WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Championship Unification – 12 Rounds

Errol Spence Jr. – 146 ¼ lbs.

Yordenis Ugás – 146 ¾ lbs.

Referee: Laurence Cole; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)

Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Isaac Cruz – 134 ¾ lbs.

Yuriorkis Gamboa – 134 ¼ lbs.

Referee: Mark Calo-oy; Judges: Javier Alvarez (Texas), Jesse Reyes (Texas), Jose Roberto Torres (P.R.)

Note: Cruz made weight on second attempt after initially coming in at 136 ½ lbs.

Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Jose Valenzuela – 134 ¾ lbs.

Francisco Vargas – 134 ½ lbs.

Referee: Mark Calo-oy; Judges: Josef Mason (Colo.), Chris Migliore (Nev.), Jesse Reyes (Texas)

Welterweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Cody Crowley – 144 ½ lbs.

Josesito Lopez – 146 ½ lbs.

Referee: Laurence Cole; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Glenn Feldman (Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® – Saturday, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

WBA Welterweight Title Bout – 12 Rounds

Radzhab Butaev – 146 ½ lbs.

Eimantas Stanionis – 146 ½ lbs.

Referee: Rafael Ramos; Judges: Javier Alvarez (Texas), Robert Hoyle (Nev.), Jose Roberto Torres (P.R.)

Super Lightweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Brandun Lee – 142 ½ lbs.

Zachary Ochoa – 141 ¼ lbs.

Referee: Mark Calo-oy; Judges: Tim Cheatham (Nev.), Josef Mason (Colo.), Chris Migliore (Nev.)

Note: Contracted weight is 143 pounds

The most trusted and experienced team in combat sports will be on the pay-per-view call. Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer will host the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo will handle blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers round out the SHOWTIME telecast team – Emmy^® award-winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna will serve as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP). On the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins calls the action from ringside with veteran combat sports reporter Brian Campbell and Marquez serving as expert analysts.

The executive producer of SHOWTIME PPV is four-time Emmy award winner David Dinkins Jr., the director is Bob Dunphy, son of legendary Hall of Famer Don Dunphy. The producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Richard Gaughan with Rick Phillips directing.

#          #          #

ABOUT SPENCE VS. UGAS

Spence vs. Ugás will see WBC and IBF world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBA world champion Yordenis Ugás square off in a welterweight title unification clash that headlines a SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, April 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features exciting lightweight contender Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz taking on veteran former world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 10-round co-main event.

The lineup also includes unbeaten José Valenzuela battling former world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in a 10-round lightweight fight, plus unbeaten Cody Crowley faces veteran contender Josesito López in a 10-round duel of all-action welterweights that kicks off the telecast.

Preceding the pay-per-view will be a special edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® headlined by WBA Welterweight Champion Radzhab Butaev and top contender Eimantas Stanionis. The telecast begins live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and also features unbeaten rising star Brandun Lee taking on Zachary Ochoa in a super lightweight bout.

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

Jason Cunningham 120.8 lbs
Terry Le Couviour 121.2lbs

Nathan Heaney 159.3 lbs
Diego Ramirez 158.2lbs 

Andrew Cain 121.6lbs  
Pablo Ariel Gomez 121.1lbs

Eithan James 143 lbs
Ben Fields 144.1 lbs

Brad Strand 122.1 lbs
Ally Mwerangi 122.2 lbs

Owen Cooper 149.4 lbs
Richard Helm149.8 lbs

George Davey 149.4 lbs
Serge Ambomo 150.9 lbs 

George Bance 146.8 lbs
Des Newton 150.1 lbs

Macauley Owen, Liam Richards, Bradley Thompson and Francisco Rodriguez weigh-in tomorrow

Cunningham: “The belt comes home with me on Saturday night, simple as that!” – All the quotes from yesterday’s press conference here.

Coventry, England – (April 15, 2022) – The eight contenders vying to be crowned the BOXXER Series Lightweight Champion tomorrow night at the Coventry Skydome Arena, live and exclusive on Sky Sports, weighed-in today at the CBS Arena.

The official BOXXER draw yesterday delivered some scintillating opening Quarter Final match ups, none more so than the Tion Gibbs-Scott Melvin shoot out with the friends and stablemates both fighting out of the Birmingham Eastside Gym.

The boxers recorded the following weights:

Quarter-Final 1:

Otis Lookham (1-0-0, 1 KO)

Nottingham

9st 9lb 5oz (135.03lb)

vs

Dylan Cheema (2-0-0)

Coventry

9st 10lb 5oz (136.03lb)

Quarter-Final 2:

Tion Gibbs (8-0-0)

Birmingham

9st 10lb (136lb)

vs.

Scott Melvin (4-0-0, 1 KO)

Chelmsley Wood, West Midlands

9st 10lb (136lb)

Quarter-Final 3:

Rylan Charlton (7-2-1, 3 KO’)

Norwich

9st 10lb (136lb)

vs

Joe Underwood Hughes (7-0-0, 1 KO)

Beeston, Nottinghamshire

9st 10lb 5oz (136.03lb)

Quarter-Final 4:

Shaun Cooper (12-3-0)

Willenhall, West Midlands

9st 10lb (136lb)

vs

Brooklyn Tilley (3-0)

Rainham, Essex

9st 9lb 5oz (135.03lb)

====

The BOXXER Series Coventry: Lightweight Tournament takes place this Saturday, April 16 at Coventry Skydome and airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports from 8pm.

Fast, action-packed and unpredictable, BOXXER Series tournaments showcase the highly-popular Short-Form Boxing format: each match is just three rounds, ensuring fast-paced explosive encounters as boxers look for decisive wins to guarantee their passage to the next stage.

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 14, 2022) – Super bantamweight prospect, Angel “AK-47” Barrientes (8-1, 6 KOs), is ready to make a statement against Fernando Garcia (13-4, 8 KOS), this Saturday, April 16th, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Barrientes vs. Garcia will, a 6-round bout, will be showcased on the Errol Spence Jr. vs Yordenis Ugas PPV showdown.

“It is great to be back on such a big stage to display my talents,” said Barrientes. “I want to make a statement in this bout as well as show people that I am one of the best young fighters in the game at my weight class. Garcia has never been stopped so I’m looking to make a statement with a knockout.”

Barrientes, a Las Vegas native, is now going to the next level of competition. He stopped his last opponent in three rounds, and is eager to have a similar performance on such a big night of boxing.

“I want people to remember my name and fighting on these massive cards I need to not just win, but also leave people wanting more,” said Barrientes. “I have goals of becoming a world champion and to do that I have to perform at a high level on the best cards in the world.”

Ontario, CA (April 14, 2022) – Featherweight world title contender, Ruben “Drac” Villa (18-1, 5 KOs) weighed in at 126.4 pounds while his opponent Horacio Garcia (35-5-1, 25 KOs) checked in at 126.7 pounds for their Friday night 10-round fight at The Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Villa of Salinas, California is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. will be competing in the main event of a card that will be streamed live on Banner Promotions Facebook page, Thompsonboxing.com, and Thompson Boxing social media as well as the Thompson Boxing app beginning at 8 PM PT /11 PM ET.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please like the Banner Promotions Facebook Page, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BannerBoxing.

RED CORNERBLUE CORNER
8 ROUNDS – HEAVYWEIGHTSMike Balogun                                                                              vs.                                  Sergio Ramirez MarinUpper Marlboro, MD                                                                                                                Tijuana, Mexico18-0, 14 KO’s                                                                                                                             20-7, 12 KO’s233 lbs.                                                                                                                                      212 lbs. 8 ROUNDS – SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTSJa’Rico O’Quinn                                                                              vs.                                  Jobert AlvarezDetroit, MI Renton, WA Renton, WA Renton, WA Renton, WA Renton, WA Renton, WA Renton, WA14-1-1, 8 KO’s                                                                                                                            20-2-2, 7 KO’s116.25 lbs.                                                                                                                                  120 lbs. 6 ROUNDS – HEAVYWEIGHTSMichael Pirotton-Bamogo                                                          vs.                                  Jonathan GruberLiege, Belgium                                                                                                                FaFall River, MA River, MA5-0, 2 KO’s                                                                                                                             3-0, 2 KO’s230 lbs.                                                                                                                                   227 lbs.                                                                                                                             8 ROUNDS – SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTSJoshafat Ortiz                                                                              vs.                                  Derrick MurrayReading, PA                                                                                                               Saint Saint Louis, MO9-0, 5 KO’s                                                                                                                             15-4-1, 5 KO’s130.5 lbs.                                                                                                                                131 lbs.
4 ROUNDS – SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTSSean Brewer                                                                              vs.                                  Dominique WilliamsHenderson, NV                                                                                                                Jacksonville, FL2-0, 1 KO                                                                                                                      1-4 1-4 1-4127 lbs.                                                                                                                             131.25 lbs.

Social MediaDiBella EntertainmentInstagram: @DiBellaEntTwitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEntFacebook: @DiBellaEntertainment UFC Fight PassInstagram: @UFCFightPassTwitter: @UFCFightPassFacebook: @UFCFightPass

(April 14, 2022) — Fight fans across the U.S. are counting down the days until WBC/Lineal/Ring Magazine heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury defends his crown against British countryman Dillian Whyte at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday, April 23. The Top Rank Pay-Per-View event will begin at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

A UK-record crowd of 94,000 is expected for this heavyweight matchup of historic proportions. And, thanks to a partnership with Joe Hand Promotions, this fight card will now be shown in movie theaters across the U.S., including Cinemark, AMC, Regal, Marcus Theatres, Emagine Entertainment, and Harkins Theatres.

“Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight of his generation, and I expect another spectacular performance on April 23,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Dillian Whyte is a formidable challenger, and with 94,000 people in attendance, this is a unique event that will capture the attention of the entire sports world.”

“Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte is one of the biggest fights of the year and fight fans across the U.S are looking for a fun place to gather with friends and enjoy the event. Theaters from all across the country are offering the opportunity for these fans to watch this fight on a big screen, in comfortable seating, with a great selection of food and drinks” said Joe Hand, Jr., President, Joe Hand Promotions. “We’re proud to partner with Top Rank and help them grow their fan base and brand in theaters across the U.S.”

“As a content provider, it’s exciting to bring these types of top-quality live events into theaters as we continually seek to activate new content for theater owners and their customers.”

To locate a theater showing the event, fans can check the Joe Hand Promotions website: https://bit.ly/furywhyte.

About Top Rank
Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1973 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Tyson Fury.

About Joe Hand Promotions
Joe Hand Promotions is the leading provider of live content to bars, restaurants, theaters, and other public viewing venues. Joe Hand Promotions has been bringing fan communities together to watch sporting events since 1971. Over its history, Joe Hand Promotions has presented more than 25,000 events to commercial establishments, helping them boost their food and beverage sales, expand their customer base, and increase their late-night revenues.

Las Vegas – UFC^® continues its run of shows at UFC APEX with an intriguing matchup in the strawweight division, as No. 10 ranked contender Amanda Lemos attempts to spoil the return of former champion Jessica Andrade. In the heavyweight co-main event, Tanner Boser plots to stop the undefeated up and comer Alexandr Romanov.  

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LEMOS vs ANDRADE will take place Saturday, April 23 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream on ESPN+, with the prelims beginning at 3 p.m. PT/ 6 p.m. ET and the main card at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET.

Lemos (11-1-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil) looks to extend her five-fight win streak in her first UFC main event. During her climb up the rankings, Lemos proved she is among the best in the division with wins over Angela Hill, Montserrat Conejo, and Livinha Souza. She now targets to secure the biggest victory of her career by defeating former strawweight champion Andrade and breaking into the Top 5.

No. 1 ranked women’s flyweight Andrade (22-9, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) steps back into the strawweight division for the first time since 2020. The Muay Thai specialist, who has nine knockouts and seven submissions to her name, plans to recapture the momentum at 115 pounds that saw her secure memorable victories over Rose Namajunas, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Tecia Torres, as well as a world title. She now aims to finish Lemos and begin her rise back to the top of the division.   

Boser (20-8-1, fighting out of Bonnyville, Alberta) seeks to continue his ascent after an impressive knockout over veteran Ovince St. Preux in his last bout. The Karate expert, who has 10 wins by knockout and two by submission, now has his sights set on sending a message to the rest of the heavyweights and erasing Romanov’s undefeated record.

Romanov (15-0, fighting out of Comrat, Gagauzia, Moldova) intends to make the most of his first UFC co-main event opportunity after finishing Jared Vanderaa in spectacular fashion. The wrestler, who has a remarkable 10 first-round finishes and a 93 percent finishing rate, now strives to keep his perfect record in an exciting matchup that will almost certainly end in a finish.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• Veteran Clay Guida (37-21, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) hopes to end Claudio Puelles’ (11-2, fighting out Lima, Peru) four-fight win streak in a lightweight matchup
• Featherweights Lando Vannata (12-5-2, fighting out Albuquerque, N.M.)and Charles Jourdain (12-4-1, fighting out of Beloeil, Quebec, Canada) face off in an all-action bout
• No. 14 ranked women’s flyweight Maycee Barber (9-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.) meets submission technician Montana De La Rosa (12-6-1, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas)
• No. 12 ranked flyweight contender Sumudaerji (15-4, fighting out of Sichuan, China) looks to continue his winning streak against No. 14 ranked Manel Kape (17-6, fighting out Phuket, Thailand by way of Porto, Portugal)
• Welterweight action sees Louis Cosce (7-1, fighting out of Arcata, Calif.) face off with submission ace Preston Parsons (9-3, fighting out of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.)
• Jordan Wright (12-2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) battles Marc-Andre Barriualt (13-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) in a 190-pound catchweight bout
• Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Dwight Grant (11-4, fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y.) takes on Karate specialist Sergey Khandozhko (27-6-1, fighting out of Krasnodar, Krasnodar Krai, Russia) at welterweight
• Light heavyweights Tyson Pedro (7-3, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) and Ike Villanueva (18-13, fighting out of Lansing, Mich.) lock horns
• Flyweights Aoriqileng (20-11, fighting out of Inner Mongolia, China) and Cameron Else (10-5, fighting out of England, United Kingdom) face off as they both look to capture their first UFC win
• Marcin Prachnio (15-5, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) and Philipe Lins (14-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) battle at light heavyweight
• Dean Barry (4-1, fighting out of Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland.) and Michael Jackson (0-1, 1 NC fighting out of Houston, Texas) square off as they look to make a name for themselves at welterweight

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

###

About UFC^®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 688 million fans and 198 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 nearly 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 75 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 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

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.

ATLANTA, GA (April 14, 2022)–New promoters Prestige Boxing Advisory Group in association with BFC The Last Round Promotions will present a packed night of professional boxing that will take place on Saturday night, June 11th at Center Stage in Atlanta.

In a Six-round bout, popular middleweight Casey” K Champ” Dixon (2-0, 1 KO) will take on Josh Franks (4-0, 3 KOs) of Waverly, Nebraska in a battle of undefeated super middleweights for the WBA Youth Title.

The six-round co-feature will pit Atlanta’s Quatavious Cash in a middleweight bout.

In a four-round junior middleweight fight, internet sensation Supreme Patty will make his boxing debut. Patty has 5.2 million Instagram followers

Also in a four-round bout will be popular rapper and actor Daniel “D Smoke” Farris will make his pro debut in a middleweight fight. The Inglewood, California boasts 1.9 million Instagram followers.

Also in a special attraction, super bantamweight and world renowned model and undefeated Avril Mathie of Miami via Australia will risk her record that reads 7-0-1 with three knockouts.

Also seeing action in six-round bouts will be featherweight Jose Nieves (2-0, 1 KO) of Woodbridge, New Jersey; junior welterweight Patrick Harris (19-0, 9 KOs) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Also super bantamweight Abel Aparicio (10-1, 4 KOs) of Atlanta will take on opponents to be named.

In four-round bouts, heavyweight Dante Williams (1-0, 1 KO) of Hawkinsville, Georgia;

Tickets are $100, $250 and $500 and can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.com

The show will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com

Coventry, England – (April 14, 2022) – “In terms of well-matched fights, this might be Saturday night’s best card,” this week’s edition of British pugilism bible Boxing News said of this weekend’s BOXXER Series Coventry: Lightweight Tournament.

The eight participants clearly agree, judging by the energy between them at today’s official draw to determine the quarter-final matches which will commence the one-night tournament live on Sky Sports this Saturday night.

On the line are significant purses and – perhaps equally as important – the chance to compete on the biggest television platform in British sports and put on performances which will open up new levels of future career opportunity.

From undefeated prospects fighting out of well-known stables through to dark horse newcomers with a reputation for one-punch stopping power, the balance between the BOXXER Series Coventry: Lightweight Tournament octuplet promises all-out action from start to finish.

Hosted by BOXXER executive Daniel Stewart, today’s draw produced some interesting quarter-final matches for this Saturday night, including an unexpected early showdown between stablemates Gibbs and Melvin and a must-win bout for Coventry’s own Cheema against heavy hitter Lookham.

Quarter-Final 1:

Otis Lookham (1-0) vs Dylan Cheema (2-0)

Quarter-Final 2:

Tion Gibbs (8-0) vs. Scott Melvin

Quarter-Final 3:

Rylan Charlton (7-2-1) vs Joe Underwood Hughes (7-0)

Quarter-Final 4:

Shaun Cooper (12-3) vs Brooklyn Tilley (3-0)

====

The BOXXER Series Coventry: Lightweight Tournament takes place this Saturday, April 16 at Coventry Skydome and airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports from TIMEpm.

Fast, action-packed and unpredictable, BOXXER Series tournaments showcase the highly-popular Short-Form Boxing format: each match is just three rounds, ensuring fast-paced explosive encounters as boxers look for decisive wins to guarantee their passage to the next stage.

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 14, 2022) – Undefeated super featherweight,
Andres Cortes (16-0, 9 KOs), who recently signed a multiyear promotional with Top Rank Inc., will return to action on April 30th, against Alexis del Bosque (18-5-1, 9 KOs), at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cortes vs. Bosque will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+.

“I am fired up to be on such a massive card and my goal will be to continue this knockout streak I have going, “stated the 24-year-old Cortes. “I have made big statements in my last few fights, and I want to keep that momentum going. I’m grateful that I’m starting to get noticed and now I am all-in on performing to the highest level of my abilities. I am chasing greatness and I am looking to get into the world title picture by the end of the year.”

In August of last year, Cortes scored a devastating first-round knockout against former world title challenger Genesis Servania (34-3, 16 KOs). A crushing right hand-left hook combo sent Servania to the canvass. Cortes followed up that great performance by stopping durable Mark Bernaldez (23-5, 17 KOs), by way of a third round KO. Both fights were seen nationally on ESPN. The boxing world is excited about the potential emergence of a breakout superstar in Cortes.

“I feel as good as ever and I am approaching my prime,” continued Cortes, who will be fighting for the first time as an officially signed Top Rank fighter. “I can’t wait to mix it up with the best fighters in the world. I look at all the great fighters Top Rank has promoted and it’s an honor to be on their roster. I’m ready to fight on these great cards, now it is my time to shine. I’m always going to entertain the fans and show them just how hard I have been working.”

“This is a great chance to continue on the momentum created with the last two fights we had with Top Rank,” said Luis Cortes, brother, and trainer of Andres. “Little bro has worked so hard for his first fight since signing with Top Rank. Andres takes great pride being promoted with Top Rank and wants to let everyone know he is very close to fighting for a world title.”

Elsewhere on tomorrow’s card, Sam Gilley defends his English super-welterweight title against Drew Brown, Nina Hughes takes on Bec Connolly, plus Sultan Zaurbek, Carl Fail, Elliot Whale, Dean Richardson, Paul Ryan and Jimmy Croxson are all in action.

IFL TV UNDERCARD BEGINS 5:30PM

FIGHT #1
Super-Welterweight, 6 Rounds

PAUL RYAN (157.2lbs) vs. GABOR GORBICS (159.3lbs)

FIGHT #2
Super-Lightweight, 4 Rounds

JIMMY CROXSON vs. FONZ ALEXANDER (Weigh-In On Day)

FIGHT #3
Super-Welterweight, 6 Rounds

DEAN RICHARDSON (158lbs) vs. ANGEL EMILOV (159lbs)

TV FLOAT
Super-Welterweight, 6 Rounds

CARL FAIL (156.7lbs) vs. VICTOR GARCIA (156.7lbs)

IFL TV MAIN CARD BEGINS 7:00PM

FIGHT #4
Super-Featherweight, 10 Rounds

SULTAN ZAURBEK (131.9lbs) vs. NICOLAS NAHUEL BOTELLI (130.8lbs)

FIGHT #5
Super-Welterweight, 6 Rounds

ELLIOT WHALE (153.3lbs) vs. FERNANDO VALENCIA (156.6lbs)

FIGHT #6
Super-Bantamweight, 8 Rounds

NINA HUGHES (122.4lbs) vs. BEC CONNOLLY (121.9lbs)

FIGHT #7
Super-Lightweight, 8 Rounds

PIERCE O’LEARY (141.9lbs) vs. NATHAN AUGUSTINE (138.7lbs)

FIGHT #8
English Super-Welterweight Title, 10 Rounds

SAM GILLEY (153.8lbs) vs. DREW BROWN (154lbs)

FIGHT #9
British & Commonwealth Lightweight Titles, 12 Rounds

GAVIN GWYNNE (134.5lbs) vs. LUKE WILLIS (134.8lbs)

Stay up to date by subscribing to our weekly newsletter HERE and on social media @mtkglobal

Hialeah, FL / April 12, 2022 – Professional boxing returns to this iconic South Florida landmark for the second time this year on Saturday May 7, 2022 at 7 PM when Hialeah Park Casino, in association with Warriors Boxing and Rivalta Boxing, presents “Una Gran Noche De Boxeo Cubano 2.”

The card will be highlighted by two title fights, one featuring the undefeated Cuban heavyweight prospect and Mike Tyson look-alike Lenier “El Justiciero” Peró (6-0, 3 KOs) against Hector Perez (7-4, 3 KOs) for the NABO Heavyweight championship and the other pitting cruiserweight Anthony “White Chocolate” Martinez (12-1, 11 KOs) against #15 IBF contender David Light (17-0, 11 KOs) of New Zealand for the WBO International Cruiserweight title.

“Peró was a very accomplished amateur who won gold medals for Cuba at the Pan American Games and fought at the 2016 Summer Olympics,” said promoter Henry Rivalta. “He’s a fantastic prospect, a very technical and graceful fighter. But he needs to be ready to fight! Perez is super tough and he’s on the comeback trail.”

As for the Martinez-Light matchup, “This fight will be a major class test for the local fighter Martinez,” explained Rivalta. “Light has held three different regional cruiserweight titles and he’s looking to break into the IBF Top 10.”

Before the main events on the May 7 card, Cuban super-lightweight Orestes Velazquez (3-0, 3 KOs), coming off a victory in “the fight of the night” on the January 28 card at Hialeah Park, faces former WBO champion Juan Carlos Salgado (27-9, 16 KOs), Cuban welterweight Livan Navarro (11-1, 7 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since his only defeat to face tough Mexican veteran Silverio Ortiz (37-29, 18 KOs), and Cuban super-bantamweight Ariel Perez de la Torre (7-0, 5 KOs) risks his undefeated status against Angel Pillado (13-3, 4 KOs).

Victor Abreu.jpg

But the fight that has most ringsiders anxious about is the professional debut of Cuban super-bantamweight Victor Abreu, who will fight early in the evening.

“This kid is really special,” said Rivalta. “He fought over 170 times as an amateur in Cuba, he’s incredibly well-built for a 122-pounder, and I’m predicting he will be a world champion before the end of 2023.”

Tickets for the fights will be on sale this Friday, April 15th through the Hialeah Park website at www.hialeahpark.com

LOS ANGELES (April 13, 2022) – Boxing’s most beloved heavyweight fighter, Gerry Cooney is set as the special VIP Guest at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on the April 21st fight card. The event features Golden Boy returning to its Coachella Valley home and is headlined by Palmdale’s Joel Diaz, Jr. (26-2, 22 KOs) and San Diego’s Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (32-3-3, 17 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight battle. The co-main event of the night Jousce “Tito” Gonzalez (11-0-1, 10 KOs) from Glendora, CA, will face Jairo Lopez (27-14, 17 KOs) of Apodaca, Mexico in an 8-round lightweight bout. Also on the card, San Diego’s top prospect Jorge Chavez (1-0, 1 KOs) is scheduled for a 4-round super featherweight fight. Undefeated prospect Manuel Flores (11-0, 8 KOs) of Coachella, CA, will take on the experienced Victor Ruiz (23-12, 16 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico in an 8-round super bantamweight fight. Also, part of the DAZN broadcast, Los Cabos, Mexico’s Jan Salvatierra (7-1, 3 KOs) will participate in a 6-round flyweight event, and Hawaii’s Asa Stevens (2-0, 1 KOs) is scheduled for a 4-round bantamweight bout. All the fights will be streamed live, exclusively, on DAZN worldwide starting at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET.

Best known for his epic battles against George Foreman and Larry Holmes, Gerry Cooney challenged for the WBC and Lineal Heavyweight World Championship titles in 1982 and the Lineal Heavyweight World Championship in 1987. The heavy-handed, Cooney compiled a professional record of 28 wins and 3 losses, with 24 knockouts and not one of his fights ever went the distance. He is currently ranked number 53 on The Ring’s list of “100 Greatest Punchers of All Time” and according to George Foreman, Gerry Cooney was one of the three hardest punchers he had faced in his career. As the VIP guest, Cooney will be in attendance for the fights and will be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center before the DAZN livestream begins. The meet-and-greet is open to the public with the purchase of a ticket to the event.

Tickets for Diaz Jr. vs. Gesta are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35 and $25 plus applicable facility fees and service charges. Tickets are available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Diaz, Jr. vs. Gesta is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy. The event was sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The fight will take place on Thursday, April 21 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA, and will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and 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 #DiazJrGesta #GBFightNight

Los Angeles, CA (April 13, 2022) Following up on their Just Released Massive Schedule of Extraordinary Events in 2022, Triller Fight Club has announced a Mega-Heavyweight Clash between Former Unified Heavyweight World Champion Andy ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz Jr., (34-2, 22 KOs), of Imperial, CA and Top Rated and Undefeated Contender Tyrone ‘King of the Ring’ Spong, (14-0, 13 KOs) of Paramaribo, Suriname set for Saturday, July 16 and emanating from the historic Plaza de Toros in Mexico City, Mexico.

The ten-round main event will headline a tremendous boxing card broadcast on Pay-Per-View. The entire broadcast will be produced by Nigel Lythgoe, award-winning producer of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “American Idol” who has brought his captivating new look and feel of combat sports to Triller Fight Club events as the creative partner, visionary and executive producer. Information on advance tickets for the live event will be forthcoming.

“Triller Fight Club is dedicated to delivering a steady roster of content with something for everyone. This mega-event is set to give the most discerning boxing and MMA fans the most exciting fight of the year while surrounding it with a festival that is sure to deliver for all ages, combat sports fans or not,” said Lythgoe.

The 32-year-old Ruiz shocked the sports world, becoming the first Mexican heavyweight world champion on June 1, 2019, with a remarkable seventh-round knockout of undefeated, unified world champion Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden. Most recently, Ruiz was victorious in dominant fashion with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Chris Arreola on May 1, 2021, in Carson, CA.

The popular fan-favorite Ruiz is guided by perennial Trainer of the Year, Eddy Reynoso, who counts boxing’s #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and World Champion Oscar Valdez among his stable in San Diego, CA.

A world champion kickboxer with a wealth of international accolades, the heavy-handed Spong, currently training in South Florida, returns to the squared circle following a second-round knockout of Jeyson Minda in Merida, Mexico. Eleven of his thirteen knockouts have come within the first two rounds of his fourteen victories. He is the holder of the WBC Latino Heavyweight and WBO Latino Heavyweight Titles.

“Triller and Fight Club like to trailblaze. We have high expectations for this event. It matches the world’s best heavyweights in boxing and MMA in a battle to determine who is the best. Surrounding it with a Trillerfest where the best musicians, Verzuz, sports, and celebrity events will bookend this historic fight,” said David Tetreault, President of Triller Fight Club.

Opened in 1946, Plaza de Toros is the world’s largest bullring. In 2004, It played host to the third fight between Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and former world champion Frankie Randall.

A full schedule of events and additional fights for this evening of world-class boxing will be announced shortly.

                                                            ——————————

Launched less than two years ago, Triller Fight Club has already sold over 3,000,000 Pay-Per-Views in the past year, making it one of the top-selling combat sports/entertainment platforms. TrillerVerz’s widely acclaimed monthly series, including world-class professional boxing and musical Verzuz battles, has consistently been at the top of watched broadcasts averaging over 6,000,000 views. 

Triller entered into a definitive merger agreement with SeaChange International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEAC), in a transaction that would result in the combined company being named TrillerVerz Corp., and its common stock will be listed on Nasdaq, subject to completion of the conditions listed in the S4, which was filed by SeaChange (NASD: SEAC).

This Triller Fight Club PPV event will be carried in North America across all traditional PPV TV platforms, including cable, satellite & telco TV PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), among others, as well as leading operators in Canada. It will also be offered to commercial outlets via Joe Hand Promotions and globally via digital streaming to all major outlets.

                                                      ————————————-

**HOW TO WATCH THE July 16 event via Worldwide Streaming **

Digitally broadcast via FITE

 and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, IPTV, game controller, and OTT apps, as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.com

Follow Triller Fight Club on social media: 

Instagram: @Triller, @TrillerFightClub
Twitter: @Triller, @TrillerFight

Facebook: @TrillerFightClub

Boxing-media company Fightstars.tv, proudly announces their Director of Female Boxing Operations, Rick Ramos, has signed two-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion, National Amateur Championships finalist and once-beaten professional Olivia Curry (4-1, 2 KOs) to their team of female fighting stars.

Originally from Cincinnati, Curry was a kickboxer until an Ong-Bak movie she watched in college gave her an interest in the sweet science. “There was a gym nearby with a student discount. I took a class and it slowly took over my life until I switched over to amateur boxing and eventually turned pro,” laughed Curry.

Tall for a female middleweight at 5’ 9”, Curry is a more of a technical stylist with a great jab and a strong ability to adapt inside the ropes. “I really love the intellectual chess game of boxing,” she continued. “I have punching power which is hopefully exciting to watch, but I’m definitely more of a boxer than a brawler. You don’t’ get into boxing if you’re not competitive. I want to prove I can hang with the best fighters in the world and compete for world titles.”

A resident of The Windy City for the past two decades, Curry trains at Unanimous Boxing Gym with Head Coach Trinidad Garcia. She says the deal with Fightstars.tv is a great opportunity for her career.

“I’ve known Rick for a long time from the Chicago scene,” she explained. “I’ve sparred his fighters and still do and we have talked him about working with him in the past. He and my coach know each other well. So, he came to me and Trinidad to talk early this year and we thought the Fightstars.tv deal Rick brought to the table was a great opportunity. I’m very excited for the future because I feel I have reached a point in my career where I want more elite-level competition.”

Ramos says he’s happy to finally be working with Curry.

“I’ve known Olivia for a while now.,” he recounted, “we are from the same city. She’s always been tough and ready to fight. I’m excited to work with her because there are BIG money fights in her weight class (160).”

Curry, who will make her fighting debut under the Fightstars.tv banner this coming May in Iowa, says signing with Fightstars.tv comes as she’s rededicating herself to the sport after some soul searching.

“I looked at the pandemic as a wakeup call,” said Curry. “It was either time for me to go on to something else or re-dedicate myself. I thought about it and I didn’t feel done. I love the intensity of the sport. I thought it was time to take the next step and this is it. I still feel like I have so much to learn about the sport, if you look at someone’s career as bell curve, I’m still on my way up. So I want to become the best fighter I can be and have exciting entertaining fights that make people think this woman deserves to be here.”

#

Fightstars.tv are passionate advocates for female boxing. Currently opening additional facilities in Florida, New York and Chicago to match their existing spaces in San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Fightstars.tv has created a productive training environment with resources geared exclusively toward female boxing. Fightstars.tv is looking for the next generation of female fighting stars! Talented female fighters with established amateur boxing backgrounds and a desire to reach their full potential should contact Rick Ramos at: RickRamosBoxing50@gmail.com.

One of the fastest-emerging boxing-media companies in the world, fightstars.tv is a radically ambitious new subscription-based content-provider service offering world-class fights, gloves-off interviews, behind-the-scenes scoops and fight coverage from some of the biggest names in boxing to fans worldwide.

For more information on fightstars.tv, please visit their OFFICIAL SITE.

St. Petersburg, FL (April 13, 2022) – Undefeated middleweight Connor “The Kid” Coyle has arrived in Florida for training camp with Head Trainer Jim McLaughlin ahead of his May 21 NABA middleweight title showdown against Antonio Todd at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, FL.

Splitting time between his native Northern Ireland and Florida, Coyle’s amassed a perfect 15-0 record with 7 wins by knockout. On February 19, Coyle broke down once-beaten Rodrigo Rodrigues en route to a fifth round stoppage.

Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, Todd’s record is a deceptive 13-5 with 7 wins by KO. During the last year and a half, he’s amassed an impressive 6-1-1 record. Todd earned his biggest win to date on January 22, scoring a ten round majority decision over longtime contender Hugo Centeno Jr.

“Todd is very tough but this is the kind of fight I need,” said Coyle. “He’s much better than his record suggests and a few of his losses were close fights against top opponents. I’m happy to be back in Florida and know this is going to be a tough camp because I’ve got to be at my best to take home the NABA title on May 21.”

Coyle’s promoter, Jody Caliguire of Fire Fist Boxing, sees a win over Todd leading to much larger opportunities.

“Antonio Todd is no pushover and Connor has to be at his best if he wants to win impressively. This fight is on a great platform on Bally Sports Network and for the NABA title. If everything goes as planned, Connor will be rated as one of the top 15 middleweights in the world and the opportunities are limitless!”

Coyle-Todd will air on Bally Sports Network, the Bally App and Display TV.as part of the Bally Sports Entrobox Series at 9 PM ET.

Tickets from $45 are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 5 pm and the opening bell is scheduled for 6.

Fans can contact Coyle on Instagram @Connor_the_kid_coyle and for more information on Fire Fist Boxing Promotions, visit Firefistboxing.net.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (April 13, 2021) —  It’s back to work for Eumir Felix Marcial, the Philippines’ 2021 middleweight Olympic Bronze medalist, who scored his first professional knockout victory on April 9, on the undercard of the Erickson Lubin – Sebastian Fundora title fight in Las Vegas.  Marcial (2-0, 1 KO), a native of Zamboanga, Philippines, now training in Las Vegas, displayed the composure of a seasoned veteran to score a TKO of Isiah Hart (6-3-1, 4 KOs), of Mays Landing, N.J., at the 47-second mark of the fourth-round despite getting knocked down three times himself, once in the first round and twice in the second round in a firefight bout scheduled for six rounds.  That’s a lot of experience to get for a fighter in only his second professional fight.  Marcial, 26, will put his amateur jersey back on and depart for the Philippines on Wednesday to join the National Team as he prepares to win his fourth consecutive Southeast Asian (SEA) Games middleweight title, the first step toward gearing up to qualify for the 2024 Olympic team.  His previous Sea Games Gold medals were won in 2015, 2017, and 2019.   

“I was happy that I won Saturday night against Isiah Hart.  I need to go back to the drawing board and fix a few things and I will be back stronger,” said Marcial.  “But first I will return to the Philippines for a few days of rest and then I will head to Thailand to train for the Southeast Asian Games which will be held in Vietnam.  I look to take my fourth straight gold medal.  It takes hard work to do that and I promise my full commitment to the Philippines in the upcoming SEA Games.  I would like to thank Senator Pacquiao and MP Promotions’ Sean Gibbons for all their support.  I look forward, as always, to bringing pride and honor  to the Philippines.  Lastly, thank you to all my fans for their continuous support.” 

“Wow!  What a fight Eumir had on Saturday night!  They say you truly don’t know a man until his is knocked down, and in Eumir’s case it was three times, and how they get up. Well, we found out that Eumir has tremendous Filipino heart and his will to win emanates from it,” said Sean Gibbons, President of MP Promotions.  “I am so proud of how Eumir came back from adversity in the first few rounds and came on to stop Isiah Hart in the fourth round.  It was a great learning lesson.  We will make a few changes and then move on to bigger things.  Also, I support Eumir in his quest  to win his fourth consecutive Sea Games gold medal.  It is a great way to prepare for his third pro fight in July or August.  Senator Pacquiao also supports Eumir in his quest for Sea Games gold and representing the Philippines.”

After winning his pro debut — a four-round unanimous decision over Andrew Whitfield in Los Angeles on Dec. 16, 2020 — Marcial turned his attention to getting prepared for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.  In one of the most exciting bouts of the 2021 summer games, Marcial and top-seeded Oleksandr Khyzhniak, of Ukraine, battled tooth and nail in their semifinal battle.  Khyzhniak, who would move on to win the Silver medal, pulled it out in the third and final round by the narrowest of margins.  Marcial won the Bronze.  Another high water mark in Marcial’s amateur career was capturing a Silver medal at the 2019 World Boxing Championships.

Manchester, England – (April 13, 2022) – The BOXXER Series heads to Manchester on Saturday May 14 with an all-action, one-night tournament which will see eight of the nation’s brightest cruiserweight prospects battle it out live on Sky Sports, the UK’s biggest sports television platform.

Substantial prize money and career-breakout opportunities are on the line in a tournament which will showcase the depth of talent in one of British boxing’s most competitive divisions.

Among the names currently making waves in the cruiserweight division are world title prospect Richard Riakporhe, rising star Viddal Riley and British championship contender Mikael Lawal, who himself broke into the BOXXER ranks by winning the 2019 cruiserweight tournament.

The tournament winner – and any tournament participants who win fans with a standout performance – will emerge with a chance to break into that upper echelon and seize advantageous future career opportunities for themselves.

These are the eight boxers stepping up to take their shot in Manchester at the Victoria Warehouse on Saturday, May 14, live on Sky Sports:

Ricky Reeves (2-0, 1 KO)

Sheffield

Jay Farrell (9-2, 5 KO’s)

Liverpool

Ellis Zorro (11-0, 6 KO’s)

Lewisham

Jamie Smith (3-0, 2 KO’s)

Amersham

Anees Taj (5-1, 4 KO’s)

Watford

Ryan Cotterell (1-0)

Walsall

Sheldon McDonald (3-0, 1 KO)

Sheffield

Jack Fay (1-0-1)

Darwen

BOXXER Series events feature an eight-man, one-night tournament: four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a grand final.

The victorious boxer takes the lion’s share of the prize fund for one-night tournament boxing while every boxer in the tournament has the chance to put a spotlight on himself by putting on a standout performance on the nation’s biggest sports television platform.

Featuring a mix of rising stars and top prospects competing under short-form boxing rules (3 x 3 minute rounds), BOXXER SERIES tournaments offer an unparalleled platform for grassroots British boxing and can send winner’s names rocketing up the rankings list.

Promising non-stop action from start to finish, BOXXER SERIES events are touring every major city in the UK and will feature each region’s best boxing talent, rising stars and local heroes.

Sign up today at Boxxer.com for first access to tickets

Registered fans will be first in line to access the best seats before tickets go on sale to the general public.

BOXXER proudly presents this event in association with bet365, Everlast, Wow Hydrate and Village Hotels.

NEW YORK, NY (April 12, 2022) – This Friday, April 15, celebrity chef and boxing enthusiast Chris Santos will join DiBella Entertainment’s commentary team at Detroit’s Garden Theater for the 116th edition of the long-running Broadway Boxing series. He will call the action alongside noted boxing journalist Corey Erdman, New York Yankees reporter Justin Shackil and Dan Canobbio, of Jomboy Media. The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Lee Baxter Promotions, presented by Nissan of Queens, will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports, starting at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT.

“I couldn’t be more excited to make my on-air commentary debut for the sport that has been my passion for over 40 years. From sitting on my grandfather’s lap watching Larry Holmes vs. Ken Norton, to becoming hooked on Marvin Hagler, to spending 15 years at Gleason’s Gym, to Wild Card Gym where I currently train under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame coach Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio, to being featured in Ring Magazine, my journey through boxing has been magical,” said Chris Santos, Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Beauty & Essex. “To be able to put all these years of experience as a student of the sport to use ringside is truly a dream come true and I can’t thank Lou DiBella and the entire DiBella Entertainment team enough for giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait for April 15. See you at the fights.”

Headlining the card will be heavyweight knockout artist Mike Balogun (18-0, 14 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, MD, facing Mexican Sergio Ramirez Marin (20-7, 12 KOs), from Tijuana. Coming off of the impressive first-round knockout of Trey Lippe Morrison in December, the athletic Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the legendary Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. Popular Detroit bantamweight Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-1-1, 8 KOs) battles Filipino Jobert Alvarez (20-2-2, 7 KOs), from Renton, WA, in the co-feature.

The televised undercard also includes unbeaten super featherweight Joshafat Ortiz (9-0, 5 KOs), of Reading, PA, squaring off against Derrick Murray (15-4, 5 KOs), of Saint Louis, MO, and heavyweight prospect Michael Pirotton-Bamogo (5-0, 2 KOs), of Liege, Belgium, making his US debut against fellow undefeated Jonathan Gruber (3-0, 2 KOs), of Fall River, MA. Featherweight Sean Brewer (2-0, 1 KO), of Henderson, NV, will take on Floridian Dominique Williams on the off-TV undercard.

Tickets, which start at $65.00, are on sale now through Eventbrite HERE. The Garden Theater is located at 3929 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201. Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30pm ET, with the first bell at 7:00pm ET.

Chef Chris Santos has over 25 years of experience as an executive chef in New
York City’s hottest restaurants as well as his expansions on the West Coast. He is the
Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Beauty & Essex Restaurants in the Lower East Side, at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, and in Hollywood, CA. He oversees the menu development and culinary operations of all three properties with more locations in the works.

Santos released his first cookbook in 2017 to critical acclaim, titled, “SHARE – Delicious and Surprising Recipes to Pass Around Your Table”. In addition to his three restaurants, he has been a series regular and sitting judge on Food Network’s hit series “Chopped” since its debut in 2008, and is a two-time “Chopped” champion himself. Santos has also been featured on NBC’s TODAY Show, CBS’s Early Show, The Martha Stewart Show, and The Rachael Ray Show, among many others.

(April 12, 2022) — Top Rank on ESPN will be at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday, April 23 to capture the all-English heavyweight battle between WBC/Lineal/Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and WBC interim titleholder Dillian “The Body Snatcher” Whyte. 

ESPN+ Pay-Per-View will stream the event LIVE in the United States at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, with the undercard to stream on ESPN+ at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. ESPN will also air a special Fury vs. Whyte Pre-Show on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Purchase the ESPN+ PPV here.

Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) will defend his crown against WBC interim champion Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) in front of a record 94,000 fans, the largest Wembley Stadium has ever hosted and the most fans to witness a boxing event in person since 1993. The Whyte showdown marks Fury’s first bout in London since February 2015.

Calling the action will be Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), former two-division world champion Timothy Bradley Jr. (analyst) and former pound-for-pound #1, two-division world titleholder and 2004?Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward (analyst). The desk team will feature analysis from Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna.  

ESPN boxing social: FacebookInstagramTwitterTikTok
 –XXX– 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 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 21.3 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

Los Angeles, CA (April 12, 2022) Trilller Fight Club has announced a slate of national and international events for the balance of 2022 incorporating world class professional boxing, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and Triad Combat. 

“When we started Triller Fight Club over a year ago the goal was to see if we could bring excitement to combat sports and deliver a product that Gen Z would love. Between Triad Combat, TrillerVerz and large fight club events we have done just that,” said Ryan Kavanaugh. 

“Now that we have perfected the product it’s time to roll out a consistent schedule so we can dominate combat sports.” 

Each event is produced by Superstar Nigel Lythgoe, visionary and producer of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “American Idol” who has brought this new look and feel of combat sport to the forefront. 

“While we are increasing our volume, we will not sacrifice on quality or on making sure that each event is packed with the excitement people have come to expect from fight club events. Each event will deliver broad four quadrant programming. Triller Fight Club is certain to be number one,” continued Kavanaugh.

The Triller Fight Club system creates a multi-tiered outcome: superstars, premium world class fighters and top prospects through it’s entertaining and diverse events. 

n  Trilller Fight Club’s ‘Blockbuster Boxing Cards will be tent pole events featuring world ranked fighters, celebrity commentary and epic musical performances.

n  Triller Fight Club’s Premium Boxing Events will showcase world championship boxing featuring top contenders with unmatched entertainment and music. 

n  Trilller Fight Club Boxing Club Shows will feature rising prospects and future stars in evenly matched bouts. 

n  Triad Combat Premium Events will feature top MMA fighters facing off against top boxing contenders in the revolutionary triangle ring.

n  Triad Combat Club Shows will give young MMA fighters a chance to face off with top boxing prospects in the revolutionary triangle ring. 

The award winning Lythgoe is also developing a new unscripted competition series, “So You Think You Can Fight.” The highly anticipated series will launch later this year.

Below is a full listing of events scheduled for the balance of 2022.

Thursday, April 21 — BKFC Fight Night, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Saturday, April 30 — BKFC-24, Great Falls, MT

Friday, May 6 — BKFC-25, Orlando, FL

Saturday, May 7 — BKFC Thailand 2, Pattaya, Thailand

Friday, May 13 — BKFC Fight Night, Omaha, NE

Saturday, May 14 – TrillerVerz V, Los Angeles, CA

Friday, June 10 — Triad Combat Club Show, Orange County, CA

Saturday, June 25 — Boxing Premium Event, Las Vegas, NV

Friday, July 15 — Boxing Club Show, Mexico City, MX

Saturday, July 16 — Blockbuster Boxing Event, Mexico City, MX

Saturday, July 30 — Triad Combat Premium Event

Friday, August 5 —  Triad Combat Club Show

Saturday, August 27 — Boxing Premium Event

Friday, September 16 — Boxing Club Show

Saturday, September 24 – Triad Combat Premium Event

Friday, October 7 — Triad Combat Club Show

Saturday, October 29 – Boxing Premium Event

Saturday, November 12 – Triad Combat Premium Event

Friday, November 25 – Boxing Club Show

Saturday, November 26 – Blockbuster Boxing Event

Saturday, December 3 – Boxing Premium Event

Saturday, December 17 – Triad Combat Premium Event

                                                 —————————————-

Launched less than two years ago, Triller Fight Club has already sold over 3,000,000 Pay-Per-Views in the past year, making it one of the top-selling combat sports/entertainment platforms. TrillerVerz’s widely acclaimed monthly series, including world-class professional boxing and musical Verzuz battles, has consistently been at the top of watched broadcasts averaging over 6,000,000 views. 

In December 2021, Triller entered into a definitive merger agreement with SeaChange International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEAC), in a transaction that would result in the combined company being named TrillerVerz Corp., and its common stock will be listed on Nasdaq, subject to completion of the conditions listed in the S4, which was filed recently by SeaChange (NASD: SEAC).

Follow Triller Fight Club on social media: 

Instagram: @Triller, @TrillerFightClub
Twitter: @Triller, @TrillerFight

Facebook: @TrillerFightClub

NEW YORK (April 12, 2022) – The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) stacked Class of 2121 will be honored Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), May 1, at the 10th NYSBHOF induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include Brooklyn WBO Heavyweight World Champions Jamaica’s Michael Bentt (11-2, 6 KOs), also a 4-time New York Golden Gloves gold medalist, and Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs); Albany’s 3-time World light middleweight titlist Verno Phillips (42-11-1, 2 KOs), WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Donny “Golden Boy” Lalonde (42-11-1, 21 KOs), Staten Island’s WBC World Light Heavyweight Champion Johnny “The Heat” Verderosa (41-5-1, 33 KOs), Mount Vernon’s 2-time World title challenger and No. 1 ranked welterweight contender Larry “No Fear” Barnes (44-3-1, 17 KOs), and Brooklyn’s welterweight Johnny Turner (42-6-2, 32 KOs)

Posthumous participants being inducted World Lightweight Champion Bronx’ Al Singer (62-9-2, 26 KOs), World’s Colored Light Heavyweight Champion Kid Norfolk (88-25-7, 49 KOs), Brooklyn’s lightweight Pasquale Patsy Giovanelli (44-7-1, 14 KOs), Brooklyn’s World Bantamweight Champion Cannonball Eddie Martin (81-12-4, 29 KOs), New York City’s World Light Heavyweight title challenger Battling Siki (60-24-4, 31 KOs), Brooklyn’s Novice New York Golden Gloves and Intercity Golden Gloves champion Solly Krieger (82-25-6 , 54 KOs), New York City’s No. 1 world ranked middleweight contender Herbie Kronowitz (55-23-5, 10 KOs), Buffalo’s World featherweight champion Tommy Paul (80-28-10, 26 KOs), and Brooklyn’s World Bantamweight Champion and US Olympian Lou Salica (67-17-12, 13 KOs).

Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are judge Queens New York Golden Gloves finalist, inspector and licensed judge Ron McNair, promoter/manager/matchmaker Don Elbaum, New York City journalists Ed Schuyler of New York City and Bill Verigan, New York City author/journalist Tom Hauser, Queens author/journalist/ Mike Silver, and Brooklyn’s Jill Diamond, Secretary of the World Boxing Council and International Chair or WBC Cares.

Posthumous non-participant inductees are Brooklyn’s trainer and Stillman’s gym owner Lou Stillman, New York City’s promoter/manager Bill Cayton, NYC Mayor James Walker who legalized boxing in NY, publicists John Condon, of Queens, and New York City’s Irving Rudd, Brooklyn’s journalist Richard K. Fox, and trainer Victor Valle.

Each attending inductee (or direct descendant of) will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.

The 2021 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.

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

NYSBHOF

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

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

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

CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon, and Al Weill.

CLASS OF 2016: Aaron Davis, Charles Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, Edwin Viruet, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Kansas, Joe Lynch, Joe Miceli, Ed Brophy, Joe DeGuardia, Randy Gordon, Dennis Rappaport, Howie Albert, Freddie Brown, Howard Cosell, Ruby Goldstein, and Jimmy Jacobs.

CLASS OF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Doug Dewitt, “The Bronx Bomber” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan, and Dan Parker.

CLASS OF 2018: Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle, Jake Rodriguez, Terrence Alli, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Kid Chocolate, James J. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Billy Costello, Melio Bettina Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Charley Norkus, Dave Anderson, Pete Brodsky, Herb Goldman, Bobby Goodman, Melvina Lathan, Ron Scott Stevens, Johnnie Addie, Johnny Bos, Murray Goodman, Bert Randolph Sugar, and Sam Taub.

No class of 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions

CLASS OF 2020: Jorge Ahumada, Alfredo Escalera, Freddie Liberatore, Dennis Milton; Lou Savarese and Merqui Sosa, Soldier Bartfield, Steve Belloise, Jimmy Goodrich, Tami Mauriello, Davey Moore, Freddie “The Welsh Wizard” Welch, Don Ackerman, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Rick Glaser, Jack Hirsch, Max Kellerman, Dr. William Lathan, Julie Lederman, Ron Lipton, Kevin Rooney, Dan Daniel, Bobby Gleason, Flash Gordan, A.J. Liebling, Tony Mazzarella, and manager Dan Morgan.

Tickets are priced at $125.00 per adult and $60.00 for children (under 16) and include a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish, or poultry) and open bar throughout the day. Tickets are available to purchase by contacting NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304 or depcomish@aol.com. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $80.00 to $200.00, by contacting Duffy. Go online at www.nyboxinghof.org or www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

ABOUT RING 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

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

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

INFORMATION:

www.nyboxinghof.org

BOSTON (April 12, 2022) – Vertex Promotions returns May 14th with “Mayhem at Mosley’s, featuring the Massachusetts debut of James “Savage” Hagler, the grandson of the late Hall of Famer Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and headlined by undefeated welterweight prospect James “The Slim Reaper” Perella, Saturday night, May 7th at Moseley’s On The Charles in Dedham.

“We’re looking forward to having James fighting less than 20 miles from where his grandfather Marvin Hagler fought out of in Brockton,” Vertex promoter Dave Clark said. “We’re committed to giving local fighters to fight near home and we have three familiar fighters to fans who have attended Vertex shows, as well as three top amateurs making their pro debuts on ‘Mayhem at Moseley’s.’ James Perella is a Vertex favorite and he’s a rising star. We’re continuing to keep local fighters active and giving fans an entertaining night of pro boxing.”

“Savage” Hagler (2-1, 1 KO), fighting out of Atlanta, naturally, is excited to be fighting in the Bay State, where his grandfather Marvelous Marvin fought 35 times as a pro, including world middleweight title defending victories against Tony Sibson, Vito Antuerofermo and Fulgencio Obelmejias, on his way to eventually becoming a Hall of Famer.

“It’s an honor to fight in the same state as my ‘Papa’ fought out of,” James said. “I just want to make sure I destruct and destroy in Hagler fashion.”

Hagler will be in a 4-round super middleweight bout against an opponent to be determined.

Perella action.jpg
(L) James Perella is putting his undefeated record on the line

(picture by Emily Harney/Fightography)

Undefeated Perella (10-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Mansfield, Massachusetts, is matched against Mexican challenger Edgar “The Tiger” Torres (8-3-1, 4 KOs) in the 8-round main event. A decorated amateur boxer, Perella was a 4-time USA New England Championships and 4-time New England Golden Gloves Champion.

Boston’s Irish boxing fans will be supporting Galway light heavyweight Tommy “The Kid” O’Toole” (3-0, 2 KOs) in the 6-round co-featured event vs. TBA. O’Toole was a 2019 Irish Elite Championship gold medalist.

Dorchester (MA) featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr. (4-0, 2 KOs), a 2016 Rocky Marciano Tournament champion, and Southbridge (MA) super featherweight Alex Rivera (3-0, 2 KOs) are slated to be in separate 6-rounders.

Making their pro debuts in 4-round bouts are Nashua (NH) middleweight Michael Fontanez, a 2-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, Dorchester super welterweight Zachary Fenton, and Boston super lightweight Anthony Cefalo.

Opponents will soon be announced. Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale for $140.00 (row 2 ringside), $75.00 (general admission) and $50.00 (standing room), available for purchase online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mayhem-at-moseleys-51422-tickets-318776066797?aff=ebdssbdestsearch, or by contacting any of the competing fighters to purchase tickets.

Doors will open at 6:30 pm. ET with the first bout scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

?Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Bensalem to fight in front of his family and friends in a four-round super featherweight bout on Friday, May 13th at Parx Casino®. I had the pleasure to talk with Jordon Murphy and hear his thoughts on fighting in front of his hometown fans in his last fight at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philly on February 24th. Jordan’s career is still young, and he does not take for granted the fact that he gets to fight in front of his friends and family at this stage of his career.

JORDON MURPHY Q&A

What are your thoughts on your last fight?

“My thoughts were that it was something new. We expected him to come out wild and everything but being in the ring is something different than watching videos it was a new experience it was a tough fight fighting someone that is wild and non-stop like him, it was a tough fight but we got through it and I wasn’t that impressed with my performance but as long as we got the job done that all that counts and you will be seeing something different for the next fight.”

Did you enjoy fighting at home for your last fight?

“I loved it and I always said that would my dream to fight in front of my family and friends and to do it in my second fight was an amazing experience. I couldn’t ask for more it was wonderful having my family and friends out there it is a different atmosphere than my first fight in Florida so having everyone so close to me in my life around to see that peak like not even a peak on that ladder I have been climbing for years now and to finally be that point to perform in front of them was amazing”

Do you feel this fight is different than your last fight since this one is in your hometown while the last fight was in South Philly?

“Not really we go into every fight doing what we worked on in camp so what we are doing will be the same thing it’s all about just getting used to it being around the crowd and having this arena around you that’s the only difference is the arena the ring and it is different people but we don’t pay attention to that in the ring we just noting different we go in there and do the same stuff we have been working on getting the job done.”

Do you enjoy the pressure of fighting at home?

“I don’t mind the pressure for me I feel like it is not the same for others like my dad for my last two fights when we were backstage, he asked are you nervous? And I said no it’s a dream come true I’m happy to be in the place that I’m at right now at the point where I finally reached my first goal of being a professional boxer and have all there are different experiences, I don’t feel this nervous pressure. I like the crowd that’s why my nickname is jiggy all that stuff excites me. It’s no pressure I like working out I like going to the gym I love boxing and like I love this, and this is my life and what I was raised to do. I’m so used to the pressure I have been on national stages multiple times throughout my career I have had pressure since I was eight years old like being in front of Floyd Mayweather and people the pressure was always on me but now as a pro its something I have gotten used to.”

What are some skills that you want to improve on for this fight?

“In this camp well they fight with Nasir I had a shoulder injury for a little bit and he kind of pulled my arm a little bit in the second round and I wasn’t able to consistently throw that jab like I would have liked to. That is something we are working on to improve this camp is to build that shoulder strength up. we already got what we needed to be done for the shoulder. So we are back to normal and the main focus for this camp is building that jab and getting back to where it used to be and we didn’t even know I had an injury until we got late into camp. So we had to do what we had to we had to fight through the pain and that’s exactly what we did.”

If you have one message for the fans what would it be?

“To my fans and family lie, I appreciate every little thing you guys do for me just clicking the like button on my Instagram is more than enough I’m just blessed to have you around I don’t need anything in return from everyone this is my work I don’t expect anything from everybody I’m going to work regardless but to have my friends and family supporting me as much as they do is more than I could ever ask for and I am truly blessed to have everyone in my corner and on my side supporting mine toward this whole thing ad I promise at the end of all this there will be a return for you all.”

The live boxing event, which is produced by Joe Hand Promotions, will feature a six-round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA going up against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) fighting out of Fairfield, ME.

2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the year” Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs) out of Trenton, NJ will look to continue his 17-fight undefeated streak when he competes in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA.

Conor Benn has warned South Africa’s Chris van Heerden that he needs to be prepared for “a whole lot of firepower” when they clash over 12 rounds for the WBA Continental Welterweight Title at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday April 16, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

‘The Destroyer’ (20-0, 13 KOs) secured a stunning knockout win over former World Champion Chris Algieri last time out in December, taking out the American with a brutal right hand in the fourth round of their top of the bill clash at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

Reflecting on his showreel knockout Benn said: “It was the most dramatic finish of my career for sure. It was great that I was able to put in that performance. I just went in there with such confidence. Being confident in the ring… you display it in your defence mechanisms, trust in your reflexes, trust in your power.  

“Having my dad ringside and seeing the raw emotion from him was probably the most rewarding thing out of the whole eight-week camp. Even during the fight and the feeling after the fight. Watching that video back was, me watching someone so genuinely happy for me. Nothing but happiness for his son. That for me is so warming. It made me so emotional watching it.”

The 25-year-old Essex native is yet to come up against a southpaw boxer in his 20 fights to date and is relishing the challenge of locking horns with former IBO 147lbs Champion van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) – a seasoned veteran who has only been stopped by Errol Spence Jr in 32 professional fights. 

“Every fighter I fight now moving forward is going to be more experienced, but it means nothing to me,” said Benn. “Who they’ve fought and what they’ve done in their career doesn’t matter because they haven’t fought me. I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of. I believe in my work ethic and I believe in my team. I believe in my mindset and I believe in my physical attributes. I believe in my power and I believe in my boxing ability. Bring me whoever, I’m confident in what I can do.”

‘The Heat’ hasn’t held back with his pre-fight trash talk, labelling Benn an “emotional, angry fighter” who relies solely on his power. Benn is determined to prove his doubters wrong once again and has promised to earn van Heerden’s respect as he aims to take another step towards a World Title shot in the thriving Welterweight division.

“van Heerden is a good fighter, he’s a tricky fighter, he’s a tough fighter. He’s a come forward southpaw and a former World Champion. He’s been in there with the best. First southpaw opponent – they’re definitely hard work that’s for sure. You have to think a lot more. You have to demonstrate a lot more skill. You can’t just go in there with the same approach as you would with an orthodox fighter. 

“He’s wanted this fight for a while. He told me he needed this fight for himself, needed it for closure. We’ve made the fight happen. Hopefully he comes prepared, which I believe he will. He said he doesn’t rate my boxing ability. If you don’t respect me then I’ll make you respect me. Chris van Heerden needs to be ready for a whole lot of firepower. He needs to be ready for someone who fights like he’s got everything to lose.”

Benn vs. van Heerden tops a huge night of action in Manchester, Bournemouth’s European Cruiserweight Champion Chris Billam-Smith (14-1, 10 KOs) rematch Belfast’s former champion Tommy McCarthy (18-3, 9 KOs) following their epic back and forth battle at the Matchroom HQ last summer, WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Champion Alycia Baumgardner (11-1, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of her World Titles against Edith Matthysse (17-11-1, 1 KOs) following her shock win over Terri Harper last November, Little Lever’s Jack Cullen (20-3-1, 9 KOs) aims to bounce back from his stoppage loss to Kevin Lele Sadjo in December when he meets Vladimir Belujsky (12-3-1, 8 KOs) over eight rounds, Hyde Lightweight prospect Campbell Hatton (6-0, 2 KOs) quickly returns to action against Lee Glover (11-9, 3 KOs) over six rounds, hard hitting Cruiserweight talent Jordan Thompson (12-0, 10 KOs) clashes with Mariano Angel Gudino (14-5, 9 KOs) over eight rounds, Alnwick Welterweight Cyrus Pattinson (3-0, 1 KO) hopes to make it two wins from two fights in 2022 when he takes on Alexey Tukhtarov (5-28-6, 3 KOs) over eight rounds, Liverpool Light-Heavyweight Thomas Whittaker-Hart (6-0, 3 KOs) faces Ben Ridings (5-1) over six rounds, Salford Super-Lightweight Luke Evans (11-0, 1 KO) locks horns with Miguel Cesario Antin (19-10, 8 KOs) over six rounds while James Metcalfe warms up for his European Middleweight Title fight with a six round contest against Evgenii Vazem (9-26, 4 KOs).

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 11, 2022) – Super bantamweight prospect, Darren “The Gift” Cunningham (15-1, 8 KOS), is set for his next bout as he will take on Angel Antonio Contreras (11-6-2, 6 KOs), on April 29, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Celebrity Theater, on a card promoted by Iron Boy Promotions.

“I am excited as I feel better than ever, and I am ready to put the division on notice with a performance that will get me mentioned amongst all the emerging fighters at super bantamweight,” said Cunningham. “My opponent faced a world title contender at featherweight in his last bout and has a lot of experience. That is what I need at this point to become a world title contender. I am fighting a bigger man who has been battle tested, I’m ready.”

Cunningham is no stranger to the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona, as he knocked out Ernesto Guerrero in one round in February of this year. This will Cunningham’s third fight in the last six months. He believes that his recent activity has helped him get sharp at this point in his career.”

“I love fighting in Phoenix at the Celebrity Theater where the fans are really loud” said Cunningham reflecting on his last fight. “Many thought my last fight was the best fight of my career. All I can say is staying busy, and fighting routinely, has made me a better fighter. I can’t wait to have another great performance in April!”