It was bitter sweet for Ray Beltran as he scored a 2nd round stoppage over former two-time world champion Takahiro Ao in a Lightweight bout at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In round two, Beltran landed a crushing right that sent Ao to the canvas. Beltran jumped on Ao and landed vicious power shots with both hands and referee Tony Weeks stopped the bout at 1:29 of round two.

The bout was for the vacant WBO Lightweight title but Beltran weighed in over the 135 pound limit at Thursday’s weigh in therefore Ao was only eligible to win the title.

Beltran, 135.4 lbs of Los Moschis, MX is now 30-7-1 with 18 knockouts. AO, 134 3/4 lbs of Tokyo, Japan is now 27-4-1.

Konstantin Ponomarev scored a 10-round unanimous decision over Mikael Zewski and in the process won the NABF Welterweight title in a battle of undefeated Welterweights.

Zewski’s left eye started to swell in round four.

Ponomarev, 146.6 lbs of Russia won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 28-0. Zewski, 146.8 lbs of Quebec, Canada is 26-1.

Vic Pasillas remained undefeated by scoring a 4-round unanimous decision over Marcello Gallardo in a Featherweight bout

Pasillas, 122.8 lbs of East Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 10-0. Gallardo, 123.8 lbs of Renton, WA is now 5-2-2.

Alfonso Olivera spoiled the pro debut of Abraham Lopez by winning a 4-round majority decision in a Super Lightweight bout.

Olivera, 139 lbs won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38 and is now 3-1.

2012 Olympic Gold medal winner Egor Mekhontsev won an 8-round unanimous decision over Kakim Zoulikha in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Mekhontsvsev, 174 1/2 lbs of Russia fough through a cut under his left eye that he suffered but still won by scores of 80-72 on all cards to raise his perfect mark to 9-0. Zoukikha, 174 lbs is now 21-6.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com. Ray Beltran missed weight by .4 pounds for his Friday showdown against Takahiro Ao in Las Vegas.

Beltran can not win WBO Lightweight title.

Lightweights Mercito Gesta and Carlos Molina battled to A split draw in a 10-round bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

Scores were 98-92 Molina, 96-94 Gesta and 95-95.

Molina, 139 1/2 lbs of Norwalk, CA is now 17-2-2. Gesta, 136 1/2 lbs of San Diego is now 28-1-2.

Jeffrey Fontanez scored a 1st round destruction over Jose Hernandez in a scheduled 8-round Lightweight bout.

Fontanez dropped Hernandez hard in round one from a crushing left, Fontanez jumped all over Hernandez and dropped Hernandez for a 2nd time and the fight was stopped at 1:43 of round one.

Fontanez, 135.5 lbs of Caguas, PR is now 15-1 with 12 knockouts. Hernandez, 135.75 lbs of Fort Worth, TX is now 15-10-1.

Jason Quigkey kept his perfect knockout streak in tact as he scored a 2nd round stoppage over Joshua Snyder in a scheduled 4-round Super Middleweight bout.

Quigley landed a left hook and straight combination hat put Snyder down and out at 44 seconds of round two.

Quigley, 161.5 lbs of Donegal, Ireland is 6-0 with 6 knockouts. Snyder, 160.5 lbs of York, PA is now 9-12-1.

Rafael Gramajo scored a 1st round stoppage over Luis Cosme in a scheduled 4-round Super Bantamweight bout.

Gramajo landed a thirteen unanswered punches that put Cosme down and the fight was stopped at 1:07 of round one.

Gramajo, 121.75 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is now 3-1 with 2 knockouts. Cosme, 121.5 lbs of Bayamon, PR is now 8-7-1.

Yamaguchi Falcao won a 8-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Ibarra in a Middleweight bout.

Scores were 78-74 on all cards for Falcao, 161 1/4 lbs of Brazil and is now 6-0. Ibarra, 161 1/2 lbs is now 14-3.

Former world champion Ishe Smith won a 10-round unanimous decision in a Jr. Middleweight bout over Cecil McCalla at the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas.

In round two, Smith Rocked McCalla with a hard right. Smith opened up but the bell rang to end the round.

Smith, 155.4 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice and is now 27-7. McCalla, 154.6 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 20-2.

Ashley Theophane hung on to win a 10-round split decision over Mahonri Montes in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

In round eight, Montes showed the effects of Theophane’s jab as he was bruised on the right side of his face. In the last thirty seconds of the fight, Montes landed a perfect right hand that sent Theophane to the canvas.

Theophane, 143 lbs of Las Vegas won on two cards 96-93 and is now 38-4-1. Montes, 142.8 lbs of Los Mochis, MX took a card 96-93 but he falls to 29-5-1.

LAS VEGAS (April 29, 2015) – Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao faced off for only the third time Wednesday during the final press conference for their long-awaited welterweight world championship unification fight this Saturday, May 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, live on pay-per-view.

The last time the boxing superstars met face-to-face was at the Los Angeles press conference to formally announce the mega-fight on March 11. The first time they were photographed up close and personal came at a Miami Heat basketball game in January.

In the most eagerly awaited showdown in years – and the richest fight in boxing history — the undefeated and universally recognized No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), an 11-time world champion in five weight divisions, will take on the fighting pride of the Philippines, Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the only boxer to capture world titles in eight weight classes.

Here is what the fighters and executives said Wednesday at the KÀ Theatre at the MGM Grand:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER
“The only thing I can do is take it one day at a time. When the fight gets here I will go out there and do what I do best and that’s go out and fight.

“From the beginning of my career, I’ve always had a game plan. It’s just like chess. We make calculated moves in the ring and outside the ring. I got with the right team and surrounded myself with the right chess pieces.

“I’m a lot wiser than I once was. This fight sells itself. Our ultimate goal was to get to this point, whether it was Manny or another fighter.

“I don’t take anything away from Manny Pacquiao. He’s a solid fighter; a solid competitor and it will be an intriguing matchup come Saturday.

“Everything takes time, it’s all about timing. I’m glad that we had patience and didn’t rush. The time is now, this is the right time for this fight.

“I want to thank all the writers for being here. Some have been around since I was 10-years-old, some have been here for my 19 years in this sport. I’m thankful for all the writers, whether the stories were good stories or bad, you guys kept me relevant for 19 years.

“This fight is about one fighter who is at the top fighting another fighter who is at the top. It’s about giving you guys excitement. We don’t know how this fight is going to play out, but I believe in my skills. I believe I am going to be victorious.

“When I went to training camp I worked extremely hard to win this fight and I’m pretty sure Manny did the same. That’s why this is an intriguing matchup.”

MANNY PACQUIAO
“I don’t have a prediction, but I’m excited. I’m confident and I feel for the first time that I’m ready for the fight.

“I’m so happy because that feeling and that focus that I had many years ago, is back. I’m confident and relaxed.

“My love and eagerness for this fight has made me especially interested.

“I would like to invite everyone to witness the great fight between Floyd and I this Saturday.

“I want to be an example and inspiration to people.

“Before I became a boxer, I used to sleep on the street. I can’t believe that I am in this position. The boy who didn’t have food and slept on the street can have this life.

“On Saturday our goal is to make the fans happy with our performance. Both of us will work very hard to entertain the fans and give a good fight.

“I hope that both Floyd and I do our best on Saturday and to put our name in boxing history.

“The most important thing I hope for is that after the fight I can talk with Floyd about being an inspiration to people all around the world.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR., Mayweather’s Father & Trainer

“Whatever happens on Saturday, it’s going to be one-sided. Pacquiao is going to sleep.

“I’m a trainer, I know what’s going on with fighters. Pacquiao doesn’t have it.

“Everybody can say what they want to say. I’ve said it before, Pacquiao can’t punch. I’m not worried about it. I’m going to have Floyd walk him down.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Pacquiao’s Trainer
“When this fight was announced, Manny’s training level went way up. He’s really excited about this fight.

“I think we will win a decision and outpoint this guy. If the knockout comes then that will be a bonus.

“I think Manny likes to be the underdog. We like pulling upsets and doing things we’re not supposed to do. Manny is going to be that guy.

“We will put a lot of pressure on Floyd. Manny likes to exchange and with his hand speed, this fight will go in our favor.

“Manny is reckless, but that’s his style. He tries to win fights and people enjoy his fights. He gives it his all and sometimes you get knocked out, that’s part of boxing.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“The worldwide attention and interest in this event has been unbelievable and Floyd and Manny deserve it.

“Las Vegas has a rich history of hosting the biggest and best fights in the sport. Over the years Floyd Mayweather has made the MGM his home. This will be his 11th consecutive fight at MGM Grand and the 14th in his career.

“There are two great fighters that will be fighting on Saturday night and the focus needs to be on the fighters, no one else. The focus is on the fighters on Saturday night.

“On May 2, Floyd faces another huge challenge in fellow world champion Manny Pacquiao, in a fight that the whole world is waiting to see. Once again Floyd is out to prove that he is The Best Ever and I know he will on Saturday night.”

BOB ARUM, Hall of Fame Promoter, Top Rank

“This is a great promotion with two great fighters. I hope that this fight will help elevate the rest of boxing. I think based on the interest in this fight, there has been increased interest in boxing as well, and that’s great.

“People have spent a lot of time during this event watching Manny train, but more importantly, watching Freddie teach. It’s great to see two guys on the same wavelength, working on the strategy and then working it out in the ring.”

KEN HERSHMAN, President, HBO Sports

“The journey to this fight has been a remarkable one. In addition to the great writing and reporting that all the media has been doing, HBO has been putting on terrific programs for fight fans to enjoy and bring them closer to the sport.

“One important note for everyone, please order the pay-per-view Saturday night early, or if possible today or tomorrow. We expect that the ordering systems will be overwhelmed. Also, there will be two undercard events starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and those events can end at any time. We want to make sure that no one misses any of the main event. Tune-in and tune-in early.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“This event is about two world-class athletes, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, who have been working for weeks and weeks, all of their lives really, to get to this precise moment.

“These two fighters have worked their entire lives to get to this moment.

“Floyd and Manny have great teams. Floyd will be the first one to tell you that his team deserves a lot of the credit for his success and I’ve heard Manny say very similar things.

“What makes this event so special and so historic, is that we have two once-in-a-generation athletes who will be meeting in the ring in about 72 hours. We are so proud to have been given the opportunity to be a part of such a highly anticipated event.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Entertainment & Sports for MGM Resorts International

“It is an honor for the MGM Resorts to house this highly anticipated event. Sports fans around the world will have the unique opportunity to watch two of boxing’s top champions, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, as they go toe-to-toe at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“Excitement for this event has resonated throughout our MGM Resorts properties and the entire Las Vegas community.

“We have created additional programming at the resorts including closed circuit viewing that gives fans the chance to experience MGM’s great championship fights.

“We just want to thank everybody involved in this great event. We’re excited, we’re proud and we can’t wait for Saturday night.”

* * *

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions –Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it. The three-fight pay-per-view telecast is co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Felix Verdejo scored a 5th round stoppage over Marco Antonio Lopez in a scheduled 10-round Lightweight bout at Coliseo Mario ‘Quijote’ Morales in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

In round five, Verdejo scored a knockdown from a flurry in the corner. Verdejo ended things by jumping on Lopez and landing a hard 8-punch combination that sent Lopez down and upon getting to his feet, the fight was stopped at 1:45 of round five.

Verdejo, 135 lbs of Puerto Rico is now 17-0 with 13 knockouts. Lopez, 139 lbs of Mexico is 24-6.

Christopher Diaz scored a stoppage after round five of his 6-round Super Featherweight bout over Jose Bustos.

Diaz dropped Bustos in round two from a big left hook. Diaz scored a 2nd knockdown in the round with a perfect uppercut. Diaz scored a 3rd knockdown in round three from a right hand. In round four, Diaz landed a left to the body and Bustos took a knee on a delayed reaction.

Diaz, 127 lbs of Puerto Rico is now 10-0 with 6 knockouts. Bustos, 126 1/4 lbs of Mexico is now 7-4-3.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – David Benavidez is not a young man in a hurry.

It just looks like it.

The 18-year-old Benavidez, the younger brother of WBA interim junior-welterweight champion Jose Benavidez Jr., wasted little time in a stunning light-heavyweight victory over Rollin Williams Saturday night at Celebrity Theatre in front of a near-capacity crowd that included Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal and retired multi-division champion Erik Morales.

Benavidez has been laboring in his brother’s shadow. He’s been the understudy, the other Benavidez, happy to learn and patient until he graduates to center stage.

That moment might be near.

David Benavidez’ fast hands made short work of Williams, who at 49 is more than three decades older than another potential star in the Benavidez family.

Benavidez (8-0, 7 KOs) stunned Williams (23-21-2, 8 KOs) with a blinding three-punch combo about 90 seconds after opening bell. He ended the round with another uninterrupted succession of blows. Williams hung on the ropes as if he were unconscious. Turns out, he was.

Seconds after the round ended, a Williams’ corner man rushed down the ring’s apron to rescue him. But Williams
had already begun to fall, taking the corner man with, over the top rope, head over heels and onto the canvas.

Officially, it was a stoppage at 2:59 of the first round. But it was over a lot earlier than that, thanks to a Benavidez who might be as hard to stop as the other one.
On the Undercard

The Best: Hometown decision? Maybe. But hometown approval? It wasn’t there for Phoenix bantamweight Alexis Zazueta (5-0, 4 KOs) in his split decision over Saul Hernandez (6-7, 4 KOs) of Tijuana.

A crowd of about 2,000 booed at the 38-37 scorecards, two for Zazueta and one for Hernandez after a back-and-forth bout that appeared to be a draw. It cheered when Hernandez was lifted onto the shoulders of a corner man. It booed when Zazueta raised his hands in triumph.

There was disagreement on the cards, but none in the crowd.

The Rest: Phoenix middleweight Joey Ruelas (9-1-1, 4 KOs) had the hometown love that Zazueta did not in overwhelming Raheem Gordon (4-5, 2 KOs) of Kileen Tex., for a first-round stoppage that filled the building with a roar of approval; Phoenix junior-lightweight Jesus Zuniga (2-3) was stubborn, tough and a surprise in a unanimous decision over Yovani Rodarte (0-1) of Downey, Calif.; California heavyweight Bernardo Marquez moved tirelessly behind a good jab for a unanimous decision over Anetelea Opetaia (0-1) of Phoenix; welterweight Saul Bustos (3-0, 2 KOs) threw a crushing right that sent Jesus Lopez (0-2) crashing off the canvas in a scary first-round knockout; junior-lightweight Julian Rodarte (1-0) of Downey, Calif., won his debut when Jorge Fontes Michel (0-1) quit after two rounds; Phoenix junior-welterweight Danny Montoya (1-0) walked forward and over John Gonzalez (0-2) for a unanimous decision in his debut; Washington DC bantamweight Daron Williams (1-0, 1 KO) did a short dance during the bout and longer one after a first-round stoppage of Christian Juneau (1-1) of Texas; Phoenix featherweight Carlos Castro (8-0, 3 KO) won a decision, unanimous on the cards and unanimously dull, over Raymond Chacon (5-16) of Los Angeles.

Wladimir Klitschko made the 18 consecutive defense of the Heavyweight title (IBF/WBA?/WBO) with a tougher than expect ed 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Bryant Jennings at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Klitschko won the majority of the rounds by being a bit more active while Jennings tried to grind his way in and having some success with body work in close. Jennings was able to get in a few head shots but Klitschko was able to muse much of the offense with a lot of holding. The holding got excessive enough for a point to be taken from Klitschko in round nine. Klitschko had a little cut under his left eye while Jennings bled from the mouth.

Klitschko won by scores of 116-111 twice and 118-109 and is now 65-3. Jennings of Philadelphia is now 19-1.

Sadam Ali won a 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Santana in a Welterweight bout.

Ali of Brooklyn won by scores 97-93, 97-93 and 100-90 and is now 22-0. Santana of Santa Barbra, CA is now 22-4-1.

Ali landed 196-588 punches while Santana was 153-720.

Fernanda Alegre won the WBO Female Super Lightweight title with an 8th round stoppage over Enis Pacheco at Club Union y Progreso, Tandil in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The fight was stopped after a hard flurry for Alegre, 139 1/2 lbs and is now 21-2-1 with 11 knockouts. Pacheco, 138 1/4 lbs is 12-3-2.

German Benitez scored a 6-round split decision over Diego Chaves in a Lightweight bout.

Benitez, 134 1/2 lbs won two cards 59-58 while Chaves took a card 58 1/2-58.

Benitez is now 10-0. Chaves, 134 lbs is now 14-9-3.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, next Saturday night;s mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has generated a record $13.2 million in sponsorship revenue.

Lucia McKelvey, Top Rank’s executive vice president of marketing since 2011, made most of the sponsor deals. She also has served as Pacquiao’s individual deal agent since 2011.

“We killed it, we blew it out of the water,” said McKelvey, who worked with Bruce Binkow of Mayweather Promotions, co-promoter of the fight, on the sponsor deals.

The big one is the $5.6 million sponsorship from Tecate, the official beer of the fight. Tecate has sponsored Pacquiao fights and Top Rank events for several years. Its bid beat the $5.2 million bid from Corona, the beer company that has sponsored Mayweather’s recent fights.

“We have been sponsoring boxing since 2007 so we have been associating ourselves with boxing and been waiting for so many years for a fight like this,” Tecate brand director Gustavo Guerra told ESPN.com. “We know in the past we have had great fights but nothing is going to be compared to what is already called the fight of the century. We wanted to increase our brand awareness and we will achieve it with this fight.

“It is like the Super Bowl of boxing, a gigantic sporting event. It’s good for us. It’s about credibility. We cannot have the luxury of being out of this fight. This is very important for us.”

Paramount Pictures/Skydance Productions is promoting two movies: “Terminator Genisys,” a follow-up on the “Terminator” movie series that opens July 1, and “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation,” another film in the “Mission Impossible” series that opens July 31. The Weinstein Company is promoting a new film, “Southpaw,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which opens on July 24.

Trailers for the new films will be seen between fights on the pay-per-view telecast.

Also sponsoring the fight are the Mexican Tourism Board with its “Mexico, Live it to Believe it” campaign to promote tourism in Mexico, and Smart Communications, a Filipino telecom company that has long sponsored Pacquiao’s fights.

Badou Jack won the WBC Super Middleweight title with a 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated Anthony Dirrell at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

It was a good back and forth fight that saw Dirrell cut around the left cheek in round nine.

Jack, 167.6 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 and is now 19-1-2. Dirrell, 167.4 lbs of Flint, MI is now 27-1-1.

Daniel Jacobs retained the WBA Middleweight title with a 12th round stoppage in the final scheduled round over Caleb Truax.

In the final frame, Jacobs landed a powerful right hand that sent Truax into the ropes which was ruled a knockdown as the ropes held Truax up. Jacobs finished the fight as he jumped all over Truax and landed hard shots with both hands and the fight was stopped at 2:12 round 12.

Jacobs, 159 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 29-1 with 26 knockouts. Truax, 159 3/4 lbs of Minnesota is now 25-2-2.

Roberto Garcia got off the deck to score a 8-round unanimous decision over James Stevenson.

Stevenson scored a knockdown in round one from an uppercut. Garcia came back to dominate the rest of the rounds and won by scores of 78-73 twice and 77-74.

Garcia, 150 lbs of Walesco, TX is now 37-3. Stevenson, 146 1/2 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 22-2.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – David Benavidez, the younger brother of WBA interim junior-welterweight champion Jose Benavidez Jr., is scheduled for a main event Saturday night at Celebrity Theatre.

The 18-year-old David Benavidez, 7-0 with 6 knockouts as a super-middleweight and light-heavyweight, faces experienced Rollin Williams (23-20-2, 8 KOs) in a 175-pound bout on a card staged by Iron Boy Promotions.

David often trains with his brother, 22-year-old Jose (22-0, 15 KOs), who defends his title for the first time on May 15 against Jorge Paez Jr. (38-5-2, 23 KOs) on May 15 at US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix. Jose won the 140-pound belt with a controversial decision over Mauricio Herrera last December in Las Vegas.

Saturday’s first bell is scheduled for 5 p.m. (PST)

Andre Ward will return after a 19-month layoff when he takes on Paul Smith at Oracle Arena in Oakland in a bout that will be televised by BET, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We’re thrilled to not only be introducing our newest broadcast partnership with BET Networks, but also to use this new platform to telecast Andre Ward’s highly anticipated return to the ring,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division. “On June 20, we will once again provide fans a night of exciting ‘throne boxing’ fights, live musical entertainment and an unprecedented fan experience.”

Said Stephen G. Hill, BET’s president of programming, “BET is constantly searching for ways to expand its portfolio of content with the sole goal of satisfying our audiences. Roc Nation is doing very exciting things in the entertainment space and we are excited to partner with them on this groundbreaking deal positioning BET Networks as a go-to destination for premier live boxing events. Together, we’ll provide unique entertainment.”

“I’m very excited to be coming back on June 20 at Oracle Arena in my hometown of Oakland, which has been a long time coming,” Ward said. “I’m equally excited to be fighting on BET in front of a potential viewership of over 90 million homes. As a fighter, this diversifies my portfolio and puts me in front of a whole different audience. I have an extremely tough fighter in front of me in Paul Smith, who’s looking to pull the upset, but I can’t let that happen.

“I have to be on my best game to turn Smith away and beat him the way I want to beat him. As always, I’m ready to put on a tremendous performance in front of my hometown fans and those watching on BET. This is a fight you don’t want to miss.”

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and test myself against a class act like Andre Ward,” Smith said. “I proved that I belong at the top level with my performances against Arthur Abraham and this is a challenge that I am relishing. Andre is a top pound-for-pound fighter and someone I respect a lot, but he has only boxed once in almost three years and I will give it everything I have got.

“I am fresh and confident going into this fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me and one that I took with both hands when it was offered. I have spent a lot of time boxing in the United States and I look forward to returning for this fight.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, after weeks of specualtion, tickets will goo on sale on Thursday for the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and May Pacquiao that will take place on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“It was a battle but finally everybody came together,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

“Then they finally sent over a draft reflecting the deal we had agreed to, and it was absolutely 100 percent what we had agreed to,” Arum said. “But it didn’t come over until 6 p.m. [PT], and by 7 p.m. we had reviewed everything and signed.”

Tickets for the MGM Grand Garden Arena are priced at $7,500, $5,000, $3,500, $2,500 and $1,500, not including applicable service charges, and will go on sale at 3 p.m. ET Thursday via Ticketmaster. They are limited to four per household. There are $10,000 tickets, but they are not among the roughly 500 tickets being made available to the public out of the roughly 16,000 tickets.

“This has been a very complex event, and we are pleased to have resolved the outstanding issues,” said Richard Sturm, president of entertainment and sports for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to delivering an incredible event weekend, like only Las Vegas can.”

“We were resolute that we were going to hold on to everything we had negotiated with Mayweather Promotions and they weren’t going to use the relationship with MGM to deprive us of our rights,” Arum said. “Ultimately, that’s how the deal was made. We protected Manny and ourselves, and we weren’t asking for anything we didn’t negotiate. We had a deal with Mayweather Promotions, and then they used the MGM to try to erode our rights. And we stood steadfast and we wouldn’t let that happen, and finally we made a deal, a correct deal, and the fight is going ahead. It’s as simple as that.

“We weren’t going to allow anyone to push us around. We didn’t want more than we were entitled to or want anything extra. We wanted everyone to live up to the deal we made. I have to really commend my guys for standing firm, and I want to thank Les Moonves for being a rational person and poised through this whole thing and for not letting us be pushed around.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Kenny Bayless has been assigned to referee the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The judges, who will be under intense scrutiny as the eyes of the sports world will be on their scorecards should the fight go all 12 rounds, were also unanimously approved: Burt Clements and Dave Moretti, both of Las Vegas, and Glenn Feldman of Connecticut.

“We looked at a litany of judges from around the world and we narrowed it down,” Bob Bennett, the NSAC executive director, told the commission when offering his

ARLINGTON, Texas – It is said a fighter becomes 20-percent better upon winning a world title. Undefeated junior welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford appears to have gained an additional 20-percent by winning 2014 fighter of the year.

Saturday at College Park Center, before a crowd that compensated with passion for what it lacked in density, Crawford (26-0, 18 KOs) showed his trademark composure while waiting for Puerto Rican challenger Thomas Dulorme (22-2, 14 KOs) to overestimate his own talent, conditioning or chin. At nearly the midway moment of the 12-round match, Dulorme did just that, Crawford caught him with a signature combination, and at 1:51 of round 6, the match was over.

“That’s why he’s fighter of the year!” cheered promoter Bob Arum.

“I had a great training camp,” Crawford said afterward. “I was ready for anything he gave me tonight. It was just a matter of time. I feel very strong in this weight division.”

The match began tentatively. Neither man landed many meaningful punches in the first two rounds, and if there were a surprise it was how widely Crawford’s misses went – how easily Dulorme timed him and pulled back from peril – and how otherwise inactive the Nebraskan appeared, contenting himself with waiting for Dulorme to make errors that did not come initially.

A Crawford left hook to the body in round 3, though, began a transformation of the fight’s complexion.

Showmanship and closing rounds effectively gave Crawford whatever scoring advantage he enjoyed after four – as Dulorme got increasingly hesitant the more demonstratively confident Crawford acted.

“He did exactly what we wanted him to do,” said Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre. “We knew (Dulorme) was going to gas out. He’s too tight, he gasses out.

“We call him ‘Sugar Chin’.”

At the beginning of round 6, Crawford landed a left hook, right cross combination, 3-2, that ruined Dulorme. Three knockdowns followed, as Crawford calmly laid waste to the man in front of him.

There may be more popular fighters in the world right now, but it is doubtful there are better or more complete ones.

ISMAIL MUWENDO VS. ROLANDO CHINEA
When two undefeated prospects face-off, brutal affairs often result. That was the case in Saturday’s co-main event, when Uganda’s Ismail Muwendo (17-0, 12 KOs) and Pennsylvania’s Rolando Chinea (10-1-1, 6 KOs) traded fists for eight rounds that were not even as their majority decision for Muwendo indicated: 76-76, 78-74, 79-73.

In the opening rounds, the Ugandan’s speed and reflexes appeared to overwhelm the Pennsylvanian; but for some quick body work in round 2, Chinea looked like a young man tapping away at a grown man. As the fight progressed, Muwendo began to raze him, opening a cut over Chinea’s left eye in round 4, one that garnered a ringside physician’s appraisal before round 5 began.

Chinea’s subsequent idea was a good one – smother the Ugandan and keep him from building forward momentum – but ultimately Chinea did not have the power or accuracy to dissuade Muwendo’s onslaught.

After taking a beating in round 5 that made his corner tell him to win big in the next, with the implication they’d not allow another round if he didn’t, Chinea went out and absorbed blows enough to tire Muwendo a bit in round 6.

Ultimately, Chinea surprised most in attendance by not just making it to the final bell but winning the eighth round on any honest scorecard.

UNDERCARD
The evening’s final undercard bout saw San Antonio welterweight Benjamin “Da Blaxican” Whitaker (9-1, 2 KOs) provide a stiffer-than-expected test for undefeated Kosovar Skender Halili (8-1, 8 KOs), blemishing Halili’s record with a unanimous decision judges scored 80-72, 78-74, 79-73 for the San Antonian. Whitaker’s speed gave Halili trouble from the opening bell, and Whitaker’s clever combinations and willingness to trade on even terms at unexpected moments, too, troubled the undefeated Kosovar. Halili showed a lack of power that belied his sparkly record, failing to dent Whitaker the times he did connect with his chin.

Saturday’s third match, a tilt between undefeated Russian cruiserweight Medzhid Bektemirov (16-0, 13 KOs) – a physically strong man’s whose total lack of urgency is offset by broadcaster HBO’s recent fascination with all things former-Soviet Bloc – and Ghanaian Michael Gbenga (16-19, 16 KOs), ended in a wide unanimous decision for the Russian by official scores of 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73. Menacing as Bektemirov may look, he failed to imperil Gbenga even once, in 24 minutes of stalking, scowling and launching long, slow left-hook leads.

Before that, Michigan super middleweight Anthony Barnes (8-0, 6 KOs), a man who wears Kronk on his trunks but fancies himself a small and slow Muhammad Ali, easily decisioned Arlington’s own Martinez Porter (3-4-4, 1 KO) by unanimous scores of 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56. Wheeling to his left and throwing few meaningful punches, Barnes benefited from an opponent with poor offense and porous defense. A good closing round, in which Barnes landed a smattering of right crosses, improved their otherwise lackluster affair.

Saturday’s first bout, a middleweight scrap betwixt Texans, Dallas’ Mike Tufariello (4-2-2, 4 KOs) and Schertz’s Eddie Tigs (1-5-3), was the sort of honest effort one expects from otherwise hopeless local fighters on an undercard. Though neither man has much of a future in the sport, it was heartwarming to see two men epitomizing the verb “to fight” – an increasingly rare occurrence. The match ended in a questionable draw, with all three judges scoring 38-38, and Tigs having dropped Tufariello in round 1 – a knockdown omitted from all three judges’ tallies, somehow – and then having dropped the two middle rounds on official cards.

Opening bell rang on a cavernous College Park Center at 5:45 local time.

Terence Crawford became a two-division world champion as he captured the WBO Jr. Welterweight title with a 6-round stoppage over Thomas Dulorme in Dallas, Texas.

In round six, Crawford landed a right hand that stumbled Dulorme back to the ropes and he went to a knee. Crawford then landed a hard barrgae in the corner that sent Dulorme down for a 2nd time. Crawford then unloaded a fury of punches on the ropes and Dulorme went down for a 3rd and final time and the bout was stopped at 1:56 of round six.

Crawford, 139 3/4 lbs of Omaha, Nebraska is now 26-0 with 18 knockouts. Dulorme, 139 1/4 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 22-2.

Omar Chavez won an 8-round unanimous decision over Richard Gutierrez in a Middleweight bout.

Chavez, 159 lbs of Culican, MX won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 twice and is now 33-3-1. Gutierrez, 158 1/2 lbs of Cartegena, Colombia is now 28-16-1.

Andrzej Fonfara stopped Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. after Chavez could not continue after round nine of a scheduled 12-round Light Heavyweight bout at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Fonfara dominated the action and dropped Chavez for the first time in his career from a perfect left hook in round nine. Chavez tried to fight back but he quit on the stool following the round.

Fonfara, 171 1/2 lbs of Chicago, IL is now 27-3-1 with 16 knockouts. Chavez, 172 1/2 lbs of Culican, Mexico is now 48-2-1-1.

Amir Imam won a 10-round unanimous decision over Walter Castillo in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Castillo was cut around the left eye in round five.

Imam, 140 lbs of Pompono Beach, FL won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 17-0. Castillo, 138 lbs of Managua, NIC is now 25-3.

Verona, NY (April 18, 2015)–Lamont Roach Jr. pounded out a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Miguel Castro in a lightweight bout.

Roach landed some hard combinations throughout the bout but Castro hung tough and was able to make it the distance.

Roach (7-0, 3 KO’s) of Washington, D.C. won by scores of 60-54 on cards. Castro of Carolina, Puerto Rico falls to 4-3.

Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (18-1, 11 KOs) of The Bronx, New York started the night with a technical knockout victory over Jonathan Batista (14-6, 7 KOs) of San Pedro de Marcos, Dominican Republic, when Batista could not answer the bell to start round six in their scheduled 10-round super welterweight bout.

“I feel good, I’m satisfied with the win, but I wanted to show more,” said Eddie Gomez. “I was just getting warmed up, showing my boxing and foot work skills to prove I was ready for the 12-round championship fights.”

Sidney McCow scored a first round technical knockout over Paulo Souza in a scheduled four round welterweight.

McCow (3-2, 2 KO’s) of New York, NY pummeled Souza until the bout was stopped at 2:55 of round one.

Souza of Somerville, Massachusetts is now 0-8.

Dennis Hogan won a close 10-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Brunson in a Super Welterweight bout at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota.

Hogan, 153 1/2 lbs of Ireland via Australia won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 and is now 21-0-1. Brunson, 153 lbs of Philadelphia is now 22-5-1.

Ismael Barroso remained perfect by scoring a 1st round stoppage over Ira Terry in a scheduled 8-round Lightweight bout.

Barroso landed a perfect straight left that put Terry on the seat of his pants for the ten count at 2:49.

Barroso, 135 lbs of Venezuela is now 18-0-2 with 17 knockouts. Terry, 130.5 lbs of Memphis, TN is now 26-14.

Rob Brant remained perfect as he scored a 2nd round stoppage over Dionisio Miranda in a scheduled 6-round Super Middleweight bout.

Brant floored Miranda in the 2nd frame with a big right. Miranda sat on a knee and took the ten count at 2:40 of round two.

Brant, 161 1/2 lbs of Minnesota is now 15-0 with 9 knockouts, Miranda, 165 lbs of Colombia is now 22-11-2.

Jarrell Miller scored a 1st round stoppage over Raymond Ochieng in a acheduled 6-round Heavyweight bout.

Miller landed a perfect right uppercut that sent Ocheing reeling to the ropes. Miller landed four hard blows that sent Ocheing down between the ropes and the fight was waved off immediately at 1:40.

Miller, 283.5 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 12-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Ocheing, 244 lbs of Nairobi, Kenya is now 26-19-3.

Murat Gassiev remained undefeated by scoring a ninth round stoppage over Felix Cora Jr. in a scheduled 12-round Cruiserweight bout at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashentucket, Connecticut.

Gassiev landed a flurry of punches that hurt Cora against the ropes in the ninth rounds. Referee Johnny Callas momerterily gave Cora a second to recover but Gassiev jumped on Cora and the fight was stopped at 1:10 of round nine.

Gassiev, 197 lbs of Russia is now 21-0 with 15 knockouts. Cora, 198 lbs of Galveston, TX is now 25-7-2.

Gassiev landed 283-835 punches while Cora landed 138-524.

Ray Robinson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sherzod Alimjanov in a Welterweight bout.

In round four, Robinson scored a knockdown when he landed a right hook while Alimjanov came in.

Robinson outlanded Alimjanov 266-114.

Robinson, 145 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 100-89, 99-90 and 98-91 and is now 20-2. Alimjanov, 146 lbs of Uzbekistan is now 22-3.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Vasyl Lomachenko will defend the WBO featherweight title against Gamalier Rodriguez on May 2 as part of the Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao card in Las Vegas.

“I’m his biggest fan and I was from the beginning,” Arum said of Lomachenko. “I thought this guy was amazing and it’s an honor to promote him. I want the fans on May 2 to see a typical Lomachenko display of all of his talents, his smarts, his body punching. He’s an extraordinary talent and this is a good platform to exhibit that talent before the biggest possible audience.”

Giving Lomachenko a coveted spot on the biggest boxing card in many years reminded Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti of how a future star — Pacquiao — was positioned on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson pay-per-view card in 2002. Lewis-Tyson was a hugely anticipated heavyweight championship fight and became the highest grossing fight in history at the time.

“I remember when we did Lewis-Tyson and an ultra-talented lighter weight southpaw was featured on that mega card. It was Manny,” said Moretti, who at the time worked for Main Events, Lewis’ promoter. “This has the same type of feeling and we believe it will launch Lomachenko’s status, both in and out of the ring.

“Gammy is a very talented, hardworking boxer-puncher, who accepted this challenge without any hesitation. Puerto Rico will be fully behind him in this fight.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipated fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will have the fans be charged $10 to get into the weigh-in. The money will go to charity.

“All of the money that is generated from the weigh-in, every dollar, is going to charity,” Brad Jacobs, the executive event producer for Top Rank, Pacquiao’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Thursday.

“What we wanted to do was avoid the craziness you’ve seen at the Mayweather and Pacquiao weigh-ins where you have people sleeping out in front of the arena the night before and basically camping out,” Jacobs said. “We want to avoid that. We want some orderly fashion to it so people needed to have a ticket like they need to a concert or a fight, so there’s no reason for a big crowd to get there the night before.

“They will all be reserved seats. You have your ticket. There’s no craziness waiting in line trying to get into the arena.”

Jacobs said the full MGM Grand Garden Arena will be open for the weigh-in, as has been the case for the past few Mayweather weigh-ins, as opposed to only a portion of the arena typically being open for other fights. Jacobs said Top Rank and Pacquiao will donate their share of the proceeds to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which has a branch in Las Vegas and has done extensive studies on the brain health of boxers.

Jacobs said Mayweather has designated his share of the ticket sales to go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, a breast cancer charity the fighter has supported through the years.

“We’re still working everything out, but they will be sold through the regular MGM ticket outlets and we’ll be distributing the information on how and when people can get tickets,” Jacobs said.

“I suggested it a few weeks ago. I said we should sell tickets to the weigh-in as long as the money goes to charity,” Arum said. “It’s a good idea because nobody is going to profit and the charge will be reasonable. If [it] goes to charity, that’s a good thing, right?

“Charging money for the weigh-in and putting the money in the pockets of the hotel or the fighters or the promoters would be wrong. I also think the promotion should make a sizable donation to charity on top of this.”

“The weigh-in became one of the topics, and this became the process we thought was best,” Jacobs said. “I think we all agreed on it in about 30 seconds.”

Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto will defend his crown against former belt holder Daniel Geale on June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“We’re excited and proud to bring Miguel Cotto back to New York along with Miguel Cotto Promotions, now as a part of the Roc Nation Sports family,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division. “Brooklyn and boxing have a long history, and Puerto Rican heritage is closely integrated with both. What a way for New York to kick off the week of the Puerto Rican Day Parade festivities — with Miguel Cotto’s long-awaited return to the ring.”

“It’s going to be great to be at a new place in New York,” Cotto said. “My fans are in New York and I love fighting there.”

He fought Martinez at a contract weight of 159 pounds, one below the 160-pound division limit. With much more leverage against Geale, he insisted that he come down to 157 pounds and made no apologies.

“I had to do it before when I faced Manny Pacquiao. He made me come down to 145 pounds,” Cotto told ESPN.com of his 2009 knockout loss to Pacquiao in a welterweight title fight. “Pacquiao used any advantage he had against me and I will do the same with everybody in the division. I am a small middleweight and I need to use this to my advantage.”

“But I know he’s coming in great shape to prove to everybody he can beat Miguel Cotto,” Cotto said. “We will be ready for him.”

“I’m very excited, very pumped. This is a huge opportunity for me,” Geale told ESPN.com. “I’m very fortunate that I have a great team and they worked their butt off and got me the fight I wanted. This is definitely one I wanted for a while and they made it happen.”

Said Gary Shaw, Geale’s promoter, “I believe the Cotto fight is the perfect match up for Daniel. I was surprised that Miguel took the fight. If they looked at the (Golovkin) fight as an indication of which Daniel will be in the ring they need to look at the (Felix) Sturm fight to find out who will be in the ring on June 6.” Geale said he has followed Cotto and has the utmost respect for him and his many accomplishments.

“Miguel Cotto is a great fighter and he’s been one for a long time. It makes it easy to train hard for a guy like that,” Geale said. “I know what I am up against. He’s such a high-profile fighter. He’s fought the best of the best. He’s at middleweight and that changes things for him. I’ve been here for along time.

“The (157 catch weight) is what it is. I fight at 160 but you take what you can get sometimes. Fighting Golovkin was tough. So many people dodged the guy and I put my hand up to fight him and a few things didn’t go my way. I know this opportunity is going to be much different.” Cotto declined to talk about the fight with Alvarez since they both have to win first.

“We are focused on Geale for June and then after that we can talk about anybody else,” Cotto said. “We had some conversations about fighting Canelo but we are really focused on Daniel Geale.”

“If anything it adds motivation for me. I definitely want to upset those plans,” Geale said. “My job is not to be another opponent. My job is to go out there and win. He’s fought most of his fights at lighter weights and now he’s stepping up and I will show him what its like to fight a real middleweight even though I’m stripping down a little bit. I’m gonna make this one count and go out there to cause a big upset.”

Said Shaw, “I have a lot of respect for Miguel and his team, have known them all for a very long time and appreciate the opportunity they have given Daniel, myself, and (co-promoter) Grange Old School Boxing. On June 6 there will be a new WBC world champion, so I hope team Cotto has not looked past June into September. That would be a mistake.”

Following the loss by IBF Jr. Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson to Danny Garcia this past Saturday night, the IBF will strip Peterson and has ordered Cesar Cuenca and IK Yang to vie for the vacant belt according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The fight between Cuenca and Yang, should a deal be made, could take place on Top Rank’s next card in Macau, which is scheduled for July 18

Oscar Valdez remained perfect by stopping Jose Ramirez in round three of a scheduled 8-round Super Featherweight bout at the Laredo Energy Center in Laredo, Texas.

Valdez landed a perfect left hook to the body in round three that sent Ramirez down for the ten count at 2:05.

Valdez, 127 1/2 lbs is now 15-0 with 14 knockouts. Ramirez, 128 lbs is 28-6.

Brazilian Olympian Esquiva Falcao won a 6-round unanimous decision over Omar Rojas in a Middleweight bout.

Falcao, 157 1/2 lbs won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-0. Rojas, 156 1/4 lbs is now 3-3.

Kell Brook will defend the IBF Welterweight title against Frankie Gavin on May 30 in London according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

I never expected to be out again so quickly but I can’t wait,” Brook said. “I respect Frankie for stepping up. He has called for this fight for a long time and after he was given a final eliminator against Tim Bradley it made sense for him to take the challenge.

“I feel like I’m unbeatable right now and Gavin isn’t going to be able to cope with my speed and power on fight night. The O2 is one of the best arenas in the world and it’s an honor to headline a card like this.”

“These are the fights you want to be part of and are where I belong,” Gavin said. “I’ve dreamt of a world title and I will be 100 percent ready physically and mentally for Kell Brook. Of course, it’s going to be tough but I believe Kell is beatable and I’ve always felt that I have got the skills and the team to cause an upset.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, jr. featherweight beltholder Leon Santa Cruz has been added to mega card that will be headlined by Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao that will take place on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“I’m so honored to be the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do so on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Santa Cruz said. “This will be a huge night for boxing and I plan on showing everybody that I’m all about action-packed fights. I’m grateful to Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions for giving me this opportunity and giving the Mexican fight fans another reason to cheer on May 2.”

“I’m extremely excited to put one of the most popular and exciting Mexican fighters in the world on the pay-per-view undercard of this historic event on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Mayweather said. “I’m all about giving my loyal fans what they want. All the fans watching on fight night will be in for a great show when Leo Santa Cruz enters the ring.”

Mayweather Promotions also announced it has added cruiserweight prospect Andrew Tabiti (9-0, 9 KOs), 25, a Chicago native living in Las Vegas, to face an opponent to be determined in an eight-round bout in one of the two untelevised bouts it is responsible for.

“I can’t wait for this opportunity to get in the ring and show off my power on May 2,” Tabiti said. “I’m always ready to put on a show for the fans and I hope they’re ready to see a big knockout.”

“Chris Pearson and Andrew Tabiti are future world champions who will have a chance to perform on the biggest stage in all of boxing on May 2, and I can’t say enough about how excited we are to have Leo Santa Cruz on the card as the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.