LAS VEGAS – November 1, 2023 – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will battle exciting contender José Benavídez Jr. in a 10-round non-title WBC special event in the co-main event of a stacked SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.  

The pay-per-view will also see hard-hitting IBF 140-pound world champion Subriel Matías against unbeaten mandatory challenger Shohjahon Ergashev, plus WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor Luis Garcia duels top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The event is headlined by undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defending his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in one of the most intriguing matchups in the star-studded 168-pound division.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and available at AXS.com.

“Boxing fans will get a full feast of action on November 25 with three high-stakes fights leading up to the SHOWTIME PPV main event between David Benavídez and Demetrius Andrade,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Jermall Charlo will look to show why he’s the top middleweight in the world against the highly-motivated José Benavídez Jr., while champions Subriel Matías and Héctor Luis Garcia will enter the ring seeking to hold off fast-rising mandatory challengers Shohjahon Ergashev and Lamont Roach. From start to finish, fans watching on pay-per-view and at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas are in for a memorable night where every bout could truly steal the show.”

The 33-year-old Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) will return from a layoff of over two years, having held the WBC middleweight belt since 2019 with a run that includes a dominant victory over top middleweight contender Sergey Derevyanchenko in their September 2020 showdown. Charlo’s 160-pound victories have come after a championship reign at 154-pounds that lasted from 2015 through 2017. He has compiled a perfect 7-0 record since moving up to middleweight and owns victories over former champions Julian Williams, Austin Trout and Cornelius Bundrage at super welterweight, with both Williams and Bundrage succumbing to highlight-reel KO defeats.

“It’s been a long road to this point, but only the strong survive and I’m built different,” said Charlo. “I’m looking forward to reminding everyone that there is a reason why Jermall Charlo is an undefeated world champion and one of the best fighters today pound-for-pound. This is the next chapter of my life and it’s going to be my best, so I want all my fans to tune in on November 25, because I’m going to light up Las Vegas.”

Phoenix’s Benavídez (28-2-1, 19 KOs) is the older brother of headliner David Benavídez and is trained by his father José Sr. A long-established contender who was a highly decorated amateur, Benavídez moved up to super welterweight after dropping a 2018 world title challenge to Terence Crawford, concluding a long run at 147 pounds. He moved up to 154 pounds in July 2022, battling two-division champion Danny Garcia for 12 rounds before losing by a close majority decision. Benavídez made his 160 pound debut in August, blasting out veteran Sladan Janjanin in round five.

“I’ve been working hard and I feel strong and ready to take him out,” said Benavídez. “I’ve been wanting to fight Charlo for a while. I’m going to come that night and show him what I’m about. But I’m not here trying to use words. I don’t need to say anything. I’m going to let my fists do the talking in the ring on November 25.”

The 31-year-old Matías (19-1, 19 KOs) captured the IBF 140-pound championship in February, stopping the previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce after five rounds of fast-paced, back-and-forth action on SHOWTIME^®. Matías has shown that his power lasts throughout a fight, as his last seven victories have come via stoppage in round five or later. The lone loss of his career came against Petros Ananyan via 10-round unanimous decision in 2020 and was later avenged. Matías, of Farjado, Puerto Rico, faced two unbeaten boxers after the loss, defeating Malik Hawkins and Batyrzhan Jukembayev by stoppage. In the rematch with Ananyan, Matías emerged victorious by ninth-round TKO, methodically wearing his opponent down and exhausting him before dropping him and ending the action.

“I would always rather let my hands do the talking inside of the ring, but I’m very excited for this fight,” said Matías. “This is a great opportunity to be a part of a big event in Las Vegas. I had my only loss there, so I’m going to avenge that defeat on November 25 and show everyone that Subriel Matias is here to stay. I’m dedicating this fight to my hometown of Maternillo and the people of Puerto Rico.”

Born in Uzbekistan and now fighting out of Detroit under the tutelage of renowned trainer SugarHill Steward, Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs) has dominated his competition since turning pro in 2015, earning his shot at the world title. After the 31-year-old made his U.S. debut in late 2017,  he stopped the previously unbeaten Sonny Fredrickson in three rounds in January 2018 in his second bout stateside. He’d follow that up in 2019 by winning a unanimous decision over Mykal Fox, handing him the first defeat of his career.  Ergashev most recently scored a pair of victories in 2022, shutting out Luis Alberto Veron on his way to a unanimous decision in May, before stopping Angel Martinez Hernandez in the fifth round in August.

“It’s been a long journey to finally get this opportunity to fight for the world title,” said Ergashev. “On Thanksgiving weekend I will make the whole journey worthwhile. The U.S.A. is the land of opportunity and I want to thank my team for always believing in me. It’s also exciting to be fighting with SHOWTIME, where I’ve had many fights throughout my career. With my trainers Sugarhill Steward and Theo Chambers in my corner, history will be made November 25 and Uzbekistan will finally have a world champion.”

García (16-1, 10 KOs) followed up his spectacular 2022 in January by challenging boxing superstar Gervonta Davis for his lightweight world title on SHOWTIME PPV, giving Davis a competitive bout before losing in round nine. García has fought professionally since December of 2016 after a stellar amateur career that included representing his native Dominican Republic in the 2016 Olympics and a runner-up finish at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto. Now training in Las Vegas under the watchful eye of respected trainer Bob Santos, García scored one of the biggest upsets of 2022 ,  dropping and defeating then unbeaten Chris Colbert in February of that year. Nearly six months later, García captured the world title with a one-sided unanimous decision over incumbent Roger Gutierrez in August.

“I’m happy to be back returning to the ring and fighting at my natural weight,” said Garcia. “I’m really looking forward to getting in there and defending my title against Lamont Roach. He’s a tough opponent, but I’m at my best at super featherweight and I’ll be ready for everything he brings. I’m having a great training camp and I can’t wait to show the world the adjustments I’ve made since the Gervonta Davis fight.”

The 28-year-old Roach (23-1-1, 9 KOs) enters this fight on a four-bout winning streak, earning his position at 130 pounds by defeating Angel Rodriguez via unanimous decision in their July 2022 title eliminator. Roach’s current run comes after he dropped a November 2019 130-pound world title fight via decision against Jamel Herring. A native of Washington, D.C., Roach began his pro career in 2014 with 16straight victories following an impressive amateur run that included a 2013 National Golden Gloves Championship and the honor of being named USA Boxing’s Most Outstanding Boxer. 

“He couldn’t run for long, but we’re finally here,” said Roach. “I’m extremely excited for this fight and this opportunity. The world is going to get used to their new world champion and it starts when I get my hand raised on November 25.”

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

Top Rank presented by AutoZone: Ajagba vs. Goodall will be presented live this Saturday, November 4, at 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT, exclusively on ESPN+ from Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

In the 10-round main event, Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba hopes to take a giant leap towards a title opportunity when he faces Australian contender Joe Goodall.

Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, is one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder debuted in the paid ranks in July 2017 and notched six first-round knockouts in his first eight fights. The 29-year-old will make his third appearance of 2023, following a decision win over Stephan Shaw in January and a disqualification victory against Zhan Kossobutskiy in August.

Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs) made his pro debut in 2018. He stopped five of his first six opponents before fighting to a majority draw against Christian Ndzie Tsoye in August 2018. In his latest outing in July, he scored his most impressive victory yet, a sixth-round TKO against Stephan Shaw in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, Raymond “Danger” Muratalla takes on unbeaten Mexican fighter Diego Torres.

Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) made his pro debut in 2016 in Mexico. The 26-year-old has stopped 12 of his last 13 opponents. Torres (18-0, 17 KOs) is a 26-year-old powerhouse who began his pro career in 2019 and unleashed a streak of 13 knockout victories.

Undercard action, also streaming on ESPN+, begins at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT and features the Top Rank debut of heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore, as well as an all-undefeated junior lightweight showdown between Henry Lebron and William Foster III.

Moore (12-0, 8 KOs) will take on Robert Simms (12-3-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round fight. Lebron (18-0, 10 KOs) and Foster (16-0, 10 KOs) will collide in a 10-rounder.

Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna.

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. 

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Ajagba vs. Goodall (All Times ET)

Las Vegas – UFC^® returns to Austin, Texas with one of the most stacked fight nights of the year, headlined by a pivotal lightweight matchup between No. 4 Beneil Dariush and No. 8 Arman Tsarukyan. Also on the card, lightweight strikers collide as No. 9 ranked contender Dan Hooker takes on No. 12 Bobby Green in a five-round co-main event.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DARIUSH vs TSARUKYAN will take place Saturday, December 2 at Moody Center. The prelims will be simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+ starting at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: DARIUSH vs TSARUKYAN tickets will go on sale Friday, November 3 at 12 p.m. CT and are available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, November 1 at 12 p.m. CT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday November 2 starting at 12 p.m. CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC fighters and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.

Perennial top contender Dariush (22-5, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) has his sights set on securing another dramatic victory to return to the title conversation. A high-level grappler with knockout power, he has won eight of his last nine bouts, including wins over Mateusz Gamrot, Tony Ferguson and Drew Dober. Dariush now intends to show that he is still one of the best in the world by taking out Tsarukyan.

Rising star Tsarukyan (20-3, fighting out of Erevan, Armenia) looks to make the most of his second UFC main event by securing the biggest win of his career. Among the most well-rounded athletes on the UFC roster, Tsarukyan has impressed with finishes over Joel Alvarez, Joaquim Silva and Christos Giagos. He now aims to announce himself as the next challenger for the lightweight belt with a defining victory over Dariush. 

Hooker (23-12, fighting out of Auckland, New Zealand) plans to deliver another vintage highlight-reel performance. An all-action fighter who is no stranger to post-fight bonuses, Hooker has established himself as a favorite amongst fans with thrilling victories over Paul Felder, Gilbert Burns and Jim Miller. He now looks to defend his spot in the Top 10 of the division and set himself up for a championship run in 2024.

Always entertaining, Green (31-14-1 1NC, fighting out of Fontana, Calif.) aims to keep the momentum going from his main event first-round KO of rising prospect Grant Dawson from just under one month ago. A member of the UFC roster since 2013, Green currently holds the record for the most significant strikes landed in UFC lightweight history with 1,644, a total he amassed from wins over Tony Ferguson, Lando Vannata and Clay Guida. He now seeks to make it three victories by finish in a row and break into the Top 10 for the first time.

Additional bouts on the card include:

• An intriguing bantamweight bout pits No. 8 ranked contender Rob Font (20-7, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) against former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (21-3-1, fighting out of Condor Belem, Para, Brazil)
• A high stakes welterweight bout sees No. 9 ranked contender Sean Brady (15-1, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) welcome No. 11 ranked middleweight Kelvin Gastelum (18-1 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.) back to the division
• Former UFC bantamweight champion and current No. 12 ranked contender Miesha Tate (19-9, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on fellow veteran No. 13 ranked Julia Avila (9-2, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Ok.)
• UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida (38-20, fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) plans to start another long win streak against Joaquim Silva (12-5, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) at lightweight
• No. 11 ranked light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-5 1 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) aims to make a statement against undefeated No. 12 ranked Azamat Murzakanov (13-0, fighting out of Fairfield, N.J. by way of Nalchik, Russia)
• Punahele Soriano (9-3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Dustin Stoltzfus (14-5, fighting out of Lancaster, Penn.) collide in a middleweight tilt
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Zach Reese (6-0, fighting out of Houston, Texas by way of Shiner, Texas) debuts against Cody Brundage (9-5, fighting out of Englewood, Colo.) in a middleweight bout
• Lightweights Drakkar Klose (13-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) and Joe Solecki (13-3, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) lock horns
• Steve Garcia (14-5, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) meets Melquizael Costa (20-6, fighting out of Baura, Para, Brazil) for a featherweight scrap
• Dana White’s Contender Series signee Rodolfo Bellato (11-2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) makes his UFC debut against Ihor Potieria (20-4, fighting out of Kiev, Ukraine)
• Welterweights Wellington Turman (18-7, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) and Jared Gooden (18-8, fighting out of Duluth, Ga.) aim to steal the show
• Veronica Hardy (7-4-1, fighting out of Nottingham, England by way of Caracas, Venezuela) and Jamey-Lyn Horth (6-0, fighting out of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada) face off in a flyweight matchup

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 75 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS^®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global entertainment, sports, and content company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Moody Center

Moody Center provides the nation’s 11th-largest city with a premier venue to host the biggest artists and acts on the planet. Designed specifically for concerts, the new arena replaces the 46-year-old Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center at The University of Texas and is home to The University of Texas Women’s and Men’s basketball games, family shows, and other sporting and community events. Moody Center is the first of its kind in the industry with an unrivaled partnership between Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, The University of Texas at Austin, and Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey. In 2022, Moody Center ranked #1 highest-grossing venue in its category by Billboard Magazine and received the 2022-23 New Concert Venue of the Year Award by Pollstar Magazine and Arena of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. For additional information and news, follow @moodycenteratx on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, and Tik Tok.

QUINCY, Mass. (October 31, 2023) – Old-time boxing returns Friday night, December 9, in Worcester (MA), as Granite Chin Promotions (GCP) presents “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2,” featuring a roster of legitimate fighters in real fights.

“Pandemonium at the Palladium 2” will be streamed live from the famed Palladium on BXNGTV.com. GCP has also partnered with Project New Hope, a Worcester-based charity that supports veterans and their families.

Undefeated Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (12-0, 7 KOs) and unbeaten Kenny “Lionheart” Larson (7-0-1, 5 KOs) will headline in the 10-round main event for the vacant Junior North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Welterweight Championship in a rebirth of a longtime Bay State rivalry.

Whitley, of Holyoke, represents Western, Massachusetts, Salem’s Larson is from Eastern, Mass. It’s also a fight between a legacy fighter, Whitley, who is trained by his father Derrick and uncle Darrin, who were solid pro fighters during the 1990’s into the first decade of the 21^st century; Larson is a throwback fighter who only asks who, where and when he’s fighting.

And Whitley and Larson, as rare as it may be among contemporary boxers, are unbeaten prospects fighting each other, which is a sure sign of old-time boxing.

“This is a critical fight for both fighters at this stage in their career,” GCP president Chris Traietti commented. “The winner moves on to legitimate prospect status, while whoever falls short will have to regroup and rebuild a little bit. It is about time these two guys finally get into the ring with each other and give local boxing fans an exciting main event. The styles of each guy contrast perfectly Denzel is more of a boxer, Kenny is a pressure fighter; this is a can’t miss entertainment with the Junior NABF title on the line.”

Whitley is the reigning Massachusetts and United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Atlantic Welterweight Champion, although neither of his two regional titles will be on the line versus Larson.

Whitley vs. Larson was supposed to happen a few times, but they have not met in the ring yet. They are both anxious to take care of unfinished business on Dec. 9 in Worcester. This showdown will also mark the first scheduled 10-round fight for both combatants.

“I can’t say it (delay) will necessarily help me,” said Whitley, who was known as a notoriously slow starter until his most recent fight (August 18, 2023) at The Palladium, when he needed only 25-seconds to stop Hector Esnar Bobadilla. “I was ready before and now for this fight. It’s my first 10-round fight and I’ve gotten more rounds to be in my best shape. I’m on a belt run and want to add my third title.    My style was to get in rounds to get the proper feel and adapt in the ring. My father and uncle have wanted me to start faster, and I did in my last fight.

“I don’t know much about my opponent. He likes to fight, I like that. We do have unfinished business and we’re finally getting that now. I need to get him out of the way and move on to the next fight. He comes forward, an old-fashioned fighter, and that will make for a good fight. When I capture this belt, I hope to move up in the rankings and it helps get me a big shot in a big venue against a big name.”

Larson, who was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves silver medalist, registered the most significant victory of his career last July, when he won an eight-round split decision over highly respected Brandon Higgins (10-3). But he came back less than a month later to fight Alfred Raymond, which ended in a six-round split decision.”

“A relief,” Larson expressed his feelings about finally fighting Whitley. “This is what I want and I’m glad to get a chance to prove myself. (The delay) Helped me a little because of the experience I’ve gained. I know I wasn’t at my best, but I had just fought Higgins in the fight of my life. I didn’t get a rest to recover from the fight with Higgins. Since then, though, my mind frame was clear in training camp because I had a vacation after my last fight.

“Denzel has a good record. I’m looking to prove myself against the best. He’s the best…..right now. I’m going to fight my fight at my pace. I don’t care about fighting him in Worcester. My fans travel no matter where I fight. I’m a throwback who is a rough kid that can fight.”  

Also fighting on the loaded “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2,” card is undefeated International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas Super Middleweight Champion Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs), who will face an opponent to be determined in the 10-round co-featured event. Sumpter, fighting out of Pittsfield (MA), is one of the hottest prospects in the Northeast, coming off an impressive performance against previously unbeaten James “Pitbull” Perkins (12-0-1, 9 KOs) by way of an eight-round majority decision in the main event this past August at The Palladium.

Also scheduled to be in action are a pair of Worcester fighters, light heavyweight Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr. (21-1-3, 12 KOs) and super welterweight Khiary “Too Sharp” Gray (17-6, 13 KOs). Ball is a former New England Middleweight and WBC USA Super Middleweight Champion, who will be fighting in a 10-rounder for the vacant USBF title. Pitts will be in his first fight in two years.

Card subject to change. Additional fights and fighters will soon be announced.

Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at www.ThePalladium.net.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

X (Twitter): @Granite_Chin

PEMBROKE PINES, Florida (Oct 31, 2023) – Two high-stakes showdowns top the bill on a special Top Rank on ESPN card Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. 
 
In the main event, Cuban WBO featherweight king Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez puts his belt on the line against unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza. 
 
In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas squares off against Spain’s Jorge Fortea.
 
Ramirez-Espinoza and Zayas-Fortea will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.

“We are thrilled to be back in South Florida with a loaded card featuring some incredibly talented fighters,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Ramirez has his hands full against an undefeated challenger who will not be deterred by the moment, and I know Xander Zayas wants to make a huge statement in front of his humongous South Florida fan base.”
 
Ramirez (13-1, 8 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been on a dominant trajectory after joining forces with trainer Ismael Salas. The 29-year-old southpaw had a tremendous 2022 in which he stopped Irish veteran Eric Donovan, then-unbeaten Puerto Rican Abraham Nova and Argentine contender Jose Matias Romero. This year has been even better for the fighting pride of Cienfuegos, Cuba, as he soundly defeated former world champion Isaac Dogboe by unanimous decision to capture the WBO featherweight title in April and defended his crown on enemy turf with a fifth-round TKO against Japanese contender Satoshi Shimizu in July.  
 
Ramirez said, “Miami is for many of us Cubans an important meeting point, where Spanish is spoken, our heritage is celebrated, and we remember our homeland daily through the city’s vibrant culture. Ever since I turned professional, I have wanted to fight near my people of Miami, where I also live. That cherished moment has finally arrived. On December 9, at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, I hope to have the support of the Cuban community of Miami and to see our flag waving everywhere.”
 
Espinoza (21-0, 18 KOs) has dedicated more than a decade to his career in the paid ranks, all leading up to his first opportunity at a world title. He debuted in 2013 and has fought mostly in his native Mexico, save for two early-career bouts in the U.S. A giant in his division at 6’1”, Espinoza will boast a seven-inch height advantage and is coming off a five-fight knockout streak. He tallied stoppage wins over compatriot Rafael Rosas Ramirez in March and Tanzania’s Ally Mwerangi in July.
 
Espinoza said, “I am happy and grateful for what is happening. The time has come, the opportunity of my life, and I will not waste it. Robeisy is a great champion, and I am glad to face someone like him. I know we will have a great fight, and it will go down in boxing history. I am sure of it.”
 
Zayas (17-0, 11 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 and has been on the path to super stardom ever since his pro debut in October 2019. In 2022, he scored eight-round decision wins over Quincy LaVallais and Alexis Salazar, along with a fifth-round TKO against Elias Espadas. In 2023, he notched a 10-round unanimous decision win over Ronald Cruz during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in June and a fifth-round TKO against hard-hitting Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in September. Zayas aims to cement his candidacy for a title shot with his third victory of the year. Fortea (24-3-1, 9 KOs) is a 13-year pro from Spain who coming off a decision win over the previously unbeaten Ismael Flores in April. He is riding a three-bout winning streak and is a former WBC Latino 154-pound belt-holder.
 
Zayas said, “I am super motivated to close the year with one more fight in which I will be able to continue demonstrating the progress of my skills and maturity as a fighter, which I have achieved thanks to the dedication and all the hard work in the gym. The goal on December 9 is to continue showing that I am prepared for the next step.”
 
The ESPN+ undercard will showcase some of Top Rank’s best and brightest up-and-coming talents, including:
 
Rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (9-0, 5 KOs), the fighting pride of Brownsville, Brooklyn, will take on former world title challenger Jason Sanchez (16-4, 9 KOs). Carrington will attempt to go 5-0 this year in his first scheduled 10-rounder. Sanchez lost a unanimous decision to then-WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez in June 2019.
 
Junior middleweight Jahi Tucker (10-1, 5 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first defeat in an eight-rounder against unbeaten Argentinian Francisco Daniel Veron (13-0, 10 KOs). Tucker overcame a tough Nikoloz Sekhniashvili in April, but dropped a decision to Nicklaus Flaz in July.
 
Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (10-0, 6 KOs) will lock horns against Keith Hunter (15-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight tilt. Polanco returns following his most impressive win to date, a fifth-round destruction of Panamanian contender Cesar Francis in July.
 
U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (10-0, 5 KOs) makes his fourth appearance of 2023 in an eight-round junior welterweight fight against Mexico’s Jimmer Espinosa (15-1, 14 KOs). Johnson is coming off a hard-earned majority decision over Ricardo Quiroz in September.
 
Undefeated heavyweight prospect Damian “Polish Hussar” Knyba (12-0, 7 KOs), a 6-foot-7 behemoth with an 86-inch reach, takes on Scott Alexander (17-6-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
 

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About Charles F. Dodge Center
The Charles F. Dodge City Center has over 45,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space and boasts a modern, contemporary design that’s as intelligent as it is visually striking. The sleek lines and unique layout of the building will catch your eye, but the real gem is our Great Hall. Spanning over 23,000 square feet, it can accommodate more than 3,200 guests theater-style, 2,100 for concerts, 1,300 classroom-style, 1,120 for banquets, and over 100 exhibits for trade shows. Get ready for unforgettable experiences at the Charles F. Dodge City Center – where state-of-the-art meets community pride!

ONTARIO, CA (October 30, 2023) – This past Saturday super lightweight , Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (26-2, 16 KOs), made a successful return to the ring in extraordinary fashion, delivering a second-round knockout over the tough challenger Rogelio “Hercules” Jun Doliguez (25-6-2, 19 KOs). The scheduled 8-round bout took place at the Lum Color Center in Ontario, California, under the promotional banner of Elite Boxing USA.

After being absent from the ring for over a year, Martin shook off the rust and showcased his raw talent from the opening bell. Round one saw Martin battering Doliguez with a plethora of hard, precise punches, mostly left and right hooks, and straight right crosses. The electrifying moment came in the second round when Martin unleashed a vicious left hook to the body, sending Doliguez to the canvas. Doliguez was unable to make the 10-count, resulting in a sensational second-round knockout victory for Martin.

“I’ve been away from the ring for too long, but this win is a testament to all the hard work my team and I have put in,” said Ryan Martin as he shared his emotions following the incredible victory. “I knew when I hit him with that liver shot, he wasn’t going to get up. I feel strong and rejuvenated.”

“This is a momentous victory for ‘Blue Chip’ and the entire team,” stated Brandon Stump, President of CTB Athletics and Martin’s manager. “We know he has the talent to be a world champion, and he proved he’s ready against a tough opponent. Fans haven’t seen the best version of Ryan Martin. He hasn’t seen his best day yet. The future is bright, and we’re ready for whatever comes next.”

“I want to thank my team for all the support they’ve given me throughout my time off,” concluded Martin. “I’m back, and I’m ready to make a run to a world title fight.”

Huntington, New York – [October 29, 2023] – Fans and fighters alike are still buzzing from the unbelievable action that unfolded at last night’s sold out “Rockin’ Fights 45,” presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at The Paramount in Huntington, New York.  This unforgettable night of pugilistic prowess had fans on the edge of their seats, and it’s safe to say that the stars aligned for an electrifying showcase of the sweet science.

In the main event, ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (now 14-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) went toe to toe with JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (now 8-4 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) for the vacant WBA Continental USA Super Lightweight Title. Out of the gate, in a shock to the sold-out crowd, Rosa landed a perfectly thrown clean straight right hand that sent the undefeated Suffolk County Police Officer Alex Vargas to the canvas for the first time in his professional career. Facing such an adversity for the first time, Vargas responded well, centering himself and fighting his style of fight. While some rounds were close, and at times the fight became more of a battle of wills, Vargas settled in and edged out the close rounds with technical skills, fighting his way back to earn a unanimous decision victory and the new WBA Continental USA Champion. (78-73 x2, 77-74).

In the WBA Continental USA Super Welterweight championship co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (now 15-2 7 KO’s, Huntington, NY) wasted no time getting to work as he staggered JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR (now 7-2 6 KO’s, Phoenix, AZ), in the first thirty seconds, before unloading an onslaught of punches. Both men would settle in, but Toussaint was a man on a mission, dictating the action and controlling the tempo of the fight. A Toussaint one-two combination at the end of the first round sent Jones to the canvas for the first time. Then with 29 seconds left in the third round, and Jones pinned in the corner, Toussaint dropped Jones for the second time. With just 2 seconds left in the third round, and another Toussaint onslaught, Referee Pat Sullivan stepped in to call a stop to the fight, declaring Wendy Toussaint the winner by TKO3, and the new WBA Continental USA Champion.

The undercard was electric from start to finish. In a 4-round super featherweight bout, Star Boxing’s ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (now 2-0, Passaic, NJ) was cruising against KESLAIRE “X MAN” EXAVIER (now 0-1, Las Vegas, NV) when a picture-perfect check left hook landed clean on the button dropping Perez for the first time in his professional career. The sensational highlight reel blow landed Perez on the floor with 45 seconds left in the fourth and final round. However, the Mexican warrior showed he has the heart of a champion. To the amazement of the crowd, and everyone watching around the world on StarBoxing.TV and Swerve.TV, Perez somehow rose from the canvas and continued the fight as if nothing happened, launching a barrage of punches. The fight went to the cards and Perez won the unanimous decision victory (38-37 x3).

The 4-round light heavyweight bout between LOU “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (now 3-4-1, Bronx, NY) and FRANK “MAGIC” MONACO (now 1-0, Glen Cove, NY) quite literally brought the house down. The foundation of The Paramount shook as fans cheered on their fighter. Maietta opened the action right out of the gate, landing a right hand that caught the attention of Monaco. Monaco gathered himself and returned the favor as the fight continued to heat up. Each fighter had their moments in each round. Monaco landed his best punch in the third round when a solid right hand tagged Maietta. The fight went the distance and the extremely close fight went to the scorecards with Monaco edging out the victory with a majority decision. (39-37 x2 Monaco, 38-38 Draw). 

DOMINIC BREEN (now 0-3, Staten Island, NY) and JOSEPH “GI JOE” ELZEY (now 1-0, Bronx, NY) put on an exciting display of wills, as the first round closed with a mele from both Elzey and Breen eating punches to dish out their own. Late in the second an overhand right from Elzey snapped Breen’s head back, followed by an overhand left and right that drew Breen back into the ropes, which referee Al LoBianco determined were holding up the hurt Breen, and declared it a knockdown. Ten seconds into the third, Elzey landed another overhand right causing a highlight reel knockdown and followed it up another power combination causing referee LoBianco to stop the bout at the 1:50 mark of the third round.

Finally in the opening bout of the evening, EMMANUEL ETIENNE (now 4-1 2 KO’s, Uniondale, NY) settled any questions with OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (now 0-2, Bronx, NY) in their 4-round cruiserweight rematch, as Etienne dropped Bamgbose with 18 seconds left in the second round with a vicious body shot followed by a devastating uppercut. Bamgbose was unable to continue due to a torn bicep. Etienne earned the win by TKO2.

Star Boxing, the longest running and most active promoter in New York once again solidified its reputation of thrilling action fights with “Rockin’ Fights 45.” From the moment the opening bell rang, fight fans were treated to an evening of pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat action that left no doubt as to why this series is so highly acclaimed.

JOE DEGUARDIA, CEO of Star Boxing, expressed his enthusiasm about the thrilling night of boxing, saying, “I’ve been in this sport for many years, and ‘Rockin’ Fights 45′ was an adrenaline-charged, fan captivating show that was a privilege to promote.  Our team at Star Boxing is dedicated to bringing the best action fights to fight fans, and we will continue to build, develop and grow the sport from the ground level up, delivering memorable moments like last night. Congratulations to Alex Vargas and Wendy Toussaint on winning their respective WBA Continental USA Championships and to ALL the other combatants who make me proud to be a promoter in this great sport. We look forward to being back at the Paramount on February 23, 2024 for “Rockin’ Fights” 46!”

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Oct. 28, 2023) — It wasn’t without its fair share of surprises, but The Gypsy King prevailed.

WBC & lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson Fury overcame an early knockdown to secure a 10-round split decision victory over lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou Saturday evening at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The long-awaited battle of behemoths kicked off Riyadh Season, one of the world’s leading entertainment festivals, which runs throughout the winter months in the Kingdom’s largest city. 

In the opening seconds, Fury leaped from his corner to land a quick right, but Ngannou’s awkwardness and strength soon slowed the pace. Then, as he appeared to get his rhythm, Fury was dropped with a counter left hook from Ngannou.

Fury got back to his feet to face a fired-up Ngannou, but a few robust right hands from The Gypsy King help to temper the MMA legend’s aggression. Fury continued to box, though he received numerous punches as he engaged with Ngannou on the inside in the eighth round, after which he resumed his outside game to try to secure the final two rounds. 

Fury returned successfully from an almost 11-month layoff with scores of 96-93 and 95-94, which overruled one score of 95-94 for Ngannou.

Fury said, “That definitely wasn’t in the script. He’s one hell of a fighter. He’s strong, a big puncher, and a lot better as a boxer than we thought he would ever be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher. I respect him a lot, before the fight and afterward.

“He was very awkward. He wasn’t coming forward. He was standing back and waiting for me to land my punches and then try to counter. He’s a good fighter. He’s given me one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years.

“It’s part of boxing. I got caught behind the head again. My legs weren’t hurt or nothing. I was alright. And I got back up and it was what it was. And I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was. But I got the win, and that’s what it is.”

Ngannou said, “We can run it back again, and I’m sure I will get the better. This was my first boxing match. It was a great experience. I’m not giving any excuse. I know I came up short. But I’m going to go back and work harder with a little more experience and a little more feeling of the game. And I will come back even stronger. 

“At first, I was a little nervous. This is a new sport that I never did. Now I know I can do this sh*t. So, get ready!”

Heavyweight: In an all-British showdown, Fabio Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) put an exclamation point on a bitter, months-long rivalry with David Adeleye (12-1, 11 KOs) by scoring a seventh-round TKO. Wardley pressed the action while Adeleye circled the ring. Adeleye found openings in the fifth round, but in round seven, Wardley was back in control with firm jabs. Then, while separating from a clinch, Wardley landed a right-left combo that floored Adeleye and ended matters with another combo shortly thereafter. Time of stoppage: 2:43.

Heavyweight Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) defeated Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-2, 22 KOs) via third-round TKO. Parker spent the first two rounds deciphering Kean’s defense. He then began to land uppercuts in between Kean’s guard, first wobbling him and then stopping him with another. Time of stoppage: 2:04.

Heavyweight: Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 KOs) notched a first-round TKO against Junior Anthony Wright (20-5-1, 17 KOs). Makhmudov dropped Wright with a right hand followed by consecutive left hooks. Wright survived the knockdown, but another right hand by “The Lion” nearly had Wright out on his feet, forcing referee Steve Gray to stop the fight. Time of stoppage: 1:10.

Heavyweight: 18-year-old British prodigy Moses Itauma (6-0, 4 KOs) iced Istvan Bernath (10-2, 8 KOs) via first-round TKO. Itauma sent Bernath to the canvas with a jab before ending matters with combinations around Bernath’s guard. Time of stoppage: 1:53.
 

NEW YORK, NY – October 27, 2023 – Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that super middleweight powerhouse Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (13-0, 11 KOs) will face off with Franchón Crews-Dezurn (8-2, 2 KOs) for the WBC super middleweight championship Friday, December 15 on DAZN, as the co-main event with Jake Paul and his soon to be named opponent in Orlando, FL. Green vs. Crews-Dezurn marks MVP’s latest significant women’s championship fight as the company works to establish equity across the sport. Jake Paul, co-founder of the company alongside Nakisa Bidarian, was named as one of “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” by Sports Illustrated this year in part for his work to revolutionize pay structure in support of female fighters.

Green, the former standout college basketball star and Team USA boxing silver medalist, boasts an impressive 13-0 record with 11 KO’s and the record for fastest KO in a women’s fight and joined MVP in January after a trailblazing few years in the sport. Shortly after, Green defeated the former unified world champion Elin Cederroos with a vicious sixth round TKO, marking the first and only time Cederroos was ever stopped in her career. Green’s latest bout against Olivia Curry in August led to a resounding unanimous decision victory as part of the Paul-Diaz undercard. Currently ranked #1 in the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF, the Paterson, NJ native will now face former undisputed super middleweight champion Crews-Dezurn, who is on the hunt to reclaim the WBC title after a majority decision loss to Savannah Marshall in July. 

“I’ve poured blood, sweat, tears, and every ounce of determination into this journey,” said Shadasia Green.“Stepping into the ring for the WBC super middleweight championship is a dream come true. Franchón is a beast in the ring, but make no mistake – when we meet in that ring, it’s going to be an all-out war, and I’m coming for that title. I want to thank the WBC for this opportunity and MVP and my team for all they have done for me. Get ready for an epic battle on December 15th, with Shadasia Green emerging as the new WBC super middleweight champion.”

Franchón Crews-Dezurn has taken hold of her journey for over 12 years as a former contestant on American Idol, 12 year member of Team USA, 15x National Champion, 5x Pan Am Gold medalist, 2x Olympic alternate and 2x world medalist. Franchón is the first US woman to qualify for the Pan American Games and one of three US women to compete in the event. Also known as The Heavy Hitting Diva, she won her first world title (WBC) in 2018, and went on to capture the WBO world title to become a unified champion in 2019. In 2021, Franchón defeated the IBF and WBA unified champion Elin Cederroos in a 10 round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden, to become the first-ever female undisputed super middleweight world champion and inaugural and prestigious Ring Magazine belt champion. As a professional boxer, she is the first female unified world champion from Baltimore and first ever undisputed champion, male or female from Baltimore. To date, Franchón has only been defeated twice, by three-weight world champion Claressa Shields and two-weight world champion Savannah Marshall. Truly an extraordinary woman in the world of sports and entertainment, she advocates for better health, women’s empowerment and equal pay in sport. Franchón is currently signed with Matchroom Boxing.

“I’m super excited about this fight on December 15th against Shadasia Green. I am looking forward to winning the WBC belt on my road back to becoming undisputed for a second time,” said Franchón Crews-Dezurn. “Shadasia was always going to be my next fight. It’s just under a little different circumstances but the same mission. My goal is not to prove others wrong. I’m very confident in myself, so I’m just focused on proving myself right. I want to thank Most Valuable Promotions and my manager Peter Kahn for getting this fight done. I will put on an amazing show for the fans in Orlando, Florida and the fans watching on DAZN when I bring my title back home.”

“Since the inception of MVP I have made women’s boxing a priority and have leveraged my platform to push the sport.” said Jake Paul. “Amanda Serrano has become one of the biggest stars in sports and I believe Shadasia Green is next. She’s Sweet in person but a real Terminator in the ring. It’s an honor to share the card with two strong, powerful women, who have dedicated their lives to the hardest sport in the world,” 

“This WBC title bout will be Shadasia’s greatest test so far in her professional career and her first step towards global stardom. A win against Franchón sets up two massive fights for Shadasia: Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “But Franchón is a tested former undisputed champion and is determined to regain her belts. With no love lost between the two fighters, this will be a can’t miss fight. Thank you to the WBC and to our amazing partner DAZN for helping us bring this world-class event to global audiences on Friday, December 15.”

Most Valuable Promotions will also continue to showcase its premiere talent throughout the rest of the year to global audiences on DAZN. Undisputed featherweight champion and seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KOs) is set to face WBO challenger Danila Ramos in a historic 12-round, three-minute rounds unified featherweight title bout, equal to men’s championship fights, on Friday, October 27th at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Directly preceding the fight will be MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects III, featuring top up-and-coming boxing talent.  

For more information, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @MostVPromotions, @shaygreen35, @TheHHDiva, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @JakePaul, @MostValuablePromotions, @shadasia_green, @thehhdiva, and @DAZNBoxing.

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.??

WASHINGTON, PA (October 27, 2023) –Weights for Saturday night’s fight card from Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington, PA

Michael Manna 199 – Joe Turk 197.6

Moses Johnson 243.2 – Lemir Isom-Tiley 260.4

Theodore Mrkonja 136.2 – Kevin Hicks 136

Devon Siegfried 183.4 – Christoper Crockett 185.8

Ivan Dancha 153.8 – Anthony Rutkowski 157.8

CC Clark and Tommy Parker will take part in an exhibition.

Promoter: Integrity Fighter Management

Venue: Meadows Racetrack and Casino

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Stream: BXNGTV.com

Tickets are priced at $50 and $75 and can be purchased at Integrity Boxing – Fall Fisticuffs #6 Tickets Oct 28, 2023 Washington, PA | Ticketmaster

HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK (October 27, 2023) — As Star Boxing gears up for its 45th edition of “Rockin’ Fights” tomorrow night at The Pollstar #1 Club venue in the world, The Paramount, all twelve fighters weighed in this afternoon at Title Boxing Club Syosset. Click HERE to see the fighters face off. The official weights, for what is expected to be a thrilling night of fights, were as follows:

8 Round WBA Continental America’s Super Lightweight Title Main Event

ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS: 139.4 lbs

JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA: 138.2 lbs

8 Round WBA Continental America’s Super Welterweight Title Co-Main

WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT: 153.4 lbs

JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES: 152 lbs

4 Round Super Featherweight Bout

ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ: 129.2 lbs

KESLAIRE “THE X MAN” EXAVIER: 128.8 lbs

4 Round Light Heavyweight Bout

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA: 170 lbs

FRANK “MAGIC” MONACO: 169.4 lbs

4 Round Super Featherweight Bout

DOMINIC BREEN: 131.4

“GI” JOE ELZEY: 128 lbs

4 Round Cruiserweight Bout

EMMANUEL ETIENNE: 184.2

OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE: 183.2

Tune in to “Rockin’ Fights” 45 tomorrow night on www.StarBoxing.TV and Swerve Combat at 7:30PM ET.

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 45

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The six fight card features local talent that includes:

Undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round WBA Continental USA Championship bout.

In the co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6KO’s) takes on JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6KO’S) of Phoenix, AZ in an 8-round super welterweight bout.

Undercard:

EMMANUEL ETIENNE of Uniondale, NY (4-1 2KO’s) will go toe to toe in a grudge rematch with former UFC fighter, turned professional boxer, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (Bronx, NY 0-1) over 4 rounds at cruiserweight;

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY, 3-3) looks to continue his win streak when he fights Glen Cove, NY’s FRANKIE “MAGIC” MONACO (pro debut).

Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV,

DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).

MIAMI, FL (October 26, 2023)—The Only in America 92 Celebration just got bigger as promoter Don King has put together four title fights for the Saturday, Nov. 4 extravaganza at the Casino Miami Jai Alai.

King is going to celebrate his recent 92^nd birthday with five championship fights.

The Nov. 4^th card will have three co-feature title fights headlined by the 12-round battle for the WBC Cruiserweight vacant title as the number one ranked fighter, Mikaelian (26-2, 11 KOs) of Miami, FL via Armenia taking on the number two ranked fighter and former champion Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) from Johannesburg, South Africa via the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu, who lost his title to Badou Jack as he was stopped in the 12^th round, is hoping to regain his belt after Badou Jack relinquished the title.

“The fighters will distinguish themselves as world champions in these five title fights,” said King.

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“They will be the people’s champions. They will distinguish themselves to the fans. Boxing will return to the beautiful fans.”

The other tri-feature bout will spotlight two heavyweight champions putting their respective belts on the line. The NABA Gold Heavyweight Champion Jonathan Guidry (19-1-2, 11 KOs) of Dulac, LA will tangle with the undefeated FECARBOX Heavyweight Champion Jesus Escalera (19-0, 19 KOs) of Riverview, FL via Puerto Rico.

The WBA Continental North America Heavyweight Championship will feature the former WBA champion Trevor Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL via New York taking on challenger Cassius Chaney (22-1, 15 KOs) of New London, CT.

And now King has added the WBC Youth Super Lightweight championship featuring Ft. Lauderdale’s DeVon William (3-0, 3 KOs) taking on Marik Black (2-1-1, 1 KOs) of Versailles, KY.

King, who recently turned 92 years of age, has invited O’Jays founder and lead singer Edward Willis Levert, to celebrate the Nov. 4^th card and King’s birthday.  Levert, King’s dear friend, has volunteered to sing the national anthem and be a part of King’s Only in America 92 Celebration with the three national anthems of boxing—Give the People What They Want, Backstabbers and Money Money Money.

“I want to thank owner Phil Ruffin and general manager Daniel Licciardi for their support in allowing us to have two super nights of boxing at their Casino Miami Jai Alai,” said King. “The Only in America 92 Celebration” extravaganza will be like no other and it will encompass two exciting nights of championship boxing.”

King’s second night of boxing, since he had so many title fights, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, also at Casino Miami Jai Alai.

Adrien “The Problem” Broner, a four-time World Champion in four weight divisions, continues his return to the top of the welterweight division as he meets another Cincinnati, OH fighter in Howard (18-2-1, 8 KOs) for the “People’s Championship” set for Saturday, Dec. 2.  Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) made his return to the ring on June 9^th a successful one in winning a unanimous decision over William “Hutch” Hutchinson. It was Broner’s first fight in nearly 26 months, who is on a mission to secure the 140-pound world title.

Broner will dedicate this fight to his late trainer and mentor Mike Stafford, who passed away at the age of 67 in September. A 10-bell salute will be held prior to the co-main event featuring Ian Green.

The super sensation fan favorite and WBA Continental America’s middleweight champion, Ian Green (17-2, 11 KOs) from Haledon, NJ will also be featured on the Dec. 2nd spectacular night of boxing as he defends his title against an opponent to be named.

Tre’Sean Wiggins (15-5-3, 8 KOs) of Newburgh, NY will defend his NABA Welterweight championship against Pittsburgh’s Bill Hutchinson (20-3-4, 9 KOs).

Fecarbox Lightweight Champion Antonio Williams (16-0-1, 7 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL will defend his title against Antonio Perez (8-0, 5 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA.

Tickets, priced from $50, are on sale and can be purchased at www.playcasinomiami.com for the Nov. 4^th and the Dec. 2^nd cards.  Ringside tables are $3000. next level tables $2500, ringside seats $750 and side seats are $200 and $100. General Admission tickets at $50.

The two nights of boxing also will be available on DonKing.com, FITE.TV and ITUBE247.com.

LOS ANGELES (October 26, 2023) – Rising LA-based promotional company Toro Promotions has announced the signing of 2020 Ukraine Olympic heavyweight prospect Tsotne Rogava (3-0, 3 KOs) to an exclusive promotional contract.

The 6’ 5”, 270-pound Rogava is a combat sports veteran who has successfully transitioned to boxing from his world class Muay Thai and kickboxing career, highlighted by his three-time IFMA World title-winning performances in Muay Thai as an amateur, along with his ACB kickboxing crown.

“Toro is excited to sign Tsotne because he’s a former Olympian with a lot of fighting experience,” Toro Promotions promoter Azat Torosan said. “He’s a big, tough, talented fighter.

“I am delighted to announce today that I have signed a contract with Toro Promotions,” Rogava commented. “I am grateful to Toro and the team for the opportunity to showcase my skills. I am thrilled to join the team and work together. This year has been challenging for my career and I am excited to step back in the ring, but actions speak louder than words in boxing.”

Rogava is trained by Joe Goossen, who was inducted into the prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) this past summer and Rogava works out daily with another fighter Joe trains, (Armenian heavyweight) Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (4-0, 4 KOs).

Goossen has trained world champions such as Diego Corrales, Riddick Bowe, Shane Mosley, Joel Casamayor, Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas, Amir Khan, and Michael Nunn.

Goossen was instrumental in discovering Rogava, who was first brought into training camp to spar Hovhannisyan, who was supposed to fight former world heavyweight champion Charles Martin. The fight didn’t happen because Martin pulled out three weeks out to take another fight.

“Of all the fighters we brought in,” Goossen explained, “he (Rogava) had that amateur pedigree. I can’t pronounce his name, so I asked him what people called him. He said, ‘T,’ but now I call him ‘Mr. T.’ He’s mean – pleasant outside the ring – in the ring. He’s aggressive, skillful, and a pressure fighter. You don’t make it on an Olympic team unless you have skills, and he definitely does. He is a great find; we scored big. He’s going to be moved really fast.

“To already have skills from his Olympic competition is invaluable. He is special. I love his work ethic. He lives (in LA) with his wife and kids. He has a very pleasing style; heavy-handed and an accurate puncher without wasting punches. And he can take a good shot, too. He has a mean streak. He is a bad dude.”

The 30-year-old Rogava, who was born in Georgia, was a member of Ukraine amateur boxing program that has produced prizefighting stars such as Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasily Lomachenko. Rogava represented Ukraine at the 2020 Olympic Games in London.

Rogava made his pro debut in boxing back on April 10, 2021, stopping Petar Mrvalj in the opening round of their fight in Kyiv, Ukraine. The following May in Cologne, Germany, he defeated Michael Bassett, who was unable to continue after two rounds in a scheduled six-round bout.

In his most recent fight, which was held in France a little more than a year ago, Rogava knocked out Demir Gulamic in round two.

Philadelphia, PA (October 26, 2023) –A special night of boxing will take place on Friday, November 10th at the 2300 Arena as King’s Promotions presents Split-T Showcase.

The card will feature some of the best talent from boxing’s top management company, Split-T Management.

In the featured bout, local and undefeated heavyweight Sonny Conto takes on Detrailious Webster in a bout scheduled for six-rounds.

Conto, who lives blocks from the 2300 Arena will have his usual huge fan base in attendance. The 27-year-old has a record of 11-0 with nine knockouts. Conto is coming off a second-round stoppage over James Bryant (6-1) on October 29, 2022, at the 2300 Arena.

Webster of Courtland, Mississippi has a record of 6-1 with two knockouts. The 35-year-old is coming off a win over Terrell Jamal Woods on August 19th in Oxford, Mississippi.

In an eight-round but, undefeated super flyweight LeAnna Cruz (6-0) of Allentown, PA will fight for her first title when she takes on an opponent to be named for the NABF title.

Also in an eight-round bout, 2021 Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Oshae Jones (4-0) of Toledo, Ohio collides with Samantha Pill (5-2, 1 KO) of Fairmount, West Virginia for the NABF Super Welterweight Title.

Also in six-round bouts:

Haven Brady Jr. (10-0, 4 KOs) of Albany, Georgia fights an opponent to be named in a super featherweight fight.

Dante Benjamin (7-0-1, 5 KOs) of Cleveland takes on Darin Austin (11-0, 8 KOs) of Hampton, Georgis in a light heavyweight battle of undefeated fighters.

Greg Outlaw (12-2, 6 KOs) of Bowie, Maryland will take part in a welterweight bout against an opponent to be named.

In Four-round Bouts:

2023 National Golden Gloves champion Tyshawn Denson (1-0, 1 KO) of Akron, Ohio takes on an opponent to be named in a featherweight battle.

Ali Ellis (4-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Nicoy Clarke (3-8, 1 KO) of Jersey City, NJ in a heavyweight bout.

The fight card will be streamed for Broadcast at https://bxngtv.com/

Available online and via the BXNG app available on Apple TV/ App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, Roku, 8 Smart TV.

Tickets for this outstanding evening of boxing are priced at $55, $75, $96 and $150 and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 26, 2023) – Swerve TV, a category-leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel operator, and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, the longest running New York based professional boxing promotion company, announced today that they will televise live the 45th edition of Star Boxing’s critically acclaimed “Rockin’ Fights” series on Saturday, October 28th, featuring a WBA Continental USA Championship doubleheader on Swerve Combat. On more than 20 platforms, Swerve Combat will make Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” 45 available free to virtually every internet-connected TV in the United States.

The WBA Continental USA Championship doubleheader main event features Long Island’s undefeated super lightweight fan favorite, Alex “El Toro” Vargas (13-0 5KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs Julio “El Pantera” Rosa (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round championship super lightweight main event. In the 8 round championship super welterweight co-feature, Wendy “Haitian Fire” Toussaint (14-2 6 KO’s, Huntington, NY) will battle Jermone “Quadruple J” Jones (7-1 6 KO’s, Phoenix, AZ) in what could be a barn burner battle for the super welterweight title.

The sold-out event, which features a thrilling undercard as well is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and held at Long Island’s historic Paramount, the #1 Pollstar club venue in the world. The show will begin at 7:30 pm eastern on Saturday, October 28. 

“The atmosphere inside of The Paramount during a “Rockin’ Fights” is unlike anything else in boxing. The thrilling action can be felt in every seat in the house, and it deserves to be shared with a large home audience. We are delighted to partner with Swerve Combat to televise this multi-title event live and free to all nationwide,” said Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing.

“Boxing is attracting fans at a higher rate in the U.S. than any other sport while also capturing a younger fan base. We are grateful to Joe and Star Boxing for helping us achieve our goal to make live boxing available without paywalls to everyone,” said Steve Shannon, CEO of Swerve TV.  

Swerve Combat has seen tremendous growth more than doubling viewership so far in 2023 as a result of increased delivery of combat competitions during the past year and is committed to delivering more free, live combat competitions as its FAST audience grows.

For more information on how to stream Swerve Sports, visit swerve.tv and www.StarBoxing.com.

About Swerve TV, LLC

Founded in 2021 by digital media veterans Steve Shannon and Dan Keston, Swerve Combat is the first FAST channel focused on delivering free combat sports and athletic competitions while telling the stories behind the world’s most inspirational athletes. Swerve is available on Amazon Freevee, Amazon Fire TV Channels, Prime Video, Fubo, LG Channels, The Roku Channel, SLING TV, VIZIO, Xumo Play and more and is accessible in over 80% of US households. Follow us on Instagram @swervecombat.

Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 45

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The six fight card features local talent that includes:

Undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round WBA Continental USA Championship bout.

In the co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6KO’s) takes on JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6KO’S) of Phoenix, AZ in an 8-round super welterweight bout.

Undercard:

EMMANUEL ETIENNE of Uniondale, NY (4-1 2KO’s) will go toe to toe in a grudge rematch with former UFC fighter, turned professional boxer, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (Bronx, NY 0-1) over 4 rounds at cruiserweight;

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY, 3-3) looks to continue his win streak when he fights Glen Cove, NY’s FRANKIE “MAGIC” MONACO (pro debut).

Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV,

DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).

Huntington, New York (October 25, 2023) — A SOLD-OUT “Rockin’ Fights” is just three days away. The anticipation continues to grow as Star Boxing is pleased to announce that the 45th edition of the critically acclaimed fight series will feature a WBA Continental USA doubleheader. Along with the already announced WBA Continental USA main event between ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) and JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL), the co-main event between WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6 KO’s, Huntington, NY) and JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6 KO’s, Phoenix, AZ) will now also challenge for the WBA Continental USA Championship in the super welterweight division.  

Toussaint-Jones is a real scrappy fight on paper. Toussaint is a kind person by nature, but once the gloves are laced, a different beast rears its head. Most will remember the gory scene from Toussaint’s last bout against Ardreal Holmes Jr. this past June on DAZN. A clash of heads caused a four-inch-long gash as blood gushed from Toussaint’s forehead. Most people would have recoiled to the confines of the corner and safety of the doctor; however, Toussaint is not most people. Toussaint convinced the doctor to allow the fight to continue, and exploded from the corner with a fifteen second barrage. Eventually the cut was determined to be so deep and severe that the referee stopped the fight due to the cut and contrary to Toussaint’s wishes, forced the fight to go to the scorecards with a technical decision, in a fight where Toussaint won over even Holmes’ hometown fans.  

Entering Saturday night, Toussaint is invigorated, knowing he can compete with anyone in the division, and believes this is the first step in showcasing that, “Opportunity knocked once, but they couldn’t steal my determination,” said Toussaint. “On October 28th, I’ll rise to claim what’s rightfully mine. After that victory, I’ll look forward to getting back in the ring as I continue my journey to reach my goal: a world championship.” 

Jermone James Jones Jr., aptly dubbed “Quadruple J,” has other plans. The Arizona native carries two sledgehammers for hands, evidenced by his 87% knockout ratio. While Jones knows he is fighting in front of a sellout crowd, he is not allowing the moment to overwhelm him, “Fighting for a title is a one of my favorite parts to the fight game,” said Jermone Jones. “Being able to look back at my accolades and adding to it is something I’m looking forward to!” 

Star Boxing announced a complete sell out of “Rockin’ Fights” 45 last Friday, and if you were unable to get yourself a ticket you can still watch the action live October 28, at 7:30 PM ET on www.StarBoxing.TV. 

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 45

Vargas-Rosa is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

The six fight card features local talent that includes:

Undefeated super lightweight ALEX “EL TORO” VARGAS (13-0 5 KO’s, Bellport, NY) vs JULIO “EL PANTERA” ROSA (8-3 4 KO’s, Orlando, FL) in an 8 round WBA Continental USA Championship bout.

In the co-main event, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (14-2 6KO’s) takes on JERMONE “QUADRUPLE J” JONES JR. (7-1 6KO’S) of Phoenix, AZ in an 8-round super welterweight bout.

Undercard:

EMMANUEL ETIENNE of Uniondale, NY (4-1 2KO’s) will go toe to toe in a grudge rematch with former UFC fighter, turned professional boxer, OLUWALE “HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (Bronx, NY 0-1) over 4 rounds at cruiserweight;

LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY, 3-3) looks to continue his win streak when he fights Glen Cove, NY’s FRANKIE “MAGIC” MONACO (pro debut).

Mexican warrior, ERICK “EL CANETE” PEREZ (1-0 1KO) retuning to The Paramount against pro debut KESLAIRE EXAVIER of Las Vegas, NV,

DOM BREEN (Staten Island, NY 0-2) against JOSEPH ELZEY (Bronx, NY, pro debut).

NEW YORK (October 25, 2023) On Tuesday, November 7, former world champion and US Marine Veteran, Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring, headlines the latest installment of DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series, titled “Heroes on the Hudson” – a One Night Only event to support the heroic veterans of the United States Armed Forces. He will face the unbeaten Nick Molina (13-0, 5 KOs), of Lowell, MA, at Manhattan’s Edison Ballroom. Fighting just days before Veterans Day is a fitting return for the Marine Veteran, as Herring looks to represent those he served with, his family, and all military veterans.

The evening will kick off with six amateur bouts, each featuring an NYPD officer or military veteran, and will conclude with four world-class professional bouts. The amateur bouts will be exclusive to those in attendance. The professional boxing portion of the card will air live exclusively on DAZN, beginning at 8:00 PM ET.

Tickets for “Heroes On The Hudson” can be purchased via Telecharge.com or by calling (800) 447-7400. Tables of 10, including a sit-down dinner, are $10,000. Ringside seats, including buffet, are $250 plus ticket fees. Standing Room Only tickets are $125 plus ticket fees. All tickets, regardless of price, include open bar. Edison Ballroom is located at 240 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 5:30 PM ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:00 PM ET.

Boxing fans who want to sponsor a night out for a veteran can donate $500 for four veterans to attend Broadway Boxing: Heroes on the Hudson, $1,250 for 10 veterans or $2,500 for a group of 20 veterans. To do so, please call the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577.

“Heroes On The Hudson” is proudly sponsored by Morgan Stanley and Cavu Securities. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to support Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York.

“It is an honor to work with Jamel Herring, a former world champion and proud US Marine Veteran,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This event, ‘Heroes On The Hudson’, is a way to give back and show support to all of those who have served in the military. Using boxing as a way to help his fellow veterans is very important to Jamel, a man who did two tours of duty in Iraq. I am proud to promote this event that will help benefit Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York.”

“I look at Veterans Day the way that Canelo looks at Mexican Independence Day and Cinco De Mayo,” said Herring. “As an American military veteran, fighting around American traditional holidays, like Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or the Fourth of July, is a big deal and a great thing. Boxing on those holidays means something special to me. They also bring out other military veterans from past and present as well.”

Military service is a family affair for Herring, who joined the Marine Corps after experiencing 9/11 as a young New Yorker.

“My father, two aunts and two uncles were all in the Army,” he said. “I was the only one that joined the Marine Corps.

“Being from New York around the time of 9/11 and seeing that as a teenager in high school was really my motivation to join the military. My best friend, Stephan Brown, who is a year older than me, enlisted in 2002. He came back from boot camp, and said, ‘You should really make the move and join.’ That prompted me to join the Marine Corps.”

Herring will be fighting for all veterans on November 7, but there are some specific people that will be on his mind when he steps into the ring that night.

“My aunt, Lisa Elliby, passed away this year,” said Herring. “She was in the Army. So, of course, I’m fighting for her. I also lost a fellow Marine named Joey Canale a few weeks ago while I was in training camp. He was one of my Marine Corps boxing teammates from back in 2009-2010. I will also be fighting for Mike Stafford, my first professional trainer, who recently passed away.

“Anything I can do to help, especially around veterans, is important to me,” continued Herring. “I’ve reached out to my old Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to get as many veterans involved as possible. Those guys are excited.

“I’m always trying to fight for and represent good people and those who mean a lot to me and to hopefully be an inspiration to those out there,” he continued. “There’s a lot that I’m fighting for in this event. That’s why it means a lot to me.”

The combat crossover event of the year features WBC and lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) versus lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou (17-3, 16 Finishes) in a highly anticipated 10-round boxing match. The long-awaited battle between two giants in their fields kicks off Riyadh Season, a months-long entertainment and sports festival in the Kingdom’s largest city.

The Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV all-heavyweight event will also feature:

• Undefeated British standouts Fabio Wardley (16-0, 15 KOs)and David Adeleye (12-0, 11 KOs)facing off in a 12-rounder.
   
• Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs), a New Zealand-born veteran who trains with Fury, will fight Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-1, 22 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
   
• Arslanbek Makhmudov (17-0, 16 KOs), a 260-plus pound power puncher fighting out of Montreal, Canada, will fight the upset-minded Junior Anthony Wright (20-4-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
   
• Moses Itauma (5-0, 3 KOs), Great Britain’s 18-year-old heavyweight hopeful, will see action in a six-rounder against Istvan Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs).

Calling the action: ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Bernardo Osuna, and Brett Okamoto.

Original Programming:

Prior to Saturday’s event, ESPN will air the original production: Road to Riyadh: Fury vs. Ngannou, a 30-minute all access preview of the upcoming super-event.

Road to Riyadh: Fury vs. Ngannou (All times ET)

The program will also be available for replay on-demand in the ESPN App, on ESPN.com and on ESPN+.

ESPN.com

From Ali to Inoki to Fury vs. Ngannou, highlighting the biggest crossover fights of all time (Jeff Wagenheim)
Teddy Atlas: How I’d train Francis Ngannou to face Tyson Fury
Thursday: Timothy Bradley Jr.’ s take: There’s a path for Ngannou to upset Fury
Friday: Francis Ngannou’s full circle journey into boxing with Mike Tyson by his side (Brett Okamoto)

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

Follow @ESPNMMA: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok 

Fury vs. Nngannou (All Times ET)

LONG BEACH, CA (October 25, 2023) – Former super lightweight contender, Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (25-2, 15 KOs) is set to make his return to the boxing ring after a year-long layoff. He will face off against Philippine slugger, Rogelio “Hercules” Jun Doliguez (25-5-2, 19 KOs), in an 8-round super lightweight bout scheduled for October 28, 2023. The fight will take place at the Lum Color Center in Ontario, California, under the promotional banner of Elite Boxing USA titled “Evolution XII”.

Hailing from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Martin has tasted defeat only twice, those losses coming at the hands of former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), and former lightweight world champion Robert Easter Jr. (23-1-1, 14 KOs).

“I’m just ready to get back in the ring after a year away,” said Martin, who once held the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title. “I have a whole new team behind me now and I’m ready to make a run toward a world title.”

Martin is determined to reestablish himself among the super lightweight elite. Notably, he has now chosen Ivan Sylve as his trainer, father of unbeaten rising star Ashton Sylve, who trains at the Jack Rabbit boxing gym in Long Beach, California.

“After adding Ivan Sylve to head my corner, I’ve taken everything I know in boxing to another level,” continued Martin. “I believe all the hard work I’ve done over the last year will pay off when I step in the ring with Doliquez. It’s time to leave everything in the ring on October 28th.”

After contemplating retirement, Ryan Martin got a resurgence in his career when manager Brandon Stump, of CTB Athletics reached out to see if he could resurrect his career. The two came to an agreement and now Ryan is set to return to the ring.

“We believe Ryan has a lot of fight left in him,” said Brandon Stump, manager at CTB Athletics and the guiding force behind Ryan Martin’s journey. “All he needed was some support to focus solely on boxing and here we are. His decision to train under Ivan Sylve has made a tremendous improvement in his game. Right now, everything is going as planned and a win on October 28th will take us to the next step in solidifying a big fight. Fans can expect to see the best version of Blue Chip when he steps in the ring this Saturday.” 

The Amanda Galle-Niorkis Carreno card in Toronto, Canada has been postponed due to Carreno sustaining a hand injury. The pair will now go head-to-head on December 10th for the vacant IBO World Bantamweight Title, the card was originally going to take place November 12th.

Amanda Galle (8-0-1 1KO), of Mississauga, Ontario, was three weeks out from her first shot at the world title when hearing of her opponent’s hand injury, that led to the fight being pushed back a month. With Galle’s experience in both the amateur and professional ranks, she won’t let this affect her preparation or performance on the night. Winning titles is nothing new to Galle, as an amateur she won numerous Canadian National titles, was 4-time Ringside World Amateur Boxing Champion and since turning over to the pro ranks she has won the Canadian Super Bantamweight Title against World Title challenger, Tania Walters. Galle’s previous matches have ultimately been preparing and leading her towards the heights of our sport, the World Championship. Different date, but same plan for Galle, to win the World Title in front of her hometown fans.

Hailing out of Trujillo, Venezuela, Niorkis Carreno is coming to Canada to upset the hometown favourite. The 3x World Title Challenger isn’t going to let the setback of her injury get in the way of her 4th shot at the title. Previously, Carreno has challenged for the WBC Minimum title, WBO Flyweight title and most recently the WBO Bantamweight title against Danish star, Dina Thorslund. Carreno is a proven clinical finisher, her 19 stoppages and 79% knockout ratio back this up.

Since the original announcement of the event, Lee Baxter Promotions has added two new exciting additions to the card. Baxter’s undefeated Super Lightweight prospect, Joshuah Lupia (12-0 10KOs) will look to end the year with a fourth consecutive stoppage win. Last time out in Montreal, Lupia stopped undefeated Victor de Lira Quezada in spectacular style.

Jessica Camara (11-4-0 2KOs) has also been added onto the December 10th card. Camara is currently ranked number 1 by the WBC in their Super Lightweight rankings. Camara’s standout win against Heather Hardy put her in place to challenge for titles against Kali Reis. The IBO, WBO, and WBA World Super Lightweight titles were on the line, but Camara just fell short on a split decision.

Also, to feature on the card, is one of Canada’s hottest prospects, Mohamed Zawadi (6-1 5KOs). Zawadi will be facing Gregory Miller (2-7 2KOs). With Zawadi’s ferocious punching power and Millers toughness, this match-up is expected to deliver fireworks. Hard-hitting Stephane Fondjo (11-1 9KOs) is preparing for his Canadian debut. Fondjo is the WBC Middle Easter and WBA Asia South Super Middleweight Champion. A rematch is on the card for Canadian Champ Ross Mylet (9-1-1 2KOs) and Luis Vara Carrillo (6-8-4 2KOs), a draw last timeout left fans and both fighters wanting the rematch. Mylet is coming off two great stoppage wins and is ready to settle the score with Carrillo. Undefeated Nawid Zaman (2-0 1KO) makes his first appearance on a Lee Baxter card. Making his professional debut in May of last year, Zaman is proving to be quite the fan favourite.

Another final fight is due to be added to the card, keep an eye out on Lee Baxter Promotions social media accounts for this being announced.

Tickets can be purchased on ticketmaster.com. For VIP Booths, please email sales@leebaxterpromotions.com. REBEL Entertainment Complex is located at 11 Polson Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1A4.

Follow us on our social media accounts for updates on our fighters and events.
Instagram and Facebook – @leebaxterpromotions
Twitter – @LBPromotions_

TOKYO (Oct. 24, 2023) – Japan’s pound-for-pound king is gearing up to extend his undisputed legacy to a second weight class.
 
WBC/WBO world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales will collide in an undisputed junior featherweight showdown on Tuesday, December 26 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Inoue, already a four-division world champion, seeks to become the second fighter to earn four-belt undisputed status in a second division.
 
Inoue-Tapales and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ in a special early-morning presentation.
 
“The sensational Naoya Inoue astounds with every performance. We are witnessing an all-time great fighter in the prime of his career,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He has a very difficult task at hand on December 26 against a tough, powerful Filipino champion in Marlon Tapales, but I am confident ‘The Monster’ will pass this test with flying colors.”
 
Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) is 20-0 with 18 knockouts in world title fights since defeating Adrian Hernandez in 2014 for the WBC light flyweight crown. He then moved up two divisions, knocked out then-WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez, and defended the title on seven occasions. At bantamweight, Inoue became the division’s first undisputed champion in the four-belt era, collecting each title as he defeated Emmanuel Rodriguez, Nonito Donaire twice and Paul Butler over a three-year span. After vanquishing WBC/WBO junior featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton via eighth-round TKO in July, Inoue plans to become the first undisputed four-belt champion at 122 pounds.
 
Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) is a 40-fight veteran who debuted in July 2008. He spent the earlier part of his career fighting in his native Philippines, suffering two early setbacks before a breakout performance against then-unbeaten Japanese contender Shohei Omori, whom he defeated via second-round TKO in December 2015. Tapales then captured the WBO bantamweight world title with an 11th-round TKO against Panya Uthok. After beating Omori in their 2018 rematch, he moved up to junior featherweight. He is 4-0 with 3 KOs since losing to Ryosuke Iwasa in December 2019. Tapales returns following his biggest win to date, April’s upset split decision against Murodjon Akhmadaliev to capture the WBA and IBF titles.

LOS ANGELES (October 24, 2023) –Wise Owl Boxing has signed Undefeated junior welterweight DeAngelo Evans

Evans, 25 years old of Kemersville, North Carolina, has a perfect record of 7-0 with seven knockouts.

“It is meaningful that a manager like Mark Habibi is interested in me, because it feels like my hard work is paying off,” said Evans. “I really want my name in the mix and want people to know who I am in boxing, and I feel with this new management, I can see that in my future.”

“I’m excited about the opportunity to manage DeAngelo Evans aka “Muscle”. He’s an exciting young fighter that checks all the boxes. He’s got the look; the charismatic personality and he can fight. His high-pressure style is exciting to watch which is reflected by his outstanding record of 7-0 w 7KO’s. We can’t wait to showcase this young talent and get him signed with a top-notch promoter asap,” said Mark Habibi of Wise Owl Boxing.

” It’s a blessing to be able to co-manage a great young fighter like Deangelo Evans, who has all of the potential to become a world champion in the future,” said co-manager Lamont Rosborough.

Evans began boxing at the age of 19 as he came across boxing while in college at Averett University, where Evans was a wrestler. Evans, who was the first in his family to attend college, stayed there for two years before dedicating himself to boxing.

Evans did not have an amateur career as he learned his trade by sparring with professional fighters.

“After my first day in the gym, I took the sport very seriously and stopped wrestling. I have always loved 1-on-1 sports and love working with my hands, as I love to cook, paint and draw.”

Evans turned pro on April 17, 2021, with a second-round knockout of Joel Franklin in Aiken, South Carolina. In his most recent outing, Evans stopped Kelvin Smith on August 5th in Danville, Virginia.

Evans is trained by former professional fighter Marcus Luck.

Evans, who works as a boxing teacher, is looking to get back in the ring on December 16th in Rock Hill, South Carolina at The Rock Hill Sports and Events Center.

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – (October 24th, 2023) – An early Christmas cracker will be delivered to the Bournemouth beachfront on Sunday, December 10th as cruiserweight king Chris ‘The Gentleman’ Billam-Smith (18-1, 12 KO’s) makes the first defence of his WBO World Cruiserweight Championship.

Polish powerhouse Mateusz Masternak (47-5, 31 KO’s) – a former European  and IBF and WBA Intercontinental Cruiserweight Champion currently ranked #5 in the world by the WBO and #9 by the WBC – challenges Billam-Smith in a championship bout which headlines the BOXXER card taking place at the Bournemouth International Centre and airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports.

Returning to the UK for the first time since his 2015 European championship war with Tony Bellew, Masternak rides a six-fight win streak into the bout. Three of those wins have come by KO, one of them a fourth-round stoppage of Albania’s Armend Xhoxhaj, who went five rounds with Billam-Smith last year. 

Having sold out the BIC on two previous occasions, December will mark Billam-Smith’s third time headlining Bournemouth’s largest indoor arena and his first contest since May, when he beat Lawrence Okolie in front of a capacity crowd at the Vitality Stadium.

And ahead of his maiden world title defence, Billam-Smith has committed his future to BOXXER by signing a new extended deal with the next-gen promoter, which includes a commitment to rematch Lawrence Okolie if he remains champion.

That event was the biggest boxing event in South Coast history and Billam-Smith’s return to action in December will be a triumphant year-end homecoming. Grateful for the years of loyal support, the champion requested the Sunday slot in order to allow travelling Bournemouth AFC fans to return from Saturday’s away game.

“Mateusz Masternak is a superb fighter, he’s proved that throughout his career. He’s got double the amount of fights that I have – he’s actually got more KO wins than I have fights – and his only losses are at the very top level. His style matches well with mine and I think it’s going to be a very exciting fight, I’m really looking forward to it,” said Billam-Smith.

Masternak said, “I think Chris Billam-Smith is a very good boxer. He showed his warrior soul in his last fight and proved that he deserves to be champion. I have a lot of respect for him in that way, but I believe more in my skills and my experience. I’ve been dreaming of the world championship since I started boxing. My boxing journey has been like a movie, all the highs and lows. I hope in December we get the best scene. I’m looking forward to fighting in England again, the fans create a great atmosphere there.“

BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom said, “Chris Billam-Smith wanted his first defence of the WBO World Cruiserweight Championship to be a big crowd-pleaser of a fight in his home town. Mateusz Masternak ticks all the boxes; he’s ranked number five in the world, he’s got a ton of experience and he rarely takes a backwards step. He’s a very dangerous opponent and Billam-Smith is taking a serious risk here. 

“Anyone who has ever experienced a BOXXER event at the Bournemouth International Centre will know just how crazy the atmosphere gets in there and I think this one will take that to a new level, the crowd are going to raise the roof. We’re ending the year with a guaranteed Christmas cracker and I can’t wait.”

TICKETING INFORMATION:

Pre-Sale opens Monday October 30th 

General Sale opens Wednesday November 1st 

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE.

MIAMI, FL (October 23, 2023)—The Only in America 92 Celebration just got bigger as promoter Don King has put together five title fights for the Saturday, Nov. 4 extravaganza at the Casino Miami Jai Alai.

King is going to celebrate his recent 92^nd birthday with five championship fights.

The Nov. 4^th card will have three co-feature title fights headlined by the 12-round battle for the WBC Cruiserweight vacant title as the number one ranked fighter, Mikaelian (26-2, 11 KOs) of Miami, FL via Armenia taking on the number two ranked fighter and former champion Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) from Johannesburg, South Africa via the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makabu, who lost his title to Badou Jack as he was stopped in the 12^th round, is hoping to regain his belt after Badou Jack relinquished the title.

“The fighters will distinguish themselves as world champions in these five title fights,” said King.

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“They will be the people’s champions. They will distinguish themselves to the fans. Boxing will return to the beautiful fans.”

The other tri-feature bout will spotlight two heavyweight champions putting their respective belts on the line. The NABA Gold Heavyweight Champion Jonathan Guidry (19-1-2, 11 KOs) of Dulac, LA will tangle with the undefeated FECARBOX Heavyweight Champion Jesus Escalera (19-0, 19 KOs) of Riverview, FL via Puerto Rico.

The WBA Continental North America Heavyweight Championship will feature the former WBA champion Trevor Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL via New York taking on challenger Cassius Chaney (22-1, 15 KOs) of New London, CT.

And now King has added the WBC Bridgerweight 12-round title bout and the WBC Youth Super Lightweight championship. The Bridgerweight championship will feature Mike Perez (29-3-1, 20 KOs) of Cork, Ireland via Cuba, who will meet Andrej Pesic (14-2-1, 7 KOs) of Bayern, Germany via Serbia. The

WBC Youth Super Lightweight title will find Ft. Lauderdale’s DeVon William (3-0, 3 KOs) taking on Marik Black (2-1-1, 1 KOs) of Versailles, KY.

King, who recently turned 92 years of age, has invited O’Jays founder and lead singer Edward Willis Levert, to celebrate the Nov. 4^th card and King’s birthday.  Levert, King’s dear friend, has volunteered to sing the national anthem and be a part of King’s Only in America 92 Celebration with the three national anthems of boxing—Give the People What They Want, Backstabbers and Money Money Money.

“I want to thank owner Phil Ruffin and general manager Daniel Licciardi for their support in allowing us to have two super nights of boxing at their Casino Miami Jai Alai,” said King. “The Only in America 92 Celebration” extravaganza will be like no other and it will encompass two exciting nights of championship boxing.”

King’s second night of boxing, since he had so many title fights, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, also at Casino Miami Jai Alai.

Adrien “The Problem” Broner, a four-time World Champion in four weight divisions, continues his return to the top of the welterweight division as he meets another Cincinnati, OH fighter in Howard (18-2-1, 8 KOs) for the “People’s Championship” set for Saturday, Dec. 2.  Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) made his return to the ring on June 9^th a successful one in winning a unanimous decision over William “Hutch” Hutchinson. It was Broner’s first fight in nearly 26 months, who is on a mission to secure the 140-pound world title.

Broner will dedicate this fight to his late trainer and mentor Mike Stafford, who passed away at the age of 67 in September. A 10-bell salute will be held prior to the co-main event featuring Ian Green.

The super sensation fan favorite and WBA Continental America’s middleweight champion, Ian Green (17-2, 11 KOs) from Haledon, NJ will also be featured on the Dec. 2nd spectacular night of boxing as he defends his title against an opponent to be named.

Tre’Sean Wiggins (15-5-3, 8 KOs) of Newburgh, NY will defend his NABA Welterweight championship against Pittsburgh’s Bill Hutchinson (20-3-4, 9 KOs).

Fecarbox Lightweight Champion Antonio Williams (16-0-1, 7 KOs) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL will defend his title against Antonio Perez (8-0, 5 KOs) of Harrisburg, PA.

Tickets, priced from $50, are on sale and can be purchased at www.playcasinomiami.com for the Nov. 4^th and the Dec. 2^nd cards.  Ringside tables are $3000. next level tables $2500, ringside seats $750 and side seats are $200 and $100. General Admission tickets at $50.

The two nights of boxing also will be available on DonKing.com, FITE.TV and ITUBE247.com.

DETROIT – October 23, 2023 – Rising prospect Joshua Pagan remained unbeaten on Saturday night as the Salita Promotions sensation dominated veteran Braulio Rodriguez across six rounds to walk away with a unanimous decision by the score of 60-52 three times in action at Motor City Casino in Detroit.

Pagan (9-0, 4 KOs) dropped Rodriguez (20-8, 17 KOs) twice throughout the bout that marked his fifth victory of a busy 2023. After fighting at 140-pounds on Saturday, Pagan declared his intention to begin campaigning at 135 pounds and set his sights on a championship run in a star-studded division that includes the likes of Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and more.

“It was a great fight on Saturday against an experienced opponent that gave me a good test,” said Pagan. “It felt great to get the rounds and experience in and see what I need to work on for the next camp. I’m going to focus on fighting at lightweight and I really feel as I keep improving, I’m going to be ready to face the best 135 pound champions and contenders.”

The 23-year-old Pagan will look to remain sharp as he now prepares to leave imminently to Puerto Rico with his trainer Theo Chambers to once again work alongside Jake Paul ahead of his announced ring return in December. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native first burst onto the national scene as an amateur when he won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis. Now just a couple of years removed from that triumph, he’ll continue to make his case for contender status, now at lightweight.

“Joshua is improving with each fight and getting faster, stronger and sharper,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “I believe that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division and is going to add a lot of flavor to a very talented weight class in the very near future.”

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ABOUT SALITA PROMOTIONS

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

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

(Oct. 23, 2023) —Puerto Rico’s WBO light flyweight world champion, Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez, will defend his world title against hometown favorite Gerardo Zapata this Friday, Oct. 27 at Alexis Arguello Sports Complex in Managua, Nicaragua.

Gonzalez-Zapata and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Gonzalez (27-3-1, 14 KOs) has won five bouts since falling short to Kosei Tanaka in a 2019 bid for the WBO flyweight world title. He then moved down to the light flyweight ranks and positioned himself for a title shot with a pair of victories. In October 2019, he toppled Mexican champion Elwin Soto by split decision to capture his world title. Gonzalez defended the WBO light flyweight twice in 2022 with unanimous decision victories over Mark Anthony Barriaga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan.

Zapata (14-1-1, 5 KOs), who was born in Managua, fought the first 14 bouts of his pro career in his home country. He lost his ‘0’ when he was controversially disqualified against Rene Santiago in December 2022. Zapata returned in August and was held to a 10-round draw against Panamanian contender Azael Villar.

In other ESPN+ streaming bouts:

• Rene Santiago (11-3, 8 KOs), two fights removed from the DQ win over Zapata, will defend his WBO Latino light flyweight title in a 10-rounder against undefeated Nicaraguan Kevin Vivas (7-0, 2 KOs).
   
• In a six-round female light flyweight contest, Eveling Ortega (5-4, 2 KOs) looks to increase her winning streak to five against Costa Rica’s Silvia Duran (3-1, 2 KOs).
   
• Welterweight prospect Harvin “Manimal” Aguirre (8-0, 6 KOs) steps up against Israel Lopez (11-3-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Honduras-born light flyweight Gerardo Sanchez (8-1, 5 KOs) hopes to end the unbeaten run of Peru’s Eduardo Ajito (11-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

LONG BEACH, CA (October 23, 2023) – Bantamweight contender Eros Correa

 (13-1, 8 KOs), currently ranked WBA #9, is set to make his 2023 ring debut against unbeaten rising star Robin Ellis (6-0, 5 KOs). The 8-round super bantamweight bout is scheduled to take place on the CBN Promotions’ “New Blood” card at the state-of-the-art Infinite Reality Studios, formerly Thunder Studios, in Long Beach, California, on November 4, 2023.

“New Blood” will broadcast live in Spanish on FOX Deportes, and the entire card will stream live on, www.FightStars.Network?. In addition, fans will be able to see the fights tape delayed on Estrella TV.

“I’m thrilled to be back in the ring and to face an unbeaten opponent like Robin Ellis is the type of fight I need to continue my march toward a world title,’ said Correa who hails from San Jose, California. “Although this fight is at super bantamweight, I’m confident I can come out victorious. Fans can expect an electrifying bout, and I can’t wait to deliver.”

“Eros Correa is ranked top ten in the world, and this is a big step up for me,” stated, Robin Ellis, the undefeated prospect from Hempstead, New York. “I’m ready to take on the challenge and maintain my unbeaten record. This fight is a significant moment in my career, and I intend to make the most of it.”

The 8-round main event will showcase welterweight Louie Lopez (14-2-1, 5 KOs), from Corona, CA, vs. Salvador Briceno (17-7, 11 KOs) from Guadalajara, Mexico. Undefeated super welterweight Alejandro Luis Silva (20-0-1, 15 KOs) from Buenos Aires, Argentina, will face Colombian power-puncher Janer Gonzalez (21-5-1, 17 KOs) in the 8-round co-main event. Opening the live telecast, middleweight and knock out artist Nelson Oliva (9-0, 8 KOs), from Los Angeles, CA, will battle Dario Guerrero-Meneses (3-6-1, 1 KO), from Long Beach, CA in a 6-round match up.

Doors open at 5:00 pm PT with the first fight starting at 6:00 pm PT. Televised fights on FOX Deportes will start at 8:00 pm PT. Tickets priced $50, $75, $100, $150 (Plus applicable fees), are available for purchase now by calling 800-283-8699, by text at 702-591-1638, or online at www.cbnpromotions.com. Infinite Reality Studios is located at 20434 S Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90810.

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

Super flyweight Daniel Barrera (4-0-1, 3 KO) from Riverside, CA, will battle Rod Michelle Sarguilla (2-3, 1 KO) from Midsyap, Phillipines (6-rounds). Super featherweight Abel Mejia (1-0, 1 KO) from Orange, CA will face an opponent TBA (4-rounds). Barrera and Mejia are promoted by Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions.

Welterweight Chris Gonzalez (2-0, 2 KOs) from Pacoima, CA, will square off Jose Mejia (1-0, 1 KO) from Palmdale, CA. (4-rounds)

Opening the card will be super welterweight Anthony Saldivar (4-0, 2 KOs) from Ontario, CA, facing Manuel Moreira (1-4) from Sheridan, Wyoming. (4-rounds)

This event is sponsored by Bud Light, HUSTLER Casino – LA’s only luxury Casino. Tequila Mandala – 100% Agave Azul, and Shoe Palace, Community comes first.

NEW YORK (October 23, 2023) In pursuit of another world title opportunity, two-time world champion, Miyo Yoshida, from Kayoshima, Japan, will face off against Shurretta Metcalf, of Dallas, TX, on Tuesday, November 7, as part of the latest installment of DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series, titled “Heroes on the Hudson” – a One Night Only event to support the heroic veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The bout, scheduled for 10 rounds at Edison Ballroom in New York City, will be contested for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental bantamweight title. Former world champion and US Marine Veteran, Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring, will compete in the main event.

The evening will kick off with five amateur bouts, each featuring an NYPD officer or military veteran, and will conclude with four world-class professional bouts. The amateur bouts will be exclusive to those in attendance. The professional boxing portion of the card, featuring Yoshida vs. Metcalf, will air live exclusively on DAZN, beginning at 8:00 PM ET.

Tickets for “Heroes On The Hudson” can be purchased via Telecharge.com or by calling (800) 447-7400. Tables of 10, including a sit-down dinner, are $10,000. Ringside seats, including buffet, are $250 plus ticket fees. Standing Room Only tickets are $125 plus ticket fees. All tickets, regardless of price, include open bar. Edison Ballroom is located at 240 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036. Doors will open on the night of the event at 5:30 PM ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:00 PM ET.

“Heroes On The Hudson” is proudly sponsored by Morgan Stanley and Cavu Securities. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to support Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York.

“Miyo Yoshida is a very talented fighter and a two-time world champion for a reason,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Her opponent on November 7, Shurretta Metcalf, is a formidable fighter herself, who has already shown me she is capable of competing at the top level of her division. This is an important fight with the IBF Inter-Continental title at stake and, likely, a world title challenge for the winner.”

Yoshida (16-3) defeated Casey Croft in 2019 to capture the WBO super flyweight world title. She lost the belt in her second title defense via technical decision after an accidental headbutt cut the bout short against Tomoko Okuda in December 2020. However, she regained the belt in a rematch six months later.

In her debut under the DiBella Entertainment banner, Yoshida defeated Indeya Smith on points over eight rounds on April 27. It was also her first fight in the United States. Despite her victory, she had reservations about her performance that she looks to put to rest on November 7.

“Last time, I was unable to properly prepare for the fight due to visa issues and the fact that I had just arrived in the US,” said Yoshida. “Communication was very difficult, especially with my trainers. For this bout, I have been able to train well at Gleason’s Gym and work very hard with my team. This time, I believe I’ll be able to show the true Miyo Yoshida.” 

Yoshida hopes that a win on November 7 will place her one step closer to fighting for a world title once again. After arriving in the States about a year ago, Yoshida now considers New York home and looks forward to fighting at Edison Ballroom in Times Square.

“I have been treated with kindness by many New Yorkers and I really love the city. I am very grateful to be able to have a fight on an event supporting military veterans just days before this important holiday. I will fight in this match as a New Yorker.”

“I have watched videos of my opponent,” Yoshida said of Metcalf. “My impression of her is that she is tall and has a good out-boxer style. I have not fought at 118 pounds in five years. However, I have fought a lot of taller fighters, so it is not a problem.” 

There is no shortage of inspiration for Yoshida, who will be cheered on by her eight-year-old daughter.

“I am inspired by my daughter, who believes in me and is always there for me, and by all of the people that support me. 

“My childhood was very difficult,” she continued. “I want to prove that no matter how difficult things get, if you don’t give up on your dreams and keep pursuing them, you can make your dreams a reality regardless of your background. I also want to give people who are in the same situation as me the courage to live strongly.”

For her part, Metcalf (12-4-1, 2 KOs) is ready to show that she belongs in the ring with a two-time world champion. 

“I’m feeling great,” said Metcalf. “I’m feeling strong. I’ve been manifesting this fight and working hard. I know [Yoshida] was a two-time WBO world champion and she’s coming to fight. I’m letting her know that I’m here to fight and I’m on that level as well.”

The experienced Metcalf, once ranked the #1 super bantamweight in the US as an amateur, is coming off of a win against previously unbeaten, former IBO bantamweight world champion Melissa Oddessa Parker on July 29. She has lost just once over the past six years, via majority decision.

Metcalf, who comes from a military family, said, “It means a lot to me to fight on ‘Heroes on the Hudson’. I have family that was in World War II. I have family who still lives in Killeen, TX, on the army base. All of my great uncles were in the army as well. They’re buried at the army cemetery here in Dallas.”

DiBella Entertainment

Instagram: @DiBellaEnt

Twitter: @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt

Facebook: @DiBellaEntertainment

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Oct. 23, 2023) – Fight week for The Battle Of The Baddest is finally here. WBC & lineal heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury will square off against lineal MMA heavyweight world champion Francis Ngannou on Saturday, Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The long-awaited battle of behemoths kicks off Riyadh Season, one of the world’s leading entertainment festivals, which runs throughout the winter months in the Kingdom’s largest city.

Promoted by Queensberry, Top Rank and GIMIK Fight Promotions, the Fury-Ngannou card will stream live on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV in the United States beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Priced at $79.99 across all distributors, it also will be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

The pay-per-view undercard will be an all-heavyweight affair and features a 12-round showdown between undefeated British standouts Fabio Wardley (16-0, 15 KOs) and David Adeleye (12-0, 11 KOs).

Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (32-3, 22 KOs), a New Zealand-born veteran who trains with Fury, will take on Canadian knockout artist Simon Kean (23-1, 22 KOs) in a 10-rounder.

Arslanbek Makhmudov (17-0, 16 KOs), a 260-plus pound wrecking ball out of Montreal, Canada, will fight the upset-minded Junior Anthony Wright (20-4-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-rounder. 

Moses Itauma (5-0, 3 KOs), Great Britain’s 18-year-old heavyweight hopeful, will open the pay-per-view broadcast in a six-rounder against once-beaten Hungarian Istvan Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs).

Before Saturday’s full night of action, the full suite of fight week events will stream live on Top Rank’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages.

New episodes of Top Rank Real Time, a behind-the-scenes look at the fighters and their camps, will premier every day throughout fight week on Top Rank’s YouTube channel.
  
Tuesday, October 24 : Fury vs. Ngannou Grand Arrivals
1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) & Facebook pages
 
Wednesday, October 25: Fury vs. Ngannou Public Workouts
1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter)  & Facebook pages
 
Thursday, October 26: Fury vs. Ngannou Main Event & Undercard Press Conferences
1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) & Facebook pages
 
Friday, October 27: Fury vs. Ngannou Weigh-In
11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) & Facebook pages

Saturday, October 28: Fury vs. Ngannou Fight Day
PPV Broadcast
2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
CLICK HERE for Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV Event Order Page

PPV broadcast includes: Fury-Ngannou, Wardley-Adeleye, Parker-Kean, Makhmudov-Wright and Itauma-Bernath.

Post-Fight Press Conference (After Main Event)
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTube, X (Twitter) & Facebook pages
 

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About Riyadh Season:
Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and other unique cultural events. In 2023, Riyadh Season will commence on Saturday, 28 October with a spectacular opening ceremony and an historic boxing match between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou.