TULSA, OK (Jan. 21, 2022) — U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson, Brooklyn-born phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of “The Greatest,” are among the rising stars who will fight Saturday, Jan. 29 atHard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.The bill is topped by the 10-round WBC 130-pound title eliminator between Robson Conceição and Xavier Martinez, and a 10-round junior lightweight co-feature featuring Mexican grinder Rene Tellez Giron and Puerto Rican contender Luis Melendez.

Conceição-Martinez and Giron-Melendez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The following undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT:

• Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), a 23-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, will take on fellow unbeaten Xavier Madrid (3-0, 1 KO) in a four-round welterweight tilt. Johnson advanced to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics and turned pro last November with a fourth-round stoppage over Antonius Grable.
   
• Middleweight Ali Walsh (3-0, 2 KOs), who grabbed international headlines last year, looks to continue his unbeaten run in a four-rounder against Jeremiah Yeager (1-1-1, 1 KO).
   
• Carrington (1-0), the latest young talent from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, makes his Top Rank debut against fellow unbeaten Steven Brown (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round featherweight bout.
   
• Light heavyweight prospect Dante “Free Smoke” Benjamin Jr., a one-time U.S. amateur standout from Cleveland, Ohio, makes his professional debut in a four-rounder against Herman Rendon (2-0). Benjamin signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank last year.
   
• Featherweight prospect Haven Brady Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) will see action in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named.
   
• Tulsa-born heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (3-0, 3 KOs) hopes to thrill the hometown fans when he takes on the well-traveled Jason Bergman (27-20-2, 18 KOs) in a six-rounder. Milton and Bergman fought on the same Top Rank-promoted card in Tulsa last April, with Milton notching a first-round knockout and Bergman losing an eventful three-round shootout against Trey Lippe Morrison.
   
• Junior lightweight Pink Tyson (11-2, 2 KOs) looks to make it three consecutive wins when she fights the durable Carla Torres (6-6) in an eight-rounder. 
   

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Tony Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now and can be purchased at tickets.hardrockcasinotulsa.com and at the Box Office at 918-384-ROCK (7625).

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 17.1 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).

WBC Featherweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Gary Russell Jr. – 125 ½ lbs.*

Mark Magsayo – 125 ½ lbs.

Referee: Benjy Esteves; Judges: Lynne Carter (Penn.), Mark Consentino (N.J.), Henry Grant (N.J.)

*Note: Russell made the 126-pound weight limit on his second attempt.

Super Lightweight Bout – 12 Rounds

Subriel Matías – 140 ½ lbs.  

Petros Ananyan – 141 lbs.

Referee: Mary Glover; Judges: Debra Barnes (N.J.), Joseph Pasquale (N.J.), Paul Wallace (Md.)

*The fight contracted weight limit is 141 lbs.

Featherweight Bout – 10 Rounds

Tugstsogt Nyambayar – 128 lbs.  

Sakaria Lukas – 127 ½ lbs.

Referee: Edgardo Claudio; Judges: Tony Lundy (N.J.), Ronald McNair (N.Y.), Robin Taylor (N.Y.)

*The fight contracted weight limit is 128 lbs.

#          #          #

ABOUT RUSSELL VS. MAGSAYO

Russell vs. Magsayo will see WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. defend his world title against top contender and WBC mandatory challenger Mark Magsayo headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, January 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® tripleheader begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a 12-round rematch between super lightweight contenders Subriel Matías and Petros Ananyan in the co-main event, plus hard-hitting featherweight Tugstsogt Nyambayar squaring-off against Sakaria Lukas in the 10-round telecast opener.

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

LAS VEGAS (January 20, 2022) — RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS® will stream the semifinals of World Cup Boxing Series (WCBS) inaugural “4-Man Lightweight Tournament,” presented by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions, live and exclusively on February 24 from Palenque De La Expo in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.

RJJ Boxing’s fourth consecutive year streaming on UFC FIGHT PASS will commence with an All-Latino, lightweight card, headlined by the WCBS semifinal round.

RJJ Boxing was the first boxing promotional company to sign a live and exclusive streaming deal with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.

“I know I speak for the entire RJJ Boxing organization when I say how excited and thrilled we all are to kick-off our 2022 season in Mexico, especially with this line-up of warriors,” RJJ Boxing president Lisa Veltre said. “I have had the honor of watching some of these fighters climb the ranks over the past year and it truly is an honor to witness how they have earned their position in this tournament. All of their blood, sweat and tears will be showcased in the square circle come February 24th. To be able to showcase talent like this to the world, thanks to the UFC FIGHT PASS, is going to be a thrill in and of itself.”

The World Boxing Council (WBC) is sanctioning the WCBS’ “4-Man lightweight Tournament,” created by CEO Terry Hollan and matchmaker Guy Taylor, and the winner will be crowned the WBC Latino Lightweight Champion, as well as positioned in the WBC’s top 15 ratings.

The WCBS “4-Man Tournament” semifinals matchups have been announced: Luis “Koreano” Torres (14-0, 9 KOs) vs. Rodolfo “Rudy” Flores (14-5, 6 KOs), Alberto “El Alacan” Ruiz (11-4, 8 KOs) vs. Isai “Gaga” Hernandez (11-2-2, 7 KOs).

Semifinal’s action will be contested in 8-round bouts, 10 rounds for the championship final. The WCBS will also feature one “overtime” round, if needed, to declare a winner in the event of a draw upon the conclusion of the scheduled distance.

WCBS will also be offering a “Fight of the Night” and “Knockout” bonuses to each contestant through the duration of its “4-Man Lightweight Tournament.”

The 20-year-old Torres, a former WBC Youth Silver lightweight champion, is the pre-tournament favorite.

Flores, 26, has notable victories, both by way of decision, over Jesus Acosta Zazueta (16-5-2) and Jairo Lopez (18-5).

Ruiz upset 15-0 WBC Latino Lightweight Champion Jair Valtierra by way of a fifth-round knockout to capture the crown last August, which he has since lost in a non-title fight, which left this coveted title vacated for the tournament victor.

Excluding a “no-contest” in his last fight against 13-0-1 Francisco Lopez, Hernandez goes into the tournament having won five of his last six fights.

Torres and Ruiz will be fighting at home in Obregon.

thumbnail_IMG_3224.jpg
“It was a big surprise when we got the call from Roy Jones Jr., Boxing president Lisa Veltre asking if we’d like to be the opening show on UFC FIGHT PASS to kick-off its 2022 season,” Taylor remarked. “It’s a great opportunity and platform and we at World Cup Boxing Series thank RJJ Boxing, Lisa, and UFC FIGHT PASS for this opportunity.”

Also scheduled to be streamed on RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS are a pair of tantalizing light matches.

Venezuelan knockout artist Fradimil Macayo (15-1, 13 KOs) clashes with his unbeaten Mexican opponent, Armando Ramirez (5-0-1,2 KOs) in an 8-round bout.

Undefeated 19-year-old prospect Jorge “Jorgito” Cota (6-0, 4 KOs), the youngest in the famed Mexican fightin’ Montiel family, led by his grandfather Fernando Montiel, battles Guatemalan challenger Rene “Kampana” de Leon Mazariegos (7-3, 4 KOs), in a scheduled 6-rounder.

Cota, who was 140-10 as an amateur, is following in the footsteps of his Montiel (54-6-2, 39 KOs from 1996-2016), a 5-time, 3-division (flyweight, super flyweight, and bantamweight) World champion.

INFORMATION:

Websites: http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com

Facebook: : /WorldCupBoxingSeries

Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial

Instagram: @RoyJonesJrBoxing, @World_Cup_Boxing_Series

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Founded in 2013, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country and also in Mexico, Russia, and Japan. RJJ Boxing has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®: UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to exclusive, live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features, in-depth interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit https://www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass.

NEW YORK (Jan. 20, 2022) — Three future fistic superstars are set to unite under the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Brooklyn-born super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will defend his NABO belt against crafty Canadian Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, whose family hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, makes his main event debut in his stiffest test to date.

In the junior middleweight co-feature, 19-year-old Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas will fight in his first scheduled eight-rounder against Louisiana-born spoiler Quincy “Chico” LaVallais.

The eight-round televised opener will see the return of lightweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis against Mexican veteran Esteban Sanchez.

Berlanga-Rolls, Zayas-LaVallais and Davis-Sanchez will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 go on sale Friday, Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

“Edgar, Xander and Keyshawn are future pound-for-pound superstars, and it will be a special evening in front of a sold-out New York City crowd,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “All three are in there with the toughest fights of their respective careers, but I expect them to pass with flying colors.”

Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) took the boxing world by storm with 16 straight first-round knockouts to open his pro career. He went the distance twice in 2021, opening his campaign in April by knocking down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds in an ESPN-televised rout. Berlanga returned on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III card in October, defeating Marcelo Esteban Coceres via 10-round unanimous decision despite suffering a torn biceps in the third round and the first knockdown of his career in the ninth.

Berlanga said, “I’m so excited to fight in my first main event in my hometown. It’s a dream come true for a fighter representing New York City and Puerto Rico. I can’t wait to show the world what I’m truly about. We are going to blow the roof off the Hulu Theater, so grab your tickets early and get your popcorn ready for this performance.”

Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs), a 37-year-old from Toronto, is an 11-year pro who was an undefeated middleweight contender before moving up in weight. In June 2019, he challenged pound-for-pound stalwart Gennadiy Golovkin at Madison Square Garden and found some success in the second round before being stopped in the fourth. Rolls has tallied two wins since the Golovkin bout, most recently knocking out Christopher Brooker in the ninth round last month on the Artur Beterbiev-Marcus Browne undercard in Montreal.

Rolls said, “I’m happy to be back headlining at Madison Square Garden. Training camp has been going well, and I feel very strong with nothing but war on my mind. Berlanga has power, but I’ll be ready for whatever he brings. I’m looking forward to March 19. I’ll see you then.”

Zayas (12-0, 9 KOs) had a breakthrough 2021, going 6-0 with four knockouts while being mentioned prominently in Prospect of the Year debates. He made his Madison Square Garden debut last December and finished his 2021 campaign by knocking out Alessio Mastronunzio in the first round. He steps up against LaVallais (12-2-1, 7 KOs), who notched a December 2020 upset over Clay Collard at the MGM Grand Bubble. LaVallais, who is 2-2 since the Collard victory, has never been knocked out.

Zayas said, “It’s an honor to fight again at Madison Square Garden, where I know my Puerto Rican people will come out to show their support. 2021 was a great year, but I’m looking forward to an even bigger 2022. Quincy LaVallais is a solid veteran, so I can’t overlook him. I want to make a major statement on March 19.”

Davis (4-0, 3 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, won three bouts in the first five months of 2021 before journeying to Tokyo and earning a silver medal. He then signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank and improved to 4-0 with a second-round stoppage over Jose Zaragoza on December 11. Davis makes his 2022 debut against Sanchez (18-1, 8 KOs), a 23-year-old from Ensenada, Mexico, who has won two straight bouts and will be making his American debut.

Davis said, “I put on a show at Madison Square Garden in December, and I’m going to do it again. Esteban Sanchez is supposed to be my hardest fight as a pro, but it’s going to be easy work. The Davis Brothers are coming to represent Norfolk and leave no doubt that we are the future of boxing.”

Undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and is scheduled to include a host of undefeated talents, including Puerto Rican junior welterweight John “El Terrible” Bauza (16-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder, welterweight and Berlanga’s New York City stablemate Pablo “Pretty Boy” Valdez (6-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round attraction, Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder, and a four-rounder featuring junior welterweight Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs).

ALL GUESTS AGE 5 AND OLDER are required to provide proof they have received either two doses of a two-shot COVID-19 vaccination, or one dose of a single-shot vaccine. 

Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask. Please note that full COVID-19 vaccination means the day of your event is at least 14 days after your final vaccine dose. Everyone else age 2 and older is required to wear a mask while in the venue, except while actively eating or drinking. 

Government mandates, venue protocols and event requirements are also subject to change, so be sure to continue to check MSG.com for the latest information. 

LOS ANGELES – Headlined by No. 4-ranked Neiman Gracie (11-2) taking on No. 5-ranked Logan Storley (12-1) in a clash of top-10 welterweights, BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley has announced five new scintillating matchups to the nine-bout extravaganza taking place Saturday, Feb. 19 live on SHOWTIME.

In the co-featured bout from inside the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., former BELLATOR Welterweight World Champion and No. 8-ranked Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) will return to action and open his 2022 campaign against undefeated Mukhamed Berkhamov (14-0). The main card also will feature 44-fight veteran Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (31-12-1) taking on Northern California’s Adam “The Bomb” Piccolotti (12-4) in a battle between two promotional staples. Lastly, opening the main card will be a pair of returning BELLATOR MMA heavyweights who find themselves tied at No. 8 in the official rankings as three-time promotional veteran and American Top Team standout Said Sowma (8-2) squares off against undefeated Jackson Wink product Davion Franklin (4-0).

In addition to the jam-packed main card, five newly announced preliminary fights have been added to the already-stacked night of action, including Brennan Ward (14-6) making his long-awaited return to the BELLATOR MMA cage following a nearly five-year layoff in a 175-pound contract weight bout against feisty Kentuckian Brandon Bell (10-10).

Also featured will be longtime UFC standout and Russian native Justine Kish (7-4) making her BELLATOR MMA debut against No. 8-ranked DeAnna Bennett (11-7-1) in a flyweight fracas featuring two fighters with Los Angeles ties. Top light heavyweight prospect Christian Edwards (5-1) also makes his 2022 debut when he welcomes Kevin Haley (5-5) to the BELLATOR fray.

Rounding out the preliminary contests, No. 9-ranked lightweight Aviv Gozali (6-0) of Israel will put his unblemished record on the line against BANG Muay Thai black belt Bobby King (10-4) of Utah, while two fighters making their second BELLATOR appearances will square off when Isaiah Hokit (0-1) moves down to featherweight to battle Theodore Macuka (1-2), who will celebrate his 22^nd birthday nine days before the event. Lastly, opening the thrilling night of MMA action, Wisconsin native Jordan Newman (3-0) will strive to provide his Floridian opponent Cody Herbert (2-0) with his first pro blemish in a massive middleweight melee.

SHOWTIME will televise the BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley main card live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Additionally, the thrilling preliminary fights will stream live three hours earlier on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3p.m. PT.

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley are on sale now and can be purchased at both Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Following a lengthy MMA hiatus, “Irish” Brennan Ward will make his dramatic return to fight in his home state of Connecticut. By far one of the most entertaining fighters in BELLATOR history, the former Division III All-American wrestler has finished his opponent in 12 of his 14 victories, including nine in the first round. Although he has taken some time off, the former BELLATOR Season Nine Middleweight Tournament Winner is eager to remind people what made him a title contender prior to his time away.

Born in Orem, Utah, DeAnna “Vitamin D” Bennett will make her 2022 debut and third appearance under the BELLATOR MMA banner. The 37-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt enters the Feb. 19 fight fresh off a huge win over former top contender Alejandra Lara at BELLATOR MMA 266 in San Jose, Calif. Bennett would go on to dedicate the unanimous decision victory to her late father, who served as a San Jose police officer and worked events at the SAP Center where Bennett’s bout was held. Now, the former Invicta FC veteran will look to build off her recent triumph and climb the ranks in BELLATOR’s stacked 125-pound division.

Following a five-year stint with the rival promotion, seven-time UFC veteran Justine Kish joined forces with BELLATOR MMA by signing a multi-fight deal in January 2021. After making an appearance on “The Ultimate Fighter 20,” the 33-year-old was awarded a UFC contract. Fighting out of Los Angeles, Kish went 2-1 in her strawweight matchups, including a notable win over Nina Nunes prior to returning to the flyweight class in 2018.

Undefeated Israeli sensation Aviv Gozali (6-0) will make his return to the BELLATOR cage in search of his seventh straight victory. Since making his professional debut at BELLATOR MMA 209 back in 2018, “The King” has amassed six first round submissions (all under the BELLATOR MMA banner), including two in the opening minute of action and a record-setting 11-second Heel Hook victory. Hailing from Bat Yam, Israel, the 21-year-old lightweight is on the cusp of superstardom as he continues his ascension to the top of the BELLATOR rankings.

Fighting out of Layton, Utah, Bobby King is locked in for the biggest fight of his career as he prepares for his first top-10 opponent. With victories in four of his past five and eight of his last 10 contests, the 38-year-old BANG Muay Thai product and Hawaiian submission specialist is on the brink of joining the lightweight division’s elite. A true thrill-seeker, King also spends time outside of the cage as a professional Fire-Knife Dancer, a traditional Samoan cultural dance that is typically performed in ceremonial processions.

A former standout wrestler at Fresno State, Isaiah Hokit signed with BELLATOR MMA in November 2020 and hails from a talented athletic family. His brother Josh Hokit is a practice squad player for the San Francisco 49ers and was called up to the pro squad during the 2020-21 NFL season. Following a tough loss in his BELLATOR MMA debut, the “Central Valley Gangster” hopes to even out his pro record on Feb. 19.

Also hoping to up his record to an even .500 at BELLATOR MMA 274, Theodore Macuka has survived a number of challenges, including an automobile’s stick shift becoming lodged in his abdomen during a car accident at a young age. After growing up and targeted as an Albanian-American in a foreign country, “The Headtaker” turned pro in July 2019 and stopped his counterpart Rikardo Hysenaj on punches at 0:36 of the opening round.

Returning to the BELLATOR MMA cage for the fourth time in as many bouts, Jordan Newman has commenced his professional career with two stoppages among three triumphs. Following a hard-fought victory in his last bout over Branko Busick at BELLATOR MMA 255 in April 2021, the 25-year-old became the first BELLATOR MMA fighter to earn a win in the SHOWTIME era.

Currently fighting out of Crestview, Fla., Cody Herbert (2-0) will be making his BELLATOR debut following two bare knuckle MMA fights in Florida late in 2021.

****

BELLATOR MMA 274: GRACIE VS. STORLEY MAIN CARD:

Saturday, Feb. 19 – live on SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Welterweight Main Event: #4-Neiman Gracie (11-2) vs. #5-Logan Storley (12-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: #8-Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) vs. Mukhamed Berkamov (14-0)

Lightweight Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1) vs. Adam Piccolotti (12-4)

Heavyweight Bout: #8–Davion Franklin (4-0) vs.#8-Said Sowma (8-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Lightweight Bout: Mandel Nallo (8-1, 1 NC) vs. Nick Browne (12-1)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Christian Edwards (5-1) vs. Kevin Haley (6-6)

Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates (4-0) vs. Chris Disonell (6-4)

Lightweight Bout: #9 Aviv Gozali (6-0) vs. Bobby King (10-4)

Flyweight Bout: #8 DeAnna Bennett (11-7-1) vs. Justine Kish (7-4)

175-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Brennan Ward (14-6) vs. Brandon Bell (10-10)

Middleweight Bout: Jordan Newman (3-0) vs. Cody Herbert (2-0)

Lightweight Bout: Justin Montalvo (4-0) vs. Corey Samuels (3-2)

Featherweight Bout: Isaiah Hokit (0-1) vs. Theodore Macuka (1-2)

Welterweight Bout: Orlando Mendoza (0-1) vs. Jonathan Di Lorenzo (1-0)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Sat. Jan. 29 // BELLATOR 273: Bader vs. Moldavsky // Footprint Center // Phoenix, Ariz.

Sat., Feb. 19 / / BELLATOR 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Area // Uncasville, Conn.

Fri. Feb. 26 // BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The SSE Arena, Wembley // London

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. 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. 

GLASGOW (Jan. 20, 2022) — Two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez will cross the pond to battle Irish veteran Eric Donovan in a 10-round featherweight battle Saturday, Feb. 26 at OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ramirez-Donovan highlights a loaded undercard before the highly anticipated junior welterweight showdown between Scottish undisputed world champion Josh “The Tartan Tornado” Taylor and undefeated WBO No. 1 contender Jack “El Gato” Catterall.

The entire Taylor-Catterall card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+.

“Ever since that shocking loss in his professional debut, Robeisy Ramirez has shown why he was one of the top fighters from the 2016 Rio Olympics,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Robeisy fought all over the world during his amateur career, and we are thrilled that he will be able to showcase his skills for the Scottish fans.”

Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) is no stranger to fighting on British soil. At the 2012 London Olympics, he stunned the flyweight field as a 16-1 underdog to win gold. Ramirez won a second gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and defected from Cuba in July 2018. Following a split decision defeat to Adan Gonzales in his August 2019 pro debut, Ramirez has won eight straight fights, including a shutout decision win over Gonzales in their 2020 rematch. Ramirez shined on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard last October, dominating the previously unbeaten Orlando Gonzalez over 10 rounds. Donovan (14-1, 8 KOs), a one-time Irish amateur star from Athy, has won two fights since an August 2020 TKO loss to Zelfa Barrett.

Ramirez said, “Ever since I won my first Olympic gold medal in London, I’ve wanted to fight again in this part of the world. Scottish fans are incredibly passionate, and I can’t wait to put on a great show for them in front of a sold-out arena. My opponent is a tough Irishman, and I will be at my very best to come out victorious.”

In other undercard action on ESPN+:

• Nick ‘The Glasgow Warrior’ Campbell (4-0, 4 KO’s) and Jay ‘The Ghost’ McFarlane (12-5, 5 KO’s) will collide in a highly anticipated showdown for the vacant Scottish heavyweight title.
   
• A pair of Top Rank-signed prospects will make their respective professional debuts in six-rounders. Featherweight Kurt Walker won bronze at the 2017 European Championships, silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and gold at the 2018 EU Championships and 2019 European Games. Walker, who represented Ireland last summer at the Tokyo Olympics, lost to Top Rank stablemate Duke Ragan in a hotly contested quarterfinal bout. Junior middleweight Kieran Molloy, from Galway Ireland, won 11 national amateur titles and earned a bronze medal at the 2018 EU Championships in Valladolid, Spain. 

• Top Rank-signed welterweight sensation Paddy “Real Deal” Donovan (7-0, 5 KOs), from Limerick, Ireland, returns to action in a six-rounder. Donovan is coming off last August’s first-round knockout over Jose Luis Castillo.
   
• BOXXER Series junior welterweight winner Cori Gibbs (16-0, 3 KOs) will begin his new promotional deal in an eight-rounder.
• Rising female star Ebonie Jones (1-0) has her second pro fight against Effy Kathopouli over six rounds at junior featherweight. Portsmouth’s Jones, a former Team GB standout amateur and HGV driver in the British Army, made her pro debut last October with a points win over Vaida Masiokaite.
• Edinburgh cruiserweight ace Scott Forrest sets out on his professional journey when he makes his pro debut in a six-round contest. Born in South Africa, Forrest relocated to Forth, Scotland, as a five-year-old. He competed at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and has sparred former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

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 17.1 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).

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to T-Mobile Arena for the first time in 2022 with a highly anticipated welterweight matchup that will see No. 1 ranked contender Colby Covington clash with former teammate and friend No. 6 Jorge Masvidal.

UFC^® 272: COVINGTON vs MASVIDAL will take place Saturday, March 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All bouts will be simulcast on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with the ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass prelims. The prelims will continue exclusively on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT followed by the ESPN+ Pay-Per-View main card that will kick off at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

UFC^® 272: COVINGTON vs MASVIDAL tickets will go on sale Friday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. PT and are available for purchase at axs.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Jan. 20 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Covington (16-3, fighting out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) aims to make a statement by delivering his most dominant performance to date in his fifth consecutive UFC main event. A former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, Covington’s relentless cardio and pressure has earned him marquee wins over former UFC champions Tyron Woodley, Robbie Lawler and Rafael Dos Anjos. He now looks to retain his spot at the top of the welterweight rankings and once again work his way back into the title picture.

Fan favorite Masvidal (35-15, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) has his sights set on landing another spectacular knockout and proving that he is still as dangerous as ever. The owner of the fastest KO in UFC history, he has finished his last five victories before the final bell, including stoppages over Nate Diaz, Ben Askren and Darren Till. Masvidal now plans to start 2022 with the most gratifying win of his career and begin rising back up the ranks.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• A battle of top strawweight contenders sees No. 3 ranked Marina Rodriguez (15-1-2, fighting out of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil) face off with No. 4 Yan Xiaonan (13-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Beijing, China)
• An exciting featherweight matchup sees No. 10 ranked contender Edson Barboza (22-10, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) take on No. 11 Bryce Mitchell (14-1, fighting out of Sherwood, Arkansas)
• Hard hitting heavyweights collide as Serghei Spivac (13-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) and Greg Hardy (7-4, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) look to start their 2022 campaigns with a statement
• Devonte Smith (11-3, fighting out of Garfield Heights, Ohio) meets Erick Gonzalez (14-6, fighting out of Torrance, Calif.) in a clash of lightweight strikers
• Flyweights Maryna Moroz (10-3, fighting out of Volnogorsk, Ukraine) and Mariya Agapova (10-2, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) vie to break into the top 15
• Fireworks are expected as Jalin Turner (12-5, fighting out of San Bernardino, Calif.) locks horns with Jamie Mullarkey (14-4, fighting out of Holgate, New South Wales, Australia) in a lightweight bout
• Nicolae Negumereanu (11-1, fighting out of Brasov County, Romania) looks to extend his win streak against Dana White’s Contender Series signee Ihor Potieria (20-2, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine)
• Fan favorite Kevin Holland (21-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) returns to welterweight to face Alex Oliveira (22-11-1, 2 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• No. 9 ranked flyweight Jessica Eye (15-10, 1 NC, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio) plans to halt the momentum of No. 14 ranked Manon Fiorot (8-1, fighting out of Nice, France)
• Intriguing flyweight action sees No. 12 Timothy Elliott (18-12-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Mo.) battle No. 15 Tagir Ulanbekov (14-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia)
• Light heavyweight strikers Dustin Jacoby (16-5-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) and Michal Oleksiejczuk (16-4, 1 NC, fighting out of Leczna, Poland) aim to steal the show

Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. Please click here to apply for the event.

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About UFC^®

UFC^® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 625 million fans and 178 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 sports and entertainment 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 T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena, the 20,000-seat venue located on the Las Vegas Strip between Park MGM and New York-New York, opened April 6, 2016. The arena hosts more than 100 events annually including major headline entertainment, awards shows, UFC, boxing, basketball and other sporting events, family shows and special events. T-Mobile Arena also is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League expansion team and the city’s first professional sports team, as well as UFC’s exclusive Las Vegas arena destination. The venue, named the No. 1 venue on Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Arena Power List as well as the “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine in 2016, features 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none. Toshiba Plaza, an adjacent two-acre outdoor entertainment space, features performance stages, a variety of video screens and other interactive content and display areas. Industry-leading architect Populous designed T-Mobile Arena to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for LEED® Gold Certification. T-Mobile Arena is a privately funded joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit T-MobileArena.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By Mario Ortega Jr.-

ROSEVILLE, CA – Long established Sacramento area promoter Nasser Niavaroni’s Upper Cut Promotions will open its 2022 campaign this coming Friday, January 21st with what should be an action-packed card at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, located at the state capitol’s Point West Marketplace. The six-round featured attraction pits venue favorite, Live Oak’s Tony Hernandez, who is riding a three-fight win streak, against unbeaten super middleweight and second-generation boxer Kenny Lopez Jr. of Ceres.

Hernandez (4-2, 3 KOs) last saw ring action last July against veteran trial horse Fermin Alberto Canedo, scoring a third-round stoppage in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. In his preceding three professional fights, Hernandez became a favorite amongst local fight fans, going 2-1 with one knockout all inside the DoubleTree Hotel ring. Just under two weeks away from his DoubleTree Hotel return, Hernandez is excited to remind the local fanbase what he brings to the ring.

“I’m ready to put on a show for all of my Sacramento fans and my 530 [area code] Yuba City fans,” says Hernandez. “This will be the best Tony Hernandez everyone has seen, I can promise that. I am looking forward to January 21.” 

The Friday bout marks Hernandez’ first foray into the scheduled six-round distance and his opponent sports the glossiest record of the Live Oak resident’s career. Neither of those aforementioned facts seem to be weighing on the mind of Hernandez however.

“Training has been going good, probably one of the best camps I’ve had,” proclaims Hernandez. “I feel the best physically and mentally for this fight. I’m sure Kenny Lopez has been training hard and is going to bring his best and I’m ready for whatever he brings to the table.” 

Though the less experienced professional of the two, it is Lopez (4-0, 3 KOs) that sports the undefeated record heading into the bout. Lopez compiled all four of his pro wins during the difficult 2021, finding a home away from home at the Big Punch Arena in Tijuana. Lopez last competed just a few weeks after Hernandez blew through the same ring in Mexico, scoring a first-round stoppage of an overmatched Jorge Rodriguez Gomez.

For Lopez, whose father Kenny Lopez was a longtime professional and former California State welterweight champion, January 21st has the young fighter thrilled to be fighting for the first time in the United States. “I’m excited about everything,” says Lopez Jr. “I’m excited for my career. I’m excited to see everyone and to do my thing. Just [excited about] all of it and to learn the lessons that come with this all.” 

In the night’s second six-round affair, unblemished Sacramento featherweight Malikai Johnson will meet longtime journeyman tough guy Jude Yniguez (5-8-4, 1 KO) of Oak Hills, California. Yniguez, who in his career has gone the distance with former title challenger Stephon Young and former world champion Rico Ramos, returned to the ring late last November, ending a two-and-one-half year sabbatical from the sport.

Johnson (7-0-1, 4 KOs) began his pro career with seven straight bouts, going 6-0-1, at the DoubleTree Hotel beginning in 2017. Unfortunately, the pandemic played a part in derailing his plans for advancing his career in 2021, but Johnson could not be more amped to get back in front of his Sacramento fans on January 21st, where he will be led to the ring by a new guiding voice in his corner. 

“I’ve had to fight many obstacles in my personal life in the last two years, along with the pandemic, just to make it here,” explains Johnson. “Leaving my old coach of nine years, deaths of family and friends, stress from business ventures and serious depression from not fighting. My mental health was at an all-time low and, honestly, I considered quitting boxing, but everything changed when I joined hall of fame coach Ray Woods and the Golden State Bloodhounds. I’m with a new team, got new skills and a new hunger I haven’t felt in a long time. This fight is where I show the world Malikai “Machine Gun” Johnson is back to make a statement in the featherweight division.” 

Sacramento’s power-punching middleweight Joeshon James (4-0, 3 KOs) will return to the DoubleTree Hotel ring as he takes on debuting Bryan Martinez of Paso Robles, California in a four-round tilt. James is coming off of a unanimous decision win over durable Christian Duran at the DoubleTree last August, the first time he had been taken the full distance.

“It’s an honor to be fighting close to home so my friends and family who have never seen me fight before can support my career and watch what I do best,” says James. “Nasser has been open arms from the start and I appreciate that he has given me an opportunity to showcase my skills once again.” 

In a four-round light welterweight bout, Mark Salgado (1-0, 1 KO) of San Jose, California returns to the site of his pro victory to take on Luciano Ramos of Stockton, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Salgado made his debut last August at the DoubleTree Hotel with a stoppage win over Cmaje Ramseur. Ramos has been matched incredibly tough in his short pro career, taking on highly regarded prospects Charlie Sheehy and Mandeep Jangra in his first two outings last year.

In a four-round lightweight contest, debuting Sergio Ibarra of San Bernardino, California will take on Cmaje Ramseur (0-1) of nearby Elk Grove, California. Local product Ramseur took on the super tough Mark Salgado in his debut and came up short in that DoubleTree Hotel bout.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the much-anticipated pairing of pro debuts between Salinas, California’s Lizette Lopez and Victorville, California’s Neveah Martinez, scheduled as a four-round super featherweight fight, was a late scratch from the card.

Tickets for the event, “Super Boxing Battles,” promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at Showclix.com or by phone or in person at Niavaroni’s Kickboxing in Roseville (916-782-4757). 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com or followed on Twitter @MarioG280

NEW YORK – January 18, 2022 – ShoBox: The New Generation returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Fla. for the second time in two months on Friday, February 18 for an exciting tripleheader featuring six prospects with a combined record of 74-2-2, five new to the developmental series. The action takes place live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The main event will see undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine Ortiz (14-0-1, 8 KOs), who shared the ring with Jaron Ennis and Teofimo Lopez during a decorated amateur career, make his ShoBox debut against once-beaten Nahir Albright (14-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout that could have long-term consequences for boxing’s hottest division. Albright is an aspiring R&B singer who belted out a tune during a post-fight interview following his last win. The co-feature matches ShoBox returnee Joe George (11-0, 7 KOs) facing Sean Hemphill (14-0, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight bout of unbeatens. The telecast opens with Philadelphia’s undefeated welterweight prospect Paul Kroll (9-0, 6 KOs) squaring off against perennial spoiler Marquis Taylor (12-1-1, 1 KOs) in an eight-round battle between ShoBox newcomers.

The three-fight telecast is promoted by King’s Promotions.

“This edition of ShoBox has compelling storylines and terrific matchups that make it a must-see for boxing fans,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for ShoBox: The New Generation. “I’m particularly interested in finding out if Jamaine Ortiz or Nahir Albright can emerge as serious players at 135 pounds. Or if Joe George can follow up his sensational KO in his last outing against the gifted and elusive boxer-puncher Sean Hemphill. Or whether Paul Kroll can fulfill his vast potential against the talented Marquis Taylor. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out on February 18.”

Here is a closer look at the matchups:

Ortiz vs. Albright – 10-Round Lightweight Main Event Bout

Fighting out of Worcester, Mass., the 25-year-old Ortiz is a promising prospect in the loaded 135-pound division. Blessed with fast hands and an aggressive style, Ortiz delivered a career-best win over Sulaiman Segawa in November 2020 on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones, scoring a seventh-round KO to become the first fighter to stop Segawa. Known as “The Technician,” Ortiz, who sometimes fights out of the southpaw stance, is also the only fighter to beat current 11-1 lightweight Ricardo Quiroz. His last time out, Ortiz overcame two knockdowns to battle the undefeated Joseph Adorno to a majority draw in a thrilling eight-round affair in April. He recently spent five weeks in California helping pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko prepare for his December fight with Richard Commey. Ortiz built his foundation in the amateurs, where he went 100-14 and sustained spirited losses to Ennis and Lopez. Ortiz is a former full-time union carpenter and college student who currently dabbles in real estate and has spoken of finishing college and perhaps attending medical school following his boxing career.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be the main event on ShoBox,” said Ortiz. “I’ve been waiting for this a long time. I’m ready to put on a great performance. This is a great platform for future champions, and on February 18 I’m going to put the lightweight division on notice.”

Albright turned pro in 2016, dropping a majority decision in his debut against current 13-1 pro Anthony Laureano, before bouncing back to rattle off 14 straight wins. The streaking prospect has earned stoppages in five of his last six bouts which all took place in 2021, including his last time out when he dropped Michael Dutchover four times en route to a sixth-round stoppage victory. Albright will be making his ShoBox debut but has already beaten two fighters who have appeared on the developmental series in Dutchover and the 16-2 Jeremy Hill. The 25-year-old from Sicklerville, N.J. was originally scheduled to face Ortiz in November 2020 but was forced to withdraw with an injury.

“It’s a great feeling to headline on ShoBox,” said Albright. “The Hill fight was a step-up fight and I proved again that I belong. I will show again against Jamaine Ortiz that I am on my way to being a world champion. Ortiz is a sharp, fast and slick fighter. I’m sure he will give his all and it will be a good fight, but I will be victorious.”

George vs. Hemphill – Eight-Round Super Middleweight Bout

Managed by San Francisco 49ers All-Pro offensive lineman Trent Williams, George will return to the ring for the first time since scoring one of 2020’s most vicious KOs. The Houston native landed a stunning uppercut in the ninth round to immediately end his rematch with Marcos Escudero. George previously emerged victorious via a split decision victory in a battle of then unbeaten fighters when he first faced Escudero on SHOWTIME in November 2019. The 32-year-old George played basketball in college and didn’t start boxing until he was 19. He fought in the amateurs for five years, winning the 2015 National Golden Gloves and going 74-5 before making his pro debut in 2016. Campaigning primarily at light heavyweight, George will look to continue his success when he moves down to super middleweight on February 18.

“I am excited to be back on ShoBox,” said George. “I have won on this stage before and on February 18th, I will prove it again that I am one of the top super middleweights out there.”

Hemphill made his pro debut in 2019 and has already reeled off 14 consecutive wins without a blemish after a standout amateur period. He has fought six times since George last stepped in the ring, including once already in 2022. Hemphill scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Jeyson Minda in front of his hometown New Orleans fans on January 7. The 26-year-old known as “Silky” fought three times in 2021, scoring two TKOs. George will be the first undefeated opponent of Hemphill’s career with multiple victories. Hemphill is managed by Adam Glenn, son of the late Jimmy Glenn, who owned the beloved Jimmy’s Corner bar in Midtown Manhattan and was a well-known, iconic figure in boxing circles. Hemphill was a member of Team USA during a stellar amateur career (55-12) that saw him rise to become one of the top light heavyweights in the country.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Hemphill. “I have been looking for something like this to showcase my talent. I have been going through a lot in my personal life such as Hurricane Ida and I want to show people that I am fighting through it all. This is a good fight for me and it will show the world how great I am. This will take my career to the next level. I have been fighting on local shows and this is a big step up and a big stage for me to show I am part of the next generation.”

Kroll vs. Taylor – Eight-Round Welterweight Bout

Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Kroll is a four-year pro who already owns impressive wins over the highly regarded ShoBox alum Shinard Bunch and previously undefeated Philadelphian southpaw Mark Dawson. He also owns a 10-round victory over Lucas Santamaria in perhaps the toughest test of his career. Kroll overcame a knockdown in the second round to recover and earn the unanimous decision. A highly-touted amateur with a record of 123-17, Kroll won the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials in 2015 and has sparred with the likes of standouts Julian Williams, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.

“This is a great opportunity for me to get back on television against a good opponent,” said Kroll. “I am looking forward to a big win. I’ll take a unanimous decision, but I definitely want the knockout that will make a statement. I have seen a couple clips of Taylor and I see that he’s a good fighter, but I know he can’t beat me. He’s tall and had a draw with Lucas Santamaria. I’m really excited to be on ShoBox and I’m going to perform and put on a show for everybody.”

The 28-year-old Taylor is a nine-year veteran who owns wins over three then-undefeated fighters including Jimmy Williams (14-0-1) and Sanjarbek Rakhmanov (10-0-1), who have both appeared on ShoBox, and Oscar Torres (8-0). The 6-foot-1 Taylor suffered his only career loss to current 21-2 contender Ladarius Miller. Following that loss, Taylor won five consecutive fights before taking on two-time welterweight world champion Kermit Cintron. That fight was ruled a no contest after Cintron was cut from an accidental headbutt. Taylor has one opponent in common with Kroll, Lucas Santamaria, who Taylor fought to a majority draw in June 2019. His last time out, Taylor traveled to Colombia where he earned a third-round KO over Esteban Alseco. Taylor refined his tools in the amateurs, where he went 130-20.

“I appreciate the opportunity and I have been trying to get on ShoBox for years,” said Taylor. “I have a lot of appreciation and gratitude, and I still can’t believe it’s finally happening. I am just anxious to get in the ring now. I know Kroll is a good boxer and an undefeated fighter. This will be my fifth undefeated opponent. I have the tendency to have fighters fight my fight. I am super motivated for this and I’m coming to win in spectacular fashion. I am always the underdog and stealing fights is my thing.”

Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins calls the action from ringside with veteran combat sports reporter Brian Campbell and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts, and Hall of Famer Steve Farhood remotely performing unofficial scoring duties.

The executive producer of ShoBox: The New Generation is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 86 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

CLEVELAND, OH (January 18, 2022) – Established boxing manager, best known for his eye for talent and guiding amateurs into the pros, Tim VanNewhouse, has signed Milwaukee’s own Daniel Blancas, a six-foot, four-inch middleweight who was a 13-time national champion.

“I wanted to start my career off right, and I know Tim VanNewhouse will guide me the best way possible,” said Blancas, who is just 20-years old. “It’s all about working with the right people, and I believe we have built a strong team. I am ready to make my pro debut and take the steps necessary to follow my dream of becoming a world champion.”

“Blancas is huge for the weight class and has good power to go with his height,” said VanNewhouse, who’s stable includes prospects Najee Lopez, Darrelle Valsaint, Jan Paul Rivera and Tommy Wu. “I’ve been following Daniel for many years. He entered the sport at just 8 years old. He has a wonderful father and family pushing him to be the best he can be. He is a charming young fighter who is physically gifted with good ability. Soon everyone will see his fan-friendly style and I expect we will see a bunch of knockouts from him”.

“I had a style that was better suited for the pros. We considered many offers from several managers, but my dad and I knew we wanted to work with Tim.” concluded Blancas. “I appreciate my time competing for USA Boxing, but that time has come and gone, and I feel I went as far as I could. Now it is time for me to establish myself as one of the best young fighters in the pros and I am ready to prove it.”

Blancas’s promotional deal and pro debut will be announced in the coming weeks.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – January 18, 2022 – Hard-hitting featherweight contender Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar will now take on once-beaten contender Sakaria Lukas in the 10-round telecast opener live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, January 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. defending his title against top contender and WBC mandatory challenger Mark Magsayo. Super lightweight contenders Subriel Matías and Petros Ananyan meet for a rematch in the 12-round co-main event.

Vic Pasillas was originally scheduled to face Nyambayar, but was forced to withdraw after a positive COVID-19 test.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.

Nyambayar (12-2, 9 KOs) won a silver medal representing his native Mongolia in the 2012 Olympics and now lives in Southern California, where he’s trained by John Pullman. The 29-year-old ascended the featherweight rankings after his extensive amateur career with victories over then unbeaten Harmonito Dela Torre and former interim champion Oscar Escandon. He earned his first world title shot by defeating former champion Claudio Marrero in January 2019, before dropping his championship bout against Russell on SHOWTIME. Nyambayar returns to the featherweight division after challenging top 130-pounder Chris Colbert in a July contest he lost by decision.

Lukas (25-1, 17 KOs) steps into the ring looking for his third straight win to put himself in position to vie for a world title. A native of Omuthitugwalwani, Namibia, his U.S. debut came in December 2020 as he dropped a 10-round decision against Mexican contender Isaac Avelar. Lukas, who has fought professionally since 2011, bounced back from the defeat by knocking out Mario Macias Orozco in February 2021 before earning a decision victory over Marco Antonio Chable in March 2021.

The non-televised undercard will include unbeaten super welterweight Evan Holyfield (8-0, 6 KOs), son of legendary heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, taking on Virginia’s Chris Rollins (5-3-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round fight, plus Philadelphia’s Rasheen Brown (11-0, 7 KOs) in a six-round featherweight duel against fellow unbeaten Katsuma Akitsugi (7-0, 1 KO).

Rounding out the lineup is Puerto Rico’s Abimael Ortiz (9-1-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round super bantamweight bout, unbeaten middleweight LeShawn Rodríquez (12-0, 9 KOs) battling Atlanta’s Sixto Suazo (9-2-1, 7 KOs) for eight-rounds of action and the pro debut of Washington, D.C. native Max Garland in a four-round welterweight contest.

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ABOUT RUSSELL VS. MAGSAYO
Russell vs. Magsayo will see WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. defend his world title against top contender and WBC mandatory challenger Mark Magsayo headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, January 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a 12-round rematch between super lightweight contenders Subriel Matías and Petros Ananyan in the co-main event, plus hard-hitting featherweight Tugstsogt Nyambayar squaring-off against Sakaria Lukas in the 10-round telecast opener.

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

PITTSBURGH (January 17, 2022) – Philadelphia super featherweight Avery Sparrow (11-3, 4 KOs) upset local favorite Matt “Sweet Child” Conway (20-3, 9 KOs) this past Saturday night, registering a 10th round technical knockout for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) Super Featherweight and Pennsylvania State title, at the Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Cheswick, Pennsylvania.

“Winter Mayhem”, presented by Gionta Management, was streamed live on www.facebooklive.com.

The scheduled 12-round main event was an old-fashioned battle of cross-state rivals, Philly’s Sparrow and Pittsburgh’s Conway.

Sparrow came out taking advantage of his considerable length advantage, jabbing effectively to rack up points round by round. Sparrow caught Conway with left hooks in the second half of the fight, hurting him in the 10th round. Once Conway was sent backwards to the ropes, Sparrow blasted him with 10 unanswered punches, until referee Chris Riskus waved off the fight. Sparrow led in scoring going into the 10th by scores of 89-82, 88-83 and 87-84.

Sparrow won his first fight in more than three years, when he took a 10-round majority decision over fellow Philadelphian Hank Lundy (29-7-1), snapping Conway’s 3-fight win streak in the process.

“This was our best show yet,” promoter Derek Gionta said. “We had a great crowd at a first-class venue. The main event was a great fight and give credit to Avery and his team on a well-deserved victory. It was a contrast of styles between him and Conway. The slick counter-puncher prevailed in the end over the aggressive pressure fighter.”

“Matt had a very busy 11 months, dating back to last February, going 3-1 with this one being a 12-round title fight. He will look to regroup and resume his career possibly at 126 pounds as he has no trouble making that weight. That will be a decision he and his team will make.”

“I’m eager to see what Avery does next and who (his promoter) Russell Peltz matches him up with as I feel his best days are ahead of him. We were proud to hold such a high-level fight on a regional club show in Pittsburgh. All parties involved were true professionals. My wheels are already spinning for the next show.”

In the co-feature, Alliance, Ohio lightweight Ryizeemmion “The Humble Beast” Ford improved to 7-1 (5 KOs) by stopping an overmatched Charles Clark (3-9-1, 1 KO) when Clark’s corner threw in a white towel late in round one. Ford controlled the fight with his long jab and sharp combination punches to the head and body over a usually game and durable Clark.

Illinois heavyweight Anthony Hollaway (4-2-2, 3 KOs) overcame a 42-pound weight disadvantage against Thomas Hawkins (4-10-1, 1 KO) to take a 4-round unanimous decision. Holloway controlled the action from start to finish against a game Hawkins and mixed in some good power shots in spurts while eluding counters from Hawkins. Hawkins showed some spark with his left hand at times, but Hollaway was too skilled.

Lightning quick super featherweight Alexander Castellano (6-1, 2 KOs) started strong and never took his foot off the pedal versus Shawn Rall (1-5, 1 KO) as the former pitched a shutout, winning each round on all three judges’ scorecards. There were no knockdowns and neither fighter was hurt at any point. Rall put up a game performance once again.

Portugal super featherweight prospect Milton Jorge Andrade Jeremias (3-0, 2 KOs) remained undefeated as he used his 8” height advantage against an elusive and rugged David Boria (0-5), of Ashtabula, OH. Jeremias owned the first two rounds, but his Ohio opponent came back strong in the third round, rocking Jeremias with a solid head shot, and he carried the fight to the final bell. Jeremias won a 4-round majority decision.

Complete results below:

OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAIN EVENT

VACANT IBA SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD & PENNSYLVANIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Avery Sparrow (11-3, 4 KOs), Philadelphia, PA

WTKO10 (1:30)

Matt Conway (20-3, 8 KOs), Pittsburgh, PA

(Sparrow won the IBA Super Featherweight World & Pennsylvania State titles)

CO-FEATURE-LIGHTWEIGHTS

Ryizeemmion Ford (7-1, 5 KOs), Alliance, OH

WTKO1 (2:51)

Charles Clark (3-8-1, 1 KO), Dallas, TX

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Anthony Hollaway (4-2-2, 3 KOs), Peoria, IL

WDEC4 (40-36 x 3)

Thomas Hawkins (4-10-1, 1 KO)

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS

Alexander Castellano (6-1, 2 KOs), Tonawanda, NY

WDEC4 (40-36 X 3)

Shawn Rall (1-5, 1 KO), Bedford, OH

Milton Jorge Andrade Jeremias (3-0, 1 KO), Porto, Portugal

WDEC4 (39-37, 39-37, 38-38)

David Boria (0-5), Ashtabula, OH

INFORMATION:

Facebook: /DerekGionta

Twitter: @DGionta

Instagram: @d_p_g1

LinkedIn: DerekGionta-GiontaManagement

Mauricio Lara returns to action against Emilio Sanchez at the Pechanga Arena San Diego in San Diego, California on March 5, live worldwide on DAZN, on a packed event topped by the mouth-watering trilogy clash between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.
TICKETS STARTING AT $50 (PLUS FEES) ARE ON SALE NOW AT AXS.COM
Lara (23-2-1 16 KOs) makes a welcome return to the ring following his nasty cut in his rematch with Josh Warrington. The Mexican traveled to Yorkshire in September to take on the Leeds man at Headingley Stadium in a rematch having stunned the boxing world by stopping for former World ruler in the ninth round of their clash in February in London. The rematch was heating up before an accidental headclash in the second round left Lara with a nasty gash over his left eye and the contest had to be waved off.

The 23 year old has healed up and will look to get back into the mix for major bouts and World title action at Featherweight, and the first man in the way of his path to the top table is Sanchez (19-1 12 KOs). The 27 year old Californian will be looking to provide an upset of his own in the biggest fight of his eight year career to date, with Sanchez fighting over ten rounds for the second time in his career and entering the fight on the back of his 12^th KO win back in May over the experienced Christian Esquivel.

There’s a stacked card in support of the trilogy clash between Estrada and Chocolatito – with the focus on Eddie Hearn’s bright young talents and an exciting debutant.

Angel Fierro is eager to gatecrash the party at the top of the Lightweight division, and the WBO #4 will display his credentials in the second defense of his WBO NABO title against Juan Carlos Burgos. Fierro (19-1-1 15 KOs) picked up the vacant title with a stunning KO win over Alberto Machado in March – climbing off the deck in the first and second rounds to put the former World ruler away in the sixth. The 23 year old San Diego based Mexican blasted Cristian Bielma away in four rounds in his first defense in Puerto Vallarta in November, and will be looking to make a similar statement against the experienced former World title challenger Burgos (34-6-2 21 KOs).

Diego Pacheco (13-0 10 KOs) fights in the paid ranks for the 14^th time and the rangy Super-Middleweight tastes eight round action for the fourth time against Genc Pllana (9-3-1 5 KOs).

Marc Castro (5-5 5 KOs) is in his sixth pro fight and has yet to go the full distance, his opponent over six rounds will be named soon.

Anthony Herrera (1-0 1 KO) made an explosive start to the pro game with a second round KO win on the undercard of the Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr blockbuster in New York in November, and the 21 year old former Team USA talent goes for the second time in San Diego against an opponent to be named.

Debutant Skye Nicolson completes the card, and the Australian star will make her long-anticipated debut at Featherweight in California. The 26 year old won Commonwealth Games gold at her home games in 2016 and represented Australia at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and now looks to translate her amateur success into the paid ranks.

“This is a great night of boxing with a stacked undercard beneath a brilliant main event,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “You have so many fighters on this card that can become big stars in the future. Mauricio recorded one of the upsets of 2021 against Josh and is looking to cement his name as a real contender at Featherweight.

“There’s some exciting young stars in action on the rest of the card. Angel is chasing down his fellow contenders and champions at Lightweight, Diego is such a handful and is ready to step up this year, Marc has blasted every opponent away to date, Anthony looked the business on his debut and Skye is going to be a big hit in the paid ranks – March 5 is going to be a spectacular night of action from start to finish.”

Joe Smith Jr. retained the WBO Light Heavyweight title with a 9th round stoppage over late-replacement Steve Geffrard at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Smith dominated the action by landing power shots to back up Geffrard. Geffrard showed little resistance, but was able to hang around and last rounds by moving a little bit. He spent most of his time eating hard shots on the ropes.

in round nine, Smith threw a quick 15-punch flurry that put Geffrard down for the 10-count just as his corner was stopping the fight at 37 seconds.

Smith, 174 1/4 lbs of Long Island, NY is 28-3 with 22 knockouts. Geffrard, 173.5 lbs of Delray Beach, FL 18-3.

Smith said, “He really brought it today. It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart.
 
“{Beterbiev} is what I want. I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.
 
“If Canelo wants to come to 175 and fight me, I’m ready for him. That’s the fight I want. Everybody would love to see that fight. It would be a big deal.”

Nova Stops Encarnacion in 8

Abraham Nova made his featherweight debut with an 8th round stoppage over William Encarnacion.

Nova dominated the action as he landed some solid body punches early. Nova began to take his work work upstairs and started to wobble Encarnacion in round six through the rest of the fight, which was stopped at 55 of round eight after a big flurry of punches.

Nova, 126 3/4 lbs of Albany, NY is 21-0 with 15 knockouts. Encarnacion, 127 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 19-2.

Nova said, “It feels good to fight close to home a day after my birthday. I had a tricky opponent in front of me, but I got the job done.

“I want {WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete}, to be honest. Everybody thinks he’ll blow me out. Put him in there. Let’s see if he’ll do it. I know I’ll beat him. I know I have the punch output, I know I’ll knock him out, and I know I’ll be the next WBO champion.”

Omar Rosario celebrated his 24th birthday with a six-round unanimous decision over Rawkwon Butler in a junior welterweight fight.

In round six, Butler was bleeding from his nose.

Rosario landed 132 of 368 punches; Butler was 52 of 218.

Rosario, 139 1/4 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-55 and 59-54 twice and is now 6-0. Butler, 138 1/4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-2.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Akeem Black in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Tucker dropped Black after a series of hard power shots that was finished up with an uppercut. The onslaught continued in round two as Tucker continued to batter Black until the fight was stopped at 1:18.

The 18 year-old Tucker, 146 3/4 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 6-0 with four knockouts. Black, 145 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 6-5.

2021 U.S. Olympian Troy Isley pounded Harry Keenan Cruz-Cubano for a six-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.

In round one, Cruz-Cubano was cut under his left eye.

In round six, Isley was deducted a point for a low blow.

Isley, 156 1/4 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 59-53 and 59-54 twice and is now 4-0. Cruz-Cubano, 156 1/4 lbs of Jacksonville, FLA is 6-3.

Lyubomyr Pinchuk won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jose Mario Flores in a cruiserweight fight.

In round two, Pinchuk was cut over his left eye from a clash of heads.

Pinchuk, 194.5 lbs of Lviv, UKR won by scores of 8-72 and 79-73 and is now 14-2-1. Flores, 197.5 lbs of Washington, DC is 8-3-2.

New York (January 14, 2022) — Tomorrow Night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, Abraham Nova takes on William Encarnacion in a 10-round featherweight bout.

Also, Split-T Management’s undefeated junior welterweight Omar Rosario takes on Raekwon Butler.

The fight will be the co-feature bout live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) Saturday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Nova, who is world-ranked (number-three by the WBO) at junior lightweight, moves down in weight class.

The Albany, New York native will fight close to home, as the Split-T Management fighter comes into the ring with a record of 20-0 with 14 knockouts.

Nova, 28 years-old has wins over Weusi Johnson (1-0), Martin Nicolas Matamala (9-2), Andres Zepeda (7-1), Hassan Nourdine (9-2), Sulaiman Segawa (11-1), Bryan Pelaez (8-2), Mario Ezequiel Sayal Lozano (18-2-1), Luis Ronaldo Castillo (20-3), Avery Sparrow (10-1) and his bout when Nova won a unanimous decision over Richard Pumicpic on August 14, 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Nova weighed 126.75 lbs. Encarnacion was 127 lbs

Nova is promoted by Top Rank, Murphy’s Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotions

Encarnacion of the Dominican Republic is 19-1 with 15 knockouts.

Encarnacion, 33 has wins over Anyelo Munoz (10-2), Alan Guzman (16-1), John Casado (17-1), Danny Aguero (11-1), Marlembron Acuna (4-1), Milner Marcano (10-2), and Eliezer Aquino (19-2-1). In his last outing, Encarnacion won a unanimous decision over Donny Garcia on December 17, 2020. This will be Encarnacion’s American debut.

Beginning at 7:45 on ESPN+, junior welterweight Omar Rosario will look to stay undefeated as he takes on Raekwon Butler.

Rosario of Caguas, Puerto Rico is 5-0 with two knockouts. The former Puerto Rican amateur star has defeated three undefeated foes in his first five fights with wins over Uriel Vallanueva (1-0), Wilfred Mariano (3-0) and his last opponent, Marc Misiura (2-0) on August 27, 2021 in Plant City, Florida.

Butler of Brooklyn, New York is 4-1 with two knockouts. The 26 year-old Butler is coming off a unanimous decision over Derrick Whitley on December 11, 2021 in Philadelphia.

Rosario weighed in at 139.25 lbs Butler checked in at 138.25

Rosario is promoted by Top Rank

    •  Joe Smith Jr. 174.25 lbs vs. Steve Geffrard 173.5 lbs 
(Smith’s WBO Light Heavyweight Title — 12 Rounds)

•     Abraham Nova 126.75 lbs vs. William Encarnacion 127 lbs 
(Featherweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT)

   •    Omar Rosario 139.25 lbs vs. Raekwon Butler 138.25 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Jahi Tucker 146.75 lbs vs. Akeem Black 145.75 lbs
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

   •    Troy Isley 156.25 lbs vs. Harry Keenan Cruz-Cubano 156.25 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)
  •    Lyubomyr Pinchuk 194.5 lbs vs. Jose Mario Flores 197.5 lbs
 (Cruiserweight — 8 Rounds)

DEERFIELD BEACH, FL (January 14, 2022)—Don King has done it again!

After working the phones and finalizing contracts, King proved once again he knows how to put together an action-packed championship night of boxing come Saturday, January 29^th in Warren, Ohio at the W.D. Packard Music Hall.

Count them…six championship bouts on one card featuring two World Championships—the co-main events spotlighted with Ilunga Makabu defending his WBC World Cruiserweight Championship against Thabiso Mchunu and WBA World Heavyweight Champion Trevor Bryan risking his title against Jonathan Guidry.

Tickets for the spectacular night of boxing are on sale at Ticketmaster or the W.D. Packard Music Hall.  The tickets will be priced at $550, $350, $250, $175 and $80. 

The evening will feature two co-main events as Makabu (28-2 with 25 KOs) of South Africa takes on the number one challenger and fellow countryman, WBC Silver Champion Mchunu (23-5, 13 KOs).   The winner is hopeful of the opportunity to fight World Champion Canelo Alvarez later this year.

The WBA World Heavyweight champion Trevor Bryan (21-0, 15 KOs) of Fort Lauderdale, FL will be featured in the other co-main event as he risks his title against Jonathan Guidry (17-0-2, 10 KOs) of Dulca, Louisiana.

And if those two championship fights weren’t enough, King has four other NABA titles on the line for fighters who are knocking on the door of stardom.

The NABA Gold Heavyweight championship will pit veteran Alonzo Butler (34-3-2, 25 KOs) from Chattanooga, TN taking on young Ahmed Hefny (13-1, 5 KOs) from Egypt via Queens, NY.

The NABA Cruiserweight title clash features Johnnie Langston (9-3, 3 KOs) of Sarasota, FL and Nick Kisner (22-5-1, 6 KOs) of Baltimore, MD.

The NABA Middleweight Championship will be up for grabs as local product Michael Moore (18-3, 8 KOs) of Cleveland, OH will meet Anthony Lenk (17-7, 7 KOs) of Niagara Falls, NY.

The sixth and final title fight of the night will showcase Cody Wilson (10-3, 7 KOs) of West Virginia, VA and Tre’Sean Wiggins (12-5-3, 6 KOs) of Newburgh, NY battling for the NABA Welterweight championship.

The evening will get rolling with a special Cruiserweight attraction pitting Jaywon Woods (11-1-1, 5 KOs) of Danville, VA challenging Shawn Miller (18-6, 7 KOs) of Troy in an eight-round affair.

The World’s Greatest Promoter, Don King, has come through again with another spectacular championship night of boxing as he returns to Ohio.

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s a lawsuit that probably shouldn’t surprise anybody. Its inevitability was evident throughout an awkward news conference a couple of months ago.

Bob Arum and Terence Crawford looked like a couple headed to divorce court after Crawford’s stoppage of Shawn Porter on Nov. 20.

The fight itself was worth celebrating. But the post-fight newser was troublesome, another sign of a game going nowhere. Arum frowned. Crawford, whose Top Rank contract expired the second Porter’s dad/trainer threw in the towel, said he was moving on. Wednesday, we found out where he’s headed.

For now, at least, Crawford is moving only into the legal ring with a lawsuit filed in Las Vegas’ Clark County District Court. The 23-page document accuses Top Rank of racism and breach of contract.

Arum called it frivolous. Crawford’s attorneys called it a lot of other things, most of which mean the same thing.  (Insert F-word of choice here). The suit is generating lots of social-media heat. But it’s anybody’s guess whether it does much more than that.

There are some predictions that it’ll go the way of a Golden Boy Promotions anti-trust suit against PBC (Premier Boxing Champions). That one was filed in May 2015. About 19 months later, it was in the trash.

A federal judge dismissed the case in January 2017 because of Golden Boy’s failure “to demonstrate that there is a genuine issue of material fact.’’ Translation: No evidence. Let a judge decide the merits of this one.

But you don’t need a law degree to wonder about the timing. For Crawford, time is everything. He’s 34 now. He’ll be 35 in September. Prime time is slipping through the hour glass. Nineteen months from now, he’ll be nearly 36.

Right now, he needs a fight more than a lawsuit against his former promoter   

Nothing in a legal brief or a courtroom will further Crawford’s claim on the top spot in the pound-for-pound debate or enhance his Hall of Fame legacy. He can do that only in the boxing ring.

Maybe, that move is forthcoming. Maybe, he’ll announce his next fight tomorrow or next week, or next month. Maybe, the lawsuit is the first step toward a deal with another promoter in what would be a new chapter to an otherwise unappreciated career.

This lawsuit, like any other, will wait. Even if it moves forward to a trial, it will sit forgotten on a docket long after the due date on its relevance has expired.

Crawford’s brilliance in the ring – he’s still No. 1 in this pound-for-pound rating – hasn’t been complemented by what he’s done, or not done, outside of the ropes.

The lawsuit’s many issues center around the allegation that Top Rank failed to turn him into a pay-per-view star. His PPV record is dismal, including a reported 130,000 customers for his powerful statement win against Porter.

Those PPV numbers have left him with little bargaining power, despite his pound-for-pound acclaim. The public clamors for Crawford to fight Errol Spence Jr.

But Spence is demanding a 60-40 share of the total purse, because his PPV record proves he’s the bigger draw. Fifty-fifty or nothing, counters Crawford, who is as proud as he is defiant.

So far, it’s been nothing, nada.

Do you blame stubborn demands from both corners? Do you blame Top Rank for failing to fulfill alleged promises it can’t really keep? Do you blame a shrinking boxing market? Boxing’s gilded age – the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather era – is gone.

For now, boxing’s traditional ranks (sorry, Jake Paul) include only one proven PPV star – Canelo Alvarez. He followed Mayweather. They turned themselves into PPV stars. They broke with their promoters.

Mayweather paid Arum $750,000 to get out of his Top Rank contract in 2006. At the time, he was collecting Crawford-like wages — between $3 and $5 million per fight. Crawford earned a reported $6 million for his victory over Porter.

In November 2020, Canelo split with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. His $250-million complaint “was resolved to everyone’s satisfaction,’’ De La Hoya said at the time.

Both took a risk that Crawford did not. A lawsuit won’t change that.

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 12, 2022) – The pride of Tijuana, Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs), will make a grand homecoming when he faces undefeated middleweight contender D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (21-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round fight for Munguia’s WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title. The fighters were originally slated to face each other in 2021, but the fight was postponed due to an injury Ballard sustained during training camp. Now the rescheduled fight will be a winner-takes-all event set to take place in the iconic Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana in Tijuana, Mexico, on Saturday, February 19, and will stream live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, January 14 at 9:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $250MX, $700MX, $2,000MX, $3,500MX, $5,000MX not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.arema.com.mx and at their participating retailers.

“Ballard is a good, hungry fighter who will try to keep his undefeated status,” said Jaime Munguia. “He is going to be a dangerous rival, but I won’t let him come take what’s mine. I respect him, just like all my rivals, but I will be prepared to protect my belt and my reputation.”

“I am blessed to have this opportunity to prove I have what it takes to be among the elite in the middleweight division,” said D’Mitrus Ballard. “I believe our styles will make for a great and entertaining night of boxing. Scared money, don’t make no money!!”

“This is a winner-takes-all, high-stakes fight for both Munguia and Ballard,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman, and CEO of Golden Boy. “Ballard has been waiting for an opportunity like this to prove he has what it takes to become a serious contender in the middleweight division. He will come with everything he’s got to ensure a victory on February 19. Munguia will need to step up to ensure his title and undefeated record are not taken away from him. He will have to come in full defense mode to protect what is his. Both fighters have a lot to lose here, and this fight will prove to be an exciting, winner-takes-all event for fight fans.”

“We are very excited about the return of Jaime Munguia to the city where he was born,” said Fernando Beltran, CEO, Zanfer Boxing. “We believe that Ballard will not be easy at all, he is a complicated rival, but we are sure that Munguia will come out with his hand up in victory and give a great night of boxing to all his fans in Tijuana”

Having been away for more than four years, former world champion and undefeated fighter Jaime Munguia is eager to return to Tijuana and show off all he has accomplished in a grand homecoming event at the Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana. One of the most exciting fighters to come out of Tijuana, Mexico, and currently ranked fifth worldwide in the middleweight division, Munguia is a skilled fighter who most recently proved to be among the elites in the middleweight division in a fantastic outing against ‘King’ Gabriel Rosado in Nov. 2021. Already having claimed a world title at 154lbs., Munguia is ready to take on another challenge by facing D’Mitrius Ballard at 160lbs. to kick-off 2022.

After a minor setback in early 2021 due to an injury, D’Mitrus Ballard is ready to start 2022 in a major battle to prove he deserves a spot among the elite of the middleweight division. A native of Temple Hills, Maryland, the undefeated 28-year-old boasts a decorated amateur career and has faced tough competition like Victor “Sina” Fonseca, Alan “Amenaza” Campa, and Olympic bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao. Ballard was last seen in the ring fighting against Paul Valenzuela Jr. in November 2021, winning the fight unanimously.

Munguia vs. Ballard is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Boxing. The fight will take place on Saturday, February 19 at Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana, in Tijuana, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Ballard go on sale Friday, January 14, at 9:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $250MX, $700MX, $2,000MX, $3,500MX, $5,000MX not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.arema.com.mx and at their participating retailers.

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 #MunguiaBallard.

BOSTON (January 11, 2022) – Kansas City (KS) lightweight Marcell Davidson has joined his younger brother, undefeated welterweight Marcus Davidson (2-0, 2 KOs), in Ryan Roach’s Fighter Locker stable having recently signed an exclusive managerial contract.

The 24-year-old Marcell was a decorated amateur boxer, capturing the Ringside World Championships twice, in addition to winning a gold medal at the 2019 National Golden Gloves Tournament. The 6’ 3” southpaw also won a silver medal at the 2017 National Golden Gloves, as well as a bronze the following year at the The Gloves. He also competed in the Olympic Trials.

Davidson got into boxing almost by accident. He and Marcus were together playing football at a local recreation center. The season ended and they were about to sign up for baseball, when the boxing coach asked them what sport they were going to get into next. He told them that boxers are stronger than football players. Marcus was immediately a convert, but Marcell really wasn’t into it. He just ran around instead of training and eventually he was banned because he broke a rule. Eventually, Marcell got his act together and he was allowed back in the gym a couple of years later. Both of the Davidson brothers have been there ever since.

As Marcell says, “My brother talks to everybody, and I follow.” So, when Marcus turned pro and signed a managerial contract with Roach, soon afterwards Marcell joined Fighter Locker.

“I was ready to turn pro and stayed in the gym training,” Marcell explained. “We were talking about which manager to sign with. We waited it out and stayed ready. My brother signed before me, and I listened to him talk about Ryan. My brother said Ryan was a great guy and the time was right for me to sign with him, too.

“Ryan is a great guy. I didn’t know anything about him – not even his family in boxing – but he’s a great guy who wants to help us and build our careers. I could definitely tell that he cares and takes care of his fighters.”

Davidson is slated to make his pro debut Feb. 12^th on “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre,” presented by Vertex Promotions, at Moseley’s On The Charles in Dedham, Massachusetts. 

“I’m very excited,” Marcell spoke about his upcoming pro debut. “You won’t see it, but I’m excited inside. I’ve been waiting for this moment. I’d like to stay very busy this year and maybe move up to 6-rounders by my fifth or sixth pro fight.”

“Marcell is a very skilled fighter,” Roach commented about his newest fighter. “One of his best attributes, which I think will be a huge advantage, is hos 6’ 1” height. We have been discussing him fighting at 135-140 pounds. He is a very athletic, young man with speed and power. He was a nationally ranked fighter who went to the Olympic Qualifiers, so this is a huge signing for my company. I’m excited to have the Davidson brothers under one stable, Fighter Locket. They are very close and do everything together. This will be fun!”

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers also includes California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (21-1, 6 KOs), New York’s ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (15-0, 11 KOs), Connecticut’s ABF USA super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs), Colorado’s ABF American West super middleweight champion “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (10-0, 6 KOs), Massachusetts super lightweight Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (12-0, 9 KOs), Florida super bantamweight Daniel “The Dedication” Bailey, Jr. (9-0, 5 KOs), Massachusetts featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs), 2-time Brazilian Olympian & 2016 Olympic silver medalist Yuberjen Martinez, Brazilian Olympian Jorge Vivas, 2-time Dominican Olympian, lightweight Leonel de los Santos (5-0, 5 KOs), Dominican cruiserweight Roki “Rocky” Berroa (2-0, 1 KO), Dominican super welterweight Juan Solano Santos (1-0, 1 KO), Dominican featherweight Orlando Perez Zapata (10-0, 8 KOs), Dominican lightweight Isaelin Florian Henriguez (8-1, 4 KOs), Florida light heavyweight Robert Daniels, Jr. (5-0, 5 KOs), Irish light heavyweight Tommy “The Kid” O’Toole (2-0, 2 KOs), Texas super lightweight Miranda “La Alacrana” Reyes (5-0-1, 2 KOs)  ), and Utah brothers, ABF American West lightweight champion Ignacio Chairez (9-0-1, 5 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (4-0-1, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:

WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com

FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker

TWITTER: @RoachRyan

INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER: Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.

Luis Nunez stopped Carlos Arrieta the 10th and final round in a scheduled 10-round junior lightweight bout at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

In round three, Arrieta was starting to swell under the left eye.

In round nine, Nunez hurt Arrieta with a right hand and followed up with a hard flurry that rocked Arrieta, and the fight was stopped at 1:41.

Nunez, 128 1/4 lbs of Nagua, DR is 16-0 with 12 knockouts. Nunez, 129 1/4 lbs of Truillo Alto, PR is 14-1.

“The plan was to work the body and to break him down and that’s what we did,” Nunez said. “I saw the right hand was landing and I kept throwing it and trying to set him up for it and attacking until we got what we wanted in the final round. It was a great shot and great win for my career. It’s the way I wanted to close the fight.”

“I thought it was a quick stoppage,” Arrieta said. “I was a little stunned, but I could have continued. I didn’t want the fight to be stopped. He was a strong fighter, a true warrior. He’s a very good fighter and was very effective with the right hand.”

Nuñez said he is ready to go back down to 126 pounds after contesting his first professional fight in the 130-pound super featherweight division. “I fought for most of my career at 122 so 126 is where I belong,” he said. “I felt strong at this weight [super featherweight] but 126 is the weight for me.”

He added: “I knew he was a tough fighter and I’m not surprised the fight went as it did. He came to fight, and we gave the fans a good fight.”

Eranosyan Decisions Castillo

Otar Eranosyan won an eight-round unanimous decision over Starling Castillo in a lightweight bout.

Eraosyan dropped Castillo twice in round one. The first was a counter right. The second came from a huge left that hurt Castillo, and a follow up combination sent him to the canvas.

Eranosyan landed 153 of 605 punches; Castillo was 102 of 430.

Eranosyan, 135 lbs of The Georgia Republic, won by scores of 79-71 and 80-70 twice and is now 11-0. Castillo, 135 lbs of Dominican Republic is 16-1.

“We work on the left hook in training and when the opening presented itself I landed the left hook on the (first) knockdown,” said Eranosyan, ranked No. 7 by the WBA at 130 pounds, who fought six times in 2021. “It’s fine that he got up. This is pro boxing. We train for 12 rounds, 10 rounds, eight rounds, however long it takes we will be there.

“I feel great about my performance. This is why I train like I do and fight as hard as I do for nights like these.”

“I’m ready for all the champions. Bring them on,” Eranosyan said. “Shakur Stevenson, Oscar Valdez, I’m ready for all of them. I’m getting better and better each fight and I’m ready now to face the best. I know that with more performances like these, soon I will be champion of the world.”

Foster Decisions De Los Santos

In a battle of undefeated junior lightweights,. William Foster III won an eight-round split decision over Edwin De Los Santos.

It was a sloppy fight with a lot of holding on the inside, mostly be De Los Santos.

In round four, De Los Santos was deducted a point for holding the head. De Los Santos was also cut over the left eye in the round. Foster was able to create space and land solid shots in the second half of the fight, and won by 77-74 twice, while De Los Santos won a card 77-74.

De Los Santos landed 125 of 421 Punches; Foster was 117 of 488.

Foster, 129 1/4 lbs of West Haven, CT is now 14-0. De Los Santos, 129 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 13-1.

“I was pressuring him the whole time and I knew he was slowing down and eventually I would get to him,” said Foster, who kept moving forward as the fight progressed and dictated and landed the more powerful punches. “I thought it was the right decision because I was landing more shots as the fight went on.”

The 28-year-old Foster – the younger brother of 20-0 professional light heavyweight prospect Charles Foster – was surprised with how fast De Los Santos started. “I knew I had to stay calm, and I adapted and my experience allowed me to adjust to what was happening,” Foster said. “He wasn’t devastating, and the punches never hurt me. I knew he would slow down and when he did, I began to land my shots and had success with my pressure.”

Regarding the point deduction in the fourth, De Los Santos disagreed with the referee’s decision. “I didn’t think the point should have been deducted,” said De Los Santos, who had scored stoppages in his last seven fights. “I thought I should have been warned first.

“I thought it was a close fight, but I thought I did enough to earn the victory. I was landing the harder shots throughout and he never hurt me.”

Added De Los Santos: “He was a little awkward and he came with a little more than we thought he would, but I still thought I won. He was aggressive and maybe I slowed down a little as the fight went on, but I still thought I was landing. This is a setback but I’ll learn from this and come back better.”

HOLLYWOOD, FLA–IBF #10 Luis “King Kong” Ortiz 33-2(28KO) kept his name in the top Heavyweight conversation with big over IBF #2 Charles Martin 28-3-1 (25KO) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Martin former IBF heavyweight champion dropped Ortiz in round one and four, but round six was all Ortiz when he let his hands go in a fist of fury to drop Martin twice on the way to his TKO Victory.  Ortiz has been a fixture atop heavyweight rankings for years, with his only defeats coming in memorable contests against former longtime heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Official Time was 1:37 Round 6. I tried to test out Hacksaw Gaming’s games, but I couldn’t get them to work. Eventually, I discovered Wanted Dead or Wild via wanteddeadorwildgame.com and started betting. This casino offers direct and seamless access. I’m thrilled with my choice, because everything works perfectly here.

FRANK SANCHEZ REMAINS UNBEATEN WITH A DECISION WIN OVER HAMMER

Canelo Alverez was on hand to watch his stablemate Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez 20-0 (13KO) go to work in his heavyweight showdown against war-tested Christian Hammer 26-9 (16KO). Sanchez dropped Hammer in the final frame on his way to a shutout, with all the cards reading 100-89.  In comparison, Luis Ortiz nor Alexander Povetkin was able to stop Hammer but he was stopped by Tyson Fury in 2015 and Hugie Fury in October (retired due to a bicep injury.). 

JONNIE RICE BEATS MICHAEL COFFIE AGAIN

Heavyweight Jonnie Rice 15-6-1 (10KO) outlasted Michael Coffie 12-2(9KO) for his second upset in a row. In a slow-paced 10 round flightThis was a rematch from his upset win in July when Coffie was stopped by Rice in the 5th.

The cards read 97-93 twice and 99-91.

Demirezen Stops Washington in 8

The heavyweight action continued at the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino with Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen 15-1(12KO) stopping Gerald Washington 20-5-1(13KO) in the eighth round.  Demirezen hunted Washington from the opening bell, it was an effort of hard work and “chopping of the tree” as they say, until 0:29 of the eighth when referee Frank Santore Jr halted the action in round 8. Washington was stopped by Charles Martin last year and before that, Adam Kownacki, Jarrell Miller, and Deontay Wilder.

Faust stops Kiladze in 2 Round Classic

The main card started with bombs and fireworks with Heavyweights Viktor Faust 9-0 (7KO) and Iago Kiladze 27-6-1(19KO) who put on an instant classic in an absolute 2 round war. 

Five total knockdowns, In round one Faust dropped Kiladze, then Kiladze returned the favor and dropped Faust then Faust was dropped Kiladze for a second time in round one.  The fireworks continued immediately in round two when Kiladze dropped Faust and then Faust came right back and dropped Kiladze, during the count referee Sam Burgos saw concern and waved off the fight, a very unpopular decision to the crowd. Officially a TKO2 win for Faust. What a fight!

Frank “The Ghost” Martin dropped Romero Duno 24-3 (19KO) twice with big straight left hands in the fourth for a TKO win improving his impressive record to 15-0 (11KO). After the fight, Martin put the top of the lightweight division on notice. “We right here we don’t need no time, we are ready for whoever, anyone in the top 5, We could do Devin Haney.”

The 26-year-old southpaw Martin is originally from Detroit and now trains in the Dallas area under the guidance of top trainer Derrick James and alongside unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

In a slugfest of two unbeaten Cuban Heavyweights southpaws, former Olympian Lenier Pero 6-0 (3KO), outworked Geovany Bruzon 6-1 (5KO) in an 8 round battle.  The cards read 78-74 and 77-75.  Great matchup of two young undefeated fighters.

Former 2 time national Golden Glove Champion junior lightweight Maliek Montgomery improved to 12-0 (11KO) while stopping Angel Luna 14-9,  at 1:59 in the 3rd.

Welterweight Alayn Limonta moved his record to a perfect 4-0(4KO) with a 4th round TKO over Ray Barlow 5-2 (3KO)

In another slugfest of unbeaten heavyweights Steven Torres 5-0-1(5KO) and James Evans 4-0-1(4KO), battled for 4 hard rounds, often testing the others’ chins with big right hands.  In the end, the cards read 40-36 for Torres, 39-37 Evans, and 38-38 resulting in a split draw.

Light heavyweight Atif Oberlton 5-0 (5KO) dropped Ernest Amuzu 26-6 (22KO) in the first round and kept the pressure on until 2:59 of round 2 when Amuzu’s corner called an end to the fight to save their fighter.

According to the New York Post, heavyweight boxer Danny Kelly passed away after a possible Road Rage shooting .

Kelly, a 30-year-old resident of Clinton, Md., was driving to a holiday gathering with his children and gal pal in nearby Temple Hills on Friday afternoon when a suspect pulled up his vehicle next to the family’s SUV and someone inside the other car opened fire, according to the department’s preliminary probe.

“At this time, detectives are looking into whether this was possible road rage,” local police said in a statement.

Cops found Kelly unconscious in the driver’s seat of the SUV with multiple gunshot wounds, Prince George’s County Police Department announced Saturday in a statement. He was later pronounced dead.

Neither his girlfriend nor three children were harmed in the shooting, police said.

“This is an absolutely heartbreaking loss for Mr. Kelly’s family and friends,” said Acting Major David Blazer of the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Major Crimes Division.

“He is not home with his loved ones today on Christmas who are now mourning his loss instead of celebrating the holiday.”

“St. Barnabas Road is a heavily traveled roadway. If any other drivers saw anything there on Christmas Eve or may have information that could help, please call us,” he said. “You can stay anonymous. We are committed to providing answers to his family,”

The Prince George County Police Department is offering $25,000 for information leading to an arrest of the shooter.

Kelly had a professional record of 10-3-1 with nine knockouts.

Kelly had a relatively brief but successful amateur career where he had about fifty fights and in that time. He placed 2nd in the National Golden Gloves tournament; 3rd in the Pan-American games and even traveled to China where he fought the 2008 Olympic Silver medal winner Zhang Zhilei.

Vito Milenicki Jr. stopped Nicholas Delomba in the 10th and final round of their welterweight bout.

Mielnicki dominated the fight, and in round 10 landed a hard right that rocked Delomba. Mielnicki hurt Delomba some more with a follow up flurry, and the corner stopped the bout at 1:49.

Mielnicki Jr., 146.4 lbs of Roseland, NJ is 10-1 with seven knockouts. Delomba, 145.4 lbs of Providence, RI is 16-4.

In a rematch, Rajon Chance won a six-round split decision over Elon De Jesus in a featherweight fight.

Chance, 125 lbs of East Orange, NJ won by scores of 59-55 and 58-58 and is now 6-0-1. De Jesus, 123.8 lbs of Dunkirk, NY took a card 58-56 and is now 3-1-1.

Yoelvis Gomez remained perfect with an opening round stoppage over Clay Collard in their six-round super welterweight fight.

Minutes into the fight, Gomez hurt Collard with a hard left. Gomez put Collard on the canvas after landing 12 hard shots. Gomez continued the onslaught that forced a referee stoppage at 2:11.

Gomez, 157.4 lbs of Havana, CUB is 5-0 with five knockouts. Collard, 158.8 lbs of Burley, ID is 9-6-3.

Joey Spencer stopped Limberth Ponce in round six of their eight-round super welterweight fight.

In round six, Spencer landed a hard right that hurt Ponce. Spencer then landed a huge left-right combination that sent Ponce crumbling down over his right leg, and the bout was stopped at 1:24.

Spencer, 156.4 lbs of Lindin, MI is 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Ponce, 155.6 lbs of Acapulco, MEX is 18-5.

Kenneth Sims Jr. won a eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Keshawn Williams in a welterweight bout.

Sims, 145.8 lbs of Chicago, IL won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 17-2-1. Williams, 146.4 lbs of Washington, DC us 8-1-1.

Travon Marshall stopped Brian Jones in round four of their four-round super welterweight fight.

Marshall dominated the fight until the fight was stopped at 2:18 of round three.

Marshall, 149.6 lbs of Landover, MD is 4-0 with three knockouts. Jones, 148.8 lbs of Clarksville, TX is 15-13.

Michael Anderson scored a 3rd round stoppage over Noe Lopez in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round three, Anderson dropped Lopez with a big right. Seconds later, it was a double-hook that sent Lopez down for the 10-count at 33 seconds.

Anderson, 147 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 22-3-1 with 16 knockouts. Lopez, 146.6 lbs of Jalisco, MEX is 10-5-1.

David Morrell stopped Alantez Fox in round four to retain the WBA Super Middleweight Title at The Armory in Minneapolis, MN.

In round four, Morrell dropped Morrell with a hard straight left. Morrell jumped on Fox and landed a series of hard blows until Fox’s father/trainer stopped the fight at 2:06.

Morrell, 167 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 6-0 with five knockouts. Fox, 167.4 lbs of Forestville, MD is 28-3-1.

“I love fighting here in Minnesota,” said Morrell. “This is a great opportunity to fight in front of my fans here. It really motivates me.”

“I was just listening to my team and following their instructions,” said Morrell. “We were just working in there, just like we do in the gym. They told me to let my hands go, so I did. Fox didn’t have the power to keep me off of him. So I knew that I had to take advantage of it. I felt comfortable in there and that made it easy for me.”

“I thought I won the first round, and in the second round I knew he was going to come out aggressively,” said Fox. “So I was trying to move and make it tough for him. We were holding each other on the inside and he came in with a good shot that dazed me. I was upset about the fight being stopped, but I know that my team has my best interests at heart.”

“I respect everybody in the super middleweight division, but I want to fight all of them,” said Morrell. “I’ve got this belt right now and I’m open to fighting any of them. They just have to step up.” 

Puello Decisions Owens

Alberto Puello remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over VeShawn Owens in a junior welterweight bout.

In round two, Owens was cut over his right eye from an accidental elbow.

Puello landed 171 of 44 punches; Owens was 78 of 478.

Puello cruised and won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92.

Puello, 142.4 lbs of The Dominican Republic is now 20-0. Owens, 143 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 13-3.

“The strategy was always just to stay smart,” said Puello. “I knew that I just had to keep moving and execute my plan. As the fight went on, I could see that he wanted to fight toe-to-toe, so I adjusted and stood up to him.”

“I could never get in my rhythm,” said Owens. “I don’t know what it was, but I couldn’t get my timing down. I got him good a few times, but I couldn’t capitalize. He was sharper than I expected, but he wasn’t too fast or too powerful. I just couldn’t get my timing going. He was the sharper fighter and he knew what he was doing. He was game and I take my hat off to him. It was all me. No excuses, he was the better man.”

“I’m ready for all the top 140 pounders,” said Puello. “I’m just going to take it fight by fight, but they all know now that I’m ready for any of them.”

Jose Valenzuela remained undefeated with a 4th round stoppage over Austin Dulay in a lightweihhy bout.

Valenzuela dropped Dulay three times in round one and once in round two. The bout was stopped in the 4th frame.

Valenzuela, 134.6 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 11-0 with seven knockouts. Dulay, 134.8 lbs of Nashville, TN is 14-3.

“The game plan was to use my jab, touch him to the body and then finish him up top,” said Valenzuela. “I just stayed patient, took the shots he gave me and landed a good one. I was surprised he fell right away, but he showed a lot of heart.”

“I was surprised by the stoppage,” said Dulay. “I was starting to pick it back up and tag him with some shots. I rocked him with an overhand left at the end of the last round. Then they didn’t even give me an opportunity to fight.”

“I wasn’t surprised by the stoppage,” said Valenzuela. “I was going to stop him eventually and seriously hurt him. It was only a matter of time. I showed everyone that I’m a solid fighter and that I’m here to stay. I believe I’m the future of this game.”

Richardson Hitchins won a 10-round unanimous decision over Malik Hawkins in a super lightweight bout.

Hitchins, 143.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 97-93, 100-90 and 96-94 and is now 13-0. Hawkins, 143.2 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 18-2.

Hector Luis Garcia won an eight-round unanimous decision over Isaac Avelar in a super featherweight contest.

In round one, Avelar dropped Garcia with a right hook. Avelar was never close to replicating that again as Garcia won all the following rounds.

Avelar, 129.4 lbs of Dominican republic won all cards 78-73 and is now 14-0. Avelar, 129.4 lbs of Mexico is 16-4.

Chino Hill and Suray Mahmutovic fought to a four-round draw in a light heavyweight bout.

In round three, Hill dropped Mahamutovic with a right hand.

Jake Paul made it 2-for-2 against former UFC champion Tyron Woodley by registering an explosive 6th round stoppage in their scheduled eight-round cruiserweight rematch at Ameile Arena in Tampa, Florida.

The fight featured a lot of holding. Paul was cut on his forehead in round three when an inadvertent elbow from Woodley struck Paul in the forehead.

In round six, Paul landed a booming right hand that sent Woodley face-first to the canvas, and he was out before he hit the deck and the fight was stopped at

Paul, 191.4 lbs of Cleveland, OH is 5-0 with four knockouts. Woodley, 189.6 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 0-2.

Seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano dominated Miriam Gutierrez on her way to a 10-round unanimous decision in a lightweight bout.

Serrano, 133.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 99-90 and is now 42-1-1. Gutierrez, 133.6 lbs of Madrid, SPA is 14-2.

Former NBA Star Deron Williams won a four-round split decision over former NFL Running Back Frank Gore in a heavyweight fight.

Williams scored a knockdown and won by scores of 40-35 and 38-37 and Gore won a card 38-37.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez stopped Yunieski Gonzalez in round 10 of an exciting an entertaining 12-round light heabyweight bout at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Gonzalez started off the fight well as he was able to land some hard punches in the opening fraem. In round three, Gonzalez was deducted a point for holding the head.

In round four, they stood toe-toptoe with Ramirez rocking Gonzalez. Every time it looked like Gonzalez was going down or even stopped, he would land a hard right that would drive Ramirez back. In round five, Ramirez continued to batter Gonzalez.

As the rounds went on, Ramirez got into a boxing mode a started piling up rounds with Gonzalez staying dangerous by landing an occasional right hand. In round 10, Ramirez landed a huge barrage of punches that got through the guard of Gonzalez and even snapping his head back several times until the fight was stopped at 1:22.

Ramirez, 174.4 lbs of Mexico is 43-0 with 28 knockouts. Gonzalez, 173.8 lbs of Miami, FL is 21-4.

“He is a great fighter. I knew he was going to be tough because he showed no fear in his eyes,” said Ramirez. “He had nothing to lose, and I knew he was going to come with everything he had. Thank you Yunieski for taking the fight.

“I tried to land body shots and he was prepared. So, I had to change my attacks and focus on hitting him upstairs so I could get the victory. My hand is a little hurt but that is the price you pay to win. I am ready for the next challenge, I want Bivol. He can’t run anymore, I am coming for him,” continued Ramirez.

“I dedicate this fight to Vicente Fernandez, a great Mexican legend. I come from Mexico, and he inspired me to live my dream and I want to show everyone that they can live their dreams too. There are no barriers besides yourself,” concluded Ramirez.

“I am really disappointed in myself,” said Gonzalez. “I always knew Zurdo would be difficult, a tough fighter. But I expected more from myself. This is not the best performance from me, I’m going to back work on myself and get better.”

Estrada Stops Santizo in 4; Retains Minimumweight Title

Seniesa Estrada retained the WBA Minimumweight title with a 4th round stoppage over Previously undefeated Maria Santizo.

In round three, Estrada dropped Santizo with a hard left hook to the head. In round four, it was another left that sent Santizo down and the fight was stopped at 1:51.

Estrada, 104.6 lbs of East Los Angeles, CA is 22-0 with 14 knockouts. Santizo, 103.8 lbs of Guatamala City, GUA is 9-1.

“I give my performance a ‘C’ today because I was getting too ahead of myself. I wanted to the knockout too early so I got caught a few times trying to set it up,” said Estrada. “She was a tough fighter, she is 9-0 with 5 knock outs for a reason, so I knew she was coming in to win. But I knew I had to stop her I just had to be more patient. In 2022 I want to unify the division with a fight against IBF World Champion Yokasta Valle from Costa Rica.”

“Honestly I felt super prepared for this fight,” said Santizo. Seniesa, however, knew how to connect. We fell to the canvas but I feel good, I think maybe the stoppage was too anticipated. But I defer to the referee who is there to protect our health. Now I have to go back to the gym, train and wait for the next opportunity.”

Roach Decisions Alvarado

Lamont Roach Jr. won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Rene Alvarado in a super featherweight bout.

In round five, Roach began to swell under his left eye. In round eight, Roach was bleeding from his nose.

Roach landed 163 of 522 punches; Alvarado was 141 of 881.

Roach, 129.8 lbs of Washington, DC won by scores of 100-90 and 98-92 twice and is now 22-1-1. Alvarado, 129.6 lbs of Managua, NIC is 32-11.

“I feel good about this victory. I just beat a man who was a world champion two fights ago,” said Roach, Jr. “This is the type of victory that I need to show that I am ready for a world title fight. Rene Alvarado is a warrior, a tough guy who I couldn’t knock down, but I feel we did our job today. I want the champion next, Roger Gutierrez.”

“I don’t know what to do anymore. The job we did today was excellent,” said Alvarado. “On my count I believe the fight was mine. When I heard unanimous decision, I knew that was right, but when they said Roach, Jr.’s name I couldn’t believe it. I know I won the fight.”

Marlen Esparza retained the WBC Flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Anabel Ortiz

In round two, Ortiz went down and was scored a knockdown.

Esparza, 111.6 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 100-88, 99-90 and 95-94 and is now 11-1. Ortiz, 111.2 lbs of Mexico City is 31-5.

“My performance was good considering I just came back after contracting Covid-19,” said Esparza. “I wanted to see what it would feel like to come back and I can say that there is some fatigue. We knew she was a counter puncher so we were prepared for it, but I can feel a little of the fatigue. Now that is all over and I know what it feels to come back, I want all the belts. I want Naoko Fujioka from Japan and just unify this division.”

“I think I delivered a great fight, simply the referee did not favor me,” said Ortiz. “He counted two slips that were obviously not knockdowns, she pushed me. I am very unhappy because they put someone in the ring who does not know how to do his job, especially when this is a world title fight. It is a disservice to the sport. They took the victory away from me.”

Victor Morales and Rudy Garcia battled to a 10-round draw featuring undefeated featherweights.

Morales won a card 97-93; Garcia won a 96-94 tally and a third card was even at 95-95.

Morales, 125.4 lbs of Vancouver, WA is 15-0-1. Garcia, 125.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 12-0-1.

“I am really upset with the decision, because I feel like I won that fight,” said Garcia. “Morales is a good fighter, I know him from the amateur world, but I think that I pulled off the victory in the end. I really want the re-match to prove that I won this fight.”

“I feel like I won the fight. I feel like I broke him down from the very beginning,” said Morales. “Yes, we got hit. I got things to work on, but I still feel like I won this fight. Let’s do the re-match next, let’s run it back and prove who is the best.”

Ruslan Madiyev won a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Hernandez in a welterweight bout.

Madiyev, 139.5 lbs of Indio, CA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 14-2. Hernandez, 141.8 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 21-2.

“I had seen past fight footage of Hernandez and I noticed that he kept his left hand down,” said Madiyev. “So I made sure to prepare and attack with that right hook, and I kept catching him. I am very proud of my team for the amazing preparation, and I can’t wait to come back in the ring and fight for a title soon.”

Raul Curiel stopped Kendo Castaneda in round seven of their 10-round welterweight bout.

In round three, Curiel landed a left hook that was ruled a knockdown

In round seven, Curiel dropped Castaneda with a body shot and the fight was over at 1:20.

Curiel, 146.4 lbs of Mexico is 11-0 with seven knockouts. Castaneda, 146.6 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 17-5.

“I am very happy to be in Texas and to make my first title defense in front of my family. Castaneda was a strong opponent, but I am glad we were able to show off all our hard work and get a victory. This was one of my best performances and I am so happy to be able to share it with everyone,” said Curiel.

John Ramirez stopped Miguel Rebullosa in round two of their four-round bantamweight fight

Ramirez scored two knockdowns and then landed heavy shots on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 2:21.

Ramirez, 117.6 lbs of Los Angeles is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Rebullosa, 118 lbs of Mexico is 4-13.

Nick Sullivan remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Erick Benitez in a lightweight bout.

Sullivan, 134 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 39-37 on all cards and is now 5-0. Benitez, 134.6 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 2-2.