Shakhram Giyasov meets Pablo Cesar Cano and Antonio Vargas faces Jonathan Rodriguez in World title eliminators, as hot prospect Yankiel Rivera fights for a first pro title on the undercard of the Super-Middleweight showdown between Edgar Berlanga and Padraig McCrory at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida on Saturday February 24, live worldwide on DAZN.

TICKETS GO ON PRESALE ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10 (10AM ET), AND ON GENERAL SALE ON JANUARY 11 (10AM ET) – VISIT MATCHROOMBOXING.COM TO SIGN UP FOR PRESALE

Giyasov (14-0 9 KOs) will look to make his claims for a World Welterweight title shot even louder when the WBA number #1 ranked Welterweight takes on former World title challenger Cano (35-8-1 25 KOs). The Uzbek beat Harold Calderon at a canter in June in New Orleans to make it to 14-0 in the paid ranks, and now seeks victory over the experienced Mexican who has won his last two fights inside the distance and sits at #6 with the WBA at 147lbs.

Vargas (17-1 9 KOs) and Rodriguez (17-1-1 7 KOs) clash in a fascinating eliminator for the WBA 118lb crown. Vargas will be on familiar territory for the biggest fight of his career to date, as the 27 year old steps through the ropes at Caribe Royale for the seventh straight fight, but the #2 ranked Floridian faces a man full of confidence in Puerto Rican Torres, who stunned the boxing world by sending former World champion Kal Yafai into retirement with a first round KO win in Los Angeles in November, and the #4 ranked 24 year old will be eager to build on that impressive showing against Vargas.

Former amateur stud Rivera (4-0 2 KOs) is ready to make his first significant impact on the paid ranks as he looks to get hold of his first belt by taking on Andy Dominguez for the WBA Continental Americas Flyweight title. The Puerto Rican Olympic sensation has already proved to be a hit in his four outings to date, but steps up in both opposition and rounds against the unbeaten Mexican Dominguez (10-0 6 KOs), who also fights for his first belt in the clash.

Florida’s Aaron Aponte (8-1-1 2 KOs) steps through the ropes for the 11^th time in the paid ranks over eight rounds at Super-Lightweight, and Cuban Heavyweight and 2021 World Championship bronze medalist Herich Ruiz (4-0 3 KOs) is back in action over six, with opponents for both fighters to be named soon. 

The bouts announced today feature on a star-studded line-up in Orlando, topped by the clash between explosive unbeaten Super-Middleweights Edgar Berlanga and Padraig McCrory, with the co-feature bout showcasing the continued rise of Cuba’s former Olympic Gold medal hero Andy Cruz, who defends his IBF International Lightweight title against Brayan Zamarippa.

SAM NOAKES WILL fight English champion Lewis Sylvester at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 10 February in the chief support to the mighty middleweight clash between Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams, live on TNT Sports.

The Commonwealth and WBC International Silver belts currently owned by the 12-0 (12 KOs) Noakes will be on the line against the undefeated 13-0 (4 KOs) man from Hull.

Two-time World title challenger Anthony Yarde (24-3, 23) will return to action over 10 rounds at light heavyweight ahead of major title challenges in 2024.

The recently crowned Commonwealth Silver featherweight champion Masood Abdulah (9-0, 6) will make a first defence of his belt against the 2016 Olympian Qais Ashfaq (12-2, 5).

Sylvester, 25, won the vacant English title when he defeated the previously unbeaten Adam Cope in Sheffield via a unanimous verdict last July, before making a blistering first defence against Jimmy First in October when he took just over two minutes to complete the job.

Noakes has been on the title trail since the end of 2021 when he stopped Shaun Cooper for his WBC honour, before adding the Commonwealth to his cabinet with a fourth-round stoppage of Calvin McCord in November 2022. The charismatic Maidstone man extended his knockout run to 12 in December when Carlos Perez was accounted for in the fourth round at York Hall.

Islington’s Abdulah defeated Marc Leach in October to win his maiden title as a professional and he goes up against Leeds man Ashfaq, who dropped a split decision in challenge for the British super featherweight title against Liam Dillon in July

Also featuring at the Copper Box will be the WBC International super lightweight champion Pierce O’Leary (13-0, 7) making a third defence of his belt. While light heavyweight Karol Itauma (10-1, 7) continues his journey over eight rounds.

Cruiserweights Tommy Fletcher (5-0, 4) and Aloys Jr (5-1, 5), as well as welterweight Khalid Ali (7-0, 3) and featherweight Umar Khan (8-0) will fight over six rounds, with 1-0 newcomers Sam King (middleweight), Billy Adams (lightweight) and Charlie Hickford (super featherweight) having their second four round encounters.

“We are in for a busy night at the Copper Box in our first show of the year on February 10,” said promoter Frank Warren. “The main event speaks for itself, and I believe Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams will deliver a captivating spectacle.

“The time has come for Sam Noakes to stake his claim at the top of the domestic scene, and we should be in for a cracking fight when he goes up against the undefeated English champion Lewis Sylvester, who will view this as his gateway to more big nights on a TV platform.

“The undercard is stacked, and fans can look forward to Anthony Yarde getting back into business in a 10-rounder before he returns to major title action a little further down the line. Pierce O’Leary and Masood Abdulah can also stake their claim to be part of headline fights over the course of this year.

“Our top prospects are also on parade, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing the rivalry between our knockout pair of cruiserweights, Tommy Fletcher and Aloys Jr, develop as they seek to out-do each other before, one day, they get to do it for real.”

Tickets for Sheeraz vs Williams on 10 February 2024 at the Copper Box Arena are on sale now available from ticketmaster.co.uk.

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Copper Box Arena, managed by GLL, a charitable social enterprise and worker-owned cooperative, operating under the community-brand, Better.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (January 5, 2024) – Moroccan super featherweight Moussa Gholam (20-1, 12 KOs) will headline “Rising Stars Arabia: The Revolution,” promoted by AAM Seddiqi Sports and sponsored by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), on January 13th at Yas Links Golf Course in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Rising Stars Arabia (RSA) series is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, providing a platform to showcase the best of Arab boxing talent to international and regional audiences.

Sanctioned by the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission, “Rising Star Arabia: The Revolution” will be streamed live on DAZN and ESPN Knockout, as well as broadcast on Abu Dhabi Sports TV, starting at 8 p.m. UAEST (11 a.m. EST and 8 a.m. PST).

“2024 will be a significant year for Rising Stars Arabia,” promoter Ahmed Seddiqi said. “It’s the second edition of the series and we are thrilled to have world-class boxer Moussa Gholam perform globally on DAZN and ESPN KO. We’re also excited about other exceptional talents such as UAE national Fahad Ali Baloushi, Bader Samreen and the extraordinary talent from Iraq, Amer Kadhum Ghaneem.

“My hope is for Moroccans to come support their fighter, Emiratis to back their warrior, and all other Arab nationals on the card to have their supporters and fanbase present live on January 13th at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. None of this would have been possible without our partners from the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi and our broadcasting partners, DAZN and ESPN Knockout.”

Gholam, who was rated No. 14 by the World Boxing Council WBC) at the time, was originally scheduled to headline the inaugural “Rising Stars Arabia” event this past September 9th. However, he was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during training camp, but he returns eager to establish himself as the future of Arab boxing in his Middle East debut fight.

The 28-year-old Gholam will take on South African “Baby” Lunga Sitemela (15-1, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Gholam is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental and WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight Champion. Sitemela is a former South African Super Featherweight Champion.

The 10-round co-featured event pits hometown favorite Fahad “Kid Emirati” Al Bloushi (12-1, 2 KOs) against veteran Milner Marcano (24-12, 20 KOs), of Argentina. Al Bloushi, the pride of UAE, has won his last 11 fights in a row.

A Special Lightweight Attraction features red-hot Bader “The Master” Samreen (9-0, 8 KOs), the first professional boxer from Jordan, against the United Kingdom’s Jeff Ofori (13-5-2, 4 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Samreen, 23, captured a bronze medal as an amateur at the 2018 AIBA Youth World Championships. He turned pro in 2021 and moved to Dubai to enhance his boxing career.

Opening the streaming segment of the evening is one of the best kept secrets in boxing, Syria’s undefeated cruiserweight force Mohammed “The Destroyer” Bekdash (26-0, 23 KOs), in an eight-round match versus Shaban Hamadi Jongo (11-3-2, 10 KOs), of Tanzania. Devastating puncher Bekdash is riding a 14-fight knockout streak dating back to 2015, while the dangerous Jongo is a former Tanzania Cruiserweight Champion.

Fighting on the undercard in six-round matches are Iraq light heavyweight Amer Kadhum Ghaneem (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Marcela German Rodriguez (0-1), of Argentina, and Jordan’s Hisham Osama Majed Elsimreen (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Riva Kundimang (9-7-2, 5 KOs), of Indonesia, at a 152-pound catchweight.

Also scheduled to be in action, all in four-rounders, are Moroccan Anas Hafiane (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Uganda’s Batamazee Iddi (0-1) at a 143-pound catchweight, Saudi Arabian super lightweight Sulaiman Abbar (1-0, 0 KOs) vs. Salum Omari (1-2 (0 KOs), of Tanzania, and UAE middleweight Fahad Alkhoori (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Pakistan’s Shahzada Sohail (0-3).

Card subject to change.

AAM Seddiqi Sports has been promoting and managing fighters in the region for 10 years and it has a growing stable of more than 30 gifted regional and global talents. Its events include five world title shows that have been broadcasted globally on ESPN, Sky Sports, and other major networks.

DCT Abu Dhabi is responsible for promoting, protecting, and progressing the emirate by driving the strategic and sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors. As part of its mandate, the department is responsible for promoting regional and global sporting events in the emirate.

Tickets to Rising Stars Arabia are on sale now at https://swiy.co/rsa2. Leading up to the event, fans can find updates on the AAM Seddiqi Sports Instagram channel @seddiqiboxing and on seddiqiboxing.com.

InAbuDhabi

RisingStarsArabiaTheRevolution

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About Rising Stars Arabia

Presenting Rising Stars Arabia (RSA) – A fighting series promoted by AAM Seddiqi Sports and powered by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). This marks a notable series within the UAE and the wider MENA region. This platform, humble in its intentions yet ambitious in its scope, provides aspiring Arab athletes with a unique opportunity to showcase their talents before regional and international audiences.

This significant initiative, grounded in the values of nurturing homegrown and regional talent, represents an important leap towards evolving professional boxing within the region. By doing so, it empowers an emerging generation of athletes with genuine opportunities right at their doorstep – eliminating the need to seek participation abroad.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies, and systems to support the culture, creative and tourism industries.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage, and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives, and creative thought.

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 4, 2024) — The lineal junior welterweight king is ready for a super show.

Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO and Ring Magazine titles against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Lopez-Ortiz headlines an action-packed televised doubleheader that kicks off Big Game Weekend.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis faces Puerto Rican former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 5 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com. 

Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

“Teofimo Lopez is among the best fighters in the world and always wants to fight the best available opponent. Jamaine Ortiz is a supreme talent who fits the bill,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I believe Keyshawn Davis is a future world champion, but you can never count out a skilled two-weight world champion like Jose Pedraza. What a fantastic doubleheader for the fans watching on ESPN and at Michelob ULTRA Arena.”

Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) captured the IBF lightweight world title by defeating Richard Commey via second-round knockout in December 2019. The following October, he bested pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko to win the WBA, WBO, and WBC Franchise titles. Thirteen months later, he lost the belts via shocking split decision to George Kambosos Jr. The 26-year-old then moved up to junior welterweight in August 2022 with a seventh-round TKO against Pedro Campa and a split decision over Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin that December. In his latest fistic tour de force, Lopez upset former undisputed champion Josh Taylor to capture the WBO and Ring Magazine titles.

Lopez said. “February 8 at Mandalay Bay, ‘The Takeover’ will entertain inside that squared circle as only I can! To the boxing fans around the world, I look to not only dominate and break down Jamaine Ortiz, but to do it in such a fashion that my division will be put on alert.“

“Jamaine is tough. I would know, because I faced him back in the amateur days in 2015 for the National Golden Gloves Championship. I’ll show the world that champions don’t flinch when faced with challenges. They rise and shine the brightest when the stakes are highest. This one is for all my people on the Takeover Express! Let’s show the world once again what real boxing looks like.”

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), a seven-year pro, secured the NABF lightweight title by outpointing Nahir Albright in February 2022. The Worcester, Massachusetts, native then notched a decision win against former world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring that May and rounded off the year with an exceptional showing against Lomachenko. Ortiz dropped the tightly contested battle to “Loma” by unanimous decision but responded with a one-sided points verdict over Antonio Moran in September.

Ortiz said, “This is the most important fight of my career. It’s my first world title bout. I believe this fight will bring out the very best in me, and I’m looking forward to coming home as the new champion!”

Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, has graduated from prospect to contender and is inching closer to a world title opportunity. After going 3-0 as a pro, he captured a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In November 2021, he signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank and has since tallied six victories. He had an active 2023 in which he stopped Anthony Yigit via ninth-round TKO in April and shut out Francesco Patera by 10-round decision in July. In October, he bested Philadelphia-born contender Nahir Albright by majority decision that was later ruled a no contest by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation due to a positive marijuana test.

“I have all the respect in the world for Jose Pedraza and what he’s accomplished in the pro game,” Davis said. “This is type of step up I need to get to the next level, and I know Pedraza will bring his A-game. It’s his last chance to get back to title contention, but I won’t let that happen. I will show out for the fans in Las Vegas and everyone watching on ESPN.”

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, won the IBF junior lightweight world title against Andrey Klimov in June 2015 and made title defenses against Edner Cherry and Stephen Smith. He captured the WBO lightweight world title against Rey Beltran in August 2018. After losing the title in a unification showdown against Lomachenko, he moved up to 140 pounds, where he a faced the likes of Jose Zepeda, Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey, Lindolfo Delgado and Arnold Barboza Jr. Pedraza returns to the lightweight division in hopes of another world title run.

Pedraza said, “Keyshawn Davis is going to experience what it’s like to face a two-division world champion. He’s never faced a boxer of my caliber, nor has he faced anyone even close to the caliber of my toughest opponents. He wants to continue climbing up the ranks, but on February 8, he’ll be falling off the ladder.”

The ESPN+-streamed undercard features a gamut of up-and-coming talents.

19-year-old lightweight phenom, Emiliano Fernando Vargas (8-0, 7 KOs), son of former junior middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas, will see action in a six-round clash against Tomas Ornelas (7-3, 5 KOs). Vargas went 6-0 with five knockouts in his sophomore year as a pro and is coming off a second-round destruction of Brandon Mendoza in November at T-Mobile Arena.

Lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (11-0, 9 KOs) will fight Benjamin Gurment (8-0-3, 5 KOs) in his first scheduled eight-rounder. Mason will look to capitalize on his 5-0 2023 campaign, which included a second-round TKO versus Jose Cardenas in November. 

Unbeaten middleweight Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (9-0-1, 3 KOs) will take on Raul Salomon (12-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Martinez dropped Isaiah Wise three times en route to a first-round knockout in November. 

Former Team USA amateur standout Charlie Sheehy (8-0, 5 KOs) will step up to the eight-round distance for the first time. Sheehy vanquished Jesus Vasquez Jr. by unanimous decision in November. 

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (10-0, 8 KOs), the power-punching dynamo from Ulysses, Kansas, sees action in a six-rounder.

Former national amateur champion Art Barrera Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring in a four-round junior welterweight fight. 

TACOMA, Wash. (January 3, 2024) – The official weigh in was held today for tomorrow night’s first worldwide pro boxing event of 2004, “Pit Stop on Road to Greatness,” at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Presented by Toro Promotions and Whitfield Haydon Boxing, “Pit Stop on Road to Greatness” will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com pay per view for $19.99.

Tickets are priced for $100.00, $70.00, and $45.00 and may be purchased online at https://emeraldqueen.com/boxing/ or by calling (253) 594-7777.  Tickets purchased at the Emerald Queen Shop are eligible for up to a 20-discount, plus no taxes or processing fees. Must be 21 years of age to attend. 

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

Fighters’ weights below:

____________________________________________________

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

MAIN EVENT – HEAVYWEIGHTS – 10 ROUNDS

Gurgen Hovhannisyan (4-0, 4 KOs), Los Angeles, CA by way of Armenia 278.6 lbs.

Colby Madison (11-6-2, 7 KOs), Baltimore, MD 244.9 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – HEAVYWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS

Tsotne Rogava (3-0, 3 KOs), Los Angeles, CA by way of Ukraine and Georgia 265 lbs.

Dante Williams (4-0, 4 KOs), Hawkinsville, GA 201 lbs.

SPECIAL HEAVYWEIGHT ATTRACTION – 8 ROUNDS

Dante Stone (14-1, 10 KOs), Chandler, AZ 267.6 lbs.

Alexander Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs), Rowland Heights, CA 271.5  lbs.

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS

Nilo Guerrero (6-0 5 KOs), Coachella, CA by way of Nicaragua 129.2 lbs.

Chancellor Battenberg (4-3, 4 KOs), Kingwood, TX 128.7 lbs.

SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS

Elijah Seawright (9-0, 7 KOs), Colombia, SC 153.2 lbs.

Henry Rivera (2-2, 1 KO), Las Vegas, NV 154.5 lbs.

SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS

Dazjhante Frazier (0-1), Seattle, WA 153.2 lbs.

Nathan Stolen (pro debut), Aberdeen, WA 154.5 lbs.

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS

Agustin Tovar (pro debut), Auburn, WA 133.5 lbs.

Ezra Rabin (1-4, 1 KO), Oakland, CA 135 lbs.

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS

Nelson Guerrero (1-0, 1 KO), Coachella, CA by way of Nicaragua 121.6 lbs.

Gilberto Duran (4-7, 4 KOs), Yakima, WA 122.2 lbs.

________________________________________________________________

LOS ANGELES (January 4, 2024)–Wise Owl Boxing is pleased to announce the signing of super bantamweight Javon Woodard to a management contract.

Woodard will be co-managed by Lamont Roseborough.

Woodard, 27 of Raleigh, North Carolina, and is now fighting out of Atlanta, has a record of 12-2 with 10 knockouts.

“Javon is a super talented, exciting fighter and he’s going to get a lot of attention in the division. His work ethic is top notch and his desire for greatness is impressive and admirable. He’s coming off a split decision loss on a card promoted by overtime. The bout was ruled a draw after the 8th round and Javon won the 9th, but unfortunately based on the rules of Overtime, still lost in a majority decision. He’s got a new team behind him now and we’re thrilled to elevate his career and get him back on top where he deserves to be,” said Mark Habibi of Wise Owl Boxing.

“It’s an honor to be able to work with a great fighter like Javon. He is a hard worker and dedicated to the sport of boxing. I am excited for what is to come in 2024 as he takes his career to the next level,” said Roseborough

“”I gained a relationship with Mark. We didn’t discuss business at 1st. We vibed with each other before we even talked boxing. I appreciated that. He gives me advice other than boxing. He has the tools and connections to put me in the rooms that I need to be in,” said Woodard.

Woodard started boxing at the age of nine after he developed anger problems as a youth. His father took him to a boxing gym to give him an outlet.

That led to a distinguished amateur career that saw him go 89-12 with many National Championship victories.

“Before the year ends, I will be a contender for a world title. .I am looking and hoping for at least 3-4 fights this year. By signing with Mark and Wise Owl, that is now very possible.”

Woodard describes his style as a boxer-puncher .”I am a slick boxer but I am aggressive at the same time.”

“My focus is boxing only. I have a son that motivates me to keep working hard towards my goals.

Woodard is trained by Kenny Williams

“I feel like I am one of the next big names in boxing. I want to fight anybody that is ranked above me and that will get me further up that rankings and closer to a world title opportunity.”

Woodard joins former world title challenger Brandon Adams, world-ranked Charles Conwell and junior welterweight D’Angelo Evans in the Wise Owl Boxing stable.

Philadelphia (January 3, 2024) –Popular Philadelphia bantamweight contender Christian Carto will kick off King’s Promotions year when headlines against veteran Ardin Diale in the eight-round main event on Friday, January 12th at Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia.

Carto of Philadelphia is 20-1 with 13 knockouts. The 27 year-old is an eight-year professional who has wins over Alonso Melendez (14-1), James Smith (12-1) and is coming off a unanimous decision over Hector Andres Sosa on October 1, 2022 in Philadelphia.

Diale of the Philippines is 35-18-4 with 17 knockouts. The 35 year-old is an 18 year-pro who has defeated Jermie Jabel (16-0-1), Lotto Sonsona (15-0-2), Mhar Jhon Macahilig (15-1), Cris Paulino (10-0), Yota Hori (9-0-2), Reneiro Arizala (11-0-1), Jeny Boy Boca (9-1), Yuta Matsua (7-1-1) and Renoel Pael (19-1-1). Diale is looking to get back in the win column after losing to Gary Tamayo on March 30, 2023 in the Philippines.

In Eight-round Bouts:

Quadir Alright (9-1, 9 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Adam Kipenga (11-4-1, 7 KOs) of Virginia in a welterweight bout.

Atif Oberlton (8-0, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia fights veteran Cleotis Pendarvis (22-19-2, 9 KOs) of Lancaster, CA in a light heavyweight contest.

In a Six-Round Bout, Ibrahim Robinson (6-0-1, 5 KOs) of Baltimore battles Renny Viamonte Mastrapa (2-0, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas in a clash of undefeated welterweights.:

In Four-Round Bouts:

Jaclyne McTamney (1-0) of Southampton, PA fights Cara McLaughlin (1-7) of Cookstown, Northern Ireland in a featherweight bout.

Ismail Muhammad (3-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a welterweight fight.

Cornellio Phipps of Oxford, PA will make his pro debut against Darin Holliday Jr. (0-1) of Philadelphia in a super bantamweight fight.

Debuting light heavyweights, Cody Russell of Pennsylvania and Ronald Trahan of Fort Worth, Texas will take part in a four-round bout.

Tickets are priced at $100 and can be purchased BY CLICKING THIS LINK

LOS ANGELES (January 2, 2024) – A heavyweight crossroads fight between Dante Stone (14-1, 10 KOs) and Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs) will be the first streamed pro boxing match of 2024 this Thursday evening at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

“Pit Stop on Road to Greatness” card, presented by Toro Promotions and Whitfield Haydon Boxing, will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com pay per view for $19.99, opening with Stone versus Flores in an eight-round Special Heavyweight Attraction. 

“Nobody knows how this fight will play out in terms of both the result and aesthetics of it. co-promoter Whit Haydon noted. “But the winner will get a good bounce off of the win and have something solid to point to on his resume. People are split across the board as to who they think will win.

“Also, this will be the first fight of the night and will open the pay-per-view telecast, effectively making this the very first fight worldwide of 2024.”

Fighting out of Chandler, Arizona, the 29-year-old Stone lost his pro debut in 2018 by way of a four-round unanimous decision, but he’s been unbeaten ever since with 14 straight wins. The 6’ 3”, 260-pound Stone is stepping up in terms of quality opposition against Flores, whose three career losses have been to world champions Luis Ortiz, Joseph Parker, and Charles Martin.

Flores, 33, stands 6’ 4” and weighs 230-pounds. He hasn’t fought in three years, although during this inactive streak the native of Rowland Heights, California, made six appearances in one-round Team Combat League (TCL) contests, in addition to one bare knuckle fight.

The 10-round main event is headlined by undefeated Armenian prospect Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (4-0, 4 KOs), who is matched against dangerous Colby Madison (11-6-2, 7 KOs).  The 6’ 7”, 275-pound Hovhannisyan, now living in Los Angeles, hasn’t fought in more than a year since his impressive sixth-round knockout of Michael Polite Coffie (13-2).

Another Eastern European-born heavyweight, 30-year-old Ukraine Olympian Tsotne Rogava (3-0, 3 KOs), will be showcased in the six-round co-featured event against undefeated Dante Williams (4-0, 4 KOs). The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava is a former kickboxing champion, who was born in Georgia, raised in Ukraine, and resides in Los Angeles.

The Guerrero brothers, undefeated super featherweight Nilo (6-0, 5 KOs) and bantamweight Nelson (1-0, 1 KO), will both be fighting for their first in the United States, respectively in six and four-round fights, against . Chancellor Battenberg (4-3, 4 KOs) and Gilberto Duran (4-7, 4 KOs).

Undefeated South Carolina super welterweight Elijah Seawright (9-0, 7 KOs), a Tik Tok sensation from South Carolina, meets Henry Rivera (2-2, 1 KO) in a six-rounder.

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is Seattle super welterweight Agustin Tovar (0-1) vs. pro-debuting Nathan “Superman” Stolen, and pro-debuting Auburn (WA) super lightweight Agustin Tovar vs. Oakland’s Ezra Rabin (1-4, 1 KO).

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale now for $100.00, $70.00, and $45.00 and may be purchased online at https://emeraldqueen.com/boxing/ or by calling (253) 594-7777.  Tickets purchased at the Emerald Queen Shop are eligible for up to a 20-discount, plus no taxes or processing fees. Must be 21 years of age to attend. 

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

DECEMBER 28, 2023–Weights for Friday Night’s card at The Prudential Center.

Vito Mielnicki Jr. 154 – Salim Larbi 154

Michael Anderson 146.5 – Eudy Bernardo 146.5

Thomas LaManna 158 – Nicolas Hernandez 159.5

Kristian Prenga 258 – Christopher Arnold 216

Mike Lee 146.5 – Rickey Edwards 145

Malik Nelson 129.5 – Romel Tsanimp 129

Paul Kroll 160 – Weah Archiebald 159

Dwyke Flemmings Jr. 160 – Luis Bricino Roman TBA

Anthony Johns 115.5 – Israel Camacho 115

John Vallejo 141.5 – Rashard Bogar 141

Kasir Goldston 142 – Elijah Ogun 143

Promoter: GH3 Promotions

Venue: The Prudential Center

1st Bell: 6:10 PM

Stream TrillerTV (Formerly Fite.TV)

Link To PPV

Johns – Camacho, Flemmings – Roman and Kroll – Archiebald will be part of the Free Stream at 7:15 PM ET that can be watched here

Nelson – Tsanimp, Lee- Edwards, Prenga – Arnold, LaManna – Hernandez and Anderson – Bernardo will be Part of the PPV at 8:15 PM ET that can be ordered here

Mielnicki – Larbi WILL NOT be part of the stream.

Photos by David Algranati

Los Angeles, CA (December 27, 2023) Knockout Artist Cain Sandoval, (11-0, 11 KOs), of Sacramento, CA will face another tough test in a scheduled ten-round super lightweight clash against battle-tested veteran Javier ‘El Intocable’ Molina, (22-5, 9 KOs), of Norwalk, CA on Friday, February 23, 2024 at the Chumash Casino Resort and broadcast globally on UFC FIGHT PASS.

Sandoval vs. Molina serves as the chief support to the highly anticipated Hollywood Fight Nights event headlined by the ten-round battle between undefeated Gor Yeritsyan,

(17-0, 14 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA and Quinton Randall, (13-1-1, 3 KOs), of Houston, TX for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title.

Presented by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, tickets priced at $105, $85, $75, $65 and $55 are Now On-Sale and can be purchased online through the Chumash Casino Resort

(3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez, CA 93460). Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30 p.m. PT with the first bell at 7:00 p.m. PT.

“This is Cain’s fourth fight on UFC FIGHT PASS and the feedback from the fans and media to his performances, particularly his recent knockout of Wesley Ferrer, has been sensational,” said Tom Loeffler, President of 360 Promotions. ‘He’s only 21 years old and Javier Molina is much more experienced but we feel Cain is ready for another step up in competition.”

Cain Sandoval hits the Chumash ring after continuing his reign of terror in the division with a show-stopping fifth round knockout over New York City based contender Wesley Ferrer on November 9 at Madison Square Garden.

The 33-year-old United States Olympian Molina is coming off a split decision loss to hometown favorite Robbie Davies Jr. on May 21, 2022 in London, England. Molina holds notable victories over former world champion Amir Imam and top contenders Hiroki Okada, Jessie Roman and Joseph Elegele.

Additional fights will be announced for this event shortly.

                                                ————————————————–

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DECEMBER 27, 2023–This Friday night, December 29th, a huge night of boxing, the first installment of the Brick City Fight Night series at Prudential Center will be streamed all over the world on TrillerTV (formerly FITE.TV).

.The stream will begin at 7 PM ET.

THE FIGHT CARD CAN BE OFFERED HERE

The card which will feature rising junior welterweight Vito Mielnicki Jr.(16-1, 11 KOs) taking on Salim Larbi (22-12-3, 8 KOs) of France in the 10-round main event from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey will feature many top contenders and prospects.

The Mielnicki – Larbi fight will not be part of the stream

Scheduled to appear ion the stream n a ten-round bout will be Newark’s own Michael Anderson. Anderson (23-3-1, 17 KOs) has wins over Dashon Johnson (11-2-3), DeMarcus Rogers (14-3-1) and a third-round stoppage over Marklin Bailey. Anderson will take on Eudy Bernardo (25-6, 18 KOs) of Elias Pina, Dominican Republic.

Seeing action in a ten-round bout will be former world title challenger and current WBA number-three ranked middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna taking on Nicolas Hernandez (27-7-3, 12 KOs) of Reading, PA.

LaManna (36-5-1, 15 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey will take part in a 10-round bout. The 31-year-old LaManna has quality wins over Kendal Mena (20-3), Matthew Strode (25-6), Michael Marcano (25-5-1) and his bout when LaManna stopped Juan Manuel Witt (33-1-2) in the third round to retain his WBA Fedelatin Middleweight crown on July 22 in Atlantic City.

Fighting in an eight-round bout will be popular Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (14-1, 14 KOs) against Christopher Arnold (5-3 ,5 KOs) of Fredericksburg, VA.

Appearing in six-round bouts will be:

Joseph Adorno (18-3, 15 KOs) of Allentown, PA battling Barulio Rodriguez (20-8, 17 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a super lightweight bout.

Mike Lee (10-2, 5 KOs) of Orange, NJ fighting Rickey Edwards (13-5, 3 KOs) of Paterson, NJ in a welterweight contest.

Paul Kroll (10-0-2, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia collides with Weah Archibald ((10-15, 5 KOs) of Mount Vernon, NY in a welterweight fight.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Dwyke Flemmings Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) of Paterson, NJ squares off with Luis Briceno Roman (3-4, 3 KOs) of Houston in a junior middleweight bout.

Malik Nelson (4-0, 3 KOs) of Avenel, NJ fights Romel Tasanimp (2-1) of Baltimore in a Featherweight bout.

Anthony Johns (6-1, 5 KOs) of Newark, NJ takes on Anthony Camacho (2-9, 2 KOs) of Houston in a flyweight bout.

Two fights that will take place before the stream and will begin at 6 PM ET will see:

Kasir Goldston (5-0-1, 2 KOs) of Albany, NY will fight George Gethers (0-5) of Jersey City in a super lightweight tussle.

John Vallejo (4-0, 2 KOs) of New York will take on an opponent to be named in a junior middleweight affair.

Conor Benn will return to action in back-to-back American fights at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas against Peter Dobson on Saturday, February 3. The fight will air live worldwide on DAZN – with Benn headlining early afternoon in Las Vegas for prime time viewing in the UK.

Benn (22-0 14 KOs) stepped back through the ropes for the first time in 17 months in Orlando with a 10-round points win over rugged Mexican Rodolfo Orozco. ‘The Destroyer’, ranked #5 with the WBC, is targeting the big names and World title honors in 2024, and starts that journey against Dobson in the Essex man’s first headline turn in the States over 12 rounds at Welterweight.

“Headlining in Vegas is a dream come true, not just for me, but for any fighter who grew up watching the sport of boxing,” said Benn. “Vegas has been the stage for many legends before me, and I can’t wait to step into that arena on February 3rd against the undefeated Welterweight Peter Dobson, who stepped up to accept the challenge when many wouldn’t. 

“I was disappointed when my previous fight fell through, but in this sport, when one door shuts, another one opens. This setback has brought me back to where I need to be, and I’m here to put the entire 147 division on notice.

“I want to thank my family, my dedicated team, my loyal friends, and fans who have supported me throughout my journey. We have an exciting 2024 ahead of us, starting with our Vegas debut, marking the beginning of our pursuit for World Welterweight championships.”

Dobson (16-0 9 KOs) has landed the big fight he’s been chasing, having had two clashes with Matchroom fighters fall through. The 33-year-old has previously been slated to fight Caoimhin Agyarko and Pat McCormack, but now can catapult himself into the mix for the big fights Benn is hunting if he can emerge victorious on February 3. 

“I want to thank Matchroom for keeping their word and circling back to me after a few fights fell through previously,” said Dobson. “Eddie Hearn is a standup guy. Let’s hope Conor Benn stays healthy and comes ready, but the fact is, I’ve said yes to everyone Matchroom has given me. Agyarko, McCormack, and now Benn. 

“Conor is coming to the US and going to get his ass whooped. He’s not his daddy. He never seen anyone like me. ‘Pistol’ Pete Dobson is about to ruin another Matchroom hype job. This time in the ring.”

The co-feature bout in Las Vegas features another unbeaten battle as Middleweight contender Austin Williams takes on Connor Coyle for the WBA International and IBF North American titles. Like Benn, Williams (15-0 10 KOs) last stepped through the ropes in Orlando where he recorded a 15^th win in the paid ranks over former World title challenger Steve Rolls. ‘Ammo’ sits pretty at #3 in the WBA rankings, and that’s a position that the man in the opposite corner would love to jump into, with Florida-based Irishman Coyle (20-0 9 KOs) sitting at #6 and entering the bout on a pair of wins this year, the latest being a fifth round KO win over Joey Bryant in Mississippi in August, in a third defense of his NABA Middleweight title.

“Nothing gets my blood flowing more than the opportunity to break an unbroken fighter,” said Williams. “February 3, Conor Coyle will experience a World-Class athlete for the first time, and he will understand why they say there are levels to boxing.”

“I’m excited for this fight on February 3,” said Coyle. “Two hungry middleweights going head-to-head to get a step closer to a World title, it’ll be a great fight for anyone’s viewing!”

British Heavyweight sensation Johnny Fisher (10-0 9 KOs) takes his ‘Romford Bull Army’ across the Atlantic for his U.S. debut after enjoying a brilliant 2023 that saw him score three knockouts from three fights, picking up the Southern Area Heavyweight Title in his last fight on the Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius undercard in August before being named the  2023 ‘Best Young Boxer of the Year’ by the prestigious Boxing Writers’ Club the following month. 

“This is a big night for Conor where he can send a message to the World champions and elite names that he’s ready to take them on in 2024,” said Hearn. “Conor has the itchiest of knuckles to get in there and he’s on a seek and destroy mission in Las Vegas – but what an opportunity for Peter to rip up the script and break into the big time – and fight fans in the UK will be able to watch Conor at 11pm UK rather than in the middle of the night.

“Ammo versus Connor is a really good clash at 160lbs with both men needing to underline their World title credentials on the big stage, and we will be adding more stars to the card soon.”

An announcement with ticket on-sale information and more undercard fights will be made soon.

Big-punching Belfast Welterweight Lewis Crocker is looking to make it two big wins in two months when he takes on Mexican danger-man Jose Felix at the Newforge Sports Complex on Saturday January 27, live worldwide on DAZN.
 
Fresh from his shutout points win over fellow Northern Irishman Tyrone McKenna earlier this month in a fight dubbed the ‘Battle of Belfast’, 26-year-old Crocker (18-0, 10 KOs) is out to make a statement against the man who handed Naas Lightweight hope Gary Cully his first loss in the professional ranks earlier this year.
 
‘The Croc’, who picked up four wins from four fights in 2023, is unbeaten since making his professional debut at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall back in 2017 – and the powerful Billy Nelson-trained fighter is hoping for an active 2024 as he looks to build towards further title opportunities in the competitive 147lbs division.
 
Sinaloa’s Felix (40-6-1, 31 KOs) is well-known amongst Irish fight fans following his stunning upset win over Cully on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s first meeting with Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin back in May – and the 31-year-old nicknamed ‘Josesito’ is looking to make it two wins in a row against Irish opposition.
 
Fast-rising Cruiserweight contender Cheavon Clarke (7-0, 5 KOs) faces the biggest test of his career to date when he meets Belfast’s former European Champion Tommy McCarthy (20-5, 10 KOs), Belfast Super-Lightweight Sean McComb (18-1, 5 KOs) looks to build on his win over Sam Maxwell last time out, Limerick Welterweight talent Paddy Donovan (12-0, 9 KOs) aims to start 2024 with a bang, Guildford Lightweight prospect Giorgio Visioli (1-0, 1 KO) fights for the second time as a pro and Newham Middleweight Leli Buttigieg (1-0, 1 KO) returns to Beflast for his second pro fight. 
 
 “I’m delighted to be back out so soon,” said Crocker. “December 2^nd was my coming out party and a real special night for me, it showed I belong in big nights here in Belfast. Now it’s about building on the back of that.
 
“Thanks to Matchroom and my manager Jamie Conlan for working on this and getting me back so quick. Jose Felix showed how dangerous he is last time out in Dublin so I know how tough this can be.
 
“I’m missing out on Christmas dinner this year but on January 27^th ‘The Croc’ will feast on Mexican meat!”
 
“I am very excited to fight back in a place that has become my second home,” said Felix. “Ireland a country with great history, especially Belfast, with very demanding and knowledgeable boxing people.
 
“I would like to thank God, Paco Damian and Matchroom Boxing for this opportunity. I guarantee you that like a Mexican warrior I will leave everything inside that ring. I will see you all soon.”
 
Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn said: “I’m excited to be returning to the brilliant fighting city of Belfast so soon after our epic Michael Conlan vs. Jordan Gill show earlier this month. We’ve got another cracker in store as the Belfast’s hard-hitting Lewis Crocker goes in against Mexican danger-man Jose Felix. Felix is brimming with confidence following his three-round destruction of Gary Cully in Dublin earlier this year and he will be aiming to take another Irish scalp next month. An exciting undercard sees Cheavon Clarke take the biggest step-up of his career to date when he meets Belfast’s former European Champion Tommy McCarthy. Plus there’s action for Sean McComb, Paddy Donovan, Giorgio Visioli and Leli Buttigieg. Catch all of the action live worldwide on DAZN.”
 
Ticket details will be announced soon.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (December 22, 2023) DiBella Entertainment’s Kiwi heavyweight Junior Fa, of Otahuhu, New Zealand, returns on Saturday to take on undefeated Cuban Frank Sanchez in a 10-round bout, as part of the “Day of Reckoning” event headlined by Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin. The stacked card takes place in Saudi Arabia tomorrow beginning at 11:00am EST on DAZN Pay-Per-View. The fight is promoted in association with DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing.

Fa (20-2, 11 KOs) is coming off of a first-round knockout against Tussi Asafo in Australia. In September, Sanchez (23-0, 16 KOs) knocked down Scott Alexander en route to a fourth-round stoppage to retain his WBC Continental Americas title.

“It’s been nothing but a pleasure to be here,” said Fa of his time in Saudi Arabia. “It seems like this is where our sport is going. I’m taking it all in. It’s been hard work to get here and I just can’t wait until Saturday because I finally get to fight.

“Sanchez is a good boxer, he’s got good skills,” said Fa. “I trust my team and my game plan. I trust myself. I’m going to peak at the right time. I’m going to bring the best version of myself and get him out of there. I’m going to win by any means necessary.”

Fa’s preparation for this fight included being a part of Deontay Wilder’s camp for his bout versus Joseph Parker on Saturday’s card.

“Deontay Wilder…it’s no secret with him,” said Fa. “The man hits hard, and you have to be sharp every second that you’re in there with him, and that’s exactly what I’m planning to do when I’m in with Frank Sanchez. I need to be sharp every second that I’m in there with him. Keep my wits about me, stick to the game plan, and come away with the win.”

“Junior Fa has the talent, size and tools to be a top heavyweight. He has already shown that he can compete against the best, going 12 hard round with former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Tomorrow night against Frank Sanchez, he has a great opportunity to prove he belongs with the division’s best fighters.”

DiBella Entertainment

Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt

Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

Huntington, New York (December 22, 2023) — The entire Rockin’ Fights 2024 schedule is live! With some extra holiday spirit in mind, Star Boxing is pleased to share that tickets for all four “Rockin’ Fights” dates are currently discounted starting TODAY, Friday December 22 (10AM ET) through Sunday December 24 (10PM ET)!

These are deals you wont see again, and will make the perfect stocking stuffer, or gift for that special fight fan in your life. CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets. We will see you at the fights!

(Dec. 21, 2023) — Five world title bouts spread across two loaded cards from Japan will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. early next year on ESPN+.

The action kicks off Tuesday, Jan. 23, as WBC/WBA light flyweight world champion Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji defends his titles against Venezuela’s Carlos Canizales at EDION Arena Osaka. In the co-feature, Ukraine’s WBA flyweight world champion, Artem Dalakian, makes his seventh title defense against former Japanese flyweight champion Seigo Yuri Akui. The world title twofer and additional undercard bouts will stream starting at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT.

Teraji (22-1, 14 KOs) is making his third defense as a unified world champion and 15th world title appearance spread across two reigns. Canizales (26-1-1, 19 KOs) has won four fights since the lone defeat on his ledger.

Dalakian (22-0, 15 KOs) has been a world champion since winning the vacant title via unanimous decision over Brian Viloria in February 2018. Akui (18-2-1, 11 KOs) resurrected his career following a pair of TKO losses, having won six consecutive contests since 2019.

The Jan. 23 bill also sees former kickboxing superstar and rising junior featherweight Tenshin Nasukawa (2-0) continue his professional boxing journey in an eight-rounder against Luis Robles Pacheco (15-2-1, 5 KOs). The ESPN+ stream commences with an eight-rounder at junior featherweight between Juiki Tatsuyoshi (14-0-1, 10 KOs) and Yuki Yonaha (13-5-1, 8 KOs).

Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo will play host to a trio of world title showdowns on Saturday, Feb. 24, as Alexandro Santiago defends his WBC bantamweight world title against Japan’s pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani. The co-feature sees WBA bantamweight ruler Takuma Inoue attempt to retain his strap versus Filipino former world champion Jerwin Ancajas. Title fight number three will be for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title, as three-weight world champion Kosei Tanaka attempts to conquer a fourth weight class when he fights Mexico’s Christian Bacasegua Rangel. The world title tripleheader and an 8-round bantamweight tilt between Jonas Sultan (19-6, 11 KOs) and Riku Masuda (3-1, 3 KOs) begins at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT.

Santiago (28-3-5, 14 KOs) won the vacant WBC world title in July with a unanimous decision over future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. Nakatani (26-0, 19 KOs) is a two-weight world champion who vacated his WBO junior bantamweight world title following September’s decision win over Argi Cortes.

Inoue (18-1, 4 KOs), the younger brother of Naoya Inoue, outlasted Liborio Solis in April to win the WBA world title. An Inoue training injury delayed the fight from its original November date. Ancajas (34-3-2, 23 KOs), a Filipino southpaw, is a former long-reigning IBF junior bantamweight world champion. Following back-to-back championship defeats to Fernando Martinez in 2022, he returned with a fifth-round stoppage over Wilner Soto in June.

Tanaka (19-1, 11 KOs) won world titles at 105, 108 and 112 pounds, and he’s now making his second attempt to win a belt at 115. He has won four straight since a 2020 knockout defeat to Kazuto Ioka. Rangel (22-4-2, 9 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is unbeaten in nine fights dating back to 2019.

NEW YORK, NY – December 21, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) will make her long-awaited return to Puerto Rico vs. IBF mandatory challenger Nina Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs) on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the legendary Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, live globally on DAZN. This event, sponsored by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, marks Amanda Serrano’s first fight in Puerto Rico since becoming undisputed champion, with a sellout crowd expected to honor her as Puerto Rico’s first-ever undisputed world boxing champion, male or female. Serrano will fight for the second time at 12×3, the men’s championship standard, in defense of her unified IBF, WBO, WBA, IBO, and Ring Magazine featherweight world titles. In a true commitment to change for women’s boxing, Serrano recently vacated her WBC title, as the sanctioning body does not support women’s choice for 12×3. 

Co-headlining alongside Serrano will be international superstar Jake “The Problem Child” Paul (8-1, 5 KOs) who will continue his path towards becoming cruiserweight world champion in his 10th professional fight fresh off his first-round KO of professional boxer Andre August. Making his highly-anticipated global debut on the Saturday, March 2 card will be MVP’s latest signee, multi-talented featherweight boxer, actor, and model Javon “Wanna” Walton. Also competing on Serrano vs. Meinke will be Serrano’s first two signed Puerto Rican fighters, WBO junior flyweight world champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (27-3-1, 14 KOs), who will make his third defense of his title, and the young super flyweight sensation Krystal Rosado (2-0, 1 KO). Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, December 27th at 9:00am ET on Ticketera.com. There will be a kickoff press conference on Thursday,  January 18th in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico as part of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. The press conference will feature all of the star athletes from the event.

Amanda Serrano, the first-ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion, started her current featherweight title reign by defeating Heather Hardy in a brutal 10-round fight in 2019 to win the WBO belt, and has since defended her WBO belt six times. Serrano offered Hardy redemption in August 2023, but successfully defended her undisputed featherweight world champion title for the first time in a decisive 10 round unanimous decision victory. Serrano also won a blood-soaked war against WBA featherweight champion Erika Cruz in February 2023, which made her the undisputed featherweight champion. Serrano’s decisive win against Cruz followed her previous win over Sarah Mahfoud in Manchester, England that added the Dane’s IBF title to her WBO, WBC, and IBO featherweight belts. Her historic clash against Katie Taylor at Madison Square Garden in 2022 earned recognition as Sports Illustrated’s Fight of the Year and The Ring’s Event of the Year and was further nominated for Event of the Year by Sports Business Journal. Most recently, Serrano took home a unanimous decision victory against her mandatory WBO challenger Danila Ramos, making history in the first-ever women’s unified world championship to be fought over 12, three-minute rounds, equal to any men’s championship fight, and marking the first time a women’s fight has gone the full 12×3. Serrano threw a career high of 1103 punches in the bout.

“It is absolutely a dream come true to fight and headline at home at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, and it is my biggest honor to have been the first-ever undisputed champion, male or female, from our beautiful island,” said Amanda Serrano. “I’m excited to prove my greatness and make history again in the ring at the Choliseo over 12, three-minute rounds. Thank you to the IBF, WBO, WBA, IBO, and Ring Magazine, Most Valuable Promotions, and my team for making this possible. A special thank you to Jake Paul, who gave me an opportunity to fight as his co-main many times and allowed me to show my skills to the world. I am honored to have Jake as my co-main for the first time.”

Nina “The Brave” Meinke, the Berlin, Germany native, comes to the ring ready to rise to the challenge Serrano presents and make history as the second-ever women’s unified championship fight set for 12 rounds with three minute rounds. The IBF mandatory featherweight challenger has garnered recognition throughout Europe following a series of interim title fights, most recently claiming the WBA Gold World Featherweight title against Japan’s Kimika Miyoshi in June 2023 and the IBF Inter-Continental Featherweight title against Laura Ledezma in October 2023. 

“My team and I have wanted this fight for a long time,” said Nina Meinke. “Finally we got it and I am happy, well trained and motivated to be the first female boxer from Germany to go the 12 round distance. Amanda Serrano is an outstanding person who has already made such a big change to women’s boxing and the fight for equal rights, so I am more than proud to be a part of that movement. Of course I am going to support it with all my heart and show the world women are just as capable in going 12 rounds at 3 minutes. I will be the best version of myself on this day and I am ready to make it a great fight! And new!” 

Jake Paul makes his triumphant return to the ring on Saturday, March 2nd following his first round KO obliteration of Andre August on December 15th, a jaw dropping right uppercut sure to be a KO of the year contender. Paul’s co-main appearance on Serrano vs. Meinke will continue to showcase Paul’s ongoing journey to become a world champion. Facing his first loss at the hands of Tommy Fury in February by a contentious split decision, Paul found himself back on top in August, defeating Nate Diaz by unanimous decision, before his first-round finish against August. In just three years since turning pro, Paul has collected multiple accolades, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of The Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, and ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year. Paul also earned distinction on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s August 2023 issue, “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports,” for his success in the ring, his groundbreaking work to revolutionize pay equality in boxing, and his support of female fighters and boxing prospects through Most Valuable Promotions alongside co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. 

“Fighting for the first time at home in Puerto Rico alongside one of the greatest fighters ever, Amanda Serrano, promises to be the event of a lifetime,” said Jake Paul. “I’m honored to be the co-main event on Amanda’s homecoming card, and I could not be more excited to bring this historic event to Puerto Rico as I continue my path to becoming a world champion. Our latest MVP signee, Wanna Walton, is making his global debut on this card, Bomba Gonzalez and Krystal Rosado are continuing their rise to stardom, and the whole island of Puerto Rico will finally get a chance to properly celebrate the greatness of Amanda Serrano. She is going to sell more tickets in one event than Katie Taylor did in two in Dublin. This is going to be the biggest night of boxing the Choliseo has ever seen and the world will be watching.” 

17-year-old Wanna Walton signed with MVP in July 2023, and has since remained an amateur boxer in development. As the youngest-ever athlete to sign with Nike’s Jordan Brand, Walton has continued to excel as a boxer and now will make his global debut in MVP’s first marquee event of 2024. Walton began boxing at the age of four, and at age eight became one of America’s youngest amateur prospects. His skill and hard work earned him the title of multi-time Junior Regional Champion and two-time Junior Olympic national silver medalist. The Atlanta native is also a world-renowned actor who captured international attention with his debut role as the beloved drug dealer “Ashtray” in the HBO Max Emmy-winning series Euphoria starring alongside Hollywood icons Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, and has since continued to co-star in numerous other film and TV titles. He trains under his father and coach, DJ Walton.

“I’ve been training most of my life for this moment, and it is an honor to make my global debut beside my fellow MVP athletes Amanda Serrano and Jake Paul,” said Wanna Walton. “Nakisa and the whole MVP team have become like a second family to me, and they are incredible mentors who truly believe in my talent. I’m ready to prove them right in the ring on Saturday, March 2 and start my path to greatness and I couldn’t be more excited to do it in Puerto Rico.”

Also starring on the Saturday, March 2 Serrano vs. Meinke card will be two other local Puerto Rican athletes. Amanda Serrano’s first signed fighters, WBO junior flyweight champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez and young sensation Krystal Rosado, will each feature on the main card of Serrano vs. Meinke. The 32-year-old Gonzalez made his professional debut in 2011 following an impressive amateur career in which he collected gold medals at both the 2008 Youth World Championships and the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games at flyweight. Bomba Gonzalez won his first title in just his ninth fight as a professional, and has gone on to hold the WBO junior flyweight title since 2021. Rosado, the young 21-year-old sensation, made her MVP and professional debut at MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects II show in August 2023, stunning fans with a ferocious second-round KO against Tarrethia Dixon. Rosado went on to compete on MVP’s historic Serrano vs. Ramos card in October 2023, earning her decisive second win over Hungary’s Kata Pap.

“First, I want to thank God for this big opportunity. I want to thank my managers, Amanda Serrano and Jordan Maldonado, MVP, and the WBO for giving me this opportunity to defend my title on my island of Puerto Rico,” said Bomba Gonzalez. “This is big. Fighting on this card with Amanda Serrano is going to be a highlight of my career and hopefully, I can continue fighting at home in Puerto Rico.”

“I’m happy and honored to get this opportunity to fight again on the undercard with my manager and PR boxing queen Amanda Serrano,” said Krystal Rosado. “Also being on a card with Jake Paul is incredible, and if that wasn’t enough, it’s in the Choliseo where even most of the greats from my island haven’t fought in. I’m also proud to be on the same card alongside my managerial teammate Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez who will defend his title in a tough fight. This card is one that I wouldn’t have missed if I wasn’t on it. Thank you God, Amanda, and MVP for making this humble up-and-comer’s dream come true. To all my fans, I won’t disappoint!”

“It is an honor for Jake and I to work with Amanda on her historic return to Puerto Rico. While she fought in San Juan during the pandemic, this event on Saturday, March 2nd will be her true homecoming. A massive event for a massive Puerto Rican icon,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “The magnitude of this event is such that Jake Paul demanded he be the co-main to Amanda for the first time, which reflects the starpower and legacy of Amanda Serrano in boxing and in Puerto Rico. We are also thrilled to bring Wanna Walton to the stage for his MVP global debut, and are certain he’s going to put on an incredible show and prove that he is one of the most talented future superstars of this sport. With Bomba and Krystal on this card, too, we’ll be featuring some of the most exciting talent from start to finish on this unforgettable night of boxing from San Juan to the world. This will undoubtedly be the most viewed Puerto Rican boxing event in history.”

“We are thrilled to be broadcasting this unmissable double-header on DAZN in March 2024,” said Alfie Sharman, VP DAZN. “Amanda Serrano and Jake Paul are two of the biggest names in boxing, and to have them join our already stacked new year schedule once again highlights DAZN as the global home of boxing. Watch these excellent matchups exclusively live only on DAZN.”

Serrano vs. Meinke marks the latest in MVP’s series of significant women’s championship fights as the company works to establish equity across the sport. The event follows Amanda Serrano’s first-ever 12×3 unified championship fight vs. challenger Danila Ramos in October and the Paul vs. August special championship feature of MVP’s Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green vs. Franchón Crews-Dezurn for the WBC and WBA super middleweight world titles. Spartan Boxing INC. will serve as the official licensed promoter of Serrano vs. Meinke. 

For more information, follow on Twitter via @Serranosisters, @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @serranosisters, @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

How to watch DAZN 

• Visit DAZN.com and follow the steps to sign up now
• Once signed up, download the DAZN app to watch on any device
• Go to the app store on your chosen device, search ‘DAZN’ and download the DAZN app  
• DAZN is available on your phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles. 
• Connect multiple devices to your account to watch at home or on the go  

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About DAZN

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.? Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world – Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.? 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.? DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.?

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DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.?

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.   

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit?www.dazngroup.com.??

LOS ANGELES (December 21, 2023) – Toro Promotions and Whitfield Haydon Boxing will kick off the 2024 international pro boxing scene on January 4th, presenting the “Pit Stop on Road to Greatness” card, showcasing six leading heavyweight prospects, at the famed Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

“Pit Stop on the Road to Greatness” will be streamed live on www.bxngtv.com pay per view for $19.99.

“I think this is a card that will age very well over the years when we look back,” co-promoter Whit Haydon said. “There are a lot of people that don’t have a lot of fights under their belt that have very, very promising careers ahead.”

The 10-round main event pits 25-year-old Armenian heavyweight Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (4-0, 4 KOs) against dangerous Colby Madison (11-6-2, 7 KOs). Hall of Famer Joe Goossen trains the 6’ 7”, 275-pound “Big Gug” who now lives in Los Angeles. Hovhannisyan hasn’t fought in more than a year, coming off an impressive sixth-round stoppage of Michael Polite Coffie (13-2).

The opener of the streamed fights will be an eight-rounder pick ‘em showdown between solid heavyweights Dante Stone (14-1, 10 KOs) and Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs). Fighting out of Chandler, Arizona, Stone lost his pro debut in 2018 by way of a four-round unanimous decision and he hasn’t lost since, reeling off 14 consecutive victories but Flores represents his toughest test to date. All three of Flores’ career losses have been to world champions: Luis Ortiz, Joseph Parker, and Charles Martin. The Rowland Heights, California resident will be fighting for only the third time in three years.

Another heavyweight to watch also lives in Los Angeles and is trained by Goossen, 30-year-old Ukraine Olympian Tsotne Rogava (3-0, 3 KOs), is matched tough against undefeated Dante Williams (4-0, 4 KOs) in the six-round co-featured event. The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava, who was a champion kickboxer, was born in Georgia and raised in Ukraine.

Nicaraguan brothers Nilo (6-0, 5 KOs) and pro debuting Nelson Guerrero will be fighting in the United States. Nilo is an undefeated super featherweight who will take on Chancellor Battenberg (4-3, 4 KOs) in a six-round match, while bantamweight Nelson fights Gilberto Duran (4-7, 4 KOs) in a four-rounder.

Undefeated super welterweight Elijah Seawright (9-0, 7 KOs), known as a Tiko Tok sensation from South Carolina, faces Henry Rivera (2-2, 1 KO) in a six-rounder.

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard is Seattle super welterweight Agustin Tovar (0-1) vs. pro-debuting Nathan “Superman” Stolen, and pro-debuting Auburn (WA) super lightweight Agustin Tovar vs. Oakland’s Ezra Rabin (1-4, 1 KO).

View a promo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlEdm66nTk

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale now for $100.00, $70.00 and $45.00 and may be purchased online at https://www.ticketmaster.com/eqc-professional-boxing-tacoma-washington-01-04-2024/event/0F005F76B7161B8D or by calling (253) 594-7777. Tickets purchased at the Emerald Queen Shop are eligible for up to a 20-discount, plus pay no taxes or processing fees. Must be 21 years of age to attend.

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

UNCASVILLE, CT – CES Boxing returns to the majestic Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, February 3, with three scintillating title fights and the “Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational” showcasing the region’s best amateur talent in one spectacular night.

What better way to celebrate the Holidays than providing a memorable night of boxing entertainment by purchasing tickets now at CESfights.com, ticketmaster, or the Mohegan Sun Box Office.  Pricing starts at $67 and makes the perfect gift for that special someone in your life.

The Main Event features the return of Chordale “The Gift” Booker (21-1, 10 KOs) as he makes the second defense of his WBC Silver Super Welterweight title against former world title challenger Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-5-1, 12 KOs). 

Stamford, CT’s Booker was a perfect 4-0 with 3 knockouts in 2023 and has a World Title in his sights.  In his way is Wakefield, MA’s Vendetti, a National Guardsman who gave WBA Super Welterweight champion Erislandy Lara all he could handle in a 12-round decision loss in 2020. 

In the co-feature, undefeated southpaw Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (15-0, 14 KOs) battles Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez (21-5-2, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC USA Silver Middleweight title. 

Hogan’s legion of fans will be making the trek from Weymouth, MA to see the 23-year-old puncher compete for his first major title against his most experienced opponent yet.

The third title fight of the night features Ricky de los Santos (11-1, 3 KOs) against Nathan Martinez (8-2, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout for the vacant WBC US Silver Featherweight title.

de los Santos, of Providence, RI, is 1-0 since suffering an upset loss to 27-fight veteran Yeison Vargas in March 2022.  New Britain, CT’s, Martinez is looking to secure the biggest win of his young career.

Many of New England’s best fighters will also be featured on the stacked card. Undefeated super featherweight prospects collide when New London, CT’s Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (15-0, 13 KOs) meets Ghana’s Holy “Jaw Breaker” Dorgbetor (10-0, 6 KOs) in what is sure to be a barn burner.

In addition, Hartford, CT native Angel “Set It Off” Gonzalez (12-0, 7 KOs) continues his rise in the stacked flyweight division when he faces Christian Robles (8-1, 3 KOs) in an 8-round bout, and Brockton, MA’s Kevin Walsh (10-0, 4 KOs) battles Puerto Rican puncher Darrell Rivera (9-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 6-round lightweight contest.

Undefeated prospects Slawomir Bohdzieweicz (2-0, 2 KOs), James Maner (4-0, 2 KOs) and Jeff Gonzalez (4-0, 2 KOs) will also be in action as they work towards contender status. 

As if that weren’t enough, fans will be treated to many of the very best amateur boxers in the country with the return of the popular ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational,’ an amateur showcase that will take place at 5pm EST prior to the professional card and is included as part of the ticket price.

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

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

Miami, FL (December 20, 2023 ) Peter Kahn, President of Fight Game Advisors, continues his signing of top boxing prospects with the announcement today of Bolivian-American newcomer Danilo ‘El Gato’ Diez.

Just 20-years-old, Diez made his successful professional debut with a shutout four-round unanimous decision over Jose Valenzuela Alvarado on December 2, 2023. The impressive victory for the super lightweight took place on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte clash at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Among the accolades the Miami, FL born Diez received while compiling an amateur record of 90-20 included; Six-Time Junior Olympic State and Regional Champion, Junior Olympic National Bronze Champion and WBC Amateur Champion. He was ranked in the top six by USA Boxing over a four-year period.

Stated Peter Kahn about his new signing of Danilo Diez, “I am very excited to be working with Danilo. I have known him since his early teens and have always felt he is going to be a crowd pleaser. He has an outstanding work ethic and a relentless demeanor about him and is all action, which is going to make for many exciting fights in the future.”

“I’m very happy to have Peter Kahn as my manager,” said Danilo Diez. “It’s an honor to be a part of his roster with all of the young talent he currently has. I look forward to showcasing my true talent and believe I will have the entire country of Bolivia supporting me. At only 20 years old, I am grateful and thrilled to be with Peter. He is the best manager in boxing and I feel we will do great things together.”

Diez trains in South Florida under the guidance of the renowned Javiel Centeno. Details of his next fight will be announced shortly.

                                                            ——————————

Peter Kahn was the recipient of the prestigious 2022 Manager of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America and was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023.

A South Floridian since 1992, Kahn has been working in professional boxing for thirty years. Learning from the ground up, Kahn began as an amateur boxer in South Florida. His operational work with boxing icon Don King started in May of 1995 for the then biggest promotional company in the world. During this time, Kahn worked intimately on many memorable promotions featuring boxing superstars Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix Trinidad, Terry Norris, and Ricardo Lopez.

In 2003, Kahn joined startup boxing promotional company Warriors Boxing Promotions as Director of Boxing Operations. His work there included the signing of numerous world champions and producing  countless world championship fights including memorable battles for Hector Camacho and Michael Moorer. His success also included working with three-time, two-division world champion Randall Bailey, who Kahn went on to manage. 

As an acclaimed boxing manager, one of Kahn’s earliest clients was former IBF super featherweight world champion and now a renowned trainer of champions, Robert Garcia. Kahn has gone on to manage many world champions and top prospects over the last fifteen years. In 2021 and 2022, Kahn was the only manager in the history of boxing to guide undisputed male and female fighters simultaneously; lightweight George Kambosos Jr. and super middleweight Franchón Crews-Dezurn. Kahn is currently the manager of fast rising star, junior middleweight Xander Zayas and many other world ranked contenders and highly regarded prospects through his company Fight Game Advisors. 

Since 2017, Kahn has been a boxing contributor to Forbes and CBS Sportsline. Kahn is also the Associate Producer of Netflix Original Series Fightworld. 

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Inoue vs. Tapales will be presented live on Tuesday, December 26, at a special early morning start time, 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT, exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. This event takes place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

In the main event, WBC/WBO world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales collide in a showdown for the undisputed junior featherweight championship. Inoue is attempting to become only the second man — following Terence Crawford — to become a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era.

Inoue(25-0, 22 KOs) is a staggering 20-0 with 18 knockouts in world title fights, a run that began in 2014 with his knockout victory over Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight world title. He went on to win the WBO junior bantamweight world championship before capturing the undisputed bantamweight world title last December. Inoue made his junior featherweight debut in July, dominating two-belt champion Stephen Fulton en route to an eighth-round TKO.

Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs), a Filipino southpaw, is a 15-year pro who won the WBO bantamweight world title in 2016 before moving up four pounds to junior featherweight. He is 4-0 since a TKO loss to Ryosuke Iwasa in December 2019. Tapales returns following his biggest win to date, April’s upset split decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev for the WBA and IBF world titles.

In other streaming action on ESPN+:

Seiya Tsutsumi (9-0-2, 7 KOs) vs. Kazuki Anaguchi (6-0, 2 KOs), 10 Rounds, Japanese Bantamweight Title

Andy Hiraoka (22-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado (18-6-1, 13 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8 KOs) vs. Mario Diaz Maldonado (21-6, 9 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Featherweight

ESPN+: On Demand Shows, Archives & Premium Articles

• Top Rank: Real Time– All-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night. 
• Who Do U Fight 4?– Learn what drivesthe next generation of Top Rank stars. 
• State of Boxing– Post-show coverage of the biggest fights on ESPN and ESPN+. 
• Best of Boxing Spotlight – An archive of the all-time best Top Rank fights. 

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

Inoue vs. Tapales (All Times ET)

ESPN and Top Rank, together with DAZN, will bring “Day of Reckoning”, a double main event featuring heavyweights Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker, to ESPN+ PPV.

The event is available for purchase on ESPN+ PPV in the United States, in addition to DAZN PPV.  “Day of Reckoning” will take place on Saturday, December 23, live at 11 a.m. ET from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ESPN+ subscribers can purchase the $39.99 PPV here, separate streaming subscription required.  New subscribers can sign up for ESPN+ here.  ESPN+ is available on ESPN.com and the ESPN App for mobile and connected TV devices.

“Day of Reckoning” is the third boxing event on ESPN+ from the ESPN and DAZN collaboration following the X Series PPV event in Oct. and Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz in August.

Double Main Event:

• Former two-time Unified World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) will face Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs), who pushed lineal champ Tyson Fury to the absolute brink in a 2019 thriller, Wallin’s only career loss.
• Power-punching American KO artist and former WBC world title holder Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) co-headlines against former WBO World Champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs).

Additional PPV Highlights:

• Undefeated WBA Light Heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) puts his world championship on the line against Lyndon Arthur (23-1, 16 KOs). One of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Bivol’s resume includes a May 2022 victory over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in a Las Vegas PPV main event.
• The card also features many of the top 10 heavyweights in the world including former WBA titleholder Daniel Dubois, #1-ranked IBF contender Filip Hrgovic, #3-ranked WBC contender Arslanbek Makhmudov and #4-ranked WBC and WBO contender Frank Sanchez.

Read more about the full card at ESPN.com.

Follow @ESPNRingside: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok  

Follow @ESPNMMA: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok 

Schedule (All Times ET)

Orlando, FL (December 19, 2023) – Boxlab Promotions is proud to announce the signing of unbeaten heavyweight Dainier “The Fear” Pero.

Pero was a top amateur, winning the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championship in 2016, 2018 Teofilo Stevenson Cup and the Cuban National Championship in 2018 and 2019. He represented Cuba at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning his first match before losing a disputed decision to eventual Silver Medalist Richard Torrez Jr.

The 6’5 24-year-old turned pro in 2022 and is currently 5-0 with 3 knockouts. He now lives and trains out of Las Vegas, NV under Sports Illustrated and Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year Bob Santos.

?“Coming from Cuba and having very little to signing with Amaury Piedra and Boxlab Promotions is my American Dream come true,” said Pero. “I’m also very grateful to have Trainer of the Year Bob Santos as my head trainer.”

Santos, who trains several world champions and contenders, ranks Pero among the most gifted fighters he’s worked with.

“In my 30 plus years in professional boxing, Dainier Pero is one of the most talented fighters I’ve come across,” said Santos. “He’s going to be a major player in the heavyweight division for years to come and I’m looking forward to the journey of helping him to the top.”

“Boxlab Promotions is pleased to announce the signing of Dainier Pero to a long-term promotional contract,” said Amaury Piedra.

“Dainier had an outstanding amateur career through the Cuban system and now has impressed in his first five professional bouts. We are truly pleased to be working with Dainier and trainer of the year Bob Santos as we believe the sky is the limit for this young heavyweight talent. “The Fear” as he is nicknamed has a blend of size, speed, power, and stamina that is rarely seen in the heavyweight division. We will be keeping him busy through next year as he continues to develop his skills and rise up the rankings.” 

Pero’s Boxlab Promotions debut will take place in February. More information will be available shortly.

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to the APEX with an action-packed bout featuring No. 10 ranked middleweight contender Jack Hermansson and rising star Joe Pyfer. In addition, an intriguing matchup in the 185-pound weight class sees Brad Tavares take on Gregory Rodrigues. 

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: HERMANSSON vs. PYFER takes place Saturday, February 10 in Las Vegas and will be available exclusively on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims will start at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. 

Octagon veteran Hermansson (23-8, fighting out of Oslo, Norway, by way of Uddevalla, Sweden) sets out with intentions of securing a statement victory. A versatile competitor, Hermansson has collected impressive wins against Chris Curtis, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Kelvin Gastelum. The Swedish-born fighter now looks to deliver a shutout performance against Pyfer.

Pyfer (12-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) returns to action looking to secure the biggest win of his career over a top ranked contender in his first UFC main event. The Dana White’s Contender Series signee has entertained fans with highlight reel finishes over Abdul Razak Alhassan, Gerald Meerschaert, and Alen Amedovski. Pyfer now aims to break into the rankings by defeating Hermansson in emphatic fashion.

Tavares (20-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Kailua, Hawaii)looks to secure back-to-back wins. Competing in the UFC for over a decade, Tavares’ resume contains victories over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, Omari Akhmedov, and Antônio Carlos Júnior. He now aims to kick off the year with a strong performance over Rodrigues. 

Brazil’s Rodrigues (14-5, fighting out of Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) makes his third appearance in 12 months. Rodrigues’s elite hands have aided him in knockouts against Denis Tiuliulin, Chidi Njokuani, and Julian Marquez. He now looks to deliver another jaw-dropping finish against Tavares.  

Additional bouts on the card include: 

• Michael Johnson (22-19, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) squares off with Darrius Flowers (19-6, fighting out of Mason City, Iowa) at lightweight
• Top ranked featherweights Dan Ige (17-7, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Haleiwa, Hawaii)and Lerone Murphy (13-0-1, fighting out of Manchester, England)battle
• Middleweights Rodolfo Vieira (9-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)and Armen Petrosyan (9-2, fighting out of Yerevan, Armenia)collide
• Exciting welterweights Trevin Giles (16-5, fighting out of Houston, Tex.) and Carlos Prates (17-6, fighting out of Taubate, Sao Paulo, Brazil) meet
• Loma Lookboonmee (8-3, fighting out of Phucket, Thailand) sets her sights on fellow strawweight Bruna Brasil (9-3-1, fighting out of Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil)
• The Ultimate Fighter season 30 finalist Zac Pauga (7-2, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) battles Bogdan Guskov (14-3, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) at light heavyweight
• Devin Clark (14-8, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) faces off with Marcin Prachnio (16-7, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland)
• Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-11, fighting out of Beijing, China) is determined to hand Dana White’s Contender Series prospect Hyder Amil (8-0, fighting out of San Francisco, Calif. by way of San Rafael, Calif. ) his first loss
• Exciting welterweights Max Griffin (19-10, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) and Jeremiah Wells (12-3-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) lock horns
• Damir Hadzovic (14-7, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark by way of Gorazde, Bosnia) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series signee Bolaji Oki (8-1, fighting out of Copenhagen, Denmark by way of Gorazde, Bosnia) at lighweight
• Bantamweights Daniel Marcos (19-10, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) and Aoriqileng (19-10, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) set for collision

For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change. 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 700 million fans and 243 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC. 

About ESPN+ 

https://espnpressroom.com/us/espnplus/

About ESPN 

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – December 19, 2023 – USA Boxing today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with international superstar, professional boxer and co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Jake Paul, to further amplify amateur boxing and its future champions ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This partnership between Paul and Team USA will be a joint effort to create a wave of excitement for boxing at this year’s Olympics, while educating USA’s best amateur boxing talent on the importance of building your skills inside and outside the ring. 

In recognition of Jake Paul’s significant impact on the sport and the awareness he brings to the sport for younger generations, USA Boxing is partnering with him to bring fans inside the world of Olympic boxing through its unprecedented access to his massive audience in 2024. The groundbreaking partnership serves as Paul’s next step in his mission to provide a platform for young fighters and amplify global interest in boxing, and represents the first time a professional athlete and influencer has partnered with Team USA for the Olympics in this capacity. 

This partnership with USA Boxing is the latest move by Jake Paul to ignite global interest in boxing with younger generations and to support youth boxing through MVP, his nonprofit work, and social platforms. Paul’s Boxing Bullies organization, his nonprofit established in 2021, aims to instill confidence, courage, and leadership in youth through the sport of boxing, while actively fighting back against bullying. Since its inception, Boxing Bullies has hosted events to educate hundreds of young boxers about the causes and impact of bullying, and the organization has independently renovated gyms in Puerto Rico, New York, Florida, and Arizona. In April 2023, Boxing Bullies partnered with the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to further renovate youth boxing gyms across the United States. In tandem, Jake Paul and MVP have dedicated business efforts to uplifting women and young prospects in the sport, launching the Most Valuable Prospects series in 2023 to spotlight the best up-and-coming talent in professional boxing and championing women’s equality in the sport. 

Paul will provide his experience in performing on the world’s biggest stages and his brand building acumen to mentor some of the most promising amateur fighters representing the US at this year’s Olympics, including Joshua Edwards and Morelle McCane who attended Paul’s latest professional fight vs. Andre August. Accompanying the team on their journey to gold, Paul will work side-by-side with Team USA boxers while they train at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training facility in early 2024 with famed coach Billy Walsh, before joining the team at their matches in Paris. Throughout this time, Paul will provide fans a rare inside look into what it’s like for athletes to train and compete for their countries at the Olympics.

Since turning pro in 2020, Paul has collected multiple accolades for his commitment to the sport of boxing, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of the Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year, and the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” issue, awarded specifically for his groundbreaking work to revolutionize the sport through equitable pay, providing a platform for young fighters, and his support of female boxers. Paul’s partnership with USA Boxing serves as the next step in his mission to elevate the sport and its future champions. 

“It has always been my goal to shine a spotlight not just on boxing as a sport, but on the people who work so hard to be the best within it,” said Jake Paul. “The mindset of pursuing greatness is one I both see and personally share with Mo McCane, Joshua Edwards, and the rest of Team USA’s boxing talent. The Olympics are the greatest stage in the world, and I’m honored to help bring awareness to USA Boxing and mentor these young, inspiring athletes as they fight for gold. Anyone who works hard enough to receive the honor to represent Team USA at the Olympics deserves a platform, so I’m looking forward to getting down to business in Colorado Springs with Coach Walsh and the rest of Team USA.”

“Within just three years of becoming a professional boxer, Jake Paul has become a standout inspiration to younger generations and has emerged as one of the most exciting, influential figures in boxing history,” said Mike McAtee, Executive Director of USA Boxing. “Jake’s mentorship will be a vital resource to the young athletes on Team USA to ensure they capitalize on building brand IP as they get the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in the world at the most iconic contest in history – The Olympics. USA Boxing athletes pour everything they have into our sport and very few of them get the chance to compete for their countries. We want to make sure our athletes are recognized for this rare and outstanding accomplishment and are able to carry some of that well-deserved brand value with them to the next phases of their personal journeys. There is no one more suited to partner with USA Boxing in this capacity than Jake Paul, the awareness he brings to the sport for the youth is unparalleled and we could not be more thrilled to welcome him and his audience to Team USA.”

“Jake Paul has achieved unprecedented global stardom in the sport of boxing, utilizing his social and digital platform to sell more pay-per-views in his first eight fights than anyone in history,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “Jake’s dedication to helping young boxing prospects with their brand-building acumen, global audience, and championship mindset make him the perfect choice for this role and he will serve as an invaluable asset to amplify USA Boxing as we approach the 2024 Summer Olympics. MVP is proud to support Jake and the champions of tomorrow alongside Team USA, and we could not be more excited for Jake to meet and work with the team throughout their training camp in Colorado Springs through the end of the medal rounds this summer in Paris.” 

Ahead of Jake Paul and USA Boxing’s joint announcement, Team USA members Morelle McCane and Joshua Edwards also attended Jake Paul’s 9th professional bout against professional boxer Andre August on Friday, December 15th, which streamed via DAZN globally. The two top amateur talents accompanied Jake on his walk to the ring and created content with Paul during their visit. 

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, and @USABoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, and @USABoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last five global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Diaz match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

ABOUT USA BOXING

USA Boxing is the National Governing Body for Olympic-style amateur boxing in the United States. USA Boxing is a non-profit corporation and a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, responsible for training, competition and development of the sport, as well as nominating athletes to the U.S. Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games Teams. With over 50,000 members, including athletes, coaches, officials, physicians and administrators, USA Boxing sanctions all Olympic-style boxing competitions in the United States and has a mission to promote and grow Olympic-style amateur boxing in the United States and to inspire the tireless pursuit of Olympic gold and enable athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence. Additionally, USA Boxing endeavors to teach all participants the character, confidence and focus they need to become resilient and diverse champions, both in and out of the ring. USA Boxing is one team, one nation, going for gold!

Sheffield, England – 19 December 2023 – GBM Sports will launch 2024 with a mega fight card in Sheffield on Friday 9th February at the Canon Medical Arena that will feature red-hot and unbeaten middleweight star Shakiel Thompson; European Super-Bantamweight Champion Thomas Essomba, who’s life story reads like a Hollywood script, and a blistering 50/50 English Super Bantamweight Title showdown between Stevi Levy and Ebonie Jones, all LIVE and FREE on TalkSPORT YouTube Boxing Channel.

GBM Sports Promoter Izzy Asif follows up his phenomenal ‘Clash on the Court’ event last October that officially opened the brand new Canon Medical Arena, the new home to the basketball teams the Sheffield Sharks and Hatters, with high praise from fans and media.

A breakthrough year for GBM Sports saw it secure a multi-fight broadcast agreement with the world’s largest sport radio station talkSPORT to live stream its events on the official YouTube Boxing Channel.

Undefeated Sheffield Middleweight Thompson (10-0-0, 6 KO’s), features on the card via Sky Sports and promoter BOXXER, faces a competitive test against a former European Kick Boxing champion in Gino Kanters.  

The fast rising Sheffield star has amassed an unbeaten ten-fight record with over half coming by stoppage and aims to deliver a powerful performance to demonstrate that he is ready to challenge for belts this year.

Sheffield based Cameroonian, Essomba (12-8-1, 4 KO’s) who made headlines around the world when he and his teammates from the Cameroon boxing team walked out of the athletes’ village at London 2012 and defected.

Just over a decade later and an incredible journey that could by turned into a Hollywood movie, Essomba was crowned European Champion in May when he sensationally dethroned Italian Alessio Lorusso in Monza.

Now calling Sheffield his home after being granted full citizenship in 2020, Essomba will make the first defence of the title on home turf against the tough Frenchman Konki (14-1-0, 1 KO).

Essomba said, “I’m just so happy to be defending my EBU title at home and looking forward to putting on a show for my Sheffield people.  A massive thank you to my brother Sunny Edwards and Chris from RCP Electric who have funded this fight for me and thank you to GBM Sports and Izzy Asif for putting the show on.  After all the messing around from the French team, I’m looking to causing Konki a lot of problems on the night.”

Levy (9-2-0), Norfolk’s first ever female professional boxer, and Portsmouth’s Jones (4-0-1), a former soldier in the Royal Engineers, collide in a real 50/50 battle with the Vacant English Super-Bantamweight title on the line.

A dearth of hot Sheffield talent from the GBM Sports stable will all feature as they continue to build their careers in 2024.

Unbeaten super-featherweight Faraqat ‘Frak’ Ali (8-0-0) defeated Mexican Christian Lopes Flores last time out and is now on the edge of contention to challenge for the first title of his career.

With three out of four opponents stopped early, dynamite punching prospect Nohman Hussein (4-0-0, 3 KO’s), who also works as an NHS Cardiac Arrest Practitioner, continues to raise pulses whenever he fights.

Former Sheffield Sharks basketball star Neptahali Nembhard (1-0-0) made a successful transition to boxing and follows up his pro debut victory when he totally outclassed Vasif Mamedov.

Conisbrough Welterweight Joe Hayden (11-0-0) looks to maintain his winning record as he looks to keep on course for his first title tilt.

Even more Sheffield boxers’ fighting out of the talent laden city feature on the card, starting with cruiserweight talent Sheldon McDonald (7-1-0, 2 KO’s), mentored by local legend Johnny Nelson, who aims to continue his 3-fight winning run with a victory as he targets titles.

Liam Cameron (21-5-0, 8 KO’s) is another boxer on the card with a remarkable life story that could be made into a movie.  The Sheffield favourite made a triumphant return in October by defeating Robbie Connor after five years out of the ring after serving a four year ban following a failed drugs test and alcohol issues.  Conquering his demons, Cameron is now focused on getting himself back into title contention.

Colourful unbeaten super-middleweight Red Johnson (4-0-0) is back to thrill the fans with his own brand of entertainment in and out of the ring.

Another incredible story on the card sees super-welterweight Owen Durnan (1-0-0) who overcame cancer to make his pro-debut with a victory just last month and now have his second fight.

Finally Bree Wright (Burbeary) (4-0-0, 1 KO) has turned her life around after she was close to taking her own life, suffering mental issues and family tragedies only to be inspired by Tyson Fury’s own comeback and now she is an unbeaten pro with an unbeaten record.

Promoter Izzy Asif is thrilled to put this card together and begin 2024 with a bang.  He said, “Boxing is a sport driven by the stories and characters in the sport and you won’t find a fight card with more real life Rocky stories than on this one.  Each one of them has an inspirational story and how they overcame the odds to be on this card.  GBM Sports promote great shows with in-arena entertainment for the fans to creates an electric atmosphere, but primarily it’s the fighters and fights that make it the event.  This is the start of a big 2024 for GBM Sports, our biggest year yet, where we intend to stage eight shows around the UK and really stamp our brand nationally along with our new broadcast partner talkSPORT.  Watch out!”

VERONA, N.Y. (Dec. 19, 2023) — The featherweight division will take center stage in a high-octane world title doubleheader on Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. 
 
In the main event, Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov will fight Raymond Ford for the vacant WBA featherweight world title. This duel of unbeaten southpaws will see the WBA’s No.1 and No. 2 contenders making their inaugural world title appearances. 
 
In the co-feature, Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez defends his IBF world crown against Japanese contender Reiya Abe. 

Kholmatov-Ford & Lopez-Abe will headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets go on sale Thursday, December 21 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711, or online at Ticketmaster.com.
 
“Kholmatov and Ford are deserving challengers for the WBA world title. That is a true 50/50 fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Lopez believes he is the top featherweight in the world, and I know he’ll want to make a huge statement against a tough out in Abe. The fans at Turning Stone Resort Casino will be in for a real treat.”
 
Kholmatov (11-0, 10 KOs), a former international amateur champion, debuted as a pro in August 2021 and secured nine impressive victories before the year ended. The 25-year-old southpaw stepped up to face then-unbeaten Armenian Andranik Grigorian in March 2022, decisioning him after 12 dominant rounds. In his last fight, Kholmatov traveled to enemy territory to battle undefeated British contender Thomas Patrick Ward. The Uzbek powerhouse dropped Ward three times, forcing his corner to throw in the towel in the fifth round.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for, and I will be ready,” Kholmatov, said. “I have no doubt. On March 2, I will become the new WBA featherweight champion of the world.”
 
Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) was a two-time national Golden Gloves champion before entering the paid ranks in March 2019. In 15 pro fights, he has only had one blemish, a draw against then-unbeaten Aaron Perez in March 2021. Since then, the 24-year-old native of Camden, New Jersey, has gone 6-0 with three knockouts, including wins over undefeated prospects Edward Vazquez and Richard Medina, as well as a victory over former world champion Jessie Magdaleno. Ford dropped Magdaleno twice en route to a 12-round decision win.
 
Ford said, “I’ve been waiting so long for this fight, and I’m already tired of talking about it. I’ve worked my whole life to put myself in position for this opportunity, and I will be leaving that ring on March 2 as a world champion.”
 
Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs), the fighting pride of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, captured the IBF strap by dethroning Josh Warrington in his hometown of Leeds, England, last December. In May, the 30-year-old traveled to Belfast and beat hometown hero Michael Conlan via fifth-round TKO. Lopez defended his title against division mainstay Joet Gonzalez, emerging victorious via unanimous decision after 12 hard-fought rounds in September. 
 
Lopez said, “My team and I are focused on Reiya Abe. I’m going to make my third title defense on March 2, and we’ll be focused on obtaining the victory and making a statement in order to get a unification fight against whomever is available.”
 
Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs), the IBF No. 1 featherweight contender, suffered a few early-career setbacks before a breakout performance against then-undefeated Ren Sasaki in October 2020. The 30-year-old southpaw is unbeaten in five bouts since the Sasaki triumph. Abe captured his first regional title with a decision win over Hinata Maruta in May 2022 and defended it against Jinki Maeda seven months later. He is coming off a points victory in a world title eliminator against former two-division world champion Kiko Martinez. 
 
Abe said, “I am traveling a long way to fulfill my dream of becoming champion of the world. Lopez is a tough opponent, and I will give it my all to bring a world title home to Japan.”
 

# # #

 
About Turning Stone Resort Casino
Host of the March 2 event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier destination for major boxing events that are broadcast around the world. Boxing hall-of-famers and legends of the sport have attended fights, promoted cards, or fought at Turning Stone over the last two decades, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miquel Cotto, Mike Tyson selected Turning Stone as the venue for his world debut as a promoter, and Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali made her boxing debut at Turning Stone and attended a fight in 2022 when she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
 
Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, an international event celebrating boxing legends and current superstars in the sport. Throughout the year, Turning Stone and the Boxing Hall of Fame attract thousands of boxing fans, Hall of Famers and sports media to the region for a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate in June with the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. 
 
Turning Stone features world-class amenities including NY Rec & Social Club, featuring TS Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book and elevated sports lounge, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  

Three February fight nights across the globe kick off what promises to be Matchroom Boxing’s busiest year yet. Crucial domestic clashes, World Title rematches and undefeated vs. undefeated showdowns whet the appetite for fight fans around the world – with all of the action shown exclusively live on DAZN.  

Matchroom’s UK schedule gets underway with a huge rematch at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle on Saturday February 10 as Welterweight rivals Conah Walker and Cyrus Pattinson do battle again following their thrilling clash at the Utilita Arena Birmingham back in August. 

Wolverhampton’s Walker (12-2-1, 4 KOs) sensationally handed former Team GB standout Pattinson (6-1, 4 KOs) the first loss of his professional career, flooring the Alnwich man three times on route to securing the biggest win of his career via an eighth-round stoppage.

All-action Pattinson gets an immediate shot at redemption, this time in front of his home crowd, as he looks to get his promising career back on track by putting his first loss behind him and continuing his climb towards title action in the 147lbs division.

Also featuring on the card is a fourth pro outing for exciting 21 year old Cameron Vuong (3-0 2 KOs) who takes on the experienced Ishmael Ellis (14-7) over eight rounds at Lightweight. 

The following Friday (February 16) Mexico plays host to another must-watch rematch as Adrien Curiel and Sivenathi Nontshinga run it back for the IBF Light-Flyweight World Title following their dramatic first meeting at the Casino de Monte-Carlo last month. 

Mexico’s Curiel (24-4-1, 5 KOs) ripped up the script by scoring a shocking one-punch knockout of South Africa’s defending champion Nontshiunga (12-1, 9 KOs) in the second round of their highly anticipated showdown in Monaco.

The 24-year-old makes the first defence of his World Title on home soil, determined to prove that his stunning knockout of the year contender wasn’t just a one off. Having tasted defeat for the first time in his career, Nontshinga is aiming to recapture his old belt to keep his dreams of unifying the division alive. 

Rising Super-Middleweight star Edgar Berlanga closes out an action-packed February on DAZN as he faces the toughest test of his career in the shape of Belfast’s Padraig McCrory at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

‘The Chosen One’ (21-0, 16 KOs) takes on his second Irish opponent in a row after widely outpointing Jason Quigley to retain his WBO NABO Title at New York’s Madison Square Garden Theatre in June. 

Unbeaten McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) fights in the U.S. for the first time in his career, tasked with the challenge of derailing Berlanga’s rapid rise to the top of the Super-Middleweight division.

Elsewhere, Islington’s John Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) looks to build on his brilliant showing against pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez when he takes on his undefeated compatriot Jaime Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday January 27 – live worldwide on DAZN. 

“2023 has been an incredible year for Matchroom Boxing and our partners DAZN – and we’re not done just yet!” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “We close out the year in incredible fashion next weekend in Saudi Arabia as Anthony Joshua, Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia all star in one of the biggest cards ever put together. However, 2024 promises to be even bigger and better and I’m excited to announce our first three events of the year.

“It’s time for Cyrus Pattinson to show us what he’s made of when he faces Conah Walker in a must-win rematch with his career on the line. Adrien Curiel caused one of the biggest upsets in boxing this year when he sensationally dethroned Sivenathi Nontshinga in Monte-Carlo. He gets the hero’s return to Mexico where he will be looking to end Nontshinga’s dreams of unifying the Light-Flyweight division. ‘The Chose One’ Edgar Berlanga is out to remind everyone why he is rated as one of the very best Super-Middleweights on the planet when he takes on Belfast’s unbeaten Padraig McCrory. Watch all of our action live worldwide on DAZN.”

“After a stacked 2023 seeing the biggest names fighting in the biggest fights, we are delighted to be adding three shows to an already busy 2024”, said Alfie Sharman, VP DAZN. “This year will see new matchups constantly added as we continue to deliver nonstop boxing action to subscribers and fight fans all around the world.” 

Further undercard announcements and ticket details will follow in due course.

Los Angeles, CA (December 18, 2023) Hollywood Fight Nights returns to the beautiful Chumash Casino Resort on February 23, 2024 headlined by an outstanding ten-round main event featuring Undefeated Gor Yeritsyan, (17-0, 14 KOs), of Los Angeles, CA battling Quinton Randall, (13-1-1, 3 KOs), of Houston, TX for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title, broadcast globally on UFC FIGHT PASS.

Presented by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, tickets priced at $105, $85, $75, $65 and $55 are Now On-Sale and can be purchased online through the Chumash Casino Resort (3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez, CA 93460). Doors will open on the night of the event at 6:30 p.m. PT with the first bell at 7:00 p.m. PT.

Said Tom Loeffler, “We are very excited about bringing more world-class boxing to the Chumash Casino Resort once again. Chumash is a tremendous property, in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, that boasts a rich boxing history.”

“Gor Yeritsyan vs Quinton Randall is a great matchup for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title. Gor is undefeated and coming off of a big win at Madison Square Garden last month. He’s in very tough against Quinton Randall who’s coming to win the title and take Gor’s undefeated record away from him.”

Yeritsyan, a native of Armenia, returns to action following a career-best victory on November 9, in New York City, an eight round unanimous decision over perennial contender Luis Alberto Veron. The 28-year-old native of Armenia is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.

“Gor is ready to take the next step up which makes this fight and this training camp all the more important,” Roach said. “Randall is a tough fighter and he has our full attention. Gor is very motivated to give the Armenian fans attending the fight a great show.”   

Stated Yeritsyan, “I am very excited because it’s my first main event on UFC FIGHT PASS and I’m fighting for a title. It means a lot for me because I came a long way for this. Now I am doing really hard work with my coach Freddie and the team. I must be 100% ready for this fight.”

The upset-minded Randall, unbeaten in his first 14 professional fights, looks to bounce back into the win column following a hotly-contested ten-round WBO International Welterweight title clash against Brian Norman, on November 16, in Las Vegas, NV.

“I have a point to prove, nothing to talk about. Just action on February 23,” said Randall.

Additional fights will be announced for this event shortly.

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