vs. Garcia is set up to be a crossover event that captures the sporting world’s imagination. With contrasting, colorful personalities and aggressive, dynamic styles in the ring that translate to highlight-reel knockouts, April 22 projects to be the must-see boxing event of the year.   

Davis vs. Garcia is promoted by GTD Promotions, TGB Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.  

Tickets for the live event go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available through www.axs.com.  

Pre-sale tickets will be available TOMORROW, Thursday, March 9 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT with the code: BOXING

“Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia have taken the boxing world by storm, attracting legions of fans with their thrilling performances and rapidly becoming ‘can’t miss’ attractions,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On April 22, the two biggest young stars of boxing – both in the prime of their careers – will face each other in the most highly anticipated fight of the year. When the bell rings to start the first round, it will be a ‘where were you’ type moment that boxing fans will be talking about for years to come.”

“Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia is a true fight that will transcend the sport,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Gervonta Davis has proven his star power from coast-to-coast and will now step into a mega-fight with the chance to stake his claim as the future of the sport. This is one of boxing’s biggest events of the last several years and will only grow in intrigue as we near April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and live on pay-per-view.”

“This fight is boxing the way it should be – two superstars at the peak of their powers squaring off in the ring to see who is truly the best of the best,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “Both Ryan and ‘Tank’ are at the top of the world when it comes to speed, power and skill. This will come down to who wants it more, and it is for that reason that I strongly believe Ryan will come out on top.”

Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) holds the WBA Lightweight Title, and has also won world titles at 130 and 140 pounds during his spectacular career. The Baltimore-native set a new gate record for Capital One Arena in January to see him stop the previously unbeaten 130-pound world champion Hector Luis Garcia in the ninth round.

Prior to that fight, Davis added another highlight-reel KO to his resume, as he dispatched longtime rival Rolando Romero with a thudding left hand in February 2022, in another record-setting event at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The 28-year-old also owns the distinction as the only fighter to stop former three-division champion Leo Santa Cruz and former 140-pound champion Mario Barrios. Davis burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout of Jose Pedraza in 2017 to capture his first world title and won the lightweight strap he currently holds with a 12^th-round KO of former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2019. This bout marks Davis’ sixth-straight headlining appearance on SHOWTIME PPV.

“I’m excited for this fight and I appreciate Ryan stepping up to the plate and helping make this happen,” said Davis. “This is one of those fights that everyone has been talking about for a few years now. I know I’m going to be ready to put on a show. Make sure you buy the pay-per-view or come out to Las Vegas and witness a historic fight between two of the biggest names in boxing. Thank you to all my fans and everyone that continues to support me. I’m fighting for all of you on April 22!”

The 24-year-old Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) has used his skills and Hollywood-persona to establish a huge fan base, backing it up in the ring with a perfect record, including knockouts in six of his last seven contests. Most recently, Garcia delivered a sixth-round knockout over former champion Javier Fortuna in July 2022 in front of a packed, star-studded audience at Los Angeles’ famed Crypto.com Arena.

Born in Victorville, California and now residing in Los Angeles, Garcia has entered the ring for his last two fights under the guidance of legendary trainer Joe Goossen. ESPN’s Prospect of the Year in 2017, Garcia established himself as a lightweight contender by rising off the canvas to stop Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in the seventh round of their 2021 clash that saw Garcia walk away with the Interim WBC Lightweight Title.

“This is the super fight of the year,” said Garcia. “Boxing needs to return to the best fighting the best, and I’m bringing back that hype, that glamor, and a new generation of fans to this beautiful sport. Tank is shorter than me, slower than me, older than me, and he knows it. He’s been ducking me for months, but now he’s all out of excuses. It’s time for him to get knocked out.”

#         #         #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com and goldenboypromotions.com, follow #DavisGarcia, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @GoldenBoyBoxing, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotionss and @GoldenBoy or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing, www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/ and www.Facebook.com/goldenboy/

QUINCY, Mass. (March 8, 2023) – The Cruz brothers – Isaiah and Calixto – are scheduled to fight together for the first time as professionals this Saturday night on the “Springfield Championship Boxing 2” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), at MassMutural Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“Springfield Championship Boxing 2” will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com.

Junior lightweight Isaiah “Baby Warrior” Cruz (5-0, 3 KOs) will meet Akeem “Action Action” Jackson (6-5, 5 KOs) in the 6-round co-featured event, while his older brother, super lightweight Calixto Cruz (1-0), faces Ahmad Cherry (0-2) in a 4-rounder.

Of course, both of the Cruz brothers are excited to be fighting at home in Springfield. They did fight together on a pro card, back on October 10, 2018, at Foxwoods Resort Casino, when Calixto made his pro debut but suffered a shoulder injury, but Isaiah fought as an amateur.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Isaiah’s pro career is off to a very promising start in contrast to his brother, who is 3 years older than Isaiah. They are both trained by their father, Caesar.

“It feels great to be fighting in the co-feature, especially at home,” said Isaiah, who recently signed a GCP promotional contract. “It’s another step. I can’t wait to be in the main event. That’s the goal. I don’t know too much about my opponent other than he’s tall and has a long reach. I’m used to chopping down trees, so I’m good.

“This (fighting on same pro card with his brother) is something we’ve always wanted to do. We both have a good fanbase and we come from a big family. I’m used to fighting first, so this will be a nice experience for me. I definitely want to walk out with my brother.”

Calixto was sidelined after suffering a dislocated shoulder in his pro debut, then COVID-19 hit and Calixto was unable to get a physical until 9 months ago. But he damaged his rotator cuff during a sparring session, which led to 2 more months of inactivity leading up to surgery, which resulted in 2 months of therapy.

Calixto, to say the least, is thrilled to be fighting again, especially with his brother.

“It’s amazing that this is the first time we’re fighting together as pros after growing up together in the amateurs,” Calixto remarked. “It’s going to be a good experience. This is going to be a good show and I’m ready to represent Puerto Rico.

“Me and my brother are excited. I haven’t been in the ring for so long. My family and friends haven’t seen me fight in years and they’re all excited for my comeback, especially fighting on the same card with my brother.”

In the 8-round main event, undefeated Massachusetts State Welterweight Champion Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (10-0, 6 KOs), of Holyoke (MA), will make his first title defense versus unbeaten challenger Kenny “Lionheart” Larson (6-0, 5 -0 KOs), of Salem (MA).

Russian light heavyweight prospect Ali Izmailov (9-0, 6 KOs), fighting out of Detroit, will put his undefeated pro record on the line in an 8-round match against Ariel “El Fenomena” Armando Basconcel (13-4-1, 12 KOs), of Argentina.

Impressive Dominican junior middleweight prospect Carlos Castillo (6-0, 4 KOs) is matched with Alfred Keenan Raymond (1-5-1) in a 6-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round bouts are Springfield welterweight Ian “Dynamite” Garcia (2-0-1, 1 KO) vs. “The Outlaw” Ryan Venable (3-16), Springfield junior welterweight Carlos Gonzalez (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Richard “Hit To Hard” Barnard (1-10-1), and Springfield junior welterweight Liz Humphries (0-1-1) vs. Sarah “Switch Kick” Click (0-2-1).

Card subject to change.

Tickets range between $203.00 and $48.00 and are available to purchase online at https://www.massmutualcenter.com/events/detail/springfield-championship-boxing-2 or from any of the participating boxers.

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

Twitter: @Granite_Chin

SYDNEY – March 7, 2023 – SHOWTIME SPORTS^® continues its torrid pace to start 2023 this weekend with the network’s eighth and ninth live combat sports telecasts of the calendar year as the highly anticipated BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix kicks off on Friday night and undefeated action fighter Tim Tszyu returns to his homeland of Sydney, Australia to face former world champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison on Saturday night, both live on SHOWTIME.

BELLATOR 292, headlined by a quarterfinal matchup between newly crowned Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, airs live on SHOWTIME Friday night, March 10 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Tszyu, the son of boxing legend Kostya Tszyu, meets Harrison for the vacant Interim WBO 154-pound title live on SHOWTIME the following night, Saturday March 11 at 10:45 p.m. ET/7:45 p.m. PT.

Here are some fight-week news and notes to learn more about the 50-50, ultra-competitive matchup multiple time zones away in Australia as well as what was recently named the “toughest tournament in MMA history” by MMA legend Chael Sonnen.

A LOT ON THE LINE

The winner of Tszyu-Harrison will become the mandatory challenger to undisputed super welterweight king Jermell Charlo. Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) elected to face the veteran Harrison, a highly skilled, crafty fighter after Tszyu’s scheduled match with Charlo on January 28 was scratched when Charlo broke his hand in training. Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) outboxed and edged Charlo in 2018 to capture a world title before he dropped their rematch a year later. In his last fight, Tszyu rose from a first-round knockdown to dominate former title challenger Terrell Gausha last March in his U.S. and SHOWTIME debut. Now Tszyu, 28, will face another prideful veteran in Detroit’s Harrison, who hopes to spoil Tszyu’s homeland return.

SPEAKING OF JERMELL CHARLO….

The undisputed king of the 154-pound division Jermell Charlo will join the SHOWTIME announce team live from the CBS Studios in New York City as a special guest to lend his expertise on a fight he will no doubt have a rooting interest in. With a potential rubber match with Harrison or a meeting with the undefeated upstart Tszyu possibly looming, Charlo will bring his trademark passion and microphone skills on Saturday night as the SHOWTIME announce team calls the fight remotely from The Big Apple.

THE MOST TRUSTED VOICES IN ALL OF BOXING

Charlo will be joined by veteran sportscaster and “The Last Stand” podcaster Brian Custer, who will host the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast remotely from New York City and call the action with three-division world champion Abner Mares and International Boxing Hall of Famer Steve Farhood bothserving as analysts. Farhoodwill also serve as the unofficial scorer, while fellow Hall of Famer Jimmy Lennon Jr. handles ring announcing duties down under. Four-time Emmy^® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. will executive-produce the broadcast with Ray Smaltz III producing and Chuck McKean directing.

AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE, OI, OI, OI!

When SHOWTIME aired Azumah Nelson’s eighth-roundstoppage of Jeff Fenech to retain his WBC Super Featherweight Title on February 29, 1992 from Melbourne, it was the first ever live telecast of a boxing match from Australia to the United States. SHOWTIME also televised Kostya Tszyu’s January 18, 2003 TKO victory over James Leija from Melbourne, making Tszyu-Harrison the network’s third live boxing telecast from Australia.

BEING UNDISPUTED RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Tim Tszyu made his SHOWTIME debut in March 2022 with a win over Terrell Gausha, joining his father Kostya who competed on the network 10 times and had some of his most memorable fights on the network, including knockouts over fellow Hall of Famer Julio Cesar Chavez and former undisputed world champion Zab Judah. With a win on Saturday night, Tszyu will move one step closer to matching Kostya’s accomplishment of becoming an undisputed world champion, which he achieved in his win over Judah. Click HERE for a revealing interview by SHOWTIME Hall of Famer Al Bernstein that appeared on the March 2022 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast, where Tszyu discusses the challenges and responsibilities that come with following in the footsteps of a Hall of Famer.

Continuing the blood is thicker than water premise — Tim’s younger brother Nikita Tszyu, a 4-0 super welterweight prospect, will face fellow undefeated prospect Bo Belbin in undercard, off-TV action from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

FAST OUT OF THE GATES

SHOWTIME SPORTS, standard bearers of telecasting live boxing since 1986, has come out of the gate strong in 2023 with a robust schedule that is in full stride. SHOWTIME has already televised six live boxing events, including last Saturday night’s action-packed tripleheader topped by the Brandon Figueroa vs. Mark Magsayo slugfest, with plans to deliver at least another eight telecasts through the first six months of the year. The industry-leading schedule already includes some of the biggest names in the sport, including David Benavidez, Caleb Plant, Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and Sebastian Fundora, with plans to add more star-power with blue-chippers Errol Spence Jr., Jermell and Jermall Charlo, Keith Thurman, Jaron Ennis, David Morrell,and Danny Garcia returning to action.

The upcoming boxing schedule includes five events across the next seven weeks, with two more cards in March, three in April and two in June. In total, the schedule across the first six months of 2023 features 50+ fighters with more than 1,000 wins and 700 KOs and four matchups pitting top-5 ranked opponents.

EMMY AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMMING

Fans of SHOWTIME SPORTS’ Emmy Award-winning original documentary series ALL ACCESS have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. ALL ACCESS: Benavidez vs. Plant premieres on Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT and will chronicle the buildup to the must-see attraction between two heated rivals in the super middleweight division. Episode One of ALL ACCESS: Davis vs. Garcia premieres Saturday, April 1 at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT, taking viewers into the private lives and training camps of Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia ahead of their much-anticipated meeting of generational talents and fan-bases that could produce a new, future face of boxing. Episode Two premieres Saturday, April 7 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

FROM THE RING TO THE CAGE

BELLATOR MMA’s one-million-dollar Lightweight World Grand Prix kicks off on Friday, March 10 from the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Newly crowned Lightweight World Champion and No. 7 pound-for-pound talent Usman Nurmagomedov defends his belt against former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson in a quarterfinal main event contest. In the co-main event, No. 2-ranked knockout artist Tofiq Musayev clashes with No. 4-ranked Alexander Shabliy in another quarterfinal matchup of the Grand Prix. The star-studded tournament, which MMA legend Chael Sonnen proclaimed as the toughest tournament he’s seen in MMA history, also features BELLATOR’s homegrown pound-for-pound star AJ McKee and Brazilian slugger Patricky ‘Pitbull.’

BELLATOR MMA’s annual doubleheader on the Hawaiian island of Oahu returns next month. On Friday, April 21, current Women’s Flyweight World Champion and U.S. Marine Liz Carmouche faces No. 4 ranked flyweight challenger DeAnna Bennett in a rematch for the title. In the evening’s co-main event, No. 6-ranked heavyweight and Minnesota National Guardsman Tim Johnson competes against Said Sowma. The following night, April 22, the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix will conclude with current Interim Champion Raufeon Stots facing No. 2-ranked Patchy Mix in the Final. In the co-main event, the pride of Honolulu, No. 3-ranked Ilima-Lei Macfarlane looks to defend home turf against Japan’s No. 2-ranked Kana Watanabe.

#         #         #

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME^®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com. 

Los Angeles, CA (March 7, 2023) Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions’ acclaimed Hollywood Fight Nights series will debut at the iconic Commerce Casino on Friday, April 14 and broadcast live internationally on UFC FIGHT PASS (Subscribe Here / $9.99 per month).

The event is headlined by a can’t miss cross-town rivalry featherweight showdown between popular, hard-hitting Omar Cande Trinidad, (11-0-1, 9 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA and Downey, CA native Adan Ochoa, (12-2, 5 KOs), scheduled for eight rounds.

Tickets priced at $200, $150, $100, $80 and $60 are Now On-Sale and can be purchased online at www.360 Promotions.us. The Commerce Casino is located at 6131 Telegraph Road, Commerce, CA 90040. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:00 p.m. For more information and directions please visit www.CommerceCasino.com

“The Commerce Casino has been home to many memorable nights of boxing in the Los Angeles area and we’re excited to bring our Hollywood Fight Nights series to their new venue and to partner with UFC FIGHT PASS for the broadcast,” said Tom Loeffler. ‘Omar Trinidad versus Adan Ochoa is one of the best LA rivalry fights, one that promises fireworks from the opening bell.”

“Ochoa publicly demanded this fight to settle a long-time feud between the two. After Trinidad’s latest knockout victory on January 27, Ochoa came into the ring and challenged him with the fight being announced that night.”

“I strongly suggest fans purchase their tickets well in advance as we expect this event to sell-out. With the heat in the main event and our soon to be announced additional fights, this will be a very hot ticket on Friday, April 14.”

In the last year, Trinidad has become among the most popular fighters in Southern California; featured on five Hollywood Fight Nights events, all broadcast on UFC FIGHT PASS. Victorious in each fight, Trinidad captured wins in the last four fights by show-stopping knockouts, validating his reputation as one of boxing’s top prospects as noted by RING Magazine (February 2023). Most recently he stopped Jose Luis Ramirez in the second round on January 27, 2023.

Ochoa’s last fight against Adam Lopez on November 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, NV was disappointingly stopped after the second round and ruled a no-contest due to an accidental headbutt incurred by Ochoa. Prior to this fight, Ochoa knocked out veteran Angel Luna in the first round on June 19, 2021 in Cranston, RI.

Additional information on this event will be announced shortly.

Social Media

#HollywoodFightNights

#UFCFightPass

Instagram

@ufcfightpass

@360BoxingPromotions

@TomLoeffler1

@howlerheadehiskey

Twitter

@UFCFightPass

@360BoxingPromos

@TomLoeffler1

 @howlerhead

Facebook

@UFCFightPass

@360BoxingPromos

@howlerheadwhiskey

Website

www.360Promotions.us

(March 7, 2023) — French Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka will return in a 10-round main event this Saturday, March 11, against former world title challenger Carlos Takam at Zenith Paris in Paris, France.
 
Yoka-Takam and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 2:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. PT.

Yoka (11-1, 9 KOs) had a decorated amateur career that included wins over Joseph Parker, Filip Hrgovi? and Joe Joyce, the latter of whom he defeated to earn a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Yoka turned pro in 2017 and notched 11 victories before suffering a majority decision loss to Martin Bakole last May. The 30-year-old contender is eager to regain his upward momentum in the heavyweight rankings. Takam (39-7-1, 28 KOs) is a Cameroonian-born contender who represented his homeland in the 2004 Olympics and challenged Anthony Joshua for the unified heavyweight crown in 2017. In his last fight, he ended Arslanbek Makhmudov’s knockout streak by forcing him to go 10 rounds for the first time.
 
In other streaming action from Paris: 

• British light heavyweight Dan Azeez (18-0, 12 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in a 12-round battle against Frenchman Thomas Faure (21-4-1, 2 KOs) for the European title. The 33-year-old Azeez is inching closer to a world title shot and is coming off an eighth-round TKO win over former world champion Rocky Fielding last December.
   
• Olympic gold medalist Lauren Price (2-0, 1 KO) makes her 2023 debut in an eight-round welterweight tilt against Naomi Mannes (6-1, 4 KOs). The Welsh standout is coming off a TKO win in October, while Mannes lost in a bid for the European title in November.
   
• Undefeated middleweight Farrhad Saad (8-0-1) returns from a two-year layoff versus Britain’s Macaulay McGowan (17-3-1, 3 KOs).  

# # #

About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

Long Island, NY (March 7, 2023)– Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing’s critically acclaimed fight series, “Rockin’ Fights” is back at The Paramount in Huntington Long Island on Saturday, May 13, 2023

This will be the 44th Star Boxing show at The Paramount, since the “Rockin’ Fights” series inception in 2011. The Paramount has become a second home to Star Boxing, developing the likes of world champions Chris Algieri and Joe Smith Jr., along with other top prospects and talent that have graced the squared circle in Huntington, Long Island. Star Boxing is pleased to continue the tradition of action-packed fights on Long Island and is looking forward to another thrilling show on May 13th.

Tickets for “Rockin’ Fights” 44 will be available via presale and public on sale at the following times:

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

MAYS LANDING, NJ (March 6, 2023)—Hall of Fame Boxing promoter, matchmaker and publicist Robert “Bobby” Goodman passed away in peace and comfort at the hospital in Galloway, N.J. on Sunday, March 5, at the age of 83.

Goodman, who spent 25 years with Don King Productions as Vice President, Boxing Operations, Matchmaker and Director of Public Relations, was the son of another great boxing Hall of Famer, the late Murray Goodman.  Bobby and his father were inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, the only father-son to have achieved those honors.

Bobby also received the Boxing Writers Association of America’s James J. Walker Memorial Award for long and meritorious service in boxing in 1980.  He also was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009, the New York Boxing Hall of Fame in 2018 as well as the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019.

Goodman and his father opened up their own firm on Madison Avenue, Murray Goodman Associates and the pair handled boxing events for Don King Productions, Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Main Events.  They also handled individual clients that included light heavyweight great Bob Foster as well as heavyweight champion Ken Norton.

“Bobby Goodman was a great man, a dear friend and an asset to the sport of boxing,” said Hall of Fame promoter Don King.  “He was a tireless worker and loved boxing and everyone who was a part of boxing.

We will truly miss him and we send our deepest condolences to his entire family.  The Lord giveth and the lord taketh away.”

During the years with Don King, Goodman promoted some of the biggest events in boxing history—the “Rumble in the Jungle” between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman; the “Thrilla in Manila” between Ali and Joe Frazier; the ”Sunshine Showdown” with Foreman and Frazier and two fights featuring Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Goodman also worked at Madison Square Garden as Vice President, Boxing and he and his staff developed many world champions , including James “Buddy” McGirt, Aaron “Superman” Davis, Tracy Patterson, Poison Junior Jones, Kevin Kelley, Julio Cesar Green, Lonnie Bradley and Hector Acero Sanchez among others.  Corporate changes caused him to open up Garden State Boxing.

Goodman attended the University of Miami in Florida for two years before enlisting in the United States Coast Guard.  After leaving the Coast Guard in 1962, one of his first jobs in public relations was with the New York Titans of the old American Football League.  Upon the sale of the Titans to become the Jets, Goodman and his father, Murray, began to promote the biggest fights of the era.

Goodman leaves four daughters—Beth Anne Petrosh, Kirstene Jones, Victoria Friendman, Randi Victor, nine grandchildren, his brother William Goodman and his sister, Joyce Messineo. 

Funeral services will be held at Boakes Funeral Home:  6050 Main St., Mays Landing, NJ 08330;  Phone is 609-625-2324; www.boakesfuneralhome.com;  Viewing will be held on Sunday, March 12^th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the service will follow.   Flowers are welcome or donations may be made in his memory to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 360 N. Peterboro St., Canastota, NY13032. 

NEWTOWN PA (March 6.2023)–Rising prospect Isaiah Johnson remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over veteran upset-specialist Antonio Sanchez in a junior welterweight bout that headlined an entertaining eight-bout card at The Newtown Athletic Club.

The show was promoted by RDR Promotions.

Johnson of New Jersey boxed very well, and had Sanchez in trouble on several different occasions, but the experienced Sanchez was able to hold off the fast and energetic Johnson. Johnson was bever challenged and cruised home with the win by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55.

Johnson is now 7-0. Sanchez of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico is 7-16-3.

Oscar Barajas scored a six-round majority decision over Roberto Gomez in a battle of “Philly-Spoiler’s” in a junior welterweight contest.

Barajas of Zamora, Mexico won by scores of 58-56 twice and 57-57 and is now 19-8-3. Gomez of Mexico City is 5-2.

Erron Peterson and Tariq Green battled to a six-round split draw in a middleweight bout.

Peterson came out strong and took the first half of the fight. Green made a late rally, and was able to salvage the draw.

Scores were 58-56 for each fighter, and a third card was even at 57-57.

Peterson of Philadelphia is 3-0-1. Green of Philadelphia is 2-2-1.

Nimal Farmer scored a vicious second round stoppage over Brois Nde in a scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Farmer landed a perfect uppercut to the jaw of Farmer that sent him down hard on his back. Nde was down for several minutes, but was able to leave the ring on his strength. The time was 39 seconds.

Farmer of Lindenwold, New Jersey is 3-0 with three knockouts. Nde of Harrisburg, PA is 4-2.

Najeem Johns stopped Raekwon Butler in the opening round of their four-round junior welterweight bout.

Johns caught Butler with a hard left on the ropes and the set off a flurry that forced a referee stoppage.

Johns of Darby, PA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Butler of Brooklyn, NY is 5-5.

Dominique Mayfield won a four-round unanimous decision over Jerome Aiken in a heavyweight bout.

Mayfield of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is now 3-1. Aiken of Annapolis, MD is 1-7-1.

Ali Ellis made a successful pro debut with a third round stoppage over Jonathan Wiles in a heavyweight tussle.

Ellis started breaking down Wiles as Wiles was deducted a point in round three for holding. Later in the round Ellis dropped Wiles and the fight was over.

Ellis of Philadelphia is 1-0 with one knockout. Wiles of Philadelphia is 0-3.

In what was a sure fire Fight of the Year candidate, Brendan O’Callaghan outlasted Soslan Alborov via fourth and final round stoppage in their junior middleweight rematch.

The action was hot, heavy and furious from the opening bell. Alborov got on the board first by dropping O’Callaghan just moments into the contest. Then moments later, both guys landed simultaneously that sent both fighters to the canvas for the rare double knockdown. Alborov and O’Callaghan continued to pound away at each other, and in the final frame, O’Callaghan dropped Alborov with a perfect left hook. With Alborov hurt, O’Callaghan jumped on his opponent and the fight was stopped at 2:05.

O’Callaghan of Philadelphia is 5-1-1 with two knockouts. Alborov of Philadelphia is 1-2-1.

Photo by Darryl Cobb Jr.

RDR PROMOTIONS RETURNS THE NEWTOWN ATHLETIC CLUB ON SATURDAY, APRIL 1ST

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – March 6, 2023 —THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, March 10th, King’s Promotions will be back at The Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with a huge night of boxing that will be headlined by a terrific eight-round welterweight bout between Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez and Kashon Hutchinson.

Rodriguez of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey has a record of 21-1 with 14 knockouts. The 28 year-old Rodriguez is a 10-year professional was a former amateur standout who has wins over Neyeine Muang (1-0-2), Angel Figueroa (3-0-1), King Daluz (12-2-2), Darlo Feman (14-2), Anthony Laureano (13-0) and Jose Lopez (29-7-2). In his last bout, Rodriguez suffered his only defeat when he lost to two-division world champion Jose Pedraza on June 12, 2021 in Las Vegas.

Hutchinson of Reading, PA is 10-5 with two knockouts. The record does not tell the story with Hutchinson as he has won seven bouts in a row. The 29 year-old Hutchinson is a seven year pro who has wins over James Martin (4-0), Edgar Torres (8-0-1), and his last bout when he took a six-round unanimous decision over Rasheed Johnson on October 1, 2022 in Philadelphia.

A terrific undercard is assembled and tabbed for March 10th will be:

In an eight-round bout, Mikenna Tansley (6-2, 2 KOs) of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada battles Amy Salinas (4-3) for the WBC Continental Americas and NABF Bantamweight titles.

Tansley of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada will be looking for her second consecutive win after destroying Alisha Martinez Gonzalez in 47 seconds on February 10th in the Dominican Republic. Tansley also has a win over previously undefeated Danielle Bennett (2-0).

Salinas of Las Cruces, New Mexico started her pro career over undefeated Leanna Martinez (4-0). Salinas is coming off a loss to undefeated Christina Cruz on January 20th in Kissimmee, Florida.

Six-Round Bouts:

Jonathan Rodriguez (13-1-1, 5 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA takes on a opponent to be named in a bantamweight fight.

Thanjhae Teasley (5-0, 2 KOs) of Bethlehem, PA takes on Emmanuel Tennison (3-4, 2 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas in a welterweight contest.

Johnny Spell (7-0, 4 KOs) of Pittsburgh fights Antonio Dunton El Jr. (3-1-2, 2 KO) of Baltimore, MD lightweight contest.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Francis Oran (1-0, 1 KO) of Bethlehem, PA fights Joseph Bond (0-4) of Orlando, Florida in a heavyweight contest. Oran is co-promoted with Jeter Promotions.

Devon Young (3-0, 2 KOs) of Aiken, SC fights Lamir Riley (2-0, 1 KO) of New Cumberland, PA in a heavyweight battle.

Tickets are on Sale now for $150, $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE

CARSON, CALIF. – March 6, 2023 – Undefeated super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will defend his Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title against rising contender Brian Mendoza on Saturday, April 8 live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated super lightweight contender Brandun Lee taking on Mexico’s Pedro Campa in the 10-round co-main event, plus undefeated featherweights Luis “The Twist” Núñez and Christian Olivo square off in the 10-round telecast opener.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, March 7 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at axs.com.

“Sebastian Fundora has established himself as one of boxing’s must-see attractions, as he brings an all-action demeanor every time he steps into the ring, combined with an ability to end a fight at any time,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Coming off a career-best win, Brian Mendoza will be highly motivated to slow down Fundora’s momentum, which should make for great action at the always electric Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. Adding in another action-fighter in Brandun Lee taking on Pedro Campa, and a pair of unbeaten featherweights in the TV opener, and April 8 lines up to be another memorable night on SHOWTIME.”

Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) has rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. At 6-foot-6, the unbeaten 25-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in April 2022, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round. Fundora returned last October at Dignity Health Sports Park, dominating the streaking Carlos Ocampo to win a wide unanimous decision.

“I’m well-prepared for this matchup,” said Fundora. “I’m training hard, as usual, and I’m ready to put on a great show for the fans in Carson all over again. We expect a great fight from Mendoza. I hope he brings his best so that we can give the fans their money’s worth. Every single fight is important, so we’re going in there to win and get to where I want to be, and that’s world champion of the 154-pound division.”

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) now fights out of Las Vegas and will return to 154 pounds after knocking out former unified champion Jeison Rosario in the fifth-round of their middleweight clash in November. The 29-year-old, who trains under the tutelage of renowned trainer Ismael Salas, has won back-to-back fights after taking highly touted knockout artist Jesus Ramos the 10-round distance in a losing decision in September 2021. Mendoza also owns a 10-round unanimous decision triumph over Thomas LaManna in August 2020 and began his career with eighteen consecutive victories.

“I have another big opportunity in front of me on April 8,” said Mendoza. “Just like in my last fight, I’m embracing the role of underdog so I can shock the world. I’m not satisfied with just fighting for a world title, I’m going to keep working day after day until I walk out of the ring with that belt wrapped around my waist. Sleep on me at your own risk, because I’m coming for everything.”

La Quinta, California’s Lee (27-0, 23 KOs) has stopped 16 of his last 18 opponents, including a four-round destruction of Diego Luque in January. The 23-year-old has also shown his boxing acumen in winning a pair of 10-round decisions in 2022, besting Zachary Ochoa in April and Will Madera in August. Trained by his father Bobby, Lee was also an accomplished amateur, going an estimated 195 amateur fights with only five losses and capturing gold at the prestigious 2015 U.S. Junior National Championships at 145 pounds.

“This is my first co-main event, so it’s important for me to go and show the boxing world who Brandun Lee is and where I belong in the division,” said Lee. “Pedro Campa is a true Mexican veteran who can take a punch but also give one, so I have to be alert at all times. The fans can expect an explosive performance from me. I’m looking forward to performing in front of my family and friends but most importantly, I’m looking forward to being under those bright lights on April 8.”

The 31-year-old Campa (34-2-1, 23 KOs) had an eight-fight unbeaten streak snapped in his last outing, as he dropped an August 2022 showdown against former world champion Teofimo Lopez. A native of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, Campa stopped eight of his first nine opponents after turning pro in 2011 and owns an impressive stateside win over Aaron Herrera in 2015. Campa stopped previously unbeaten fighters Abimel Bautista and Carlos Valadez in back-to-back contests to earn the fight against Lopez.

“I’m very motivated to be on a great card like this,” said Campa. “I’ve seen a little bit of Brandun Lee and I have a good idea of what I need to do to win this fight. I’m ready to face the best version of Lee and show that I have the experience and strength to come out victorious. My plan is to have my hand raised on April 8 and give the people in my hometown of Guaymas something to celebrate.”

After piling up an 85-5 amateur record, Núñez (18-0, 13 KOs) turned pro in 2018 and has shown impressive skill in amassing his unbeaten pro resume. Fighting out of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Núñez made his U.S. debut in September 2021 by winning a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Jayvon Garnett on SHOBOX: The New Generation^® and followed up that performance by taking down another undefeated fighter, as he stopped Carlos Arrieta in the 10^th round of their January showdown, also on SHOBOX^®. Núñez made it three unbeatens in a row in May 2022, as he won a unanimous decision over Jonathan Fierro, before most recently stopping Renson Robles last December.

“I’m very thankful to be back for another opportunity on SHOWTIME,” said Núñez. “I’m coming to represent my people of the Dominican Republic as a proud warrior. Olivo is an excellent fighter and this will be a tough fight, but my experience, my strength and my skills will twist things my way.”

A native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Olivo (20-0-1, 7 KOs) will be making his U.S. debut when he steps into the ring on April 8. The 24-year-old turned pro as a teenager in December 2017 and has steadily racked up wins since a split-draw in his sixth pro fight. Olivo added two wins to his ledger in 2022, sweeping a pair of fights on all three judges’ scorecards each time out. His most recent triumph saw him earn a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Carlos Jaquez last September.

“I’m thrilled to be making my U.S. debut on such a big stage,” said Olivo. “I’m thankful to my team for giving me this chance. I believe that our styles will make a great fight and that in the end, the fans will be the winners. I’m going to give everything I have in the ring to make the public remember my name. I’m going up against a great fighter, but I’m ready for this challenge.”

#         #         #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #FundoraMendoza, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.

ONTARIO, CA (March 6, 2023) – Thompson Boxing returns this Friday, March 10, with its popular boxing series “Path to Glory” in which Mexicali, Mexico’s Angel Beltran (15-1, 9 KOs) will look to upset local favorite Louie Lopez (13-1-1, 4 KOs) of Corona, California.

The two will clash in an 8-round welterweight main event. The show will pay homage to TBP CEO Ken Thompson, as this will be a somber one-month anniversary of his passing. A poignant ceremony at the start of the show will pay tribute to his life.

“Path to Glory” will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA on Friday, March 10th, 2022. Doors open at 6:00 pm PT, with a Tribute to Ken Thompson at 7:00 pm (promptly), followed by fights. Tickets priced $50, $75, $100, and $125 are available for purchase by calling 714-935-0900 or online at www.thompsonboxing.com. Fight fans will be able to watch all Thompson Boxing fights, weigh-ins, and behind-the-scenes content, via their new mobile app downloadable on Apple and Google.

Here is what Beltran had to say about is recent training camp, his matchup with Louie Lopez, fighting a top prospect, and more.

On his recent training camp:

“I am training very hard. This is the chance of a lifetime to get a big fight with a big promoter. I am not letting this opportunity go to waste, I have done everything within my power to be the best come fight night. I am running hard, training hard, and pushing beyond my limits for this fight. It is safe to say this is the best I have ever felt before a fight. Training camp was great.”

On his matchup with Louie Lopez:

“I see him as myself with a different name. What I mean by that is, he also took a loss early in his career but kept going, not a lot of fighters can do that. I know he is a warrior because it takes a warrior spirit to continue in this sport, especially in this era. I respect him and see him as exactly who I am. So, I am fight a man who is hungry to keep his winning streak alive, and I know this fight will come down to how wants it more. I plan on having my hands raised when the final bell rings.

On what a win will do for his career:

“This is the new start of my career. I lost early on, but that wasn’t the best version of myself. A lot went wrong. I am going to defeat a very good fighter and be on the radar of fight fans who follow the sport. A win here gives me more chances to fight against opponents in which I can obtain a world ranking. So essentially this fight means everything to me.”

On fighting in main event on a Thompson Card:

“I am honored to be in the main event on this card, as the card pays tribute to Mr. Ken Thompson. To able to win on a card dedicated to the founder of the boxing promotion, will be a historic moment for me. This is a big stage for me, and I like the professional nature in which they stream their shows and broadcast their fights so fans from all across the world can see these fights.”

Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer and Rich Marotta. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

“Path to Glory” will stream live for free on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and 

YouTube pages.

This event is sponsored by HUSTLER Casino, LA’s only luxury casino; 

Thompson Building Materials, Transforming spaces into beautiful places; Omega Products International, The leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Belgard, Paves the way; and Makita, Rule the outdoors.

For more information, and regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #ThompsonBoxing.

QUINCY, Mass. (March 6, 2023) – Granite Chin Promotions’ (GCP) latest signee, welterweight prospect Ian “Dynamite” Garcia, is excited to be fighting once again at home this Saturday night in front of fans, friends and family on the “Springfield Championship Boxing 2” card, at MassMutural Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“Springfield Championship Boxing 2”, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com.

Unbeaten Massachusetts State Welterweight Champion Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (10-0, 6 KOs) will make his first title defense in the 8-round main event against undefeated challenger Kenny “Lionheart” Larson (6-0, 5 -0 KOs), of Salem, Massachusetts

Springfield lightweight Isaiah “Baby Warrior” Cruz (5-0, 3 KOs) will face Akeem “Action Action” Jackson (6-5, 5 KOs) in the 6-round co-featured event. Cruz’ older brother, super lightweight Calixto (1-0) is also slated to be in action.

Undefeated Russian light heavyweight prospect Ali Izmailov (9-0, 6 KOs), fighting out of Detroit, has been added to the card for an 8-round fight versus Ariel “El Fenomena” Armando Basconcel (13-4-1, 12 KOs), of Argentina. .

The 24-year-old Garcia (2-0-1, 1 KO), a native of Puerto Rico, moved to Springfield in 2000 and today he’s a key part of a Western Mass. boxing rebirth. During the pandemic, Garcia traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, to make his pro debut, which resulted in a 4-round majority draw against a local opponent. “ Dynamite” has won his last two fights though in impressive fashion, and Saturday he meets “The Outlaw” Ryan Venable (3-16) in a 4-round bout.

“It’s always a great experience to be fighting in your hometown,” Garcia said. “I want to thank my promoter, Chris Traietti, for this opportunity. The fans of other Western Mass. fighters on this card will be my fans, too. Over the years, we’ve supported each other, and more fans get to see me fight here at home in Springfield than if I’m fighting on the road. My fans will go where I go, but if I’m fighting on the road, they have to get there and pay for a hotel, food and tickets. It’s a lot easier for them to watch me fight in Springfield.”

Garcia’s opponent used to train Springfield and the two have sparred on several occasions.

“He doesn’t have anything that will surprise me,” Garcia added. “I know what he’s bringing to the table; I’ll be ready!”

“This is a great step-up fight for Ian,” Traietti commented. “Venable is a scrappy guy who tests a tone of young prospects, but I was very impressed with Ian in his last fight. It is clear he puts in the work and is getting better and better, which is what you want to see in a young fighter. This is just one more step in many for him in what will be an exciting career.”

Dominican welterweight Carlos Castillo (6-0, 4 KOs), a potential star out of Holyoke (MA), faces Alfred Keenan Raymond (1-5-1, 0 KOs) in a 6-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round bouts are Springfield super featherweight Carlos Gonzalez (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Richard “Hit To Hard” Barnard (1-10-1); Springfield super lightweight Calixto Cruz (1-0) vs. TBA and Springfield super lightweight Liz Humphries (0-1-1) vs. Sarah “Switch Kick” Click (0-2-1).

Card subject to change.

Tickets range between $203.00 and $48.00 and are available to purchase online at https://www.massmutualcenter.com/events/detail/springfield-championship-boxing-2  or from any of the participating boxers.

Doors open at 6 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (March 6, 2023) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue conquered the bantamweight division. He’s now moving up in weight to capture the biggest fish at 122 pounds.

Philadelphia’s WBC & WBO junior featherweight world champion, Stephen Fulton, will defend his titles against Japan’s pound-for-pound king Sunday, May 7, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. The showdown pits two of the world’s top fighters, as Inoue aims to become only the fifth Asian boxer to win world titles in four weight classes.

Fulton-Inoue and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ in a special early-morning presentation.

Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) is 19-0 with 17 knockouts in world title fights, a championship run that started in 2014 when he knocked out Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight world title. He went on to rule the junior bantamweight division with seven title defenses, including a second-round stoppage over Omar Narvaez. At bantamweight, Inoue became the division’s first undisputed champion in a half-century, stopping Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to win the IBF strap, outlasting Nonito Donaire in the 2019 Fight of the Year to add the WBA belt, starching Donaire in the second round of their June 2022 rematch to snatch the WBC title, and stopping then-WBO champion Paul Butler in the 11th round. Inoue vacated all four bantamweight titles to move up four pounds for a shot at “Cool Boy Steph.”

Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) turned pro in 2014 and defeated five undefeated prospects in his first 12 bouts. In January 2021, he defeated Angelo Leo to capture the WBO junior featherweight world title. Ten months later, he added the WBC belt to his collection with a majority decision over then-unbeaten Brandon Figueroa in one of the year’s most action-packed championship showdowns. Fulton defended both titles last June with a one-sided unanimous decision over former unified world champion Daniel Roman. Fulton will enter the Inoue bout, his first away from American soil, coming off an 11-month layoff. The 28-year-old Fulton, however, is the naturally bigger man, holding advantages in height and reach.

# # #

About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

Jersey City, NJ (March 5, 2023) — On Saturday night, fans packed White Eagle Hall for the thrilling debut of Star Boxing’s “Jersey City Fight Night.” The event was a unique thriller with fight action from start to finish combined with a unique melting pot atmosphere, live DJ entertainment and Star Boxing distinctiveness, all of which had fans buzzing from the start of the event through the end of the night.  

In the main event, RAJON “PICASSO” CHANCE had the crowd in an uproar as he put on an artistic masterpiece against veteran MARTIN DIAZ of Nicaragua. From the opening bell, Chance was in command, and eventually put Martin down with snapping right hand. Martin beat the count, but Chance’s offensive prowess proved to be too quick and powerful. Chance dropped Martin again after an onslaught late in the first round causing Martin’s corner to call off the fight. Chance improved to 8-0-1 6KO’s after an emphatic victory in his Star Boxing banner debut.

In the co-feature, undefeated super welterweight JAHAYAE “GOLDEN CHILD” BROWN, and DENIS “BILLABONG” OKOTH, took home fight of the night honors in a thrilling, back-and-forth battle. Brown had the faster hands, but for what Okoth lacked in speed, he made up for it with heart, determination and mechanics, consistently answering Brown’s offensive exertions with his own. The sixth was pure madness punctuated by a perfectly timed Okoth right hand that buzzed Brown. In sensational action, Brown responded with an uppercut that had Okoth falling backward on unsteady legs. While the game Okoth had many moments, Brown continued to get the best of the exchanges. Brown improved to 13-0 9KO’s with a unanimous decision victory (80-72, 79-73, 78-74).

Paterson heavyweight, NORMAN NEELY wasted no time getting back in the win column with an evident strategy from the opening bell – seek and destroy. Neely barely allowed Bedwell to step foot in the ring before he pounced. Bedwell, tried to weather the storm, looking to land one big overhand right, but it never came. Neely dropped Bedwell twice before Bedwell’s corner stopped the fight. Neely improved to 14-1 9KO’s with the first round TKO victory.

In the opening bout of the evening, LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA and LEVAN LOUTSOUPITZE put on an exciting performance for the crowd. Maietta, a NYC Fireman, had perhaps his best performance to date as he fought effectively using his jab and working the body well in the winning effort. Maietta improved to 2-3-1 with a unanimous decision victory (40-36 x2, 39-37).

Star Boxing CEO, JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say about Jersey City Fight Night, “We are pleased that the fans enjoyed and embraced our lively and unique boxing experience at White Eagle Hall. The fights were entertaining and the fans gave us wonderful and positive feedback about the event experience. Rajon Chance looked sharp in his victory and Jahyae Brown was entertaining in a thrilling fight. We look forward to returning to Jersey City as we continue to grow our relationship with White Eagle Hall and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.”

Las Vegas – The 31^st season of The Ultimate Fighter^®could be the biggest in the show’s history, as former UFC^® featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Michael Chandler go head-to-head as coaches. Following the series, which exclusively debuts Tuesday, May 30 on ESPN, the two coaches will prepare to square off at a date that will be determined in the near future. 

The Ultimate Fighter Season 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler will feature a dynamic cast consisting of both returning veterans and up and coming prospects in the men’s bantamweight (135 lbs.) and lightweight (155 lbs.) divisions, who have put everything else in their lives aside for the chance to pursue their UFC dreams.

The entire 12-episode season of TUF 31 will be available exclusively on ESPN, with one episode dropping each Tuesday beginning May 30at 10pm ET/7pm PT. Episodes will be available to stream on demand on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET, following the conclusion of their network debut. In addition, UFC fans can re-watch all 30 previous seasons of TUF on ESPN+.

Produced by Lionsgate’s Pilgrim Media Group, The Ultimate Fighter is the iconic reality television series that has introduced millions of new and die-hard fans to future UFC champions and top contenders. Those whose careers have been shaped by their participation in The Ultimate Fighter include: Julianna Peña, Kamaru Usman, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Rose Namajunas, Michael Bisping, Robert Whittaker, Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson, T.J. Dillashaw, Amanda Nunes, Matt Serra, Michael Chiesa, Al Iaquinta, Kelvin Gastelum, Uriah Hall and many others.

Former UFC double champion McGregor (22-6, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland), considered by many the sport’s biggest star, returns to The Ultimate Fighter after previously serving as a coach on TUF 22. He will look to impart the skills and experience that have earned him victories over former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. McGregor now has his sights set on beating Chandler as a coach and building momentum towards their inevitable match later this year.

Chandler (23-8, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn. ) is a favorite amongst fight fans for his dynamicfighting style and captivating personality. No stranger to a highlight reel finish, Chandler stunned fans with spectacular stoppages over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson. He now plans on adding a successful TUF coaching season to his resume on the way to defeating McGregor.  

Below is a full list of competitors scheduled to compete in The Ultimate Fighter 31: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler (name, age, professional record and fighting out of):

MEN’S BATAMWEIGHT (135)

Mando Gutierrez | 26 | 8-2 | East Lansing, Mich.

Trevor Wells | 27 | 8-3 | Temecula, Calif.

Carlos Vera | 35 | 12-3 | Falls Church, Vir.

Rico DiSciullo | 36 | 11-2 | Somerville, Mass.

Cody Gibson | 35 | 19-8 | San Luis Obispo County, Calif.

Timur Valiev | 32 | 18-3 | Moscow, Russia

Hunter Azure | 30 | 10-3 | Phoenix, Ariz.

Brad Katona | 31 | 12-2 | Dublin, Ireland

MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT (155)

Landon Quiñones | 27 | 7-1-1 | Sunrise, Fla.

Aaron McKenzie | 26 | 11-2-1 | Oklahoma City, Okla.

Nate Jennerman | 30 | 16-5 | Sheboygan, Wis.

Lee Hammond | 26 | 5-0 | Dublin, Ireland

Austin Hubbard | 31 | 15-6 | Denver, Colo.

Roosevelt Roberts | 29 | 12-3 | Lathrop, Calif.

Kurt Holobaugh | 36 | 19-7 | Franklinton, La.

Jason Knight | 30 | 22-7 | Lucedale, Miss.

*All athletes are subject to change

Visit UFC.com for additional information and content to support your UFC coverage.

About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.

About ESPN+?? ??

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). ??

About ESPN

ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by an 18,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.